There was also a British Empire Medal for Department for Education architect Beech Williamson, who tragically died this Christmas, aged 64, shortly after finding out about his honours nomination.Clegg is known for his pioneering work in sustainable design over a 45-year career which has placed him at the forefront of environmentally responsible and socially conscious building practices.The architect set up the practice in 1978 with the late Richard Feilden, who was himself awarded an OBE 25 years ago for his work in community architecture. Early projects focused on energy efficiency and innovative use of materials, leading to a series of significant projects, including the headquarters for environmental charities such as Greenpeace, the National Trust and the Woodland Trust.Advertisement Source:Simon DolingNational Trust HQ (completed 2005) by FCBSThe pair were later joined at the practice by Keith Bradley, and in 2008 FCBS won the RIBA Stirling Prize as head of the team behind the Accordia housing project in Cambridge.Clegg said the OBE acknowledged the long history of the practice in promoting environmentally and socially responsible architecture.He added: Architecture is a collaborative discipline, and the recognition needs to be shared by the hundreds of people over the years that have been part of the practice and the thousands of consultants contractors and clients that have worked on projects that have allowed us to explore a new approach to architectural design.The announcement of Williamsons award came as the sad news broke of his death over the Christmas holiday.An architect in the Department for Educations design, operations and infrastructure group, Williamson was known for his forensic knowledge and early adoption of technology in design. He joined the department in the early 1980s as an architectural assistant and was instrumental in cross-party work around standardisation, modern methods of construction and net zero carbon.AdvertisementTogether with his wife and department colleague Alison Wadsworth he played a pivotal role in setting the parameters for school design. Source:Jen Singer/Department for EducationBeech WilliamsonMore recently and before his retirement last year, Williamson strove for better outdoor spaces on school sites and to improve the standard of building provision to benefit children with special educational needs (SEND).According to a post on the Department for Education's website: A devoted father and husband, Beech died over the festive period after a period of illness, surrounded by his family.Among the other recipients of honours were: former Battersea Power Station Development Company chief executive Simon Murphy, who was awarded an OBE for services to real estate, heritage, and the community in London; and industrial designer Tom Dixon, who became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Dixon is best known for his furniture and lighting.There was also an award for Malcolm Reading, of global architectural competition organisers Malcolm Reading Consultants, who received the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) by the King for services to the Sovereign Grant Audit and Risk.The organisation is currently running the contest to find an 'exceptionally dedicated and inspired multidisciplinary team' to create a landmark memorial masterplan celebrating Queen Elizabeth II.

There are many reasons you might need to build a website in 3 hours, and some people are particularly driven to do so -- a creative person who loves the idea of experimenting with artificial intelligence, for instance, or a solopreneur who needs a landing page to connect with new clients.Or me, the person who has been sitting on the idea of making a website, yet is overwhelmed by the surplus of creative talent, brand identity and design companies available for hire and is hyper-aware of the steps between a website design project's initial brainstorm and launch.I first heard of Wix in 2016, but I hadn't looked that far into it since I was committed to another design platform. So when I noticed that part of its newest AI offerings included an upgraded website builder, I thought this would be a good time to test Wix as a website domain -- and check out its take on AI. (I will admit my curiosity was influenced by it ranking No. 1 on CNET's Website Builder list.)Wix ADI vs. Wix AI Upgrade your inbox Get cnet insider From talking fridges to iPhones, our experts are here to help make the world a little less complicated. Wix's first iteration of its website builder, Wix ADI, launched as a quicker way to build websites. After plugging in your design requirements and preferences, ADI responds with design options based on these inputs. This allows you to customize the design process in an attempt to make designing less of a big task and more of a guided approach.Its target demographic is someone with no design experience looking for simplification and ease, yet you need a subscription plan, which ranges between $17 to $159 a month, to access it.The main difference between Wix ADI and the newer Wix AI is that Wix AI is an enhancement to ADI -- the next generation of site creation, "offering more sophisticated design and content generation abilities, as well as a suite of Wix's AI-powered tools designed to help increase your productivity and reduce the effort required to create the website you envision."With new AI upgrades, including a chat system that uses natural language processing -- machine learning that helps machines communicate in human language, like the Bing and ChatGPT chatbots -- to understand your vision, Wix AI's response is a more personalized website outcome. Plus, Wix AI is free to use.How Wix AI delivers a website design in 30 minutesI appreciate the playfulness of Wix AI's Website Builder. For anticipating the creative possibilities that lie ahead, the user experience of its landing page supported this.Once I entered the Wix Site Creation area, I was greeted with a message to start a chat about my website project. In the footer, it reminds you that "AI can make mistakes," so as always make sure you double check the accuracy of its suggestions. It also advises you not to share personal information, which you should always keep in mind when using AI chatbots -- keep personal and sensitive information off the table to avoid the risk of data breaches.These were the steps to setting up my website on Wix AI:1: The Website Builder first inquired about my Site Name, Site Type, Site Applications and my project Goals. Then, I was asked about the services I'd offer and any specific website end goals.2: I was asked about specific features that would support these goals. I didn't know the answer to this, so I asked Wix AI for some suggestions. Screenshot by CNET3: The natural language processing system then took those answers and generated a website for me. It included a Site Brief that breaks down what structures were added to my website, plus the ability to Make It A Little Different or Regenerate Site. I ended up utilizing this feature because I wasn't pleased with the first take -- including a stock photo of a hand that literally could not belong to me, nor my target audience.4: Wix's second attempt at a website design was more aligned, including a mosaic-like style that worked well with my simple, organized vision. From here, you can adjust the content and design details: typography, images, colors, line weights, text and moving around design blocks. 5: My website resulted in five blocks, including Website Menu/Homepage, Offerings, Gallery Showcase, Philosophy and Footer. Knowing that I could easily spend the other 150 minutes of my initial expectation toggling around and fine-tuning each area of my site, I was happy with what Wix built for me in 30.Should you try Wix's AI Website Builder? The website design Wix AI came up with for me. Screenshot by CNETAs someone who has entered -- and quickly exited -- a $1,000 website design course, I enjoyed the Wix AI Website Builder for its design process. The chat system was my favorite part; it felt like I was working one-on-one with a design consultant. And since it forced me to think about my end goal and design needs (which I believe is half the struggle), navigating a website design after the structure is laid out based on your specific needs feels much more approachable.Now, I absolutely label myself as someone with no design experience, who is short on time (and patience) and whose end goal was to get something up to consider it complete. The Wix AI Website Builder wasn't created for someone who designs daily, but a design-savvy professional could find the website-building experience a fun tool to navigate and explore. And for someone with no design experience, it made the task easy, possible and fast.I could name numerous activities that waste 30 minutes -- you know, those that seemingly feel like three hours -- but I wouldn't rank Wix AI's Website Builder up there. We all deserve to express our needs and have them met, even if it's with an artificial intelligence platform.And it listens! And responds accordingly. Fascinating.

Dear reader, we've entered a new year and there's likely a lot on your plate. Consider upgrading your home with some smart tech in 2025, so you can spend less time on chores and more on the things you love. That means it might be time to check out a robot vacuum, and we've got a great deal on one today from Best Buy. For today only, you can get this Ecovacs robot vacuum and mop with an auto-leaning station for just $330, which is a massive $470 off. See at Best BuyThis impressive little helper can not only vacuum your carpets and mop your hard floors, but it can tell which is which, ensuring it lifts the mop up when needed. It can auto-map your home to learn where to go and when. It can avoid furniture, and it's light enough that you can pick it up and move it when needed. The cleaning station also means you don't have to do as much maintenance, which is lovely. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.This is easily one of the best robot vacuum deals on right now, and likely one of the better ones we'll see in the coming weeks too. So, make sure you make your purchase soon if you like it, because this deal is only on for today. And we've found even more smart home deals if you're looking to overhaul your home for the new year.Why this deal mattersRobot vacuums can be prohibitively expensive. This one would normally set you back $800, and while we're all a little lighter when it comes to the bank balance in January, a big reduction of $470 means this is a lot more affordable for a lot of people. We just don't want you to have to vacuum anymore.

