Infinite Reality has raised $3 billion from a private investor, which it plans to put towards expanding its network and product offerings.Read More

OV Entertainment refreshes strategic board with several new key appointmentsFirm says changes are part of "bold steps to fuel its subsidiaries' growth"Image credit: OV News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 8, 2025 OV Entertainment has appointed a number of new members to its strategic board.The "cross-entertainment holding company" said the appointments are part of "bold steps to fuel its subsidiaries growth" and will "enhance OV Entertainments ability to deliver exceptional gaming development and entertainment solutions while driving growth and innovation across its subsidiaries," Kokku and The OGS.As part of this work, the firm has centralised its client relations department, with Carlos Estigarribia - previously head of business development at Kokku - promoted to vice president, client relations, with Mea Nilimaa assuming Estigarribia's role at Kokku.Estigarribia will be tasked with "driving growth through tailored solutions aligned with each subsidiarys unique expertise, guaranteeing the group's aim of mitigating risks with a structure of collaborative companies."Elsewhere, former head of art at Kokku JF Carrier takes on the role of senior client partner, focusing on "positioning OV Entertainments subsidiaries as references in game development, with a particular emphasis on expanding growth within North American studios" and Tamir Nadav, who is currently head of creative at Kokku, will now also serve as acting head of art, "unifying leadership across both departments to enhance synergy and innovation."Marina Maranho also joins the board as General Counsel."This centralised approach not only relieves our dedicated business development teams at Kokku and The Original Gangsters, allowing them to focus on nurturing new relationships, but also enhances communication and client focus," said CEO Thiago De Freitas."This streamlined structure fosters mutual benefits for OV companies and its partners by improving collaboration and ensuring seamless project execution."

Chris Kerr, News EditorJanuary 8, 20251 Min ReadImage via PlaionPlaion co-founder and CEO, Klemens Kundratitz, is stepping down and will transfer leadership of the Embracer-owned company to Phil Rogers.Kundratitz has been with Plaion (formerly known as Koch Media) for 31 years. He founded the company in 1994 to distribute software in Germany, Austria, and the UK.Since then, Plaion has grown into a global venture specializing in game development, worldwide publishing, and distribution. It currently has over 2000 employees in 15 countries and was acquired by Embracer in 2018.The company is perhaps best known in the game industry for working on franchises such as Metro, Dead Island, and Kingdom Come.Kundratitz's successor holds several roles across Embracer Group and was recently asked to lead creation within the newly-formed 'Middle-earth & Friends' operating unitwhich was established following a spate of mass layoffs, studio closures, and project cancellations."I'm delighted to be handing over my CEO duties to Phil. I know he will do an outstanding job, as he has the perfect leadership and vision to build out Middle-earth & Friends, continuing Plaion's excellent momentum," said Kundratitz."It has been an absolute pleasure to build this company, and I am honored and thankful to have worked with our fantastic teams worldwide. I could not have asked for a more exciting and rewarding role in the entertainment industry and I am proud of what we have achieved together.Although Kundratitz will be stepping down at CEO, he'll begin a new tenure at Embracer as a strategic advisor starting in April 2025.Rogers praised his predecessor and described Plaion as a "cornerstone of the European entertainment industry.""I am excited to begin working closely with Plaion's leadership team as we create our new business unit Middle-earth & Friends," he added.Read more about:Embracer GroupAbout 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

Tonal on Wednesday launched the Tonal 2, an upgraded version of its smart in-home strength trainer.Launched in 2018, the Tonal is a wall-mounted strength training machine with electromagnetically adjustable resistance and a touchscreen display. It can monitor lifting form, offer virtual coaching,Along with sporting a new all-black design and chrome accents, the Tonal 2 comes with a host of meaningful internal improvements, including a new adaptive weight system with up to 250 pounds of digital resistance, up from the 200 pounds in the original trainer.The latest version of the trainer now offers drop sets via a software update also available on the Tonal 1, with the option toTonal also improved its optional Smart View feature, which uses cameras to watch your form and give real-time coaching cues. On the Tonal 1, Smart View required you to use your phone camera, and used the on-device camera for a second angle in some exercises; on the Tonal 2, it uses the built-in camera, with an option to use your smartphone for a second angle. The company says the camera also can now use AI to analyze 500 data points per second.The Tonal 2 is available now, starting at $4,295, not including delivery and installation, plus a $495 smart accessories bundle that the companys website says is required to unlock the best Tonal experience. It also requires a $60/month subscription, with a one-year commitment to start. Tonal noted on Instagram it will be introducing a trade-in program for existing Tonal 1 owners looking to upgrade, but didnt give specifics. Tonal told The Verge the Tonal 2 can be mounted on the original Tonals existing wall mount for easier installation.

