What just happened? The prospect of future FromSoftware games becoming PlayStation exclusives started looking more likely yesterday when Sony increased its stake in the studio's parent company to 10%. Sony paid $300 million for the new shares of Kadokawa, and while it is now the company's largest shareholder, it doesn't own it outright there were rumors that Sony was planning an acquisition. It was reported in November that Sony was in talks to acquire Kadokawa Corporation. In addition to FromSoftware, Kadokawa owns Spike Chunsoft, developer of the Danganronpa series, as well as Acquire (Octopath Traveler) and Gotcha Gotcha Games (RPG Maker and Pixel Game Maker).Instead of a full takeover, Sony and Kadokawa have entered into a "strategic capital and business alliance agreement." This includes Sony increasing its shares in Kadokawa from the previously owned 2% to 10%.Kadokawa owns 70% of FromSoftware, while Sony already has a 14% stake in the developer of the Souls games, Sekiro, Bloodborne, Armored Core, and more. Chinese gaming giant Tencent owns around 16% of the firm.Sony and Kadokawa write that their alliance is intended to maximize both companies' IP value globally and facilitate wider and deeper collaboration. That includes the discovery of new creators and turning Kadokawa's IPs into live-action films and TV dramas globally, co-producing anime works, and further expanding the publishing of Kadokawa's games.Before you get too excited about a Dark Souls/Elden Ring live-action show or anime, Kadokawa has film and animation studios, including those focused on anime. Sony, of course, already owns anime streaming services Crunchyroll and Funimation, which is a big driver behind its interest in Kadokawa.Reports that Sony was set to acquire Kadokawa caused concern among non-PlayStation-owning Dark Souls/Elden Ring fans that the series would become exclusive to its console. Demon's Souls and Bloodborne remain PlayStation-only, and Sony often waits a long time before releasing its big games on PC.It's possible that Sony buying more shares of Kadokawa is preparation for a full takeover further down the line. Experts estimate that a buyout would cost around $4.3 billion, more than the $3.7 billion it paid for Bungie back in 2022. Sony might even buy 50% of Kadokawa so it could become a subsidiary that it doesn't fully own. // Related Stories

An art therapist confronts a mysterious case in Clare Chamberss novel of 1960s London.

Selected by Charles Scribner III, the author, most recently, of Scribners: Five Generations in Publishing.

The richest of the rich can use life insurance to avoid estate and income taxes.Private-placement life insurance is perfectly legal unless a new bill passes.A financial advisor tells Insider how the insurance saves the wealthy tens of millions of dollars.Life insurance is probably the least sexy area of financial planning. But for the richest of the rich, policies can slash tens of millions of dollars off their tax bills.Private-placement life insurance is a little-known tax-avoidance tactic. When structured correctly, PPLI policies can be used to pass on assets from stocks to yachts to heirs without incurring an estate tax."In the US, people sell life insurance as a middle-class way of structuring assets," Michael Malloy, a wealth advisor who has specialized in PPLI for 20 years, told Business Insider in 2022. "But PPLI is a completely different animal."The PPLI industry enables a few thousand ultra-rich American taxpayers to shelter at least $40 billion, according to an investigation by the Senate Finance Committee. The report estimated that the average PPLI policyholder is worth well over $100 million.PPLI is legalfor now. On December 16, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden released a draft bill to close the loophole. Under the Protecting Proper Life Insurance from Abuse Act, PPLI policies would be treated as investment funds, not life insurance or annuity policies, which would eliminate the tax benefits."Life insurance is an essential source of financial security for tens of millions of middle-class families in America, so we cannot have a bunch of ultra-rich tax dodgers abusing its special tax treatment to set up tax-free hedge funds and shelter oodles of cash," Wyden said in a written statement.While tax savings are the primary draw of PPLI for US clients, those in the Middle East or Latin America are often looking to use trusts to conceal information about specific assets from corrupt governments, Malloy said."Clients don't want an organized crime ring bribing an underpaid tax official to get information on their family," he said.US taxpayers are required to report to the IRS only the cash value of a foreign life-insurance policy, not the assets within the trust.These offshore life insurers in jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands and Bermuda typically require at least $5 million as the upfront premium. Malloy advises that clients have at least $10 million in assets to make PPLI worthwhile. His clients usually hold at least $50 million in assets.Here is how PPLI worksIn short, an attorney sets up a trust for a wealthy client. The trust owns the life-insurance policy that's created offshore.The PPLI policy premiums are funded with assets. The assets must be diversified typically with at least five different asset classes and can include stocks and business interests, as well as tangible assets like yachts and real estate.Depending on the client's age, nationality, and other factors, the death benefit can, in theory, max out at $100 million, Malloy said.If structured correctly, the benefit and the assets in the policy are passed to the children without incurring an estate tax. A 40% federal estate tax applies to estate values topping $13.61 million for individuals and $27.22 million for married couples.Unlike with policies from US insurers, clients can cancel their policies without paying a massive surrender fee. The assets also grow within the trust tax-free. The cash value of the PPLI policy assets is held in a separate account, and this cash can be disbursed to the policy holder or invested. Investing in hedge funds is a popular use of PPLI assets.But there's a catch. Policyholders have limited control over investment decisions. They cannot give directives to the asset manager to buy a certain number of shares in Apple, for instance.It also requires a small army of professionals, including trust and estate attorneys, asset managers, custodians, and tax advisors. Since PPLI is relevant only to the ultrawealthy, few in wealth management or law are familiar with it."There's no questions on the CPA exam or the bar exam about PPLI, and asset managers are kind of skeptical," he said. "They think you're going to take assets away. Actually, the assets become stickier and get more alpha because the client pays less tax."How the proposed bill would endanger PPLIUnder Wyden's proposed legislation, most PPLI policies would be classified as "private placement contracts" (PPCs) rather than life insurance policies. As such, any accumulated earnings and death benefits would be taxed.The bill would apply to future and existing PPLI policies, giving policyholders 180 days to liquify the assets or transfer them. Insurers who dare to issue or reinsure the policies will no longer have the benefit of secrecy. To better enable the IRS to enforce the bill, insurers will have to report all PPCs or face a $1 million fine for each 30-day period that they fail to do so.The bill faces steep odds of passing with Donald Trump's reelection and a Republican House and Senate. The insurance industry is counting on it."This legislation is an attack on all forms of permanent life insurance and, by extension, an attack on holistic financial planning," said Marc Cadin, CEO of trade group Finseca, in a statement. "We look forward to working with the new Congress and the Trump administration to advance policies to move our country forward rather than raising taxes on life insurance."

Michael Allen stopped buying pricey Christmas presents for his friends and family in college.His financial priorities changed after leaving the Marine Corps and working toward his degree.Allen values time with loved ones over material gifts and emphasizes memories over money.This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Michael Allen, a 54-year-old author from Titusville, Florida. It has been edited for length and clarity.In 1995, I realized I couldn't give expensive gifts anymore. I was used to buying gifts to impress my loved ones, and I received nice gifts as well. At a younger age, I would get things like an Atari with games, boxing gloves, or a football. Gift cards, nice clothes, and even a watch were more common presents as I grew older.As a college student and a recently retired Marine, my priorities were school and food. My next goal after serving in the Marine Corps was to get a degree. Not wanting to participate in the "who bought the most expensive present" game made sense.I was getting by on side jobsI tutored other college students and worked as a bouncer. Although I was only making enough money to cover my necessities, I was looking forward to achieving my goals of becoming an English teacher and a writer.Buying extravagant things at the expense of putting myself in huge debt didn't seem attractive. I knew my financial situation had changed throughout my life, and I had to spend and save accordingly.Reflecting on the hard work I put in made me extremely proud rather than ashamed of my financial background.I decided to have a conversation with my friends and familyOne day before Christmas, I asked my friends and family to lower their expectations regarding future gifts. I told them about my financial situation, what I could spend on, and what I was trying to accomplish.Spending exorbitant amounts on Christmas was out of the question. Being open and honest about my struggles and primary issues worked out in my favor. I wasn't nervous to have this conversation.Most of them understood, and I was truly relieved once I confessed. It immediately broke the needless superficial confinement I had put myself in to conform to the norms.I also prepared myself to receive less of what I had previouslyWhile some family members would still buy me costly gifts, some limited their splurging on me after this conversation. I was satisfied with getting whatever they would get me, even if it was nothing sometimes. Some even joined me in setting this boundary for themselves.I started enjoying Christmas even more without having to impress people with my gift-giving superpowers. I became accustomed to speaking my mind and being truthful at all times. When you embrace life in that manner, many burdens are lifted.Even as I make more money, gifts still don't seem important to meMy financial situation has improved, but I now sometimes only hand out one present per person. I make sure it's something meaningful and not just anything.I once made my mother a loving video, and she still plays it often. On another occasion, I built a website for my daughter and made her a book. Personalization goes a long way.Focusing on getting together with your loved ones and spending purposeful time with them are the only significant things of concern to me. Gifts are a component of Christmas, not the foundation.Memories matter, not money. Food, drinks, old movies, and a good time is all I care about getting from anyone.

