Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has announced a new Like a Dragon Direct for January 9th at 9 am PST. It will offer first looks and a deeper gameplay dive into Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, the developers next spin-off in the series. Thankfully, there wont be any spoilers.Starring Majima Goro, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii sees him waking up on Rich Island with no memories. Shortly thereafter, Majima commands his own pirate crew and vessel, venturing to Nele Island and even Honolulu from Infinite Wealth. Players can engage in naval combat and board opposing ships, taking down enemies with the new Sea Dog Style with its cutlasses and firearms.Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii launches on February 21st for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC. While its a spin-off from the mainline series similar to Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, its 30 percent longer. Check out some gameplay of the various play spots and the English voice cast.LIKE A DRAGON DIRECT be comin Thursday, Jan 9th at 9am PST | 6pm CETJoin us for first looks and a deeper dive into Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii gameplay N dont ye worry matey, we aint gonna spoil the story YouTube (SEGA_West) & Twitch (SEGA) pic.twitter.com/cgvaHHcLUm RGG Studio | Like a Dragon & Yakuza Series (@RGGStudio) January 7, 2025

Microsoft has announced the first wave of titles coming to Game Pass in January 2025, starting with the narrative-focused adventure title Road 96. Its available for Game Pass Standard, Ultimate and PC Game Pass on Xbox consoles, PC, and cloud.Next up is Lightyear Frontier (available in Game Preview), My Time at Sandrock, Rolling Hills and Robin Hood Sherwood Builders, all playable on January 8th for Game Pass Standard subscribers. Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can experience EA Sports UFC 5 on January 14th for Xbox Series X/S and the cloud.The original Diablo is also playable on PC for Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers on the same. Its an eclectic range of titles across various genres and platforms.Of course, as is the case every month, several titles will leave Game Pass on January 15th. Members can purchase them at up to 20 percent off for permanent ownership. Check out all the games leaving next week:CommonHood (Cloud, Console, and PC)Escape Academy (Cloud, Console, and PC)Exoprimal (Cloud, Console, and PC)Figment (Cloud, Console, and PC)Insurgency Sandstorm (Cloud, Console, and PC)Those Who Remain (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Nvidias 50 series of GPUs have finally been unveiled alongside DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation. Several titles benefit from the latter, including id Sofwares upcoming DOOM: The Dark Ages. It will also launch with DLSS Ray Reconstruction and Path Tracing. A sneak peek is visible in the trailer below.DLSSs new transformer AI model will also enhance DLSS Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction alongside sharper DLAA image quality. If thats not enough, Nvidia confirmed that the first-person shooter will be available to stream via GeForce NOW, with Premium subscribers benefiting from RTX-level hardware and performance.DOOM: The Dark Ages is coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC this year. Though a release date is unconfirmed, its rumored to launch sometime in May. As a prequel to DOOM (2016), it focuses on the Slayers fight against demons in Hell with medieval weaponry like shields and flails. Creative director Hugo Martin has also confirmed that the action will be slower but more impactful with larger arenas.

Photo credit: Tracy Armstrong. Venue credit: InformprojectsTheArchitectural Institute of British Columbiahas transitioned its achievement awards to theArchitectural Foundation of BC (AFBC). Since 2021, the rebranded AFBC has undertaken the program which includes the Lieutenant Governor Awardsan institution that the AIBC had run for several decades. Kudos must go to the AFBC board for their ongoing efforts to which we can now add theAFBC Architectural Achievement Awards, having had its inaugural launch on November 21st in the Vancouver Railtown District.Sitting next to Vancouvers bustling port, thevenuewas generously provided for by Nancy and Niels Bendsten atInform, offering a peek at their recently renovatedInform Projectsshowroom next to theAmerican Can Companybuilding. Located on the sixth floor and facing the port and waterfront, the reno was itself the recipient of aLieutenant GovernorAward in 2023 forOMB Architects. With several prominent members of Vancouvers architectural community receiving awards, the turnout was a packed house despite the evenings inclement weather.Photo credit: Tracy Armstrong. Venue credit: InformprojectsWith AIBC board members Michelle Fenton and Kim Barnsley as emcees for the evening, AFBC Chair Karl Gustavson said a few opening words about theFoundation, after which the evenings program began with a land acknowledgment and Coast Salish performance byCoastal Wolf Pack. Six awards were then given out in total, two of which were for recipients unable to receive them in 2020 due to COVID restrictions:2020 Award RecipientsAbdel Munem Amin Barbara Dalrymple Memorial Award (not in attendance)Nick Milkovich Lifetime Achievement (attended)2024 Award RecipientsNancy Mackin Community Stewardship(attended)Darryl Condon Barbara Dalrymple Memorial Award for Community Service (attended)Peter Cardew Lifetime Achievement (awarded posthumously)William R. Rhone Lifetime Achievement (attended)The evening provided those representatives present from Vancouvers architecture and design firms the opportunity to honour these six individuals and allow their friends and family to see the impact their careers have had on our Little Village by the Sea. It was a privilege to be sitting next to both Bill Rhone and Nick Milkovich, two individuals whose careers have touched any architect who has lived and worked in BC. It was also a delight to see the projects Nancy Mackin had brought to share, along with the impact that her stewardship has had on the communities shes worked with.As Treasurer of the AIBC Council (now Board) in 2018, I was fortunate to have served alongside one of the evenings recipients, Darryl Condon, who for many years led theInstitute, and continues to lead along with the other principals athcma. We chatted afterward that his award was not a lifetime achievement award because he is very much still in mid-stride.On a more serious note, the evenings most somber moment came in the posthumous award to the latePeter Cardew, who we sadly lost during COVID-19. Along with the projects of Milkovich and Rhone, these three constitute a lions share of architectural achievement in Metro Vancouver. Nick Milkovich was honoured for his own firms work along with his lifelong collaboration withArthur Erickson, while Bill Rhone was awarded for his firmRhone & Iredalewhere Peter Cardew also workedand itself a titan firm in its day.It was overall a generous evening hosted by the AFBC, and we can look forward to other future achievement awards in between the bi-annualLieutenant Governorawards. As Karl Gustavson noted in his opening comments, both architects and architecture need a voice in Metro Vancouver and the province. With the rebranding of the AFBC in 2021, very much in anticipation of the Professional Governance Act replacing the BC Architects Act, theFoundationcurrently has the opportunity to be that voice. To provide not just awards programs but scholarships, walking tours, and perhapsas Karl hintedeven a return ofArchitecture in Schools.One may ask where is Vancouvers architecture centre? Recently visiting Montreal, it occurred to me they have called the CCA theCanadianCentreforArchitectureso there is no mistaking it there. And in Toronto, for many years theDesign Exchangewas run by theToronto Society of Architectsand the de facto centre of architecture in TO (sadly shuttered in 2019). So, where is Vancouvers? For some time there was theAIBC Architecture Centre, but with it closing its doors in 2020 perhaps the AFBC can look to locate somewhere in 2025.Photo credit: Tracy Armstrong. Venue credit: InformprojectsOur country is vast, and our provincial architectural associations can only do so much given their regulatory mandate. And national organizations like theRAICandCACBcannot possibly provide for everyone given limited staff and resources to support local advocacy for each metropolitan area. It is up to each of us, with boots on the ground in our local architectural communities, to advocate whether to write a piece like this one or attend an event like theAchievement Awards. Local architects and designers can each do their part by being present for our profession. Those who came out this past rainy November night to 411 Railway Street did just that, and congratulations again to all the evenings award recipients!For more information on the event go toArchitectural Awards of Excellence AFBC, and view the evenings photo galleryhere.Sean Ruthenis a Metro Vancouver-based architect.The post AFBC Architectural Achievement Awards Round-Up appeared first on Canadian Architect.

Aledia unveiled its microLED factory and a $200 million production line to make augmented reality displays.The Grenoble, France-based company wants to change the future of hardware for augmented reality and to power the next generation of displays for vision applications. It made the announcement at CES 2025, the big tech trade show in Las Vegas this week. Tech giants have recently doubled down on microLED for smart glasses, releasing prototypes and targeting commercial launches as early as 2027. While AI-powered use cases for AR have emerged over the last year, critical hardware challenges power consumption, bulkiness and manufacturing costs remain significant barriers to mass adoption.AR demands displays that combine extreme brightness, compact size and low power consumption for long battery life. Existing technologies like OLED (organic LED) and LCOS (Liquid Crystal On Silicon) fall short in these critical areas, yet to reach the full potential of truly immersive AR experiences, Aledia said.AR devices need bright displays for all lighting conditions, both indoor and outdoor. The devices must also be compact, fitting into the small form factors required for AR glasses and other devices. They also need long battery life and they have to be affordable to make.Both OLED and LCOS technologies emit light in all directions, while only light emitted in a narrow cone can be used by the AR glasses.After 12 years of relentless R&D, a portfolio of nearly 300 patents and $600 million in investment, Aledia said it has shattered these barriers. With its groundbreaking microLED-based microdisplay the most efficient, monolithically grown with Red, Green and Blue microLEDs on the same substrate that are natively directive the company said it can solve the toughest hardware challenges, paving the way for the most immersive, AI-powered AR vision experiences ever conceived.Immersive technologies such as AR havent reached their full potential as the industry has yet to design screens that are both slick and highly functional, said Pierre Laboisse, CEO of Aledia, in a statement. At Aledia, weve created a nanowire technology that makes microLED displays thinner, more power efficient and easier to produce for mass adoption. By next CES, OLED and LCOS will already be phased out in favor of our superior microLED technology.Aledias microLED platform for ARA silicon wafer with Aledias microLED chips on it.Aledias microLED technology based on 3D gallium nitride (GaN) on silicon nanowires opens the way to the next generation of smart displays.The company said itss 3D GaN nanowire technology delivers enhanced brightness and energy efficiency compared to 2D LED, along with superior pixel density and resolution. The 3D structure allows precise and directive light emission, making Aledias displays highly efficient and suited for advanced applications like AR. During R&D testing, Aledias nanowires improved directivity and light efficiency in real-world settings, which are crucial for immersive AR experiences.Aledia said it has superior battery life in a compact package. Aledias hybrid bonding technology combines microLED and driver electronics into the smallest and smartest chip on the market, resulting in thinner displays and superior power efficiency for longer battery life.Cost-effective manufacturing that scalesAledia has invested $200 million in a new production line.Aledias advantage lies in its over $200 million in-house pilot production line at the center of Europes Display Valley, enabling faster iteration without initial volume constraint. By utilizing semiconductor-grade silicon in 8-inch and 12-inch formats, Aledia lowers production costs for large-scale production of microLEDs, accelerating widespread adoption in a wide range of displays. Aledia is ready and able to support customer demand ramp up to nearly 5,000 wafer starts per week.Our Champagnier factory is a key milestone for European innovation, and we are proud to represent it at the Auvergne Rhne-Alpes Pavilion at CES, said Laboisse. We are redefining global standards of display technology with our efficient and high-performing chips, positioning Grenoble as the global center of microLED production.To experience Aledias technology at CES 2025, visit Booth 60711-04 at Eureka Park, in Hall G at the Venetian.Aledia was founded in 2011, and it has more than 300 patents and 60 of its employees have doctorates. Daily insights on business use cases with VB DailyIf you want to impress your boss, VB Daily has you covered. We give you the inside scoop on what companies are doing with generative AI, from regulatory shifts to practical deployments, so you can share insights for maximum ROI.Read our Privacy PolicyThanks for subscribing. Check out more VB newsletters here.An error occured.

German Bionic, a pioneer in robotic exoskeleton technology, unveiled its Apogee Ultra exoskeleton to help workers with hard physical jobs.Read More

Withings, a connected health company, has expanded its cardiovascular products with BPM Vision, an advanced blood pressure monitor.Read More

Chris Kerr, News EditorJanuary 7, 20251 Min ReadImage via TencentTencent wants to engage with the U.S. Department of Defense to correct what it claims is a "mistake" that has led to it being included on a newly-published list of Chinese Military Companies (the CMC List) operating in the United States.The Chinese tech and video game conglomerate, which owns major studios such as League of Legends maker Riot Games and Clash of Clans developer Supercell, was included on the refreshed CMC List published earlier today.The document was shared on the Federal Register and serves as a "notice of Chinese military companies operating in the United States."Responding to its inclusion in a notice to investors, Tencent acknowledged the situation but insisted it is "neither a Chinese military company nor a military-civil fusion contributor to the Chinese defense industrial base."It suggested its inclusion on the CMC List is a "mistake" but noted its business operations in the United States won't be impacted by the move."Unlike other lists maintained by the U.S. Government for sanctions or export control measures, inclusion in the CMC List relates only to U.S. defense procurement, which does not affect the business of the Group," it added."The CMC List is also distinct from the Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex List (NS-CMIC List) maintained by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control, and inclusion in the CMC List will not prohibit any persons (other than the Department of Defense) from business dealings with the company, including translating in the securities of the company."Tencent will contact the Department of Defense to initiate a "reconsideration process" to correct what it again claims is an error but is prepared to take legal action. "If necessary, [we] will undertake legal proceedings to remove the company from the CMC List," it added.Read more about:TencentAbout the AuthorChris KerrNews Editor, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, andPocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

I have to commend Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his new policy chief Joel Kaplan on their timing. Its not hugely surprising that, as the pair announced early today, Meta is giving up on professional third-party fact-checking. The operator of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads has been backing off moderation recently, and fact-checking has always been contentious. But its probably smart to do it two weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office and nominates a Federal Communications Commission head whos threatened the company over it.Trumps FCC chairman pick (and current FCC commissioner), Brendan Carr, is a self-identified free speech defender with a creative interpretation of the First Amendment. In mid-November, as part of a flurry of lightly menacing missives to various entities, Carr sent a letter to Meta, Apple, Google, and Microsoft attacking the companies fact-checking programs.The letter was primarily focused on NewsGuard, a conservative bte noire that Meta doesnt actually work with. But it also demanded information about the use of any media monitor or fact checking service, and it left no doubt about Carrs position on them. You participated in a censorship cartel that included not only technology and social media companies but advertising, marketing, and so-called fact checking organizations, Carr wrote. The incoming Trump administration and Congress, he continued, will take broad ranging actions ... and those actions can include both a review of your companies activities as well as efforts by third-party organizations and groups that have acted to curtail those [speech] rights.In case the implications werent clear enough, Carr spelled out exactly how his agency could punish them:For now, I am writing to obtain information from you that can inform the FCCs work to promote free speech and a diversity of viewpoints. As you know, Big Techs prized liability shield, Section 230, is codified in the Communications Act, which the FCC administers. As relevant here, Section 230 only confers benefits on Big Tech companies when they operate, in the words of the statute, in good faith.Prized liability shield youve got there! Itd be a real shame if someone... administered it.If youre wondering, Since when is the FCC in charge of Section 230? Carr links to a memo from Trumps first term about a proposal that then-chairman Ajit Pai never got around to passing. It was unclear whether the FCC could do it back then, and that was before the Supreme Court handcuffed regulatory agencies by killing the doctrine of Chevron deference. Even Federalist Society contributors think Carrs going off the rails here. (In any case, the in good faith provision only applies to one currently lesser-used section of Section 230 and its unclear why fact-checking services would violate it.) That said, its likely he and Trump will try again anyway and they can still create a lot of headaches for a company that flouts his demands.If youre also wondering what the big deal is, this is almost textbook jawboning: a form of soft government censorship that Carr and other Republicans have railed against their political opponents for (allegedly, and according to the Supreme Court, probably not actually) performing. Private companies have the right to moderate or not moderate platforms, and they have the right to label or not label posts with third-party fact-checks. Government officials shouldnt threaten to strip legal protections from them for doing it.On top of all that, this kind of high-profile jawboning undercuts the notion that Meta made a principled decision. Its entirely possible the company would have discontinued fact-checking anyway; its a lightning rod for controversy that social networks are increasingly trying to avoid, and there are pragmatic questions about how well it works. Meta has a long and lofty justification for its move that even complains about government pressure, implicitly under the Biden administration, to take down content in the past. But Carrs letter makes that complaint look laughable and it makes Meta look like cowards.Correction: The new policies were announced today, not yesterday. We regret the error.

Lenovos dual-screen Yoga Book 9i gets bigger displaysLenovos dual-screen Yoga Book 9i gets bigger displays / Lenovo packs 14-inch OLED screens and Intel Core Ultra 7 chips in its Yoga device lineup update for CES.By Umar Shakir, a news writer fond of the electric vehicle lifestyle and things that plug in via USB-C. He spent over 15 years in IT support before joining The Verge. Jan 7, 2025, 4:00 PM UTCShare this storyThose are 14-inch OLED displays now. Image: LenovoLenovo is updating its Yoga device lineup to 10th-generation versions, including a new lightweight Yoga Slim 9i, a fresh Yoga Book 9i dual-screen laptop with larger displays, and a Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition convertible notebook.The first is the Yoga Slim 9i, now powered by NPU-packing Intel Core Ultra chips that earn it Windows 11 Copilot Plus PC designation. The laptop also has Lenovos AI Core system, which does some AI stuff like dynamically adjusting settings in creative apps to help improve battery life (up to 17 hours on a 75Wh battery, according to the company).The Yoga Slim 9i has the worlds first camera-under-display technology in a laptop, according to Lenovo. Image: LenovoThe Slim 9i has a 98 percent screen-to-body ratio and features a no-notch webcam for an attractive, bezel-free design. The Slim carries a 14-inch PureSight Pro OLED with a 4K resolution at 120Hz, two Thunderbolt 4 ports (one per side), a quartet of Dolby Atmos-capable speakers, and Wi-Fi 7 in a 2.26-pound package.The many modes of Yoga Book 9i. Image: LenovoLenovos dual-screen Yoga Book 9i also gets 14-inch screens, which catch it up in size to the Asus ZenBook Duo. The Yoga Book screens have a 2.8K resolution (2880 x 1800) at 120Hz per display, and theyre also brighter now at 750 nits versus 400 nits on the previous model.Intel is also updating the Yoga Book with the latest Arrow Lake 255H processor. You can max out the Yoga Book with up to 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to 1TB of internal storage. Three Thunderbolt 4 ports, four speakers, and Wi-Fi 7 are also on board. It also has a bigger battery and an improved folio case / stand design.Lenovo promises a healthy slathering of AI-powered applications in the Yoga Book, including its own Smart Note note-taking app, a book synopsis-generating eReader app called Smart Reader, and a hand gesture feature called Air Gestures to move windows and scroll.The Yoga 9i 2-in-1 in cosmic blue with included Yoga Pen. Image: LenovoThe shiny-finished Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition, meanwhile, gets a new, brighter 14-inch OLED display with a peak brightness of 1,100 nits. Theres also a new Yoga Slim 7i (Aura Edition) and new 16- and 14-inch 2-in-1 7i models that now feature Intel processors.The Yoga Slim 9i starts at $1,849, while the 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition starts at $1,599. Both will ship starting in February. Meanwhile, the Yoga Book 9i dual-screen will set you back at least $1,999 and will ship beginning in May. Lenovo offers a free two-month Adobe Creative Cloud membership if you buy select 2025 Yoga models.Most PopularMost Popular