Institute wants more stringent safety regulations in non-residential buildingsin its full response to Grenfell Inquiry reportRIBA has called for non-residential buildings including schools and train stations to be classed as higher risk under the Building Safety Regulations in its full response to last years Grenfell Inquiry phase 2 report.The institute wants all assembly buildings, defined in Approved Document B of the regulations as buildings other than dwelling houses as places where people gather for entertainment or recreation, to be subject to more stringent regulatory controls.A busy train station in LondonThe definition encompasses a broad range of building types including places of worship, law courts, conference centres, film studios and public toilets, along with transport nodes such as airports.Leisure buildings such as museums, sports stadiums, cinemas, theatres, music venues, art galleries, gyms, casinos, zoos, skating rinks, funfairs and amusement arcades are also included in the definition.Educational buildings classed as places of assembly include indoor swimming pools, riding schools, sport pavilions, libraries and dancing schools, while health facilities including day centres, clinics and surgeries also fall under the definition.Currently, higher risk buildings are classed as buildings over 18 metres in height with at least two dwellings, and must have any construction work signed off by approved building safety inspectors.RIBAs recommendations come four months after the publication of the Grenfell Inquirys report on 4 September last year with 58 recommendations for improving building safety, and ahead of the governments official response to the report in March.The institute has also backed the inquirys call for a single statutory body like the Engineering Council to oversee a comprehensive competence system for construction professionals and a holistic review of Approved Document B.It wants both staircases in new residential buildings to required to function as fire-fighting staircases and a broader use of sprinklers across both new and converted buildings where there is a higher risk to vulnerable occupants.Where existing residential buildings over 18m only have one staircase, it is calling for refurbishments with appropriate safety measures as consequential improvements.Where retrofitting a second staircase in these buildings is not possible, it has urged alternative safety measures including evacuation lifts and better fire alarm systems.> Also read:We will deliver a generational shift Why the Grenfell Inquiry report means another building safety shake-upRIBA has also backed the inquirys call for a single secretary of state to oversee fire safety, and a chief construction advisor to the government who is a suitably qualified person such as a chartered professional.On operational changes, it would like to see independent research and development on construction product testing standards to restore faith, obligations of different project team members on construction schemes better defined and for all safety critical guidance to be freely available.RIBA board chair Jack Pringle said the inquiry report made clear the need for a fundamental shift in culture and behaviours.The long-term efficacy of the construction sector hinges on making these evidence-based changes. It remains our duty to drive meaningful reform at all levels to deliver a built environment in which the public has complete confidence.The inquirys phase 2 report looked into the causes of the fire which killed 72 people at Grenfell tower in June 2017 and followed seven years of hearings with evidence given by hundreds of people involved in the flawed refurbishment of the building which led to the disaster.

The London-based practices proposal for the seaside town would see the site a now-demolished office building and associated car park redeveloped into a mixed use community with 26 new homes, 40 per cent of which would be affordable.The plans, for the former Carnarvon House and car park include new green space, community space, and makerspace, as well as a new more accessible connection to the seafront.Conran and Partners was appointed to the job by Tendring District Council (TDC).AdvertisementThe scheme forms part of the councils wider 30 million regeneration of Clacton-on-Seas town centre, following a successful bid for government funding by TDC and its partners. Source:Conran and PartnersA 420,000 grant from phase two of the government's Brownfield Land Release Fund will fund the now-complete demolition of Carnarvon House and further preparation works on the site.Conran and Partners said its design for the seafront site draws inspiration from Clactons Victorian heritage and the piers playful architecture.The proposed buildings include a four-storey residential block plus a series of five flexible mixed-use spaces and workshops, which will be managed by the local authority.Existing street-level parking will be relocated into a new four-storey, steel-framed structure behind an existing supermarket to create new green space, while other pockets of green space, play areas and seating will be spread throughout the site to mediate between the building typologies, according to Conran and Partners.AdvertisementThe architects said the scheme would meet local demand and regenerate a key car park area notorious for antisocial behaviour.Nick Edler, associate director at Conran and Partners, said the project would act as a catalyst for Clacton-on-Sea, giving back to the local community with new Council-run spaces, while creating a moment of pause a green stepping-stone between the station and the seafront.

What sleep hacks have you tried? Many of the most popular options have promising results, like reading in bed or having a soothing cup of tea. But after you've tried a few, it can be discouraging to find the best fit for you. One you might not have thought of is light yoga. It's one of our favorite calming activities to do before bed.There's some science behind why yoga can help you sleep better. Yoga and breathing techniques help calm your nervous system, which puts your body in a more relaxed state, ideal to help you fall asleep. However, you need to know the right poses to make that happen, because not all poses will assist you with your sleep issues. The key is to aim for relaxing movements that help calm your body and clear your head.If you've landed on yoga as a solution you'd like to try, keep reading to see the top yoga poses we recommend for better sleep.For more natural ways to get better sleep, try these seven sleep aids for insomnia, or check out our sleep tips from CNET's wellness editors.Read more: Best Mattresses for 2024How yoga can help you sleep Yoga, much like any form of exercise, can be a beneficial way to unwind and alleviate stress. Research suggests that engaging in yoga may lead to reduced levels of cortisol, the hormone associated with stress. The extent of cortisol reduction may vary depending on factors such as the frequency and intensity of yoga practice. Additionally, some studies have shown promising results regarding yoga's impact on depression symptoms. Yoga can complement traditional treatment approaches and promote overall well-being.So, what does this mean for your sleep? Well, cortisol levels have a significant influence on sleep patterns. Higher cortisol levels are often associated with difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. A study conducted in 2019 found that incorporating yoga into one's routine can have a positive effect on treating and alleviating symptoms of insomnia. These findings suggest that practicing yoga may offer potential benefits for improving sleep quality and overall sleep health.9 yoga poses to try before bedThese poses are for any level of experience and are easy enough for beginner yogis. While moving between these poses, remember to pay attention to your breath and where you feel most tension in your body. Breathe and try to relax if you experience any discomfort. Move through these poses for about 20 to 30 minutes before bed.Read more:Best Yoga Mats for 20241. Cat-cow poseTo get into this pose, start on your hands and knees. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart, and your knees should be below your hips. Take a deep breath and tilt your head towards the ceiling while also sticking up your pelvis, which should mimic a "cow." Then, on your exhale, arch your back and bring both your head and pelvis down like a "cat." You can repeat these two motions a few times before moving on.2. Forward foldThis pose is as easy as standing up straight and leaning over to reach for your toes. If you are able, place your hands on the ground. If you are unable to touch your toes, you can do a half-forward fold and grab below your knees. Looking for a challenge? Try reaching around your ankles and holding on. Make sure your back is straight and you are taking deep breaths.3. Bridge poseStart by lying down on your back, legs and arms stretched out and on the ground. Take a deep breath, raise your core off the ground and shift your arms closer to your body to balance. Your knees should be at a 90-degree angle. Your hands can lie flat, or you can bring them together underneath your core.4. Happy babyThis is an easy pose to transition into after Bridge, since you start this pose on your back. Lift your legs to the ceiling and out a little past your shoulders (or however far you can go). Then, grab onto the outside of your feet with both hands. Gently rock left and right to relieve tension in your lower back.5. Legs-up-the-wallYou will need to clear a space beside a wall for this pose. Facing the wall, lie on your back and walk your legs up high or lift your hips with your arms. Your hips can be against the wall or a little away. Once you get in a comfortable spot and you feel like you can balance, stretch your arms out beside you. This pose is great for destressing and improving your circulation.6. Child's poseYou can start this pose by kneeling or getting on your hands and knees. Tuck your feet underneath your hips and bring your head close to the ground. Reach your hands out in front of you, stretching your spine. The further you reach, the better the stretch will be for you. Getty Images/Mapodile/E+7. Seated twistIf you are coming out of Child's pose for this next one, sit back up and extend your legs out in front of you. Cross one leg over the other, pulling the heel of the crossed leg to your outer thigh. With the opposite arm, cross your body and twist yourself, pushing with your elbow on the raised knee. Twist and breathe. Repeat with the other side before moving on.8. Butterfly poseFrom a seated position, straighten your posture and press the bottom of both your feet together. Placing your hands on your feet, attempt to press your hips as low as you can to the ground. The lower you go, the bigger the stretch. If you are looking for more of a challenge, move your feet closer to your body.9. Head-to-knee poseThis is a basic pose. Start in a seated position with your legs out in front of you. Bring one foot to the inner thigh of your opposite leg and extend your hands out over your extended leg. Sit up taller, breathe deeply and grab ahold of your foot in front of you. If you can't fully reach your foot, no problem: Grab your ankle or the back of your knee. Lean into the stretch and try to bring your forehead to your knee. Repeat on the opposite side.Still want more? Learn how getting some sun can improve your sleep, which foods to eat for a happiness boost and how the Scandinavian sleep method might save your relationship.

January 16, 20256 min readThis Supermassive Black Hole May Harbor a Bizarre Star That Refuses to DieStrange x-ray pulses hint at a surprisingly long-lived white dwarf orbiting precariously close to a supermassive black holeBy Gayoung Lee edited by Lee BillingsAn artists impression of a tidal disruption event, in which a star passes too close to a supermassive black hole and is ripped apart. Astronomers studying a mysterious system some 270 million light-years from Earth may have found a black hole-circling star that somehow escaped this fate. Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library/Getty ImagesAstronomers are grappling with a complex cosmic mystery lurking at the dark heart of a distant galaxy some 270 million light-years from Earth. And its resolution could revolutionize our understanding of how black holes feast on matter throughout the universe.Known as 1ES 1927+654 and located in the constellation Draco, this far-off island of stars harbors at its core a supermassive black hole weighing more than a million sunswhich, surprisingly, isnt very remarkable. Most large galaxies, including our own, host such hefty monstrosities at their center. But this black hole has proved extraordinarily strange: the object shocked observers with an abrupt outburst of radiation so intense that it apparently obliterated the black holes corona, an enveloping cloud of whirling, billion-degree plasma, for three months in 2018. The outburst, it was thought, couldve come from a tidal disruption event, which occurs when an unlucky star is torn apart and devoured after drifting too close to a black hole. Many research groups began closely monitoring the system, watching across the next few years as the corona reassembled itself and quiescent conditions returned, until the black hole unleashed more surprisesdramatically flaring in radio waves and flickering with rapid pulses of x-rays.Such a dizzying assortment of dynamic activity is unprecedented around a supermassive black hole and cant be readily explained by any typical tidal disruption event. Eileen Meyer, an astronomer at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, who led an international team in the investigation of the systems radio emissions with the use of multiple telescopes on the ground and in space, recalls her initial impression of 1ES 1927+654 as that of a very boring, faint radio blob. But as she and her colleagues saw more and more strange activity unfold, she realized this [black hole] was weird, very weird. In particular, her teams observations revealed that shortly after its radio wave flare-up, the black hole had belched out a pair of giant, oppositely directed plasma jets traveling at one third the speed of light. This was the first time the creation of such jets had been witnessed in real time, and it was a clear indicator of extreme activity closer in to the black hole. Meyer presented her teams findings last week at the 245th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in National Harbor, Md., and was lead author on an accompanying paper published January 13 in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.If a run-of-the-mill act of stellar destruction wasnt behind the black holes bizarre behavior, what was? A crucial clue could lie in the timing of the black holes flickering x-ray pulses, which were unveiled via work led by Megan Masterson, a doctoral candidate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Using data from the European Space Agencys XMM-Newton x-ray space telescope, Masterson and her colleagues found a telltale pattern in the pulses: an oscillation in their flickering that became faster and faster over two years. The period of this oscillation changed dramatically from 2022 to 2024, Masterson says. We started out in 2022 at an 18-minute period, and by 2024, we were at a seven-minute periodso the period has basically been cut in half. That