As You DoWe are not a military company or supplier, Chinese gaming giant Tencent responds to landing on list of companies that give the US Government the heebie-jeebiesThe American government believes the parent company of League of Legends developer Riot Games could have links to the Chinese military.Image credit: Tencent News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on Jan. 7, 2025 Gaming giant Tencent, which you might know as the owner of League of Legends developer Riot Games - or for the numerous other bits of investing and publishing it's done in the gaming space - has been put on a list of businesses the US Government believes have ties to the Chinese military.Tencent, which was reported to be considering acquiring struggling Assassin's Creed developer Ubisoft last year, has denied that it does have the alleged links to the Chinese military machine.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. We are not a military company or supplier, a Tencent spokesperson told The Verge in the aftermath of the listing becoming public knowledge, adding that the company plans to "work with the Department of Defense to address any misunderstanding."As the spokesperson also noted, this listing from the Pentagon doesn't come with any specific sanctions on businesses which are given it. Instead, it's designed to act as a warning to US businesses that working with companies on the it could lead to them potentially not getting any future Pentagon contracts they're in the running for.According to the New York Times, there are currently 134 companies on the list, with battery maker CATL having been added to it around the same time as Tencent, and also having denied that it's engaged in any military-related activities.Tencent shares have taken a hit following the news, dropping as much as 7%, which obviously isn't idea for the company, which has stakes and shares in the likes of Epic Games and Activision Blizzard, in addition to the stuff mentioned earlier.Given the kind of cash and corporate interests at stake in this bit of US/China head-butting, you'll not be surprised to learn that the FT is reporting that both Tencent and CATL will consider resorting to legal action if their attempts to get the designations dropped by chatting to the US Department of Defense don't result in them being taken off of this Pentagon list.If you're after some Tencent related news that's even more wacky that it having some serious words with the American government, it and subsidiary Polaris Quest revealed Light of Motiram, a game that definitely doesn't look a lot like Horizon Zero Dawn, last year.

Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube791kA new trailer for Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter has been revealed ahead of the game's upcoming launch on 28th January 2025.Boasting the voiceover talents of Doug Cockle (The Witcher III), the new trailer showcases a boatload of gameplay highlighting the glorious violence and stunning 2D visuals. As for the game itself, users will be treated to either a standard digital edition or a deluxe edition, the latter of which will come with two sets of cosmetic DLCs in the form of the Augur of the Draugr set and the Hair to the Throne cosmetic pack,Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube791kWatch on YouTube It's looking pretty sweet, and we're quite fond of the first game, so we've got our fingers crossed that this one turns out to be decent. For now, let's check out the key features:Explore a vast, wintry kingdom: Fully narrated by RPG legend Doug Cockle (The Witcher franchise, Alan Wake 2, Baldurs Gate 3) prepare to embark on an epic adventure across the northern realm and biomes of the Ratdom; an expansive, frost-bitten land on the brink of all-out war.Hunt down giant beasts: Track down and defeat 15 legendary beasts of the Ratdoms northern frontier and be rewarded with rare resources with which to craft devastating equipment. But be warned, these colossal creatures wont go down without a fight... and then some.Unleash the power of gods: Unlock the power of the four deities and unleash their powerful Elementa spells in combat; harness the magics of fire, poison, ice, and electric upon the damned malevolent Dark Wings!Master challenging combat: Face down the Dark Wing threat in deadly battles; let the devilish bats taste steel of blade and spear, or attack at range with bolts and arrows... and set elemental traps against these marauding foes (and adjust the difficulty at any point if its getting *too* much of a challenge we wont judge!)Improved base building: Construct and upgrade the devastated Rat fortress of Winters Edge to gain access to more powerful items from the smithy, tastier meals at the kitchen, a wider range of powerful traps from the shoppe, and more!Images: United LabelTails of Iron II: Whiskers of Winter launches on the Switch eShop on 28th January 2025.What do you make of this one? Is it on your Switch wishlist? Let us know your thoughts with a comment down below.

Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)Way back in 1989, Nihon Falcom released Ys III: Wanderers from Ys for various PC-based platforms and eventually consoles like the Genesis and SNES. This 2D side-scroller was well-respected in the community and eventually acted as the basis for 2005's 3D reimagining, Ys: The Oath in Felghana, though this didnt receive a Western release until a PSP version in 2010. Now, hot off the recent Western release of Ys X: Nordics, Falcom brings this remake to modern platforms as Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana. Sporting a few quality-of-life updates, this throwback to simpler times (which debuted in Japan back in September 2023) offers up an enjoyable and tightly designed action-RPG experience that you shouldn't miss out on.Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana covers one of the earlier adventures of series star Adol Christin, following a journey to longtime companion Dogi's homeland of Felghana. They arrive and are warmly welcomed by Dogis friends and family, but it doesnt take long for Adol to get caught up in a larger struggle. The king of Felghana seeks to claim a series of statues to loosen the seal placed upon a demon he wishes to release. Adol thus sets out to retrieve these statues before the king can, hoping to stop his nefarious plan.Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)Its a relatively thin plot, all things considered, but this remake makes the most of it through expanded scenes and voice acting. Sequences where you get to interact with Dogis friends help to give the plot emotional stakes, while the brisk pacing keeps the storytelling tight and not too overindulgentin a world where RPGs frequently go into triple-digit runtimes, Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana is content to tell a modest 10-15-hour tale. Though theres a lingering sense that more couldve been done with the narrative here, Ys games have never really been about the storyline and whats here offers up the perfect mixture of cosiness and intrigue.Gameplay follows the typical Ys formula, mixing dungeon crawling and exploration with riveting combat, and while its obvious this is an older series entry, the gameplay loop has an enjoyably timeless quality. The side-scrolling design of the original release has been swapped out for a 3D isometric engine that creates space for more dynamic fights and complicated dungeon layouts, and though there are still some relics here and there of the old 2D style, it feels like Ys III made a nearly-perfect jump to 3D.Combat is decidedly simpler than in later entries, though thats not to say that it feels worse. Adol has a series of ground combos, a few jump attacks, and a growing list of spells he can spam by burning some regenerating MP, all of which combine for a decent variety of offensive options to pull from.Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)Even so, it feels like most fights begin and end in a matter of seconds, and theres a certain scrappiness to encounters that calls to mind old-school beat em ups. You typically get mobbed, mash the A button while occasionally jumping, and watch the fireworks as enemies drop all sorts of goodies that help you build momentum in the fight.Almost every defeated foe will drop some sort of temporary stat-boosting consumable, further buffing your attack and defence as you carve your way through yet another enemy pack. This creates a wonderfully satisfying loop where Adol becomes more formidable as the fight goes on, and in some places we were vaguely reminded of the power trip Dynasty Warriors delivers as you fell foes with overwhelming ease. Naturally, this means that the base difficulty is a bit of a cakewalk, but the boss fights still offer a healthy challenge and there are always harder difficulty options to activate if things feel just a bit too easy.Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)Visually, Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana utilises a basic but wonderfully effective art style that looks great on the Switchs portable screen. The character models all have a squat, chibi-esque look while the 3D environments are compact, but manage to squeeze in a lot of detail. Notably, textures here feature an impressive level of detail, and all the action runs at a silky 60fps that rarely drops a frame.Couple this with the constant bursts of light and collectibles being tossed around like confetti during fights, and youve got a thrilling spectacle to behold and an action RPG that feels right at home on Switch hardware. Falcom has done an excellent job of polishing this nearly 20-year-old game for a new generation.As for its audio, you have a few options for how youd like to experience the soundtrack. You can either listen to the more rock-infused modern iteration or opt instead for something more retro with the X68 or PC-8801 versions from the original Ys III. It can be fun to toggle between them and see how the modern soundtrack built upon and remixed the original tracks, and while the new soundtrack feels like an overall better fit for the modern gameplay, its a nice easter egg that you can listen to the classic tracks too if thats more your speed.Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)Meanwhile, the voice acting perfectly walks that line between being a bit hammy without being too over the topwe greatly enjoyed the performances here and felt that they added a lot to the largely text-based exchanges.Given that the original Oath in Felghana was itself a remake of an earlier game, Falcom made a few relatively minor quality-of-life adjustments to bring it more up to todays standard. The most significant gameplay-affecting feature is a new turbo mode that can be triggered at any time with a click of 'R3' to speed up the entire game. Though the cutscenes are skippable, we appreciated how this turbo feature offers the option to fire through slower-paced segments if youre getting impatient.Otherwise, beyond the obvious audio and visual enhancements, this release also features dual audio giving the option between Japanese and English voice acting.

Of course it does!Rolling Stone has published its list of the top 50 video games of all time, compiling every title that it believes was not only significantly influential upon release, but remains great to play this very day.Naturally, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has claimed the top spot, and while there are no doubt some Zelda purists who would scoff at its lofty position, we're honestly not that surprised. It's a phenomenal game through and through, and it deserves its place on the throne.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Nvidia and Uber-backed Serve Robotics has raised $80 million in a direct offering of 4.2 million shares of common stock. This is on top of the $86 million in gross proceeds Serve raised collectively December 2024 through a combination of a previously filed at-the-market facility and exercise of warrants.The sidewalk delivery robot company, which went public earlier this year via a reverse merger, expects the $80 million offering to close on Tuesday, subject to certain closing conditions. Serve wouldnt say what it intends to use the gross proceeds for specifically, only noting it would go towards working capital.The $86 million raised in December will go towards extending Serves operational runway through the end of 2026. The company will use that capital to self-fund equipment investments so that it can eliminate the need for equipment financing and associated servicing costs.This story is developing. Check back for updates.

Rare earth metals are largely unknown to the general public, but are used in a huge variety of products. The elements, including neodymium, and praesodymium, and cerium, themselves arent rare. But theyre concentrated in certain parts of the globe and are very challenging to refine into anything useful. Their unique electric and magnetic properties make them essential for electronics like hard drives and headphones, and some are used as contrast agents for MRI and CT scans. Many sell for tens of thousands of dollars per metric ton.In recent years, China has become the dominant refiner of rare earths, and the Chinese Communist Party uses them as bargaining chips in tit-for-tat trade disputes with the U.S.Typically, theres 330,000 to 350,000 tons of rare earths produced per year. Historically, almost none of them are produced in the U.S., said Nathan Ratledge, co-founder and CEO of Alta Resource Technologies.The U.S. Department of Defense is nervous enough that it has made securing the elements a key part of its industrial strategy.China can very easily weaponize this critical mineral supply, Ratledge said. The potential fallout extends beyond defense applications, too. Theyve already put export restrictions on some stuff thats pretty critical to a lot of real valuable companies like Nvidia and Apple.The U.S. currently has one operating rare earth mine in California, but it has had a rocky history. Ratledge said theres an alternative, though, lurking in the tons of e-waste the country generates every year.Alta claims it has developed a way to extract rare earth elements from low-grade supplies more efficiently than current refining techniques, which tend to rely on toxic chemicals applied over dozens of steps. The company, which until now has operated in stealth, instead uses a series of proteins that are specially designed to latch onto rare earth elements, whether theyre from virgin ore or electronic waste.Its hard for chemicals to differentiate between neighboring elements on the periodic table, Ratledge said. When things are less complex, chemicals can tend to win, because chemicals are cheaper. And when things are more complex, biology tends to shine because of the selectivity. The trick is harnessing biology in the right way.Altas proteins are attached to a resin and loaded into a column through which solutions containing rare earth elements are allowed to percolate. The proteins snatch rare earths out of solution and, when theyre saturated, the column is flushed and washed to release the metals. Ratledge said the proteins have proven to be surprisingly durable.The company is planning to build a pilot-scale plant this year thats about the size of a shipping container. Ratledge said that Alta has reasonable conviction that the federal government will help fund at least part of the cost of the pilot.To help with refining the technology and scaling it up, Alta has raised a $5.1 million seed round, the company exclusively told TechCrunch. The round was led by DCVC and Voyager Ventures with participation from Orion Industrial Ventures, Overture, and WovenEarth Ventures. The startup has also secured about $1 million in grant funding from DARPA and the state of Colorado.Though Alta wont be able to shift rare earth refining back to the U.S. overnight, Ratledge is optimistic that his company can produce enough metal to help the Pentagon breathe easier.To de-risk some of the core national security concerns, you dont need hundreds of thousands of tons. Youre talking single-digit-thousands of tons. Being able to meet those needs for the U.S. government is a near-term opportunity for us and other people like us, he said.

When Valeria Kogan started her Ph.D. program in bioinformatics, the scientific field that uses computation and software to analyze biological data, in 2017, she imagined her career would always be within the fields of mathematics, medicine, or biology. But after the first AI boom in the late 2010s, she got an intriguing opportunity in a sector she hadnt considered: agriculture.Kogan (pictured above in the middle) told TechCrunch that when she was approached by a friend of a friend, a tomato grower looking for someone who understood AI and could help apply the tech to agriculture, she was intrigued. When she heard that they were looking to use AI to monitor plant health, she realized a lot of her bioinformatic background was transferrable.When they started sharing with me the challenges they had, plants have health and their health is important, and how they monitor the health of plants, it was clear that technically the challenge is very similar, Kogan said. You want to see and make the diagnosis as fast as you can.She decided to launch Fermata in 2020. The Tel Aviv- based startup uses computer vision and AI to monitor and diagnose greenhouse crops with diseases or pests. Fermatas software works with any off-the-shelf camera and takes pictures of a greenhouses crops twice a day. Its inhouse AI model analyzes the pictures and sends alerts of infestation or disease to farmers through an app.Kogan acknowledged that companies looking to bring AI to farms have struggled to gain meaningful traction in the past. While she doesnt think her company has garnered meaningful market share just yet, she thinks Fermatas approach has allowed the team to gain traction for a few reasons.For one, she said, they approached the market with genuine curiosity, looking to find out what greenhouse farms needed, as opposed to trying to sell them tech they didnt want.The original idea that I had was lets build the robots that will be moving through the greenhouse, and we even built the first project, Kogan said. We did the first mistake, we built things before talking to anybody, and it still sits in my dads garage. When we started talking to people, it was very clear that no one needs that, the robot is a bad idea.She added that their approach to training their AI model has likely also helped them stand out. Since the beginning, Fermata has kept its data labeling team in-house, as opposed to outsourcing it, which Kogan attributes the companys accuracy to. When they started, they used publicly-available data, but now they train their models on their customers data and have a research and development center where they infect plants with different diseases too.We love customers who have a lot of problems because it brings us a lot of data, especially if they have some deadly diseases, Kogan said, followed by a laugh. Were like, okay, lets look serious on the call, and that were worried because that is bad news for them but for us its amazing news.When Fermata launched, Kogan said they thought it would make sense to partner with companies that were already selling to farms. That approach didnt garner a lot of call backs when Fermata started it in 2020, but when AI started gaining momentum in 2022 that changed. Now, Fermata works directly with farms but also partners with large agriculture enterprises like Bayer and Syngenta. The company declined to share growth metrics but has deployed more than 100 cameras.Fermata also recently raised a $10 million Series A round. The $10 million came entirely from Raw Ventures, a European VC. The firm was an existing investor and Kogan said when they set out to raise this current round, they didnt feel the need to dilute the cap table with more investors.The round will be used to help the company scale and to reach its goal of being profitable by 2026. Kogan said that theyve been able to grow thus far without a sales team, and largely from inbound interest, but are looking to bulk up their sales team. Fermata currently just works with greenhouse-grown tomatoes but is actively working toward expanding into new crops and growing its partnerships.

Dive into a visual feast with the Showreel 2024 by The Yard VFX showcasing their Khazad-dm work on The Rings of Power, the intense action of Halo Season 2, the adventure of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and the relentless energy of John Wick: Chapter 4! Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2024The post The Yard VFX Showreel 2024 appeared first on The Art of VFX.

Metal 3D printer manufacturer Eplus3D delivered over 100 super-meter metal LPBF 3D printers globally in 2024. Nearly 40 of these systems, which include the EP-M2050, EP-M1550, and EP-M1250 models, feature X, Y, and Z axes all measuring over one meter.According to the Hangzhou-based company, these sales figures reinforce its leadership in the large-format, multi-laser metal 3D printer market. Eplus3D claims its success in 2024 reflects a market trend of increasing multi-laser adoption in metal additive manufacturing.Over recent years, the laser wars have emerged in the metal 3D printing sector, with OEMs incorporating increasing numbers of lasers into their industrial systems. Eplus3D has played a key role in driving this, launching the 64-laser EP-M2050 3D printer last year. Xian Bright Laser Technologies, Farsoon Technologies, Nikon SLM Solutions, and Velo3D also offer their own multi-laser systems, all of which target high-speed production of large-scale metal parts.Eplus3D commented that it will continue to explore and push batch production to the next level, steadfastly expanding the boundaries of metal additive manufacturing in 2025.Eplus3D Large-format Metal PBF 3D printers installed in JINGYE Additive Manufacturing. Photo via Eplus3D.Metal additive manufacturing at Eplus3D Eplus3D was founded in 2014 by Feng Tao, who developed Chinas first selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printer. He later worked with South China University of Technology in 2002 to establish the countrys first Selective Laser Melting (SLM) additive manufacturing equipment.The Chinese firm, which boasts facilities in several countries including Germany and the United States, specializes in large-format laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology. These systems seek to address the high demands of the aerospace, space, and energy industries which require large and highly complex metal components.Last year, Eplus3D partnered with engineering services provider LEAP71 to develop what has been called the worlds largest single-piece metal 3D printed rocket thruster. Displayed at Formnext 2024, the thruster stands over 1.3 meters tall and is capable of delivering 200 kN of thrust, over 40 times the thrust power of the Noyron TKL-5 engine tested in June 2024.1.3 meter tall 3D printed single-piece 200 kN thruster. Image via Eplus3D.Additionally, Eplus3D installed its EP-M300 LPBF system at Paradigm 3D to 3D print certified aerospace components. Thanks to its open platform and high material utilization rate the system reportedly facilitates testing with with diverse materials and parameters for robust R&D initiatives.The companys technology has also been adopted by automotive, mold-making, and electronics firms targeting mass production and industrialization applications. Eplus3D recently partnered with German bicycle manufacturer Mve to develop the Mve Avian, an e-bike with a 3D printed titanium bike frame. The design unlocks full battery integration, addressing complex design and production challenges. Leveraging the M650 3D printer allowed Mve to eliminate costly tooling and reduce the projects timeline by six months.The Mve Avian e-bike features a 3D-printed titanium frame developed through the partnership with Eplus3D. Photo via Eplus3D.Metal 3D printers experience shipment growthAccording to Eplus3D, its significant sales milestone highlights its leading position in large-format 3D printing technology. Delivering over 100 metal 3D printers is said to illustrate the firms role in driving innovation and modernization, as well as stimulating the innovation potential of the industry.Metal 3D printer shipments have remained steady over the past year, with Chinese vendors performing particularly well. According to market intelligence firm CONTEXT, in Q1 2024 Chinese OEMs were elated by strong domestic demand for LPBF technology. These companies witnessed 45% growth in metal PBF 3D printer shipments.In the following quarter, Chinas domestic shipments of metal LPBF systems grew 7% YoY, while global shipments from all metal 3D printer manufacturers fell by 7%. During Q2 2024, Eplus3D witnessed 29% shipment growth on a trailing twelve-month basis, while fellow Chinese firms Bright Laser Technologies and ZRapid Tech posted growth of 31% and 54%, respectively.Looking to the future of metal 3D printing, CONTEXT expects shipments of industrial 3D printers costing over $100,000 to increase by 15% in 2025. This growth is expected to be driven primarily by higher demand for metal 3D printers, particularly LPBF technology which is witnessing higher adoption in China. This would reportedly bring sales in the industrial market back to levels last seen in 2021.Wohlers Associates, the Colorado-based additive manufacturing consultancy firm operating under ASTM International, has also reported growth in metal 3D printer shipments. Its annual Wohlers Report 2024 noted that global shipments of metal 3D printers increase by 24.4% in 2023. Having tracked this segment over the past 21 years, Wohlers estimated that 3,793 metal 3D printers were sold in 2023, up from 3,049 in 2022.Who won the 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards?All the news from Formnext 2024.Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on X, like our Facebook page, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.Featured image shows Eplus3D Large-format Metal PBF 3D printers installed in JINGYE Additive Manufacturing. Photo via Eplus3D.

World Design Rankings 2025As the new year unfolds, its time to explore the latest updates from the World Design Rankings (WDR), an annual initiative that highlights the global achievements of the design community. WDR ranks countries based on the number of designers who have received the prestigious A Design Award, offering a unique perspective on the creative and competitive standing of nations worldwide.What are the World Design Rankings?The World Design Rankings serve as a comprehensive benchmark for creative excellence, shining a spotlight on countries that nurture and promote outstanding design talent. By aggregating data from the A Design Awarda globally recognized accolade that honors exceptional work in architecture, industrial design, graphic design, and moreWDR celebrates innovation and creativity across borders. This ranking not only acknowledges the brilliance of individual designers but also emphasizes the importance of fostering a thriving design ecosystem at a national level.Key Highlights from the 2025 RankingsThe 2025 rankings continue to showcase a dynamic landscape of creativity, with countries from diverse regions excelling in various design disciplines. As expected, nations with strong design cultures such as Italy, China, and the United States maintain prominent positions. However, emerging design hubs are making impressive strides, signaling a shift towards greater global diversity in design leadership.Among the highlights:China retains its crown as a global leader, reflecting its enduring influence in design and innovation.Turkey and Hong Kong show significant growth, underscoring the rise of new creative powerhouses.To view the complete list of countries featured in the World Design Rankings and explore detailed design business insights for each, interested individuals can visit the World Design Rankings website at https://www.worlddesignrankings.com/Outstanding Projects and DesignersA Design Awards & Competition is the worlds largest annual juried design competition that honors the best designers, architects, and design-oriented companies worldwide.In todays post, weve rounded up some of the Top 10 Designers winners Worldwide of the ADesign Competition to help kick-start your submission!#RankingFull Name / InstitutionPlatinumGoldSilverBronzeIronRunR+#1Kris Lin of KLID(Kris Lin International Design)489 Points, with 111 Awarded Designs.1435461420R+#2Katsumi Tamura of Good Morning Inc253 Points, with 52 Awarded Designs.142211500R+#3PepsiCo Design and Innovation541 Points, with 128 Awarded Designs & 9 Runner-Up Works.13443620159R+#4Florian Seidl of Lavazza64 Points, with 13 Awarded Designs.632110R+#5Fabrizio Cris of Elica S.p.A.41 Points, with 7 Awarded Designs.610000R+#6Aedas165 Points, with 34 Awarded Designs.5208100R+#7Hakan Grsu of Designnobis287 Points, with 77 Awarded Designs & 8 Runner-Up Works.4142517178R+#8Lenovo Design Group of Lenovo74 Points, with 14 Awarded Designs.4100000R+#9Li Xiang of X+Living Architectural Design Co., Ltd85 Points, with 18 Awarded Designs.467100R+#10Johnson Li of Lenovo (Beijing) Ltd.47 Points, with 9 Awarded Designs.432000Registration to A Design Award & Competition 2024-2025 is open now.Results will be announced on the 1st of May, 2025.