Awesome Games Done Quick, the annual charity speedrunning marathon is in full swing, already amassing over $500,000 for the Prevent Charity Foundation. With three more days to go, theres a great many runs of popular games coming up. But relying on the schedule or your own preferences to determine when to tune in is a surefire way to miss the best AGDQ has to offer.Take today, for example. Ive never played Batman Forever: The Arcade Game, but after watching the speedrun, I might have to. Its a Batman-flavored beat-em-up that bears precious little resemblance to the movie its based on. The runner, LRock617, chose to play as Robin and within moments of starting the game, I was hooked. The graphics were reminiscent of the early Mortal Kombat games, appropriate since it was published by Acclaim Entertainment. But there was a surreality to them that when combined with Robins overpowered abilities (like one that has him essentially go Super Saiyan), the runners charisma in explaining whats happening, and the audience getting in on the fun with funny donation messages gave the run an absurd goofiness that was a sorely needed shot in the arm at 9AM on a Wednesday morning. And if I hadnt had the marathon on in the background, I would have missed it.Games Done Quicks schedule is set up to have the most popular games or gimmicky runs take place during the early evenings and weekends the time when folks are most likely to tune in. But Ive found some of my favorite runs are of games Ive never heard of played well outside those primetime hours. Ive developed a deep an abiding love of Mr. Bones, a Sega Saturn game I have never played, because I found it during a bout of January 6th-induced insomnia. The Ratatouille run from Summer Games Done Quick 2023, one of that years stand-out runs, happened on a Tuesday at 11AM. More than simply being entertained, keeping GDQ on all the time is a good way to find your next indie game. I didnt know whatPizza Possum was, but after watching the speedrun, its on my list of co-op games to try at home. Theres still plenty of AGDQ left to enjoy. Theres a New Super Mario Bros. Wii run thatll be played while the runner plays the piano and I cannot wait for the Crazy Taxi run thatll be accompanied by a live band playing covers of the songs in the game. But Im even more excited to find the next hidden gem of the marathon purely by chance.

The Android ecosystem is all about choice. While iPhone owners have a smaller pool of new devices to pick from when its time to upgrade, theres a much wider range of choices on Android. You want incredible camera zoom? A built-in stylus? A phone that runs a complete desktop environment when you plug it into a monitor? You can find it on Android. Heck, you can find all of that in a single device.On the flip side, all that choice can make for some hard decisions. Heres where Id like to help; Ive tested a whole boatload of recent Android phones, and I think there are some real winners in the current batch. Its all a matter of what youre looking for, what youre comfortable spending, and what your definition of a reasonably sized phone is. (I have my own, personally.) As you sift through the options, youll almost certainly come across techs favorite buzzphrase of the year: AI. Generally speaking, AI has yet to really impress me on a phone. The Pixel 9 series has some potentially useful features, like a new Screenshots app that uses AI to tag relevant info in metadata, and Galaxy devices can translate a phone call for you in real time. These things are nothing to sneeze at! But none of it feels like the platform shift that the big tech companies keep promising. Best not to put too much stock in any companys AI claims just yet.What Im looking forLongevity A great Android phone will go the distance. I look for signs that the hardware and software will keep up for many years to come, including a strong IP rating for dust and water resistance (IP68 is preferred), durable glass panels on the front and back, and a sturdy aluminum frame rather than plastic. A minimum of three years of Android OS version upgrades is preferred, along with a total of four or five years of security updates.A great screen The best Android phones have plenty of resolution to cover their large display area, which means 1440p, ideally. A fast refresh rate of at least 120Hz is preferred animations and scrolling look super smooth at that rate and even better if its variable down to 1Hz to save on battery life. Quality cameras Any phone can take a decent photo in good lighting, but the best phone cameras can handle low light and high-contrast scenes well, too. I look for optical (most common) or sensor-shift (rare) image stabilization, which helps compensate for hand shake and enable slower shutter speeds in low light to gather more light. A telephoto lens is great to have too, though high-res sensors are starting to offer better lossless crop modes that mimic short zoom lenses well.Wireless charging Most phones on this list offer wireless charging, though not all do. Lack of wireless charging isnt a complete deal-breaker, but its becoming an essential feature for a lot of people since its convenient for charging many different kinds of devices. If you live in the US, I have some bad news about the Android market, though. For complicated reasons having to do with capitalism and geopolitics, we dont get nearly as many of the options as youll find in Asia and Europe brands like Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor, and Oppo just arent available here. Ive limited this guide to the devices Ive personally tested in depth; thus, it is a fairly US-centric set of recommendations.RelatedWith that in mind, its also worth acknowledging that most people in the US get their phones for free from their wireless carrier. If you can manage it, buying a phone unlocked will give you the most flexibility and freedom if you end up wanting to change carriers in the near future. Phone manufacturers also offer financing and trade-in deals to make payment more manageable. But if youre happy with your carrier and the free phone on offer is the one you really want, by all means, take the free phone. Just make sure you understand the terms, especially if you need to change plans to cash in on the deal.However you go about it, you have some fantastic options for your next Android phone.The best Android phone overallGoogle Pixel 9 (128GB)$627$79922% off$627$627$79922% offGoogles Pixel 9 has a slightly larger 6.3-inch OLED display than its predecessor, along with a Tensor G4 processor, a bigger battery, 12GB of RAM, and a dual rear camera setup with a new 48-megapixel sensor for its ultrawide.Screen: 6.3-inch 1080p 120Hz OLED / Processor: Tensor G4 / Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.7 main with OIS, 48-megapixel ultrawide, 10.5-megapixel selfie / Battery: 4,700mAh / Charging: 27W wired, 15W wireless (with Pixel Stand 2) / Weather resistance: IP68Googles hardware is better than ever, and the whole Pixel 9 lineup feels just as polished as anything youd get from Samsung or Apple. But at $799, the basic Pixel 9 is in a particularly appealing position, and if you dont need a telephoto camera or the biggest screen, then this is the Android phone to get.The Pixel 9 comes with some significant quality-of-life improvements like a faster fingerprint scanner for unlocking the phone. The camera is as reliable as ever, and if youre into AI photo editing tricks, boy does this phone have em. Theres a new Screenshots app that acts as a place to store all of the information that would otherwise be lost at sea in your camera roll, and it uses AI to parse information out and make it searchable. Kinda handy.You gotta admit, the camera bar is a strong look. Photo: Allison Johnson / The VergeEven without AI, this is an excellent phone. Its also designed to go the distance, with seven years of promised OS updates, which very likely means youll outgrow the phone before Google stops supporting it. Its potential for long-term value and the quality of the hardware make it an easy recommendation for anyone who just wants a nice Android phone that works.Read my Google Pixel 9 review.The best maximalist phone$1050$1050$130019% offThe Galaxy S24 Ultra is loaded with goodies, including a big, beautiful display, an integrated stylus, and two telephoto cameras.Screen:6.8-inch 1440p 120Hz OLED /Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 /Cameras:200-megapixel main with OIS, 50-megapixel 5x telephoto with OIS, 10-megapixel 3x telephoto with OIS, 12-megapixel ultrawide, 12-megapixel selfie /Battery:5,000mAh /Charging:45W wired, 15W wireless /Weather resistance:IP68The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra says it all in the name: Ultra. It has everything you could ask for in a phone well, at least one that doesnt fold in half. Theres a stylus, two telephoto cameras, a massive battery, and one of the best ding dang screens on any phone, anywhere. Write your grocery list in style. Photo by Allison Johnson / The VergeSo why am I a little underwhelmed? For starters, Samsung swapped the 10x telephoto camera on the S23 Ultra for a higher-resolution 5x camera that uses in-sensor crop to zoom to 10x. This is a sensible move, and photos at 10x look fine, if not as crisp as they did on the last model. Its also pricier this time around, and it was already an expensive phone. Its pretty darn heavy, too, and Samsungs switch to titanium for the frame hasnt made it any lighter.Personal feelings about the zoom lens aside, the S24 Ultra is still basically peerless. Its much-touted AI features are fine, but if theres one thing that makes it worth the upgrade, its the screen. Its anti-glare coating and boosted maximum brightness make it so comfortable to use outside its almost magic. Thats hardly a fancy new tech feature, but the Galaxy S24 Ultra is hardly any old phone.Read my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review.The best phone if youre sick of hearing about AIOnePlus 12 (256GB)$700$80013% off$700$700$80013% offThe OnePlus 12 retails for $100 more than its predecessor, but it comes with upgraded Hasselblad cameras, improved water resistance, and wireless charging. Coupled with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and up to 16GB of RAM, it holds its own against the top smartphones of 2025. Read our review.