Biden announced $4.28 billion in student-debt cancellation for 54,900 borrowers in Public Service Loan Forgiveness.The relief is a result of the Education Department's ongoing fixes to PSLF.President-elect Donald Trump is unlikely to continue Biden's student-debt relief efforts.President Joe Biden announced more student-loan forgiveness with one month left until he leaves the White House.On Friday, Biden and his Education Department said they have approved $4.28 billion in student debt for 54,900 borrowers in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which forgives student debt for government and nonprofit workers after 10 years of qualifying payments.The relief is a result of ongoing improvements to PSLF, including a waiver that expired in October 2022 that allowed payments that previously did not qualify for relief to count toward borrowers' forgiveness progress."Four years ago, the Biden-Harris Administration made a pledge to America's teachers, service members, nurses, first responders, and other public servants that we would fix the broken Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, and I'm proud to say that we delivered," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement.This latest relief brings the total student-loan forgiveness under Biden to about $180 billion for nearly 5 million Americans, including $78 billion for just over 1 million borrowers enrolled in PSLF.It's unclear if the Biden administration will announce more student-debt relief before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20. Still, it caps off a tumultuous past few years for student-loan borrowers hoping for broad debt relief Biden's first student-loan forgiveness plan was struck down by the Supreme Court last summer, and his Plan B for debt relief is now in court following legal challenging from Republican-led states.On top of that, 8 million borrowers enrolled in the SAVE plan Biden's new income-driven repayment plan intended to make monthly payments cheaper with a shorter timeline to forgiveness are in limbo as they wait for a court to decide if the plan can move forward.Even if Biden's plans for broader relief do survive their legal challenges, it's unlikely Trump's administration would continue those efforts. Preston Cooper, a senior fellow at the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute, previously told Business Insider that Biden "has taken a stance of, 'We want to try and forgive as much debt as possible through various different programs.'""And to put it mildly, we're not going to see that same attitude under the Trump administration," Cooper said.Trump proposed eliminating PSLF during his first term, but doing so requires congressional approval. Republican control of Congress and the White House means that Trump would likely have more success achieving his goals."From Day One of my Administration, I promised to make sure that higher education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier to opportunity," Biden said in a statement. "Because of our actions, millions of people across the country now have the breathing room to start businesses, save for retirement, and pursue life plans they had to put on hold because of the burden of student loan debt."

Editors note, December 19, 12 pm ET: Dominique Pelicot, the ex-husband of Gisle Pelicot, has been found guilty of aggravated rape by a French judge. Dominique had previously confessed to drugging and raping his ex-wife and inviting strangers into their home to rape her. Fifty other men were also found guilty of related crimes.Read Voxs Marin Cogan for more on the verdict, and the implications it has for a reckoning over marital rape in France and the US.A horrifying sexual assault case playing out in France is adding to a larger French reckoning over abuse toward women. The case centers on 71-year-old Dominique Pelicot, who is accused of drugging and raping his wife, Gisle Pelicot, and inviting dozens of other men to sexually assault her while she was unconscious. Dominique Pelicot who has confessed to raping his wife repeatedly over the course of a decade is now on trial, along with 50 other defendants, who are also accused of sexual assault or attempted sexual assault. Some of these defendants have admitted guilt, while others have denied it. During his testimony, Dominique Pelicot said he and all the men involved are guilty. I maintain that I am a rapist, like those in this room, Dominique Pelicot said. They all knew her condition before they came; they knew everything. They cannot say otherwise.Although she had the option of a private trial, Gisle Pelicot decided to make the proceedings public in order to support and raise awareness for other victims of similar crimes. I speak for all women who are drugged and dont know about it, I do it on behalf of all women who will perhaps never know, Gisle Pelicot said of her case. In total, police have used roughly 20,000 images her husband took of the assaults to determine that 72 men had been involved in raping her from 2011 to 2020. The Pelicot case is roiling France and comes as the country continues to grapple with accountability regarding sexual misconduct toward women. As the New York Times reported this spring, the Me Too movement had previously stalled in Frances film industry, and has found new momentum this year after prominent actor and director Judith Godrche spoke out. French writers and actors have also previously noted that the countrys attitudes toward sexual freedom have distinguished it from the US in how condemning sexual misconduct is treated. French attitudes toward morality and sex have historically always been different to the US, journalist Agns Poirier previously told the BBC. But its been brewing for years and it feels that 2024 is different.What the case isDominique Pelicots assaults on his wife were first discovered by police in November 2020, after he was initially investigated for taking photos up womens skirts at a supermarket in southeastern France, where the couple lived. After he was caught taking the photos, police searched Pelicots computer and found a folder titled Abuses on a related USB drive. In it, they discovered thousands of photos and videos of Pelicot and other men raping his wife while she was unconscious. My world fell apart, Gisle Pelicot said after police informed her of their discovery. The officers findings followed years of Gisle Pelicot experiencing memory lapses, hair loss, and weight loss, so much so she feared that she might be developing Alzheimers or another serious illness. During that time, her husband had been drugging her regularly with a combination of medications, including the anti-anxiety drug Temesta, which can act like a sedative. While Gisle Pelicot was unconscious, Dominique Pelicot invited a number of men to their home so that they could rape her. Gisle Pelicot has emphasized that she did not have any knowledge of these attacks, and did not feign unconsciousness as some of the defendants have suggested. Dominique Pelicot found the men via a messaging board called Without their knowledge on the now-shuttered website Coco, which was known for postings that involved illegal activities. On the site, Dominique Pelicot solicited men to assault his wife, giving them specific instructions, including not wearing perfume or smoking, to avoid detection. According to Dominique Pelicot, the men were active participants in the crime: They came looking for me. I was asked, I said yes. They accepted, they came. I did not handcuff anybody to make them come to my place.The identities of these defendants havent been revealed, though authorities note that they range from the ages of 26 to 74, that many have partners, and that they come from a wide spectrum of backgrounds, including firefighters, journalists, and soldiers. In their search of his computer, police also found naked photos of Dominique and Gisle Pelicots daughter, Caroline Darian; Dominique Pelicot claimed during his testimony that the photos werent his and that he believed they were of someone else. Whats happened so farGisle and Dominique Pelicot, as well as Darian, all took the stand in recent weeks, and offered harrowing testimony about the assaults. Frankly, these are scenes of horror for me, Gisle Pelicot said of the videos and photos her husband took to document the rapes. They treat me like a rag doll.Prior to learning of the attacks, Gisle Pelicot had said that she had believed that she and her husband of roughly 50 years had been a close couple. Dominique Pelicot has admitted the abuse and also told a psychologist that he did it because Gisle Pelicot had rejected swinging, or sleeping with other people outside their marriage. He added during the trial that he believes a sexual assault he says he experienced as a child also contributed to his perversion.Gisle Pelicot says the decision to release her identity and to speak publicly about the case was intended to show that survivors shouldnt be ashamed of the abuse theyve suffered. Handling the case anonymously is what her attackers would have wanted, her lawyers said. Darian also described the horror she felt upon learning what her father had done, calling him the worst sexual predator of the last 20 years. Both emphasized fears that they wouldnt be able to regain any sense of stability or safety in relationships. I no longer have an identity. I dont know if Ill ever rebuild myself, Gisle Pelicot said. The defendants have been charged with aggravated rape or attempted rape, with many facing 20 years in prison if convicted. The trial is set to continue until December as the defendants make their testimony in groups. How the case factors into larger movements in FranceThe Pelicot case is just the latest to raise awareness of sexual abuses in France this year, after multiple cases of sexual misconduct by prominent actors and directors came to light. Since February, several high-profile French actresses, including Godrche, have spoken about being sexually assaulted in their teens by film directors. Notably, Godrche was invited to make remarks about this problem at the Cesar Awards, the French equivalent of the Oscars, and was received with a standing ovation. After years in which the American #MeToo movement gained traction while in France it languished, Rokhaya Diallo, a French journalist, wrote of Godrche for the Washington Post, this reception signaled that perhaps the larger culture here is finally ready to push back.Such shifts come as France has been more resistant to confronting sexual abuses in the same way the US has, with some French commentators dubbing the #MeToo movement the latest extension of puritanical American culture. But Godrches speech and the Pelicot case, as well multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against famous French actor Grard Depardieu, have put a new spotlight on the subject. Womens rights advocates have also urged lawmakers to add the term consent into the legal definition of rape, a move that French President Emmanuel Macron has said he supports. Currently, French law defines rape as an act of sexual penetration committed on a person, with violence, coercion, threat, or surprise.While there is still perhaps more skepticism in France than in the US about the legitimacy of sexual assault and sexual harassment, these attitudes are changing fast, especially as a younger generation of women and French feminists and their male allies are willing to confront these issues head-on, Laura Frader, a professor of history emerita at Northeastern University who studies gender attitudes in Europe, told Vox. The Pelicot case is certain to contribute to this trend.Update, September 17, 5:15 pm ET: This story, originally published on September 9, has been update with the details of Dominique Pelicots testimony. 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:

A French man who admitted to drugging and raping his wife repeatedly over a period of 10 years, and inviting other men to join him in the assaults, was found guilty of aggravated rape and other crimes Thursday in a case that has sparked a furious reckoning over the culture of sexual violence in the European country and around the world.The man, 72-year-old Dominique Pelicot, was given the maximum sentence of 20 years for his crimes, which included filming the sexual assaults, and distributing sexual images of both his wife and daughter without their consent.Fifty other men were also found guilty of crimes in connection with the case.The case has shocked and captivated the French public, in part because of the horrific details and because of the refusal on the part of the primary victim, Pelicots wife, Gisle Pelicot, to keep the awful details of what happened to her in the shadows. The case is sparking a greater debate about marital rape and consent in France. But its also reflective of similar policy issues in the US, where activists have only just recently been able to reform laws that made it difficult to prosecute marital rape. Until recently, most US states had exemptions that made it hard to charge people accused of marital rape with a crime. An American woman with an eerily similar experience to Pelicots helped change all of that.What happened to Gisle Pelicot?In 2020, Dominique Pelicot was arrested after being caught filming up a womans skirt at a grocery store. Police confiscated his phone and laptop and found an extensive collection of videos featuring Pelicot and several other men sexually assaulting his wife while she appeared unconscious. Gisle Pelicot had health problems related to the druggings and assaults, but was unaware of what was happening to her until the police showed her videos of the assaults.Gisle waived the anonymity that is customarily granted to sexual violence victims in France, arguing from the start that she had nothing to be ashamed of. As she told the court during her trial: I wanted all woman victims of rape not just when they have been drugged, rape exists at all levels I want those women to say: Mrs. Pelicot did it, we can do it too. When youre raped there is shame, and its not for us to have shame, its for them.By refusing the closed door, Gisle Pelicot gave a historical dimension to the trial, showing the existence of marital rape, the banality of the rapists, and the extent of chemical submission, Fondation des Femmes, a prominent womens rights organization, said in a statement sent to Vox in French. At the same time, the group also criticized the court for giving shorter sentences to Dominique Pelicots co-defendants. The fight against impunity is far from over.By refusing to stay hidden, Gisle Pelicot held up a mirror to some of the darkest corners of society, and in particular rape culture: Here was an ordinary woman, a grandmother, who suffered unbearable sexual violence at the hands of the person she loved and trusted. Here were a number of seemingly ordinary men a nurse, an IT guy, a journalist, and truck drivers who participated in the crime. What did it say that so many of them had been willing to participate in such a horrific act? RelatedA Me Too moment in FranceBy allowing her story to be told, Gisle has become an icon in Europe. A group of protesters began gathering at the court each day and cheering her as she entered the trial. Shes appeared on the digital cover of Vogue Germany and been depicted as a larger-than-life mural in several cities. Thousands of protesters have also taken to the streets to demand the government take sexual violence more seriously, with some protesters arguing that French law, which forbids rape by violence, constraint, threats or surprise but does not mention consent, needs to be updated to include that rape is also sexual conduct that isnt necessarily violent but is done without permission. (Not all French feminists agree, with some arguing that the term puts the onus on the victim to prove she didnt consent.)In late November, just days after the protests across France, Equality Minister Salima Saa introduced a series of proposals meant to raise awareness and improve support services to victims of both sexual and domestic violence. They include expanding the number of hospitals where women could report incidents of sexual violence. She also announced a new hotline meant to help victims navigate the medical and legal processes when reporting an assault.In an interview, Saa said there would be a before and after the Pelicot case, just as there was a before and after the Me Too movement. French survivors of sexual violence have argued that the Me Too movement never impacted French culture the way it did in the United States. As Voxs Li Zhou wrote in September: The Pelicot case is just the latest to raise awareness of sexual abuses in France this year, after multiple cases of sexual misconduct by prominent actors and directors came to light.Now, France seems to be in the midst of a revolution of its own. French director Christophe Ruggia is currently on trial for allegations that he groomed and sexually assaulted actor Adle Haenel, a star of the 2019 film Portrait of a Lady on Fire, when she was a child. The trial started in December. Another sexual assault trial against Grard Depardieu, one of the countrys most celebrated actors, is set to begin in March after being postponed over the fall. Depardieu has been accused of assault by more than a dozen women.A reckoning on marital rape in the USThough the Pelicot trial is sparking a cultural reckoning over sexual assault years after Me Too, the case in some ways echoes a reform movement thats been quietly happening in the United States in recent years. French feminists have argued that the countrys proudly libertine culture made people less open to the Me Too movement than in the US, whose culture is comparatively more conservative. But in fact, the US has had to reckon with marital rape, too. In the United States, marital rape has been explicitly illegal in every state since 1993, the product of a feminist activist movement that successfully pressed each state legislature to update their laws. But until recently, a number of states had exemptions which made it difficult to prosecute marital rape. In some cases, people could not be charged if the person accusing them of rape was their spouse. In other cases, they were exempt if the person was incapacitated if, for example, theyd been drugged.In a case with haunting similarities to Pelicots, in 2017, a Minnesota woman named Jenny Teeson discovered videos during a divorce from her then-husband that portrayed him raping her while drugged and unconscious. When Teeson brought the evidence to the police, she was shocked to discover that they couldnt arrest him because even though marital rape was illegal, a different state law included a voluntary relationship defense that forbid prosecution of someone for rape if the complainant was their spouse at the time. With the help of state lawmakers, Teeson began advocating for the Minnesota law to be reformed, and in 2019, Gov. Tim Walz signed a bill eliminating the voluntary relationship defense and explicitly making marital rape illegal. At the time, according to the New York Times, the majority of states had similar loopholes that effectively legalized some forms of marital rape. Since Teeson raised awareness about the issue, other states have moved to reform their laws: Ohio closed its marital rape loophole earlier this year. Today, most states have closed loopholes, but a few remain in states like Michigan, where spouses cannot be prosecuted if their partner is mentally incapable or under the age of 16. Lawyers who work with victims of sexual violence say that removing exemptions that allow people to get away with marital rape are critical. A defense should never exist solely based on a relationship, Jennifer Long, the CEO of AEquitas, a nonprofit organization that helps develop strategies for prosecuting crimes of gender-based violence, told Vox in an email. The questions raised by the Pelicot trial arent just relevant to France and the US, either and that may be why the trial has become a major news story around the world. Its time that the macho, patriarchal society that trivializes rape changes, Gisle Pelicot said at the trial. Her words have reverberated far beyond her home country, implicating all a culture of violence that persists around the world. 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:

For more than a decade, between the late 80s and the dawn of the 21st century, Sega was one of the coolest video game companies on the planet. Its arcade games, from Golden Axe to Virtua Fighter, were blockbuster successes; the Mega Drive brought a punk rock attitude to the home console scene, challenging Nintendos family friendly approach with eye-pummelling TV commercials and censor-baiting games such as Mortal Kombat and Night Trap.Arguably though, it was later, in the Dreamcast era, that Segas studios were producing their most innovative and extravagant work. The likes of Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi and Space Channel 5 were hypercolourful celebrations of Tokyo pop culture. Now, the man who managed Sega Japans developers at that time, Shuji Utsumi, is the CEO of Sega America and Europe and he has a plan to restore the company to its creative heights.Hypercolourful Crazy Taxi. Photograph: SegaUtsumi has had a long and varied career in games, starting at Sony with the launch of the PlayStation in 1993, before moving to Sega and then Q Entertainment, Warner Music and Disney Interactive. He returned to Sega in 2019, eventually becoming co-chief operating officer during a challenging period for Sega Europe. European studios have really amazing IPs, but at the same time there were difficulties, he says. I had to work on restructuring the group. That process meant the cancellation of Creative Assemblys multimillion dollar online shooter Hyenas, the first of a raft of live service game closures across the industry.Since becoming CEO of Sega America and Europe in April this year, Utsumis approach has been to double down on Segas legacy. Last December, the company announced new Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Golden Axe and Shinobi titles a treasure trove of classic franchises. At the Game awards in LA last week, Sega also announced the return of Virtua Fighter. We have some great pillars such as Sonic, Persona and Yakuza. But at the same time, we have other properties that really show the style, attitude and context of Sega. I think gamers will love it if we do this right. It will be a challenge there are great expectations but if we can respond to that, we can get back to being Sega.Bringing attention to the Japanese RPG scene Metaphor: ReFantazio. Photograph: APIn a recent interview with Eurogamer, Utsumi said he wanted Sega to once again be the rocknroll to Nintendos pop music. But although little has been revealed about the nature of these returning franchises (will they be reboots of the originals or whole new adventures?), he is adamant that what they wont be is exercises in nostalgia for nostalgias sake. Gamers loved Sega because we showed a new style, attitude and lifestyle to gamers, he says. I want to bring that feeling back. But we are not just a nostalgic company, we need to be innovative. We need to appeal to modern gamers, too. We respect the old IPs but Im also demanding that the developers think about innovation in each of the projects.We want to come back with that rocknroll mindset only now you cant just be rocknroll, you need maybe hip-hop, too!Our studios are really capable, very technically advanced and there is a willingness to do that. Its coming to that time where we must challenge ourselves in the way we used to. We want to come back with that rocknroll mindset only now you cant just be rocknroll, you need maybe hip-hop, too!This sounds closer to the attitude of Sega in the Dreamcast era than the teen brat iconography of the Mega Drive days. Utsumi didnt just shepherd the music obsessed Jet Set Radio and Space Channel 5 into being, he also co-founded Q Entertainment with Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the studio that put dance music at the centre of its design philosophy through titles such as Rez and Lumines. What was it about game development in Tokyo, and especially at Sega, in the late 1990s and early 00s that fostered this sort of creativity?At that time Sega was a challenger, Utsumi says. PlayStation was very successful so when Dreamcast launched, PlayStation 2 was the target it was a very cool machine so we had to push our young developers to be creative. The products that came out were very impressive I believe, but you know, PlayStation 2 beat us so I cant say too much about how successful they were!Huge success Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Photograph: SegaIn the last five years there has been a revival of interest in very Japanese-centric game design concepts, at Sega and elsewhere. The huge global success of role-playing adventures such as Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Final Fantasy VII Remake and recently Metaphor: ReFantazio has brought mainstream attention back to the Japanese RPG scene, after years of domination by western franchises such as Assassins Creed, Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto. Why has that happened? Everyone else was doing first-person shooters were not really good at that, I have to confess! he jokes. But we can provide something else that we believe in. Of course well listen to the western audience, but we have a great opportunity to be unique in a Japanese way. I think during Covid a lot of people got into Japanese anime and Korean dramas and music ... I think that audience is still there, were really fortunate for that.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 promotionAnother change since Covid is the increased presence of video game properties in other media. A third Sonic the Hedgehog movie is in cinemas now, while Like a Dragon: Yakuza, a crime TV series, launched earlier this year on Amazon. Its not just about the commercial possibilities of extending Segas brands; Utsumi thinks there are important creative reasons, too. These days, you may be watching a film on your mobile phone and then a few seconds later playing a game, and then youre on TikTok ... users are accustomed to that sort of behaviour. In response, our creators have to have a new mindset for that audience. Our creative talent has to be mixed so that we can capture these trends. Working with animation and movie talent, we get inspired.Blue movie Jim Carrey as Ivo Robotnik and Sonic (Ben Schwartz) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Photograph: Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, IncThe Sega of 2025 and beyond will be reinvesting in its classic titles introducing new audiences to Golden Axe, Virtua Fighter and Jet Set Radio instead of merely exhuming them as museum pieces. When I ask about the possibility of new mini consoles based around the Saturn or Dreamcast, he demurs. Im not going for the Mini direction. Its not me. I want to embrace modern gamers. Sega later clarified that there are no plans for more Minis.Its a theme he comes back to time and time again: Segas legacy is there, but it must be brought forward. We are not a retro company, Utsumi concludes. We really appreciate our legacy, we value it, but at the same time, we want to deliver something new otherwise well become history. Thats not what were aiming for.

