Directed mostly by Ben Stiller, the provocative sci-fi series about a mysterious biotech company returns on Apple TV+, starring Adam Scott, John Turturro, Christopher Walken and Patricia Arquette.

Phones down, eyes up Girl strangled by her own wheelchair as bus monitor sent 34 texts, checked Instagram 10 years in prison is possible. Nate Anderson Jan 16, 2025 5:13 pm | 0 Even when you're not driving, texting can be dangerous. Credit: Benjamin Rondel | Getty Images Even when you're not driving, texting can be dangerous. Credit: Benjamin Rondel | Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreCell phones are magnets for our attention, but you can, of course, face significant legal jeopardy for giving them that attention. Just ask the "safety driver" of an Uber self-driving vehicle, which hit and killed a pedestrian in Arizona in 2018. According to authorities, the driver was watching The Voice on Hulu just before the crashand was then charged with negligent homicide.These kinds of cases are always tragic because they feel so easily avoidable, but they also happen with enough regularity that it's easy to tune them out. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,308 people were killed by distracted drivers in 2022 aloneand "texting is the most alarming distraction."That's why states continue to crack down on cell phone use while driving. A Colorado law that went into effect on January 1, for instance, bans a driver from using any mobile electronic device unless it is hands-free. Thirty US states now have such bans in place.But a trial that wrapped up in New Jersey this week caught my attention, because it is one of the sadder and stranger examples of cell phone-mediated distraction while in a vehicle. A young girl died, and a 28-year-old woman is probably going to jail, but this is not your typical tale of texting while driving. Texting was involved34 times, in factbut driving had nothing to do with what happened.Child endangermentThe trial was about an incident in Franklin Township, New Jersey, on July 17, 2023, when a 6-year-old girl named Fajr Williams got on a bus to attend a summer program. Williams had disabilities and was confined to her wheelchair. The bus had a spot for anchoring wheelchairs to the ground, and it had a ride-along bus monitor named Amanda Davila, 28, who was supposed to watch and assist kids like Williams.According to state prosecutors, Williams was properly strapped into her wheelchair and had been taken down to the bus by her older sister. Williams was then loaded onto the bus, but her chair was not allegedly attached to the floor correctly, nor were the proper seatbelts used. As a result, while the bus drove its route to school that morning, Williams began to slide down the seat of her wheelchair. (She could not control her trunk movements normally, and so she was unable to sit back up.) At some point in the ride, she slid low enough that her chair's own four-point harness, which was meant to keep her upright, began to choke her. By the time the bus arrived at school, William had been strangled to death.Investigators focused on the actions of Davila, who was supposed to keep Williams within view. Instead, authorities say, video from inside the bus showed:...that defendant sat in front of the victim instead of across the aisle from her and that defendant used her cell phone with ear buds to scroll through Instagram, listen to Apple music, and send/receive 34 text messages during the bus ride instead of checking on the victim. Testimony revealed that defendant received six years of safety trainings that emphasized a no-cellphone and no-earbuds policy.The state charged Davila with both manslaughter and child endangerment, and she could have faced a couple of decades in prison.The trial itself was raw. According to a local report from NBC, "The video played in court was so painful to watch for the victim's family, her father had to leave the courtroom while jurors watched little Fajr struggling to breathe."But Davila wasn't going to take complete blame. "I made a mistake, but you guys are trying to put me away for 10 to 20 yearson a mistake," she said, going on to argue that the bus company had not in fact banned cell phone use. The New York Times spoke to her lawyer, who said that it "wasnt discouraged for her to be on her phone" and that the bus company actually used the phone to communicate with Davila and even asked her to give her number to parents.Davila also claimed that some of the straps and hooks on her bus weren't workingand that she wasn't properly trained to use them anyway. (The state put great emphasis on the regular training sessions that the bus company gave to employees.) But she admitted that she should have been sitting in the back, with her eyes on the students with disabilities.On January 13, 2025, after a week-long trial, Davila received a split decision. She was cleared on the more serious manslaughter charge but was found guilty of child endangerment and faces the possibility of a decade in jail when she is sentenced in March.Nate AndersonDeputy EditorNate AndersonDeputy Editor Nate is the deputy editor at Ars Technica. His most recent book is In Emergency, Break Glass: What Nietzsche Can Teach Us About Joyful Living in a Tech-Saturated World, which is much funnier than it sounds. 0 Comments

Carrie Pallardy, Contributing ReporterJanuary 16, 20255 Min ReadPresident Joe Biden meets with White House staff in the Oval Office, 2022, to review remarks he will give at an executive order signing. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz) American Photo Archive via Alamy Stock PhotoOn. Jan. 16, just days before leaving office, President Biden issued an executive order on improving the nations cybersecurity. The extensive order comes on the heels of the breaches of US Treasury and US telecommunications providers perpetrated by China state-sponsored threat actors.Adversarial countries and criminals continue to conduct cyber campaigns targeting the United States and Americans, with the Peoples Republic of China presenting the most active and persistent cyber threat to United States Government, private sector, and critical infrastructure networks, the order states.This new executive order, building on the one Biden issued in 2021, is extensive. It addresses issues ranging from third-party supply chain risks and AI to cybersecurity in space and the risks of quantum computers.Could this executive order shape the federal governments approach to cybersecurity? And how uncertain is its impact under the incoming Trump administration?The Executive OrderThe executive order outlines a broad set of initiatives to address nation state threats, improve defense of the nations digital infrastructure, drive accountability for software and cloud providers, and promote innovation in cybersecurity.Like the 2021 executive order, the newly released order emphasizes the importance of collaboration with the private