has never been observed around a supermassive black hole before. A paper reporting the results, co-authored by Masterson, Meyer and others, was posted to the preprint server arXiv.org in January and has been accepted for publication in the February 13 edition of Nature.The most obvious explanation for these x-ray oscillations, the researchers say, is that theyre a clear but indirect signal of a substantial something orbiting very close to the black hole. Its so close, in fact, that it must be plowing through the black holes accretion diska maelstrom of infalling matter made incandescent from frictional heating as it piles up around the gravitational monsters maw. If that were the case, the researchers realized, each flickering eruption would correspond to the object completing one orbital cycle, upon which it would swoop through and agitate the accretion disk to kick out a burst of x-rays. And the curious quickening of the oscillations appeared to be a sign that this objects orbit was decaying, bleeding off energy and spiraling ever closer and faster toward a point of no returnthe black holes event horizonvia the emission of ripples in spacetime called gravitational waves.For Masterson, the next step was simple: I calculated how long its going to take that body to inspiral and be eaten, she says. The math told Masterson that the hypothetical objects final plunge would occur in January 2024. Then, at last, the mysterious x-ray oscillations would stop.But they didnt. XMM-Newton observations of 1ES 1927+654 from March 2024 clearly showed that the oscillations were still going strong; if caused by an orbiting object, their roughly seven-minute period meant the black holes companion was within a few million miles of the event horizon and moving at half the speed of light. No object has ever been observed so close to a black hole; why wasnt this one falling in? Gravity should have ensured its doomunless something other than gravity was at play here, Masterson remembers thinking. And she found one promising candidate in another unexpected area: the physics of white dwarfs, which are compact stellar corpses left behind by dying sunlike stars.If the putative object were a smaller black hole, it wouldve plunged headlong through the accretion disk to merge with its supermassive mateand if it were a normal star, it shouldve been shredded upon its close approach to produce a typical tidal disruption event. But, Masterson and her team realized, if it were a low-mass white dwarf, about the same size as Earth, it could be hardy enough to precariously perch for a time on the edge of destruction. Rather than succumbing to star-shredding tidal forces, such a white dwarf would instead trickle-feed a small fraction of its matter to the black hole. This could offset the orbital energy being lost through gravitational waves, halting or even reversing the inspiral. Essentially its something special that has to do with how a white dwarf responds to losing its mass and how accretion physics play in, Masterson says.This makes sense, says Chiara Mingarelli, an astrophysicist at Yale University, who was not involved in either study of 1ES 1927+654. If the hypothetical object orbiting the black hole were a white dwarf, the undead star would be in some sort of tidal limbo, where it would be starting to get ripped apart a little bit, she explains, emitting gravitational waves [while] slowly spiraling into the black hole instead of just being gobbled up whole.Nevertheless, this model remains at best an educated guess. Its validation could come relatively soon, however, via a space-based gravitational-wave detector set to launch in the 2030s: the European Space Agencys Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, or LISA, which should be able to detect the gravitational waves pouring off a white dwarf in a state of quasi-stasis around 1ES 1927+654. And even if LISA finds no such signature, that null result should help solve the mystery of whats really happening in this enigmatic systemperhaps, for instance, the radio flares, giant jets and x-ray pulses all instead trace back to poorly understood interactions between the black hole and its vanishing and reappearing cloud of coronal plasma.Either way, its an opportunity for us to study this one source right now, and hopefully LISA will find many, many more [cosmic systems that are similar], and then we can study all of them, Masterson says.I was surprised and delighted that theres so much left for us to understand about black hole dynamics, especially accretion-disk physics, Mingarelli says, adding that the potential of LISA to study these environments could unlock many more mysteries about supermassive black holes.Its not just about observing the static universe anymore, Meyer says. Now were at the point where we realize how much of the universe is very dynamicwe dont know whats coming up. There might be something new there that wasnt there last week.

Koei Tecmo's protective about its Dead or Alive IP because the characters are "like daughters"All for naught-y. News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 17, 2025 Koei Tecmo said it has taken "strict action" against thousands of provocative Dead or Alive fanart images because the characters are "like daughters" to their creators.As reported in GameWatch (thanks, Automaton), Koei Tecmo's legal affairs lead, Tomotoshi Nishimura, recently addressed a copyright conference in which he revealed that whilst the company was pragmatic and even supportive of "otaku" fan culture, it had no choice but to issue copyright strikes against amateur images that are created for, uh, "adult purposes".To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart 9 have been revealed - but questions remain.Watch on YouTubeAnd the scale is not to be sneezed at, either.Whilst it would be impractical for Koei Tecmo to pursue every inappropriate image, Nishimura said that the legal team takes action against 2000-3000 doujinshi - the sale of self-published works based on existing franchises and characters - every year. That's despite the fact the latest game in the series, Dead or Alive 6, was released six years ago in 2019.With an all-new instalment called Venus Vacation Prism: Dead or Alive Xtreme expected later this year, however, Nishimura is probably expecting a few more naughty images than usual.At the same copyright conference, an attorney for Nintendo discussed the company's stance on emulation and what it considers to be illegal, according to Japanese law.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide The Call of Duty franchise is synonymous with giving players plenty of cosmetics to personalise their favourite Operators with. Whether its Frank Woods or Maya from Black Ops 6 Zombies, the majority of characters have all kinds of skins that are available to unlock or purchase from the in-game store, some of which are obviously pay-to-lose.In late 2024, Treyarch doubled down on creating crazy skins that dont fit the aesthetic of the early 1990s. Instead of listening to fans who prefer more realistic designs, the developer is continuing to release all kinds of strange skins that look out of place on the virtual battlefield.Black Ops 6 adds chicken skinThe latest unusual skin making its way to Black Ops 6 and Warzone features as part of the Dead Ops Arcade store bundle. Rather than featuring an outfit inspired by the time period, players have the ability to load into matches as an 8-bit chicken.Along with the pixelated head, the outfit is inspired by a space suit complete with tubes, harnesses and a backpack containing a wooden spoon sticking out.Its as far from Call of Dutys default aesthetic as you can get. Well, outside of bright pink Nicki Minaj running through the game.With the bundle featuring the Dead Ops Arcade name, fans of the mode from previous Black Ops games are hoping the arrival of the bundle is a sign Treyarch is considering adding it back as part of the Black Ops 6 Zombies offering.Where is the realism?Other than the name, fans are far from happy with another unorthodox design appearing in the store. Many believe the designs are getting increasingly worse but despite the criticism, Treyarch is continuing to ignore the haters and launch cosmetics that are bound to divide opinion.As the Black Ops 6 developer continues to launch some of the most unusual skins ever seen in Call of Duty, fans of more realistic outfits will have to wait a little longer for them to arrive. Weve already seen dragon knights and glowing X-ray skins, what else does Treyarch have in store? Only time will tell.For more CoD intel, take a look at the best KSV loadout along with the best mouse and keyboard settings to keep your shots heading in the right direction.Subscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

Each year U.S. News & World Report releases a list of the best cities to live in the USA. These top-rated locales always include a few big players, like Boston and San Francisco, as well as some surprises, like Naples, Florida, landing the number one spot. To determine the best cities, U.S. News considers a multitude of factors, including quality of life, the local job market, value for your money, and the places desirability. And while we agree that all these factors are important in determining where to live in America, wed also throw access to art and design into the mix. Thats why we used the U.S. News list as a jumping off pointzeroing in on the best places for design lovers among them.Before you read on, a little more about the methodology:What is the most livable city in the USA?As mentioned above, Naples, Florida earned top honors in the U.S. News list thanks to its enviable climate and inviting vibes for retirees (it nabbed the number one spot for Best Places to Retire as well). While we can appreciate a city with pristine beaches and endless putting greens, the competition was steep when we factored in design-centric amenities, so we didnt include Naples in our list. However, fellow Florida cities Sarasota and Miami are in our top 18. Both places are only about a two-hour drive from Naples, giving residents good reason to take a weekend escape and see the celebrated Sarasota Ballet or 1920s architecture in Miami Beachs Art Deco Historic District.Cities with the best quality of lifeU.S. News determines quality of life based on factors that matter to Americans most, including crime rates, quality of education, and quality and availability of health care. Ann Arbor, Michigan, received the highest score for quality of life with a 7.7. The next highest score is a 7.4, which three cities earned: Boise, Idaho; Boulder, Colorado; and Honolulu, Hawaii (all of which are included in our design list below). Clearly access to outdoor adventure and first-class cultural institutions is a winning combo for quality of life.Where is the nicest place to live in the US with affordable housing?As part of its value assessment, U.S. News examined each citys median annual household compared to home prices in the area. As youll see in our list, good design and affordable real estate arent mutually exclusive. Housing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is lower than the national average, and as U.S. News points out, only Detroit ranked higher for the most affordable city in the US for homebuyers in large cities, according to a 2023 study. Grand Rapids, Michigan; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Savannah, Georgia, are three other places that landed on our design-centric list and also have housing costs below the national average.What is the number one place to live in the US for design lovers?We chose our top 18 from the U.S. News list based on access to museums, art, cultural institutions, and top-notch architecture. We also considered which cities best fuel creative energy and make the best places to live for designers, artists, and innovators.ADs top cities to live in the USA in 2025Boise, IdahoU.S. News & World Report ranking: #2

submitted by /u/Puginator [link] [comments]

Veilgone?Dragon Age: The Veilguard game director Corinne Busche is reportedly leaving BioWare, having spent 18 years at publisher EABusche, along with John Epler, was one of the main figures responsible for overseeing Veilguard's final push across the release finish line.Image credit: Bioware News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Updated on Jan. 17, 2025 Dragon Age: The Veilguard game director Corinne Busche is reportedly leaving BioWare, having spent a total of 18 years at publisher EA working on various titles.This is according to Giant Bomb's Jeff Grubb, whose confirmation of Busche leaving has since been corroborated by Eurogamer. Rumours of Busche's departure had been coupled with speculation about the closure of BioWare's Edmonton studio, the latter of which Grubb has suggested he doesn't currently believe to be happening.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. "Corrine BuschE, director of Dragon Age, really is leaving BioWare," Grubb's tweet reads in full, "But I don't think EA is closing BioWare Edmonton. Was told there is nothing solid about that part of the rumour." Eurogamer reports that it's heard Veilguard's "commercial performance was not a direct factor in Busche's departure".VG247 has contacted both EA and Busche herself for comment. To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Prio to becoming game girector on Veilguard in 2022, Busche had racked up a total of 18 years at EA, both as part of BioWare in various postitions, as well as working on The Sims series. She and creative director John Epler were key figures on the latest Dragon Age game in the run up to and following its release in October last year."This is a proficient, polished game with certain mechanics and ideas that threaten to be best-in-class," our Alex Donaldson wrote in his review of Veilguard, "In a certain sense, this game has it all - but that all doesnt quite coalesce in the way Id hoped, which leaves features that are deep on paper feeling shallow. Its a head-scratching conundrum."As recently as December 2024, Busche was discussing ideas that could be potentially explored in future Dragon Age games in interviews conducted with her and Epler, saying that tackling the Elven and blighty stuff Veilguard's story revolves around had left her "curious about the other aspects that are less explored and equally as interesting: the nature of the qunari, what's across the seas, what's happening with the titans, the development of the dwarven people".How do you feel about Busche reportedly departing BioWare and did you like Veilguard? Let us know below.

Image: NintendoIn the leak-filled weeks prior to the Switch 2 reveal, we saw increasing incredulity from die-hard Nintendo fans on social media. We won't link specific examples, but you don't have to scroll far before seeing takes along these lines:All these leaks are ruining the reveal! Why isn't Nintendo getting ahead of this?!How have Nintendo f****d this up so badly?!?11We'll be studying this bungled reveal for years to come!Others put the blame squarely on the leakers for spoiling things. Developer Hideki Kamiya vented post-reveal, hoping that leakers "always have poop on the soles of their shoes." From all corners of the Nintendo fandom, there's been a lot of frustration.And we totally understand. As uberfans who have followed 'Switch 2' (hey, we can bin the quote marks now!) developments for years, it's been irritating to see clout-seeking, source-burying leaker wannabes 'forgetting' to highlight that, actually, the reveal trailer in their first tweet is fan-made and not the real "Switch 2 trailer!" And then gaslighting people who complain in the replies. The legitimate leaks are one thing, but mixed in with everything else, it gets exhausting.Being obliged to look at and evaluate every little thing and judge what's coverage-worthy makes things noisier for us than the average fan, perhaps, but anyone scrolling through video game feeds likely felt impatient for Nintendo to just announce the bloody thing. Deploy the trailer, damn it!Confusing frustration and impatience with the idea that Nintendo and Switch 2's official reveal has been 'damaged' somehow by this carnival of leaks is a mistake, though.Image: NintendoFirstly, as we've written before, the basic parameters of Nintendo's next console have been known for a very long time. Long before we saw renders of a slightly bigger Joy-Con or got reliable intel that magnets were being used to attach them, we knew this would be a hybrid console - a 'Switch 2', whatever they ended up naming it.Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa himself said that "Switch next model" would be the most appropriate way to describe the follow-up. It was never going to be some radical, Wii-like reinvention for the company; it was never going to be a big surprise.Anyone keeping an eye on things could have sketched the follow-up to the Switch on a napkin and produced something very close to the end product. It's... another Switch! Sure, it's got some fun new features - the optical sensors and the Joy-Con in general look pretty swish. But brass tacks, it's the same thing, upgraded.The sentiment that accessory makers have ruined the grand reveal ignores news dating back to the last decade discussing the nature of the Switch successor. A beautiful official render might have been preferable to a grainy screengrab of a CAD model, but if the idea of 'just another Switch' left you cold, you'd have reacted exactly the same to the real McCoy, however slick the trailer. The 'damage' was done long ago for fans tiring of the hybrid concept.Image: NintendoSecondly, and most significantly: the Switch 2 reveal trailer is not for you. The dedicated gaming fan reading these words has likely been keeping up to date with industry rumours for years. In the same way the first Switch introduction (ha ha, ha ha, yeah) was made for a larger audience, this trailer was primarily designed to inform casual gaming fans and potential fans exactly what this is.The trailer does that exceptionally well. The original Switch we know and love morphs, part-by-part, into a totally new model. Slap an enormous '2' on the end and there is absolutely zero confusion this time around. The huge, wider audience of people who get their gaming news from the BBC and other non-gaming outlets know precisely what this thing is.But the original Switch didn't leak like this! No, not quite like this, but Nintendo was in a very different spot. Coming off the back of the Wii U, the platform holder needed to change the conversation and make a splash and was quite chatty about the 'NX' by comparison.To briefly recap, Nintendo first mentioned NX in early 2015 during a joint media briefing with mobile company DeNA to assure everyone that the firm was still in the dedicated hardware business. The console was brought up several times between then and the October 2016 reveal, as the messaging sought to distance the new system from the old ("we're not building the next version of Wii or Wii U") and confirmed its March 2017 launch nearly a year ahead of time. NOA tweeted about it and everything.And let's not forget that the basic Switch concept did leak. July 2016 saw articles which nailed what the Switch turned out to be, with mock-up illustrations capturing the hybrid handheld's form fairly accurately. And we were having very similar conversations about Nintendo's tight-lipped approach back then, too.What's the difference, then? Eight years ago, Nintendo absolutely needed to take control of the narrative after the bungled miscommunication that introduced the previous system. Is Wii U a new console? Is it just a controller for the Wii? Can you use two GamePads at once? Those were all legitimate questions Nintendo failed to answer in the Wii U announcement trailer in 2011. The concept was unclear from the beginning to core and casual fans alike.Everyone already understands the concept of a Switch, though. After proving that there's a market for a hybrid handheld and struggling to meet demand with the original system, Nintendo's #1 priority is manufacturing enough units for launch. The messaging? That's easy this time - it's a new Switch, like the one you've been using for years! But better and with a new Mario Kart!But what's it called, though? Image: NintendoThere's no conversation to change this time; the goal was to clearly communicate that this is a totally new system and the slick trailer (and conventional name) achieves that. Are people behind the scenes at Nintendo irritated? Who wouldn't be?! But ultimately it's no skin off their nose if case firms start leaking the thing to people who already know it exists.It's worth noting the explosion of 'leaker' culture across social media over the last decade, too, blurring the lines more than ever between journalists, self-styled 'insiders', and intrepid internet detectives analysing shipping manifests. Mobile phone fans are used to leaks like this; if there's interest around a product that everyone knows is in production, the chances of getting to the reveal without images leaking from the factory are practically nil. That doesn't stop millions of people from buying the iPhone 47.Exciting as it is, even the Mario Kart tease is incidental in the context of an announcement targeting people who haven't been following the ins and outs of motherboard grabs from Chinese factories, people for whom this will be the first look at the new Switch.Image: NintendoIf anything, it's the uncharacteristic lack of 'surprise' with the reveal which has some fans perplexed; we thought there might be another game or two. Rest assured, there'll be plenty of off-the-wall software coming out for the now-conventional-looking console - something on the software and peripheral side to bring the patented WTF surprise and delight. That USB-C slot on the top and the optical sensor in the Joy-Con are crying out for some weird-ass, Nintendo-like experimentation.But anyone who thinks the platform holder's inaction allowed leaks to 'spoil' Switch 2's reveal or that the console's chances have somehow been damaged, ironically, hasn't been paying attention. Leaks didn't do Switch any harm whatsoever. The real question is if Nintendo can capture lightning in a very similar bottle a second time.Do you think the Switch 2 leaks 'damaged' Nintendo or the console's chances? (117 votes)Absolutely, it totally gutted the reveal19%To some extent, yeah20%*shrugs15%Probably not15%Er, no - lack of surprise aside, the leaks had zero effect32% The stop-gap generationThe wait is over!Official details, rumours, leak historyRelated GamesSee AlsoShare:00 Gavin first wrote for Nintendo Life in 2018 before joining the site full-time the following year, rising through the ranks to become Editor. He can currently be found squashed beneath a Switch backlog the size of Normandy. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesNintendo Breaks Silence On 'Switch 2' Image And Video LeaksThe "official" announcement will take place this fiscal yearRumour: 'Switch 2' Will Reportedly Be Officially Revealed This ThursdayThough software won't be the focusNintendo Is "Very Upset" About The Switch 2 Leaks, It's ClaimedFormer employees Kit and Krysta discuss company secretsIs This Our Best Look Yet At 'Switch 2'?Update: Genki had a visit from Nintendo's lawyers, it's claimed