If youve got an Xbox and any sense, youll be spending this Christmas playing the new Indiana Jones game. And perhaps feeling smug about the fact its a timed exclusive, leaving PlayStation owners to press their noses against the frosted glass like Victorian orphans.But dry your tears, PS5 fans, for I have found the game that will save Christmas. And it costs 79p. Say hello, and ho ho ho, to Santas Speedy Quest.I discovered this gem while trawling the PlayStation Store for cheap, terrible games to laugh at on my Twitch stream. (This is also how I discovered the seminal classic Stroke the Beaver, but thats another story.) SSQ fits the bill, being incredibly cheap (its actually only 23p if you have a PlayStation Plus subscription) and ostensibly terrible. But its also addictive, hilarious, and much more layered than it first appears.At one point during the stream, I may have described it as the pinnacle of the video game medium. That might be a bit strong, much like the three pints of Baileys Id consumed beforehand. But I stand by the assertion that in its own simplistic, fiendish way, Santas Speedy Quest is a work of twisted genius.As youd expect, SSQ does not have the blockbuster polish and high production values of Indiana Jones and the Great MacGuffin. It looks like it was made in Microsoft Paint. Nor does it contain any original gameplay ideas, unless you count Flappy Bird, but make it Santa as innovative.Nothing innovative or original Santas Speedy Quest. Photograph: ERIK GAMESIts a collection of eight mini-games. All of them are familiar. None of them would be thrilling offerings on their own. Two of the games are variations on the concept of dodge the snowball, the variation being whether the snowballs come towards you vertically or horizontally. There are no collectibles, health potions or power-ups. There is no multiplayer mode, no online play. You cant even pause it press start and the game carries on in the background, with the metaphysically challenging message: YOU CANT STOP THIS GAME.Its like Christmas 2008 all over again. Back then, the success of the Wii meant the market was flooded with mini-game collections that ranged in quality from poor to destitute. I was forced to review many of them just to put food on the table on Christmas Day, and ended up having an existential crisis over Hasbro Family Game Night. Im still not sure it was worth losing my mind for a Viennetta.But heres the twist: Santas Speedy Quest does not let you choose which mini-game you wish to play. You must play all of them. In a random order. Consecutively, with no breaks. For only a few seconds at a time. At an increasingly fast pace, which ramps up at seemingly arbitrary intervals.SPEED IS NOW 1.4X, the game will shout at you. 2.6X. 3.2X. This presents a peculiar challenge for your brain as it is repeatedly forced to switch between familiar gameplay mechanics running at incredible speeds, with zero notice. All the while, an electro piano version of Jingle Bells loops endlessly in the background, also increasing in speed, so the notes become warped and mangled, as if youre in a horror film set in a fairground. You cant stop this game.And heres the kicker, the devilish detail that really elevates Santas Speedy Quest from below average mini-game collection to diabolical sisyphean masterpiece. The game takes a snapshot each time it boots you into a different mini-game, and when you are returned, gameplay continues from that exact point.This introduces strategic choices. Do you try to make sure youre always leaving yourself in a good position to pick up where you left off? Do you attempt to mentally log each state of play every time youre kicked out, and remember which button to press when youre returned? Or do you forget all that, and desperately rely on reflexes that are dulled by the fact youre 47, perimenopausal and have had three pints of Baileys?The leaderboard isnt even real Santas Speedy Quest. Photograph: Erik GamesEach time you fail at a mini-game it is deleted from the roster, until none remain, and the game ends. You are then presented with a score, and a breakdown of your performance in five key areas Speed, Coordination, Timing, Reflex, and Decide. There is a leaderboard, populated by believable-sounding player names like SHADOWBLADE23, but its fake; there is no online functionality.I know this because SSQ has really taken off in my Twitch community, but our high scores dont show up on each others leaderboards. Instead we are forced to resort to sharing screenshots on Discord as proof of our endeavours. But it doesnt matter. Were having a marvellous time.Thats because Santas Speedy Quest is exactly the game we need at this time of year. Easy for non-gamers to pick up, hard for serious players to master, excellent for reigniting ancient feuds and engendering bitterly fought rivalries. Its a vulgar, silly, cynical cash-in reliant on outdated ideas and sentimental nostalgia. But isnt everything at this time of year?