Jinjiang Group, a contractor for Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD, said on Thursday Brazilian authorities portrayal of their employees as enslaved was inconsistent with the facts and that there were translation misunderstandings.Brazilian labor authorities had on Wednesday said they found 163 Chinese nationals working in slavery-like conditions at a construction site for a BYD-owned factory in Brazils Bahia state. BYD said then that it had cut ties with the firm that hired the workers and was working with authorities.Being unjustly labeled as enslaved has made our employees feel that their dignity has been insulted and their human rights violated, seriously hurting the dignity of the Chinese people. We have signed a joint letter to express our true feelings, Jinjiang said on its official Weibo account.Their statement was reposted by Li Yunfei, general manager of branding and public relations at BYD, on his own Weibo account. He accused foreign forces and some Chinese media of deliberately smearing Chinese brands and the country and undermining the relationship between China and Brazil.A BYD representative directed Reuters to Lis Weibo post when asked about Jinjiangs comments and the situation. Jinjiang did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters.BYD has been building the factory with an annual capacity of producing 150,000 cars initially in Brazil, the Chinese EV giants largest overseas market, as part of plans to start production there in 2024 or early 2025.Brazil is poised to hike tariffs on imported EVs to 35% in July 2026 from 18% currently.On Wednesday, Chinas foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the Chinese embassy in Brazil was communicating with Brazilian counterparts to verify the situation and handle it.Jinjiang said there had been translation and cultural difference issues that had led to the situation, and that the questions from the Brazilian inspectors had been suggestive. It also posted a video showing a group of Chinese workers in front of the camera with one of them reading out a letter that Jinjiang said the workers have jointly signed.The letter said, for instance, that 107 workers had handed their passports to the company for help with applying for a temporary ID certificate in Brazil. The Brazilian labor inspectors had said that the workers had had their passports withheld by the company.We are very happy to come to Camacari to work, an unidentified Chinese male said in the video.We have been complying with laws and regulations, working hard during the period with a hope that the construction of the biggest new energy vehicle project in Brazil could be completed as soon as possible, he added.Beijing and Shanghai newsroom, Reuters

What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors.U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates.The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasnt just Apple, Nvidia, and the like. Bitcoin, gold, and other investments also drove higher.Heres a look at some of the numbers that defined the year. All are as of Dec. 20.1998Remember when President Bill Clinton got impeached or when baseballs Mark McGwire hit his 70th home run against the Montreal Expos? That was the last time the U.S. stock market closed out a second straight year with a leap of at least 20%, something the S&P 500 is on track to do again this year. The index has climbed 24.3% so far this year, not including dividends, following last years spurt of 24.2%.57The number of all-time highs the S&P 500 has set so far this year. The first came early, on Jan. 19, when the index capped a two-year comeback from the swoon caused by high inflation and worries that high interest rates instituted by the Federal Reserve to combat it would create a recession. But the index was methodical through the rest of the year, setting a record in every month outside of April and August, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices. The latest came on Dec. 6.3The number of times the Federal Reserve has cut its main interest rate this year from a two-decade high, offering some relief to the economy. Expectations for those cuts, along with hopes for more in 2025, were a big reason the U.S. stock market has been so successful this year. The 1 percentage point of cuts, though, is still short of the 1.5 percentage points that many traders were forecasting for 2024 at the start of the year. The Fed disappointed investors in December when it said it may cut rates just two more times in 2025, fewer than it had earlier expected.1,508Thats how many points the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by the day after Election Day, as investors made bets on what Donald Trumps return to the White House will mean for the economy and the world. The more widely followed S&P 500 soared 2.5% for its best day in nearly two years. Aside from bitcoin, stocks of banks and smaller winners were also perceived to be big winners. The bump has since diminished amid worries that Trumps policies could also send inflation higher.$100,000The level that bitcoin topped to set a record above $108,000 this past month. Its been climbing as interest rates come down, and it got a particularly big boost following Trumps election. Hes turned around and become a fan of crypto, and hes named a former regulator whos seen as friendly to digital currencies as the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, replacingsomeone who critics saidwas overly aggressive in his oversight. Bitcoin was below $17,000 just two years ago following thecollapse of crypto exchange FTX.26.7%Golds rise for the year, as it also hit records and had as strong a run as U.S. stocks. Wars around the world have helped drive demand for investments seen as safe, such as gold. Its also benefited from the Feds cut to interest rates. When bonds are paying less in interest, they pull away fewer potential buyers from gold, which pays investors nothing.$420Its a favorite number of Elon Musk, and its also a threshold that Teslas stock price passed in December as it set a record. The number has a long history among marijuana devotees, and Musk famously said in 2018 that he had secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 per share. Tesla soared this year, up from less than $250 at the start, in part because of expectations that Musks close relationship with Trump could benefit the company.$91.2 billionThats how much revenue Nvidia made in the nine months through Oct. 27, showing how the artificial-intelligence frenzy is creating mountains of cash. Nvidias chips are driving much of the move into AI, and its revenue through the last nine months catapulted from less than $39 billion the year before. Such growth has boosted Nvidias worth to more than $3 trillion in total.74%GameStops gain on May 13after Keith Gill, better known as Roaring Kitty, appeared online for the first time in three years to support the video game retailers stock, which he helped rocket to unimaginable heights during the meme stock craze in 2021. Several other meme stocks also jumped following his post in May on the social platform X, including AMC Entertainment. Gill later disclosed a sizeable stake in the online pet products retailer Chewy, but hesold all of his holdings by late October.1.6%, 3.0%, and 3.1%Thats how much the U.S. economy grew, at annualized seasonally adjusted rates, in each of the three first quarters of this year. Such growth blew past what many pessimists were expecting when inflation was topping 9% in the summer of 2022. The fear was that the medicine prescribed by the Fed to beat high inflation high interest rates would create a recession. Households at the lower end of the income spectrum in particular are feeling pain now, as they contend with still-high prices. But the overall economy has remained remarkably resilient.20.1%This is the vacancy rate for U.S. office buildings an all-time high through the first three quarters of 2024, according to data from Moodys. The fact the rate held steady for most of the year was something of a win for office building owners, given that it had marched up steadily from 16.8% in the fourth quarter of 2019. Demand for office space weakened as the pandemic led to the popularization of remote work.3.73 millionThatsthe total number of previously occupied homes sold nationallythrough the first 11 months of 2024. Sales would have to surge 20% year-over-year in December for 2024s home sales to match the 4.09 million existing homes sold in 2023, a nearly 30-year low. The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump dating back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. A shortage of homes for sale and elevated mortgage rates have discouraged many would-be homebuyers.

Most smartphones may have now banished microSD cards from their compact bodies, but these tiny storage devices continue to thrive in other areas. Some cameras are switching over to this smaller version of the venerable SD card, and some laptops now have it as a part of their I/O collection. Every year brings some small improvements in their capabilities, whether its in speed or in durability, ensuring they wont be phased out anytime soon.Although microSD cards are often used to move files from one device to another, they often stay inside those devices for long periods of time. Unlike USB sticks that are relatively easier to pull out and plug in, memory cards sometimes require more than just a few steps to remove them from or insert them inside devices. Thats why theyre often used as semi-permanent storage expansion for devices and laptops, which makes these specially-designed microSD cards a little surprising and perhaps a bit pointless.Designers: Samsung, SEGAThere are many fictional characters whose names are immediately associated with speed, from DC superhero Flash to video game icon Sonic the Hedgehog. The latter has gotten a bit of notoriety after jumping from games to the big screen, splitting fans between those who love the live-action adaption and those who consider it a disappointment. Regardless, that fandom remains solid and strong, at least enough for Samsung to dedicate a few of its memory cards to the franchise.As the name clearly states, the new Sonic the Hedgehog PRO Plus microSD cards combine two things that are supposed to be related to speed. Samsung boats read and write speeds of up to 180 MB/s and 130 MB/s, respectively, making them ideal not just for cameras but for some gaming handhelds as well. Its no surprise, then that Samsung would want to etch the image of Sonic the Hedgehog characters on these cards, whether those claims meet reality or not.Interestingly, these PRO Plus microSD cards are also being promoted for their durability, much like the resilient heroes of the video game franchise. They are particularly boasted to be resistant to water, high temperatures, X-rays, and even magnetic fields, elements that are poison to data storage devices. The cards are also advertised to resist wear out up to 10,000 swipes, meaning you can exchange the card between two devices up to 5,000 times before it starts dying.While the microsSD cards themselves sound quite capable, especially for their price tag, the choice of design is a bit questionable. For one, you basically only have the characters heads printed on the tiny card, barely identifiable at first glance. The other consideration is that youll barely see the markings while theyre inside their respective devices, so theres very little chance to boast your love for the blue hedgehog and his pals. Curiously, the card with the highest capacity (1TB) doesnt have the titular heros face, calling to question who is really the best among these speedsters.The post Samsung microSD cards pay homage to Sonic the Hedgehog in a way youll barely notice first appeared on Yanko Design.

In the 1960s and 70s, he developed the PLATO computer system, which combined instant messaging, email, chat rooms and gaming on flat-screen plasma displays.

William doesn't just work at AppleInsider, he also has a bunch of other writing assignments going constantly. Here's how William juggles not just the demands here, but everywhere else too.That green keyboard toward the back is my newest and quite expensive toy, a Duolingo PianoI'm Deputy Chair of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain and also do some work for a UK charity, so I tend to have whole sets of apps and documents that I switch between. Whatever I've been doing before AppleInsider, I run a Keyboard Maestro macro and all of those apps and documents are closed, then everything I need for AppleInsider is opened.Every day seven days a week starts with the Fantastical calendar and OmniFocus To Do apps on my iPhone. The alarm goes off, those two apps go on, and I'm checking what I must do that day. Invariably the day means being at my office M1 Mac mini or on my M1 Max 14-inch MacBook Pro, and AppleInsider work always starts with Keyboard Maestro. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Apple TV+ has hinted that it's planning something for early January, enticing viewers to "see for yourself."Image Credit: Apple TV+On Wednesday, the Apple TV X account posted a cryptic message telling people to "Save the date" and to "see for yourself." The accompanying image, which featured Will Ferrell, also included a date of January 4-5. Save the date. pic.twitter.com/c60xvXY2ZF Apple TV (@AppleTV) December 25, 2024 Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

If you received a gift card for the holidays or simply want to wrap up purchases for the 2024 tax year, Amazon's after-Christmas sale on Apple products delivers discounts of up to half off.Get up to half off Apple products today - Image credit: AppleThe Dec. 26 deals on Apple devices and accessories provide up to $300 off a variety of Macs, AirPods, iPads and more. Below are 20 top bargains, but there are hundreds more at your fingertips in our Apple Price Guide. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Say what you will about 2024 and its myriad failures, especially on the live service front. However, as far as single-player experiences go, weve been stuffed beyond belief. Almost every genre has several acclaimed titles to dive into and lose hundreds of hours, but which all stand above the rest? Check out our picks for the 20 best single-player games of 2024.Silent Hill 2 RemakeTheres something about the second entry in Konamis survival horror series that keeps fans coming back years and years after its launch. Perhaps its the Crime and Punishment-styled plot and how complex James Sunderlands character, ego and all, is portrayed as he roams this nightmare manifest. While concerns arose over Bloober Team adapting the classic (especially given its previous horror titles), it ultimately delivered on its vision of Silent Hill 2.Changes seemed a given, whether the over-the-shoulder camera, new attacks for enemies, a more extensive range of areas to explore or a new voice cast. However, Silent Hill 2 remake is a masterpiece in dread-inducing terror, whether youre walking through its fog-covered streets and watching something scurry nearby or locked in a desperate battle with Pyramid Head. Several sections witnessed significant alterations but didnt hamper the pacing or story-telling, and the presentation, especially composer Akira Yamaokas music, is top-notch. The restless dreams of Konamis classic will likely continue for generations to come, but the remake offers an excellent homecoming for longtime fans.

The idea of a massive video game world that demands dozens upon dozens of hours of investment from the player can be a daunting one, especially with so many games competing for your attention, but at the same time, theres an undeniable allure to that promise. From open world experiences to those adopting different structures but still crafting massive worlds for players to explore, weve had plenty of games in 2024 that have delivered exactly that kind of experience. Here, were going to speak about a few such games that stand out in memory.FINAL FANTASY 7 REBIRTHFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthwent full open world, and boy did it do so in the most thorough manner possible. Across this epic odyssey, you travel to a vast number of locations throughout the Planet, which means there are several large open world maps to explore, each completely different from the other in their biomes, design, and more. A barrage of optional activities and side quests, unique traversal mechanics to each area, and more allow each area to feel yet more distinct, with all of it coming together in whats easily one of the most massive (and impressive) games of 2024.S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: HEART OF CHORNOBYLIn the lead-up toS.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2slaunch, GSC Game World promised one of the biggest open worlds ever made, and boy does the game deliver. At over 60 square kilometers,S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of ChornobylsExclusion Zone is a gargantuan play space, and brimming with things to see. There are over 20 distinct areas comprising the map, featuring a healthy mix of new locations and locations that will be familiar to fans of past instalments (many of which have been expanded or overhauled). Huge doesnt begin to do it justice.DRAGON AGE: THE VEILGUARDBioWare failed to nail the open world formula withDragon Age: InquisitionandMass Effect: Andromeda, as a result of which the developer reverted to a semi-linear mission-based structure withDragon Age: The Veilguardthis year- but that doesnt mean this game is small in scale by any means. Though story missions are decidedly linear, between such missions, the game lets you explore a number of semi-open world maps that are not only sufficiently large, but also hide no shortage of optional content and hidden secrets. Even thoughThe Veilguardisnt open world, this is still the largest Thedas has ever felt in a game.ONCE HUMANPost-apocalyptic survival game Once Humansopen world design is different from some of the games weve spoken of so far, primarily thanks to the fact that this is a multiplayer-centric game. Regardless, in terms of size, its definitely one of the largest games of the year.Once Humansmap is 16 kilometers by 16 kilometers, all of which is split into four separate zones, each of which brings its own unique biome. Whether its size youre looking for or variety, Once Humansworld doesnt disappoint.ELDEN RING: SHADOW OF THE ERDTREEElden Ringdelivered a mind-bogglingly huge world when it launched in 2022, and though the new map initsShadow of the Erdtreeexpansion wasntquiteas large, it was still a much bigger map than most had expected from an expansion. Exploring the Land of Shadow fully and seeing everything it has to offer is not something youre going to be able to do if you dont have plenty of time on your hands. More importantly, the incredible level design exhibited throughout the map ensures youll never have a dull moment as you explore every nook and cranny.LIKE A DRAGON: INFINITE WEALTHLike a Dragon games never fail to deliver dozens upon dozens of hours of content, but they generally tend to do that through density rather than size. The same is true forInfinite Wealth. The eighth mainline entry in the series takes players to Hawaii, and though the map is definitely a large one (certainly much larger than anything else weve seen from the series in the past), its not nearly on the same level as some of the other open worlds weve discussed here thus far. Still, the game does a great job of encouraging you to explore every inch, not only because of the immaculate vibes, but also the abundant content on offer (most of which is a heck of a lot of fun).STAR WARS OUTLAWSTheres plenty thatStar Wars Outlawsgets wrong, but even many of its critics will tell you that as far as its open world is concerned, its one of Ubisofts best productions in years.Star Wars Outlawsavoids the pitfalls of open world bloat, which weve grown more familiar with over the years than wed like to admit, by ensuring that none of its maps ever feeltoolarge, and that exploration always feels organic. Its a compelling open world experience, and one that makes great use of its impressive scope.BLACK MYTH: WUKONGHeres another example of a game that manages to achieve a sense of scale in spite of being a non-open world level-based game. No, its nowhere near as big as most other games on this list, but with a mix of linear levels and larger, more open-ended areas, it does manage to craft a sizeable world nonetheless. This is a game you can easily spend over 50 hours in (depending on how extensively youre engaging with the optional content), which tells you that theres plenty to explore for players.SONS OF THE FORESTAfter spending a year in early access, Endnight Games highly anticipated open world survival gameSons of the Forestcelebrated its 1.0 launch this February, and it didnt take long for players to fall in love with it- which didnt come as a surprise, after the games early access period. Theres a lot to love inSons of the Forestshorrific world, of course, and its sizeable map is high on that list. Not only is it significantly larger and much more detailed than the map in its predecessor, its also a constant thrill to explore, with the game doing a remarkable job of making exploration feel consistently terrifying and yet rewarding.SATISFACTORYAfter five and a half long years in early access,Satisfactorylaunched in full this September, and though a a large map isnt necessarily something youd expect from a factory management simulation game, not only doesSatisfactorydeliver it, it also uses it to great effect. Exploring its vast and hostile world always remains one of the experiences highlights, and contributes significantly to the games engaging core loop.DRAGONS DOGMA 2Dragons Dogma 2is a wholly unique game, delivering a kind of emergent open world experience that you cant find anywhere else. A lot of that is down the games complete refusal to hold your hand and its systems-driven sandbox nature, but the size of its world is also a big part of the games success. Exploring the massive fantasy world ofDragons Dogma 2is always a blast, whether youre exploring the lush landscapes in Vermund or the harsh desert landscapes of Battahl. Though more environmental diversity would have been appreciated, at least theres plenty to explore, and consistently enjoyable, dynamic combat shenanigans to get into.DRAGON QUEST 3 HD-2D REMAKEDragon Quest 2 HD-2D Remakeis obviously a very different kind of experience from most other games in this feature, given the fact that it is deliberately designed as a throwback experience that harkens back to classic RPGs with its overworld exploration, town-hopping fantasy odyssey, dungeon crawling, and what have you. And though it is ultimately an old game made new, its also a sufficiently large experience- large enough, in fact, that theres plenty to whet the appetite of all intrepid explorers out there. Its world isnt colossal, but it feels large enough nonetheless, and exploration always remains gratifying.RISE OF THE RONINYes, weve mentioned a few rough-around-the-edges games here, butRise of the Ronincertainly does deserve its place here. Team Ninjas first crack at an open world game, though it suffered from formulaic design and cookie cutter open world content, it also wasnt without its strengths. For starters, the game deserves credit for bringing its 19th century setting to life, at least from a visual perspective (even if the locations can feel a bit too lifeless at times). More prominent, however, are the traversal mechanics, with the mix of horseback riding, gliding, and running around making for a fun loop that keeps exploration enjoyable.LIGHTYEAR FRONTIERSince its early access launch in March,Lightyear Frontierhas been praised by most who have played it, and its tranquil open world map in particular is something that many have shined a light on. Calm exploration and zen traversal are the name of the game inLightyear Frontier,owing to its very nature, which is a perfect fit for the pleasant, beautiful environments that you tend to find yourself in as you explore its world.MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR 2024Recreating literally the entire planet Earth,Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024follows in the footsteps of its 2020 predecessor in going above and beyond with its open world map. That is, however, an important part of the experience here, just as it was in 2020, and once again, theres no shortage of things to see, and even more things to do. The world sports a much greater level of detail and boasts an even greater level of authenticity, which makesFlight Sim 2024a great experience for all the virtual tourists out there.

Despite its long runtime, The Game Awards offered a pretty impressive list of reveals, from The Witcher 4 and the return of Okami and Onimusha. Elden Ring: Nightreign is taking the beloved Souls-like into a standalone multiplayer space; Split Fiction looks to offer yet another incredible Hazelight co-op adventure. Even the rumored Virtua Fighter reboot was confirmed with an impressive new trailer.However, several existing titles also received release windows and trailers, including Crimson Desert from Pearl Abyss, which continues to impress. Its all the more interesting because the first trailer landed in 2019. We didnt know what to think then, aside from the developer promising a single-player prequel to its MMORPG Black Desert Online. Further details were also forthcoming.Things changed drastically at The Game Awards 2020 when Pearl Abyss debuted its gameplay trailer for Crimson Desert, noting it to be actual in-game and gameplay footage (albeit a work in progress). What we saw looked simply mind-blowing. Massive landscapes of differing climates, from mountain ranges and forests to plateaus and, yes, some deserts; settlements of varying sizes, including villages and massive cities with various NPCs roaming about; realistic-looking dialogue exchanges with excellent facial animations; and thats not even getting to the incredible visuals.However, the gameplay ultimately caught people off-guard, particularly in its sheer variety. Dungeons with different puzzles, swamps to boat through, visceral combat (with an admittedly excessive amount of screen shake), massive monsters you can climb onto, sieges, aerial battles with a dragon mountit all seemed too good to be true. In a Dev Archives video, the development team said it only revealed a third of everything that it actually shot into the trailer. Not a third of the game, mind you a third of whatever it captured. It even touted more content in development that players could look forward to.Given the number of games that could easily fool players, including a little-known upstart in the following year called The Day Before, many were understandably skeptical. The fact that Pearl Abyss touted a Winter 2021 launch also didnt seem viable. And no prizes for guessing, but Crimson Desert wouldnt arrive that year. There were no updates, and for all intents and purposes, it seemed like nothing more than an impressive showcase that Pearl Abyss couldnt deliver on.That is, until it re-emerged at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2023, and somehow, in some way, the development team crammed even more on top of everything from the previous trailer. Arm wrestling, real-time destruction of various structures, horse-riding and combat, hijacking wagons, tree-climbing, hot-air balloons, sky-diving, bullet hell bosses, first-person fishing, flute playing, sheep rescue, giant mechanical bosses, and yes, you could even pet various animals.Again, it felt simply unbelievable that Pearl Abyss could deliver such a wide range of mechanics in such a giant world with that level of visual fidelity. While there wasnt a release date, and you could argue for a drop in graphical quality, Crimson Desert was clearly more than a showcase trailer. The developer also confirmed that this was no longer a prequel to Black Desert but its own story in the same universe, further ensuring it stood on its own.2024 proved even more notable for the title since we received 50 minutes of early gameplay, alongside the demos playable at Gamescom and G-STAR. Attendees could go hands-on with various bosses, with the combat mechanics really coming alive. Along with the sword and shield play and explosive arrows, the overall visceral nature of encounters each looking unique with their mechanics is stunning. And yes, as ridiculous as it seemed in the initial gameplay trailer, you can still clothesline, body slam and RKO enemies out of nowhere.Ultimately, its the latest trailer at The Game Awards 2024 that sealed things, with its sheer abundance of killer techniques, different weapons, and even other playable characters. The world still looks incredible, whether its the floating islands and their secrets or just roaming the countryside and battling monsters. With everything new (including confirmation that you can indeed ride around on a dragon and rain fire down on enemies), its like we still havent even scratched the surface of what Crimson Desert has to offer.Yes, there are still areas which could use even more polish, like the footstep audio from that 50-minute gameplay video or some graphical issues like pop-in. However, the fact that its scheduled for late 2025 and not the first quarter, as initially rumored, also gives the impression of Pearl Abyss opting for a more realistic timetable and taking the time for proper polish. Plans can always change, but given everything weve seen thus far, its looking like one of the biggest games of next year, both in scale and hype. Thats no easy feat, especially considering some of the competition (especially if it clashes with Grand Theft Auto 6 in the Fall).One could look at the sheer number of influences for Crimson Desert and express skepticism beyond the visuals. Its compared to properties like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Dragons Dogma 2, and so on. Black Desert players could also likely spot similar mechanics and really question how in-depth the side quests will be and whatnot.Leaving aside the fact that almost every game iterates on mechanics from those that came before, Crimson Deserts biggest strength looks to be one all those other games have in common the thrill of discovery. Setting out into a massive, unknown world, meeting different characters and learning their stories, and unearthing all the many ways you can augment your character and further legend.Its also worth noting that its release timing works out pretty well. Not only is it filling the space before The Witcher 4 launches which will be a long time since full production only started in November 2024 but catering to fans of those other games who want something more. The sheer size and scale are already very impressive. Yet, it feels like the development team is hiding so much more as if waiting to surprise players.Based on its overall visual style and combat remaining mostly the same since that initial 2020 gameplay reveal, even with some graphical downgrades, Crimson Desert seemingly has a strong vision that its maintained over the years. Pearl Abyss has seemingly taken the time to optimize it for current-gen hardware, polishing everything so that it meets the lofty standards that have no doubt arisen, and the overall experience looks all the better for it.2025 is shaping up to be something special, with the sheer number of blockbusters and killer apps released across the board. Theres an entire other half of the year thats veritably uncharted, with publishers seemingly afraid of going up against Grand Theft Auto 6. Despite their differences, Crimson Desert could very well be the other side of the same coin a massive open-world action RPG that also leans into immersing players and making them feel like theyre a part of it. For that reason and many others, we cant wait to explore everything it has to offer.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.