Pictures of YouOn its 10th anniversary, its time to admit that Life Is Strange was never simply a love story: it was a watershed moment for games that tell hella authentic, human storiesThe original Life is Strange is just about old enough to have a legacy at this stage, but what, exactly, is that legacy?Image credit: VG247 Article by Rebecca Jones Guides Writer Published on Jan. 29, 2025 Life is Strange might not be the biggest blockbuster series, but at this point in its history, the franchise is a respectable presence in publisher Square Enix's stable nevertheless. Theres a reason the Japanese company has kept the property in its catalogue, even as its divested most of its other Western IP.It's been a decade since the release of LiS' first ever episode, and the long-since-completed original can now comfortably point to four full-length follow-up games (each accompanied by a one-shot bonus episode), two comic book sequel series, two prose novels, and a mooted television adaptation as evidence that it has, indeed, enjoyed a fair amount of success as a franchise.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. With so much canonical and extra-canonical material for a game's legacy to form around, it can be difficult to rewind your perception of Life is Strange to the point in time where it all began. But 10 years ago this week (or indeed today if you played it on PC, although Xbox and PlayStation owners had to wait until January 30 and February 3, respectively), all the world at large knew of Life is Strange came from its premiere episode, Chrysalis.The original Life is Strange is just about old enough to have a legacy at this stage, a cultural frame of reference that generally regards its most famous feature as the sapphic romance between playable protagonist Max and her best friend Chloe. This love story is now such a sacred text at the heart of LiS fandom that last year's direct sequel was reviled by many fans from the outset for breaking them up.It can feel odd, then, to go all the way back to Chrysalis and realise that actually even though the original Life is Strange did eventually act on some of the hints of an underlying attraction between Max and Chloe, which don't get me wrong, was a not-so-small deal in 2015 it maybe wasn't the groundbreaking moment for queer representation in games that we all remember, either. Name a more iconic duo. | Image credit: Square EnixWhich is not to say that Life is Strange wasn't doing groundbreaking things with representation. In their reception to Chrysalis, several contemporary reviewers seemed amazed (and slightly bewildered) that Square Enix had thrown their good name behind a female-fronted time travel adventure when the story could surely have worked just as well with male leads.And indeed, series originator Dontnod has spoken in numerous interviews since about the difficulty they had finding a publisher, since the first stipulation most companies laid down was that the narrative needed to be retooled with a male protagonist a condition that Dontnod firmly refused to entertain.Despite being written by a duo of male writers (and setting aside the occasional awkward attempt at millennial slang), I can personally attest to Life is Strange painting a rather authentic portrait of young womanhood circa the 2010s. Perhaps it's because you don't actually need to have experienced being a woman first-hand so long as you've got a decent handle on the fact that women are, in fact, quite a lot like most other people. Male writers can sometimes be over-praised for simply taking note of this, though, so I also want to take a moment to appreciate the fact that Jean-Luc Cano and Christian Divine demonstrated an understanding of the internal tensions and group politics particular to teenage girls when they wrote Life is Strange.It's easy to take a surface-level read and divide the female cast of LiS into good girls (Max, Kate) and bad girls (Chloe, Victoria) and of course, we all know that the bad girls will show their gentler sides over the course of the story. But something that's always resonated with me despite going underappreciated is that the good girls aren't exactly angels either. At the start of the game, the highly religious Kate tacks anti-abortion literature to the door of a classmate whose recent pregnancy termination is an open secret at the school; despite her status as a bullying victim being a core plot point, she's clearly not immune to the temptation to carry out a little herself under the guise of some well-meaning justifications.And of course Max, upon learning to control her time travel powers, immediately sets to work using them to cover up her social awkwardness and increase her standing with the school's popular cliques arguing that doing so gives her access to more detailed and reliable information to fuel her role as amateur sleuth. Is that a look of just friendship? | Image credit: Square EnixLife is Strange as a franchise has a lot to say about what members of disenfranchised groups do with the power that's within their grasp, and even though the first game is not exactly a triumph of intersectionality focusing as it does almost exclusively on white girls who were already relatively privileged to begin with there's an authenticity to both their acts of kindness and their moments of pettiness. LiS resists condemning its central characters on the basis of one mean-spirited action, but it also doesn't paint anyone in a saintly light just for managing to be a basically decent human being.Stacked up against this nuanced portrait of the tumultuous tail-end of girlhood, it's unusually the young male characters in Life is Strange who fall a bit flat. The narrative seems wholly ambivalent on whether we should interpret Max's shy admirer Warren as a nice guy or a Nice Guy; and while school bully Nathan has some pitiable details revealed in his backstory, it's never enough to add up into even a single redeeming quality.All of which is to say that Life is Strange really was a revolutionary moment for female leads in video games not simply because the protagonist and deuteragonist are both young women, which had definitely been done before, but because the girls in the story are consistently the driving force behind their own and one another's actions.What is less present in this first outing, however, is the queer representation that the series is arguably best known for today. Chloe is rather blatantly gay-coded; the "blue haired lesbian" trope was already recognisable shorthand in 2015, in case you somehow missed both her romantic longing for Rachel and her flirtatious overtures towards Max. But the nature of both relationships is still largely subtextual, and even if you successfully read between those lines, the game retains a measured ambiguity about whether either is reciprocal. It's entirely possible to complete a playthrough of Life is Strange without seeing the sole overtly romantic scene between Chloe and Max which, on the subject of tropes, can only occur in the ending where Chloe dies. Bury your gays, indeed. Sometimes, they're more than simply memories. | Image credit: Square EnixOf course, the Life is Strange series is iconic for its queer representation today, but that legacy has been built up significantly over the intervening decade thanks to developer interviews, multimedia spin-offs, and follow-up games which made a concerted effort to draw out the focus on queer characters and relationships. The original laid that groundwork, undeniably, but didn't necessarily poke its head all the way over the parapet straight away.But this revelation doesn't need to be accompanied by disappointment. Max and Chloe's status as star-crossed true lovers may have found most of its support outside of the original text itself, but the fact remains that Life is Strange presented the gaming world with two female leads who stood out strongly enough both as individuals and as a pair, whether regarded romantically or platonically to inspire devotion from players who still care deeply about these characters 10 years later.Actually I take it back: Life is Strange totally is a love story, just not one that hinges on the existence of an ideal romance, or indeed of a romantic dimension to its central relationship at all; or on the need for permanence to make that bond significant. It's also a love story that each lead character gets to experience self-contained with herself, as a fully realised individual who drives the action of her own story forward.And the fact that this story about superpowered girls and their feelings was a success was instrumental in shifting the way triple-A publishers approached female leads in games: a decade down the line, playable women aren't treated like box office poison any more, and while that's surely not all down to Max and Chloe, they were definitely there helping to lead the charge. Even though, you know, on paper there's no reason the time travel thing wouldn't have worked just as well with some forgettable PS3-era standard military dude.

Artist SpotlightA CGI Artists Guide to Creating Beautiful Product RendersMike DiCola takes product photography to the next level! Discover how this CGI artist, with a background in photography, uses cutting-edge technology to create hyper realistic product shots with captivating animation. by Greyscalegorilla Meet the Artist Mike DiCola is a CGI artist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. A graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology, his background in photography informs his artistic approach, where he merges photorealistic and artificial elements. He creates captivating visuals through a blend of 3D modeling, photography, and videography. You may have even seen his work on Fox Sports during the Super Bowl, World Series broadcasts, and Big Noon College Football. DiCola thrives on collaboration and frequently works alongside photographers, videographers, animators, and designers to bring his unique vision to life. Mike DiCola + Greyscalegorilla Plus Using the Studio app Mike effortlessly transferred materials, light textures, and 3D models to his product viz C4D project with ease. Get Plus Learn More Mikes background in photography brings a unique perspective to his meticulous and artistic approach to animation. To jumpstart his project in Cinema 4D, Mike used the Greyscalegorilla Starter Scene for Redshift, which includes a pre-built studio environment with lighting and cameras ready to go. How this animation was made He began by exploring Greyscalegorillas extensive library of assets, carefully selecting the perfect cosmetic packaging models to showcase his vision. To these models, he applied realistic materials and textures, further enhancing them with beautifully crafted, custom-designed labels. Next, Mike focused on composition. He played around with different arrangements of our product photography props, fine-tuning the scene until everything clicked. With the composition set, he expertly added cameras and lighting, mimicking the techniques of a seasoned photographer to create depth and visual interest. Cinema 4D + Redshift setup Final render with models, materials, and lighting. Finally, he infused the scene with eye-catching movement, bringing the products to life with subtle animations and captivating transitions. The result? An animation thats both beautiful and technically impressive. Cinema 4D + Redshift setup Final render with models, materials, and lighting. Greyscalegorilla 3D Assets Used in this