sector.Related:Since it's an executive order, it's mainly aimed at the federal government. It doesn't directly regulate the private sector, Jim Dempsey, managing director of the Cybersecurity Law Center at nonprofit International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), tells InformationWeek. It indirectly aims to impact private sector cybersecurity by using the government's procurement power.For example, the order directs software vendors working with the federal government to submit machine-readable secure software development attestations through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Repository for Software Attestation and Artifacts (RSAA).If CISA finds that attestations are incomplete or artifacts are insufficient for validating the attestations, the Director of CISA shall notify the software provider and the contracting agency, according to the order.The order also calls for the development of guidelines relating to the secure management of cloud service providers access tokens and cryptographic keys. In 2023, China-backed threat actor stole a cryptographic key, which led to the breach of several government agency Outlook email systems, Wired reports. A stolen key was behind the compromise of BeyondTrust that led to the recent US Treasury breach.Related:AI, unsurprisingly, doesnt go untouched by the order. It delves into establishing a program for leveraging AI models for cyber defense.The Biden administration also uses the executive order to call attention to cybersecurity threats that may loom larger in the future. The order points to the risks posed by quantum computers and space system cybersecurity concerns.Bidens Cyber LegacyThe Biden Administration made cybersecurity a priority. In addition to the 2021 executive order on cybersecurity, the administration released a National Cybersecurity Strategy and an implementation plan in 2023.The current administration also took sector-specific actions to bolster cybersecurity. For example, Biden issued an executive order focused on maritime cybersecurity.Kevin Orr, president of RSA Federal at RSA Security, a network security company, saw a positive response to the Biden Administrations efforts to improve cybersecurity within the government.I was surprised at how many agencies have leaned in the last 18 months, especially within the intelligence community, have really adopted basic identity proofing, coming forward with multifactor authentication, and really strengthening their defenses, Orr shares.Related:While the Biden Administration has worked to further cybersecurity, there are questions about adoption of new policies and best practices. Some stakeholders call for more regulatory enforcement.Much like any regulation, people are only going to follow it if there's some type of regulatory teeth to it, Joe Nicastro, field CTO at software security firm Legit Security, argues.Others argue for incentives are more likely to drive adoption of cybersecurity measures.Cybersecurity is an ongoing national security concern, and the Biden administration is soon passing the torch.I think this administration can leave extremely, extremely proud, says Dempsey. Certainly, they are handing over the nations cybersecurity to the incoming Trump administration in far better shape than it was four years ago.A New AdministrationWhile the order could mean big changes in the federal governments approach to cybersecurity, the timing makes its ultimate impact uncertain. Many of its directives for federal agencies have a long runway, months or years, for compliance. Will the Trump administration enforce the executive order?Cybersecurity has largely been painted as a bipartisan issue. And there has been some continuity between the first Trump Administration and the Biden Administration when it comes to cyber policies.For example, the Justice Department recently issued a final rule on Bidens Executive Order 14117 Preventing Access to Americans Bulk Sensitive Personal Data and United States Government-Related Data by Countries of Concern. That order charges the Justice Department with establishing a regulatory program to prevent the sale of Americans sensitive data to China, Russia, Iran, and other foreign adversaries. That order and subsequent ruling stem from an executive order signed by Trump in 2019.Bidens 2025 cybersecurity executive order puts a spotlight on cyber threats from China, and President-Elect Trump has been vocal about his intention to crack down on those threats. But that does not preclude changes to or dismissal of provisions in Bidens final cybersecurity executive order.There may be some things that the incoming administration will ignore or deprioritize. I'd be a little surprised if they repealed the order, says Dempsey.CISA was a major player in the Biden administrations approach to cybersecurity, and it will continue to play a big role if this new executive order rolls out as outlined. But the federal agency has been criticized by several Republican lawmakers. Some have called to limit its power or even shut it down, AP News reports.The incoming Trump administration is also expected to take a more hands-off approach to regulation in many areas. Critical infrastructure is consistently at the heart of national cybersecurity conversations, and the majority of critical infrastructure is owned by the private sector.In terms of new regulation aimed at the private sector, I think we probably will not see anything out of the Trump administration, Dempsey predicts.Cybersecurity policy could look different under the Trump administration, but it is likely it will remain at the forefront of national security discussions.I'm hoping that threat of what China is doing with their cybersecurity programs and how they're facilitating attacks against BeyondTrust and US treasury et cetera, will help continue the progress that we've made within cybersecurity, says Nicastro.About the AuthorCarrie PallardyContributing ReporterCarrie Pallardy is a freelance writer and editor living in Chicago. She writes and edits in a variety of industries including cybersecurity, healthcare, and personal finance.See more from Carrie PallardyNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also LikeWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore Reports

A satellite orbits the planetShutterstock / Andrei ArmiagovOver the past couple years, undersea cables from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean have been severed in apparent acts of sabotage. Now a NATO-backed project has shown how to quickly re-establish the most critical communications using satellites.The first demonstration of the $2.5 million HEIST project short for Hybrid Space-submarine Architecture Ensuring Infosec of Telecommunications took place in Sweden on 16 January. This test simulated how software can swiftly match outgoing data communications with available satellite internet providers, such as SpaceXs Starlink and Viasat.

A TikTok ban could happen as early as January 19.A ban could mean the migration of users and billions of ad dollars to competitors.Meta could gain up to $3.38 billion solely through freed up ad revenue, eMarketer estimated.If TikTok is booted from US app stores, Meta could stand to be one of the largest beneficiaries, analysts say.TikTok, the video platform owned by China's Bytedance, faces an impending ban if the US Supreme Court upholds a law that forces the parent company to divest from TikTok's US version or be forced to shut the app down by January 19.The legal action would most likely bar people in the US from downloading TikTok for the first time from app stores or from installing updates, eventually making the platform unusable. The app could also go dark, blocking existing users from seeing videos.In any case, a TikTok ban would hobble one of the largest social media companies in the US, leaving the time users spent on the app and billions of dollars of ad revenue up for grabs, according to an analysis from Business Insider's sister company EMARKETER."Our latest forecast estimates that TikTok generated $12.34 billion in US ad revenues in 2024," the analysis said. "Assuming TikTok could lose between 50% and 70% of ad revenues due to a ban, $6.17 billion to $8.64 billion of ad spending could need a new home."And one social media giant's loss could be another social media giant's gain.The analysis estimated that Meta, owner of Instagram and Facebook, could reap anywhere between $2.46 billion to $3.38 billion in ad revenue with a TikTok ban.Spokespeople for Tiktok and Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Similarly, Morgan Stanley analysts say that Meta will be the"largest fundamental winner of any TikTok ban" in part due to its existing user base and data set.The ban could add 5 to 9 percent in Meta's earnings per share for the 2026 fiscal year, Morgan Stanley analysts wrote.InstagramEMARKETER estimates that TikTok users in the US spent nearly an hour of their day on the app in 2024 and nearly three quarters of those users were also on Instagram."That leaves close to an hour of their daily media time up for grabs," eMarketer analysts wrote.Morgan Stanley analysts say that Meta would gain around $.30 to $.60 to their 2026 earnings per share estimates for every 10% of TikTok's US time Meta captures.The upside of a TikTok ban won't be concentrated to Meta.Alphabet's YouTube and Snapchat may also see some benefits with TikTok out of the way.For advertisers, a looming TikTok ban should serve as a prescient reminder that no platform, however large, is invincible."Although it's difficult to say if the TikTok ban will go ahead, as it's possible TikTok could sell at the last minute, this should serve as a warning not to put all your content eggs in one basket," Danielle Dullaghan, social strategy director, at the marketing agency Iris, told Business Insider.James Poulter, head of AI and innovation at London-based ad agency House 337, told BI that the brands and creators who will succeed are those diversified across platforms and focused on "owned assets like websites and email lists.""The brands and creators who thrive in uncertain times are those who prepare for the unexpected, ensuring their stories can be told regardless of the platform," he said.

This story originally appeared in Kids Today, Voxs newsletter about kids, for everyone. Sign up here for future editions.Kids lose so much when a disaster strikes. Too many have lost family members to the wildfires that have raged across Los Angeles in recent days. Theyve lost homes. Theyve lost the sense of security and predictability that so many kids depend on. And, to add insult to injury, many of them have lost their schools.At least nine schools in the Los Angeles area have been destroyed or severely damaged by the fires. Video posted by the principal of Odyssey Charter Schools south campus in Altadena shows flames still smoldering in the buildings as smoke rises from the playground, blotting out the sky. Marquez Charter Elementary School in Pacific Palisades is dust, one parent told The Cut. Meanwhile, thousands more schools were closed last week as communities faced evacuation warnings, power outages, and smoke-filled air, leaving more than 600,000 students out of school.Unfortunately, these disruptions are part of a new normal for kids as climate disasters become more frequent. Last year, Americans experienced 27 weather-related disasters costing $1 billion or more in damage, the second-highest number ever meanwhile, the number of days American schools are closed for extreme heat has doubled in recent years.Theres often nothing officials can do to avoid a closure, especially if schools are damaged or without power. But when schools close, kids arent learning, said Melinda Morrill, an economics professor at North Carolina State University who has studied the impact of closures. Research on school closures after Hurricanes Matthew and Florence in North Carolina is sobering. Especially in the early grades, students didnt bounce back, said Cassandra R. Davis, a professor of public policy at UNC Chapel Hill who studied the closures. In some cases, the academic impact persisted for more than a year. Beyond academics, millions of students rely on their schools for mental health support or services like speech therapy; millions more need the free or reduced-price food school cafeterias provide. Schools are also a crucial source of stability in many childrens lives, a place they go five days a week to see their friends, their teachers, their favorite books, their art on the walls, the special stuffed animal in the calm-down corner. Losing all that can be a huge emotional blow.The students from Odyssey Charter School are meeting for now at a local Boys and Girls Club, where teachers and staff have been visiting them, principal Bonnie Brimecombe told me. Some kids who used to have big, vibrant personalities are just not talking, and they just sort of sit, she said. Others are just hugging you so tight and they dont let go. Experts, educators, and families are just beginning to understand what helps students recover after storms or fires devastate their schools. But one thing they agree on is that districts and policymakers need to start preparing schools and students for the next disaster today. Its going to keep happening over and over and over, said Susanna Joy Smith, a mom of two in Asheville, North Carolina, whose kids were out of school for a month last year after Hurricane Helene. We need to learn from these experiences and we need to adapt.Losing school hurts kids academically and emotionallyIn the Los Angeles Unified School District, all schools closed for at least two days last week as the fires raged. Many reopened on Monday, but as of Monday evening around 10 remained closed, some because they were in evacuation zones and three because they had been badly damaged or destroyed, the office of LAUSD deputy superintendent of business services and operations Pedro Salcido told me. Students from Marquez and another destroyed elementary school will be relocated to two nearby schools for the rest of the school year. All 23 schools in the Pasadena Unified School District, which includes Altadena and other areas devastated by the Eaton Fire, remain closed this week.Its a disruption sadly familiar to more and more kids and families around the country. In 2018, the Camp Fire destroyed eight of the nine schools in Paradise, California. The same year, Hurricane Florence raged through North Carolina, forcing some schools to close for as long as 26 days. Then, last year, Hurricane Helene hit the western part of the state, destroying at least one school and leaving others closed for weeks due to flood damage and lack of power or water.School closures after Hurricane Florence were associated with significant drops in students math and reading test scores, Morrill found, with the impact seen across demographic groups and among both higher- and lower-performing students. All students are affected, Morrill said.For Smiths older son, missing a month of the second grade is just huge, especially since the early grades are so important for building reading skills.Many school districts are shifting to remote instruction for at least some weather-related closures, like snow days. But remote school was difficult for many students during Covid lockdowns, a time when kids experienced significant learning loss. Not every kid has access to a laptop or internet connection, and neurodivergent students or those with learning differences may especially struggle with virtual learning. The students at Odyssey are scared of a return to the days of pandemic virtual learning, Brimecombe told me. Theres so much trauma from their experiences being on Zoom.The impact of missed days can also compound when disaster strikes the same kids again and again. In places like North Carolina, where we typically get hit by a tropical storm every other year, students can find their education disrupted again and again, pushing them further behind, Davis said. Its like a constant catchup.Meanwhile, students can struggle emotionally long after a disaster is over. Months after Hurricane Matthew, teachers had to stop class during rainstorms to help students who were afraid of getting washed away, Davis said.In the wake of Helene, Smiths younger son, who is 4, is very aware of the fact that the lights could go out overnight and they might not go on for weeks, she told me. Its heartbreaking, but its also the reality these kids are growing up in.Kids face a complicated recovery, tooAdults can still help kids cope with this reality, experts say. That means learning how to adjust curricula to account for lost time as well as providing mental health support to both students and teachers, Davis said. Kids also need to learn about climate change and disaster preparedness in school, Smith said. Theyre just life skills for kids today. Voxs Allie Volpe has tips for preparing kids for climate disasters; LAist has a list of resources for talking to kids about fires, specifically.Making school buildings more climate-resilient is also important, experts say, something school districts around the country are already working on. And when disaster does strike, districts need to figure out how to get kids back to school as quickly as possible and arrange makeup time for the days they missed, Morrill said. Its not enough to hold weekend classes for the bottom 10 percent, she told me. Everybody is going to experience some harm.At Odyssey, the first priority is finding classroom space kids can return to school leaders are reaching out to local churches and rental spaces, and have launched a GoFundMe to help with costs. They hope to be back in person next week.When they are together in a new space, were not going to start with learning, Brimecombe said. Were going to start with community. Were going to start with social-emotional lessons. Were going to start with joy.What Im readingFourteen-year-old Avery Colvert, whose school was destroyed by the Eaton Fire, has started a recovery fund for teens affected by the disaster. I want specific items for these girls so they can feel like themselves again and get their confidence back, she told Time.A majority of 11- and 12-year-olds have accounts on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, or Snapchat even though the sites technically require users to be 13, a new study found.Evidence for the benefits of risky play like climbing and jumping keeps piling up, but kids have less access to it than ever.My younger kid and I are enjoying the perfect Days With Frog and Toad, in which other animals are weirdly mean (who hurt you, robins?) but the bond between the titular amphibians is forever.From my inboxThis week, my older kid has been concerned about the wildfires in LA. I told him I am concerned too, but that it felt good to speak with people who are working on getting kids back to school.Now Id love to hear from you how you talk to the kids in your life about disasters like storms and wildfires. What are their questions? What are your answers? How are you helping them cope with the world we live in (and how are you coping yourself)? Let me know at anna.north@vox.com.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Despite having no idea what to expect with Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, I found myself absolutely enthralled throughout read my preview to find out whyTech17:00, 16 Jan 2025We were able to meet Sakamoto-san before playing the game(Image: SEGA)Has there ever been a series that so routinely surprises its longest-serving fans than Like A Dragon? Since 2020s Yakuza: Like A Dragon which pivoted to a turn-based combat system, weve seen Lost Judgement, Like A Dragon Ishin, The Man Who Erased His Own Name, and Infinite Wealth.Now, less than a year after the last title were getting what might be the most surreal entry yet. Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii might be the wildest name for a game to come out in 2025, but its backed up by plenty of substance and oodles of style not unlike protagonist Goro Majima.Building your crew is a key part of the game(Image: SEGA)As revealed in our hands-on preview, our adventure with Majima begins with him washing up on shore and being rescued by a boy called Noah.The Mad Dog of Shimano has amnesia, though, and while that might sound a little convenient, it does help him shed some of the burden of being a sadomasochist, albeit a strangely lovable one.We didnt get to see the earliest interactions between the two, but their banter throughout is a delight as Noah joins Majima on his adventures across the high seas, along with the boys father. Its clear Majima cares for the precocious youngster, and his canine companion, and it grounds the otherwise surreal character in this new world.Well, new world might be a little strong. This game contains the entirety of Hawaii that was found in last years Infinite Wealth, as well as some additional island locations. That means all of the minigames youve come to love are here, and Id be lying if I said I didnt spend a fair chunk of time playing in the explosive, pirate-themed batting cages or sampling some classic arcade Virtua Fighter matches.Much of the fun of Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii can be found in new location Madlantis, a pirate hangout full of neerdowells. While roaming its gantries, Majima can find recruits to join his crew, fight rivals, and engage in ship-to-ship combat via an arena called the Pirates Coliseum.Ship to ship combat is a big focus(Image: SEGA)The Coliseum sees you and your dastardly crew set loose against an opponents ship (or multiple ships) to settle your differences, and the game features a variety of modes from ship-to-ship skirmishes to land-based ones and even a tournament system.Its a great way to experience naval combat in quick bursts without needing to navigate the open world areas, and its clear that RGG Studio wants you to spend plenty of time here.Successful battles can help you increase the level of your crew, and each has their own specialisms like weapon types theyre best-suited to, or abilities that can trigger when you board an enemy ship like healing your squad or buffing damage.My favourite part is that your ragtag group can be seen charging into battle via a short cutscene before you board, and seeing a bloke in a sheep mask wearing very little, or a pro-wrestler type crewmate with an axe the size of a human being charging in with Majima never got old.Theres a whole level of min-maxing and management that Im eager to dig into when the game launches, and not least because of the array of upgrades you can put on your ship.Majima can fire his own rocket launcher or a machine gun, and the ship can be outfitted with flamethrowers, but Im particularly keen to try out the laser cannon or Shark launcher that were shown in our session.Theres a big difference between the basic battles and the higher-ranked ones, too, but increasing your Pirate Level to take on tougher challenges will unlock additional crew to recruit, too.Just when you thought the series couldn't get more bonkers(Image: SEGA)If firing a shark at another ship sounds like fun, wait until you get to explore Majimas fighting style.There are two to choose from, and each has a completely different moveset and special ability. Mad Dog sees our hero rolling, flipping, and stabbing with a knife, juggling opponents into the air and double-jumping with superhuman regularity.In this guise, triggering Majimas special ability causes his Mania, spawning a series of doppelgangers that each attacks independently of Majima.Switching to Sea Dog style sees him instantly don his pirate outfit and wield a pair of cutlasses, and even gives him access to an old-school pistol which gives him some teeth at range.Here, his special ability becomes a choice of four Dark Gods from the sea, acquired through the campaign and summoned via various musical instruments. Playing a ditty on his fiddle, for example, summons a huge shark to attack opponents, while the other options are a huge ape, jellyfish, and a bird.Its exactly as wild as it sounds, and when I asked Chief Producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto about it, he said just go with it.Article continues belowWhile some may scoff that a series that began as a gritty crime drama has so literally jumped the shark, Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is one of the most enjoyable previews Ive ever taken part in because I simply had no idea what to expect next.For more on Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, be sure to check out our conversation with Chief Producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto about bringing in new players, as well as its very short development timeline.RECOMMENDED

Majima is commanding the seas (Sega)GameCentral speaks with Like A Dragon producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto about mini-game creation, spin-offs, and how the studios approach to development has helped it survive.Based on our initial hands-on last year, we were still unsure how distinctive Like A Dragon spin-off Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii would end up being. The game is built on the bones of its predecessor Infinite Wealth, only this time with fan favourite character Goro Majima taking the spotlight in a sequel set six months later. Theres plenty of eccentricities in combat we already knew about, to match the swashbuckling pirate theme, but the question was whether it would be just a brawler-skewed retread with some shivering timbers.Well have to wait until the full game launches next month to answer for certain, but following a second hands-on session, we have a better idea of its biggest selling point: ship battles. Developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has teased this component since the game was announced and while past games have a knack for sidelining extravagant mini-games as optional diversions, sailing the seas as Captain Majima is an essential part of Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii and its all the better for it.Infinite Wealth was impressive because of how robust many of its side activities were, but we were still surprised by how deep the pirate stylings go here. You can customise practically every part of your ship: between the hull, masts, cannons (more on that later), leading figurehead, and the crew aboard the vessel. Youll recruit new members over the course of the game, usually by beating them up in dedicated battles, which adds them to your growing roster of outcasts (yes, nappy men included) you can assign them to different parts of the ship.The crew management aspect is similar to other mini-games from the Like A Dragon stable. You can level up assigned crew members in battles (like Clan Creator in Yakuza 6), with each having different stat boosts. Majima can also throw pirate-y parties and feasts, or give individuals gifts, to keep their morale up, in a similar vein to the business management activity in Yakuza: Like A Dragon. The systems behind the pirate life are bolted together from the series past, but its the combination of all these things together which stops it from feeling like reheated booty.Were also perhaps burying the games biggest asset: laser cannons. As you might hope from Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii, the ride can be as silly as you want it to be when sailing the seas. Gatling gun turrets can be turned into coconut shooters, the cannons can be upgraded to fire flamethrowers, lasers, and even sharks; while Majima himself, at any time while on the ship, can let go of the helm, fly up the mast, and freely aim a rocket launcher at enemy crews. No need to faff with ship cannons (Sega)While the ship combat isnt exactly deep, the overlapping mechanics and options make it compelling. Ship battles at the Coliseum also involve jumping aboard the enemy ship (sadly, only through a cut scene) to brawl in classic Yakuza fashion alongside your assembled crew of oddballs. Much like the Swashbuckler Showdown mode, where you brawl against another crew in a chaotic island scrap, the visual spectacle feels like the main draw, but Majimas versatile arsenal, now complete with Dark God summons ranging from a parrot to a squad of jellyfish, keeps it engaging.Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii is built around four main islands (including Hawaii from Infinite Wealth) which are connected by surrounding waters you can freely sail around. Based on this preview, the freedom is somewhat limited, with relatively narrow pathways to follow and only the odd enemy fleet to encounter. There are bonus islands you can discover and explore, but the ones we encountered were very small areas littered with a few treasures, so we hope theres more incentive to seek these out in the final game.Weve focused on the ship battles because its the main new addition, but when placed in the overall package, Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii appears to be surprisingly robust for a spin-off. The satisfying cooking mini-game is back, from Like A Dragon: Ishin, while Hawaii is populated with a bunch of new side stories and returning activities. The main unknown at this point is the narrative itself, which might be the make or break factor of whether this all hangs together.As a spin-off in the same vein as the compact Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii feels ready to catch people off-guard, who are heading into this with lowered expectations. It is clearly beholden to Infinite Wealth, but Captain Majima feels on course to prove theres life in the old mad dog yet.Following our hands-on, we spoke with Like A Dragon series producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto about Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios fast development cycles and the origins of Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii. The interview was conducted through a translator and has been edited for clarity. More fun than Skull And Bones (Sega)GC: Its surprising Goro Majima hasnt had a solo game before this, considering hes been a favourite for so long, were there ever any plans for a spin-off prior to Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii?Sakamoto: There was a little side story where you could control Majima in Yakuza Kiwami 2, and outside of that we never really planned any games featuring him [as the main protaganist].Our series has a lot of really interesting, fun characters that you could probably focus on and write a story for, but we wanted to keep the spotlight on the primary characters, the protagonist of the story and make stories around them.So, for example, in Yakuza 4 and 5, we had [multiple] characters you could control and that was a multi-faceted story, but whether it was Kiryu from most of the series or Kasuga Ichiban from [Yakuza: Like A Dragon and Infinite Wealth] now, we wanted to really just focus on these core protagonists.GC: Pirate Yakuza In Hawaii dials up the absurdity to even greater heights, did you feel more freedom with this entry to go to further extremes?Sakamoto: So the general idea for this game was to create we didnt really have the ending of Majimas story after Infinite Wealth and we wanted to wrap a bow tie on that and tell what happens after those events. So we have Hawaii, we have Infinite Wealth, this is the general story that were starting with.Then were like, OK, if were using Majima as the protagonist, its less that we have more freedom, more that if its Majima we can do this, if its Majima we can do that. It wasnt our goal but it was a result of the choices that we made to get where we were. We said, if we had Majima we could do some of the things that will exceed your imagination. Theres a lot more possibilities with Majima.GC: I was curious about the process of creating mini-games in this series, as they do vary so wildly. Is everyone pitching in across the studio or is there a dedicated team?Sakamoto: So I think this is something which hasnt changed since the advent of the first Yakuza. We always wanted to make something that really fits the world that were building, like regular everyday entertainment that you would have on the streets.In the original Yakuza, theres a darts bar, so [we were like] wouldnt it be really cool if we could play darts? Wouldnt it be cool if we had karaoke in the game? So thats really what fuels our ideas. Were not trying to create like, Hey what would be a wacky mini-game we could put in there? Were thinking, what can you do in a town to entertain yourself in real life? And then we build off of that.For each mini-game we have one person in charge of it. So if we have a darts game, were going to have one programmer in charge of bringing that from start to completion. If its a Mahjong parlour, we have the same thing. Thats what fuels how we create mini-games and the process of how we do that.For example, Uber Eats has recently taken off in Japan, so we said, Everybodys talking about Uber Eats, why dont we make a mini-game based around that? Lets make Crazy Delivery. Seeing trends and things that are happening in real life is our main inspiration.GC: Im thinking about the Dondoko Island mini-game in Infinite Wealth specifically here, but it feels like some of these games could be sold as standalone experiences. Is that something youve considered? Is there a reason you havent done that so far?Sakamoto: Weve talked about that in the past. Weve had so many different cabaret games that we thought, maybe we could make a cabaret island? And have an entire simulation cabaret world or something.These ideas come up but we make games at a really fast pace, so [we think] do we have to dedicate resources to making this kind of side game? Or do we want to make the next Like A Dragon game? And we always prioritise the things that we want to make, and all of these other ideas fall by the wayside because we want to make the main things.GC: Youre renowned for releasing games at a very fast pace. With so much talk around the rising costs of development in the AAA space, Im curious if you see the way your studio re-uses assets as a potential solution to that problem?Sakamoto: This is a really good question. In my personal opinion, were a studio that makes games at a really fast pace, and in order to create really timely and costly games, you really have to think about how you make your games and how you approach it.Especially for us, we dont want to leave huge gaps between the games that we create. We want to keep things moving, and especially because were making games set in the modern world. If you create games set in the modern world and you start working on it and then five years pass before its even released, the world is going to be a different place. Its not going to land as nicely, so we want to keep that development pace going.The longer your development cycle, the bigger your budget, the higher and higher the risk gets when youre making a game, right? So the cost of, say, messing up when you have those larger, big budget titles becomes much higher. But when youre releasing a bunch of more compact titles, the risk becomes a little more mitigated by the fact youre already creating another one that can cover.So even if you make a mistake in one title, you can learn from it and grow from it as a studio and as individual developers, and find ways to overcome that deficit and then make a better game in the future. So its a really good method for growing as a studio as a whole [in terms of skills].We talk about how were able to deliver a lot of games at a very fast pace, but theres a lot of really basic research that goes into a lot of these games that [means] the actual time developing it, and the time that some of us think about it, research it and so on, might be very different for some of these titles.So having this kind of hybrid [model], where you have these shorter titles that are a little bit easier to work around, and these bigger titles where you spend a lot of time researching and doing the basic legwork, its a good way to create good games but also to survive in a very turbulent industry.More TrendingGC: To bounce off that, we know Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is working on several games seemingly outside the Like A Dragon series at the moment, between Project Century and Virtua Fighter. Will the development of these impact when we might see the next game in this series, or are you planning to keep up the current pace?Sakamoto: We almost always have multiple projects going on at the studio, so were always working in a very hybrid method, where well shift people from one project to the other and move staff around. Its kind of like business as usual for us in a lot of ways.GC: Brilliant, I look forward to them both. Thank you very much!Formats: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PCPrice: 54.99Publisher: SegaDeveloper: Ryu Ga Gotoku StudioRelease Date: 28th February 2025Age Rating: 18 Theres plenty of monkeying around (Sega)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.ArrowMORE: Like A Dragon boss rules out Akiyama spin-offGameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Thirty years ago today, Star Trek: Voyager began its trip to the Delta Quadrant with the debut of its pilot, Caretaker. Famously, Voyagers production got off to a rocky start: it lost its already groundbreaking female lead, Genevive Bujold, just days into filming. But Bujolds loss wasStar Treks gain with the arrival of Kate Mulgrew to slide intoVoyagers captain chair, coffee mug in handand what made her perfect forStar Trek was clear from the get-go. There are lots of weird and wonderful things in Caretaker. There are the big, bold ideas, like stranding the ship tens of thousands of lightyears from Federation space, or how the devastation of its crew during the initial accident necessitated Janeways Starfleet officers brushing shoulders with new guerrilla allies from the Maquis they were trailing. Theres small ones, like how utterly fabulous Roxann Dawsons BEllana Torres hair is before its sadly straightened out the second she becomes part of Starfleet again (a crime!), or the look on Kate Mulgrews face when she has to react to the line You havent lived until youve tasted a mans anglabosque (30 years on and weve never learned what anglabosque was, so we must clearly be living empty lives). Much of the delight in what makes Caretaker work as a pilot is centered around Mulgrew. Her immediate grasp of who Janeway isand how the episode itself never lowers itself to grappling over the idea of having a female captain leading the showgives Voyager a momentum and energy that arguably the show itself didnt always manage to capitalize on over the next seven seasons. She is in some moments a complete hard-ass, in others a caring leader; we see her pushed and pulled through this bizarro scenario shes been handed in a routine mission turning into a fight for her and her crews very lives in the face of unknowable power, and facing it with this perpetually simmering sense of justice and compassion. Its almost absurd to think that that Mulgrew was not there from the start: it feels like Janeway was made for her. And yet in spite of all this, one line read of hers in Caretaker has been burned into my mind ever since I first saw it. Its a completely absurd one, one of many among Voyagers notable quotables. The scene: Voyager has just encountered the Talaxian trader Neelix, who offers to help act as guide to the strange new region they find themselves in exchange for supplies of water. But first, he leads them to a world where the crew believes several abducted Maquis and Starfleet officers have been taken to, only for Neelix to quickly admit that hes lead them astray: theyre helping him make a deal with a local species, the Kazon. Or more specifically, one of their subsects, the Kazon-Ogla.The Kazon-Ogla, Janeway asks, scrunching her face against the bright light of the desert world theyve beamed down to. Who are the Kazon-Ogla!?Its not a funny line. Its a completely normal line. Its a completely normal reaction to Janeway realizing Neelix has gamed them. But Mulgrew sells this absurd incredulity in the moment in such a way that I cannot help but laugh every time Ive watched Caretaker over my lifetime as a Trekfan. The exasperation, the confusion, the rise and fall in her voice as she accentuates Kazon-Ogla. Shes not making a mockery of the line or at having to spout alien names and technobabble, though; what nails it is the complete and utter earnestness behind it all, dripping from every syllable of the sentence. The Kazon-Ogla? Who are the Kazon-Ogla! I cant explain why it speaks to me in such a particular way, beyond Mulgrews conviction as she says it. In that moment, the Kazon-Ogla, whoever they are, are the realest thing in the world to her, and she makes you believe it, no matter how peculiar it seems to be. Janeway and the rest of the crew would go on to have many iconic moments, and many sweeping, earnest, funny, brave, inspired speeches and exchanges across Voyagers seven seasons. But of all the moments in Voyager beyond it, of all the moments Ive seen now having watchedStar Trek for the best part of my life, its this one that just creeps into my head at random like a mental ticone that Im still thinking, and laughing about, 30 years later. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Casa Zempoala / o.d.e.Save this picture! Zaickz MozHousesZempoala, MexicoArchitects: o.d.e.AreaArea of this architecture projectArea:189 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Zaickz MozMore SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. In the heart of Hidalgo's landscape, Mexico, o.d.e (Oficina Documental de Espacio) presents Casa Zempoala, a retirement home designed for an older couple, intertwining contemporary design with local traditions. This 189 m project is organized around two interior courtyards, conceived as spaces for gatherings and family conversations, while also serving as a serene refuge for this stage of lifecelebrating both togetherness and intimacy.Save this picture!Save this picture!The house reinterprets the historical heritage of the region, drawing inspiration from iconic elements like the Padre Tembleque aqueduct that has shaped the landscape. The project creates a dialogue between past and present by incorporating arches and the characteristic pink hues of local architecture, transforming them into a contemporary language that enhances its surroundings.Save this picture!Save this picture!The home's architecture is bold and designed as a single-story structure to accommodate the needs of a retirement residence. From the street, its pink faade, accompanied by a traditional baseboard of local materials, harmonizes with the heights and volumes of neighboring buildings. Inside, the house is distributed over two levels. On the ground floor, the primary bedroom and social areasliving room, dining room, and kitchenare located. These spaces extend into the courtyards through doors and windows that blend interior and exterior, fostering family interaction and becoming the social heart of the house. Upstairs, there are two guest bedrooms with bathrooms and a family room, designed for visiting relatives. A staircase connects the two levels, illuminated by a skylight that fills the central space with natural light.Save this picture!The materiality of Casa Zempoala pays homage to the visual and textural richness of Hidalgo's landscape. Pink stone, evoking nearby quarries, combines with clay and pinewood, bringing warmth and creating an ambiance typical of a "village home." Every detail, from textures to tones, reinforces the character of a home where modernity and tradition coexist in perfect harmony.Save this picture!The house's orientation is based on a bioclimatic study that considers the region's cold and arid climate. The structure shields itself from prevailing winds and faces south to maximize natural light, ensuring optimal thermal comfort. Meanwhile, the landscaping, carefully designed by Gabriel Guizar, reinterprets native vegetation to enrich the sensory experience of the residents. Featuring low-maintenance species, the outdoor spaces invite exploration of textures, colors, and aromas.Save this picture!At Casa Zempoala, tradition and culture meet the desire for tranquility in adult life and the warmth of family living. With this project, o.d.e has created the ideal space for a retired couple to enjoy a home in perfect harmony with its surroundings.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officeo.d.e.OfficePublished on January 16, 2025Cite: "Casa Zempoala / o.d.e." 16 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1024833/casa-zempoala-ode&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream