Reading too much Austen may have us longing for outcomes the author was too wise to wish on her characters.

Reformers of the 20th century saw poverty and neglect defining the end of life. The establishment of a safety net for the elderly had far-reaching consequences.

the wrath of grapes Could microwaved grapes be used for quantum sensing? Halved grapes boost magnetic fields, paving way for alternative microwave resonators for quantum sensing devices. Jennifer Ouellette Dec 27, 2024 10:46 am | 7 Grapes show promise for quantum sensing breakthrough Credit: Fawaz, Nair, Volz Grapes show promise for quantum sensing breakthrough Credit: Fawaz, Nair, Volz Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreThere are thousands of YouTube videos in which DIY science enthusiasts cut grapes in halfleaving just a thin bit of skin connecting themand put the grapes in the microwave, just to marvel at the sparks and plume of ionized gas (plasma) that the grapes produce. This quirky property of grapes might help make more efficient quantum sensors, according to a new paper published in the journal Physical Review Applied.The plasma-inducing grape effect was first observed in 1994, per the authors. As previously reported, the usual explanation for the generation of plasmas is that grapes are so small that the irradiating microwaves become highly concentrated in the grape tissue, ripping some the molecules apart to generate charged ions (adding to the electrolytes already present in the grapes). The electromagnetic field that forms causes ions to flow from one grape half to the other via the connecting skinat least at first. That's when you get the initial sparks. Eventually, the ions start passing through the surrounding air as well, ionizing it to produce that hot plume of plasma.But in 2019, Trent University scientists showed that explanation isn't quite right. The skin bridge isn't necessary for the effect to occur. Rather, the plasma is generated by an electromagnetic "hot spot." The grapes have the right refractive index and size to "trap" microwaves, so putting two of them close together leads to the generation of a hot spot between them. The trick also works with gooseberries, large blackberries, and quail eggs, as well as hydrogel beadsplastic beads soaked in water. ("Many microwaves were in fact harmed during the experiments," co-author Hamza Khattak admitted at the time.)The microwaved grape trick also shows their promise as alternative microwave resonators for quantum sensing applications, according to the authors of this latest paper. Those applications include satellite technology, masers, microwave photon detection, hunting for axions (a dark matter candidate), and various quantum systems, and driving spin in superconducting qubits for quantum computing, among others.Prior research had specifically investigated the electrical fields behind the plasma effect. "We showed that grape pairs can also enhance magnetic fields which are crucial for quantum sensing applications," said co-author Ali Fawaz, a graduate student at Macquarie University.Fawaz and co-authors used specially fabricated nanodiamonds for their experiments. Unlike pure diamonds, which are colorless, some of the carbon atoms in the nanodiamonds were replaced, creating tiny defect centers that act like tiny magnets, making them ideal for quantum sensing. Sapphires are typically used for this purpose, but Fawaz et al. realized that water conducts microwave energy better than sapphiresand grapes are mostly water.So the team placed a nanodiamond atop a thin glass fiber and placed it between two grapes. Then they shone green laser light through the fiber, making the defect centers glow red. Measuring the brightness told them the strength of the magnetic field around the grapes, which turned out to be twice as strong with grapes than without.The size and shape of the grapes used in the experiments proved crucial; they must be about 27 millimeters long to get concentrated microwave energy at just the right frequency for the quantum sensor. The biggest catch is that using the grapes proved to be less stable with more energy loss. Future research may identify more reliable potential materials to achieve a similar effect.DOI: Physical Review Applied, 2024. 10.1103/PhysRevApplied.22.064078 (About DOIs).Jennifer OuelletteSenior WriterJennifer OuelletteSenior Writer Jennifer is a senior reporter at Ars Technica with a particular focus on where science meets culture, covering everything from physics and related interdisciplinary topics to her favorite films and TV series. Jennifer lives in Baltimore with her spouse, physicist Sean M. Carroll, and their two cats, Ariel and Caliban. 7 Comments