Render Cosmetic Packaging Models3D Models20 D bottles, tubes, canisters and tubs to show off your shelf-ready and ad-worthy branding, labels and products. Browse Collection Product Photography Props3D ModelsAn assortment of plinths, stands, and stairs to best showcase your jewelry, gadget and cosmetic renders. Tasteful? Fancy? This collection does both. Browse Collection TerrazzoMaterials 80 high quality terrazzo materials, using 40 distinct color combinations in both dense and subtle dispersions. Browse Collection 5,000+ assets are waiting...Get PlusWhen you join Greyscalegorilla Plus, you unlock a whole new workflow that follows you to your favorite 3D apps. Stay in the flow with the Studio desktop app, granting you unlimited access to download and send assets straight into your project with one click. Get Plus Leave a Comment:Cancel This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Image: Nintendo LifeWith the truly shocking confirmation that, alongside the new console, Nintendo is busy assembling a follow-up entry to the best-selling game on Switch, it's got us thinking about what we really want from a new Mario Kart.In all honesty, we've been thinking about this for years, arguably since before we knew that Mario Kart 8 would be getting a Deluxe reprieve and assumed the new hotness on Switch would be totally new. Don't get us wrong Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an astonishing product, and we're huge fans of the enormous Booster Course Pass DLC, but we've been playing the same game in some form for over a decade now and we're jonesing for a fresh take.To that end, Team Nintendo Life sat down for a chat to discuss new directions we'd like to see Mario Kart 9 if that is its name take the series in.Sitting in today we have: Gavin Lane (editor), Jim Norman (staff writer), Ollie Reynolds (staff writer), and Alana Hagues (deputy editor).Image: NintendoGAVIN: Thanks for joining me around this enormous wheel-shaped table, team. Were here today to discuss Mario Kart 9 or Mario Kart X or The Mario Kart or whatever they end up naming it. Well get to that eventually, but lets start with some roundabout (heh) thoughts.In one word, what did you think of the micro tease we got in the Switch 2 reveal trailer?JIM: Squishy.OLLIE: Tantalising.ALANA: Uhh yeah??GAVIN: 'Standard' for me. The forensic breakdowns have helped highlight some of the advancements here, some of the tricks it might have up its sleeve, but from the 17 seconds of footage weve seen so far (!), my instant reaction was, 'Yep, sure.'ALANA: It was the safest reveal we could have gotten. 'Ah yes, of course Mario Kart is coming to Switch 2. Cool!' And it looks good. But also of course.GAVIN: I also noticed Mario's slight squish - its squeezing in some of the Wonder-style animated charm. What was it that grabbed you from the off, Ollie?Image: Nintendo Life Start your enginesOLLIE: Just the prospect of a new Mario Kart, to be honest. It was all I really needed, and the small details suggest how this new entry could potentially differ from before. Dont get me wrong, Ive said before that it was kinda boring, and it was, but we know from past titles that its going to boast some weird and wacky new mechanic, and I cant wait to see what it is.MK9 would be far more interesting if it focused on a gimmick or a new mode rather than just giving me a playable TingleGAVIN: Weve had MK8 for so long, so the topic of the next Mario Kart has come up a lot already over the years and weve looked to Smash Bros. Ultimate as a possible model for where the series could go next. So, the first big question: Do you want MK9 to be the Everyone is here of Mario Kart?JIM: Honestly, no. Its perfectly fun to picture a Mario Kart race with, I dont know, Geno behind the wheel, but that simply aint going to grab me. I feel like were almost there already with the MK8 lineup, and Deluxe already gave us basically every track the series has ever offered. [Note. Not quite, but there's a lot.] MK9, for me, would be far more interesting if it focused on a gimmick or a new mode rather than just giving me a playable TingleOLLIE: DONKEY KONG LOOKS AMAZING THOUGH. Oh sorry, that wasnt the question Yeah, Im with Jim to an extent. Id rather MK9 focus on things that could make this entry stand out. That said, although the idea of seeing Samus lobbing a Blue Shell makes me feel a bit nauseous, Id like to see a few more characters from the Mario universe. Deeper cuts, yknow? Maybe Don Pianta, Professor E. Gadd, or even Fawful. Could you imagine Fawful yelling I HAVE FURY! when he slips over a banana?GAVIN: All Im imagining now is Samus flinging a Blue Shell but its actually a Metroid chomping on the head of whoever's in pole position. Alana?ALANA: Im with both of the lads, here. Theres an inherent level of goofiness to MK that Smash, while it does have, also has an edge to it. My bigger concern is that, with the prospect of getting new characters from Marios wider universe, there will be a bunch of the alt. characters from Tour. Who needs three variations on the Hammer Bro? On the other hand, Dixie Kong, Poochy, and King Bob-Omb are in Tour and they deserve to be playable in a console game.GAVIN: Seems like were all on the same page in terms of less is more rather than just throwing everyone in, although I would love to play as Olimar flinging Pikmin all over the track. I could stomach having Kirby and Samus too.The other obvious, go-to evolution for any series is Make it open world!!! Theres all sorts of potential there, but I wonder if thats what people want from a pick-up-and-play party racer like Mario Kart.Image: Nintendo LifeOLLIE: Ehhh Yeah, not really. More open tracks with alternative routes might be cool, but a full-on open world sounds a bit naff to me. Something thats been nagging me, though, is the potential to instantly teleport between worlds, kinda like Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart on the PS5. I dont know if the Switch 2 would be quite capable of something like that, but it could really open the game up in ways we havent seen before, zipping between different circuits on the fly.I quite like the idea of...scavenging kart parts and attaching them, Ultrahand-style, for upgrades, like Banjo Nuts & Bolts with a little Mad Max mixed inALANA: If Nintendo were going to do open world, its going to be through some kind of 'story mode' like in Diddy Kong Racing or something. But a story mode hub in a racing game isnt what I want in 2025.GAVIN: I quite like the idea of a large BOTW-Hyrule-style Mushroom Kingdom, with circuits all over the land and you journey between them, scavenging kart parts and attaching them, Ultrahand-style, for upgrades, like Banjo Nuts & Bolts with a little Mad Max mixed in.But people who pick up Mario Kart for a quick blast with friends won't be bothered with that. Single-player isnt the reason MK8D is Switchs best-selling game, which is presumably what Nintendo is thinking about by highlighting this in the Switch 2 reveal.JIM: Yeah, theres the risk that an additional open world or a story might not feel 'Mario Kart' enough. If its the next 3D Mario, sure and throw in a skill tree for good measure probably. But Mario Kart is best focused on the karting (shock) and as soon as you start fiddling about with stories and upgrades, that might get lost. That said, Smash has tried story a few times. It never fully worked, but it tried.ALANA: Gavins proposal sounds like a bit like LEGO 2K Drive!GAVIN: Hmm, that came and went, didnt it? Okay, so if none of us are enamoured with the idea of an open-world racer, how does MK9 push the series forward?ALANA: This isnt the revolutionary overhaul or unique idea were expecting here, but I can see an F-Zero 99-style elimination mode being incorporated (not 99 karts, though), particularly with the bigger tracks, a bigger roster of characters, and the presumably better online functionality of the Switch 2.OLLIE: I actually want to point to The Super Mario Bros. Movie as a potential source of inspiration. The kart scene has really unique and weird vehicles, with characters moving between them at certain points. I wonder if something can be done with that. Perhaps you can jump between vehicles part-way through a race, or maybe steal parts from your opponents to give your own kart a bit of a boost.Image: Nintendo / IlluminationJIM: Im still recovering from the thought of a 99-player Baby Park, but yes, I totally see the vehicle-swapping idea. Looking at what the series has relied on so far, though, its way more likely that the karts would just transform in some way. MK8 did the hover wheels, MK7 did the gliders, Wii did something. Theres an appetite for Diddy Kong Racing out there, so I can see things going a little more vertical - ramps where your kart sprouts wings and entire sections are airborne, Chitty Chitty-style.MK8 had the anti-grav sections, but ultimately, it was just a really solid racing game with minimal gimmicks. I do worry about Nintendo potentially making it a bit too weird.ALANA: That is very Diddy Kong Racing or Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, though! Itll be hard to predict because MK8 wasnt at its core hugely different from 7. Weve had courses that change every lap thanks to Tour. Weve had transforming cars in some ways. I doubt itll incorporate a microphone or a mouse, because thatd lock elements out for some people.GAVIN: That vehicle-switching idea has me thinking about some sort of team co-op where you have Double Dash-style passengers with specific abilities that must jump between karts. You have to pull up alongside other drivers to swap passengers for... some reason. I don't know, something that switches up the interaction patterns from a straight old race to the finish line.OLLIE: All of this speculation does make me a bit nervous, I must say MK8 had the anti-grav sections, but ultimately, it was just a really solid racing game with minimal gimmicks. I do worry about Nintendo potentially making it a bit too weird.GAVIN: They're walking a very fine line between pick-up-and-play approachability for four-year-olds or non-core players and depth enough to keep everyone engaged. The video team discussed anti-grav sections in their video (see below) and, for me, the biggest thing the hover wheels added was not stopping dead when you hit other racers. That little boost mechanic was neat and non-punishing.Theres loads of ways you could shake up the formula without some specific gimmick, though. Along the lines of vehicle/character swapping, what about pit stops or tag team races with added strategy? I was thinking about The Italian Job the other day (as you do) and started dreaming of a Mario Kart Heist mode or some sort of chase which isnt just a race while lobbing banana skins.ALANA: That sounds awesome, honestly. I would like some more variety in the multiplayer minigames that arent just coins or balloon-based.Image: Nintendo LifeGAVIN: What about tracks - specifically, returning tracks? Do you want to see old circuits back again?JIM: Ahhh, its another one where Ive got to go against the most obvious choice. No, I dont want to see them back. The MK8 DLC waves were great, but we have driven around these tracks so many times now. At some point, we have to wipe the slate clean. MK8D is the ultimate compilation, so gimme eight new Grands Prix with entirely new corners to learn. Please.I cant believe we havent seen Wario Stadium or Wario Colosseum come back. Still, I would absolutely take more unique Grands Prix.ALANA: You mean you dont want Figure-8 Circuit to return?JIM: no.OLLIE: I agree. As much as Id like to experience Baby Park with 24 racers, if Nintendo doesnt add in some new mechanic that fundamentally changes the tracks we know and love, then Id rather they just stay put on MK8D for now (which, of course, will likely be playable via backwards compatibility!). Lets have something completely new.ALANA: We are steadily running out of tracks that havent returned, discounting MK8s. I cant believe we havent seen Wario Stadium or Wario Colosseum come back. Still, I would absolutely take more unique Grands Prix rather than double them up with retro cups.GAVIN: Ollies point is key for me MK8D will almost certainly be playable on Switch 2. We all own it, there are 700 trillion copies of it out there, so if we want to play Baby Park or Yoshis Circuit or whatever, it's already there. Id rather fresh, tailor-made tracks designed around the new game rather than retrofitted returners.Okay, well be pulling up to the bumper soon, but what would you say if I dropped the words Mario Kart Maker here?OLLIE: Id say I dont have the creativity for something like that! I mean, it depends on how intuitive a track builder would be. Itd be a cool thing to have, but I imagine Id just default to the standard, Nintendo-certified tracks.GAVIN: This isnt confirmed as a launch game, but it's implied that we'll be seeing it in the launch year, at least. And seeing as the Mouse Mode could be Switch 2's biggest new hardware feature, youd imagine Nintendo will showcase it in a launch game. Could be handy for a custom circuit builder! Flexing that backward compatibilityJIM: It could also be handy for letting you put the kart in manual and sliding the controller on the seat next to you like a gear stick. Full Fast & Furious.ALANA: Ohhh no, that sounds awful back to Track Maker, quickly! I wouldnt be surprised to see it, but its also a little predictable at this point, right? Id love to play user-made courses, though.Image: NintendoGAVIN: Hmm, although thinking about it, thatll need some moderation. Nintendo knows what people like to draw given half a chance and the potential for sus circuits when viewed from above is considerable!Okay, okay, last question: We're using 'Mario Kart 9' as shorthand, but whats it going to be called?OLLIE: Mario Kart: Turbo!JIM: Im gunning for that Fast & Furious theme now. The Mario and The Kart? Kart 9? Mario Kart: Family?ALANA: If theres kart switching Mario Kart Switched?OLLIE: Mario Kart X, amirite, Jim?! Wait...GAVIN: If Tour is technically 9 and Live: Home Circuit is technically 10, we could be looking at Mario Kart 11 with the 11 stylised as two Joy-Con or something.Okay, that's the chequered flag. Any final thoughts before we all get karted off?OLLIE: Ive got nothing, Im just excited to see more! April cant come soon enough.What do you want from the next Mario Kart? Do any of the suggestions above tickle your fancy? Vote in the poll and slide on down to the comments to drop your thoughts on the tarmac.What new things would you most like to see in the next Mario Kart? (46 votes)A huge Smash-style roster of iconic characters13%Mid-race teleporting between courses 0%A DKR-style story 'hub'15%A massive open world9%DIY upgradable karts7%A 99-style elimination mode2%Vehicle hopping/swapping 0%Land, sea, and air vehicles/tracks20%Strategic team races4%Heists!2%A Mario Kart Maker mode15%Something else! (comment below)13%Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube Every character in Switch 2 Mario KartPass the salt, broThe sweat, the tears, the evil babiesRelated 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 ArticlesSteam Deck Sales Business As Usual For Valve During Week Of Switch 2 RevealUpdate: Sales chart "updated" by ValveXbox Is "Really Looking Forward" To Supporting Switch 2Phil Spencer: "We love the work that we do with Nintendo"Random: Donkey Kong Country's Artist Reacts To Nintendo's Redesign"Everything changes!"New-Look Donkey Kong Items Now Available On The My Nintendo Store"You'll go bananas for this" Title:Mario Kart 9System:Nintendo Switch 2Publisher:NintendoDeveloper:NintendoGenre:DrivingRelease Date:Nintendo Switch 2 TBA TBAWhere to buy:Pre Order on Amazon

Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kPublisher Apogee Entertainment has announced that the ridiculous boomer shooter Turbo Overkill is coming now available on the Nintendo Switch alongside PS5, PS4, and Xbox Series X|S.Yep, no waiting around for this one, the game has shadow-dropped on Nintendo's console and can be downloaded now via the eShop for $19.99. Previously exclusive to PC, the title received high praise for its fast-paced gameplay and arresting visuals, and we frankly can't wait to see how it holds up on the Switch.Its gameplay reminds us a lot of the modern DOOM games, obviously, but it's also got quite a lot in common with Prodeus, another boomer shooter that boasts stylish pixel art visuals and buckets of blood and guts. Nice. So if that's your kind of thing, then this will likely push all the right buttons for you.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube Let's check out the key features:- Kill a boss, get its augment (special power)- Play Spider-Man with your grappling hook- One-up Duke Nukem with your chainsaw slide-slice kick- Kills = cash. Use cash to install augments, upgrade your weapons, and add new abilities in your talent tree- Be a ghost runner while wall running- Attack from above riding the hood of your flying car like a kung-furious badass- Mini-rockets built into your robotic arm? Images: Apogee EntertainmentWhat are your thoughts on this one? Will you be looking to add Turbo Overkill to your Switch library? Let us know with a comment.

Meta continues to target creators in the days following the U.S. TikTok ban. In addition to paying TikTok creators big bonuses to publish reels, Instagram announced on Wednesday that its introducing new ways for creators to better understand how their short videos are performing. The platform is introducing additional metrics that allow creators to see what content resonates better with their audiences.The social network is rolling out a new metric called View Rate that lets creators see what percentage of their followers and non-followers continue to watch their video after the first three seconds. Instagram notes that the first few seconds of reels are the most important because if you capture the viewers attention right away, they will keep watching the video.Instagram is also adding a Views Over Time metric that shows creators how many views their reel has received so far compared to the average views they normally get over the same time period. Creators can break down these views between followers and non-followers. Image Credits:InstagramIn addition, Instagram will start giving creators more actionable tips to understand if their reels are performing better or worse than usual. The company believes this will allow creators to see which types of content get the most views.For instance, Instagram may encourage you to create more reels that are similar to one that got significantly more views than your typical content. A notice like this may read: This reel is doing great! It got 20% more views than the average of your recent reels. Create more reels like this.In addition to the bonuses, Instagram has been trying to lure TikTok creators over to its platform with promises of content deals and support to grow their communities.While TikTok isonline in the U.S.after going dark for 12 hours last week, the ByteDance-owned video app network is still missing from app stores, giving rivals like Instagram the opportunity to benefit from its woes.Topics

In an essay on Wednesday, Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, weighed in on the debate over whether Chinese AI company DeepSeeks success implies that U.S. export controls on AI chips arent working.Amodei, who recently made the case for stronger export controls in an op-ed co-written with former U.S. deputy national security advisor Matt Pottinger, says in the essay he believes current export controls are slowing the progress of Chinese companies like DeepSeek. Compared to the performance of the strongest U.S.-produced AI models, Amodei says, DeepSeeks fall short when factoring in the release time frame. DeepSeek produced a model close to the performance of U.S. models 7-10 months older, for a good deal less cost (but not anywhere near the ratios people have suggested), Amodei said. [This is] an expected point on an ongoing cost reduction curve. Whats different this time is that the company that was first to demonstrate the expected cost reductions was Chinese.Amodei compares one of DeepSeeks flagship models, DeepSeek V3, to Anthropics Claude 3.5 Sonnet, which he says cost a few $10Ms to train. Sonnets training finished 9 to 12 months ago, while DeepSeeks model was trained in November or December yet Sonnet remains ahead in a number of internal and external evals, Amodei notes.U.S. companies [are also] achieving the usual trend in cost reduction, Amodei added. The efficiency innovations DeepSeek developed will soon be applied by both U.S. and Chinese labs to train multi-billion dollar models.Amodei, who in the essay calls DeepSeek very talented engineers that show why China is a serious competitor to the U.S., foresees a fork in the road depending on which export policies the Trump Administration embraces. Before Trump took office, the outgoing Biden Administration imposed new restrictions on hardware exports that are scheduled to take effect in the coming months but that could be curtailed should Trump wish to do so.If Trump strengthens export rules and prevents China from obtaining what Amodei describes as millions of chips for AI development, the U.S. and its allies could potentially establish a commanding and long-lasting lead, Amodei claims. If, on the other hand, the U.S. doesnt make it more challenging for China to import AI chips, the country could direct more talent, capital, and focus to military applications of AI technologies, Amodei feares. Combined with its large industrial base and military-strategic advantages, this could help China take a commanding lead on the global stage, Amodei said. To be clear, the goal here is not to deny China or any other authoritarian country the immense benefits in science, medicine, quality of life, and so on that come from very powerful AI systems. Everyone should be able to benefit from AI. The goal is to prevent them from gaining military dominance.It seems likely that Amodei will get his preferred outcome. In a Senate hearing on Wednesday, billionaire businessman Howard Lutnick, Trumps pick for commerce secretary, accused DeepSeek of stealing American IP. What this showed is that our export controls, not backed by tariffs, are like a whack-a-mole model, Lutnick said. Chinese tariffs should be the highest.As commerce secretary, Lutnick would have a key role in carrying out Trumps plans to raise and enforce tariffs.OpenAI, Anthropics chief rival, has also called on the Trump Administration to take more aggressive steps to ensure U.S. dominance in AI. In a recently published policy doc, OpenAI warned that if the U.S. doesnt attract the necessary global funds for AI projects, theyll flow to China-backed projects and [strengthen] the Chinese Communist Partys global influence.

The paranormal is taking a chilling turn in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire! Witness the really cool visual effects crafted by Sony Pictures Imageworks as they conjure up frost-covered frights and bone-chilling ghost designs!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Sony Pictures Imageworks: Dedicated page about Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire on Sony Pictures Imageworks website.Geoffrey Baumann: Heres my interview of Production VFX Supervisor Geoffrey Baumann. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

For many, Chicagos South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC) warrants no introduction. The countrys oldest, independently run, and continuously operating Black arts institution has helped boost the careers of many, many African American artists. Floating Museums Faheem Majeed, one of the last Chicago Architecture Biennials curators, got his start there, and Theaster Gates has long worked with SSCAC, to name just a few. Now, Chicago architects, artists, builders, and consultants are helping SSCAC grow. Future Firm, wrkSHp | kiloWatt, Brown & Momen, Berglund Construction, and URBAN ReSOLVE are all part of the centers redevelopment team. An addition planned for the art center will expand SSCACs visitor capacity by 398 percent, the partners shared, while also helping make it more accessible to those with disabilities.The addition will contain new gallery spaces, but also offices for artists, educators, and staff. (Courtesy SSCAC and Future Firm)The $15 million addition and refurbishment project entails attaching a new, 10,000-square-foot building to SSCACs existing location, a stately 19th-century brick abode with bay windows. The addition, the design team said, will help SSCAC facilitate many more exhibitions and interactions with Black artists while increasing access for community members, researchers, arts administrators, historians, and educators.A South Side StapleSince 1940, SSCAC has operated out of an old, multistory brick house in Bronzeville, located at 3831 South Michigan Avenue. The institution was founded as a WPA project, when the federal government poured copious resources into organizations around the U.S. to help put artists back to work after the Great Depression. SSCAC, having survived the Red Scare, eventually morphed into the established South Side presence it is today. In 1994, it was listed as a Chicago Historic Landmark and, in 2017 and on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. In its mission statement, SSCAC said its main goal is developing and showcasing Black artists at every stage of their careers, an ethos which dates back to its founders. A lot of Black museums have opened up, but were the only one that grew out of the indigenous Black community, Dr. Margaret Taylor-Burroughs, a visual artist who helped cofound SSCAC, said of the institution. We werent started by anybody downtown; we were started by ordinary folks.The addition will help make SSCACs collection more accessible to those with disabilities. (Courtesy SSCAC and Future Firm)The forthcoming addition will go toward the existing buildings rear; it will include new gallery space and cutting edge sustainability tech to help SSCAC meet its energy goals. The new building will have a geothermal well field and solar-ready roof to help ascertain LEED Silver certification.The extra gallery space will host SSCACs permanent collection and loaned works. There will also be new classrooms, improved archival storage, and updated offices for artists, educators, and staff. The additions rooftop will provide much needed event space, the team shared.Some gallery spaces will be covered in wood paneling. (Courtesy SSCAC and Future Firm)Other gallery spaces will adopt the traditional white box aesthetic. (Courtesy SSCAC and Future Firm)So too will there be a new stepped terrace. This element is meant to evoke the original stoop of SSCAC. The additions facade also conceptually links to SSCAC; it will celebrate the pattern of nail roles found in the historic Margaret T. Burroughs Gallery, through the implementation of a custom perforated exterior panel system, through the implementation of a custom perforated exterior panel system, designers shared. The interiors finishes will oscillate between wood and white walls, depending on the setting. The additions lobby is an all-white ensemble. (Courtesy SSCAC and Future Firm)A classroom is faced with large windows. (Courtesy SSCAC and Future Firm)Ann Lui, principal of Future Firm, has long worked in Chicagos South Side, and sees SSCACs expansion as transformative for the region. We are excited and honored to collaborate with South Side Community Arts Center, to use architecture and design to support the organizations mission of creating space for Black artists and their work, Lui shared. We describe ourselves as architects for changemakers and are so excited to help provide flexible, functional, and memorable spaces for SSCAC that will serve the organization and its community at large, Lui continued. Its an exciting opportunity to look for ways a building can help to do that work: from the scale of a single wood panel to a spatial vision for growth and change in the coming decades.Sitting on the shoulders of those who came before us, we are thrilled to be able to preserve the legacy of the South Side Community Art Center, while creating space to celebrate and inspire the next generation of Black artists, added Monique Brinkman-Hill, SSCAC executive director. As we celebrate over 85 years in operation, we look forward to continuing our work with the development team and members of our community to ensure our historic home and expanded campus will continue to serve this community for the next 85 years.Construction is expected to start later this year, and conclude in 2026.

It was last summer when Bathhouse, a company that operates boutique saunas, opened its new Manhattan branch in Flatiron, designed by Rockwell Group and Colberg Architecture. That Bathhouse was the second in New York Citythe first opened in 2021 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. This month, Bathhouse was issued a construction permit for a forthcoming, 3-story building in Chicagos West Loop, designed by Gensler. This permit gives the client and contractors permission to break ground and begin construction on the companys first outpost outside New York City.The Chicago Bathhouse, planned for the intersection of Morgan and Madison, will be an inclusive, neighborhood amenity in Fulton Market, accessible to all through daily guest passes, Brett Taylor, Genslers principal-in-charge on the project, told AN.The pool area is designed to offer multisensory experiences. (Courtesy Gensler)The three-story structure, wrapped in brick and glass, and capped with a rooftop amenity oasis, reflects the density and character of the surrounding buildings, Taylor added. A grand, double-height entry welcomes users to three indoor and two outdoor pools with a mix of hot, cold, and salt experiences along with four different saunas and bookable treatment rooms, providing a multisensory journey for transformation, relaxation, and socializing. Previous renderings of Genslers design showed broad arches adorning Bathhouse Chicagos facade, reminiscent of Toyo Itos TAMA Art University Library in Tokyo. Updated visuals show a building that opts for a rectilinear fenestration that maintains a sleek black look. The low-lying structure is depicted clad with gray and black brick. Gold letters of the Bathhouse logo shimmer across a street-facing elevation and over an entryway.Bathhouses Chicago branch will offer a luxury rooftop experience, as Taylor mentioned. It will have a pool, a restaurant, and other amenities for those seeking bodily reprieve. Surfaces that face the interior pool area will be lacquered in black, not unlike Bathhouses existing locations in New York City.Previously, a mid-rise condo was planned for the site at 1010 West Madison Street. Plans to discard the condo and build the 40,000-square-feet Bathhouse building instead were first announced in 2023.The building is slated for completion in 2026.

1st place in Young category: Andrs Luis Dominguez Blanco, Spring (2023). A European bee-eater in mid-flight with an insect in its beak, Southern Spain. All images the photographers, courtesy of CUPOTY, shared with permissionThe Winners of This Annual Competition Show Nature Is Ready for Its Close-UpJanuary 29, 2025Kate MothesA striking silhouette of two fighting stag beetles takes the top prize in the 6th annual Close-Up Photographer of the Year contest (previously), capping a group of category winners and finalists that showcase an array of natural phenomena in astonishing detail.A jury of 25 experts, comprising scientists, editors, naturalists, journalists, and photographers, narrowed down 100 images from more than 11,000 entries. Photographers in 61 countries submitted photos of a wide range of animals and environments, capturing dramatic behaviors and fascinating habitats.1st place in the Butterflies & Dragonflies category: Yong Miao, Damselfly by the Waterfall. A damselfly (Archineura incarnata) rests on a rock amidst a flowing waterfall in Tianmushan Nature Reserve, Zhejiang Province, ChinaAmong many favorites, Yong Miaos beautiful shot of a damselfly perched on a stone near a waterfall won the Insects category, Barry Webbs capture of an ear-pick fungus topped the Fungi & Slime Moulds category, and Gabriel Jensens portrait of a fish in the toothy mouth of a predator took the top spot in the Underwater category.The competition highlights not only incredible images but also the fascinating science and stories behind them. Summer brings calm seas to South Florida where a dedicated community of shore diving photographers head out nearly every day to survey the worlds third largest coral reef for interesting wildlife, Jensen says.Her friends spotted a lizard fish (Synodus foetens) grappling with a large doctorfish. She adds, After a few minutes of struggle, the doctorfish managed to escape. This image now sits on my desk at work, serving as a reminder that even on tough days, Everythings going to be A-OK.CUPOTY co-founder Tracy Calder says, Close-up photography is a celebration of curiosity, also sharing that the winning entries are a true testament to the artistry of everyone involved, as well as an invitation to look, marvel at, and honour the world around us. See all the top photos in the competitions online gallery.Winner of Underwater category: Gabriel Jensen, Everythings A-OK. A doctorfish struggles in the jaws of a lizardfish, Kona, Hawaii1st place in Fungi & Slime Moulds category: Barry Webb, Ear-Pick Fungus (2023). A 15mm tall ear-pick fungus growing on a pine cone, New Forest, U.K.1st place in Insects category and overall winner of CUPOTY 6: Svetlana Ivanenko, Clash of the Titans. Two stag beetles (Lucanus cervus) battle for dominance in the Voronezh region of Russia2nd place in Underwater category: Jenny Stock, Search for the Dragon (2020). A leafy seadragon (Phycodurus eques) swims with a school of rough bullseye fish (Pempheris klunzingeri), Rapid Bay, South Australia2nd place in Young category: Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, Afternoon Snack (2024). A robber fly (Asilidae sp.) feeds on a flesh fly (Sarcophagidae sp.), Brandenburg, Germany3rd place in Fungi & Slime Moulds category: Jamie Spensley, Sandy Mushroom (2024). A mushroom covered in sand on Holywell Bay Beach, Cornwall2nd place in Invertebrate Portrait category: Jos Manuel Lois Rial, Stauropus Fagi (2023). A lobster moth caterpillar (Stauropus fagi) on a tree branch in the photographers garden, SpainNext article