Image: SEGA, ParamountSonic the Hedgehog's third big-screen outing arrives this week and the critic reviews are now rolling in...This outing brings Shadow into the picture and it seems the reviews have (mostly) been enjoying the fun and family-friendly action so far. Many reviews are also praising Jim Carrey's efforts as well as the addition of Keanu Reeves.Variety said it was "faster and more fun":"The plot finds room for the Master Emerald, the super-powered jewel introduced in the last Sonic film, and for Tails the fox (Colleen OShaughnessey) and Knuckles the echidna (Idris Elba), who are now part of Sonics super-critter-hero team. But the real star is Fowlers shape-shifting filmmaking, which is deft enough to revel in blockbuster overkill and skewer it at the same time."GamesRadar+ thought Sonic 3 was predictable, but great fun - awarding it 3 out of 5 stars:"Sonic the Hedgehog 3 then is a piece of overstuffed franchise affair that's simple and predictable but great fun. Anchored by two great characters, Sonic and Robotnik, it's a family-friendly adventure that does nothing to revolutionize the formula Fowler has developed but keeps the wheels turning fast enough to get everyone excited for a sequel."Gaming Bible said Sonic 3 was the "best film of the trilogy":"Sonic The Hedgehog 3 was amazing. It really is the best film of the trilogy by far, yet Im still confident the next film could be even better if they keep this momentum up. Its hard to believe that we started from a shoddy, horrific design for a live-action Sonic The Hedgehog and somehow ended up here, its honestly surreal."Our friends at Eurogamer called it a "fitting finale for the year of Shadow" - awarding it 4 out of 5 stars:"Sonic 3 is a resounding success and fitting finale to the Year of Shadow. It's quippy and self-aware, balancing broad pop culture appeal with authenticity to its source material, while its flashy action thrills alongside an unbridled sense of cool that's only enhanced by Reeves as Shadow. Between this year's games and film, Sonic's shining bright with Shadow in tow."And IGN awarded Sonic's third outing 6 out of 10 - mentioning how these movies were only getting "better as they go" and also praising Jim Carrey's performance:"They may have started on the wrong foot, but the Sonic the Hedgehog movies appear to be getting better as they go. Pushing further past the dopey buddy comedy of the original and the tiresome pop-culture references of its marginally better sequel, this third installment offers much more pleasing CGI, blessedly fewer human foibles, and a kind of tortured nega-Sonic in Shadow, a fan favorite antihero voiced by Keanu Reeves. The real draw, though, is Jim Carrey, coaxed out of supposed retirement to deliver a dual villain performance that doubles all the exaggerated comic pleasures of his ongoing turn as Dr. Robotnik." Including the all-important post-credits sceneWill you be heading to the cinemas to catch Sonic 3? Let us know in the comments.Share:00 Liam is a news writer and reviewer for Nintendo Life and Pure Xbox. He's been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of Mario and Master Chief. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesSonic Racing: CrossWorlds Speeds Onto Nintendo Switch "Soon"Update: New info has surfacedRound Up: The First Impressions Of The Sonic 3 Movie Are InHere's what critics and fans had to sayReminder: Sonic X Shadow Generations 'Sonic 3 Movie Pack' DLC Now Available"Featuring the voice of Keanu Reeves"PSA: Watch Out, Sonic 3 Movie Spoilers Are Already Cropping Up OnlineIncluding the all-important post-credits scene

Image: The Pokmon CompanyThousands of pounds of Pokmon Trading Cards have been stolen from Ace Grading, a Banbury-based Card Grading company run by TCG YouTuber Randolph.As reported by the BBC, the break in took place on Friday 13th December in what Randolph and his company has called a "targeted attack". Thames Valley Police believes that an estimated GBP 250,000 worth of cards have been stolen from the company's headquarters.In a video posted to his Pokmon-focused YouTube Channel, Randolph real name Andrew Shane has outlined the situation, explaining that it seems like a "professional break in" and that no other items have been stolen or tampered with.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube789kWatch on YouTube "This is obviously the worst thing that can possibly happen for the community" Randolph continues, admitting that the team "doesn't know" if it will be able to move forward from the attack.In a separate statement, Ace Trading has advised that customers who have been affected have been contacted by email or phone and informed of what cards have been taken and on how to claim compensation. Those whose cards haven't been stolen will also be contacted to confirm that the cards are safe.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube789kThe police investigation is still ongoing, so Randolph can't share much more, but he has advised that the company has increased security measures since the theft.Customers who use grading companies send their cards to the graders in order to get a rating on them. Cards such as Pokmon, Panini, Magic the Gathering and more are evaluated and given a "grade" which is seen as a way of appraising and preserving a card's condition, as well as potentially increasing its value.Oftentimes, the value of these cards can be in the hundreds, if not thousands. And, in recent years, we've seen card collecting particularly Pokmon cards explode in popularity.We'll update you when we hear more about the situation.

The build is from a week before cancellation.After almost ten years of research and internet digging, a brand new build of the Wii version of Radical Front's Star Wars Battlefront 3 has been discovered.Footage of the build has been shared on YouTube by modder iamshaymin as well as on r/GamingLeaksAndRumours. According to the footage, the build is show is dated just over a week before Free Radical's game was cancelled, and is "potentially the last Wii build of the game".Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for nearly 50% of Southeast Asias GDP, contributing to job creation, innovation, and overall economic expansion. Nevertheless, as in other parts of the world, SMEs in Southeast Asia face challenges when it comes to sufficient working capital. In a nutshell, SMEs are typically deemed too risky for traditional banks to lend to them, so those banks charge high rates, if they approve them at all.Kelvin Teo and Reynold Wijaya, two entrepreneurs from Southeast Asia who met while both were getting graduate degrees at Harvard Business School (HBS), were acutely aware of that gap back home. Inspired by HBS stated mission to make a difference in the world, they set out to address it.We had grown up as underdogs, felt privileged to be at HBS and wanted to pay it forward to Southeast Asia, Teo said in an interview with TechCrunch. SMEs resonate with us and financing is their biggest pain point.Their startup, Funding Societies, is a Singapore-based SME lending platform with licensed and registered offices in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. On the back of strong growth across the region to date its loaned more than $4 billion to over 100,000 businesses the fintech startup has been on a funding tear, too, most recently raising $25 million in equity.The investment comes from a single investor: Cool Japan Fund (CJF), Japans sovereign wealth fund. Notably, this marks the funds first investment in a fintech company in Southeast Asia. The recent funding brings the total raised by Funding Societies to approximately $250 million in equity. Investors have included strategic backers such as Khazanah Nasional Berhad and Maybank, which put in $40 million less than a year ago, as well as SoftBank Vision Fund 2, CGC Digital, SBVA (previously SoftBank Ventures Asia), Peak XV Partners (formerly known Sequoia Capital India), and Alpha JWC Ventures, among others.Funding Societies was founded in Singapore in 2015 on the back of the two founders collective backgrounds. Teo previously worked at Accenture, McKinsey, and KKR Capstone, while Wijaya had experience in a family business in Indonesia. After deciding to build a business to work with SMEs, the duo spent around three years researching the most groundbreaking companies in the U.S., analyzing their journey to the top.The company says that it has loaned more than $4 billion in business financing to date to around 100,000 SMEs across its five Southeast Asian countries. This is up from $3 billion in April 2023. Additionally, it has generated an annualized payment gross transaction value (GTV) of more than $1.4 billion since expanding into its payments business in 2022.The startup plans to use the money to expand its primary focus, providing financing services faster to SMEs in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is also investing in AI to digitize and automate the lending application process and grow its payments business, which was launched in 2022.On top of that, through a partnership with CJF, it will offer financial services to back Japanese companies that are already operating businesses, or looking to expand their presence in Southeast Asia, or entering new markets in Southeast Asia, Teo told TechCrunch.The startup provides a wide range of financing options, including term loans, micro-loans, receivable/payable financing, revolver loans, and asset-backed business loans, ranging from $500 to $2 million, to meet the diverse needs of businesses at different stages. Many companies use the funds for working capital or as bridge loans to scale up.One of the things that sets the startup apart from competitors like Validus and Bluecell Intelligence is that it offers a one-stop shop service, from short-term financing to supply chain financing, via online and offline channels and partnerships, and payment offerings, according to the company CEO.Revenue from digital financial services in Southeast Asia is expected to rise, with digital lending leading the way and making up about 65% of the total revenue, according to an e-Conomy SEA Report 2024.More consolidations expected in credit fintech in SEASince a mammoth $144 million Series C+ funding round led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 in February 2022, the Southeast Asia SME lending market has significantly consolidated, making the startup even stronger as a market leader, claimed Teo.Ironically, one companys crisis could become Funding Societies gain. Teo said the company expects more consolidation among fintechs focusing on credit in Southeast Asia. That is because many companies are getting to the end of their runways and unable to raise more money in the still-slugging SEA funding climate. Those that have focused on single countries are especially vulnerable, he added. Since SoftBank Vision Funds investment in February 2022, the macro market has changed considerably, with U.S. banks collapsing, impacting credit supply to non-bank lenders, Teo told TechCrunch. U.S. rate hikes have also raised the cost of funds. Up until September, the macro market faced a 23-year period of rate hikes, and geopolitics have hurt SMEs and raised non-performing loans, he added.In this challenging period, in December 2022, the company made its first acquisition: Sequoia-backed payments fintech CardUp. This almost tripled its revenue while maintaining its headcount almost flat. Teo noted also that the startup made investments in three companies in the period, including a fintech company and a startup specializing in POS software.A social and economic impact report that the startup collaborated on with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2020 found that Funding Societies-backed MSMEs contributed $3.6 billion to GDP and created approximately 350,000 new jobs. In addition, it helped SMEs boost their revenue by 13% through quick disbursement and a simple application process, according to the company.Topics

Generative AI may look like magic, but behind the development of these systems are armies of employees at companies like Google, OpenAI, and others, known as prompt engineers and analysts, who rate the accuracy of chatbots outputs to improve their AI.But a new internal guideline passed down from Google to contractors working on Gemini, seen by TechCrunch, has led to concerns that Gemini could be more prone to spouting out inaccurate information on highly sensitive topics, like healthcare, to regular people.To improve Gemini, contractors working with GlobalLogic, an outsourcing firm owned by Hitachi, are routinely asked to evaluate AI-generated responses according to factors like truthfulness.These contractors were until recently able to skip certain prompts, and thus opt out of evaluating various AI-written responses to those prompts, if the prompt was way outside their domain expertise. For example, a contractor could skip a prompt that was asking a niche question about cardiology because the contractor had no scientific background.But last week, GlobalLogic announced a change from Google that contractors are no longer allowed to skip such prompts, regardless of their own expertise.Internal correspondence seen by TechCrunch shows that previously, the guidelines read: If you do not have critical expertise (e.g. coding, math) to rate this prompt, please skip this task.But now the guidelines read: You should not skip prompts that require specialized domain knowledge. Instead, contractors are being told to rate the parts of the prompt you understand and include a note that they dont have domain knowledge.This has led to direct concerns about Geminis accuracy on certain topics, as contractors are sometimes tasked with evaluating highly technical AI responses about issues like rare diseases that they have no background in.I thought the point of skipping was to increase accuracy by giving it to someone better? one contractor noted in internal correspondence, seen by TechCrunch.Contractors can now only skip prompts in two cases: if theyre completely missing information like the full prompt or response, or if they contain harmful content that requires special consent forms to evaluate, the new guidelines show.Google did not respond to TechCrunchs requests for comment by press time.

Struggling EV startup Canoo says it has furloughed 82 employees and is idling its factory in Oklahoma while it grasps for the capital needed to survive. The company claims it is in advanced discussions with various capital sources to raise emergency funding.The announcement comes just a few days after board member James Chen resigned, and roughly one month after the company saw its chief financial officer and head lawyer depart. Canoo is also facing multiple lawsuits from suppliers over alleged late payments.The new furloughs cap what has been a rough year for the startup. The company has undergone multiple rounds of layoffs and furloughs, and closed the Los Angeles office that used to serve as its headquarters. Canoos chief technology officer left in August, and all of the companys founders are now gone. In the meantime, it has been kept afloat by loans from the venture firm run by its CEO, Tony Aquila.Its unclear what Canoo was making at its facility in Oklahoma before deciding to pause operations there. So far, the company has delivered electric vans to NASA, USPS, Walmart, and the Department of Defense for testing. But it has failed at its broader ambitions of ramping up manufacturing for other commercial customers.In an unsigned statement, Canoo said: We regret having to furlough our employees, especially during the holidays, but we have no choice at this point. We are hopeful that we will be able to bring them back to work soon. Aquila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Photoshop, Fusion, Maya & Substance Painter Workflow with Kris TurveyIn this 3-hour workshop, concept artist Kris Turvey demonstrates his complete workflow for designing and modeling a sci-fi prop for production. Beginning with his mind-mapping process to generate ideas, he explains how to develop concepts quickly with quick sketching in Photoshop. He then demonstrates how simple techniques using the Airbrush and Selection tools can take your ideas to a more advanced presentation stage.Moving on from Photoshop, Kris takes a selected design into Fusion, showcasing the various parametric 3D modeling techniques he uses to create fabrication-ready 3D models. To complete the workflow, he then demonstrates how to take your final Fusion model into Substance Painter to apply materials and generate final presentation renders efficiently.Throughout the workshop, Kris shares an in-depth look at his key design principles for designing objects that quickly and effectively communicate their functionality to an audience. By the end of the tutorial, artists will have developed a sound understanding of the professional techniques needed to underpin strong designs and will understand how to develop a solid pipeline for future concept design projects.Kriss final Fusion file is included as a downloadable project file with this workshop.WATCH NOW

Workflow Tips & Tricks using Maya, Redshift & Photoshop with Josh DochertyIf you want to push your models to the industry gold standard, this workshop will show you how professional modelers working in film and TV create world-class production-quality vehicles.When modeling assets in the visual effects industry, artists are often supplied with scans or photogrammetry of the subject to retopologize and match the references. However, there are frequently times when this isnt the case, and in those instances, its essential to know what to do and how to tackle these scenarios working from limited references only which is expected of every modeler working on complex shows and often under very quick turnarounds.In this 3-hour workshop, Josh Docherty takes you through the process of modeling a high-resolution vehicle without a scan, relying on the use of camera lineups and using his tips, tricks, and industry knowledge to create the same high-quality, pipeline-ready asset in a limited amount of time.This tutorial teaches how to create a clean, robust model for downstream use by other departments, including Texturing/Lookdev, Rigging, Animation, FX, and Lighting. Different departments often have many requirements and needs that modelers are responsible for ensuring are considered and fulfilled to the best of their abilities. This helps the entire pipeline perform efficiently for all things model-related.Josh demonstrates many of the best practices and actions artists can take to ensure assets function at their best, using native Maya tools to achieve the same results at home all while adhering to the same rules as the largest pipelines in the industry. This workshop is best suited for junior-level modelers and above.The references used for this workshop are fromBring a Trailer, and the HDRI featured is fromPolyHaven. Josh uses PureRef, Maya, Arnold, Redshift (optional), Lightroom & Photoshop as his tools of choice, though the techniques demonstrated can be applied to other software.WATCH NOW

Fundamental Animation Principles with Erik A. CastilloIn this intermediate-level workshop, following on fromIntroduction to Maya for Animators, Erik Castillo explores the core principles that bring animated characters to life. Using Maya, Erik focuses on understanding and applying fundamental animation concepts like squash and stretch, anticipation, timing, balance, and follow-through to create realistic and expressive movements.Designed for those familiar with Maya, this workshop aims to help animators elevate their understanding of how body mechanics affect a characters movement and overall performance. Through practical, hands-on exercises, artists will explore the process of creating believable actions such as lifting objects, standing, walking cycles, and more.The workshop includes an analysis of famous animation sequences to see how professionals tackle complex body mechanics. By the end, students will clearly grasp how to make characters move naturally and with intent, using the principles discussed to refine and polish their animation sequences.Whether youre looking to solidify your fundamentals or gain new insight into body mechanics, this workshop offers the essential building blocks to improve your animation skills and deepen your understanding of character movement in CG.The demonstrations in the workshop utilizeProRigs.WATCH NOW

The Yard VFX has hired CG supervisors Eve Chauvet and Bertrand Cabrol. Both newcomers to the company boast expertise and extensive international experience at leading studios, most notably in Canada.With over 20 years in the industry, Chauvet has built a career working in Amsterdam, London, Vancouver, and Montreal. She honed her expertise as a 2D and 3D artist, and environment/CG supervisor at MPC, Framestore, and DNEG. Cabrol brings a decade of experience, primarily in Montreal, where he progressed from an FX and environment artist to supervisor at Framestore and DNEG."I am thrilled to join The Yard team in Montpellier," said Chauvet. "Returning to Montpellier, where I studied, and having the opportunity to work on both international and French projects is an incredible chance. I feel fortunate to reconnect with our French craftsmanship and, alongside Bertrand, bring a touch of our experience from some of the world's leading studios.""Having joined The Yard a few months ago, I am delighted to see that my initial experiences with the organization have met my expectations and align perfectly with the ambitions and challenges Ive set for my career," said Cabrol. "With the right people, the necessary support, and the vision driven by the management team, I see even the most ambitious projects becoming achievable.Among other major films, both contributed to Disney's live-action remake of Dumbo. Cabrols other credits include Blade Runner 2049, Deadpool 2, Watchmen, and The Mandalorian. Meanwhile, Chauvet has worked on Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, For All Mankind, Alien Covenant, Ghost in the Shell, Last Night in Soho, and Fantastic Beasts.We are delighted to welcome Eve and Bertrand to The Yard, says Laurens Ehrmann, founder and Senior VFX Supervisor. Their arrival marks a new chapter for The Yard, enabling us to continue developing our studio structure with senior talent in both Paris and Montpellier. I am sure their experience will benefit both our team and future clients.Source: The Yard VFX Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.