Dj vu all over again FTC launches probe of Microsoft over bundling Redmond's packing of Office with security, cloud computing services under scrutiny. Renee Dudley, ProPublica Dec 27, 2024 10:06 am | 10 Credit: Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images Credit: Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreThe Federal Trade Commission is investigating Microsoft in a wide-ranging probe that will examine whether the companys business practices have run afoul of antitrust laws, according to people familiar with the matter. In recent weeks, FTC attorneys have been conducting interviews and setting up meetings with Microsoft competitors.One key area of interest is how the worlds largest software provider packages popular Office products together with cybersecurity and cloud computing services, said one of the people, who asked not to be named discussing a confidential matter.This so-called bundling was the subject of a recent ProPublica investigation, which detailed how, beginning in 2021, Microsoft used the practice to vastly expand its business with the US government while boxing competitors out of lucrative federal contracts.At the time, many federal employees used a software license that included the Windows operating system and products like Word, Outlook and Excel. In the wake of several devastating cyberattacks, Microsoft offered to upgrade those license bundles for free for a limited time, giving the government access to its more advanced cybersecurity products. The company also provided consultants to install the upgrades.Vast swaths of the federal bureaucracy accepted, including all of the military services in the Defense Department and then began paying for those enhanced services when the free trial ended. Former sales leaders involved in the effort likened it to a drug dealer hooking a user with free samples, as they knew federal customers would be effectively locked into the upgrades once they were installed. Microsofts offer not only displaced some existing cybersecurity vendors but also took market share from cloud providers like Amazon Web Services, as the government began using products that ran on Azure, Microsofts own cloud platform.Some experts told ProPublica that the companys tactics might have violated laws regulating contracting and competition, and the news organization reported that even some of Microsofts own attorneys had antitrust worries about the deals.Microsoft has said its offer was structured to avoid antitrust concerns. The companys sole goal during this period was to support an urgent request by the Administration to enhance the security posture of federal agencies who were continuously being targeted by sophisticated nation-state threat actors, Steve Faehl, the security leader for Microsofts federal business, told ProPublica.Some of those incursions were the result of Microsofts own security lapses. As ProPublica reported in June, Russian state-sponsored hackers in the so-called SolarWinds attack exploited a weakness in a Microsoft product to steal sensitive data from the National Nuclear Security Administration and the National Institutes of Health, among other victims. Years before the attack was discovered, a Microsoft engineer warned product leaders about the flaw, but they refused to address it for fear of alienating the federal government and losing ground to competitors, ProPublica reported.While the engineers proposed fix would have kept customers safe, it also would have created a speed bump for users logging on to their devices. Adding such friction was unacceptable to the managers of the product group, which at the time was in a fierce rivalry with competitors in the market for so-called identity tools, the news organization reported. These tools, which ensure that users have permission to log on to cloud-based programs, are important to Microsofts business strategy because they often lead to demand for the companys other cloud services.According to a person familiar with the FTCs probe, one such identity product, Entra ID, formerly known as Azure Active Directory, is another focus of the agencys investigation.Microsoft has defended its decision against addressing the SolarWinds-related flaw, telling ProPublica in June that the companys assessment included multiple reviews at the time and that its response to security issues is based on potential customer disruption, exploitability, and available mitigations. It has pledged to put security above all else.The FTC views the fact that Microsoft has won more federal business even as it left the government vulnerable to hacks as an example of the companys problematic power over the market, a person familiar with the probe told the news organization.The commission is not alone in that view. These guys are sort of a version of too big to fail, said Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat who chairs the Senate Finance Committee and a longtime critic of Microsoft. I think its time to amp up the antitrust side of the house, dealing with antitrust abuses.The FTCs investigation of Microsoft, which was first reported by the Financial Times and Bloomberg, is far from the companys first brush with federal regulators over antitrust issues. More than two decades ago, the Department of Justice sued the company in a landmark antitrust case that nearly resulted in its breakup. Federal prosecutors alleged that Microsoft maintained an illegal monopoly in the operating system market through anticompetitive behaviors that prevented rivals from getting a foothold. Ultimately, the Justice Department settled with Microsoft, and a federal judge approved a consent decree that imposed restrictions on how the company could develop and license software.John Lopatka, a former consultant to the FTC who now teaches antitrust law at Penn State, told ProPublica that the Microsoft actions detailed in the news organizations recent reporting followed a very familiar pattern of behavior.It does echo the Microsoft case from decades ago, said Lopatka, who co-authored a book on that case.In the new investigation, the FTC has sent Microsoft a civil investigative demand, the agencys version of a subpoena, compelling the company to turn over information, people familiar with the probe said. Microsoft confirmed that it received the document.Company spokesperson David Cuddy did not comment on the specifics of the investigation but said the FTCs demand is broad, wide ranging, and requests things that are out of the realm of possibility to even be logical. He declined to provide on-the-record examples. The FTC declined to comment.The agencys investigation follows a public comment period in 2023 during which it sought information on the business practices of cloud computing providers. When that concluded, the FTC said it had ongoing interest in whether certain business practices are inhibiting competition.The recent demand to Microsoft represents one of FTC Commissioner Lina Khans final moves as chair, and the probe appears to be picking up steam as the Biden administration winds down. The commissions new leadership, however, will decide the future of the investigation.President-elect Donald Trump said this month that he will elevate Commissioner Andrew Ferguson, a Republican attorney, to lead the agency. Following the announcement, Ferguson said in a post on X, At the FTC, we will end Big Techs vendetta against competition and free speech. We will make sure that America is the worlds technological leader and the best place for innovators to bring new ideas to life.Trump also said he would nominate Republican lawyer Mark Meador as a commissioner, describing him as an antitrust enforcer who previously worked at the FTC and the Justice Department. Meador is also a former aide to Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican who introduced legislation to break up Google.Doris Burke contributed research.This story originally appeared on ProPublica.Renee Dudley, ProPublica 10 Comments

It was a busy year for M&A in the creator economy.Startups in influencer marketing, talent management, and podcasting became acquisition targets.Companies also sought to expand globally by acquiring creator startups in new regions.Dozens of merger and acquisition deals were inked between companies across the creator economy in 2024.One of the most impactful sales was Publicis Groupe's purchase of Influential for $500 million, two M&A experts told Business Insider. It signaled that one of the world's largest ad holding companies viewed influencer marketing as a must-have offering."If influencers are the new gatekeepers and authority within these digital channels, then they're going to command audiences," Chris Erwin, founder of M&A advisory firm RockWater, told BI. "Advertising revenue dollars are going to flow towards them."Goldman Sachs analysts highlighted influencer marketing spending as a primary driver of growth in the creator economy when they valued the industry at $250 billion last year.A few other clear trends emerged this year around deals. Outside influencer marketing, popular acquisition targets included talent-management firms and podcasting tech. There was also a push among non-US firms to build out creator businesses globally through purchases.Business Insider combed through data from PitchBook and Crunchbase and connected with M&A insiders to understand some of the key deals in 2024.Here are 4 takeaways from our analysis:Influencer marketing was a big focus among acquirers in 2024. It's a category that has a proven business model compared to some of the more experimental parts of the industry. Beyond Publicis' deal with Influential, other large advertising brands brought in influencer expertise through acquisitions.A few noteworthy deals in this category:Marketing firm Stagwell announced in July that it had acquired the influencer-marketing agency Leaders.Canadian talent agency Dulcedo Group acquired the influencer-marketing app Node in July.The creator economy is maturing globally. Several companies made strategic deals across markets like India, Japan, and Australia. Publicis highlighted Influential's global reach in its July announcement around the deal."Creators really can be global from day one," said Ollie Forsyth, a former senior manager at the investment firm Antler who now writes the newsletter New Economies. He pointed to technologies like AI-powered audio dubbing and video editing tools as paving a new path for creators to easily distribute content to a global audience.A few noteworthy deals in this category:French influencer firm Ykone announced in March it had acquired a majority stake in the Indian influencer-marketing firm Barcode to build a business in the Indian influencer market.Finnish influencer firm Boksi announced in February that it had acquired the German influencer-marketing company the Influencer GmbH to grow its business in Central Europe.Podcasting is a hot category. As platforms like YouTube and Spotify drive listenership (and viewership) of longer content, advertisers are paying close attention. US ad spend for podcasts is expected to hit $2.28 billion this year, a roughly 16% increase from 2023, per EMARKETER's forecast. Meanwhile, M&A deals in the category focused on podcasting tech and IP in 2024."It's a publisher play of rolling up these popular networks of shows," said James Creech, an M&A advisor through Quartermast Advisors and founder of Creator Economy Jobs. "I think that'll continue because you're likely to see a handful of winners in this space."A few noteworthy deals in this category:Triton Digital said in March it had acquired podcasting ad tech firm Sounder to boost its targeting and brand safety tech.Night announced in April that it had acquired The Roost, a podcast network that includes shows from Theo Von and other popular creators.Creator-focused talent firms are continuing to consolidate. There's no shortage of talent managers and agencies looking to represent creators. But a smaller number are prepared to support the businesses of top creators who aim to book deals, exclusive podcast agreements, and Hollywood roles.A few noteworthy deals in this category:Talent-management firm Wasserman announced in September that it had acquired the talent-management agency Long Haul to grow its gaming and sports creator business.Influencer marketing and creator talent company Whalar announced in October it had acquired the influencer-management firm Sixteenth.Looking ahead to 2025Both Erwin and Creech are expecting the next year to be fruitful for creator-economy companies."We're going to see more activity next year," Creech said.One area the two M&A advisors are watching closely is whether consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies will continue to shop for creator-owned businesses, such as Hershey buying creator Maxx Chewning's Sour Strips brand in 2024.Companies that successfully raised new funding in 2024 may also signal where M&A activity is heading next in the industry. Creator startups with unique offerings in artificial intelligence, newsletter tech, influencer marketing, and e-commerce all drew in investor dollars in the past year. Among the big rounds were creator-marketing platform Agentio, newsletter app Beehiiv, social-shopping app Flip, and AI firm ElevenLabs. Startups flush with funding could become acquirers in 2025."If you are looking to sell or to raise capital now, it's a good time to do it," Erwin said.

Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra blamed critics for the failure of "Kraven" and "Madame Web."He said that the recent Marvel movies were "crucified" by the press.Vinciquerra said that the studio needs to "rethink" how they continue the franchise.Tony Vinciquerra, the Sony Pictures CEO, said critics are to blame for the box office failure of its recent Marvel movies "Kraven the Hunter" and "Madame Web."Sony has owned the rights to Spider-Man and other superhero characters since buying them from Marvel in the 1990s. In 2017, Sony launched a new series of Marvel movies, a rival to Disney's popular Marvel Cinematic Universe.Some have done pretty well, like the "Venom" trilogy, which stars Tom Hardy as the titular antihero and has collectively made some $1.8 billion, according to TheNumbers.com.Others less so, particularly "Madame Web" and "Kraven the Hunter," released in February and December respectively.According to Box Office Mojo, "Madame Web" just broke $100 million worldwide, and "Kraven the Hunter" has made $43 million at the time of writing."Madame Web" had a budget of $80 million per Forbes, and Variety reported that "Kraven the Hunter" had a budget of more than $100 million, marking both as uninspiring returns on investment.Speaking to The Los Angeles Times, Vinciquerra described "Kraven" as "the worst launch" that Sony has had since starting its Marvel franchise.He said: "So that didn't work out very well, which I still don't understand, because the film is not a bad film.""Kraven" currently has a 17% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.Vinciquerra went on to defend "Madame Web," which received a lowly 11% score.He said: "'Madame Web' underperformed in the theaters because the press just crucified it. It was not a bad film, and it did great on Netflix. For some reason, the press decided that they didn't want us making these films out of 'Kraven' and 'Madame Web,' and the critics just destroyed them.""They also did it with 'Venom,' but the audience loved 'Venom' and made 'Venom' a massive hit. These are not terrible films. They were just destroyed by the critics in the press, for some reason," he said.The movies are origin stories for Spider-Man characters, and are distinct from the Tom Holland-led "Spider-Man" movies in the Disney Marvel franchise."Madame Web" was met with overwhelming criticism on its release. The Daily Telegraph's Robbie Collin said: "What an unreservedly hopeless film this is: a sort of two-hour explosion in a boringness factory, in which the forces of dullness and stupidity combine in new and infinitely perturbing ways."The Wall Street Journal's Zachary Sprang tore into "Kraven" and wrote: "About as exciting as the board meeting from which it surely sprang."Vinciquerra also suggested that the studio might need a new strategy in light of the persistently poor critical showing.He said: "I do think we need to rethink it, just because it's snake-bitten. If we put another one out, it's going to get destroyed, no matter how good or bad it is."For now, Sony hasn't announced its next live-action Marvel movie, although it's soon to release an animated Spider-Man sequel, "Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse."

Luxury powerhouses struggled in 2024 as they faced macroeconomic headwinds.The stock price of Kering, the owner of Gucci, has fallen more than 40% this year.Two luxury companies, Herms and Richemont, managed to buck the trend.2024 was a bad year for luxury.Many of the world's largest luxury companies saw their share prices decline this year as the market for high-end goods experienced a brutal slowdown."50 million luxury consumers have either opted out of the luxury goods market or been forced out of it in the last two years," Claudia D'Arpizio, who leads Bain's global luxury goods and fashion practice, wrote in a report last month."The negative environment predicted by many in the fashion industry this time a year ago has now materialized," a McKinsey report said earlier this year.One chart featuring some of the luxury's most notable companies shows just how rough 2024 was through mid-December.Only two companies Herms and Richemont, the parent company of Cartier and Van Cleef managed to beat the STOXX Europe 600, an index that represents a mix of European stocks, this year.Meanwhile, share prices for LVMH the largest of the luxury conglomerates and owner of brands like Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior and Burberry have fallen this year. (Prada and Moncler also slipped, though aren't pictured here.)Kering, the company behind Balenciaga and Saint Laurent, fared the worst. Its stock price dropped more than 40% this year as its headline brand, Gucci, floundered.While certain high-end lines suffered from specific pitfalls Burberry priced their goods too high, Gucci spread itself too thin the economy at large was to blame for a number of luxury's troubles."Many are navigating a momentary crisis, driven by macroeconomic pressures and a polarized customer base," Claudia D'Arpizio, who leads Bain's global luxury goods and fashion practice, wrote in a report.An economic crisis in China, where real estate sales slumped and unemployment rose, meant a consistent group of luxury shoppers reined in their spending. In America, inflation squeezed the aspirational shoppers who had rushed to buy expensive goods during the post-pandemic spending boom. And in Europe, political uncertainty led consumers to hold off on big purchases.2025 may be brighter for high-end companies, however.HSBC analysts wrote in a December note that they believe the third quarter will be the "trough for the sector." Meantime, EMARKETER, a sister company to Business Insider, predicts that personal luxury retail sales will grow 4.1% next year up from a low of 3.2% this year.

2025 is right around the corner, and it's packed with a staggering array of releases across all platforms so there's something to look forward to whatever system you ownTech15:23, 27 Dec 2024GTA 6 is finally getting closer(Image: Rockstar Games)2024 has been a fantastic year in gaming, packing new indie all-timers like Balatro alongside multiplayer shooters like Helldivers 2 and ambitious open worlds like Dragon's Dogma but 2025 might be even bigger.Next year's lineup of games looks incredible already, and we're likely to have plenty of surprises along the way like the aforementioned titles.We've dug through the release calendar for 2025 to pick 10 of the biggest games to keep an eye on, and while some may slip to next year, we're desperate to load up all of them whenever they arrive. Here they are in alphabetical order!Assassins Creed Shadows will feature two protagonists(Image: Ubisoft)Release Date: February 14Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PCDon't let overblown 'controversy' from a vocal minority dampen your enthusiasm that we're getting a huge new Assassin's Creed game just a month and a half into 2024, and it's finally taking the series to Japan after years of fan requests.Shadows will see players tackling foes as Yasuke and Naoe, a samurai and a shinobi respectively, with different ways to solve problems. The game is a return to the RPG format of Origins, Odyssey and Valhalla after Mirage went back towards stealth, and as a result is likely to be absolutely mammoth in size.Death Stranding 2 may be even more bonkers than its predecessor(Image: Sony)Hideo Kojima's 2019 PS4 hit Death Stranding has finally made its way to other platforms in the years since, which is just as well we can all talk about how bizarre it all is (and we mean that in a good way).There's every chance the follow-up, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, ends up being even more surprising. Early trailers have seen a guitar-wielding hair metal-looking bad guy, and the bizarre arrival of Dollman, a puppet. It's only likely to get weirder, so strap in.DOOM The Dark Ages is the first since 2020's Eternal(Image: Sony)If you played DOOM's 2016 reboot and thought "I want to hear more about this merciless protagonist's origins", you're getting your wish with The Dark Ages, a new prequel in the DOOM universe that mixes sci-fi with dark fantasy with predictably metal results.It's still without a release date and despite being owned by Microsoft, it'll come to PS5 too. Just as well, really, as we'd be kicking ourselves if we had to miss out on flying on the back of a dragon while tearing through the minions of hell.Ghost of Ytei is the follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima(Image: Sony)Ghost of Tsushima may not have pushed open world game design forward when it first launched in 2020, but it was still a fantastically well-made tale of revenge and liberation that was absolutely stunning to look at.Ghost of Yotei, a surprise reveal in September 2024, is a standalone sequel with a fresh protagonist, Atsu, and a PS5 exclusive that could make you very glad to have Sony's system under your telly, with choices apparently mattering more in Yotei than they did for Jin's tale in Tsushima.GTA 6 will be the biggest game of the year, unless it slips to 2026(Image: Rockstar Games)It still doesn't have a release date, but GTA 6 is expected to be such a cultural phenomenon that other publishers are looking to steer clear of it, even though it's been over a year since we saw the game's first trailer.With talk the game could be pushed to 2026, we may have to wait to revisit Vice City, but with Rockstar Games' parent company's CEO calling it "extraordinary" it's getting harder to stay patient for what is likely to be the biggest gaming launch of all time.Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is shaping up ahead of its early 2025 launch(Image: Warhorse Studios)The earliest launch on this list (and in a packed February alongside Monster Hunter and Assassin's Creed), Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is the long-awaited sequel to the 2018 hit that swapped swords and sorcery for a historical setting.That gives the series a more unique pacing, and we know firearms will make their debut in the second game but, as with historically accurate weapons of the time, will take true mastery to use effectively.Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will revive one of gaming's most revered franchises(Image: Sony)Can you believe it's been almost seven years since Metal Gear Survive launched? Aside from the fact it was a tonal (and gameplay) shift that rubbed fans the wrong way, we've not had a new Metal Gear game since.While the 2023 Master Collection Volume 1 was a great start, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a full remake of the third Metal Gear Solid, the one many people would point to as the best in the series. Trailers look stunning, with Konami ditching the Fox Engine used for Survive, but we're still waiting for a release date.Monster Hunter Wilds is likely to be the biggest Monster Hunter game yet(Image: Nintendo)The game that might make this writer very happy to have a PS5 Pro, Monster Hunter Wilds looks like an ambitious next step on from 2018's World, adding a greater emphasis on having its monsters roam a more connected open world that's more dense with detail, and offers even more verticality.Wilds will also add cross-play across platforms (but no cross-save, sadly), and naturally there are more tough monsters to hunt, either alone or with friends. World saw a whole host of players jump into the franchise for the first time, and it's exciting to think Wilds could do the same.Nintendo Switch 2 is coming, but when?We know it's coming, with Nintendo acknowledging it'll be speaking about the new console in the first few months of 2025, and we're expecting it to be another handheld/home console hybrid with backward compatibility.Outside of that, we don't know when it'll come out, what games it'll launch with, or anything else, but given how strong the Switch's first year was, we're certainly excited to find out. Still, if it runs Switch games more consistently we're sold already.We still don't know a great deal about Pokemon Legends Z-A(Image: Nintendo)Article continues belowSpeaking of Switch games that didn't run particularly well, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are still a bit of a mess, but there's a new entry in the massively popular series coming next year.Pokemon Legends: Z-A takes place in the Kalos region from Pokemon X and Y, and while the return of Mega Evolutions has been teased, we have very little to go on other than it'll take place entirely in Lumiose City. Colour us intrigued, especially with the Switch 2 on the horizon, too.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.RECOMMENDED

Steam's Winter Sale is finishing soon, so be sure to grab the bargains while you can across Steam Deck and PC as we cover the end date and when you can expect the next saleTech14:20, 27 Dec 2024Don't miss your chance to save on Baldur's Gate 3(Image: Steam)Steam's Winter Sale carries into 2025, but not by much. In fact, Valve's huge deals are offering sooner than you might think.It's a good time to be a PC gamer with Epic Games is handing out free games daily, and Steam's discounts are always very welcome but they won't last forever.Here's all you need to know about the end of the Steam Winter Sale, and the next batch of offers on the platform in case you missed something on your wishlist.Elden Ring is one of the greatest games of all time(Image: Steam)Valve said the deals are running into 2025, and while that's true, the sale still finishes on January 2 at 6pm UK time.Need to find some deals quickly? We've got you covered across new releases, iconic titles, and indie darlings with our sale roundup.Content cannot be displayed without consentSteam has a series of themed sales that run throughout the year, and it's worth noting there are new midweek and weekend deals every week.As of the time of writing, we're expecting the next major sale event to be the Real Time Strategy Fest on January 20, although that's subject to change and restricted to a specific genre.After that, there are other sales but the next biggie is Steam Next Fest on February 24, which is focused on upcoming games and demos.So, if you're looking for the next big quarterly sale, you'll be waiting until March 13, 2025 for the Steam Spring Sale. That'll be followed in late June by the Summer Sale, and then we're back around for another Autumn Sale before you know it.Article continues belowStill, there are plenty of genre-focused deals to be found in the spaces between, so be sure to add games to your wishlist on PC or Steam Deck and get yourself ready for whenever those discounts happen. Doing so not only means you'll get notifications when you use Steam, but you'll also get an email reminder, too, so you never miss a deal again.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.RECOMMENDED

Cancelled GTA Online discovered as Rockstar is hit by another Christmas leakAdam StarkeyPublished December 27, 2024 3:22pmUpdated December 27, 2024 3:49pm GTA Online has a longer history than expected (Rockstar)Early plans for GTA Online have been unearthed, as a separate leak reveals details around past Halo games.As the studio behind one of biggest gaming franchises in the world, its perhaps unsurprising that Rockstar Games is often affected by leaks.The developer was famously subject to a hacking incident in 2022 by British teenager Arion Kurtaj, who was ordered to be detained in hospital indefinitely in December last year. The leak itself included footage and screenshots from the upcoming GTA 6.Another GTA leak happened around Christmas Day last year, which included the source code for GTA 5. In whats starting to become an unfortunate tradition, more material from past games in the series has emerged online for Christmas this year.What is in the new GTA leak?This leak stems from GTAForums user FrankieLiberty, who has released a bunch of old Rockstar assets, including design documents for an early version of GTA Online from 2001, GTA San Andreas, and handheld entries GTA Advance and GTA: Vice City Stories.As detailed by X account GTAVI_Countdown, the documents show a version of GTA Online was in development in 2001 at Barking Dog Studios (now known as Rockstar Vancouver), the developer behind 2006s Bully. This version, which was apparently cancelled due to technical limitations, had many features present in the actual GTA Online today, like character customisation, different playable factions, the ability to own properties, and a skill system for certain attributes.FrankieLiberty has released this information as a sign of protest against an individual known in Rockstar fan communities as John Doe, who has allegedly been selling these stolen assets for a profit.Select ex-developers have made a killing off his sales while being entirely protected with him acting as a fence, they wrote on the forum. John Doe has easily made tens of thousands of dollars, often times reselling the same asset priced at e.g. 2k dollars to five different parties.That cannot stand AND shouldnt stand any longer John Doe has done enough damage, to his buyers, to Rockstar and to our whole community, by being a greed-driven, deeply irresponsible bad faith actor who thinks of themselves as the Robin Hood of stolen property.By posting these assets online, in what is billed as a Christmas gift for the community, FrankieLiberty hopes John Does assets will be devalued as he wont be able to resell them any longer for profits.What is the Halo leak?Coincidentally, this wasnt the only gaming leak over Christmas. As reported by dataminer Visceral, early builds and unreleased content from Bungie-developed Halo games have cropped up online.The material, which dates back to 1998 prior to 2001s Halo: Combat Evolved, stems from a Halo Digsite project; which was a collaborative effort between Halo modders and developer 343 Industries (recently renamed to Halo Studios) to restore cut content from past Halo games.While its unclear who actually leaked the Digsite files, X user DogbrainLudus, who recently left the project, confirmed the leak is real. I nor any of the recent Digsite departures did this, they wrote, before clarifying that they dont know who uploaded it.The source of the leak might be unknown, but some believe this will mark the end of Halo Digsite and could potentially damage the chances of future collaborations between modders and developers.More TrendingIn October, the rebranded Halo Studios confirmed it was working on multiple Halo games in Unreal Engine 5, with one rumoured to be a remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved. Halo Infinite proved to be not quite so infinite (Microsoft)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralExclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy