The USS Sequoia was designed in 1925 by Norwegian John Trumpy, who at the time made the most sought-after luxury yachts in the world.The USS Sequoia on the Potomac River. Al Fenn/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images The yacht, named after Sequoyah, a leader of the Cherokee Nation, measured 104 feet long. In its heyday, it had elegant cabins of mahogany and teak with brass finishings.The US government bought it from a Texas oil tycoon in 1931 for $200,000, and it was soon reserved for use by presidents.The vessel was berthed at Washington Navy Yard, a short drive from the White House. Herbert Hoover was the first president to use the vessel, embarking for Florida coast fishing expeditions on the boat.The USS Sequoia. AP Hoover was so enamored of the Sequoia he even used a picture of it on his 1932 Christmas card.However, at a time when many Americans were suffering from unemployment and poverty due to the Great Depression, the card drew criticism from political opponents. The Sequoia has ample crew quarters and could sleep around eight people in her three double and two single state rooms.The main bedroom on the USS Sequoia. Tom Williams/Roll Call/Getty Images In the president's bedroom cabin, the presidential seal decorated the wall above the bed and the bedspread. Up to 22 guests were able to dine on the vessel.A view of the piano and dining room of the Sequoia. Tom Williams/Roll Call/Getty Images President Harry Truman added the piano to the salon after becoming president in 1945.Lyndon Baines Johnson later added a drinks bar. Different presidents made their own adjustments to the vessel.President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the USS Sequoia. AP Photo President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who used a wheelchair for much of his presidency, had an elevator installed so he could access each deck.According to legend, he also decommissioned the vessel so he and Prime Minister Winston Churchill could enjoy alcoholic drinks on deck while they planned their strategy in World War II.At the time, no alcohol was permitted on US Navy vessels.The vessel was intended as a place presidents could use as a private retreat, and there are no official records of its guests. As a result, rumors have long circulated about what took place on board. The vessel was ideal for hosting foreign dignitaries, far from the glare of the media.President Richard Nixon, center left, with Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, center right, on the presidential yacht. AP Photo, File In June 1973, President Richard Nixon hosted Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev on the Sequoia, where the two negotiated the SALT-1 nuclear arms treaty.It was Nixon who embarked on more trips on the boat than any other president, taking more than 100 in total.During the Watergate crisis, he used the boat as a refuge.Nixon told his family of his intention to resign the presidency over dinner on the Sequoia before retiring to the boat's saloon to drink scotch and play "God Bless America" on Truman's piano, CBS News reported. Presidents also used the yacht on private trips, where they hosted friends and family.President John F. Kennedy celebrated his 46th birthday aboard the USS Sequoia. Robert Knudsen/John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum On May 29, 1963, President John F Kennedy celebrated his 46th birthday aboard the Sequoia.Among the guests for the dinner-party cruise were actors David Niven and Rat Pack member Peter Lawford, who was married to Kennedy's sister.His brother Bobby Kennedy, the attorney general, was among the family who attended, alongside select members of Washington high society.Guests described the event to The Washington Post as a raucous party, with French cuisine, flowing Champagne, and the president even making a pass at the wife of a party guest, a prominent journalist.The birthday party was to be his last. Seven months later, Kennedy was assassinated on an official visit to Dallas. President Lyndon Baines Johnson used to project movies on the main deck.President Lyndon B. Johnson, left, dined aboard the USS Sequoia. LBJ presidential library Johnson would use a projector to watch Western films on board the ship.He also used the Sequoia as a retreat to cajole potential allies and formulate policy.On board, he hosted members of Congress whom he lobbied over his landmark civil rights bill and strategized with officials as the US became further mired in the Vietnam War.Nixon's secretary of state, Henry Kissinger, said the Sequoia allowed the president to "remove himself from the machinery of the White House."President Richard Nixon, center, with businessman Ross Perot, left, and others aboard the USS Sequoia. The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images "Of course, he can get on a plane and go to Florida or anywhere else, but that requires throwing the machinery into motion," Kissinger told Newsweek in 2012. "But here, he just can say at 5 o'clock: 'I'm going to the boat, I'm taking four or five people. And you don't have to call it a meeting and you don't have to prepare the papers.'" Vowing a more modest presidency, Jimmy Carter sold the Sequoia in 1977.The USS Sequoia docked in the Navy Yard. The Washington Post/The Washington Post via Getty Images When Carter took office in 1977, he sought to make good on his election pledge to strip the White House of the trappings of an "imperial presidency."With running costs totaling $800,000 a year, the Sequoia had to go.The New York Times reported it sold to a private buyer, Thomas Malloy, for $286,000, or almost $1.5 million in today's money, when adjusted for inflation. Malloy turned the boat into a tourist attraction.Later, Carter revealed that selling the vessel was a decision he came to regret."People thought I was not being reverent enough to the office I was holding, that I was too much of a peanut farmer, not enough of an aristocrat, or something like that. So I think that shows that the American people want something of, an element of, image of monarchy in the White House," he told the JFK presidential library in a 2011 interview. After sitting in disrepair for years, the presidential yacht is undergoing restoration work.The USS Sequoia was transported on a barge for restoration work. Aaron Jackson/AP After its sale, the presidential yacht had a succession of owners.It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987, spent the '90s in a shipyard, and ran chartered cruises until 2014.However, the Sequoia fell into disrepair in subsequent years amid a legal battle over its ownership. It sat decaying in a Virginia dry dock, overrun by raccoons.Its current owner, investor Michael Cantor, began restoring the vessel in 2019 and plans to house it at the Richardson Maritime Centre in Maryland when the work is complete, Boat International reported.

Selecting a health insurance plan in the US is a little like going through a maze, or solving an impossibly difficult crossword puzzle. It can be a morass of hard-to-figure-out terms HMO, PPO, deductible, premium, coinsurance and plans. Under another Donald Trump presidency, understanding Affordable Care Act insurance plans may get even more confusing. Whether youre choosing an employer-sponsored plan or youre shopping on the health insurance marketplace, this chore might be one of the more complicated things you do all year.Things change year to year, so even if you think that youve got it figured out, you could have a plan that works super and then the insurers will make changes and then that can throw things off for you next year, says Jessy Foster, the deputy director of policy and partnerships at the Pennsylvania Health Access Network. Theres a lack of transparency ... that makes it hard for people to know what the cost of any specific service is going to be.There are generally four ways to get health insurance in the US: employer-sponsored health insurance, individual or private plans purchased through the health care marketplace formed by the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid. You cant just decide to do so whenever you want, however. There are a few conditions under which you can enroll in health insurance:If you start a new job, youll be able to elect health coverage if your employer offers it. If youre turning 65, you can sign up for Medicare. If you are low-income, you may qualify for free or reduced-cost health insurance through Medicaid. Each state has its own eligibility requirements.If youre turning 26 and are still on your parents plan, youll need to get on your employers plan or find coverage through the health care marketplace. If youve experienced a qualifying life event like losing coverage, getting married, having a baby, or moving you can enroll in health insurance.Otherwise, you can sign up or make changes to your existing plan during open enrollment. Employers set their own open enrollment period for employees to make their selections. Open enrollment for the health care marketplace is November 1 through January 15.Whether youve just turned 26 and are selecting a plan for the first time or are making a change during open enrollment, here are some questions to ask yourself before choosing health insurance. No single factor will determine your choice; rather, take all things into consideration.What is my budget?The language associated with health insurance can be confusing. Here are important terms to know:The premium is the amount you pay every month to your insurer for coverage. If you get your insurance through your job, this comes out of your paycheck before taxes are taken out. The deductible is the amount of money you pay for health services before your insurance kicks in. Once youve hit your deductible, youll pay copayments for any health care service thats covered under your plan. The amount for instance, $20 is fixed for each appointment.Coinsurance works similarly but is a percentage of the cost of a covered service and not a flat fee; again, this is only applicable after youve hit your deductible. Out-of-pocket maximum is the most you have to pay for deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance in a given year. Once you hit the out-of-pocket maximum, your insurer pays 100 percent of the costs. This cost doesnt include your monthly premium or out-of-network care.For example, your premium could be $115 a month with a $2,000 deductible. Youll need to pay for the first $2,000 of covered services yourself; after that point, when you go to a doctor, youll only pay a copay (say, $20 for a doctors appointment) or coinsurance (where youll be responsible for 30 percent of the total bill, for instance). Once you hit your out-of-pocket maximum say, $4,000 after spending that amount on deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance, you wont pay anything for services.Submit it by filling out this form.When selecting a plan from the marketplace, youll have four price options to choose from: bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. Bronze has the lowest monthly premium but highest copays and deductibles. As you ascend from silver to platinum, the monthly premium rises but the copays and deductibles are lower. For people who are shopping for health care on the marketplace and have lower incomes but dont qualify for Medicaid, theyre likely to qualify for cost-sharing reductions, Foster says. A cost-sharing reduction lowers the amount of copayments, deductibles, and coinsurance. But you must enroll in a silver-level plan to get the extra assistance. If they are eligible for that extra assistance, she says, that might lower or, in some cases, totally get rid of some of those deductibles and those plans will suddenly become comparable to a gold-level plan or, in some cases, even better.Even if you dont qualify for cost-sharing reductions, you likely have access to tax credits that lower your monthly premium if youre purchasing insurance through the marketplace. These credits are based on your income and your household (i.e. if youre single, married, or have children). Youll want to take all costs into consideration when choosing a plan, not just the premium. Comparing premiums across health plans is like comparing apples to oranges to lemons to limes, says Noah Lang, the CEO and co-founder of Stride Health, a platform that helps independent workers find the best Affordable Care Act health insurance plan for their needs. These are different fundamental financial products youre buying at the end of the day.What can you realistically spend on a premium each month? How much money comes out of each paycheck for health insurance? What is the maximum amount you would be okay with spending for a doctors visit? Would enrolling in Medicare cost less than remaining on your employer plan if youre over 65 and still working? Would you rather pay a higher premium but get charged less when receiving care? Or do you feel more comfortable paying a lower premium monthly but shouldering higher costs for care?What are my medical needs?To help determine your answer to the latter two questions, youll need to evaluate what your medical needs are and whether your doctors are in-network. There are different types of plans that determine your network of providers. Youll most likely encounter plans that fall under one of five plan types: health maintenance organization (HMO), preferred provider organization (PPO), exclusive provider organization (EPO), point of service (POS), and high-deductible health plans (HDHP).HMOs cover care you receive from in-network providers, with exceptions for emergencies. Youll need a referral to see a specialist. HMOs generally have lower premiums and out-of-pocket and prescription costs. PPOs have a list of preferred providers that cost less if you use them. This list may be broad or limited, so definitely see if your preferred providers are on it. You dont have to stay in-network for care, but it will be more expensive to go out of network. You dont need a referral to see a specialist. PPOs are also more expensive.EPOs have lower monthly premiums than PPOs but require you to stay in-network when seeking care. You typically dont need a referral to see a specialist.POS plans allow patients to choose between staying in-network and going out of network for providers, but youll pay more for out-of-network services. Youll need a referral before going to a specialist. POS plans may be more expensive than HMOs and less expensive than PPOs.HDHPs have lower monthly premiums, but as the name implies, a higher deductible for 2025, the minimum HDHP deductible is $1,650 for individuals and $3,300 for families. You may be able to see both in-network and out-of-network providers, based on the plan. Youll also be able to open a health savings account (HSA), an account that you and/or your employer can contribute to that you can use to pay for medical expenses not covered by the HDHP, like copays and prescriptions. The funds in an HSA are not subject to federal income tax. Determine your health priorities based on the plan options available, Foster says. If your priority is staying with your preferred doctor, you may want a PPO. If you want to see a lot of specialists and dont want to get a referral every time, a PPO or EPO might work for you. If you havent been to the doctor in a while but suspect youll need to catch up on a lot of appointments, you may want a plan that has lower copays and a higher monthly premium. If youre mainly focused on keeping costs down and are generally healthy, you could opt for a high-deductible plan. Just be aware of the exact dollar amount in these high-deductible plans. Weve seen some really, really high deductible plans where its $7,000 to $8,000 per person, or double that for the family, Foster says, and not a realistic amount that most people can pay.While its hard to know in advance, consider how often you will be seeking medical care. Are those preferred providers and prescriptions covered? Will you want to seek referrals from your primary care doctor? If youre anticipating surgery or pregnancy, you may want to choose a plan with a lower deductible. If you regularly visit specialists, youll want a plan that doesnt require referrals but lists your doctor as an in-network provider. If you dont anticipate seeking care beyond a preventative visit, you may want a plan with a lower premium.If youre one of these people that says I want a plan where I dont have to have referrals, I can see any doctor that accepts Medicare, I can go to any hospital or facility that accepts Medicare, then that type of flexibility will cost you money, says David Luna, the president and co-founder of Connie Health, a digital platform that helps seniors choose a Medicare plan. If youre okay with having a plan similar to your employer plan where youre paying zero [in premiums], but when you use it, youre paying a copayment, then you would look at a Medicare Advantage plan.Keep in mind that some plans dont offer dental or vision coverage and you might need to add on those services through the marketplace or a separate plan offered by your employer.Does this plan cover doctors and medications I already know and like?A lower premium wont be as effective if your preferred providers are out of network. If you have a doctor you love and you want to keep, that might drive you to pick a health plan that youre willing to spend more for, Lang says. While researching plans, look through their provider list to see if your doctors are in-network. Most insurance providers have a searchable directory where you can input your practitioners name. You dont want to enroll in a health plan that doesnt have very many doctors or one clinic in your area, Lang says, because then you might not have easy access to care.Dont forget to look up any specialists you see, too: dermatologists, therapists, chiropractors, orthopedic surgeons, or fertility clinics. If youre unsure if a provider is in-network, call them and ask.Some plans have tiered provider networks where they are priced based on the value of care they provide, Foster says. Keep in mind where your preferred providers fall if your plan is tiered. There can be a tier one, tier two, tier three, Foster says. Tier one might be, lets say $10, $20 copay. But if your doctors in-network but theyre tier three, that $20 copay might suddenly be $80 per visit.Similarly, check to see if your current prescriptions are included in the plans formulary, a list of prescription drugs covered by the plan. Could I use some help with this?Its completely normal to still have questions even after reviewing plans. For help navigating the health care marketplace online portal, you can call the Marketplace Call Center where someone can walk you through enrollment. Platforms like Stride Health allow for a more user-friendly enrollment experience, plus offer free support from advisers, Lang says.RelatedHow to advocate for yourself at the doctors officeYou can seek the help of a professional navigator or assister who can answer your questions and help you enroll. Navigators are funded by federal or state grants while assisters are funded by different grants administered by the states. These services are free and you can chat in person, over the phone, or online. Navigators and assisters are unbiased and will not vouch for one insurance company or plan over another. The government maintains a searchable database where you can find local navigators and assisters. According to Foster, it can be difficult to get an appointment with a navigator or assister during the first few days and last days of open enrollment. Make a plan early if you want to work with these professionals. You can also opt to get contacted directly by a health insurance agent or broker, who is trained to help you enroll in a plan. Agents and brokers may work for a specific health insurance company and thus wont sell plans for companies they dont represent; they may also earn commissions. You dont need to pay extra to work with agents or brokers. Ask all the questions. Dont be shy, Foster says. I always tell folks if it was easy, we wouldnt have jobs like navigators and assisters because we would be obsolete.Update, January 2, 2025, 10:30 am: This story, originally published October 16, 2023, has been updated with 2025 numbers and information.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Sometimes, it seems as if navigating health insurance benefits requires its own language (and maybe an actuarial degree to boot). The questions are endless: Is it better to have a high premium and a low deductible, or the other way around? How are you supposed to guess how much money to put in a flexible spending account? Please remind me, what is coinsurance again? And perhaps the biggest question of all: Why is all of this so complicated? If you are one of the approximately 65 percent of Americans with private health insurance, its essential to actually understand how your benefits work and how to get the most use out of them. Were here to help. We hope these stories allow you to make the best decisions for you and your health with just a little bit less stress in the new year. Editorial Lead: Libby Nelson | Editors: Meredith Haggerty, Alanna Okun | Reporters: Dylan Scott, Emily Stewart, Allie Volpe | Style & Standards: Tanya Pai, Caity PenzeyMoog, Kim Eggleston, Elizabeth Crane, Sarah Schweppe, Anouck Dussaud | Art Director: Paige Vickers | Illustrator: Sebastian Knig | Audio: A. Hall, Jonquilyn Hill, Sofi LaLonde | Audience Lead: Shira Tarlo | Managing Editors: Natalie Jennings, Nisha Chittal | Special Thanks: Blair Hickman, Andrew Losowsky, Sam Hankins, Amani Orr

We're still waiting for the second GTA 6 trailer after more than a year, but enterprising fans have now got GTA 3 running on a vintage console f that's something you're interested inTech16:01, 02 Jan 2025Grand Theft Auto 3 was a PS2 exclusive, but has been ported since(Image: Rockstar)GTA 6 is real, this we know, but short of a single trailer that dropped over a year ago, Rockstar Games is keeping us waiting.If the studio's parent company saying it'll "deliver something phenomenal", or calling it "extraordinary" has wet your appetite for some open-world criminality, and you happen to be using the Dreamcast as your only games console, you're in the middle of the most specific Venn diagram around and in for a treat.As shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Dreamcast developer Falco Girgis, the DCA3 project (that's Dreamcast Auto 3) has ported the PS2 classic to Sega's last home console.Content cannot be displayed without consent"SURPRISE SURPRISE! The alpha release of Grand Theft Auto 3 running on the Sega #Dreamcast (DCA3) is here! Here is an actual hardware capture I took from my DC while doing some physics engine optimization work," Girgis said."Over the last several months, a rag-tag team of indie DC developers and GTA fans assembled to take on what seemed to many to be an impossible feat: port GTA3 to the Sega Dreamcast."Girgis has promised more updates to come, but it's certainly impressive to see a game ported in its entirety between consoles, especially with the older nature of both titles.The port began work in Summer of 2024, with the team essentially reverse-engineering the PC port to ascertain it could run on the Dreamcast, some of the developers told Dreamcast Junkyard.Dreamcast was ahead of its time, but sadly burned out(Image: Star Tribune via Getty Images)If you're of a certain age, you likely won't remember SEGA's Dreamcast console. It launched in 1998 in Japan (1999 elsewhere) and was ahead of its time, pioneering the use of online multiplayer, downloadable content, and offering games like Phantasy Star Online, a console MMO.Sadly, it arrived during the PlayStation 1's life cycle and when fans were anticipating the launch of the PS2, and it was never able to compete with Sony's follow-up.Article continues belowSadly, the wait for GTA 6 news goes on. After a year of silence since the first trailer, the game has already broken a Rockstar Games record for the longest gap between info and assets from the studio.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.RECOMMENDED

If you thought the Nintendo Switch 2 was the most exciting hardware expected in 2025, then think again Russia is reportedly looking to release its own consoleTech15:11, 02 Jan 2025Russia is reportedly building a video game console (or two)While we're all itching for the latest news on the Nintendo Switch 2, Russian gamers could soon have their own console.According to reports, the country is looking to rival the most anticipated upcoming gaming releases with its own system after major companies in the video game industry withdrew from the region following the invasion of Ukraine.Two consoles are reportedly in development, but it doesn't sound like PS5, Xbox, or Switch owners need to feel a tinge of jealousy just yet.According to a report from TechSpot, one system will use an Elbrus processor developed in Russia, while the other will stream games from the internet via a stick you plug into your TV.Putin is seemingly looking to help grow Russia's own development sceneAnton Gorelkin, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy for Russia, took to Telegram to set expectations."Elbrus processors are not yet at the stage of development to ensure equal competition with the PS5 and Xbox, which means that the solution must be non-standard," he explained."The Russian console is not being created in order to port a hundred old games there and report on the implementation of the President's order.It'll be tough to get going from a standing start in the console space"This platform should primarily serve the goals of promoting and popularizing domestic video game products, expanding their audience beyond PC and mobile gaming."Given Russia's chequered history with gaming with the Famicom back in the nineties with the Dendy, and Gorelkin's comments about not being able to compete with Sony or Microsoft machines, we're not about to trade in our consoles just yet, although it appears the focus is on promoting videogame development within Russia, as opposed to moving titles across.Article continues belowFor more on video game consoles, be sure to check out why your next system should be a Steam Deck OLED.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.RECOMMENDED

Black Myth Wukong's director has pointed to the Xbox Series S as a potential reason for the action game's Xbox release being delayed, suggesting the console lacks memoryTech14:03, 02 Jan 2025Black Myth Wukong is one of 2024's most impressive titles(Image: Game Science)Black Myth Wukong was one of the best games of 2024, with developer Game Science's action title doing incredible numbers on Steam and PS5 at launch, while also being nominated for Game of the Year at The Game Awards.That's got Xbox players wondering when they'll get the chance to step into the adventure, with Microsoft suggesting that an exclusivity agreement between Game Science and PlayStation could have been what kept the game off of its Series X and Series S systems.Now it seems things could be a little more complex, with Black Myth Wukong's director suggesting the delay could be down to the Series S console lacking in memory.Black Myth Wukong won the Steam Game of the Year award(Image: Game Science)Posting on Chinese social media site Weibo and translated by Resetera, Black Myth: Wukong director Feng Ji said "Although there were no big surprises, I still felt a little emotional after taking all of them [Steam Awards].""Everyone's fighting power is so terrifying, but the only thing missing is the Xbox robe... It seems a bit wrong (but that 10G shared memory, without a few years of optimization experience, it really can't be taken down)."The Series S has 10GB of RAM, while the Series X has 16GB, which appears to be what's causing the delay at least according to Game Science.In case you missed it, this situation is similar to the release of Baldur's Gate 3 in 2023. The game launched on PS5 and PC, but Microsoft's apparently commitment to parity between its Xbox consoles meant it couldn't come to Series X without also coming to Series S.Article continues belowThat meant the game launched significantly later than PS5 and PC versions, but Microsoft worked with the studio to ensure it arrived on both Xbox consoles. In June 2024, Game Science announced the game would be delayed "to meet our quality standards", before Xbox suggested it was down to a PlayStation exclusivity agreement.While the game picked up the Game of the Year award from the Steam Awards, it missed out on the top gong at The Game Awards something Feng Ji was less than pleased with, according to translations.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.RECOMMENDED

GTA 6 is bound to make money, but how much money? (Rockstar)Analysts are expecting GTA 6 to be a massive money maker when it launches, but it may not be a perfect solution to the games industrys woes.Assuming it isnt delayed, GTA 6 will undoubtedly be the most important video game release of 2025. Its such a big deal that other publishers are reportedly refraining from announcing autumn 2025 release dates for their games to avoid directly competing with it.Surprisingly, 2024 saw no updates on GTA 6s progress, with none of the fan theories of when a second trailer would drop proving accurate. As such, expectations are high for developer Rockstar to share something later this year.While theres no telling when that will happen, one thing you can predict is that GTA 6 will make a lot of money when it comes out. In fact, analysts are predicting it will manage to shatter the records set by GTA 5 when it launched in 2013.How much money will GTA 6 make?Speaking with The Financial Times, market research firm DFC Intelligence predicts that GTA 6 will make $1 billion just in pre-orders. Thats a feat not even GTA 5 managed, with it meeting the same threshold three days after its release.DFC Intelligence adds that it then expects GTA 6 to generate $3.2 billion in revenue in its first 12 months on the market. Not only is this twice as much as GTA 5 made in the same timeframe, but its also far more than any movie that came out in 2024. For comparisons sake, the highest grossing movie last year was Inside Out 2 at almost $1.7 billion at the box office.This would easily make GTA 6 one of the biggest launches in all of entertainment, not just video games. Yoshio Osaki, chief executive of IDG Consulting, even says as much, adding, The pent-up demand is greater than anything weve seen before.While GTA 5 has made more than $8.5 billion in revenue in its entire lifetime, its entirely possible GTA 6 could exceed that if these predictions prove accurate. Especially if Rockstar keeps player engagement up with a successor to the GTA Online multiplayer mode.GTA 6s success is also expected to be a net positive for the entire games industry since it will make video games in general more of a mainstream topic purely through association.However, not everyone is convinced GTA 6 will automatically trigger a surge of growth within the industry. Ampere Analysis forecasts predict consumer spending on games will only go up by 2.2 percent to $195 billion.That may sound like a lot, but its nothing compared to the substantial growth the industry enjoyed from 2015 to 2021, where spending shot up from $95 billion to $191 billion.Obviously, the Covid-19 induced lockdown played a part in that too and the last few years have demonstrated that executives expected that growth to continue. Its what emboldened companies into taking on too many new staff and/or buying out studios, and eventually led to the rampant lay-offs that dominated 2023 and 2024.More TrendingWeve grown so well in the last 25 years that it feels like none of us knows how to work in a non-growing industry, says game designer and consultant Nicholas Lovell. There is no funding and the market is oversaturated [with new games].Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of GTA 6 publisher Take-Two Interactive who also oversaw his own share of layoffs, admitted to The Financial Times, We too got a little bit ahead of ourselves in terms of growth expectations.However, he still says he was a bit surprised when consumer spending on games began to dwindle post-pandemic. But hes confident that the launch of GTA 6 will spark renewed interest in gaming.Youre seeing more consumer demand broadly. And the [games] industry, frankly led by us, has an amazing release schedule coming in 2025 and beyond, says Zelnick. A hit coming from one company tends to benefit the entire industry. Could GTA 6 cross the $8.5 billion mark quicker than GTA 5 did? (Rockstar)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

By Matthew Gault Published January 2, 2025 | Comments (0) | A Tesla Cybertruck is shown after it caught fire and exploded outside the lobby of President-elect Donald Trump's hotel, on January 1, 2025, in Las Vegas. Photo by WADE VANDERVORT / AFP) (Photo by WADE VANDERVORT/AFP via Getty Images On New Years Day, a rented Cybertruck pulled in front of a Trump hotel in Las Vegas and seemed to explode. The explosion killed the driver of the Cybertruck and injured seven observers. The hotel was unscathed. Active duty U.S. Army Special Forces sergeant Matthew Alan Livelsberger had rented the Cybertruck earlier that day in Colorado before driving it all the way to Vegas. Footage from security cameras and bystanders showed the explosion. According to authorities and witnesses, the Cybertruck parked in front of the entrance of the Trump International Hotel around 8:30 AM. Smoke poured out of the Cybertruck before it caught fire and detonated a mix of explosive material in its truck bed. Videos of the explosion showed fireworks, smoke, and a huge burst of flame shooting through the glass at the top of the Cybertruck. Photos of the truck shown in the aftermath reveal the accelerants and explosive material in the bed. It was a tumbledown mix of mortar-style fireworks and fuel canisters.In a press conference, Las Vegas PD Sheriff Kevin McMahill praised the build of the truck. The fact that this was a Cybertruck really limited the damage that occurred inside of the valet because it had most of the blast. Up through the truck and out. Youll see that the front glass doors at the Trump hotel were not even broken by that blast which they were parked directly in front of, he said. NEWS: Law enforcement officials said the Cybertruck actually helped contain the explosion. The fact that this was a Cybertruck really limited the damage that occurred. It had most of the blast go up through the truck and out. The front glass doors at the Trump hotel were not pic.twitter.com/70tZ8jHm4p Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) January 2, 2025 On X, Musk and his cronies praised the truck and declared that its build had saved lives. They alsochided media outlets for putting Cybertruck in the headline of a story about a cybertruckexploding. The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards, Musk said in a post on X. Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken. The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards. Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken. https://t.co/9vj1JdcRZV Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 2, 2025 This is stupid. We dont yet know the motivation for the explosion or much about who is behind it. The construction of the Cybertruck didnt save lives and the Trump International Hotel, the poor make of the car bomb did. On a scale of damaging car bomb explosions, what happened in front of the Trump hotel in Las Vegas is small. A mix of consumer fireworks and fuel canisters riding in the back of a glass-topped vehicle is designed to get attention, not cause damage. If what happened outside of the Trump hotel was, in fact, a car bomb its sub-amateur level. In 2010, a car bomb ignited in Times Square but failed to explode. A 1993 Nissan Pathfinder contained a gun locker full of 250 pounds of fertilizer, fireworks in a metal container, gas cans, and propane tanks. The cops called this failed car bomb amateurish. Whatever had been prepared in the bed of the Cybertruck didnt even meet these amateurish standards.The investigation into the event is ongoing. Livelsberger, a Colorado Springs native, rented the truck in Colorado on Wednesday morning. Surveillance from Tesla charging stations showed the trucks journey from Colorado to Las Vegas. It appears that Livelsberger died in the Cybertruck during the fire. The Pentagon confirmed earlier today that Livelsberger is an active-duty member of the Army Special Forces who was on leave from his post in Germany when he rented the Cybertruck. Livelsbergers LinkedIn profile described him as a Green Beret who served as a communications and intelligence specialist with almost two decades of experience.Authorities are looking into a possible connection between Livelsberger, the Cybertruck, and an attack in New Orleans that killed 15 people. Hours before the Cybertruck caught fire, Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a Ford F-150 into a crowd of partygoers in New Orleans and killed 15 people. Jabbar and Livelsberger both used an app called Turo to rent their vehicles. Both were U.S. Army Veterans.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Matt Novak Published December 31, 2024 By Todd Feathers Published December 30, 2024 By Matthew Gault Published December 30, 2024 By AJ Dellinger Published December 27, 2024 By Matthew Gault Published December 24, 2024 By Matt Novak Published December 20, 2024

Looking to add some smart style to your space? The Govee Smart Ceiling Light brings a whole new dimension to home lighting with its easy to use mix of main and background lighting. With RGB+WW for the main light and RGBIC for the backlight, you can paint your room with any of 16 million colors while keeping things practical with adjustable white light from warm to cool. So if youve ever wanted rainbow lighting or anything like it, this is your chance to get it.See at AmazonRight now, you can grab this versatile smart light for just $45 at Amazon, down from its regular price of $70. Thats a solid 35% off, saving you $25 on a light that does way more than just brighten up your room. This is a great chance to kick off 2025 with some fun customization you can add to your home with little effort (and little money too).Customize your ceiling lighting for lessControl everything through the Govee Home App or with Alexa voice commands no need for traditional switches. Want movie night ambience? Game room vibes? Home office lighting? With brightness control from 1% to 100% (up to 2400 lumens) and 71 scene modes, you can set the perfect mood for any situation.The rhythm lighting feature is particularly clever, automatically adjusting throughout the day to match your natural schedule. Plus, it can sync with other Govee lights to create coordinated light shows across your home. So if you already have much of the Govee ecosystem set up in your home for other types of smart lighting options, you can sync this addition with the rest of them.That means that for less than $50, you could potentially complete a simple smart light setup that you can control with a smart hub or mobile device. You could have a professional install or something to that effect, but you can do it all for less and with less equipment this way, which should be a boon for just about anyone.Whether youre upgrading your living room, bedroom, or home office, this smart ceiling light brings both practical lighting and fun ambient effects at a price that wont keep you up at night. Use it to create ambiance, to add lighting where it might be darker in your home, or just do it to make parties at your place even cooler. Whatever you decide, this is a deal you wont want to pass up, so be sure to grab it while you can.See at Amazon

If youre one of the millions of people whos made a New Years resolution that includes working out and getting into better shape, Amazons just dropped a great deal with you in mind the Apple Watch 10 is back to its Cyber Week price of just $359 after a 16% price drop.See at AmazonThis year is the 10th anniversary of the release of the first Apple Watch, and in that time it has established itself as one of the very best fitness and health-tracking wearables on the market. The Apple Watch 10 debuted in September 2024, and it immediately stood out for its larger and brighter screen, superior sound, and expanded capabilities for tracking your workouts.Thinner and BetterIf youre upgrading from an Apple Watch 9 or earlier model to the Apple Watch 10, the first thing youll notice is that the 10 is 10% thinner than the 9 its Apples thinnest and lightest-feeling watch yet, even thinner than the Apple Watch Ultra. Yet the Apple Watch 10 still manages to have the largest and brightest display yet up to 30% larger and 40% brighter, so checking your heart rate or running pace while in the middle of your workout is easier than ever.Among the new fitness features of the Apple Watch 10 are tracking modes for kayakers, canoers, and rowers, and the Tides app which monitors coastal conditions an essential safety feature for anyone working out or playing in the ocean. Aquatic adventurers will also appreciate the improved 50-meter water resistance and water temperature sensors of the Apple Watch 10.The Watch That WatchesEven when youre not actively working out, the health benefits of the Apple Watch 10 are significant. You can take an ECG anytime with the Apple Watch 10, which will alert you if your heart rate is unusually high or low or if theres an irregularity. When worn overnight, the Apple Watch 10 measures heart and respiratory rates and can also help you detect signs of sleep apnea. If youre worried about overtaxing your battery by wearing the Apple Watch 10 overnight, its also Apples fastest-charging watch yet, able to get back to an 80% charge in just 30 minutes.Crack resistance and IP6X dust resistance, and vastly improved sound to let you make and take phone calls with more clarity and volume than ever are just two more reasons why the first days of 2025 are the ideal time to upgrade your fitness and health tracker by getting yourself into an Apple Watch 10. But the best reason of all may be this Amazon sale that lets you do it for just $359 the lowest price on the Apple Watch 10 since Cyber Week.See at Amazon