Were thrilled to announce after nearly two decades, the Onimusha series is returning with Onimusha: Way of the Sword, a brand-new swordplay action game coming in 2026.Play VideoOnimusha first debuted with Onimusha: Warlords back in 2001, with swordplay combat based on the Issen counterattack mechanics. Introduced as a staple in the series, the mystical Oni Gauntlet bestowed the ability to absorb souls from the Genma, who were monstrous deformed creatures from another world.At The Game Awards 2024, we came back with a swingor should we say slash. Onimusha: Way of the Sword is set in Kyoto in the early Edo period. The nefarious Malice has transformed the historic city into a dark twisted haven for the return of the demonic Genma.View and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageView and download imageDownload the imagecloseCloseDownload this imageA lone samurai steps forth, wielding the legendary Oni Gauntlet, and engages in brutally graceful sword fights, wiping his brow of sweat and blood. What path will he take, and what is the reason behind those battle-worn eyes?Stay tuned for more information on Onimusha: Way of the Sword, coming to PlayStation 5 in 2026. To all the Onimusha fans who have waited this long for our reawakening, thank you for all the support youve shown us over the years. Were back.

The trailer for Elden Ring Nightreign that dropped during The Game Awards on Thursday doesnt actually explain whats going on. It opens with overhead shots of a world that looks sort of like The Lands Between if it was missing its giant golden tree, and then spends the next three minutes showing things that simply werent possible in Elden Ring. Characters fight bosses out in the open world, fly across lava on ghostly eagles, and hold up was that a grappling hook?Yeah, thats totally a grappling hook, according to hands-on previews from PC Gamer and IGN. Elden Ring Nightreign has eight heroes to choose from and one of them has the ability to yank himself toward enemies so he can set off an explosion that deals loads of damage. You read that right: This is a spinoff adventure where you wont make your own character. Instead, there are several heroes to play as and ways to upgrade their unique abilities as you go.Elden Ring Nightreign isnt about clawing your way to another throne; its about surviving three nights in an ever-changing realm of familiar and unfamiliar monsters with your buddies. You might even call it a cooperative run-based roguelike set on a randomized map that looks a lot like Limgrave, Elden Rings opening area. PC Gamer says each session lasts around 30 minutes as long as you dont get swallowed up by a dangerous ring that closes in on you like in a battle royale.You start each run at level 1 and cash in runes to boost all your stats at once, sort of like the Scadutree Blessing system in Shadow of the Erdtree. Camps, caves, and crumbling ruins will be your sources for loot, but what you find will change each time. Enemy placements will shift around too, and should you fall, your teammates will be able to revive you. Itll be a scramble to gear up before the sun goes down and one of the games bosses appears to gate your progress.It wouldnt be a FromSoft game if dying didnt sting. If your teammates dont reach you in time, youll respawn nearby and lose all your runes and one level. Both PC Gamer and IGN make it seem like this isnt as bad as it sounds given how fast you accrue runes, but it can certainly lead to a full party wipe and end the run prematurely. For that reason, you may want to stick to playing with friends rather than random players. Even though Nightreigns focus is on co-op, FromSoft hasnt come up with anything better than setting up a shared multiplayer password to play with your pals. The seamless co-op mod has spoiled me.There are plenty of other details in PC Gamer and IGNs write-ups, like how each hero works and what kind of cool combos you can perform with your allies. But neither of them explain why bosses from Dark Souls are in the trailer. I know Im not the only one who saw all the cameos from Dark Souls 3. Who does FromSoft think its fooling with that cloaked lady wearing the mask? Thats my Fire Keeper. All the press release says is that Nightreign is set in a universe parallel to the events of Elden Ring, and the lore-fiend in me is desperate to know more.Elden Ring Nightreign will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2025.

Fortnite is no longer just the culture-defining battle royale game. It has since become a platform to host a wide variety of games. Lego Fortnite takes a swipe at Minecraft lovers with survival and clicky crafting mechanics. Fortnite Obby Fun and the recent Lego Fortnite Brick Life bring young players familiar with Roblox into the fold. Fortnite Festival gives fans of rhythm games a regular cadence of contemporary hits to jam out to.One by one, the devs at Epic Games are crafting modes that slot each type of player into Fortnites golden gauntlet, as if there collecting fans of specific genres like Thanos does with Infinity Stones. And now, with this latest addition, a team-based shooter called Fortnite Ballistic, Epic has its sights set on fans of gritty first-person shooters. Although the game isnt as polished as it could be yet Epic released it in early access on Dec. 11 it shows the devs ambition to bring a new kind of player to the game.Fortnite Ballistic plays like other team-based shooters, such as Valorant or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. There are two teams: defenders and attackers. The defenders can win by either defusing an explosive set by the opposing team, or by eliminating the entirety of the other team. The attackers win by setting up the explosive and stalling the other team for long enough to detonate it. The number of players on each team can vary, but it tops out at five.Fortnite the battle royale game has a whimsical, cartoony vibe. Sure, its a shooter, but its also a game where you can drive around and jam out to Chappell Roan or go fishing. Its unserious. Ballistic, on the other hand, is a lot more sanitized. Its maps lean into gray industrial looks, and it has an arsenal where you purchase standard items like a Striker AR or Flashbangs between rounds. It doesnt have goofy little weapons like cute Sprite pets or Chug Jug.There are definitely issues with Ballistic. The game kicked me back to the lobby three times while I was trying to queue my first time playing. I also experienced connection issues with other teammates who had glitched movements, despite my running the game on a desktop with a wired connection and fiber optic internet. People were dropping in and out mid-match, and the game currently doesnt punish people for dipping the second they decide theyre done with a team. Also, at various moments, the UI overlapped so I couldnt see the match score after I had been eliminated.But the game has good bones. Before long I was learning the pacing, the general paths I could take for each map, and even the corners to duck around to get a good angle. The shooting, too, felt precise and consistent. And even though my personal preference still skews towards third-person shooters with chiller vibes, I could not deny the satisfaction of getting a quick and clean headshot in Ballistic.Do I think Ballistic will replace Valorant or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive any time soon? Nah. Those games have taken years to build dedicated audiences and competitive scenes around them. But Im curious about the future of this game, because my impressions left me feeling like the Epic Games team has the makings of a solid first-person shooter here.

Pro-Ject Audio Systems has built a reputation for delivering exceptional value with turntables like the Debut Evo 2. However, the Austrian brand also caters to the high-end market, and its latest flagship model, the Pro-Ject Signature 12.2, exemplifies the pinnacle of the companys engineering prowess.The Signature series serves as Pro-Jects platform for developing cutting-edge turntable technologies. The advancements made in the Signature 12.2 represent the culmination of years of research and innovation, with plans to eventually integrate these features into more affordable models across the brands lineup.Priced at $14,999, the Signature 12.2 offers a luxury listening experience. Each unit requires two full days to hand-polish and assemble its approximately 100 precision-machined components. All parts are manufactured in-house and subjected to a meticulous four-step quality control process, ensuring exceptional build quality and performance.At the heart of the Signature 12.2 is a newly developed 12-inch S-shaped tonearm, engineered to optimize anti-skating performance. The turntable features an adaptive anti-skating mechanism that increases corrective force as necessary, improving tracking accuracy. The tonearm is supported by a three-point pivot bearing system, which distributes stress across multiple points rather than relying on a traditional uni-pivot design. This minimizes friction and enhances the tonearms stability, allowing it to extract finer details from vinyl records.Pro-Ject has refined the turntables chassis with a TPE-decoupled, resonance-optimized aluminum alloy sub-chassis, designed to isolate the tonearm and platter from external vibrations. This system is further complemented by newly developed spring-loaded isolation feet, which enhance the turntables ability to reject unwanted vibrations and maximize sonic clarity.The Signature 12.2 employs Pro-Jects flywheel belt-drive system for smooth, vibration-free operation and features electronic speed control for precise playback at both 33 and 45 RPM. Additionally, the turntable now offers balanced output via a 5-pin DIN to XLR or mini-XLR cable, providing audiophiles with improved signal integrity and reduced noise.While the Signature 12.2 caters to discerning vinyl enthusiasts willing to invest in top-tier audio equipment, Pro-Ject intends to trickle down its innovations to more accessible models. This promises to bring high-end performance to a broader audience in the future.For those ready to pony up $14,999 to experience the ultimate in analog audio, the Pro-Ject Signature 12.2 is now available for purchase through the companys website at project-audio.com.

I have a sick obsession with holiday baking. (Sick like how the kids say it because all my baking is fire.) December is my signal to start baking for friends' parties, for my own Christmas gatherings, and for shipping to friends near and far. Sending a box full of homemade treats should bring a smile to the faces of those you care for. Make sure they arrive in pristine condition, and not a broken mess of holiday disappointment. Here are the tips I use every year to successfully ship holiday cookies.1. Select the best cookies for shippingSome cookies and bars ship better than others. Keep in mind that this box will be getting tossed and rolled on its way to the destination. Do send. The best cookies to ship are sturdy treats like drop cookies, brownies, bars, thick cookie-cutter cookies, and fudge. Don't send. Steer clear of delicate tuiles, almond macarons, or cookies that have runny jam, or sticky frosting. Anything slab shaped, like brownies, bars, or fudge can be left unsliced. Ship it in a single brick so it makes the journey in one piece, and then recipient can cut it once it arrives.2. Cool your cookies completely Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Its a hectic time, but dont rush to pack homemade cookies. Wait for your cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before nestling them in the cookie box. Chill them in the fridge briefly if you need to speed things along. Warm cookies are still flexiblethe fats and sugars havent setand any chocolate present will still be molten. Stacking those cookies in a box might cause them to bend, squish, or break. Additionally, if you close up the cookie tin tightly, humidity will build in the box. This could cause bacteria or mold to grow over the course of the shipping time.3. Pack cookies for shipping Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Its hard to resist a variety. While you dont need to pare down the types of cookies you bake, you should consider how you plan to pack it all. I like to use the term like with like, and all that means is to keep similar cookies in the same room. Focus specifically on like flavors or aromas, and like textures. This will prevent treats from changing due to the impact of un-like neighbors in the immediate vicinity.An example of a bad idea: packing soft fig cookies with crisp peppermint shortbread. The soft fig cookies will add humidity to the air and soften the shortbread, messing with the texturealso making them more likely to break. The peppermint aroma could also be absorbed by the fig cookies, which is not exactly how the artist intended it to be experienced. While the scent of chocolate doesnt tend to seep into other cookies, spice cookies and peppermint can really make an impact.To prevent this, pack the cookies in separate tins or boxes, or wrap the cookies tightly in plastic wrap or zip-top bags to help separate them. Try to keep soft cookies and bars in airtight packaging so they dont lose moisture.4. Try a different cookie tin Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Metal cookie tins are relatively air-tight, and freakin adorable with their cute patterns, but my friends have told me that they still have their tins from last year. Which ends up being weird storage for them, or trash after the cookies are gone. If youre shipping cookies year after year, this can be a cumbersome collection.If you see your giftees often, have them return the tins to you for next year. If not, consider bakery boxes for treats that dont need to be air-tight, or alternative repurposed containers. Paper dessert boxes can be lighter than cookie tins too, which might shave a dollar or so off your shipping price. Pringles cans, or coffee cans make excellent cookie holders. They might not bear images of polar bears or Santa wearing buffalo plaid, but theyre well-shaped for this honorable duty.5. Pack holiday cookies securely with alternative packing material Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Packing cookies securely is the final step to ensuring they arrive in pristine condition. It might seem like packing the space between the cookie tin and the cardboard box is good enough, but youd be mistaken. The space inside the cookie vessel is the enemy too. The main trick is packing them tightly inside and out. Obviously, pack as many cookies in the container as possible because everyone likes more cookies, and fill the small spaces between the cookies and on top of them. When you put the lid on the material will keep the cookies in place no matter how the box gets tossed around during shipping.I like to sit my cookies in cupcake liners inside a cookie tin. The ruffled edges tend to fan out and fill up the voids and keep the cookies from moving from side to side. In the space above, I crumple up a sheet of parchment paper and fit it onto the top. Flat parchment is nearly useless, but the crumpling it creates more of a 3-D air buffer that keeps the cookies from bouncing. Its also flexible so you can still easily snap on the lid. You could buy packing bubbles or paper packing I suppose, but I always feel wasteful using brand new materials that will immediately get chucked. If youre receiving boxes in the days before shipping your cookies, save the packaging from those boxes and reuse them. You can also pack the box with anything that can be repurposed or isnt terribly wasteful. Use alternative packing materials like all the totes youve acquired over the year, folded second-use cardboard, crumpled paper destined for the trash (newspapers or pages torn from mailer catalogs you never asked for), or plain popcorn. Although its wasting food, its cheap, not particularly nutritious, and you get 7-10 cups of popcorn from four tablespoons of kernels.Send cookies earlier than you thinkWhile you still have some time, don't delay on shipping holiday cookies. The U.S. postal service is getting slammed right about now, so don't risk waiting. Their website gives you a useful chart of shipping deadlines based on the type of service youll be using. Faster shipping costs more and buys you a little more time, but not much. For the best bet on your cookies arriving by the 25th, send them by Dec. 18 (for the contiguous 48 states). Then you can rest assured that your friends and family will get their bundle of sweets with plenty of time to enjoy them before Santa comes to take his cut.

Individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are available to anyone with taxable income, even if you have retirement benefits at work. Like other types of retirement accounts, IRAs are tax-advantaged: if you contribute to a traditional IRA, you get the benefit of a tax deduction now, while a Roth IRA can be drawn from tax-free in the future. IRA annual contribution limits are relatively low compared to other types of tax-advantaged accountsup to $7,000 in total to your IRAs for 2024 or $8,000 if you're 50 or older. If you have more than one IRAa Roth IRA and a traditional IRA, for exampleyou can make $7,000 in contributions across both, not $7,000 each. This can be split however you want, but there are limits on Roth contributions based on your income and filing status. (There are also deduction limits for traditional IRAs if you or a spouse have an employer-sponsored retirement plan.) While the deadline for contributing to some retirement accounts to gain the tax benefit is Dec. 31, you have a few extra months to make your IRA contributions. When is the IRA contribution deadline?The last day to contribute toward your IRA's annual limit is the filing deadline for that tax year. For example, you have until April 15, 2025when 2024 tax returns are dueto max out your 2024 IRA contributions. Contributions for 2025 can be made until April 15, 2026, and so on. Filing for an extension to submit your return does not extend the deadline for IRA contributions.Why you might want to max out your annual contributionsIf you haven't met your maximum for your IRA(s) in 2024 for any reasonyou opened the account later in the year or made smaller contributions throughout the year, for exampleyou can apply contributions in early 2025 as well as extra cash on hand to your 2024 limit. If you end up earning more or having additional money to invest later in the year, you'll be able to take advantage of the maximum tax benefits for both years. You may even be able to get ahead by maxing out 2025 before the end of the year and be ready to contribute a larger lump sum toward the next year right at the start of 2026 (early investing means more time for compounding to work). The best course of action for your money and investments depends on your personal situation, and it's always a good idea to consult with a tax professional before making any big decisions.How to change your preferred tax year for contributionsGenerally speaking, your IRA contributions will be applied by default to the tax year in which they are made: contributions made before Dec. 31, 2024 will go toward your 2024 limit, while those made on Jan. 1, 2025 and later will apply to 2025. If you want funds deposited on or after Jan. 1 to apply to the previous tax year, contact the brokerage that manages your account. You can likely do this proactively or retroactively up until April 15, but you'll need to find out your brokerage's process for managing tax year preferences. If you accidentally contribute over the annual limit, you also have until your return is filed to transfer or withdraw the excess. Otherwise, you'll pay a 6% tax penalty on that amount.

Meta sent a letter to Californias attorney general on Thursday urging him to stop OpenAI from converting to a for-profit company, a move that Meta says would be wrong and could lead to a proliferation of similar start-up ventures that are notionally charitable until they are potentially profitable. The letter from Meta Platforms to Attorney General Rob Bonta, first reported on byThe Wall Street Journal, comes on the heels of an injunction filed by Elon Musk at the end of November that also asked for OpenAI's conversion to be blocked.Meta argues in its letter, which The Verge has published in full, that OpenAI was able to raise billions of dollars from investors under its original nonprofit mission and now wants to change its status while retaining all of the benefits that enabled it to reach the point it has today. It goes on to say, OpenAI should not be allowed to flout the law by taking and reappropriating assets it built as a charity and using them for potentially enormous private gains. The letter also calls upon the attorney general to look into OpenAIs past practices as a nonprofit. Engadget has reached out to OpenAI for comment.Metas letter also voices support for Elon Musk and Shivon Zilis to represent public interests in Musks lawsuit against OpenAI, which was revived in August. On Friday, OpenAI published a timeline citing emails and other communications from Elon Musk to show how he previously pushed for OpenAI to become a for-profit with him at the helm.In a statement shared with The Verge in response to Meta's letter, OpenAI board chair Bret Taylor said, While our work remains ongoing as we continue to consult independent financial and legal advisors, any potential restructuring would ensure the nonprofit continues to exist and thrive, and receives full value for its current stake in the OpenAI for-profit with an enhanced ability to pursue its mission.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/now-meta-is-trying-to-stop-openais-for-profit-conversion-too-181623327.html?src=rss

There are some things you just dont do in certain parts of the US. You dont use inferior salsa during a cattle drive in Texas. You dont eat pizza with a knife and fork in New York City. You dont yell Belichick is a big, fat cheater! in a crowded Boston bar (even if it happens to be true).And if youre in New Jersey or just America in general, you NEVER take the holy name of Bruce Springsteen in vain in ANY manner. So its bewildering why one New Jersey representative would even think about faking his listening habits when it comes to The Boss.9to5Mac spotted a curious looking post on X from US Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ). The congressman shared what appeared to be his Spotify Wrapped playlist for the year, with one list consisting of Springsteens classic tracks like Glory Days and Thunder Road and the other filled with tracks from various hip hop stars. He tried to cement his esteem for Springsteen in his post by saying his first ever concert was at Meadowlands to see The Boss! Well, it didnt take long for the internet and anyone whos ever used Spotify to figure out that he faked the whole list just to kiss up to his constituents.Yikes pic.twitter.com/bTEkSodA9u Sebastian (@SebastianRios68) December 9, 2024 Gottheimers list included such glaring mistakes as inconsistent font sizes, improper spacing between the albums on his lists and the fact that both lists were titled Your top songs even though one only had Springsteen albums. He didnt even use the same font type or size for all of his track and album entries.So how did Gottheimer handle this musical faux pas with the press? He dug in his heels on his Springsteen tracks and blamed his two kids for the rest. He admitted to NJ Advance Media that he made a fake Spotify Wrapped list but says the tracks on each list are accurate because he shares an account with his children because thats easier than going back in time and setting up a family plan.This would be my Spotify Wrapped if I didnt share my account with my 12 and 15-year old kids, Gottheimer told the outlet. While its Springsteen all day for me dont get me wrong, I still love listening to Taylor Swift!Gottheimer has since taken the post down and replaced it with a list of his most listened to Springsteen tracks. Hes trying to save face because hes in a heated race for governor and if you want a solid shot at moving into New Jerseys governor mansion, then you need to make your love for The Boss known far and wide across the Garden State. If Gottheimer is also going for the Dad who makes his kids cringe at their music choices vote, then hes a lock.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/a-us-congressman-tried-and-failed-to-fake-his-spotify-wrapped-for-political-gain-205516508.html?src=rss

Europeans show enthusiasm for AI in law enforcement, yet there are concerns about its influence on elections and misinformation.

Hugging Face launches Generative AI Services (HUGS), offering zero-configuration deployment and flexible pricing for developers.