The video game boss fight is one of those rewarding end-of-level prizes that gamers have held sacred over the long history of the hobby. Some games treat bosses with kids gloves while others revolve the entire experience around these climactic duals. 2024 gave us no shortage of interesting and intense boss fights, so lets reminisce about the truly exceptional ones. Here are the 10 hardest boss fights of 2024.10. Final Boss Contra: Operation GalugaSay what you will regarding the quality and length of Contra: Operation Galuga, but its definitely not lacking in difficulty. The bosses in particular are as hard-hitting as they come in the side-scrolling shoot-em-up genre. At the top of the food chain is the final boss. This antagonist appears in various incarnations throughout the Contra series, though its within Operation Galuga where its most horrific version yet surfaces with a design resembling a Xenomorph from the Alien films. And a giant it is, with its moving hands constituting the platforms you must shoot it from. Once you crack its skull, you must face its exposed brain whilst dodging a flurry of orbs. The battle has players frantically dodging and spraying in a truly Contra-like way, but no amount of co-op or Konami Code will ease you through this fight.9. Sanctum Zealot Enotria: The Last SongEnotria was a surprisingly fun Italian soulslike this year that ended up giving us a lot of tough bosses. Boss fights within Enotria rely upon parrying skill and mastery over the clever mask switching system. Sanctum Zealot is an optional boss fight that requires all that and them some. Found near the end of the Sicilian-themed level, Falesia Magna, this helmed giant wields an ultra greatsword capable of killing characters in two to three hits. The first phase of the fight can be overcome by dodging or parrying its slow and devastating swings, but the second phase ups the ante with extra speed, elemental buffs, and ranged flurries. If you want to overcome Sanctum Zealot, it may be prudent to return later after finishing most other sections of the game first, as this masked warrior packs a punch.8. Daigo, Saejima, And Majima Like A Dragon Infinite WealthEven best friends fight sometimes, but they probably didnt have to go as hard as they did in Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth. Chapter 12 starts with Kiryu and his old-time buddies hanging out, but of course, Yakuza have a different concept of having fun than you or I. After some of the coolest scenes in the game, a fight ensues between the group of friends. What really makes this turn-based bout difficult is managing the elemental resistances and weaknesses between the three opponents. Yes, this is technically a four on three fight, but unless you specifically hit each opponent with their weakness, theres not much damage that can be done against the infamous trio.7. Hive Tyrant Space Marine 2As the battlefield commander of the Tyranids, the Hive Tyrant isnt one to be underestimated. Equipped with a long whip in one hand and a devastating cleaver in the other, this colossal Tyranid bioform absolutely punishes whether you keep your distance or decide to tank it up close. If you have a particularly good team, you may whittle down its health bar pretty quickand then be shocked (literally) by the second phase and its constant wave of psychic attacks. Grenades are about the only surefire offense guaranteed to stagger the Hive Tyrant if you havent already used them all on the waves of Tyranids during the fight, that is.6. Dullahan Dragons Dogma 2Dragons Dogma 2s Headless Horseman is among the coolest encounters that can be had in the game, even if theres no horse to accompany the Dullahan in this case. Wandering around at night can be costly enough in this series, but doing so in certain areas while fog is out can be downright deadly. Dullahan comes out on foggy nights and is about as hard to hit as it is to see through DD2s dense fog. The spectral teleportation that Dullahan employs is tough to anticipate, and worse yet, it slices at players immediately after vanishing. And you dont want to let a Dullahan catch you on the ground since its life-draining ability damages both life and loss bars to a devastating degree.5. Kiana The Forest Queen Prince of Persia: The Lost CrownPrince of Persia: The Lost Crown has my favorite side-scrolling boss fights of any game since the release of Hollow Knight. Chief among those fights is the forest queen, Kiana. The fight comprises an impressive array of phases, attacks, and interesting animations, making it one of the most impressive in the game. Kianas three phases necessitate constant vigilance and concentration to overcome, yet never manages to feel unfair or cheap thanks to clear visual attack cues. The wolf/spear-wielder duo throws some clever combo moves at the player, such as the one-two punch of the spear throw followed by the wolf sweeping across the ground. Like other fights in The Lost Crown, Kiana makes sure players master every tool in their repertoire in order to come out on top.4. Gallanza and Maglielle Granblue Fantasy RelinkAs one of this years best co-op action RPGs, Granblue Fantasy Relink is no stranger to tough boss encounters. Some of the most difficult battles occur within the many optional missions of the game such is the case with the Gallanza/Maglielle duo fight. Players will encounter each of these commanders through the story, and individually they arent so tough to beat. But once you fight them in the Wolf and the Veil Proud Quest, things get out of hand. Gallanza serves as the brutish tank with quick attacks, while Maglielle performs ranged AOE attacks from afar. The duo will occasional assail you together with devastating combo attacks as well, so its best to come as prepared as humanly possible before attempting to best them together.3. Gilgamesh Final Fantasy 7 RebirthFinal Fantasys returning eccentric swordsman constitutes not only the most difficult fight in Rebirth, but the most rewarding and involved to unlock. Cloud and company must first obtain every Protorelic in each of the games six massive regions. After doing this, a new landmass opens up, aptly called Gilgamesh Island. The final dual with Gilgamesh is quite the spectacle indeed, requiring post-game leveling and a whole lot of strategy to win. If the newly arranged Battle on the Big Bridge theme didnt convince you that old Gilgy means business, his dozens of unique (and often hilarious) attacks and huge HP will.2. Hundred-Eyed Daoist Master Black Myth WukongIn a game as focused on boss fights as Black Myth Wukong, the Hundred-Eyed Daoist Master reigns supreme as the toughest. This centipede human hybrid monstrosity is incredibly hard to dodge and deflect due to its awkward attack positions and strange hit boxes. Every movement it makes seems just a tad bit delayed, and theyre all rather unpredictable. And then theres the second phase which adds a lightning buff to its attacks for extra measure. There is one item that makes this fight a bit easier though, and thats the stun-inducing Weavers Needle. But whether or not you choose to use the special item, Hundred-Eyed Daoist Master is one of those boss fights that warrants a celebration upon defeat due to its difficulty.1. Promised Consort Radahn Elden Ring: Shadow of the ErdtreeYou didnt think Shadow of the Erdtree wouldnt make it on a boss fight list, did you? Well, to no ones surprise, Elden Rings challenging DLC features more than a few tough-as-nails battles, and none are more difficult than the final boss awaiting players at the end. Promised Consort Radahn uses some familiar attacks from the original Radahn fight, but a majority are enhanced by Miquella. The first phase challenges the player against a bevy of gravity-based attacks that ripple multiple times in succession. The second phase is perhaps one of the few boss moments to rival the Malenia fight in the base game. Miquella controls Radahn directly during this second phase, infusing him with deadly Holy elemental buffs and occasionally inflicting an instant death move should the player get caught. Promised Consort Radahn serves as the ultimate conclusion to the DLC, distilling Shadow of the Erdtrees philosophy on difficulty in one crazy boss fight. No matter the build or level, youre going to have to fight tooth and nail to even stand an ounce of a chance this Miquella/Radahn duo.Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

There will be no single model that will rule the universe, neither next year nor next decade. Instead, the future of AI will be multi-model.Read More

Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge YouTube is testing a new floating Play something button that will pick a video for you, 9to5Google spotted in the YouTube app for Android. The button floats just above the bottom bar of the app, and when tapped, it picks a YouTube video to play for you.Just as in earlier versions of this feature YouTubes been testing, the new button reportedly uses the portrait-oriented YouTube Shorts player to show videos, regardless of whether theyre vertically formatted Shorts or standard YouTube videos. Hopefully that changes by the time the feature gets a wide release.Other incarnations the company has been testing for over a year include a Play Something banner and a simple button that looks like a black-and-white YouTube logo. If the features name sounds familiar, perhaps its because Netflix retired a similar random video picker last year called Surprise Me, which originally launched in 2021 as Play Something.

A Reddit user posted a screenshot overnight of a Spotify search that brought a surprise: a pornographic video tucked into suggested results for the rapper M.I.A. Heres a NSFW link to the thread. The video shown in their screenshot didnt appear for us, but we found others after scrolling through dozens of results in the Video tab.One of the accounts that posted videos we saw has published erotic audio for years but has sprinkled in sexually graphic videos more recently. Another account, which was named with a long string of alphanumeric characters, has been publishing equally nonsensically-titled explicit videos as a podcast account since mid-November. Spotify representative Laura Batey told The Verge in an email that the examples we provided have been removed due to violation of our policies. Those policies include forbidding sexually explicit material. We asked Spotify for more information on how the videos made it past its moderation and will update here if it responds. The videos we found appear to be unmoderated podcast uploads, and reporting them isnt very convenient. The Spotify app lacks a button for doing so instead, users have to copy the contents URL and head to a webpage for reporting possible violations.Porn on Spotify isnt a new thing. Other recent Reddit posts contain examples of unexpected explicit video in search results and even erotic audio tracks being suggested in one users Discovery Weekly algorithmic playlist. A 2022 Vice story also detailed sexually explicit audio on the platform, as well as other content like graphic nudity in user-made playlist cover art.

With 2025 and the New Year quickly approaching, now is the time to score some last-minute holiday deals. Here are the best deals for Sunday, December 29. Persona 5 Royal for $14.88Persona 5 Royal - Nintendo Switch (Digital)Today, Walmart has digital Nintendo Switch copies of Persona 5 Royal available on sale for only $14.88. Acting as the definitive version of P5, Persona 5 Royal is one of the must-play RPG experiences of the last generation. This game offers well over 100 hours of content, making this an excellent deal. Save on WD_BLACK Xbox Series X|S Expansion CardsWD_BLACK 2TB C50 Expansion CardWD_Black 1TB C50 Expansion CardBoth Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S cannot use standard NVMe SSDs. Instead, you can expand the storage of the internal SSD by plugging in an expansion card. Today, you can save on both a 1TB and 2TB model from WD_BLACK, which is perfect for downloading many more games to your system. If you find yourself quickly running out of storage, don't pass up this sale. HORI Split Pad Compact for $39.99HORI Nintendo Switch Split Pad Compact (Light Gray & Yellow)The HORI Split Pad Compact is one of the best ergonomic controllers you can buy for the Nintendo Switch. Attaching like standard Joy-Con, the Split Pad Compact slides onto each side of your Switch and immediately widens the console. This makes longer handheld play sessions much more comfortable and bearable over time, especially if you have larger hands. Gran Turismo 7 for $19.97Gran Turismo 7 - PlayStation 5Walmart has Gran Turismo 7 available for $19.97 today, and this is a perfect last-minute gift for the racing fan in your life. This is still one of the PlayStation 5's best games, with hundreds of hours worth of fun at your hands. You can test and drive over 500 cars in total. Plus, you can even play Gran Turismo 7 in VR with PlayStation VR 2!Save $200 Off Lenovo Legion GoLenovo - Legion Go 8.8" 144Hz WQXGA Gaming Handheld - AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme - 16GB with 1 TB SSD - Shadow BlackBest Buy currently has the Lenovo Legion Go for $549.99, which is 21% off the MSRP of $699.99. This device includes the Ryzen Z1 Extreme, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. If you're on the lookout for a solid handheld gaming PC to play through your PC library, the Lenovo Legion Go can be a great choice.Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition for $44.99Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive EditionIf you recently completed the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, this is the perfect game for you. Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Defintive Edition is the newest mainline title in the series, and there is so much it offers. For many, this is one of the best Dragon Quest games out there, and you can't go wrong picking this up for only $44.99.Apple Watch Series 10 for $359Apple Watch Series 10 [GPS 46mm case] SmartwatchAmazon has the Apple Watch Series 10 on sale for $359 this weekend, which nets you $70 off this extremely popular device. Series 10 marked Apple's first wide-angle OLED display on Apple Watch, with the device itself being the thinnest watch yet. If you're not an Apple Watch owner or someone who has an older model, this is the perfect time to score an upgrade.Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics for $34.99Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics - Nintendo SwitchYou can score Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics for only $34.99 this weekend at Amazon. This collection packs in seven different titles, including the beloved Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes. At last, you can play these classic titles on modern platforms. Das Keyboard 5QS RGB Programmable Mechanical Keyboard for $59.99Das Keyboard 5QS Smart RGB Programmable Mechanical KeyboardIf you're looking for a new mechanical keyboard, Woot has an amazing deal on the Das 5QS. This full-size keyboard is perfect for work and gaming, offering a tactile, smooth experience that prioritizes precision above all else. You can program each key to be a specific color, with the lifespan of the board expected to be up to 100 million keystrokes.The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD for $39.99The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HDThe Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is the long-awaited remaster of the classic Wii game. Set at the beginning of the Zelda timeline, Skyward Sword takes Link to the skies as he traverses across the world to save his childhood friend Zelda. You'll uncover the Master Sword was created as part of this journey, among other things. For $39.99, this is an excellent title to add to your Switch collection.Save 30% Off The HORI Fighting Commander OCTA (Street Fighter 6 Cammy Edition) HORI Fighting Commander OCTA (Street Fighter 6 Cammy Edition) If you're searching for a new fighting game fightpad, look no further than this HORI Fighting Commander OCTA. Compatible with both Windows 11 and Windoews 10, this tournament grade controller features microswitch buttons, a six-button layout, accurate D-Pad, analog slide pad, and more. Plus, this particular model features art of Cammy in Street Fighter 6!Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven for $39.99Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the SevenRomancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is arguably the best entry point into the SaGa series at this time. Acting as a full 3D remake of the 1993 release, this game features English and Japanese voiceovers, rearranged music, retooled gameplay, and more. If you're still unsure about Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, you can check out the free demo across all platforms! Xenoblade Chronicles 2 for $44.99Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Nintendo SwitchXenoblade Chronicles 2 follows the story of Rex and the Aegis, who aim to reach the fabled land of Elysium. This massive RPG takes place across the world of Alrest, a land covered in clouds, where there are only a few landmasses remaining. With incredible music, exciting gameplay, and a memorable story, this is a fantastic deal for only $44.99. Simply put, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is one of the best games available on Nintendo Switch. I've put over 600 hours into the massive adventure, with all sorts of quests and exploration to be discovered. WD_BLACK NVMe SSDs On SaleWD_BLACK 1TB SN850X NVMe Internal Gaming SSDWD_BLACK 2TB SN850X NVMe Internal Gaming SSDWD_BLACK 4TB SN850X NVMe Internal Gaming SSDFinally, you can save on WD_BLACK SN850X NVMe SSDs. These are perfect for any gaming PC, and you can even use one of these in a PlayStation 5, as long as you have a heatsink attached. The SN850X has speeds up to 7,3000 MB/s acoss all models, which is essential for quick and speedy load times. If you're purchasing for PS5, there are heatsink models available, though the sale on the standard models makes these SSDs much cheaper. Pokmon Legends: Arceus for $44.99Pokmon Legends: ArceusPokmon Legends: Arceus is often praised as one of the best Pokmon games available on the Switch. This original title takes place far in the past, somewhere in the Hisui region. With a focus on exploration, you can freely walk all around the map to capture Pokmon, explore different environments, and so much more. You can save $15 at Best Buy this weekend on the best Pokmon experience Switch has to offer.

Marvel has swung in before the new year to treat us to a trailer of Disney+'s Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man series, and it's a nostalgic look at Spidey's newest adventure that will see him becoming the hero we all know and love.This trailer is all about celebrating Spidey's roots, from the classic Spider-Man TV theme to the comic book shop intro to the show having a comic-style look and slew of transitions. However, this is also set during modern times and we will get to see how a young Peter Parker/Spider-Man deals with such things as social media livestreams when he's saving people and managing school.PlayWe also get our best look yet at Colman Domingo's Norman Osborn, who will be mentoring Spider-Man instead of Iron Man in this series. Joining Domingo and Hudson Thames' Peter Parker/Spider-Man will be Eugene Byrd, Grace Song, Zeno Robinson, Hugh Dancy, and Charlie Cox. Yes, Cox's Daredevil will be showing up!It was previously revealed we will also be seeing some other Marvel favorites, including Doctor Strange Amadeus Cho, Nico Minoru, Doctor Octopus, Bentley Wittman/Wizard, Mac Gargan/Scorpion, Dmitri Smerdyakov/Cameleon, Aleksei Sytsevich/Rhino, James Sanders/Speed Demon, Milos Masaryk/Unicorn, and Anton Miguel Rodriquez/Tarantula. Oh, and Captain America makes an appearance in a photo with Osborn, but it remains to be seen if he will show up beyond that.Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will run for 10 episodes and will launch on Disney+ on January 29, 2025.Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man ImagesFor more, check out what else is on the schedule for the MCU in 2025 and beyond.Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.

Last updated December 29, 2024: Checked for new Anime Shadow codes!Want to get your hands on some free tickets in Anime Shadow? You've come to the right place. We've compiled all of the codes currently available for the Roblox game, so you can purchase some units to bolster your roster of heroes and get your hands on some useful items.Active Anime Shadow Codes (December 2024)Below, you'll find all of the currently active and working Anime Shadow codes in December 2024:PATCHXMAS - Resources (NEW!)DELAYXMAS - 80 Tickets, 10x Aura Shard (NEW!)AURAUPDATE - (NEW!)XMASUPD2 - 105 Tickets, 2.5x Coins Potion, 2.5x Damage Potion, 2.5x Exp Potion, Shiny Xmas Potion (NEW!)SRRYXMAS2 - 100 Tickets (NEW!)SRRYDELAYXMAS - 50 Tickets (NEW!)10MVISITS - 100 Tickets, 20x Talent Shards, 20x Gingerbread Man, 20x Candy Cane DELAY - 150 Tickets, 20x Talent Shard, 20x Gingerbread Man XMASMINIUPD - 150 Tickets, 20x Talent Shard, 20x Gingerbread Man ULTSFIXED - 100 Tickets, 2x Raid Key, 2x Defense KeyFIXEDSTARS - 200x Passive Capsule, 200x Cursed Plasma, 2x Raid KeyESTEVAOP2WBAN? - 100 Tickets, 2x Dragon Ball VII FIXEDCODE - 3x Raid Key, 2x Shiny PotionGHOULUPDATE - 100 Tickets, 2x Shiny Potion40KLIKES - 100 Tickets, 4x Fish Coin, 3x Raid KeyBUFFBOROS - 4x Dragon Ball VII, 2x Dragon Ball VIPUNCHUPDATE - 150 Tickets, 2x Dragon Ball VII, 2x Coins Potion, 2x Damage Potion, 1x Dragon Ball VIQuestFix - 150 Tickets, 2x Dragon Ball VII, 1x Dragon Ball VIRelease - 150 Tickets1MVISITS - 75 TicketsKaisenUpdate - 7 Cursed Plasma, 2x Coin Potion, 2x Damage Potion15KACTIVES - 150 TicketsKaisenDelay - 7 Cursed Plasma, 2x Coin Potion, 2x Damage PotionMOBILEFIX - 200 Tickets30KLIKES - 75 Passive Capsules, 75 Tickets, 2x Coin Potion, 2x Damage PotionFISHUPDATE - 150 Tickets, 7 Cursed Plasma, 2x Coin Potion, 2x Damage PotionHow to Redeem Anime Shadow CodesTo redeem Anime Shadow Codes, boot up the Roblox Experience and, once youre in, follow the steps below:Look for the settings icon in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. Once you've found it, click the icon and it'll expand into a row of five icons.Click the icon in the centre of the row. It's the one that shows a bar with the letters "ABX" in the centre.This will pull up the codes bar. Input your code and hit Redeem to claim the rewards.Why Isnt My Anime Shadow Code Working?If your Anime Shadow code isnt working, its likely due to one of two scenarios. The first is that the code was inputted incorrectly. Check the spelling, make sure youve added any numbers and the case is correct, then redeem again. You can even copy and paste the codes directly from this article over to Roblox if you want to make sure youre inputting them correctly.The other possibility is the code has expired or youve already used it. In this scenario, you should see an error message pop up at the top of the screen informing you whether the code has already been used, is expired or is simply invalid.How to Get More Anime Shadow CodesIf youre looking to hunt for some of your own Anime Shadow Codes, you can become a member of the game's Discord server. Once you're in, head to the codes channel to see if any new codes have dropped.What is Anime Shadow in Roblox?Dropping players into a selection of familiar anime worlds, Anime Shadow tasks players with amassing a team of iconic heroes from their favorite shows and using them to take down tough enemies and bosses. Along the way, they'll undertake quests and try to amass more coins and tickets, using them to spin the star wheel in an attempt to unlock more characters for their roster.Callum Williams is an IGN freelancer covering features and guides. When he's away from his desk, you can usually find him obsessing over the lore of the latest obscure indie horror game or bashing his head against a boss in the newest soulslike. You can catch him over on Twitter at @CaIIumWilliams.

Our Picks Best surge protector overall APC P11U2 View details $28 at Best Buy View details Best surge protector for gaming PC Tripp Lite TLP1208TELTV View details $48 at Amazon View details Best surge protector for TV/Home Theater Belkin Conserve Switch F7C01008q View details $38 at Amazon View details Best surge protector for extension cords Accell D080B-051B View details $40 at Dihuni View details Best small surge protector Belkin BP108000 View details $46 at Amazon View details Best on-wall surge protector Amazon S9P658O300A00 View details $15 at Amazon View details Another excellent compact option Anker PowerPort Strip PD 2 Mini View details $38 at eBay View details Table of Contents Surge protectors -- different than extension chords or power strips -- are an essential piece of hardware meant to extend the life of your tech and help protect you against electrical fires and system crashes. But choosing the right one can be a challenge.After rigorous testing on 16 of the top surge protectors available for under $100, weve carved out the list you need. Our favorite surge protectors have a high joule rating -- essentially how much energy it can absorb before failing. The higher the joule rating the more protection it provides. We also like plenty of outlets that are arranged so you can use all of them while also not being too big and hard to hide.What is the best surge protector overall?The standout performer against all of our requirements was the APC P11U2. Its impressive number of outlets -- 11 -- is noteworthy, and six of them have a generously wide design to provide spacing that can accommodate larger power adapters. It also comes with USB ports that allow you to directly charge your devices, a high joule rating (more on that below) and a conveniently long power cord. It even comes with a lifetime $250,000 equipment protection policy. For those seeking surge protection with specific features or smaller sizes, we have more recommendations below worth checking out.Best surge protectors of 2024Filter by Showing 7 of 7 Results Photo Gallery 1/1 $28 at Best Buy $28 at Amazon Pros Above average joules Cons Bulky Lack of features Type 5+ PortsVoltage 120 VoltsCord length 8 ftWarranty Lifetime & $250,000 on connected equipment $28 at Best Buy $28 at Amazon The APC P11U2 checks all the boxes for what I was looking for in a surge protector. It has six widely spaced plugs, plus five more that are closer together and two USB ports. It has 2,880 joules of protection, well above my test's average. Coincidentally, editor Ty Pendlebury has one in his testing lab. APC offers a lifetime $250,000 equipment protection policy.Overall build quality is quite solid, even though the protective covers for each outlet are superfluous and come off easily. The cord to connect the power strip to the wall is quite long at 8 feet, which is convenient. It's not flashy and doesn't have some of the features of some of my other picks, but for a basic, solid, surge protector, it's the one to get.It's worth noting that APC discontinued the P11U2 in the past few months, but it is still available at Best Buy. We will update this list once we find a suitable replacement.

The manosphere, the misogynist internet world populated by influencers such as Andrew Tate, is widely recognised as a toxic space where young men are at risk of radicalisation. Now, say researchers, women and girls are being sucked into potentially dangerous online spaces of their own: the femosphere.It is a term used by Dr Jilly Kay, an expert in feminist media and cultural studies at Loughborough University, in a paper published earlier this year. Kay has been researching a reactionary turn among young women, and how a backlash against mainstream feminism has created new spaces online. In the femosphere, instead of incels male involuntary celibates there are femcels, and instead of pickup artists there are female dating strategists and so-called dark feminine influencers who encourage women to find men to support them financially.Most corners of the femosphere explicitly describe themselves as feminist, so Kay said she was surprised to see that their values seemed conservative, and their philosophy mostly anti-gender equality.She said: The logic that they adhere to is that men and women are fundamentally different.In the femosphere, as in the manosphere, theres an overarching belief that life is about survival of the fittest, that men will always hurt women and that will never change, so strategies are needed to conquer the opposite gender.Andrew Tate at a tribunal in Bucharest this year the femosphere mirrors his belief that strategies are needed to conquer the opposite gender. Photograph: Vadim Ghird/APKay looked at Female Dating Strategy, which started as a Reddit forum (with more than 250,000 members) and expanded into social media and a podcast. It has a six-point ideology for members to subscribe to, which includes ideas such as: men should always pursue women, women should seek financial contributions from men, and the majority of men have no value.Mainstream feminism in recent decades has been very consumer-oriented, all about individual empowerment, emphasising things like women being confident, successful, and women having all the things that men can have, said Kay. In other words: girlboss feminism.But since about 2018, Kay said, there has been a growing rejection of that idea.Kay saw beliefs discussed and shared in online forums and via social media influencers that echoed the logic of the manosphere particularly when it came to dating and relationships.Ideas like men are the gatekeeper of relationships and women are the gatekeepers of sex, she said.So womens currency in the sexual marketplace resides in her withholding sex from men, and you diminish your value if you have casual sex.Or the idea that, to counter womens lesser earning power (the gender pay gap in the UK was 14.3% last year), rather than fighting for pay equality, a man should provide for a woman financially, and women must embrace feminine energy to secure a husband. Kay said: Its incredibly conservative, but its trying to reframe it as being this empowering strategy.Kay also looked at dark feminine influencers such as Kanika Batra and Thewizardliz. In recent years, Batra has criticised liberal feminism. In one post, she explained why she had left feminism behind and said: The manosphere is incredibly loyal to everybody within it.In another, Batra laments the state of modern dating and the ways it has changed men and womens roles.I used to be a feminist before I saw the effects of third wave feminism, Batra said. This has forced women into masculine roles where they are pursuing men.Batra added: This is not natural, and it seems that there are more and more people not starting a family.Dark feminine influencer Kanika Batra has said third wave feminism has forced women into masculine roles. Photograph: Don Arnold/WireImageThewizardliz , meanwhile, makes videos with titles such as How to become more beautiful, How to become rich, How to become extremely seductive.On the Princess Treatment, the influencer advises followers who want to be spoiled to say to their male partner: I would appreciate it if you gave me some money, like an allowance.There are clear reasons why women and girls might be drawn to this thinking, said feminist theorist Dr Sophie Lewis, whose upcoming book, Enemy Feminisms will explore moments in history when feminists have aligned with unlikely groups such as colonial regimes, and even the Ku Klux Klan.Of the femospheres ideas, she said: Theres an actual offer, an actual promise that should not be sniffed at. Theres a promise to deliver women from what political economists have called the double shift.After liberal feminisms vision that women could have it all, now women are saddled with both productive and reproductive labour, she said.Lewis has studied some areas of the femosphere, particularly tradwife influencers. The so-called trad life is genuinely seductive to women who rightly hate the endless grind, she said. Thats something that liberal feminism needs to recognise it hasnt provided a solution to.She is discouraged by the lack of hope, and anti-utopian thinking in these spaces, with ideas about new ways of living often disparaged as foolish.skip past newsletter promotionSign up to ObservedFree weekly newsletterAnalysis and opinion on the week's news and culture brought to you by the best Observer writers Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.after newsletter promotionThe femosphere promises liberation from the double shift, where liberal feminism has saddled women with both productive and reproductive labourKay and Lewis are not the only ones interested in this growing corner of the internet. Prof Emiliano de Cristofaro and Prof Jeremy Blackburn are two of the authors of a data-driven analysis of toxic womens communities online. They had already worked on the manosphere and other dark corners of the internet.They noted some of the same patterns as Kay, and found sort of analogues of the manosphere. Some communities even mirrored the manosphere in the advice given to members. The narratives with respect to dating strategy are very similar its a game and you try to outsmart the other gender and win, said de Cristofaro.Dr Jilly Kay of Loughborough University coined the term femosphere.Some of the language used is also similar. Being redpilled is often discussed in the manosphere the idea, based on the plot of the Matrix film, of suddenly being able to see reality and blackpilled is used by incels to describe the idea that their situation, being, as they believe, undesirable to women, is inescapable. In the femosphere, these have been reframed as the pink pill.Accusations of toxic language and hate speech have led to some female groups, including femcel groups, being banned from Reddit. Just like manosphere groups before them, they then set up independent platforms of their own.Usually that community reduces in size, but becomes more radicalised and more toxic, because of a lack of moderation and less exposure to more moderate positions, said de Cristofaro.The researchers noted that, among some femosphere members, feminism is a key part of their identity, but, as Kay noted, this doesnt necessarily mean they hold progressive views. Some more traditionally feminist groups have aligned with non-feminist groups who share some of the same views most notably, the union of Christian fundamentalists and far-right figures with some gender-critical feminists.This is something weve seen throughout the history of feminism, said Lewis.You might almost call this anti-feminist feminism. Thats what I see in the femosphere a lot, she said. Its important to understand a long lineage of women, especially middle-class white women, making a calculation that they might be able to individually find a foothold within patriarchy by accommodating themselves to a certain set of disciplines in exchange for provisional protection, while throwing other women under the bus.Accusations of toxic language and hate speech have led to some female groups being banned from Reddit, after which they become more radicalised and toxicKay sees parallels with Naomi Kleins recent work on the digital world, where she identified that many of these new communities contain a mix of ideas from both the left and right of the political spectrum.In this case, certain ideas from left feminism seem to be getting mixed up with reactionary conservative ideas, Kay said. Its part of broader reactionary politics, the role that digital culture is playing in rearranging traditional coordinates of left and right.This aligns with other research, such as that of Dr Alice Evans, a senior lecturer at Kings College London, who showed earlier this year that Gen Z is extremely progressive on some issues, and extremely conservative on others, with a gulf particularly forming between young men and young women.Theres no evidence to say that the femosphere is radicalising its members in the same way as the manosphere, which has seen members committing shocking acts of real-world violence and fuelling populist political movements.But there are reasons to be wary. De Cristofaro said more research was needed, but exposure to toxic content has been shown overall to increase radicalisation.Kay said: Its important that people understand it and recognise it, partly because at first glance it can seem quite appealing, especially to feminists.Liberal feminism has been rejected for good reason it has failed to deliver gender equality, so it makes sense that youd want to find an alternative. But just because something is the enemy of liberal feminism, does not necessarily mean its good for women.