On a recent weekday, I was stumped for ideas about what to make for dinner. So I opened my fridge, held the Camera Control button on my iPhone 16, snapped a photo and uploaded the image to ChatGPT and Google.Both virtual assistants surprised me with their recommendations; Google suggested I make a salad with grapes and veggies, while ChatGPT noticed the pickles sitting on the top shelf and advised I add them to a wrap or sandwich.Using your phone's camera to find recipes may just be the start. If tech giants are to be believed, the cameras on our phones are going to play a much bigger role in everyday tasks. And soon.Rather than just telling your phone what you want, you'll be able to show your phone the world around you. Companies such as Apple, Google, OpenAI, Qualcomm and Meta seem to be moving in this trajectory, considering all of them introduced new camera-based AI features or concepts for smartphones and smart glasses in 2024. Instead of just enabling you to snap photos and preserve memories, tech companies are exploring the idea of turning the camera into a sort of visual search engine. Point your device's camera at a restaurant, and it'll pull up key details like its operating hours and photos of the food, for example. In one of the biggest testaments to a camera-first future, Google, Samsung and Qualcomm unveiled Android XR in December. This new version of Android is designed to run on headsets and smart glasses and uses the camera and Google's Gemini assistant to answer questions about your surroundings in real time.It's certainly a shift away from the touch-centric methods we use to operate our phones today. And while it may take some time to get used to -- if consumers embrace it at all -- analysts and tech firms believe it could represent the future of how we use our mobile devices."Camera and visual feedback, whether it's uploading a picture of something or giving it your camera feed, is going to be really important going forward," Google's Seang Chau, vice president and general manager of the Android platform, said in a previous interview.Read more: The Biggest Phones to Expect in 2025: iPhone 17, Galaxy S25 and MoreYour phone's camera is evolving with AI The Pixel 9's camera James Martin/CNETGenerative AI chatbots had a breakthrough in 2023 thanks to OpenAI's ChatGPT. In 2024, tech companies set the stage for the next phase of AI helpers: multimodal AI agents. In plain English, that refers to AI-powered virtual assistants that can understand multiple types of input (i.e. text, speech and images) and handle tasks on your behalf.Imagine scanning a restaurant bill with your phone's camera and asking a virtual helper to split the cost between the party and add a tip. That technology isn't quite there yet, but mobile chipmaker Qualcomm pointed to it as an example of a scenario that could be possible in the near future as AI agents advance.In 2024, the building blocks of these more futuristic assistants started falling into place. Both OpenAI and Google made improvements to how their models and systems process multiple types of inputs. In December, OpenAI updated ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode with the ability to share your phone's video feed or screen with the digital assistant so that you could ask questions without having to upload photos. Android XR and Google's Project Astra take that a step further by putting cameras closer to your line of sight -- in headsets and glasses -- so that Google's assistant can do things like tell you about the landmark you're viewing in Google Maps or provide a synopsis of the book you're browsing in a bookshop. This representation of what Maps looks like on glasses was like what I experienced on dual-display prototypes, but in a contained demo space. GoogleIn yet another sign that phone-makers are increasingly thinking of the camera as a discovery tool, Apple launched a new feature called Visual Intelligence in December. Only available on the iPhone 16 series, Visual Intelligence makes it possible to learn about the world around you by pressing the new Camera Control button.Tap the button to launch the camera, and aim it at a point of interest to get more information about it. You can also snap a photo in this mode and send it to ChatGPT or Google for things like solving math problems or searching for products."Just imagine how many steps it saves us," Nabila Popal, a senior director with the International Data Corporation's data and analytics team, said in reference to camera-driven AI features. "Being able to research something, or find information on something, or add an event [to] a calendar without having to take those additional steps." With Visual Intelligence, you can hold the iPhone 16 up to a cafe or restaurant and see information like hours and photos. Numi Presarn/CNETBut the question is whether people will actually want to use these features. A CNET survey in collaboration with YouGov found that 25% of smartphone owners don't find AI features useful. While tech companies are leaning on AI to generate interest in new phones, it doesn't seem to be enticing users to upgrade. Even though the global smartphone market is expected to have grown by 6.2% year-over-year in 2024, according to the IDC, growth is expected to slow in 2025 and beyond. And AI isn't considered to be a driving force behind the surge in shipments in 2024, says the IDC's report.That's partially because consumers aren't familiar with the technology. But many of these AI features are still new and don't feel essential to our phones yet. The iPhone 16, which Apple positioned as being the first phones "built for Apple Intelligence" launched without Apple's marquee feature in September. Some of Apple Intelligence's most significant additions, like ChatGPT integration, didn't arrive until December.It's also uncertain how strong demand for the iPhone 16 has been since its launch. TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who is known for making predictions about Apple products, reportedin October that Apple had cut iPhone 16 orders by around 10 million units. A Morgan Stanley survey also indicates that lead times for the iPhone 16 were shorter than those for previous iPhones in the last five years, according to Apple Insider.Those two data points could be taken as a potential sign that iPhone 16 demand was lower than Apple had expected, but they could also mean Apple's production was in line with consumer demand. In its fiscal fourth quarter earnings, Apple reported that overall iPhone revenue grew by 6%, although it's unclear how much of that was from the iPhone 16, since Apple doesn't break out sales data for specific models.How the iPhone 16 has been received by consumers is a crucial question, because it could determine the success of Apple Intelligence, given the iPhone 16 devices are among the only phones to support the technology.Gerrit Schneemann, a senior analyst covering smartphones for Counterpoint Research, points to Samsung's Galaxy S24 lineup as another example that AI isn't a selling point for phones yet."A lot of upgraders, for example, for the S24 Ultra [were] coming from older Ultra devices," he said. "So for us, that meant they're upgrading because it's time to upgrade, not necessarily because it [has] Galaxy AI."But perhaps the camera could play a role in changing that, potentially taking AI from being gimmicky to practical.Smart glasses are coming next What it could look like to get messages through smart glasses, based on Google's video. GoogleWhile it makes sense for the cameras on our phones to be the first step towards an all-seeing AI assistant, these updates are also paving the path for smart glasses.Smart glasses famously failed to gain traction with consumer audiences roughly a decade ago in the era of Google Glass. Back then, the search giant's high-tech eyewear flopped for a few important reasons: It sparked privacy concerns, lacked use cases compelling enough to justify the high price and suffered from technical limitations such as short battery life and a narrow field of view.But generative AI has put camera-equipped spectacles back in the spotlight. Sameer Samat, president of the Android ecosystem at Google, says advancements in AI have made this the right time to reexamine the feasibility of smart glasses. The company will soon be releasing prototype smart glasses with its Project Astra technology to testers to gather feedback, a sign that smart glasses may make a comeback in 2025."We were playing around with what these models can do using the phone, and the cameras on the phone as a way of interacting with the world, and it was truly blowing us away, what was possible," Samat said. Meta's Ray-Ban glasses already have AI features. Scott Stein/CNETMeta's latest Ray-Ban glasses can already use AI to analyze what you're seeing and provide answers in real time, and the tech giantjust started rolling outalways-on AI assistance to those who are part of Meta's early access program. That means Meta's AI helper will be able to continuously listen so that you don't have to keep prompting it each time you want to ask a question. Google's prototype smart glasses work similarly; it'll passively listen for input once you activate Gemini until you pause it.When trying the Google prototype in December, CNET's Scott Stein walked around a demo room in Google's offices asking about various elements -- from books on a shelf to a Nespresso coffee machine -- without having to constantly invoke the assistant.In my own experience trying the glasses, I asked questions such as whether the plant I was looking at was ideal for indoor environments and received an answer in my ears almost instantly. Today, most people would probably take the extra steps of snapping a photo of the plant, uploading it to Gemini or ChatGPT, and then asking the question."It isn't always the most natural [thing] to be holding your phone up to everything," Samat said when talking about the inspiration behind Android XR. "Wouldn't this be perfect for a pair of glasses? That leads to us thinking about glasses."Meanwhile, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and former Apple design chief Jony Ive are collaborating on an AI-powered computing device that's "less socially disruptive than the iPhone," according to The New York Times. While little is known about the product, the project is another sign that a wave of new AI devices is likely arriving soon.That comes after gadgets like the Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1, both of which run on AI-powered software and leverage the camera to answer questions about one's surroundings, got off to a rocky start in 2024. Those devices were widely panned for not living up to expectations, malfunctioning at launch and generally failing to be as intuitive or helpful as a smartphone, although both have been updated significantly in recent months.It's unclear exactly what devices of the future will look like, and what's even less certain is whether any consumer tech product will be as impactful and helpful as the devices we already carry in our pockets. But if you want a peek at where things are going, there's a good chance it all starts with the camera on the phone you own today.Eventually, generative AI features -- whether they leverage the camera or not -- will feel so essential to mobile devices that phones without the technology may feel archaic or irrelevant, according to Popal. She likens it to the arrival of the internet and app stores on our phones."The old smartphone," she says, "will just seem so not smart." The Weird and Wonderful Images We Got From Google's Pixel Studio See all photos

January 2, 20255 min readNanotech Scientists Build on an Insects Odd Soccer Ball-Like Excretions to Design Ingenious CamouflageArtificial versions of nanoscale soccer-ball-like structures called brochosomes might be used to make new forms of military camouflage, self-cleaning surfaces or hydrogen fuelBy Ivan Amato edited by Gary StixBrochosomes Science Photo Library/Alamy Stock PhotoIn the early 1950s biologists at Brooklyn College were using an electron microscope to pursue a lead that the leafhopper, a common insect that is about the size of a rice grain and named after one of its signature behaviors, could be an agent of viral transmission. In their research, the scientists incidentally observed, in their words, certain ultramicroscopic bodies, hitherto undescribed, on the wings of leafhoppers. In a 1953 note in the Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society, they dubbed these minuscule, spherical, jacklike structures brochosomes, after a Greek word meaning mesh of a net.Since then a thin but determined line of scientists and engineers has built a brochosome-anchored hyperspecialty. These researchers are drawn to these subpinpoints of highly structured matter by the biological wonders they embody and the technological possibilities their elaborately porous forms and physical properties suggest. Brochosome aficionados do not hesitate to share their delight at having run across such an evolutionary tour de force.Our group first became intrigued by brochosomes around 2015, drawn to their nanoscale dimensions and intricate, three-dimensional buckyball-like geometries, says Tak-Sing Wong, a biomedical and mechanical engineer at Pennsylvania State University. We were amazed by how leafhoppers can consistently produce such complex structures at the nanoscale, especially considering that even with our most advanced micro- and nanofabrication technologies we still struggle to achieve such uniformity and scalability.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.As much as anyone interested in these structures, Wong has been working to channel his brochosome envy into the creation of a cabinet of technological curiosities based on brochosomes knack for absorbing specific ranges of visible and ultraviolet wavelengths. Wong, with his partners at Penn State and Carnegie Mellon University, has been granted two U.S. patents and has others pending for processes to manufacture synthetic counterparts to brochosomes.Wong says the synthetic brochosomes are potentially suitable for a range of applications, including antireflection and camouflage materials, anticounterfeiting, data encryption and an optical security, tactic in which hidden information becomes visible only when it is illuminated with, say, infrared or ultraviolet light. The researchers have been able to garner grant money from the Office of Naval Research, which is always on the lookout for the next way to make it harder for adversaries to detect and track naval vessels, aircraft and other U.S. military assets.Much of the recent brochosome-inspired R&D around the world, Wong notes, derives from the ultra-antireflective upgrade that nature-made brochosomes add to leafhoppers body. Its not just cool optical physics: this trick of the light renders the insects stealthy on leaf surfaces where hungry insects, birds and spiders scan for prey.Some of the forays into brochosome biology have revealed that these natural nanoscale innovations are composed of proteins and lipids that get assembled into the stealth-making nanospheres within specialized compartments of the insects Malpighian tubules, which are kidneylike excretory organs. With their hind legs, the insects groom their entire little selves with brochosome-packed microdroplets from their anus, resulting in light-absorptive cloaks that help them live another day.But the nanospheres are good for more than just concealment. In a recent addition to the growing list of concepts and prototypes of brochosome-inspired technologies, Wongs Penn State team joined Carnegie Mellon University researchers, led by mechanical engineer Sheng Shen, with an eye to delivering new materials not just for camouflage but for novel security and encryption devices as well. The technology leverages peoples inability to perceive infrared light.As the researchers were making measurements of optical and other physical aspects of synthetic brochosomes, they noticed that while these structures appeared identical under visible light, they exhibited dramatic contrasts in infrared imaging, Shen says. And that sparked an encryption- and security-technology idea, which the researchers now are pursuing. The team is asking whether it might be possible to encode infrared information invisibly within the visible spectrum. A small dot of such an infrared-active brochosome material on currency could serve as a signature of authenticity and add an additional hurdle for would-be counterfeiters.Researchers have explored a half-dozen ways of fabricating synthetic brochosomes of various sizes and geometries. Through the use of different polymeric, ceramic and metallic materials, the cabinet of brochosome-inspired technocuriosities is only becoming more eye-catching.A team of Chinese researchers who are brochosome fans recently reported a process for making a vivid spectrum of color-bestowing particles by filling tiny indentationsnanobowl spaceson silver brochosome structures with tiny polystyrene spheres. When the researchers tailored the sizes of the spheres with a precise etching method, they were able to tweak the electromagnetic interactions between the spheres and, thereby, the apparent colors of the synthetic brochosome-structures. In an ACS Nano paper in which the researchers rolled out their color-making strategy, they suggested this opened a pathway for producing longer-lasting and more stable colors compared with shorter-lived chemical dyes and pigments.A different Chinese research group, attempting to emulate the master-of-disguise feats of chameleons, cephalopods and other creatures, fabricated tungsten-oxide-based brochosome structures that become less reflective when they are electrically stimulated. One possible end point for this work could be energy-saving applicationswindows that could regulate the amount of solar and thermal energy that passed through them over the course of the day.On an even more expansive and eclectic to-do list are light-harvesting electrodes that could generate and corral energized electrons to make hydrogen fuel and self-cleaning surfaces that could repel liquids and adhesives. Also on the list are sensors that could be tailored for detecting specific bacteria and proteins for environmental monitoring and health applications. Additionally, there is the prospect of brochosome-inspired particles whose pores and surfaces could be tailored to carry specific drugs to target tissues.The promise seems enormous, but an era of brochosome-inspired technology is not an immediate prospect. One of the major bottlenecks to the widespread use of synthetic brochosomes is the lack of scalable production technologies, as their complex 3D shapes and nanoscale dimensions remain challenging to replicate at scale, Wong cautions.Whether specific brochosome-inspired technologies get to the finish line or not, Wong says that he loves sharing his work with nonscientist family members and friends. They are immediately captivated by the beauty of the brochosomes soccer-ball-looking structures, he says. When I explain that the structures are about 100 times thinner than the diameter of a hair, they can hardly believe it.Meanwhile Shen welcomes a humbling aspect of this research romance with brochosomes. Its a powerful reminder that innovation doesnt always need to come from human ingenuity, he says. Sometimes nature has already solved the problems were working on.

A new year treat: Snowfall in Los SantosA lustre of midday.Image credit: Eurogamer / Rockstar Games Feature by Christian Donlan Contributing Editor Published on Jan. 2, 2025 Somewhere along the line my family got into the habit of a New Year's Day wander. Generally we'd set off along the coast, which is only a short walk away in itself. We wouldn't head far, and there'd be no objective in mind. It was just the perfect way - chill, airy, bright - to begin another twelve months of whatever the world had in store for us.This year, we awoke to a storm: rain falling, fences buckling. A wander was out of the question. But then faced with the prospect of a grey day indoors, my wife fired up GTA Online.And behold! Los Santos was covered in snow. Flakes were falling through the night sky, the palm trees were casting strange wintery shadows, and the whole world around Pillbox Hill was covered in white. Los Santos felt clean and weird and it had that theatrical calm that real snow can bring to busy places.Here's a trailer for GTA 6.Watch on YouTubeUltimately, this was as good as a wander. Instead of rambling along the coast, we spent the afternoon bombing around in a series of cars my wife called in from Johnny on the Spot. And eventually we scored a moped and settled into delivering pizzas. What a weird game this has become: thirty minutes spent knocking back and forth along familiar streets, stopping in doorways we'd never noticed before and earning $43k for our time. In Los Santos, delivering pizzas involves some serious bank.But that thought: what a weird game this has become. Over the years, GTA Online has moved from being something terrifying and intimidating into something that feels a bit like Animal Crossing. If you time it right and if you end up with the right people, you're not getting headshotted or blown out of the sky. Instead, you're going for a cheery wander in a landscape you've come to know well, come to feel like you have some kind of stake or ownership in it. We drop into GTA Online these days not to do anything specific - generally not to do anything at all. We head in for the same reason I sometimes wander into the garden. Just to hover in a middle-aged way and look around. Image credit: RockstarThis turned out to be the perfect way to prepare for the new year: the place was familiar, but the snow made everything fresh and unexpected again. You don't get much more January 1st than that. And later on that day when I checked into Animal Crossing, which has also been white with snow for the last few weeks, I thought: these places aren't that different really. Or at least, they don't have to be that different.But there's something more. Something about the way that games have changed as they've moved online. I remember years back my friend got an Xbox 360 before Christmas, the year it came out. I headed over for an evening to see what the new machine was like, and he had Kameo running, but all the pixies and fairies and whatnot were wearing Santa hats. He explained that they'd done a patch just for Christmas: this was a game that had come out earlier in the year, and yet here it was acknowledging that we had reached a certain point in time when Santa hats were suddenly appropriate. Image credit: RockstarI felt that same shiver of newness when we loaded up GTA Online and found snow everywhere. Here was a place, but a place moving through time in its own way. I've known LA all my life, but I've never seen it in the snow. What an odd privilege. Happy new year, all.

Bizarre GTA 6 leak appears to come from inside Rockstar's own office"Hopefully there's no camera footage."Image credit: Google News by Tom Phillips Editor-in-Chief Published on Jan. 2, 2025 Images that look to have been taken inside Rockstar's San Diego office have been posted online, showing a computer screen with what appears to be GTA 6 running. As a video game leak, the purported image of GTA 6 itself is essentially meaningless - it simply shows main character Lucia standing next to a wall and some crates. What's more, the image appears to date from the summer of 2021, three and a half years ago.What's unusual here is that the image has been taken within the bowels of Rockstar's own offices, and posted online by someone who seems happy enough to live with the consequences. The photo and two accompanying video clips, which show a brief glimpse at more of the office surroundings, were first posted to reddit by user JustLovett0 around 17 hours ago. "Someone I am close to took it when they worked at the Rockstar office for a few months," they wrote of the image, on a post titled "a photo from mid-2021. I think it's been long enough I can post this."What's shown of the office itself looks relatively generic, though it's clearly the Rockstar San Diego building based on the shape of the windows and frontage that can be seen outside. Desks nearby house PlayStation and Xbox developer kits, one of which is labelled with a code beginning "SAND", presumably a reference to San Diego.When asked whether their friend was worried about being traced, JustLovett0 wrote: "He is super far from Rockstar now, doesn't work there or in any related field. I'm not worried but I'll probably delete the post soon enough."Hopefully there's no camera footage from 3.5ish years ago."The post has since been removed, though has been reuploaded elsewhere on reddit. Eurogamer has contacted Rockstar for comment. Back in September 2022, a teenage hacker from the UK stole an enormous swathe of in-development GTA 6 footage and files. The now-notorious leak remains one of the most prominent in video game history. Its culprit was later arrested, though was ultimately deemed unfit to stand trial.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide Last year was fantastic for Dead By Daylight. We were blessed with some great collaborations featuring Alan Wake, Tomb Raider, Dungeons and Dragons, and CastleVania, and we got arguably BeHaviours scariest original killer yet with The Unknown. Now the new year begins, and here you will find the currently active Dead By Daylight January 2025 codes for DBD Bloodpoints and more. There is a lot to look forward to with DBD over the next 12-months. Starting with the January 2025 roadmap, the collaboration with Junji Ito is right around the corner. The final licensed killer of Year 9 is then arriving in March, and leaks suggest it is a character from Tokyo Ghoul. We will have to wait until February for BeHaviour to officially pull the curtain aside on the next Dead By Daylight licensed killer, however, there is a lot to enjoy in January 2025. We still have the Bone Chill event ongoing for another week, and you will want to redeem its codes before they expire. Dead By Daylight January 2025 codes The currently active Dead By Daylight January 2025 codes are as follows: MAKEITREINDEER EXP. Jan 7th250K Bloodpoints IFLOOKSCOULDKILL Knight frosty eyes Dredge frosty eyes Skull Merchant frosty eyes How to redeem DBD codes All you need to do to redeem Dead By Daylight codes for January 2025 is follow the below steps:Start DBDOpen the in-game storeSelect Redeem Code in the top right cornerEnter the keyClick RedeemYou will receive the codes corresponding rewards provided it has not expired.Dead By Daylight January 2025 Bloodpoints Dead By Daylight is still offering Bloodpoints as part of the Bone Chill event daily logins until January 7th: Jan 1st 25K BloodpointsJan 2nd 50K BloodpointsJan 3rd 50K BloodpointsJan 4th 50K BloodpointsJan 5th 50K BloodpointsJan 6th 25K BloodpointsMake sure to get all of the above as they total 250K Bloodpoints combined. In addition, make sure you get the Bloodpoints available to grab as compensation for DBD Mobile shutting down. Evergreen DBD codes Below are evergreen DBD codes available to redeem if you havent already: BLOODPINT: 500,000 BloodpointsDROPDA: Rewards for Switch onlyDROPWE: Rewards for Switch onlyREDDIT1MIL: 8-Bit Crow BadgePARTYHATS24: 5th and 4th Anniversary CrownsLETSROLL: Dwight CharmWARRIORPUPPERS: Warrior Puppers CharmCAWCAW: Feathers of Pride charmFLAGL: Lesbian / WLW Flag CharmMFLAG: Men Loving Men Flag CharmFLAGP: Pansexual Pride Flag CharmFLAGB: Bisexual Pride Flag CharmISFLAG: Intersex Pride Flag CharmFLAGT: Trans Pride Flag CharmAFLAGG: Agender Pride Flag CharmGFLAGF: Genderfluid Pride Flag CharmNBFLAG: Nonbinary Pride Flag CharmGFLAGQ: Genderqueer Pride Flag CharmAFLAGS: Asexual Pride Flag CharmPOLYFLAG: Polyamory Pride Flag CharmDEMISFLAG: Demisexual Pride Flag CharmAROMFLAG: Aromantic Pride Flag CharmTWOSFLAG: Two-Spirit Pride Flag CharmKINDRD: Glance of Pride CharmBDGPRIDE: Rainbow Flag BadgeBDGPRG: Progress Flag BadgeBDGL: Lesbian Pride Flag BadgeBDGM: MLM Pride Flag BadgeBDGB: Bisexual Pride Flag BadgeBDGP: Pansexual Pride Flag BadgeBDGT: Trans Pride Flag BadgeBDGGQ: Genderqueer Pride Flag BadgeBDGGF: Gender-fluid Pride Flag BadgeBDGNB: Nonbinary Pride Flag BadgeBDGIS: Intersex Pride Flag BadgeBDGAG: Agender Pride Flag BadgeBDG2S: Two-Spirit Pride Flag BadgeBDGPA: Polyamory Pride Flag BadgeBDGAS: Asexual Pride Flag BadgeBDGAR: Aromantic Pride Flag BadgeBDGDM: Demisexual Pride Flag BadgePRIDE: Rainbow Flag charmPRIDE2022: Progress Pride Flag charmFor more Dead By Daylight content, check out ourranking of the top 10 DLC expansions to buyalong with a ranking of thebest killer perksandbest survivor perks.Dead by DaylightPlatform(s):Google Stadia, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Action, Survival Horror7VideoGamerSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereNeil Newbon, the actor behind Baldurs Gate 3s iconic Astarion, has gifted gamers with one of the best performances in all of gaming. While some modders have attemptedand failedto make the character hotter since release, no one can deny that Newbons performance is nothing short of perfection.Last year, it was revealed that Astarions biggest moment in the gamehis confrontation with his vampiric abuser Cazador Szarrwas boosted by an incredible piece of improvisation from the actor. Now, Newbon has reflected on his time filming that scene, calling Astarions soul-shaking wail an impulsive reaction on his part.Baldurs Gate 3s best moment was impulsiveIn a lengthy interview with Nerdist, Newbon explained that acting requires performers to tow the line with suspension of disbelief. While the actor knew he was safe on set, for that moment in time, it is real, leading to some truly beautiful emotional acting from Newbon.After defeating Cazador Szarr, Astarion loudly sobs in an awe-inspiring, heartbreaking moment as he realises hes finally free. This part of the scene was not scripted, it was all Newbon, and he describes the action as a pure impulsive reaction on his part.So, it was an impulse that came out of the experience I was having as Astarion, for helping his story along, and it was just an impulsive reaction to the experience that Id created with Thomas, Newbon explained. Well, I asked Tom to let me do the whole scene complete. I knew it was such a big powerful moment that doing it line by line, which is often how we do these things, doing three takes in a row of a line and moving on, it wasnt going to work. It needed that flow and the energy flow through it to be able to go from start to finish to really captivate and understand where he was at that one time.I could have gone way big with that choice, but it didnt feel appropriate. It felt very appropriate.ASTARION VOICE ACTOR NEIL NEWBONAfter going through the scene, Newbon explained that they never did another take of the groundbreaking scene. After the powerful performance, everyone was happy, and it ended up being one of the most memorable moments within Baldurs Gate 3.I thought it was really honest and truthful without being melodramatic, without being over the top, without trying to say, Look at me. Im a great actor, the Baldurs Gate 3 performer said. It was more like, this is really raw and exactly how he feels, and its slightly understated. People could have gone way bigger, or I could have gone way big with that choice, but it didnt feel appropriate. It felt very appropriate.For more Baldurs Gate 3 coverage, read about how the cast have become genuine friends since release, or read about the cut content mod bringing early access maps back into the finished release. Baldurs Gate 3Platform(s):macOS, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Adventure, RPG, Strategy10VideoGamerSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide Destiny 2 needs a big 2025. There are always a lot of complaints about the state of the game, but 2024 was particularly bad with players venting frustrations over the lack of new content combined with issues that have plagued D2 for a long time. Fortunately, we have entered a new year, and January is full of events to anticipate. In addition, leaks have shown new Destiny 2 armor along with a stylish cel-shader coming soon. You can check out the Destiny 2 2025 roadmap to see everything Bungie has planned for the next 12-months. As for January, things really get started with the upcoming Revenant Act 3. This will be followed by several big buffs and nerfs, and then in February we are set to get a new dungeon. While Revenant Act 3 is exciting, we also have Bungies annual Game2Give charity to look forward to this month. Leaks have shown some cel-shader that will be part of the charity fundraiser, meanwhile, other leaks have shown new armor that could join Destiny 2 in the future. New Destiny 2 armor leaks Red Hot CG recently uploaded some new Destiny 2 armor onto ArtStation. Red Hot is a Chinese outsourcing company that has provided gear designs for D2 in the past including such as Crotas End. Now, in December, they uploaded two sets of unfinished armor cosmetics. They are only work-in-progress models meaning they do not show any finished textures and colors. One of the armor sets is seemingly Anubis-themed for Titan, meanwhile, the other is for Warlock. Out of the two, the Titan armor looks the most appealing, especially themed around Anubis, the famous Egyptian god of the afterlife. Image credit: Red Hot CG via ArtStationImage credit: Red Hot CG via ArtStationIts unclear if these designs are scrapped concepts or if they are work-in-progresses that will be added to Destiny 2 eventually. New cel-shader leaks While we dont when or even if the newly published armor from Red Hot CG will join Destiny 2, other leaks have shown a cel-shader set to release as part of Bungies Game2Give charity fundraiser. Game2Give 2025 is set to officially start on January 23rd. The leaked shader is called offset, and it gives armor and weapons a stylish look very reminiscent of Marvel comic books. The leaked image of the shader and Sparrow below comes courtesy of TheGamePost:Image credit: TheGamePostIts unclear how much the charity bundle will cost, but it could be $28 similar to 2024s Disciples Shell bundle. For more Destiny 2, thelow player counthas sounded alarm bells that the game is dying.Destiny 2Platform(s):Google Stadia, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Web, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/XGenre(s):Action, Adventure, First Person, Massively Multiplayer, Shooter8VideoGamerSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share