$700 at Best Buy$700 at OnePlusScreen: 6.82-inch 1440p 120Hz LTPO OLED / Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.6 main with OIS, 64-megapixel 3x telephoto with OIS, 48-megapixel f/2.2 ultrawide / Battery: 5400mAh / Charging: 80W wired, 50W wireless / Weather-resistance rating: IP65After a few years and a little soul-searching, OnePlus is back to its roots. The OnePlus 12 is an excellent device with high-end performance with a competitive price: $799 for the base model with a hefty 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.For that price, you get a crisp 1440p 6.8-inch display, a top-tier Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, and a capable camera. It supports wireless charging, something that previous OnePlus flagships have skipped. Battery performance is fantastic, too power users can get through a full day, and light users can stretch it to two.The OnePlus 12 gets the basics right at a very nice price. Photo by Allison Johnson / The VergeWhat stands out about the OnePlus 12, though, might just be whats not here: a bunch of AI features. Honestly? Thats kind of refreshing. Some of the AI features Google and Samsung are busy shipping right now are nice, but none of them feel essential. If you want to sit out this AI hype cycle but you still want a great phone, the OnePlus 12 might be the one.Read my OnePlus 12 review.The best foldable phonePixel 9 Pro Fold (256GB)$1779$17991% off$1779$1779$17991% offThe Pixel 9 Pro Fold features a 6.3-inch outer screen and an eight-inch inner screen once its unfolded both of which are larger than the original Pixel Fold. The new foldable also lays flat when opened, sports IPX8 weather resistance, and offers a thinner design than the last-gen model.Screen: 8.0-inch 2076p 120Hz OLED inner screen, 6.3-inch 1080p 120Hz OLED cover screen / Processor: Tensor G4 / Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.7 main with OIS, 10.8-megapixel 5x telephoto with OIS, 10.5-megapixel ultrawide, 10-megapixel selfie (cover screen), 10-megapixel inner selfie camera / Battery: 4,650mAh / Charging: 21W wired, 7.5W wireless / Weather resistance: IPX8Does anyone truly need a folding phone? Probably not. But using one is awfully nice, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the nicest book-style foldable Ive used to date. Its pricey, its still bulkier than a slab-style phone, and its cameras arent quite as nice as the other Pixel 9 Pro phones. But its a joy to use, both as a regular phone with the cover screen and when you unfold the big inner screen.The 9 Pro Fold is Googles second folding phone, following up the passport-shaped Pixel Fold with a format that feels much more familiar. The outer screen measures 6.3 inches on the diagonal, but more importantly, the ratio is the same as Googles slab phones. By comparison, Samsungs Z Fold 6 uses a taller, narrower format that feels cramped. Having used them both, I much prefer the 9 Pro Folds approach.The inner screen is great and all, but how about that outer screen? Photo: Allison Johnson / The VergeThat said, the 9 Pro Fold isnt without compromises. The camera system isnt quite as good as what you get in the other 9 Pro phones. The outer screen isnt as sharp or bright as the Pixel 9 Pros, either. And its not as durable as its slab-style counterparts theres no dust resistance, and you cant get it repaired just anywhere. For $1,800, thats an awful lot to swallow. For the adventurous early adopter, though, the 9 Pro Fold will be very rewarding.Read my Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold review.The best phone that puts on a light showNothing Phone 2$599The Nothing Phone 2 embraces a certain retro-infused aesthetic thats unlike anything else youll find on the market. Its not certified to work on Verizon, and its rear-panel LED light strips are more stylish than functional, but its a good alternative to the big Android brands.Screen: 6.7-inch 1080p 120Hz OLED / Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 / Cameras: 50-megapixel F/1.9 main with OIS, 50-megapixel ultrawide, 32-megapixel selfie / Battery: 4,700mAh / Charging: 45W wired, 15W wireless / Weather resistance: IP54The Nothing Phone 2 doesnt offer the very best value proposition in its upper-midrange category. But if its style youre after and something a little flashy (well, a lot flashy), then the Phone 2 is an easy pick. It offers a good 6.7-inch screen, great daily performance and battery life, and a capable camera system. But thats the usual stuff whats unusual about the Phone 2 is its set of LED light strips on the back panel. They illuminate in combinations called glyphs, and you can set them to alert you to certain notifications. Its neat but ultimately isnt as helpful as the systems customizable always-on display.The Phone 2s UI is on-theme. Photo by Allison Johnson / The VergeOn the downside, the Phone 2 is only splash-resistant rather than fully resistant to water submersion like virtually all other phones over $500. Its also not fully supported on Verizons network, which takes it out of contention for a lot of the US population. If neither of the above is a deal-breaker, and the Phone 2s styling appeals to you, then its an excellent choice. One things for sure it definitely stands out from the crowd.Read my Nothing Phone 2 review.Other Android phones worth consideringThere are many more great Android devices that werent covered here, and a few are worth calling out that didnt quite make the cut for a recommendation. First off, theres the Galaxy Z Flip 6, Samsungs excellent clamshell-style foldable. Its not as much fun to use as the 2024 Motorola Razr Plus which facilitates using apps on the cover screen more easily but Motorolas track record for software updates isnt great, so the Z Flip 6 is a safer bet for a flip phone. Read our review.The OnePlus Open is also another good book-style foldable option. Its thin and light, and the software includes some thoughtful approaches to multitasking a crucial part of the folding phone experience. But it wont be supported with software updates for as long as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold or the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Read our review.Last but not least, theres the Google Pixel 8A. If you really want to maximize the return on your investment, its hard to beat Googles latest midrange phone. It covers all the basics for $499 while offering seven years of software support. Read our review.Update, January 8th: Updated to reflect current pricing and availability.

Language-based agentic systems represent a breakthrough in artificial intelligence, allowing for the automation of tasks such as question-answering, programming, and advanced problem-solving. These systems, heavily reliant on Large Language Models (LLMs), communicate using natural language. This innovative design reduces the engineering complexity of individual components and enables seamless interaction between them, paving the way for the efficient execution of multifaceted tasks. Despite their immense potential, optimizing these systems for real-world applications remains a significant challenge.A critical problem in optimizing agentic systems is assigning precise feedback to various components within a computational framework. As these systems are modeled using computational graphs, the challenge intensifies due to the intricate interconnections among their components. Without accurate directional guidance, improving the performance of individual elements becomes inefficient and hinders the overall effectiveness of these systems in delivering exact and reliable outcomes. This lack of effective optimization methods has limited the scalability of these systems in complex applications.Existing solutions such as DSPy, TextGrad, and OptoPrime have attempted to address the optimization problem. DSPy uses prompt optimization techniques, while TextGrad and OptoPrime rely on feedback mechanisms inspired by backpropagation. However, these methods often overlook critical relationships among graph nodes or fail to incorporate neighboring node dependencies, resulting in suboptimal feedback distribution. These limitations reduce their ability to optimize agentic systems effectively, especially when dealing with intricate computational structures.Researchers from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and collaborators from SDAIA and the Swiss AI Lab IDSIA introduced semantic backpropagation and semantic gradient descent to tackle these challenges. Semantic backpropagation generalizes reverse-mode automatic differentiation by introducing semantic gradients, which provide a broader understanding of how variables within a system impact overall performance. The approach emphasizes alignment between components, incorporating node relationships to enhance optimization precision.Semantic backpropagation utilizes computational graphs where semantic gradients guide the optimization of variables. This method extends traditional gradients by capturing semantic relationships between nodes and neighbors. These gradients are aggregated through backward functions that align with the graphs structure, ensuring that the optimization reflects real dependencies. Semantic gradient descent applies these gradients iteratively, allowing for systematic updates to optimizable parameters. Addressing component-level and system-wide feedback distribution enables efficient resolution of the graph-based agentic system optimization (GASO) problem.Experimental evaluations showcased the efficacy of semantic gradient descent across multiple benchmarks. On GSM8K, a dataset comprising mathematical problems, the approach achieved a remarkable 93.2% accuracy, surpassing TextGrads 78.2%. Similarly, the BIG-Bench Hard dataset demonstrated superior performance with 82.5% accuracy in natural language processing tasks and 85.6% in algorithmic tasks, outperforming other methods like OptoPrime and COPRO. These results highlight the approachs robustness and adaptability across diverse datasets. An ablation study on the LIAR dataset further underscored its efficiency. The study revealed a significant performance drop when key components of semantic backpropagation were removed, emphasizing the necessity of its integrative design.Semantic gradient descent not only improved performance but also optimized computational costs. By incorporating neighborhood dependencies, the method reduced the number of forward computations required compared to traditional approaches. For instance, in the LIAR dataset, including neighboring node information improved classification accuracy to 71.2%, a significant increase compared to variants that excluded this information. These results demonstrate the potential of semantic backpropagation to deliver scalable and cost-effective optimization for agentic systems.In conclusion, the research introduced by the KAUST, SDAIA, and IDSIA teams provides an innovative solution to the optimization challenges faced by language-based agentic systems. By leveraging semantic backpropagation and gradient descent, the approach resolves the limitations of existing methods and establishes a scalable framework for future advancements. The methods remarkable performance across benchmarks highlights its transformative potential in improving the efficiency and reliability of AI-driven systems.Check out the Paper and GitHub Page. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our60k+ ML SubReddit. Nikhil+ postsNikhil is an intern consultant at Marktechpost. He is pursuing an integrated dual degree in Materials at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Nikhil is an AI/ML enthusiast who is always researching applications in fields like biomaterials and biomedical science. With a strong background in Material Science, he is exploring new advancements and creating opportunities to contribute. [Recommended Read] Nebius AI Studio expands with vision models, new language models, embeddings and LoRA (Promoted)

The setup of Better Man is conventional. Like Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman, this biopic from The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey wades through the early hardships, romantic discord, and various controversies of a British pop star in this case, Robbie Williams. Yet its also a jukebox musical with so much exuberant punch, pain, and ingenuity that it feels quite unlike any you might have seen before thanks in large part to rendering its Angels-singing subject as a CGI chimpanzee in a world otherwise occupied by live-action homo sapiens. You might think, as I did, "Why the gimmick?" As Williams points out in an affable voiceover, the former teen idol bad boy has long regarded himself as a "less evolved" being. He even penned a song called "Me and My Monkey" to describe his coke-addled stage persona; the film spends a considerable amount of time acquainting us with this side of Williams during his rise to fame, first in the 1990s with boy band Take That and later in the 00s as a solo artist.The fact that we're seeing this digital chimp snort his way through live shows and band break-up meetings, rather than a human actor, certainly makes the bleaker elements of Better Man an easier pill to swallow. Yet there's nothing primitive about the emotions Jonno Davies and Asmara Feik are able to convey through the exquisite performance capture technology of the Wt FX team (of Lord of the Rings fame). With Williams lending his singing vocals too, the result is a flawless characterization of a working-class boy done good, bad, ugly, and good again complete with immaculate North-of-England accent work and vulgarity-filled humor, to boot.That god-tier level of seamlessness is reflected everywhere in the film, especially in the evocative musical numbers. Williams' ballad "Feel" is set against the kitchen-sink backdrop of Stoke-on-Trent circa 1982, where young Robert (played by Feik and voiced by Carter J. Murphy) beautifully croons "I just want to feel real love" as he watches his flaky dad Peter (stunningly portrayed by Steve Pemberton) ditch the family for a life of cabaret. The number transitions into a revolving two-shot of a father-son duet Robert heartbreakingly imagines using the comb and velvet jacket Peter leaves behind.This abandonment serves as the catalyst for Robbie's self-destruction, self-loathing, and desperate need to be famous, a core wound mended and broken through breathtaking musical sequences depicting his volatile split from Take That ("Come Undone") and bittersweet romance with All Saints star Nicole Appleton ("She's The One"). It culminates in a roaring rendition of "Let Me Entertain You" as Williams famous three-night stand at the 2003 Knebworth Festival becomes a hauntingly violent skirmish between the singer and thousands of his past selves. The camera zooms maniacally across the red-tinged battlefield as ash rains down and longswords, axes, and daggers clash. Better Man GalleryNo scene, however, delivers on the film's promise "to give you a right-f**king entertaining" like when London's Regent Street becomes the stage for a mind-blowing, Rock DJ-soundtracked tour through the musical history of Take That. The synchronization of so many deep-cut aesthetic choices from the rain-soaked Back for Good video to the matching blue teddy-boy suits they wore to the 1994 Brit Awards with dynamic choreography and supremely polished editing, ensure this sequence sings in perfect harmony.These musical numbers push the story forward in rip-roaring fashion, yet the script is as much rooted in Williams familial ties and Peter popping in and out of his son's life. As Robert's grandmother, Alison Steadman breathes gorgeous light and pathos into her hometown scenes with Davies. Pemberton might be best known for the dark comedy series The League of Gentleman, but the dramatic verve he imbues Peter with proves poignant and devastating throughout Better Man especially during a quietly stirring final act at the Royal Albert Hall. Better Man is a jukebox musical with so much exuberant punch, pain, and ingenuity.With Better Man, Gracey has transformed Williams' life, music, and demons into a thunderous cinematic spectacle. But its ultimate success is down to its sensitive ability to remain grounded in the emotional reality of a man striving to find love for the little lad who used to watch Frank Sinatra and The Two Ronnies with his nan on the telly. That it does so while that man and lad are both portrayed by an ape made of 1s and 0s is all the more incredible.

NetEase Games has unveiled a Hero Hot List for Marvel Rivals, revealing pick and win rates for everyone from Jeff the Land Shark and Mantis to Storm and Spider-Man.Its a straightforward list of every playable character in the massively popular hero shooter that gives players more insight into which Marvel icons are being picked over the others. You probably wont be too surprised to see Jeff leading the pack as the number-one pick across PC and console quickplay games. Hes sitting at 21.18% pick rate, with Venom in second at 19.09% and Cloak & Dagger in third at 18.81%. At the opposite end of the list, we find Storm, with only 1.66% of players choosing to smite opponents with her weather abilities in quickplay.Pick rates for competitive, meanwhile, tell a slightly different story. Pop-centric healer and Strategist Luna Snow tops the pick rate list at 20.66%, with Jeff still cracking the top 10 in seventh with 13.86%. The tough-to-handle Storm remains at the bottom in competitive games at just 0.69% on PC, while Black Widow sits in last with 0.79% in competitive console matches. It also seems that the Strategist and Vanguard roles remain equally popular among players regardless of mode or platform.Concrete numbers for Marvel Rivals show NetEase is willing to be a bit more transparent about how fans are choosing to engage with the roster, but many will likely find little surprise in the pick rate list. Jeff, specifically, has proven to be quite the punching bag for the community since launch arrived last month. This adorable dog shark has terrorized enemy teams with his Its Jeff! Ultimate ability, which sees him swallowing multiple enemies and, usually, sending them hurtling to their deaths. Hes relatively easy to get a handle on, so its never been a surprise to see him show up in a match.Win rates, on the other hand, reveal that Marvel Rivals has been a mostly even experience regardless of which hero players dive into battle with. While nearly every character hovers around a 50% win rate regardless of game mode, Jeff actually finds himself on the lower end of the spectrum at 45.39% of matches won in quickplay and 44.38% in competitive. Its actually Mantis who brings home the most consistent victories, with 56% of games won in quickplay and 55.20% won in competitive.Some of these stats may give players clues as to how NetEase will push forward when it comes to future balance changes. That said, those pick rates will certainly change once Season 1 introduces new maps, modes, and characters, such as the Fantastic Four, starting this Friday, January 10. Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman kick things off starting this week, with The Thing and Human Torch set to arrive halfway through the season.While we wait for more updates to swoop in, you can read up on why we gave Marvel Rivals and 8/10 in our review. Keep an eye on the latest Marvel Rivals codes for free skins, and vote on the strongest Marvel Rivals characters in our community tier list.Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.

At CES 2025, MOFT unveiled a new MagSafe wallet, compatible with Apples Find My network. MOFT has been developing great MagSafe accessories for a little while now, and this one takes things up a notch.MOFTs new Find My-Enabled Stand & Wallet supports wireless charging, unlike other options on the market, which require a special cable to recharge. The built in battery will last up to 4 months on a single charge.The design builds on top of MOFTs previous MagSafe kickstand wallets, and isnt much thicker than those models. The new wallet with Find My support only adds 1.1mm of thickness to your device, making it pretty discrete.Its also IP68 dust and water resistant, just in case you take it for a swim and can also operate in extreme temperatures, from -20C to 55C (-4F to 131F).MOFTs new Find My wallet offers up to 40 meters of bluetooth range while outdoors, and 30 meters while indoors making it easy to find, even from a decent ways away.The new Find My wallet isnt available for purchase yet, but MOFT aims to have it on the market by May. Theyre targeting a retail price of $49.99.You can check out some of MOFTs existing accessories on Amazon:Follow Michael:X/Twitter,Bluesky,InstagramAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel