Amazon renews Secret Level for a season 2Game anthology series was Amazon's most-watched animated debutImage credit: Amazon Video News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Dec. 23, 2024 Amazon Video has renewed Secret Level for a second season.As reported by Variety, the streaming service said the show was its most-watched animated series debut within the first week of release.There is currently no information regarding which IPs will be covered in season two. The first series contained stories set in the worlds of Pac-Man, Dungeons & Dragons, and The Outer Worlds.Concord was also the focus of an episode, despite the live-service game being pulled from sale less than two weeks after its release.Tim Miller serves as creator and executive producer on Secret Level, in addition to supervising director Dave Wilson.The series is produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Blur Studio, the latter of which recently worked on Sonic The Hedgehog 3.

Community matters: How audience engagement in games is shaping other industries | Playable FuturesWooga's lead social media and community manager April Laws explores the growing trend of games-like community management in other sectors Feature by Will Freeman Contributor Published on Dec. 23, 2024 This series of Playable Futures articles considers how the design, technology, people, and theory of video games are informing and influencing the wider world.While game communities are famed for their passion and power, our medium cannot claim to have invented the concept of courting a fanbase. You might remember, for example, when records came with a small card form to fill out and return, handing over your details in return for getting access to offers and announcements from the band.By today's standards, however, what were effectively 'fanclubs' now seem charmingly primitive. They would breed loyalty and make customer communities feel valued and yet there is only so much a quarterly print newsletter could really achieve.Fast forward to the present, and industries across the world are increasingly eying how game community managers like Wooga's April Laws are evolving and enacting their craft. Laws first joined the studio known for its prowess with story-driven casual titles as a freelance designer, but now stands as the team's lead social media and community manager."It struck me how similar community management and design are," Laws says of her earlier days at Wooga. "Design is about solving problems and communication, and I feel I'm still doing exactly that at Wooga. Our community really has become one of our biggest assets as a company. I think the way that we in games do community is so powerful, and has really marked on our success, because it's a competitive industry. And so the community and their loyalty is really powerful. Valuing these relationships is one of the ways a game company can make lasting success, as there's a lot of other games people can play but our community chose us.""So many companies take their lead from game community management. Nike, Adidas and other fitness brands now have apps with leaderboards and challenges community gamification in itself"Community building and engagement, then, exists in a place between your audience and product, and works to help form an authentic bond that can be deeply rewarding for the consumer, and lastingly powerful to the company's success. And if you can get to the point of your customer base also existing as one of your most powerful assets, you really are getting modern community management right. It is a specialty open to everyone, whatever sector they serve.What game community managers have in their arsenal that equivalents in other realms traditionally do not, however, is access to the power of fandoms, and understanding of their medium's engaging power. In short, converting customers into fans is lastingly powerful, while deploying many of the design theories that make games so compelling can significantly boost the impacts of community building. It should come as little surprise, then, that other industries want in, driven by a desire to see the levels of connection and active engagement delivered here in games.Fandoms in particular are something any organisation would want to build, considering their habit of being deeply engaged beyond interacting with a given game itself, creating content and cosplay and evangelising the brand they adore day and night."As community managers we can support and curate what we see in fandoms," offers Laws. "This is the relationship we're trying to look for, really. When somebody makes fan art, writes a story, or dresses like a character, they're making part of their identity around your games, and building their lives. That's something to be cherished, and it's somewhere community teams can both help and really value that relationship. And I also just love to see that stuff. It's so fun, and these people are giving you their passion and love. I adore that." Hidden object puzzle game Pearl's Peril is just one of many Wooga games that has a solid community fanbase around it | Image credit: WoogaIt's obvious, then, that any product would enjoy what a truly engaged fandom can bring. But what of the notion of gamifying communities? That can start by extending a product with a game-like offering, or even fully integrating community into the service or platform provided; something very common in games."We see so many companies taking the lead from game community management now," Laws asserts. "Nike and Adidas and other fitness brands now have apps that have leaderboards and challenges, which is community gamification in itself. We also see those brands organise more on a local level, which is something we've been doing in games for a while now running local tournaments and connecting fans in real life. You can also look at brands like Duolingo, which is all about learning, but they're driving it through community, with rankings and rewards so forth being core to their product."Another great example is creative software like Photoshop, where sharing and community tutorials and learning from one another is part of the core of the product. That's a big part of this new approach to community, where you're not learning from the top down, but from other people in the same situations, which really fosters great relationships, and all those gains community managers look for."Community learning is also a model that proved significantly powerful; in the emergence of game engines like Epic and Unity in particular.Laws also points out that organic community building online is now a mainstay of everyday life, seen everywhere from political movements to sport and hobbies. Simply put, the human beings that make up communities are now more open to and familiar with engaging with their fellow devotees online."When somebody makes fan art, writes a story, or dresses like a character, they're making part of their identity around your games. That should be cherished"It should be noted that the increasing emergence of live service games as a dominant form and the relative normalisation of early access as a release process has also accelerated the craft and practise of community management in the gaming space, inspiring spillover to other sectors. In both those cases games continually evolve with a door open to the community to have their say and input about the creations they love. While it would be unwise to be totally beholden to community guidance, these distribution models have provided a fascinating example of how deep and powerful game communities management can be. And again, it's hugely appealing to those looking to foster more success beyond games.Laws is quick to observe that being responsive and listening intently is the secret that those from outside games will have to inherit."Anything you love, it makes your day if it talks back to you, and that's the power game community management has demonstrated. And learning the game community way is really not that complicated," Laws suggests. "Just listen first, and then take time to try to understand as well as you can, and then act. Listening is so important. When people tell you something, it is because they care, and they are the type of people you want to keep engaged with you. And you are benefitting from their engagement, and the way that you can show you value that, is to take it seriously."Take their feedback and engagement as more than just numbers. This isn't about bottom lines; there are people on the other side of the relationship, and there are real emotions at stake. So being able to look at that in a holistic way and take that to your product only benefits your game or whatever you are working on immensely."The core, very human craft of community management, then, isn't about technological prowess or adopting disruptive new approaches; it is about communication. But from the likes of the band Coldplay recentring their community effort on Discord, to those gamified apps that let Nike constantly engage and expand its community, it's clear a great many sectors are learning from games making customers fans, involving them with their processes, and rewarding their engagements with models based on achievements and leaderboards.It looks very likely we'll only see more game community management in other places marking yet another point where games are shaping the future of everywhere.Playable Futures is a collection of insights, interviews and articles from global games leaders sharing their visions of where the industry will go next. This article series has been brought to you by GamesIndustry.biz, Ukie, and Diva. You can find previous Playable Futures articles and podcasts here.

Switch 2 (finally), GTA 6 to dominate, AI in game dev (again): Analysts predictions for 2025Our annual panel of industry-watchers review their calls for the past year, and offer new forecasts for the year to comeImage credit: Adobe News by James Batchelor Editor-in-chief Published on Dec. 23, 2024 Every year, we turn to a panel of trusted analysts to ask them what they see coming down the road, and ask them to assess their predictions from the previous year.This year we've got all of last year's participants returning: Niko Partners' Lisa Cosmas Hanson, Midia Research's Rhys Elliott, Kantan Games' Dr. Serkan Toto, Ampere Analysis' Piers Harding-Rolls and Newzoo's Emmanuel (Manu) Rosier.As always, thanks to all our panelists for taking part in this tradition.Emmanuel (Manu) Rosier, Newzoo Emmanuel (Manu) Rosier, Newzoo2024 predictionsNintendo Switch 2 will take center stageIncorrect. The Nintendo Switch 2 has been prominent in rumor discussions rather than taking center stage officially.End of the live service domination and market saturationPartially correct. While older live service titles continue to dominate, newer entries in the space have seen mixed success, with some achieving short-lived popularity and others failing to gain traction. The industry is not fully transitioning back to premium games, but there is growing acknowledgment that the sheer volume of live service offerings exceeds players' available time. Many players appreciate taking breaks from their 'lifestyle' games to enjoy more finite, complete gaming experiences.Nostalgia takes a key role in live service titlesSpot on. As major live service games reach new lifecycle milestones, there's a rising interest in revisiting the origins of these games, with players embracing 'vanilla' versions of their favourites. This mirrors the trend in single-player games with remasters and remakes driven by nostalgia.Xbox's strategic move into mobilePartially correct. Microsoft is ready to launch the Xbox app on Android but cannot until an antitrust ruling in the United States comes into force."Without groundbreaking innovations, consumers may see little reason to upgrade to Nintendo Switch 2"Emmanuel (Manu) Rosier, NewzooThe onslaught of open-world Souls-like gamesIncorrect. While expansions like Shadow of the Erdtree for Elden Ring and releases like Black Myth: Wukong have been successful, these do not represent a significant market shift toward open-world Souls-like games.AI in game productionCorrect. AI is steadily integrating into game development processes, though we have yet to see a revolutionary impact. However, its broader adoption across the industry is inevitable.The evolution of multi-game subscriptions is overTrue. In 2024, no major breakthroughs occurred in subscription models. The release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 on Game Pass caused premium-to-subscription cannibalization on Xbox, but strong sales on other platforms offset this, leaving trends unclear.Epic Games is doubling down on Fortnite as a platform, adding content like Fortnite Festival and Lego Fortnite to Fortnite Crew subscriptions without raising prices, aiming to lock in players and developers.Mobile-to-PC gaming evolutionIncorrect. There has not been a notable shift toward PC ports of mobile games. 2025 PredictionsGTA 6: One game to rule them allGrand Theft Auto 6, scheduled for a fall 2025 release, is poised to reshape the gaming industry much like its predecessor, GTA 5, which shattered records with 32.5 million units sold in its first year. While the market landscape has evolved, Rockstar's legacy of delivering groundbreaking experiences ensures that GTA 6 will leave a lasting mark.When GTA 5 launched in 2013, it capitalised on the late lifecycle of the PS3 and Xbox 360, leveraging a vast and mature audience. GTA 6, by contrast, will arrive earlier in the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S lifecycle, facing a smaller but rapidly growing install base. However, the enduring success of GTA Online, with millions of active players, has kept the franchise at the forefront of gaming, driving extraordinary anticipation for GTA 6.Rockstar's history of crafting genre-defining titles positions GTA 6 to set new industry standards. Yet, its challenge lies in navigating a gaming world increasingly dominated by live-service titles. How Rockstar adapts the Grand Theft Auto formula to this evolving landscape will not only determine GTA 6's success but may also redefine the future of open-world gaming.Why the Nintendo Switch 2 may struggle to outperform its predecessorThe Nintendo Switch 2 faces the challenge of living up to the original Switch's monumental success, even with the appeal of backward compatibility as an upgrade incentive.With over 146 million units sold and helped by the pandemic, the original Switch has deeply penetrated the market, leaving many players satisfied with their current systems. Without groundbreaking innovations, consumers may see little reason to upgrade. Compounding the challenge, a budget-friendly version of the original Switch if still available could attract cost-conscious buyers, diverting attention from the new console."The industry is not fully transitioning back to premium games, but there is growing acknowledgment that the sheer volume of live service offerings exceeds players' available time"Emmanuel (Manu) Rosier, NewzooTo make an impact, the Switch 2 will need exclusive launch titles or games that fully utilize its hardware improvements. Yet, no major exclusives have been announced, leaving questions about how it will differentiate itself. While Nintendo's history suggests it may have surprises in store, surpassing the Switch's unprecedented sales figures seems like a steep climb.Ubisoft: Acquisition, privatisation, or dismantlingUbisoft finds itself at a critical juncture as financial struggles and operational missteps have severely impacted its stability. Its market value has halved in 2024, falling back to levels not seen since 2015. The poor performance of releases such as Star Wars Outlaws, XDefiant, and Rainbow Six Extraction, combined with delays of key franchises like Assassin's Creed Shadows, have exacerbated the company's challenges, leaving investors and fans increasingly disillusioned and calling for substantial change.Acquisition or privatisation appears increasingly likely. Tencent, a major shareholder in Ubisoft, is a leading candidate for a buyout, though its future M&A strategy remains unclear. Privatisation could shield Ubisoft from the pressures of the public market, offering a chance for a comprehensive strategic overhaul. However, both paths risk partial or complete dismantling, as new ownership may choose to streamline operations by selling underperforming studios or non-core assets. Image credit: Epic GamesFortnite's next level: Taking on Steam, PlayStation, and XboxFortnite is rapidly evolving from a popular game into a major digital distribution platform, poised to challenge established giants like Steam and PlayStation Store. Recent developments underscore its growing influence across gaming and entertainment.On November 30, 2024, Fortnite set a new standard for in-game events with 'Remix: The Finale,' a concert featuring performances by Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Ice Spice, and a tribute to Juice WRLD. The event attracted over 14 million concurrent players and demonstrated the platform's unparalleled ability to draw massive audiences and create cultural moments within its ecosystem.Epic Games continues to innovate by making user-generated content more accessible. Introducing unique deep links for Fortnite islands allows players to seamlessly join specific experiences directly from a shared URL. Currently available on PC and Android, this feature simplifies content discovery and enhances player engagement.Looking ahead to 2025, Fortnite could potentially strengthen its position by advancing creator tools, fostering new strategic alliances, and promoting open digital marketplaces. These efforts could signal its ambition to rival established digital distribution platforms, reshaping the industry and expanding its influence as a digital powerhouse."The $69 billion Activision Blizzard deal, rising costs, power of forever-titles, and Sony's huge lead leave Xbox no choice but to bring all their big games to PS5 early"Dr Serkan Toto, Kantan GamesWeakening of large live-service titles outside of Fortnite and MinecraftSeveral factors are influencing the market landscape. As noted earlier, Fortnite continues to expand its growth and maintain its dominance. Meanwhile, Roblox is experiencing growth not only on mobile platforms but also on PC and consoles. On the other hand, some games are facing challenges in attracting new players. For competitive games like MOBAs, high skill barriers can deter newcomers, while in other cases, expansive storylines and increasingly complex mechanics may discourage players from starting.Additionally, 2025 is shaping up to be a standout year for new game releases. This influx of fresh titles will likely divert time and engagement away from many existing live-service games.In summary, 2025 appears to be ushering in a convergence of trends that could pose significant challenges for many traditional live-service titles.We will not see a successful new F2P multiplayer shooter launch in 2025Looking over the past few years of shooter launches, it is increasingly plain to see that the genre is beyond saturated and that players are fixed to their franchise shooter of choice. While there may be blips on the radar that may ping every time a new one launches and players check the game out, these will ultimately fizzle out over the next year to two years without any additional fanfare.Dr Serkan Toto, Kantan Games2024 predictions Dr Serkan Toto, Kantan Games"Switch 2" will come and be $400Incorrect. I am probably off by three to six months (Switch 2 is likely to arrive in the first half of 2025) but still believe in the other points I made, including the price point despite potential US tariffs.Saudi Arabia will make more big movesIncorrect. But they publicly announced they will make a big move (a billion dollar acquisition) in 2025 earlier this year.AI will become an even bigger topic in 2024Correct, and we will of course see a lot more next year.Square Enix will release a big IP game with crypto elementsIncorrect.2025 predictionsXbox will open all floodgates and go all-in on PS5I am aware that Microsoft has already become somewhat open to releasing Xbox games on other platforms, but 2025 might be the year where they go all-in. The $69 billion Activision Blizzard deal, rising costs across the board, the power of forever-titles, the huge lead of Sony and other factors will likely leave Microsoft no choice but to bring all their big games to PS5 early, including blockbusters such as Gears of War: E-Day or Perfect Dark."Ubisoft at the end of 2025 will look a lot different from now"Dr Serkan Toto, Kantan GamesInstant gaming will have its big momentInstant gaming silently amassed vast audiences over time, but I believe 2025 will be the true breakout year in the West. The idea of not having to install apps and being able to play across various platforms with deep social hooks led to hundreds of millions of active players on WeChat in China, for example. Apple just a few weeks ago enabled in-app-purchases for instant games on iOS, a watershed moment this part of the industry has been waiting for for years.Ubisoft will change radicallyI hope I am wrong on this one, but I see Ubisoft closing studios and cutting stuff at a significantly larger scale next year. In my view, Assassin's Creed Shadows will get solid reviews and sell 'okay' but not enough to make Ubisoft continue business as usual. Ubisoft at the end of 2025 will look a lot different from now.Nintendo will not have enough consoles to sellDespite Nintendo's pledge and best efforts, the new device will sell out very quickly and not be available for months in 2025. It will be even worse than 2017 when the Switch launched. Furthermore, the name will be Switch 2. I also expect deep price cuts for the original Switch in 2025.Rhys Elliott, Midia Research Rhys Elliott, Midia Research2024 predictionsAI to supercharge games developmentCorrect. Over 17,000 games were published on Steam, compared to around 14,000 last year. AI is also being more prominently used. For example, at EAs annual Investor Day in September 2024, CEO Andrew Wilson, said that AI is "at the very core of the business and has more than "100 active novel AI projects in development.Games subscription growth to outpace games software growth by three timesCorrect. At the time of writing, preliminary MIDiA forecasts suggest that by the end of 2024, subscription revenue will have grown by approximately 15% while games purchase revenue will have actually declined.Another $100 million-plus acquisition will take placeCorrect. Take-Two Interactive bought Gearbox Interactive for $460 million. Beacon Interactive bought Saber Interactive for $237 million. Turtle Beach bought Fortnite Festival guitar maker PDP for $118 million.Games and social media will eat into time on other formatsPartially Correct. While time spent on games and social media grew by 5% and 12%, respectively, between Q2 2023 and Q2 2024, games decreased their share of entertainment time slightly, while social media grew slightly.Non-game companies will deepen their involvement with gamesCorrect. Disney invested $1.5 billion in Epic Games to bring Disney brands into Fortnite. YouTube Playables, free games playable on YouTube, left soft launch. LinkedIn introduced New York Times-like games. Following massive success with its Fallout TV series, Amazon announced it is making a Mass Effect show. Games and social media will eat into time on other formats.2025 predictionsAds revenue will become more prominent on PC and consoleAfter an extended period of strong growth, the games market has begun to face growth challenges. Some game makers will turn to advertising which has largely been untapped on console and PC to drive growth. Advertising will become more prominent at platform level (Xbox and PlayStation menus) and at game level (immersive, interstitial, and rewarded alike).What is more, mobile developers are increasingly entering console and PC (and will bring mobile ad monetisation learnings with them). While game developers have experimented with advertising in the past, the revenue stream is more viable now as programmatic advertising means ads are more automated and specific.Gaming is now at the front of mind for marketers and there is also a necessity: the games market and advertisers alike need new revenue streams."Advertising will become more prominent at platform level and at game level... The games market and advertisers alike need new revenue streams"Rhys Elliott, Midia ResearchPortable gaming skyrocketsNintendo will release its Switch 2 in 2025, and we should expect to see a new Mario Kart and a Super Mario title during the launch window. This console will sell well, driving game-related hardware and console revenues in 2025.However, this is just the beginning for portable gamings oncoming tailwind. The attention economy is oversaturated, and Nintendo was shrewd to release a hybrid handheld that allows both at-home play on the TV and portable play. Similarly, companion portables like the Steam Deck complement a gamers main platform (a gaming PC, in this case). Companion portables give players more opportunities to engage with their ecosystem of choice, and more opportunities for games to grow their share of the attention economy.Microsofts CEO of gaming Phil Spencer confirmed Xbox is working on a portable, and leaks reported by Bloomberg indicate Sony is as well. A portable strategy would also fit in with both companies current strategies and recent peripheral releases/partnerships, such as the PlayStation Portal (a companion device letting players stream their PS5 remotely to the Portals screen via WiFi) and Xboxs play anywhere initiatives and partnership with the ASUS ROG Ally portable PC.The year of the portable is coming. Multi-game subscriptions growth will take a back seatUnlike video and music, game subscriptions will not be the sole future of distribution any time soon but they will have their place. While a consumer can listen to hundreds of tracks and watch dozens of movies or TV episodes in a month, the majority only have time to play a few games. That is why multi-game subscriptions are only worth it for the most dedicated players.Most gamers are already served by the free-to-play markets or are happy enough to buy a few games a year la carte. Free-based tiers and cloud gaming could change this in the long term, but for the coming years, subscriptions will remain a secondary revenue stream for the games market.Generative AI will divide game leadership and game makersGenerative AI will undoubtedly have a bigger role in game development going forward, but the transition to this new technology will face struggles in 2025. While game publishers will continue to inject generative AI to cut costs and streamline game creation, the technology will continue to worry game developers."The year of the portable is coming"Rhys Elliott, Midia ResearchGenerative AI is relatively new and more use cases will hit the market in 2025, leading to yet more debate. More developers will publicly decry generative AI and will mobilise fans of their games to do the same. Inevitably, a high-profile game will use "no AI was used in the making of this game" as a marketing bullet point.Creator-led games will start to show their worthCreators and influencers that got rich through gaming video content have their eyes and their capital on game development. For example, popular YouTuber Videogamedunkey already owns his own indie publisher, Bigmode. Meanwhile, several influencer-led game studios are creating game experiences on Epic Games Unreal Engine for Fortnite (such as Typical Gamer with his own studio JOGO).These creators are using their audiences (marketing), networks (B2B), and knowledge of games to cater to their audiences and gain momentum in the market. In 2025, we expect to see a viral hit from one of these influencer-led publishers or at least a game becomes part of the gaming cultural zeitgeist.Lisa Cosmas Hanson, Niko Partners2024 predictions Lisa Cosmas Hanson, Niko PartnersAsia & MENA to account for over 60% of global PC & Mobile games revenueAlmost correct. Asia & MENA will generate $82 billion in player spending across PC & Mobile in 2024, which is roughly 56% of global PC & Mobile game revenue.A deal valued at more than $2.5 billion (among the Top Ten of all time) will happenCorrect, but not from Asia. EQT acquired Keywords Studios for nearly $2.4 billion in 2024. EQT is not from Asia, however.Instant games will reach over one billion MAUs in Asia & MENACorrect. We believe this prediction was achieved with 800m MAUs for mini /instant games coming from WeChat and Douyin in China alone.New console hardware will be announced in 2024Correct. While the Nintendo Switch successor was not announced, as we previously expected, Sony announced its PS5 Pro and multiple PC gaming handhelds were also announced.The new global esports landscape will be centered outside of the westCorrect. There were more high-profile esports tournaments and viewership in Asia & MENA compared to the west this year by a growing margin."In 2025, additional markets will require Apple and Google to remove their walled gardens"Lisa Cosmas Hanson, Niko PartnersBlizzard will re-enter China in an official capacityCorrect. Blizzard announced its return in April 2024 and re-established its partnership with NetEaseMore than 100 import games will be granted an ISBN for release in ChinaProbably correct, but not yet confirmed. 98 Import Games have been approved as of writing (December 16), and we could see another batch before the end of the year taking the number over 100.Governments in Southeast Asia & India will actively support games industry growthCorrect. Multiple governments in the region announced policies that include support for video games and esports in their respective markets. Indonesia, Malaysia, India, to name a few.2025 predictionsThe following predictions pertain to the primary markets that Niko Partners analyzes every day i.e. those in Asia and MENA. These are a subset of predictions and topics that our team of analysts is considering about 2025 and beyond to help guide our clients in their global business strategic planning. Chinas video game market revenue will reach $50 billion Niko Partners proprietary market model forecasts that player spending on video game software and services will surpass $50 billion in China next year making it the first country to do so. While China is a mobile-first market, with over two-thirds of spend from smartphones and tablets, we continue to see notable growth from the PC and console game segments, especially on the heels of the successful launch of Black Myth: Wukong.China wont be the only market to achieve a milestone in 2025. India is set to exceed $1 billion in player spending, the Philippines will reach $500 million, and Thailand will closely approach $2 billion. In fact, the Asia & MENA region as a whole will reach $89 billion in player spending across PC, mobile, and console, with a user base of 1.76 billion gamers.2025 will be better than 2024 for the games markets in Asia & MENAThe global video games industry has experienced significant fluctuations during the post-pandemic period, and Asia & MENA are not exceptions to this. However, while layoffs continue along with global economic uncertainty, we see 2025 (particularly after Q1) as a more stable year for the industry compared with 2024.Indias games revenue will grow 14.7% YoY in 2025, followed by MENA-3 (8.3% YoY) and Southeast Asia (6.1% YoY). However, Japan and Korea likely will not see positive growth rates until 2026.In emerging markets like India, MENA, and Southeast Asia, new gamers and a growing middle class will drive increased spending on video games. We also expect to see companies that significantly downsized their gaming operations, such as ByteDance and Garena, indicate recovery by greenlighting new titles and other gaming related projects."We forecast that player spending on games will surpass $50 billion in China next year making it the first country to do so"Lisa Cosmas Hanson, Niko PartnersOver 1 billion gamers in Asia & MENA will watch gaming & esports content onlineNiko Partners conducts an annual online survey of 7,500 gamers across Asia & MENA to understand gamer behavior, motivations and insights across the region. One important stat that weve paid attention to recently is the increasing number of gamers that watch gaming and esports related video content online.In 2024, we found that just over half of all gamers surveyed watch gaming and esports content online. In 2025, we expect this to increase to nearly 60% as publishers and content creators fuel demand for video content.Southeast Asia and India already index higher than China, East Asia, and MENA, which typically fall slightly below 50%. Game video and livestreaming continues to play a greater role in the region for game discovery, marketing, and even distribution. One notable trend weve seen recently is the sale of in-game content via livestreams, with viewers able to make purchases without leaving the stream. Game companies will shift back to geographic expansionNiko Partners believes game companies will recognize growth through geographic expansion in 2025, after new technologies such as Web3, VR/AR/XR, and cloud gaming underperformed expectations. We anticipate firms will double down on international expansion particularly to Asia and MENA, given the growing appetite for gaming and the recent success of global IP in these markets.In 2024, Korean game Dungeon & Fighter launched in China and grossed over $2 billion. Likewise, Supercells Brawl Stars has recently seen South Korea, Japan, and China emerge as its Top Three markets outside the US.Geographic expansion not only diversifies a companys player base but also mitigates the risk associated with untested new technologies, ultimately driving sustainable growth in a more predictable and stable market environment.New regulations will further open up walled gardens on mobileThe past few years has seen the US, EU, Japan, South Korea, and India take antitrust action against walled gardens on mobile, primarily operated by Apple and Google. This has led to Apple and Google allowing third party app stores, alternative payment systems, and removing anti-steering provisions in certain countries.However, stakeholders and regulators continue to argue that Apple and Google are not in compliance with these rulings, and regulators in other countries have also started to take an interest in opening up digital markets after pressure from the industry.In 2025, we fully expect that additional markets will announce rulings that require Apple and Google to remove their walled gardens, and we believe that both parties will be required to remove their commission fee in at least one market when developers link out to an external web shop. We expect this to accelerate out-of-app monetization growth, benefiting game developers who will be able to earn higher gross margins on in-game payments.Piers Harding-Rolls, Ampere Analysis Piers Harding-Rolls, Ampere Analysis2024 predictionsNot at the end of the industry layoffsCorrect, unfortunatelyMarket growth in low single digitsLooks to be correct. Were currently forecasting 1.4% growthSwitch 2 release at end of the year, PS5 the best-selling console, VR to have another tough yearWrong, right, rightUse of generative AI-driven NPCsWrong. Hasnt really happened (although plenty of tech demos!)Microsoft to challenge EA to become the biggest publisher across Xbox and PlayStation, Activision Blizzard new releases to go into Game Pass, Cheaper Game Pass with mobile contentRight, Right, WrongMobile app store status quo to continueRight. However see below for thoughts on increasing off-platform disruptionMicrosoft to experiment with a mobile app storeWrong. Launch has been delayedNetflix to broaden its game streaming offer to more countriesCorrectMMO resurgence, uptick in games IP adaptations, more AA games from biggest publishers, GTA 6 launch date late in 2025Generally, right. MMO resurgence hasnt really happened although peak WoWs player numbers in 2024 were the highest for several years.2025 predictionsIts been a really tough year for the industry. Slower market growth and rising costs combined with the devastating number of layoffs has created a tense and difficult operating environment. Its likely that backdrop will continue into 2025 to an extent, though I dont think well see the same level of industry contraction and job losses.Overall market performance in 2025Im expecting continued slow growth in games content and services spend globally. Gone are the years of 10-15% market growth driven by huge increases in mobile gaming spend. With that fuel seemingly burned for at least the next few years, the market is in a slow growth era. However, to put this in a more positive context, total global market size is expected to be similar to historical market peak from 2021 where consumption was heavily driven by the impact of the pandemic.The console market is set to grow marginally with Switch 2 launch (currently expected it to arrive in Q2 at minimum $400/400) and GTA 6 releasing. US import tariffs are a dark cloud on the horizon, but Im going to positively predict that console hardware is once again made exempt from these import charges.GTA 6 will be the largest entertainment release of all time in terms of revenue generated in its launch months. Such is the size of a new GTA, if it is delayed into 2026, the console market performance will probably be down even without the potential impact of tariffs. GTA Online will continue for gamers that play on PS4, Xbox One and PC, meaning a fractured GTA userbase for Rockstar to deal with.If Switch 2 hits in Q2 (one to three months later in the year than the original Switch did), Im forecasting sell-through of a little north of 13 million units. Thats a sales rate higher than the original Switch. Im interested to see what Nintendo does with Nintendo Switch Online at launch. Id like to think it will expand its content and feature set for the launch of the Switch 2."GTA 6 will be the largest entertainment release of all time... If it is delayed into 2026, the console market performance will probably be down"Piers Harding-Rolls, Ampere AnalysisOff-platform app monetisationTheres been a lot of talk about the potential for mobile app store disruption with the introduction of more third-party stores from the likes of Epic and Microsoft to compete with the incumbents following various legal ruling across different countries and regions. While this is interesting to track, shifting consumer behaviour around game discovery is challenging so Im not expecting major changes in 2025 even if Microsoft does get around to launching its mobile app store. After all, there have been alternative app stores on Android devices for many years and, in the PC space, Epic has thrown large amounts of investment behind competing with Steam through Epic Games Store. Neither of these factors has altered the status quo in terms of consumer behaviour significantly.However, beyond new app stores offering a collection of games, the practice of driving high-spending gamers off-platform to monetise directly through publisher-specific web stores is something well see a lot more of in 2025. This could drive increased profits for mobile games companies and will drive a bigger share of spending outside the App Store and Google Play than weve seen previously.Funding and M&A activity picking upIm expecting funding and M&A activity to increase in 2025 compared to 2024 as investment appetite returns. A lot of recent funding has focused on the games production value chain and games technology, with less investment in developers and publishers. That trend will continue, but I expect the investment pipeline to return to games content-based companies progressively through the year. What will happen with Ubisoft? I think it depends on the performance of Assassins Creed Shadows to an extent. A strong performance could change the leverage different parties have in discussions to take the company private, which may delay any change in the companys position.Content trendsI think well see a deeper focus on remakes and sequels as publishers stay risk averse when it comes to investment. A new wave of extractions shooters is expected in 2025, but I dont think there is enough demand to support multiple new entrants. Unfortunately, that will result in some big budget failures. Publishers will continue to aggressively look at ways to drive more value from their existing games IP and franchises. That means more cross-game licensing, brand partnerships, cross-media licensing, sponsorship, and advertising in and around their games."Total global market size in 2025 is expected to be similar to the historical market peak from 2021"Piers Harding-Rolls, Ampere AnalysisWeb3 games will probably have a decent resurgence due to coin prices, so expect to see more releases and investment again in this area. Black Myth: Wukongs success will prompt more investment into these sort of single player games and will drive all Chinese publishers and developers to consider the global appeal of their upcoming games.Unexpected twists and turnsThere are things that are inherently hard to predict, such as Payday being deeply integrated into PUBG, which seems like an off-the-wall collaboration. I think the hunt for engagement and player attention, and the difficult market backdrop will mean more unexpected collaborations and partnerships, where companies are pushed to get more creative and ambitious to carve out a space in the market.

The original creators of much-loved sci-fi horror video game Dead Space say they pitched EA on Dead Space 4 this year, only for the publisher to say it wasnt interested.In an interview with Dan Allen Gaming, Glen Schofield, Christopher Stone, and Bret Robbins, three of the leading creatives at the now shuttered original Dead Space developer EA Redwood Shores / Visceral Games, revealed they all joined together to pitch EA on Dead Space 4.We tried, actually, the three of us, Schofield revealed. Dead Space 4. Were talking this year.Unfortunately for Dead Space fans, EA said it wasnt interested, with Schofield suggesting projections for how many copies Dead Space 4 would have to sell to make the venture worthwhile were perhaps a key factor in the decision.We didnt go too deep, Schofield explained. They just said, We're not interested right now. We appreciate it blah blah blah, and you know we know who to talk to. So we didn't take it any further. And we respected their opinion. They know their numbers and what they have to ship and all that so yeah.IGN's Twenty Questions - Guess the game!IGN's Twenty Questions - Guess the game!To start:...try asking a question that can be answered with a "Yes" or "No".000/250Stone added that the video game industrys high-profile struggles and its subsequent risk aversion has made projects such as Dead Space 4 a particularly hard sell.The industry is in a weird place right now, Stone said. People are really hesitant to take chances on things. So you got to take it with a grain of salt. Who knows, maybe one day. I think we'd all love to do it.Yeah, Schofield continued, we got some ideas.I'd make a Dead Space 4, Stone declared.Alas, it sounds like Dead Space 4 is an unlikely prospect, with EA focusing on its enormously successful sports games, The Sims, the revival of Battlefield, and Respawns ongoing projects, including the third Star Wars Jedi game. BioWare recently released Dragon Age Veilguard and is working on Mass Effect 5.EA released the well-received Dead Space remake in 2023, but since then EA hasnt said anything about a potential Dead Space 4. The last mainline game in the franchise, Dead Space 3, came out over a decade ago, in 2013.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Everybody loves Jason Nesmith. At least, thats what Jason Nesmith thinks. As the star of the long canceled sci-fi show, Galaxy Quest, Jason regularly enters to cheers from crowds of admirers, even if theyre really cheering for his character, Commander Peter Quincy Taggart of the NSEA Protector. But behind the closed door of a mens room stall, Nesmith learns the truth. In a convention hall bathroom, Jason overhears two guys mock their fellow attendees, the Galaxy Quest cast, and especially Nesmith. Actor Tim Allen lets the sadness mix with the dawning on his face, the first of many realizations that occur throughout the cult 1999 comedy classic, Galaxy Quest.The bathroom conversation is also one of many moments in Galaxy Quest drawn from the actual lives of Star Trek cast members. According to a (possibly apocryphal) tale, the supremely confident William Shatner suffered a blow to the ego when he heard a couple of young men making fun of him and the cast of The Original Series at a convention. The scene in Galaxy Quest certainly plays on Shatners outsized sense of self-importance. But it works because it also has sympathy and admiration for Shatner, allowing Galaxy Quest to capture Trekkies complicated feelings about the man who made James T. Kirk the greatest captain in Federation history.Great Characters and Greater EgosNesmiths bathroom revelation shouldnt be that much of a shock, given the altercation that he has with co-star Alexander Dane. Portrayed by the great Alan Rickman, Dane resented his regal alien character Dr. Lazarus and had just finished ranting about his derailed dramatic career. Disgusted, Dane runs for the door, but Nesmith tries to stop him, calming his co-star by referring to themselves as old friends.Old friend? retorts Dane. You stole all my best lines, you cut me out of episode two entirely! Those charges also stem from actual Star Trek history. As Leonard Nimoys character rose in popularity during TOS original run, a jealous Shatner would rewrite scripts so that Kirk got lines originally intended for Spock.Shatners script hijacking is one of many examples of his clashes with co-stars. Even as recently as 2022, Sulus actor George Takei called Shatner a prima donna during the filming of the show, claiming that although the rest of the cast enjoyed a strong camaraderie, none of us got along with the man who played their captain. He was self-involved, Takei told The Guardian. He enjoyed being the center of attention. He wanted everyone to kowtow to him.Takei may be the most vocal of Shatners detractors but he was hardly alone. According to his book Boldly Go, Nichelle Nichols told Shatner that the others found him cold and arrogant. At the 2015 Steel City Con (via Hollywood in Toto), Walter Koenig claimed that the rest of the cast bonded mostly because of our mutually grumbling of Mr. Shatner. Shatner and Nimoy were and always shall be frenemies, but it got so bad during the filming of TOS that Gene Roddenberry had to order them to make peace. Shatner even famously turned his ire toward fans, as in a legendary Saturday Night Live sketch in which he orders Trekkies to get a life!Galaxy Quest reflects Shatners attitude in his treatment of his castmates and fans. He emerges into the movie declaring your captain is here! without even acknowledging that he made everyone wait for an hour. When he thinks that the alien Mathesar is just a fan who wants to hire him for an engagement, Jason talks down to the dignitary and even rudely pokes his finger in a condescending way.Furthermore, Jason is played by Tim Allen, an actor who also has a reputation for irritating others. Allen went from someone who was arrested for trafficking cocaine in 1978, when he was studying at Western Michigan University, to having the number one sitcom in Home Improvement, the number one movie with The Santa Clause, and the number one book with Dont Stand Too Close to a Naked Man. So great was his rise that Western Michigan University conferred upon him an honorary degree (much to the chagrin of this writer, who had to earn his BA from WMU the usual way).Home Improvement co-star Pamela Anderson claimed in her 2023 book Love, Pamela that Allen flashed her on set, and comedian Casey Wilson declared on the Bitch Sesh podcast that Allen was fucking rude while filming the Disney+ series The Santa Clauses. Never made eye contact, never said anything. It was so uncomfortable, she charged.Maybe those shared difficulties help explain why Galaxy Quest gets the Shatner appeal so well.Strongest At His WeakestAs recorded in the excellent behind the scenes documentary, Never Surrender, the Galaxy Quest script unlocked when writers Robert Gordon (who shares a screenplay credit with David Howard) and director Dean Parisot realize that Jason loves being the captain, even if its just pretend. Where the original story made him more of a bitter washout like Dane, the new version would make him glad to reprise his role at cons and, eventually, in outer space because it presents him at his best.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Thus theres a vulnerability to Jason that makes him compelling, even when hes being an arrogant jerk. Jason is tragic because he needs the very people to whom he condescends. He may act like hes better than his co-stars Dane and Gwen DeMarco (Sigourney Weaver), or better than his biggest fan Mathesar (Enrico Colantoni), the Thermian who recruits Jason and the crew to fight real space battles against the warlord Sarris (Robin Sachs and some outstanding make-up effects from Bill George at ILM). But he needs them to be the person he wants to be: Commander Taggart.Like most of his castmates, Shatner sometimes had a complicated relationship with Kirk, despite going on to successful projects such as T.J. Hooker and Boston Legal. But he still had clear pride in the captain, reprising the role for Star Trek: The Animated Series, the planned Star Trek: Phase II, and all the movies through 1994s Generations. Shatner also undid Kirks death in Generations for a wonderfully unhinged set of novels and, to this day, grouches that J.J. Abrams brought Nimoys Spock back, but not his Kirk, in the reboot films.That pride and natural bluster is evident onscreen in his every outing as Kirk. Sure, Shatners idiosyncratic line deliveries have long since become a punchline, but theyre effective nonetheless. Shatner believes so much in the truth of Kirk as a character that he gives every single word great weight. And more often than not, its fantastic. Every word of the risk is our business speech from the season two episode Return to Tomorrow deserves that weight. Our love for Spock justifies the long pause Kirk takes before finding the word human in the eulogy at the end of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.Moreover, for all of his bluster, Shatner has no problem playing the comedy of his character and being the butt of the joke. Just look at the reaction he has when Decker challenges Kirk in The Motion Picture. After telling Decker to mind his place, the newly-busted-down XO reminds the captain that it is a first officers job to check his superior officer. Shatner gives the moment space before Kirk responds, taking his time before allowing a proud smile, letting the audience realize that Kirk is indeed wrong here. I stand corrected, confesses Kirk.In fact, all of the TOS movies are about how old and out of step Kirk is. Sure, Kirk begins Star Trek V, the one Shatner himself directed, free soloing El Capitan. But he still almost falls to his death after getting interrogated by a cool Spock in hoverboots. Whether or not he knows it about himself, Shatner knows that Kirk isnt perfect, which only makes us love him more.Read more The Captains ConfessionIn Galaxy Quest, Jason has a moment of truth. In a fantastic bit of acting from Allen, Jason admits to Mathesar that hes an actor and not the man he pretended to be. Seeing how his actions affect others changes Jason. He realizes he needs to be more like Taggart instead of Nesmith.Now in his 90s, its unlikely that Shatner will have a similar come-to-Sha Ka Ree moment. But even if he doesnt have a full turnaround, we still have his complex take on Captain Kirk, a man as open and vulnerable as he is stubborn and bloviating.

The gut renovation of photographer Donna Dotan's home in Montclair, New Jersey was well underway when Dotan and her husband discovered five layers of old flooring in the Dutch Colonials kitchen. They knew exactly what to do with that sudden trove of space underneath the room in their house that they planned to use the most.They removed all five layers to make way for a fresh, durable option and took the opportunity to banish cold feet for good. At that point, we decided to add heated flooring since we were going with tile, says Dotan, who specializes in interiors and architecture photography, of the luxurious feature more commonly used in bathrooms. The demolition took a lot longer than expected, but it was worth the wait!Built in 1901, the homes kitchen was outdated and mismatched. Working with interior designer Rob Stuart, they set out to make functional updates and create a cohesive lookall while maintaining the historic feel of the six-bedroom, five-and-a-half-bathroom property. A standout improvement is the two-tone, shaker-style cabinetry. The cabinet colors (warm wood and October Mist by Benjamin Moore) complement the homes natural surroundings, which are framed by wide windows.Donna DotanLight fixture: Visual Comfort. Stools: Serena & Lily. Counters: Rockaway Marble & Granite Inc. Art: Hannah Moon. Glass candle holders: Anthropologie.Meaningful moments are found in the details. Most nights, Dotans family enjoys tea following dinner. That teapot [on the island] was passed down from my Moroccan grandmother, who had a whole collection of them, she says, adding she keeps a few of them together with Moroccan glassware on display on the open shelving. We keep a garden of mint right outside the kitchen and will usually have hot water with mint leaves or add the leaves to our tea.The art on the walls is a commission by their good friend Hannah Moon. Rob found that incredible vintage frame on the streets of New York with a sign on it that said Take me! Dotan explains. Hannah created something that she felt would look perfect in that frame, and she was right.Donna DotanDonna DotanOther upgrades include a farm sink, which doubles as a bath for washing Dotans mini golden doodle, Remy, when he gets muddy from playing outside. Under the open shelving, the bread box was painted sage green to match the cabinets. The vintage-style range from Ilve adds to the room's overall charm. "We purchased an extra brass bar from Ilve to add to the Hoodsly hood above in order to tie it all together," Dotan says.Donna DotanWallpaper: Thibaut. Pendant, sconce, chairs, and throw pillows (square): Serena & Lily. Throw pillow (circle): HomeGoods. Mirror: Pottery Barn. Banquette fabrics: Kravet, upholstered by Oscar Fay & Son Upholstery.On the opposite end of the kitchen, a custom banquette area was built under a window that fills the room with natural light, a bright, cozy spot for breakfast. Follow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.

A report over the weekend suggested an Apple smart home doorbell with support for Face ID is in development. It follows an earlier report of an Apple smart home camera next year.While it could be argued that both are commodity products, and that Apples most important contribution is the HomeKit platform rather than the hardware, there seems little doubt about the opportunity here This is what Apple doesMany of us here have been using smart home tech for a great many years, so it can be easy for us to forget that this is still an early-adopter product category.Its very rare for me to visit the home of family or friends and find smart home tech there. For most people, its still the domain of gadget-lovers, with non-techy people seeing it as something mysterious and complicated.Taking things that are techy, and making them appealing to mass market consumers, is what Apple does.The iPhone is the obvious example. Prior to 2007, smartphones were geeky devices with keyboards and styli, and used only by the techiest among us. The iPhone turned it into a mass-market consumer product.But the company has long been doing this. The Macintosh. The iPod. The iPad. The Apple Watch. If anyone can make smart homes mainstream, its Apple.HomeKit helped, but wasnt transformativeApples first attempt at this was HomeKit. The idea was that that any smart home device could be controlled by a single iPhone app, as well as by Siri.That definitely helped. It did make smart home tech accessible to more people, and it also addressed some of the privacy and security concerns that were holding back the market. Additionally, those HomeKit demo displays in Apple stores exposed more people to the tech, and helped to show how useful and easy to use it could be.Apple also solved the biggest issue with smart home cameras, with HomeKit Secure Video. After countless security failings by even mainstream brands, Apple provided a means of ensuring that nobody else not even Apple could access footage.In an ideal world, all that would have been enough, and Apple could have left the hardware to other companies. In practice, however, HomeKit only advanced things somewhat: it hasnt succeeded in making smart homes mainstream.But Apple-branded devices would succeedThe average non-techy person has no idea about HomeKit security standards, but they do trust Apple. So if Apple starts selling smart home hardware especially the scarier stuff, like cameras and locks then way more people are going to be happy buying it.When last months report of an Apple-branded smart home camera surfaced, more than 80% of you said that you were likely to buy one. A smart doorbell of course falls within the general category of smart home cameras, so its possible that Kuo and Gurman are both referring to the same plans. However, if Apple does get into this field, then for me it wouldnt make sense to do so with a single device. I suspect were looking at potential plans for external security cameras, indoor cameras, and a smart doorbell.The latest report suggested that Apples doorbell would likely work with any existing HomeKit-compatible smart lock, but suggests its possible the company would partner with a single company to offer a complete system. Given that a smart lock and a smart doorbell offer the most obvious opportunities for integration as in the example of Face ID on the doorbell camera triggering the smart lock to open that approach makes a lot of sense.Apple famously says no to a thousand ideas for each one it develops, so it may be here that a branding partnership is as far as things need to go. Perhaps a co-branded smart lock, with both Apple and Yale branding, for example. But a co-branded smart doorbell seems less likely. Its not like any existing smart camera brands have covered themselves in glory here!For that reason alone, Id expect any camera Apple produces to carry only the companys own branding. But the likely inclusion of Apple Intelligence features seals the deal. Additionally, while there are existing smart locks with face-recognition, I wouldnt trust any of them to the degree I trust Face ID.This would be a win for all of usThe potential benefit for Apple and for non-techies is clear. But I think we all stand to gain here.The more mainstream smart homes become, and the more Apple draws attention to the security and privacy issues, the better the tech will become for all of us techies and newbies alike. Id love to see this happen.Image: Google NestAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Dec 23, 2024Ravie LakshmananMachine Learning / Threat AnalysisCybersecurity researchers have found that it's possible to use large language models (LLMs) to generate new variants of malicious JavaScript code at scale in a manner that can better evade detection."Although LLMs struggle to create malware from scratch, criminals can easily use them to rewrite or obfuscate existing malware, making it harder to detect," Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 researchers said in a new analysis. "Criminals can prompt LLMs to perform transformations that are much more natural-looking, which makes detecting this malware more challenging."With enough transformations over time, the approach could have the advantage of degrading the performance of malware classification systems, tricking them into believing that a piece of nefarious code is actually benign.While LLM providers have increasingly enforced security guardrails to prevent them from going off the rails and producing unintended output, bad actors have advertised tools like WormGPT as a way to automate the process of crafting convincing phishing emails that are tailed to prospective targets and even create novel malware.Back in October 2024, OpenAI disclosed it blocked over 20 operations and deceptive networks that attempt to use its platform for reconnaissance, vulnerability research, scripting support, and debugging.Unit 42 said it harnessed the power of LLMs to iteratively rewrite existing malware samples with an aim to sidestep detection by machine learning (ML) models like Innocent Until Proven Guilty (IUPG) or PhishingJS, effectively paving the way for the creation of 10,000 novel JavaScript variants without altering the functionality.The adversarial machine learning technique is designed to transform the malware using various methods -- namely, variable renaming, string splitting, junk code insertion, removal of unnecessary whitespaces, and a complete reimplementation of the code -- every time it's fed into the system as input."The final output is a new variant of the malicious JavaScript that maintains the same behavior of the original script, while almost always having a much lower malicious score," the company said, adding the greedy algorithm flipped its own malware classifier model's verdict from malicious to benign 88% of the time.To make matters worse, such rewritten JavaScript artifacts also evade detection by other malware analyzers when uploaded to the VirusTotal platform.Another crucial advantage that LLM-based obfuscation offers is that its lot of rewrites look a lot more natural than those achieved by libraries like obfuscator.io, the latter of which are easier to reliably detect and fingerprint owing to the manner they introduce changes to the source code."The scale of new malicious code variants could increase with the help of generative AI," Unit 42 said. "However, we can use the same tactics to rewrite malicious code to help generate training data that can improve the robustness of ML models."The disclosure comes as a group of academics from North Carolina State University devised a side-channel attack dubbed TPUXtract to conduct model stealing attacks on Google Edge Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) with 99.91% accuracy. This could then be exploited to facilitate intellectual property theft or follow-on cyber attacks."Specifically, we show a hyperparameter stealing attack that can extract all layer configurations including the layer type, number of nodes, kernel/filter sizes, number of filters, strides, padding, and activation function," the researchers said. "Most notably, our attack is the first comprehensive attack that can extract previously unseen models."The black box attack, at its core, captures electromagnetic signals emanated by the TPU when neural network inferences are underway a consequence of the computational intensity associated with running offline ML models and exploits them to infer model hyperparameters. However, it hinges on the adversary having physical access to a target device, not to mention possessing expensive equipment to probe and obtain the traces."Because we stole the architecture and layer details, we were able to recreate the high-level features of the AI," Aydin Aysu, one of the authors of the study, said. "We then used that information to recreate the functional AI model, or a very close surrogate of that model."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

The online world never takes a break, and this week shows why. From ransomware creators being caught to hackers backed by governments trying new tricks, the message is clear: cybercriminals are always changing how they attack, and we need to keep up.Hackers are using everyday tools in harmful ways, hiding spyware in trusted apps, and finding new ways to take advantage of old security gaps. These events aren't randomthey show just how clever and flexible cyber threats can be.In this edition, we'll look at the most important cyber events from the past week and share key takeaways to help you stay safe and prepared. Let's get started. Threat of the WeekLockBit Developer Rostislav Panev Charged in the U.S. Rostislav Panev, a 51-year-old dual Russian and Israeli national, has been charged in the U.S. for allegedly acting as the developer of the now-disrupted LockBit ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operation, netting about $230,000 between June 2022 and February 2024. Panev was arrested in Israel in August 2024 and is currently pending extradition. With the latest development, a total of seven LockBit members have been charged in the U.S. That said, the group appears to be readying a new version, LockBit 4.0, that's scheduled for release in February 2025. Top NewsLazarus Group Continues to Evolve Tactics The North Korea-linked Lazarus Group has been observed targeting nuclear engineers with a new modular malware called CookiePlus as part of a long-running cyber espionage campaign dubbed Operation Dream Job. CookiePlus is only the latest manifestation of what security researchers have described as the growing sophistication that threat actors have begun incorporating into their malware and tactics. The variety of TTPs used highlights the versatility and diversity of the hacking group.APT29 Uses Open-Source Tool to Set Up Proxies in RDP Attacks The Russian state-sponsored group tracked as APT29 has repurposed a legitimate red teaming attack methodology that involves the use of an open-source proxy tool dubbed PyRDP to set up intermediate servers that are responsible for connecting victim machines to rogue RDP servers, deploy additional payloads, and even exfiltrate data. The development illustrates how it's possible for bad actors to accomplish their goals without having to design highly customized tools.Serbian Journalist Targeted by Cellebrite and NoviSpy An independent Serbian journalist, Slavia Milanov, had his phone first unlocked by Cellebrite's forensic tool and subsequently compromised by a previously undocumented spyware codenamed NoviSpy, which comes with capabilities to capture personal data from a target's phone and remotely turn on the phone's microphone or camera. The spyware attacks, detailed by Amnesty International, are the first time two different invasive technologies have been used against civil society members to facilitate the covert gathering of data. Serbia's police characterized the report as "absolutely incorrect."The Mask Makes a Comeback A little-known cyber espionage actor known as The Mask has been linked to a new set of attacks targeting an unnamed organization in Latin America twice in 2019 and 2022. The group, first documented by Kaspersky back in early 2014, infected the company with malware such as FakeHMP, Careto2, and Goreto that are designed to harvest files, keystrokes, and screenshots; run shell commands; and deploy more malware. The origins of the threat actor are presently not known.Multiple npm Packages Fall Victim to Supply Chain Attacks Unknown threat actors managed to compromise three different npm packages, @rspack/core, @rspack/cli, and vant, and push malicious versions to the repository containing code to deploy a cryptocurrency miner on infected systems. Following discovery, respective project maintainers stepped in to remove the rogue versions. Trending CVEsHeads up! Some popular software has serious security flaws, so make sure to update now to stay safe. The list includes CVE-2024-12727, CVE-2024-12728, CVE-2024-12729 (Sophos Firewall), CVE-2023-48788 (Fortinet FortiClient EMS), CVE-2023-34990, (Fortinet FortiWLM), CVE-2024-12356 (BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access and Remote Support), CVE-2024-6386 (WPML plugin), CVE-2024-49576, CVE-2024-47810 (Foxit Software), CVE-2024-49775 (Siemens Opcenter Execution Foundation), CVE-2024-12371, CVE-2024-12372, CVE-2024-12373 (Rockwell Automation PowerMonitor 1000), CVE-2024-52875 (GFI KerioControl), CVE-2024-56145 (Craft CMS), CVE-2024-56050, CVE-2024-56052, CVE-2024-56054, CVE-2024-56057 (VibeThemes WPLMS), CVE-2024-12626 (AutomatorWP plugin), CVE-2024-11349 (AdForest theme), CVE-2024-51466 (IBM Cognos Analytics), CVE-2024-10244 (ISDO Software Web Software), CVE-2024-4995 (Wapro ERP Desktop), CVE-2024-10205 (Hitachi Ops Center Analyzer), and CVE-2024-46873 (Sharp router) Around the Cyber WorldRecorded Future Gets Labeled "Undesirable" in Russia Russian authorities have tagged U.S. threat intelligence firm Recorded Future as an "undesirable" organization, accusing it of participating in propaganda campaigns and cyberattacks against Moscow. Russia's Office of Prosecutor General also said the company is "actively cooperating" with U.S. and foreign intelligence services to help search, gather, and analyze data on Russian military activities, as well as Ukraine with "unrestricted access" to programs used in offensive information operations against Russia. "Some things in life are rare compliments. This being one," Recorded Future's chief executive, Christopher Ahlberg, wrote on X.China Accuses the U.S. of Conducting Cyber Attacks The National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team/Coordination Center of China (CNCERT) accused the U.S. government of launching cyber attacks against two Chinese technology companies in a bid to steal trade secrets. CNCERT said one of the attacks, detected in August 2024, singled out an advanced material design and research unit by exploiting a vulnerability in an electronic document security management system to break into the upgrade management server and deliver trojan to over 270 hosts and siphon "a large amount of trade secret information and intellectual property." The second attack, on the other hand, targeted an unnamed high-tech enterprise of smart energy and digital information since May 2023 by weaponizing flaws in Microsoft Exchange Server to plant backdoors with an aim to harvest mail data. "At the same time, the attacker used the mail server as a springboard to attack and control more than 30 devices of the company and its subordinate enterprises, stealing a large amount of trade secret information from the company," CNCERT said. The allegations come in the midst of the U.S. accusing Chinese threat actors like Salt Typhoon of breaching its telecommunication infrastructure.New Android Spyware Distributed via Amazon Appstore Cybersecurity researchers uncovered a new Android malware that was available for download from the Amazon Appstore. Masquerading as a body mass index (BMI) calculator, the app ("BMI CalculationVsn" or com.zeeee.recordingappz) came with features to stealthily record the screen, as well as collect the list of installed apps and incoming SMS messages. "On the surface, this app appears to be a basic tool, providing a single page where users can input their weight and height to calculate their BMI," McAfee Labs said. "However, behind this innocent appearance lies a range of malicious activities." The app has been taken down following responsible disclosure.HeartCrypt Packer-as-a-Service Operation Exposed A new packer-as-a-service (PaaS) called HeartCrypt has been advertised for sale on Telegram and underground forums since February 2024 to protect malware such as Remcos RAT, XWorm, Lumma Stealer, and Rhadamanthys. Said to be in development since July 2023, its operators charge $20 per file to pack, supporting both Windows x86 and .NET payloads. "In HeartCrypt's PaaS model, customers submit their malware via Telegram or other private messaging services, where the operator then packs and returns it as a new binary," Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 said, adding it identified over 300 distinct legitimate binaries that were used to inject the malicious payload. It's suspected that the service allows clients to select a specific binary for injection so as to tailor them based on the intended target. At its core, the packer works by inserting the main payload into the binary's .text section and hijacking its control flow in order to enable the execution of the malware. The packer also takes steps to add several resources that are designed to evade detection and analysis, while simultaneously offering an optional method to establish persistence using Windows Registry modifications. "During HeartCrypt's eight months of operation, it has been used to pack over 2,000 malicious payloads, involving roughly 45 different malware families," Unit 42 said.Chinese and Vietnamese-speaking Users Target of CleverSoar Installer A highly evasive malware installer called CleverSoar is being used to target Chinese and Vietnamese-speaking victims with the Winos 4.0 framework and the Nidhogg rootkit. The malware distribution starts with MSI installer packages that likely impersonate fake software or gaming-related applications, which extract the files and subsequently execute the CleverSoar installer. "These tools enable capabilities such as keystroke logging, data exfiltration, security bypasses, and covert system control, suggesting that the campaign is part of a potentially prolonged espionage effort," Rapid7 said, describing it as an advanced and targeted threat. "The campaign's selective targeting of Chinese and Vietnamese-speaking users, along with its layered anti-detection measures, points to a persistent espionage effort by a capable threat actor." It's suspected that the threat actor is also responsible for other campaigns distributing Winos 4.0 and ValleyRAT.Thousands of SonicWall Devices Vulnerable to Critical Flaws As many as 119,503 publicly accessible SonicWall SSL-VPN devices are susceptible to serious security flaws (25,485 of critical severity and 94,018 of high severity), with over 20,000 using a SonicOS/OSX firmware version that's no longer supported by the vendor. "The majority of series 7 devices exposed online are impacted by at least one vulnerability of high or critical severity," cybersecurity company Bishop Fox said. A total of 430,363 unique SonicOS/OSX instances have been found exposed on the internet.Industrial Systems Targeted in New Malware Attacks Siemens engineering workstations (EWS) have been targeted by a malware called Chaya_003 that's capable of terminating the Siemens TIA portal process, alongside those related to Microsoft Office applications, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox. The malware, once installed, establishes connections with a Discord webhook to fetch instructions for carrying out system reconnaissance and process disruption. Forescout said it also identified two incidents in which Mitsubishi EWSs were infected with the Ramnit worm. It's currently not clear if the attackers directly targeted the operational technology (OT) systems or if it was propagated via some other means, such as phishing or compromised USB drives. OT networks have also been increasingly the target of ransomware attacks, with 552 incidents reported in Q3 2024, up from 312 in Q2 2024, per Dragos. No less than 23 new ransomware groups have targeted industrial organizations during the time period. Some of the most impacted verticals included manufacturing, industrial control systems (ICS) equipment and engineering, transportation, communications, oil and gas, electric, and government.Cracked Version of Acunetix Scanner Linked to Turkish IT Firm Threat actors are selling thousands of credential sets stolen using Araneida, a cracked version of the Acunetix web app vulnerability scanner. According to Krebs on Security and Silent Push, Araneida is believed to be sold as a cloud-based attack tool to other criminal actors. Further analysis of the digital trail left by the threat actors has traced them to an Ankara-based software developer named Altu ara, who has worked for a Turkish IT company called Bilitro Yazilim. Expert WebinarPreparing for the Next Wave of Ransomware in 2025 Ransomware is getting smarter, using encryption to hide and strike when you least expect it. Are you prepared for what's coming next? Join Emily Laufer and Zscaler ThreatLabz to explore the latest ransomware trends, how attackers use encrypted channels to stay hidden, and smart strategies to stop them. Learn how to protect your organization before it's too latesecure your spot today!The Enterprise Guide to Certificate Automation and Beyond Join our live demo to see how DigiCert ONE simplifies trust across users, devices, and software. Discover how to centralize certificate management, automate operations, and meet compliance demands while reducing complexity and risk. Whether for IT, IoT, or DevOps, learn how to future-proof your digital trust strategy. Don't miss outregister now! Cybersecurity ToolsAttackGen It is an open-source tool that helps organizations prepare for cyber threats. It uses advanced AI models and the MITRE ATT&CK framework to create incident response scenarios tailored to your organization's size, industry, and selected threat actors. With features like quick templates for common attacks and a built-in assistant for refining scenarios, AttackGen makes planning for cyber incidents easy and effective. It supports both enterprise and industrial systems, helping teams stay ready for real-world threats.Brainstorm It is a tool that makes web fuzzing more effective by using local AI models alongside ffuf. It analyzes links from a target website and generates smart guesses for hidden files, directories, and API endpoints. By learning from each discovery, it reduces the number of requests needed while finding more endpoints compared to traditional wordlists. This tool is perfect for optimizing fuzzing tasks, saving time, and avoiding detection. It's easy to set up, works with local LLMs like Ollama, and adapts to your target. GPOHunter - This tool helps identify and fix security flaws in Active Directory Group Policy Objects (GPOs). It detects issues like clear text passwords, weak authentication settings, and vulnerable GPP passwords, providing detailed reports in multiple formats. Easy to use and highly effective, GPOHunter simplifies securing your GPOs and strengthening your environment. Tip of the WeekDon't Let Hackers Peek into Your Cloud Cloud storage makes life easier, but it can also expose your data if not secured properly. Many people don't realize that misconfigured settings, like public folders or weak permissions, can let anyone access their files. This is how major data leaks happenand it's preventable.Start by auditing your cloud. Tools like ScoutSuite can scan for vulnerabilities, such as files open to the public or missing encryption. Next, control access by only allowing those who need it. A tool like Cloud Custodian can automate these policies to block unauthorized access.Finally, always encrypt your data before uploading it. Tools like rclone make it simple to lock your files with a key only you can access. With these steps, your cloud will stay safe, and your data will remain yours.ConclusionThe holidays are a time for celebration, but they're also peak season for cyber risks. Cybercriminals are more active than ever, targeting online shoppers, gift exchanges, and even festive email greetings. Here's how you can enjoy a secure and worry-free holiday: Wrap Your Digital Gifts with Security: If you're gifting smart gadgets, set them up with strong passwords and enable updates before wrapping them. This ensures your loved ones start safe from day one. Track Packages, Not Scammers: Be wary of fake delivery notifications. Use official apps or tracking links from trusted retailers to follow your shipments. Make Your Accounts Jolly Secure: Use a password manager to update weak passwords across your accounts. A few minutes now can save hours of frustration later. Game On, Safely: If new gaming consoles or subscriptions are on your list, make sure to activate parental controls and use unique account details. Gaming scams spike during the holidays.As we head into the New Year, let's make cybersecurity a priority for ourselves and our families. After all, staying safe online is the gift that keeps on giving.Happy Holidays, and here's to a secure and joyful season! Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.

Do retailers still face high levels of cyber risk in a world fraught with ransomware attacks year-round?