The medium of video games is particularly susceptible to aging, with rapid technological advances often making many titles feel obsolete in just a few years. While elements like visuals and scope can quickly become outdated, certain aspects such as design and mechanics can help games maintain their appeal over time. These qualities allow some games to remain enjoyable long after their release. In this feature, we will be taking a look at 15 first-person shooters that still hold up 15 years later.BlackCriterion Games might be best known for its work on the Need for Speed series, but its 2006 release Black also deserves a fair amount of appreciation. Despite being a far cry from what the developer was used to, Black was a compelling first-person shooter with some of the best visuals of its time. The story might not be something to write home about, but a solid set of shooting mechanics and thrilling firefights make Black a noteworthy game nevertheless and it holds surprisingly well to this date.

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If you're starting to sweat the fact that Christmas and Hanukkah are both three days away and you're in need of some last-minute gifts, you're not alone. Our team of experts here at CNET are still hard at work rounding up the best deals out there right now, with an emphasis on items that will arrive before Dec. 25. One such deal that we just spotted is a rare discount on the Dyson AirWrap that brings it down from the usual price of $599 to $480 at Amazon right now. Just remember to clip the on-page coupon to get the discount. And on top of that, for many customers that order today, the AirWrap will arrive on Dec. 24. See at Amazon The Dyson AirWrap dries and styles at the same times. It includes six different attachments to curl, lengthen, straighten and style while you are drying your hair. Or use them like a traditional styling tool on already-dried hair. The AirWrap uses something called the Coanda effect, which uses air and not heat to dry and style, helping to reduce damage and frizz.Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.Right now, the only AirWrap that qualifies for the $119 on-page coupon is the tool designed for straight to wavy hair. The diffusing variant for curly hair is not on sale. There is also a special edition currently discounted by $100, but that isn't as good of a deal as the on-page coupon. These offers can be fleeting, so now is the time to make this investment if you've been thinking about it. Or if you want to thrill someone on your wish list. Why this deal matters This viral styling tool sold out last holiday season, so if you missed out then, now is the time to nab. The $119 on-page coupon is a rare discount, and if you've been tempted before, this is probably the best price you'll find for a long while. Will this item arrive in time for Christmas?If youre ordering this as a holiday gift, you probably want to know if its going to arrive on time. With Christmas and Hanukkah both taking place on Dec. 25 this year, and Kwanzaa kicking off the day after, its important to note shipping deadlines for USPS, FedEx, UPS, Amazon and others.Guaranteed shipping deadlines at some of these delivery companies arrived as early as Dec. 16, with others offering expedited services that may allow you to order as late as Dec. 23 or even Dec. 24. Where delivery is no longer possible, be sure to assess your in-store pickup options or check out these great digital deals for the holidays.The Dyson AirWrap will arrive before Christmas, according to Amazon, but keep in mind shipping times can changed based on the delivery address. Best last-minute gifts, according to CNET readers Based on their popularity, here are the holiday deals that you should be considering: Apple AirPods Pro 2: $190 (save $59)Roku Express 4K Plus: $25 (save $15)Govee smart LED light bars: $40 (save $10)Meta Quest $50 gift card: $45 (save $5)Levoit LVAC-200 cordless vacuum cleaner: $160 (save $40)Anker Soundcore Boom 2 Bluetooth speaker: $90 (save $40)Apple AirTag (4-pack): $70 (save $29)Baseus car vacuum cleaner: $25 (save $75)

What do you prioritize when booking your seat on a flight? Choosing your spot can be stressful, especially if you're traveling during the holidays with a tight schedule and limited options. Do you want the window or the aisle? On a long flight, a window may be preferable for sleeping, but then what happens when you need to get up? Is it really worth awkwardly climbing over a whole row of people to go to the bathroom?I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine who isn't a frequent flyer and who wanted to know how to choose the best seat on a flight.I travel a lot: I've flown to and from every continent (except Antarctica) multiple times. My most recent long-haul, at 15 hours, was from LA to Sydney, a flight I've taken a few times before. As I was giving my friend a verbal download, explaining what I do for every flight, I realized, "Hey, I should write that down." This story is part of 12 Days of Tips, helping you make the most of your tech, home and health during the holiday season. So if you're a million-miler with your favorite airline and have your frequent flyer number tattooed on your bicep, this won't be news to you. But if you haven't flown in a while -- or maybe never -- this advice could help. Personally, I'm always willing to spend a little more for the privilege of being able to choose my own seat -- or I fly with an airline where I have enough status that it's free to choose. To me, it's a small price to pay to avoid a middle seat.Let's start with the basics and go from there. 1. Window or aisle? Don't expect too much comfort no matter what seat you pick. GettyImages/Morten Falch-SortlandThere's no right or wrong answer here. It's absolutely down to personal preference. For me, I always choose the window. Even after flying all over the world, seeing it all from 35,000 feet never gets old. Also, it lets you lean against something to sleep, and you don't get wobbly passengers bumping into you every few minutes. On the other hand, the aisle is an equally valid choice. The biggest reason: You're free to get up and move around anytime you want. Need to use the bathroom? No need to wake your seatmates. Want to stretch your legs? Go for it. That said, if you haven't flown in a while, or ever, it's hard to beat watching the world pass below at 550 mph. 2. Front or back? Ideally, you can get a seat where the wing isn't in the way of the view. Not always possible though. Also, check out that huge window. This is on a Boeing 787. More on aircraft types below. GettyImages/Peter CadeUsually, it's best to pick a seat toward the front of the plane for several reasons: It's usually quieter, and you can get on and off faster. There's a balance between choosing front/back and window/aisle. Is it worth it, if you want a window seat, to sit in the back of the plane if that's the only option? Usually, I'd say yes. If you have a short connection, where it will be many minutes for all the rows ahead to deplane, perhaps not. In that case, an aisle seat close to the front might be the better choice. The interior of Boeing's upcoming 777X. BoeingAlso note where the wing is. On most aircraft, the coach seats begin just forward of the wing. If you can snag a seat forward of the wing, do it, as it will be a little quieter and offer a better view. It's also worth keeping an eye out for bulkhead seats. Bulkhead seats, those next to one of the vertical bulkhead walls that separate sections in the aircraft, can sometimes be great. Without a seat in front of you, you'll often have a bit more room. However, you'll have to stow all your belongings in the overhead bins for takeoff and landing. Also, it's more likely for there to be babies in your row. On many aircraft, the seats are narrower, too, since the entertainment screen is mounted in between them on a pivot arm. Avoid seats in front of a bulkhead, however. These often have limited, and potentially no, recline. It's also good to avoid being too close to the galley or bathrooms, especially on longer flights. These areas can be noisy and crowded, and potentially proffer particular pungencies. Pro Travel Tip Getting a Dollar Flight Club lifetime subscriptions can save you thousands on travel. Details See at Stack Social 3. To exit row or not to exit row Bulkhead seats might have additional legroom, but come at a price (either literal or figurative). GettyImages/Tsvi BravermaneyeemThis isn't the easy choice it's often made out to be. Usually, you won't be able to store any luggage under the seat in front of you. You'll also need to be able to speak the native language of the airline company (not an issue if you're only flying in your home country). Some aircraft have two exit rows, so the first row won't recline. Also, the window seats here are way less fun. The windows are in the emergency exit doors, and are often smaller than elsewhere on the aircraft. I've also found these seats to be significantly colder than the rest of the plane. That said, you will typically get more legroom. 4. Type of plane Getting settled in for my 15-hour flight to Sydney. Check out the huge windows on this 787. The button at the bottom controls the electrochromicopacity instead of having a traditional window shade. Geoff Morrison/CNETThe above three tips cover just about every aircraft. But what about the times you can choose a different plane? Many routes are covered by multiple airlines flying different types of aircraft. If you're not bound to a specific airline, and if you're reading this I'm guessing you're not, it's worth digging a bit deeper and checking your options. You don't need to know every model of every plane, just two things. First, if there's an option to fly a Boeing 787 or Airbus A350, consider those. These aircraft feature a more modern design, with higher cabin pressure and humidity. This makes them more comfortable to sit in for many hours. It can be the difference between arriving after a 12-plus hour flight feeling fine or feeling wasted. I've also found the 787 to be quieter than other aircraft. Best of all, the windows are huge --significantly larger than those on other aircraft. A 787 in Air New Zealand's livery. Air New ZealandAnother aspect to consider is cabin layout. Shorter routes are typically flown on smaller aircraft, usually with a 3-3 layout, as in three seats, an aisle, and three more seats. Longer flights, usually with larger "wide body" aircraft, might have 2-3-2, 3-3-3, or in some cases, 3-4-3. This offers a bunch of new choices. I love a good 2-3-2 since you can have a window seat with only one person next to you. With the larger/denser designs, I'd say an aisle on the edges is better than an aisle in the middle, since you're at least somewhat near a window. An aisle in the middle of a 3-3-3 only has one person that might need to climb over you to get to the toilet. It's also better than a middle seat anywhere. 5. SeatGuru Select your flight and SeatGuru will show you a layout of the likely aircraft for that flight. Avoid the red seats for sure. I tend to avoid the yellow ones too, when possible. SeatGuruMy last step, before I book, is to check SeatGuru. This site rates the seats on different aircraft across most airlines. Why didn't I just send you here first? Well, it doesn't give you much in the way of what's "best," more what's bad and what could be a little better. For instance, it will say a seat behind the bulkhead is probably good, and the one in front probably bad. However, it will rate a window seat near the front of the plane the same as one in the back. If you know what you're looking for, it's a handy tool. If you're less familiar, like you don't know what's larger, a 380, a 777 or a 787, it's less useful. The best use of SeatGuru is finding out if your carefully chosen window seat actually has a window. Yep, that's a thing, and the airline won't tell you on their website. They'll gladly take your money to choose that seat, though. 6. Go for the upgrade? My business class seat to Sydney. United's Polaris design gets you a lie-flat seat, no seatmate, a table, and more. Geoff Morrison/CNETThere are a variety of ways to upgrade your seat, either to an economy plus seat (standard seat, better room) or even business class (much bigger seat). Is this worth it? Sometimes, yes. For my recent 15-hour flight to Sydney, I used a tremendous amount of airline points to fly business class, and it was a wonderful treat. Lots of food, a seat that converted to a bed, a big TV -- it was just pure luxury. Would I have been better off getting a flight (or two) for free using the same miles? Almost certainly. But it was my first international flight since COVID so I treated myself. My general rule is for any flight less than 10 hours, I don't consider an upgrade. Anything over 12, I do. For instance, I'd say US cross-country flights are a total waste of upgrade points unless you have tons to spare. Somewhere in-between is the extra legroom provided by economy plus, also known as premium economy and other similar names. Many airlines offer this, either via points or a cash upgrade. I'm just under 6 feet and can more or less cram myself into a standard economy seat. If you're taller, or of the particularly long-legged variety, these seats (or exit row seats) are definitely worth considering. Related on CNET Bonus tips There are a few more things to help ensure the best flight possible. Get to the airport early. Check-in and security are always going to be a hassle. Don't add the stress of potentially missing your flight to that noise. Give yourself time. Worst case? You have to sit in the terminal for a few minutes longer. I'll trade that for no stress any day. Two hours should do it. Be skeptical of anyone who says less. They probably do it all the time and likely have access to special lanes that let them speed through security and check-in. An Airbus A350. Singapore Airlines Yes, it's annoying to have to "pay extra" for things like food and seat selection, but consider that the price of the flight was made cheaper to attract your eye and that the "real" price, with what should be essentials, is actually higher. That's what I do, anyway, to reduce my annoyance.Many credit cards offer airport and airline perks like lounge access, early boarding and free checked luggage. It's worth checking. If possible, choose a nonstop flight. Less chance for the airline to lose your luggage, or for you to miss a connection. Personally, I'm willing to pay a little more for a flight that has no hassles and a good seat than one with annoying times, layovers and only middle seats. Of course, that's me as a solo traveler. I totally understand how quickly those small price differences can add up if you're flying with your family. Looking for more travel tips? Check out Long Flight Must Haves for some items I always bring on every flight.As well as covering audio and display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000-mile road trips and more.Also check out Budget Travel for Dummies, his travel book, and his bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines. You can follow him on Instagram and YouTube.

The year's Steam Replay reveals 85% of Steam users in 2024 spent time playing games released in 2023 or earlierBeen there, done stat.Image credit: Valve News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Dec. 22, 2024 Just 15 percent of Steam players spent time with new releases - defined as games released in 2024 - this year.That's according to Steam itself, which gave us a little insight into the broader playing habits of its players as part of Steam Replay 2024.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Is Sony buying FromSoftware's parent company the next big games industry acquisition?Watch on YouTubeThis year, the recap not only shows you how many games you played and when, but also your favourite genres, the achievements you unlocked (the median was 13), the number of games played (for most, this is four), and your longest streak (the average was six days, apparently)."How many games did you play, and how does that compare to last year? Did you unlock a bunch of achievements? What about your longest streak? These fun numbers and more are in your Replay," Valve teases.You also get the chance to be humbled by the amount of time you spent with your most-played games of 2024, as well as a quick recap of any playtests you participated in, too.Interested? Head on over to the official Steam page for more.A 2021 antitrust dispute brought against Steam has now been expanded into a class action lawsuit.Initially, the case concerned just two companies - Wolfire Studios and Dark Catt Studios - but a court document recently showed the motion for class certification has been approved. This means the lawsuit now applies to "any developers, publishers, or individuals" who have honoured Steam's 30 percent cut on any and all purchases on or after 28th January 2017.

Apple is working on a new smart doorbell camera that uses Face ID to unlock your door, according to Bloombergs Mark Gurman in todays Power On newsletter. The camera could be released by the end of 2025 at the soonest, Gurman writes.The lock would work just like your iPhone, automatically unlocking your door when you or another resident looks at it. Like biometric login info on other Apple devices, the camera would be equipped with the companys Secure Enclave chip that stores and processes Face ID information separately from the rest of the systems hardware.RelatedGurman writes that this device will likely work with existing third-party HomeKit smart locks and that the company may also partner with a smart lock company to offer a complete system on day one. He expects the camera will make use of Apples in-house Proxima combination Wi-Fi / Bluetooth chip thats rumored for new HomePod Mini and Apple TV devices next year.This doorbell camera joins a broader collection of rumors surrounding a renewed Apple push into the smart home thats centered around Apple Intelligence. Those include another new smart home camera, a possible Apple-branded TV, and new smart home displays one a simple iPad-like device that magnetically attaches to wall mounts or speaker bases, while another display sits on the end of a robotic arm attached to a larger base.

A Ukrainian ground robot in testing.Via WarTranslatedA Ukrainian national guard brigade just orchestrated an all-robot combined-arms operation, mixing crawling and flying drones for an assault on Russian positions in Kharkiv Oblast in northern Ukraine.We are talking about dozens of units of robotic and unmanned equipment simultaneously on a small section of the front, a spokesperson for the 13th National Guard Brigade explained.It was an impressive technological featand a worrying sign of weakness on the part of overstretched Ukrainian forces. Unmanned ground vehicles in particular suffer profound limitations, and still cant fully replace human infantry.That the 13th National Guard Brigade even needed to replace all of the human beings in a ground assault speaks to how few people the brigade has compared to the Russian units its fighting. The 13th National Guard Brigade defends a five-mile stretch of the front line around the town of Hlyboke, just south of the Ukraine-Russia border. Its holding back a force of no fewer than four Russian regiments.Thats no more than 2,000 Ukrainians versus 6,000 or so Russians. The manpower ratio is roughly the same all along the 800-mile front line of Russias 34-month wider war on Ukraine. Russian troops still greatly outnumber Ukrainian troops, despite the Russians suffering around twice as many casualties as the Ukrainians since February 2022.The Ukrainian operation involved remote-controlled flying surveillance and minelaying drones, one-way explosive robots on the ground and in the air as well as gun-armed ground bots.In what amounted to a smaller-scale proof of concept for the recent combined-arms robot assault, a Ukrainian ground robot cleared a Russian trench in Kursk Oblast in western Russian back in September. Russia has attempted small-scale ground bot assaults of its own, but less successfully.The problem, of course, is that while robots are adept at surveilling and attacking, theyre terrible at holding. To hold ground, armies put infantry in trenches. They sit, watch, wait and call for reinforcements when the enemy attacks. Its tedious, taxing duty that requires constant vigilance.Constant vigilance is difficult when a human operator is remotely observing the battlefield through the sensors of a maintenance-hungry ground robot.Machines break down. And their radio datalinks are highly susceptible to enemy jamming, as the California think-tank RAND discovered when it gamed out a clash between hypothetical U.S. (Blue) and Russian (Red) army battalions partially equipped with armed ground drones. Blues ability to operate was degraded significantly by Reds jammers, RAND concluded.Its not clear the 13th National Guard Brigade even tried to hold the Russian positions it cleared in the all-robot attack.After nearly three years of war, Ukraine is arguably the worlds leader in military robotics. But the Ukrainians innovation is, in part, an answer to its desperationthat is, its struggles to recruit enough human soldiers to match the Russians person-for-person.MORE FROM FORBESCORRECTION (12/22): This article has been updated to note Kharkiv Oblast is located in northern Ukraine.

Casting A KillerThe Casting of Frank Stone was never meant to be GOTY material, but its underrated formula for crowd-pleasing collaborations is one I wish we saw more oftenTwo of the best modern horror game franchises collided this year in Supermassive Games' sideways look at the world of Dead by Daylight.Image credit: Behaviour Interactive Article by Rebecca Jones Guides Writer Published on Dec. 22, 2024 When I started writing up my shortlist of 2024 GOTY candidates earlier this autumn in an attempt to sort through a messy mixture of widely-agreed-upon hits I still needed to play and total heart picks I intended to go to bat for The Casting of Frank Stone easily cleared my personal top 10, quite clearly in the latter category.Admittedly, this game was never going to be a hard sell in my case. As far as I'm concerned, the horror output of Supermassive Games only comes in three flavours: "good", "great", and "amazing". Literally the only truly bad time I've ever had with one of their games was during the denouement of Little Hope, and even then, I got over it pretty quickly.And, while my actual playtime in Dead by Daylight is definitely eclipsed by the hours I've spent obsessively digging into the lore surrounding it, I think that's still sufficient to call myself a fan. So a Dead by Daylight story mode-style spin-off developed by Supermassive was, for me, the definition of a no-brainer.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. I didn't go in expecting anything earth-shattering just the promise of a Dead by Daylight story in the style of The Dark Pictures Anthology was already more than enough to win me over. But while Frank Stone somewhat predictably failed to set the world on fire when it released on September 3rd (meaning that we share a birthday, coincidentally, although I promise that's only made me a little biased in its favour), I was still pleasantly surprised by how much I rated it. It might be in my all-time Supermassive top three, honestly. Two of the protagonists, Linda and Chris, are basically gender-flipped expies of David Lynch and Sam Raimi, which is a fun touch. Here, we see what happens when not-Sam Raimi gets sucked into a portal. | Image credit: Behaviour InteractiveThe Casting of Frank Stone is both intriguing and grim. Charting the intertwined fates of five playable protagonists across three different time periods all connected by a historic series of killings in the town of Cedar Hills, Oregon, and the subsequent release of a no-budget student film inspired by the case just theorising as to what's really going on is enough to keep you on your toes for much of the game. It's got atmosphere in spades, and a decent amount of variety in its choose-your-own-adventure gameplay, but at its heart this is 100% one for the lore nerds, alright.Probably to its biggest detriment is the fact that The Casting of Frank Stone ends on a brutal narrative gut-punch that will only land if you're at least passingly familiar with the wider worldbuilding of Dead by Daylight. I don't think that this is a failure of the game, which I believe achieved exactly what it set out to do, and delivered a story that would hook fans of its parent series (pun absolutely intended). But when I think about how it came out and then went away again with relatively little fanfare, I suspect that this might be a big part as to why. Even a DbD novice can tell that this thing is bad news, but its full significance might not be clear unless you've at least read a few wiki pages on The Entity. | Image credit: Behaviour InteractiveNevertheless, in an entertainment industry increasingly dominated by cynical brand tie-ins between the biggest wallets on the one hand, and brutal copyright takedowns smothering small artists in petty disputes on the other, I don't mind telling you that I for one want to see more collaborations like The Casting of Frank Stone: just a couple of studios taking an opportunity to meet organically at the intersection of their specialities, to see what shenanigans result from the mashup. That sort of co-operation coming out of artistic compatibility ahead of financial incentive feels so rare that it's practically retro in and of itself.So, even if The Casting of Frank Stone wasn't for everyone, I'd love to see more games adopt its pattern going forward. And if your two favourite games just happen to be, say, Dead by Daylight and Until Dawn, then there's a good chance that it actually could be your tailor-made GOTY after all truthfully, it came rather close to being mine.

Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)A few months ago, the Switch finally received Pizza Tower, an indie action platformer thats gotten a lot of praise for how well it channels Nintendos long-dormant Wario Land series. Yet developer Tour de Pizza wasnt the only team inspired by Wario. Summitspheres Antonblast is a wild and wonderful action platformer that feels like it could actually be the next Wario Land game if it came with a different coat of paint; its combination of speed, precision, and smart level design makes for a truly thrilling experience thats only let down by its issues with stable performance.Antonblast stars the titular Dynamite Anton, whose angry, red-skinned appearance leaves Satan feeling envious and insecure about his status as the reddest being of them all. So, in a petty act of retaliation, he sends his minions to Antons apartment to steal what he cherishes most: the Spirits that he kept around his living space. Enraged, Anton grabs his hammer and sets out on a quest to reclaim what was stolen and to give Satan a piece of his mind.Play through any given level here and the inspiration it takes from Wario Land 4 is immediately clear. Anton (or his roommate, Annie, if you prefer) tears through levels like a virtually unstoppable force of nature, smashing boxes and blowing up enemies as he bounces around with his hammer and powers through obstacles with his Clutch charge ability. There are plenty of side paths to explore and collectibles to snap up along the way, but the ultimate goal is to get to the bomb at the end of the level so you can start Happy Hour. Once triggered, a countdown clock begins, and you only have a few minutes to run all the way back through the level with the Spirit you collected. These mad dashes to safety are a real thrill, as you often are forced to take an alternate path back to the beginning and usually leave an enormous path of destruction in your wake on the trip back.Simply beating a level isnt enough to get the full experience, however, not even if you took your time to scrub it for all its collectibles. After beating each one, you unlock a time attack and combo chain mode for the level, and this is where the exceptional level design really comes into focus.For Time Attack, each level gives you a tight par time to achieve that demands you master level layouts and understand the nuances of Antons moveset to optimise your attempts. Combo Chain works much the same, but here youre tasked with maintaining an unbroken combo by strategically smashing boxes and blowing up enemies, all without any health pickups to help you out. We enjoyed what these two modes brought to the table, as they force you to engage with each level in a different way each time and add greater challenge and replayability to an already great platformer.Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)Even if you just stick to the minimum content to clear the base story, Antonblast displays a remarkable amount of variety across its relatively brief run. It should only take you about 10 hours to clear (maybe double that if you do everything), but it makes the most of that time by constantly introducing new ideas and level concepts along the way.One level has a power-up that essentially turns you into Taz the Tasmanian Devil, utterly obliterating everything in your path as you turn into a chaotic whirlwind. Another stage introduces a blazing-fast animal buddy shark that Anton can ride on land or sea, giving new traversal options as he hangs on for dear life. This is the kind of game that keeps things moving, and its commitment to introducing new ideas and building levels around them keeps it feeling constantly fresh.As for its visual presentation, Antonblast is clearly inspired by the likes of old Newgrounds-style Flash animations and 90s Nickelodeon shows. Theres a twisted and somewhat dreamlike quality to the colourful worlds you terrorise on your journey, and all the characters and animations have a very Looney Tunes-esque vibe with their exaggerated movements. At just about any moment on-screen, theres something bound to be exploding, screaming, or collapsing, and with this underscored by the vibration feature of the Joy-Con it leads to a very lively visual experience. But its the attention to little details that really sells the art style, such as the long trail of As that follows a terrified enemy you just sent careening into a brick wall.The audio keeps up with the madness of the action with a pop and jazz-infused soundtrack that maintains a high energy level throughout. And we especially appreciate the frequent cartoonish sound effects to punctuate Antons destructive actionsthings like the crashing plane sound used when Anton does a body slam from a high jump help to keep the goofy atmosphere front and centre.One downside is that the performance nearly cant keep up with the constant action. There are plenty of moments where the screen is positively soaked in explosions, poker chips, and screaming enemies, which leads to a noticeable drop in the frame rate. These drops dont have a massive direct effect on your ability to control Anton, but they still certainly cheapen the experience enough to be disappointing. Weve seen reports of crashing issues and some softlock bugs encountered by other players over the launch period, too. Weve been assured by the developers that a performance improvement patch targeting these issues has already been submitted to Nintendo, but just be warned that the current version available at launch is rather rough around the edgesyou may want to wait for the fixes.

Autonomous vehicle technology and electrification startups were once the darlings of the VC and corporate world. The two technologies promised billions of dollars in revenue and a new pathway for automakers to make money beyond building and selling cars.Those VC-money-printing days have been over for AVs for a while now, with a few exceptions like Waymo and Wayve. But as 2024 kicked off, there was still a lingering EV buzz in the air, albeit quieter than before.Now, as 2024 draws to a close, its safe to say that buzz is more of a whisper, with several EV startups faltering and automakers readjusting their investment plans.EV demand started softening in 2023, and even though sales volume has overall increased, the pace of growth has been far below what was expected. In 2024, automakers responded. Ford pivoted its plans, which included abandoning a plan to make an all-electric three-row SUV and opting instead to power those future vehicles with hybrid powertrains. GM, which had already pulled back EV spending in 2023, made more moves in 2024, most recently offloading its stake in the nearly completed Ultium Cells battery cell plant in Lansing, Michigan, to its joint venture partner LG Energy Solution. Stellantis and Mercedes paused plans on EV battery factories.Toyotas often-criticized approach to go slow on EVs and continue to prioritize gas and hybrid vehicles now looks like the smart move.The results werent great for EV startups either.Meanwhile, AVs had their hypey moment in the VC sun a few years ago before reality hit: It turns out driverless cars are hard, the business model isnt proven, and those backers might not have the patience for a long-term pre-revenue bet.A first wave of consolidation swept through the sector in 2019 and 2020. Some AV (and EV) startups merged with special purpose acquisition companies in search of the public-market capital necessary to commercialize their tech. Others stuck with big-name automaker backers. There were setbacks for both strategies in 2022 and 2023, prompting a last scramble for survival: the pivot.AV startups that were once focused on opportunities in driverless cars tried applying their tech to warehouses, mining, and agriculture. But it turns out those areas were already hopping with competition. Others stuck to their original mission, but turned into dual-use companies because defense tech is so very hot these days.In short, 2024 was the year when the weaker startups bid farewell and corporate entities took a hard look at what they were spending on and said time to move on.Apple car projectApple not-so-secret car project, we didnt even know ya. And yet, we all felt the loss. Perhaps because we have been hearing about the promise and vague plans for an Apple electric and autonomous (maybe) car for so long a decade since the first plans leaked. Apple made it official in 2024: the car project was canceled.I cant wait for 2025 and the breaking news scoop that this project is on again.ArrivalThis EV startup, which wanted to use microfactories to manufacture its commercial electric vans and buses, was once valued more than $13 billion and backed by Hyundai and UPS. The company went public in 2021 via a SPAC and by 2023 was in trouble even with a $300 million lifeline meant to turn the business around. Less than a year later, Arrival announced its U.K. division was entering administration, the countrys version of bankruptcy.Parting shot: Troubled EV startup Canoo, bought some of Arrivals assets after its bankruptcy filing.CakeEbikes and e-motorcycles had a moment during the Covid pandemic, but that didnt guarantee survival. In February, Swedish company Cake filed for bankruptcy. The company, best known for making high-design bikes, was apparently in the midst of a funding round. The withdrawal of an investor tipped its fate in the wrong direction. In the weeks that followed, a Florida man who owns a retail shop bought the majority of its U.S. inventory.Cake did get a second life however. The company emerged from bankruptcy and was acquired by Norwegian auto dealer, Brages Holding AS.Cruise robotaxiCruise is technically not dead. The self-driving vehicle company will live on, its parent company GM says, but its not clear exactly what shape itll take. But GM is no longer fundingthe commercial robotaxi program, which was Cruises focus. The decision blindsided Cruise employees, including top executives.This decision is just beginning to ripple through the organization. Expect a lot more news about Cruise and GMs plans for automated driving in 2025.FiskerWhere do we begin? The year didnt start off well for Fisker as the EV startup struggled to meet internal sales goals and its Ocean SUV was investigated by federal safety regulators over complaints on brake loss. It got worse from there with more federal probes, layoffs, a suspension from the New York Stock Exchange, and eventually bankruptcy by June. Heres a timeline of events. Be sure to read some of reporter Sean OKanes coverage, including Inside EV startup Fiskers collapse: how the company crumbled under its founders whims.Ghost AutonomyGhost Autonomy, an autonomous driving software startup, shut down in February. The startup, founded in 2017 as Ghost Locomotion, had gone through a few pivots. It had ultimately raised $220 million before closing for good.LiliumLilium, the electric vertical takeoff and landing startup, shut down in October after running out of money. Heres an astonishing figure to consider. The company had raised more than $1 billion from investors before going public in 2021 on the Nasdaq Exchange via a reverse merger with a blank-check company, SPAC Qell.There is still interest in electric aircraft startups. In the past several months, a German startup called Vaeridion thats developing short haul electric aircraft closed a 14 million euros Series A round, Archer raised $430 million to build defense aircraft, and Toyota made a $500 million investment into Joby Aviation.However, it is not clear, blue, and 22 for this sector. Turbulence ahead.NorthvoltSwedish battery manufacturer Northvolt announced in November it was filing for bankruptcy in the U.S. and its co-founder and CEO Peter Carlson resigned. The company was an investor favorite, raising $14.26 billion, according to PitchBook, including a $1.2 billion round in 2023 to expand operations in North America.Phantom AutoThe California startup, which had developed a teleoperation platform that allowed a remote driver, sometimes located thousands of miles away, to operate a vehicle if needed, shut down in March. The company had raised a total of $95 million from a mix of backers, including angel investors and early-stage VCs such as Bessemer Venture Partners and Maniv Mobility, private equity firm InfraBridge and strategic investors such as ArcBest and ConGlobal.