If you've ever wondered about your skill level in Call of Duty, you now have a way to find out. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 players have discovered a way to get Activision to provide their previously hidden SBMM ratings, and it's really easy.TheXclusiveAce has shared the method on his YouTube channel, which lays out the simple steps to get your personalized SBMM report going back to 2021's Call of Duty: Vanguard. As noted by TheXclusiveAce, each report includes some highly personal data including your IP address, so think twice before sharing it unedited. To get access, the first step is to visit Activision's privacy page and login to your Activision account. TheXclusiveAce also mentioned that he had to login to his PSN account as well. After that, submit a personal information access request. Prior to the video above, the wait time was around a day before Activision e-mailed the file out. But since this method is now widely known, there may be additional delays.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Amazon has started canceling preorders for the Nintendo 3DS version of Mighty No. 9, a game that was released almost 10 years ago. Developed by Comcept and former Capcom producer Keiji Inafune, Mighty No. 9 was billed as a spiritual successor to Mega Man.According to a BlueSky user, Amazon UK sent a notification to them saying that their preorder for Mighty No. 9 on Nintendo 3DS was canceled due to the lack of availability. Surprisingly, this user placed the order in 2022, indicating that people were still able to preorder this version of Mighty No. 9 years after it came out on other platforms.Mighty No. 9 was funded via Kickstarter and became one of the most infamous funding campaigns in video game history. The 3DS and PS Vita versions were added as stretch goals for the campaign if it hit $3.5 million, which it ended up reaching.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Distilled Emotions in Path of Exile 2 are a reward for completing the Delirium map nodes in the end-game mapping phase, but their purpose is unclearespecially to players who havent played the first Path of Exile.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is one of the most unique FromSoftware games in recent memory. Released as one of the first games post- Dark Souls trilogy, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice had a different approach to the typical FromSoft combat style that players were used to. Players must use a katana, as there are no other weapons that the titular character, Sekiro, can use. They must also rely on perfectly-timed deflections instead of dodging.

The fox is not only one of Japan's most respected animals, but it's also one of the most memorable creatures to be found in the breathtaking world of Ghost of Tsushima. As players explore Tsushima Island, they may frequently happen upon foxes, who bark at Jin from a distance, beckoning him to follow them to a nearby Inari shrine. There, Jin can earn progression towards a new charm slot and even potentially get a chance to pet the fox before it departs. Now, Ghost of Yotei would be remiss not to feature the animal once again, but the game could do so much more with foxes this time to put them a little more front and center.

Narrative RPG 1000xResist became a critical darling when it released in May 2024 but like so many other great indie games, it didnt get its flowers at The Game Awards in December. But a buzz has been amassing around the game since the nominees for TGAs were announced, according to sunset visitor founder and creative director Remy Siu. Now, Siu is reporting the games highest sales day of all time was Jan. 2, 2025, almost exactly seven months after it was released.Mostly, Siu says, the buzz has been due to anger at the voting apparatus for excluding the title from nominations.I was on a plane flying back home having been on vacation for the first time in four years and I bought internet on the plane to watch the Game Award Nominations announcements. Unfortunately, we were not nominated for anything. I was a little sad about it, but figured yeah makes sense, were a small experimental game, Siu told me in a Bluesky message. But almost immediately after the announcements, people started posting about how they were upset we were not included.Siu said the games off-sale resting rate, aka its sales rate under normal conditions, rose a bit after those nominations, which were announced in August. A slew of fall sales through September, October, and November meant more wishlists and more purchases, and Siu said The Game Awards on Dec. 12 kicked off another reactionary conversation about the game. The final domino to fall? The games win for Narrative Game at the first-ever Indie Game Awards.Sale numbers were not poor before Jan. 1, Siu said, clarifying that the devs expected fewer sales overall by that point. It has to be remembered that 1000xRESIST is a weird, experimental narrative game with no traditional gameplay that talks about things that most games dont talk about and also, we wanted to keep many things a secret.Siu said the games release and reception trajectory has taught him about the value of post-launch marketing, but that mishap may have been worth the risk to keep the games secrets, well, secret. I think we always knew that, if we were able to make an engrossing enough experience, it would come down to word of mouth. That people would have to discover it over time, he said. And thats exactly whats happened.Its a rare but heartening success story that underscores the power of the indie community and decentralized forms of marketing, like word of mouth despite Sius assertion that the indie game distribution apparatus is not always well tuned to make these kinds of experiences possible, from what I can tell.Siu credits several factors to the games recent uptick in sales the apropos timing of the industrys shift towards Bluesky, Steam deals and giveaway collabs with other indie devs, getting mentions on Best of the Year lists like ours, and collaborations with other games like Balatro. But, Siu theorized, not being in The Game Awards, and the reaction that garnered from fans who truly understood the game, was an unexpected boon.I hope word of mouth continues to allow more people to discover the game, Siu said. I think theres enough evidence now that its really working, its allowing us to make more games in the future.

Each week on Polygon, we round up the most notable new releases to streaming and VOD, highlighting the biggest and best new movies for you to watch at home.This week, Wicked, the musical fantasy starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, sings and dances its way onto VOD. Thats not all: actor-director Jesse Eisenbergs new comedy-drama A Real Pain starring Kieran Culkin (Succession), also backpacks onto VOD this week. Theres tons of new releases to stream this week, too, including a new Wallace & Gromit feature on Netflix, the social horror thriller The Front Room on Max, and the Psychological drama Mothers Instinct starring Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway on Hulu. If that werent enough, Barry Lyndon is free to watch on YouTube! This is not a drill!Heres everything new thats available to watch this weekend!New on NetflixWallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most FowlWhere to watch: Available to stream on NetflixGenre: ComedyRun time: 1h 19mDirectors: Nick Park, Merlin CrossinghamCast: Ben Whitehead, Peter Kay, Lauren PatelWallace and Gromit are back in their first new film since 2008! Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl features the return of fan-favorite nemesis Feathers McGraw, a villainous penguin with a bone to pick with everyones favorite doofus-and-dog duo. When Wallace invents a robotic garden gnome to help him with his chores around the house, Feathers seizes on the opportunity to hijack the robot for his own mischief.New on HuluMothers InstinctWhere to watch: Available to stream on HuluGenre:Psychological dramaRun time:1h 34mDirector:Benoit DelhommeCast:Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Josh CharlesBenoit Delhommes period drama stars Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway as Alice and Cline, two housewives with a sisterly bond who live next door to one another in an picturesque 1960s American suburb. When their idyllic lives are upended by inexplicable tragedy, the harmony of their daily existence is shattered by paranoia, grief, and barely concealed rage exploding to the surface.New on MaxThe Front RoomWhere to watch: Available to stream on MaxGenre:Horror thrillerRun time:1h 34mDirectors:Max Eggers, Sam EggersCast:Brandy, Andrew Burnap, Kathryn HunterBrandy stars in this new horror thriller from director duo Sam and Max Eggers as Belinda, a newly pregnant anthropology professor eagerly expecting the birth of her next child while still mourning the death of her firstborn son. When she and her husband Norman (Andrew Burnap) take in his newly widowed stepmother Solange (Kathryn Hunter), the arrival of their new guest brings about several dark disturbing revelations that threaten Belindas life and sanity.New on AMC PlusSkincareWhere to watch: Available to stream on AMC PlusGenre: Comedy thrillerRun time: 1h 36mDirector: Austin PetersCast: Elizabeth Banks, Lewis Pullman, Michaela Ja RodriguezElizabeth Banks stars in this new comedy thriller as Hope Goldman, a famed aesthetician who is on the verge of her greatest professional success yet: launching her own proprietary skin care line! Problem is, Hopes got competition in the form of rival aesthetician Angel Vergara (Luis Gerardo Mndez) who opens a new boutique right across from her own. With the help of her life coach (Lewis Pullman), Hope pulls together a desperate scheme to come out on top.New on Paramount PlusSlingshotWhere to watch: Available to stream on Paramount PlusGenre:Sci-fi thrillerRun time:1h 48mDirector:Mikael HfstrmCast:Casey Affleck, Laurence Fishburne, Emily BeechamThis sci-fi thriller stars Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea) as John, an astronaut aboard an experimental spacecraft designed to make a years-long mission to Saturns moon Titan. When the passengers aboard the ship begin to suspect that the mission has somehow been compromised, John must work alongside the ships captain (Laurence Fishburne) in order to find a solution and survive.New on YouTubeBarry LyndonWhere to watch: Available to stream on YouTubeGenre:Historical black comedyRun time:3h 5mDirector:Stanley KubrickCast:Ryan ONeal, Marisa Berenson, Patrick MageeIf youre looking for a film thats the epitome of the phrase, every frame a painting, look no further than Stanley Kubricks 1975 masterpiece starring Ryan ONeal. Set in 18th Ireland, Barry Lyndon chronicles the life of a incorrigible charlatan who marries into high society. When Lyndons incessant philandering and drunkenness runs afoul of his son-in-law Lord Bullingdon (Leon Vitali), the feud between the two escalates to its breaking point. Commonly cited as one of the finest films in Kubrick oeuvre, Barry Lyndon is a must-see if you enjoy thoroughly imagined period pieces and exquisite cinematography.New to rentWickedWhere to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and VuduGenre: Fantasy musicalRun time: 2h 40mDirector: Jon M. ChuCast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande-Butera, Jeff GoldblumAdapted from Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzmans 2003 play of the same name, Wicked follows the story of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the future Wicked Witch of the West from L. Frank Baums The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and her friendship with Galinda (Ariana Grande), who later becomes Glinda the Good. Upon being invited to the Emerald City at the behest of the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), Elphaba and Galindas friendship is put to the test.From our review:For the most part, Chu uses the new medium to add meaningful additions to the story. Not all of them land. The movies last big scene, in particular, suffers from this strange sort of start-stop integrated with some superfluous big set pieces that undermine the emotional catharsis of the Big Moment. Such is the nature of extending a nearly three-hour musical into two movies, even with a natural intermission. And overall, adding breathing room to songs and scenes worked for the most part. Itll take more than some extra fluff to bring the movie down.A Real PainWhere to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and VuduGenre: Comedy-dramaRun time: 1h 30mDirector: Jesse EisenbergCast: Kieran Culkin, Jesse EisenbergJesse Eisenberg returns to direct and star in his follow-up to 2022s When You Finish Saving the World. Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin (Succession) star in A Real Pain as David and Benji, two estranged cousins who embark on a tour across Poland in an attempt to bond and honor the memory of their late grandmother. As their trip wears on, the two are forced to confront the ways theyve grown apart from one another and remember their respective importance in each others lives.From our review:The movies comparatively low stakes mostly keep it grounded to a story of two disconnected cousins who both so clearly miss the friendship they had when they were kids, and want to get back to it. David cant understand why Benji isnt growing up in all the ways that David has. Benji cant admit that he feels left behind. All this is set against the backdrop of an effective and delicately handled Holocaust tour that causes everyone in the tour group to react in different, profound, and difficult ways.

I booted Neon White on Steam the other day after not playing it for a couple years. But I didnt play it this time. I just loaded into different stages to hear the soundtrack. Angel Matrixs fantastic first-person speedrunning game from 2022 is backed by a suitably energetic, synth and drum-heavy score by Machine Girl, who rules. And, back when Neon White came out, it was my first serious exposure to drum and bass music. Replaying all of the stages to get high scores let the tunes sink in, and since then, it has become one of my go-to musical genres for any mood and situation.Im a sucker for listening to instrumentals during work, as theres nothing better to help me achieve a flow state with writing (hearing words sometimes distracts me). Somehow, the erratically fluid movement of drum and bass keeps my brain humming right along. Doing the dishes, or walking to the grocery store? Lets go. DnB songs are often under 2 minutes each, so theyre easy to pick up and put down, or listen to multiple times in a row without feeling too fatigued.The world of drum and bass is vast, and I feel like Ive only dipped my toes in so far. But the more often I listen, the more cool artists I find. If youre looking for some artist recommendations, I dig some songs from Black Balloons, boy 2000, Passing Currents, and TOKYOPILL. Ive particularly enjoyed looping Instagram clips of Star Power Drums, an expert of the genre who makes it look easy to brings drum and bass songs to life on a real drum kit. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Star Power Drums (@starpowerdrums)My brief foray into the genre has also exposed me to older game soundtracks that have some phenomenal drum and bass that Im appreciating these days, stuff like the Ibuki Stage from Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike. Oh, and Amon Tobins work on Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is ageless. Also, the entirety of Ape Escapes soundtrack goes hard. The thing is, I heard these songs when I was a kid or a teenager and didnt think much of them then, for some reason. But playing through Neon White was the big moment when the music clicked with me, and through this lens Im able to appreciate older tunes in a new way. Now, if youll excuse me, Im on a mission to find more drum and bass that I missed throughout gaming history (please help me out).

We may earn a commission from links on this page.The new year is a great time for nerds like me. If youre a sucker for the joy of a new training journal, the fresh promise of a program youll check off one day at a time, or even (admit it) the kid who really loved filling in bubbles with a number two pencil, youll enjoy this bubble-style calendar that a generous Redditor posts each year.Here is the 2025 version, available in two sizes, and with the week beginning with either Sunday or Monday, according to your preference. The user who posts it every year goes by u/Propelissa, so check their profile next January when youve filled up this one.The two sizes are 8.5"x 11", best for printing on a standard letter-sized American printer, and 8" x 10", best for submitting as a photo to any photo printing service.How to use the bubble calendarHonestly, its just a sheet of paper with circles on it, so you can use it any way you like. But it was inspired by this poster, apparently issued by Saucony and Fleet Feet in 2019, which invited you to fill in one of the bubbles every time you went for a run.If you print the 8" x 10" version through a photo service, youll probably want to use a Sharpie to fill in the bubbles. But if you have access to a regular paper printer, youll get a grade-school thrill out of being able to fill in the bubbles with a nice Ticonderoga pencil.Last year, I decided to use the bubble calendar to track my cardio. (Its easy for me to keep up with strength training, less so with cardio.) If I did a bike ride, a run, or any other kind of purposeful cardio workout, I filled in that days bubble. If I went for a walk, I drew an X in the bubble to give myself partial credit. Toward the beginning of the year, most of my cardio workouts were power zone bike workouts; in the summer and fall, they were usually runs.How you use the calendar is up to you. You could log any type of workout. You could use different colors for different types or lengths of workout. Or you could use the calendar to track how often you floss your teeth, or eat your vegetables, or make it to bed on time. Go ahead, its all yours.

Most people have no idea that alcohol is known to contribute to cancer, but its been common knowledge among doctors and cancer researchers for years. Today, the Surgeon General released a report with statistics and recommendations to reduce the risk of cancer from drinking. Heres what you need to know.Yes, alcohol is widely agreed to be a cause of cancerIt is rare that scientists will come right out and say that something causes cancer (versus, say, increases the risk of), but in the case of alcohol, you wont find much shyness about it. Words like cause and causal occur 49 times in the new report.The International Agency for Research on Cancer, the same group that called aspartame possibly carcinogenic (group 2B) and red meat probably carcinogenic (group 2A), has placed alcoholic beverages in group 1, the straight-up carcinogens, alongside cigarettes and ionizing radiation. They say: The relationship between alcohol consumption and cancer risk has been known since the beginning of the 20th century.The National Cancer Institutes fact sheet on alcohol states that there is a strong scientific consensus that alcohol drinking can cause several types of cancer. They note that alcohols metabolic byproducts are carcinogens themselves, that alcohol increases oxidation, that alcohol can increase blood levels of estrogen, which is linked to breast cancer, and that alcohol interferes with our ability to absorb vitamins and nutrients that protect against cancer.The full picture of exactly how alcohol causes each type of cancer is not fully understood, but the link is clear enough that the Surgeon General estimates there are 100,000 cases of alcohol-linked cancers in the United States each year, including 20,000 deaths. Thats more than the 13,500 alcohol-associated crash fatalities each year.Seven cancers are linked to alcoholThere are seven types of cancers widely understood to be linked to alcohol:BreastColorectumEsophagusLiverMouthThroatLarynx (voice box)In the case of breast cancer, over 16% of breast cancers are estimated to be caused by alcohol consumption. For all of these cancers, the risk increases with the amount you regularly drink.How much alcohol does it take to raise your risk of cancer?Theres no threshold to the risk, no specific number that you can say if I drink less than this, Ill be fine. That said, this summary of evidence from the University of Florida highlights that:Light drinking (usually defined as one drink per day, or a little more) increases the risk of esophageal cancer by 160% and breast cancer by 104%Moderate drinking (usually defined as around two drinks per day) increases the risk of mouth cancer by 180%, throat cancer by 140%, colorectal cancer by 120%, and breast cancer by 123%.Heavy drinking (usually defined as around 3.5 drinks per day) increases the risk of mouth cancer by 500%, throat cancer by 260%, esophageal cancer by 500%, certain types of liver cancer by 200%, colorectal cancer by 150%, and breast cancer by 160%.If you recall hearing that light drinking could be good for you, that isnt necessarily at odds with these results. There is research that has found a reduced risk of heart disease with light drinking, which is why its included in the Mediterranean diet. But remember that that diet was based on what people in certain Mediterranean populations ate and drank, and was adopted as a package deal, rather than assembled out of habits that we know for sure are healthy.The advice from the Surgeon General, and from other public health organizations, is that if you already drink, you might want to reduce your drinking. And if you dont already drink, you probably shouldnt start. If you think you may be drinking too much, the CDC has a tool to assess your drinking habits and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has a helpline to find out more about treatment.