Avowed shows off its character creator and the backgrounds that "will shape how the world responds to you"Awowed.Image credit: Obsidian News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 25, 2025 Avowed will not only let you customise your character's appearance but also the background "that will shape how the world perceives and responds to you", too.In a series of posts on X/Twitter, Obsidian let fans in for an early peek at the fantasy RPG's Character Creation menu, where players can choose between an Arcade Scholar, Court Augur, Vanguard Scout, War Hero, and Noble Scion, all of which determine what dialogue options and starting weapons you'll have available to you when you kick off your adventure.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Avowed is NOTHING Like Skyrim, and That's a Good Thing - Hands on preview, new gameplay.Watch on YouTube"You hail from the Aedyran Empir, but who exactly are you, Envoy?" Obsidian teased on social media (thanks, TheGamer). "Stranger still, you have never learned which god touched your soul."In the Character Creation menu, you'll have the opportunity to customize your Godlike character and choose a background that will shape how the world perceives and responds to you." To see this content please enable targeting cookies.For Noble Scion, we got to see exactly what's special about this background, too."You were born to a noble house of great influence, middling wealth, and questionable morals," the description said. "When scandals and succession disputes saw your family cast down, you threw yourself on the emperor's mercy, and he shielded you."Canny yet refined, you have become a formidable force at court and an invaluable ally to the emperor."Don't worry about the character creation locking out any equipment and abilities you find in-game, though - Obsidian reassures us that "all equipment and abilities are available to you regardless of your background.Avowed will released next month, 18th February, on PC (Steam and Battle.net) and Xbox Series X/S, with day-one access for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers. Those who pay 90 (or $90) for the game's Premium Edition, however, can play five days early."'Your worlds, your way' isn't just a motto for Obsidian - it's how they design quests, regions, combat, and more," Xbox teased after this week's Developer Direct. "Learn how player freedom is at the heart of Avowed, making it a quintessential 'Obsidian RPG'." To see this content please enable targeting cookies."Avowed does a lot of things that I like, and I enjoyed my time with it, more than I ever enjoyed The Outer Worlds," we wrote in Eurogamer's Avowed preview. "That said, nothing I saw stood out as wildly original, or that Avowed could entirely call its own."That isnt to say such an element doesnt exist, or even that Avowed necessarily needs it. But for better or worse, there is still some mystery at the heart of Avowed. The question for when it launches is: will there be a solution?"

Four studios are battling it out to once again reboot Capcom's Resident Evil movie franchise, only this time, PlayStation Productions is also on board. Read more

SOUTH PASADENA, CA - APRIL 23: 11-year-old Ansel, the photographers son, plays Fortnite featuring ... [+] Travis Scott Presents: Astronomical on April 23, 2020 in South Pasadena, California. Travis Scott + Cactus Jack have partnered with Fortnite to produce Astronomical, a one of a kind in-game experiential performance and the world premiere of a new song. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)Getty ImagesEpic Games has positioned Fortnite as more than just a gameit's becoming a platform where independent creators can build sustainable businesses.The Fortnite Ecosystem Year in Review 2024 report reveals Fortnite's creator community grew from 24,000 in 2023 to 70,000 creators in 2024. Published islands doubled to 198,000, with 137,000 created using the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), Epic's development tool.These creators are driving substantial engagement. Players spent 5.23 billion hours playing creator-made games in 2024, accounting for 36.5% of total Fortnite playtime. This represents a 5% increase from 4.98 billion hours in 2023, indicating that user-generated content is becoming an integral part of the Fortnite experience.The data shows the company paid $352 million to creators in 2024, an 11% increase from 2023, as user-generated content continues to shape the platform's future.The payouts to creators indicate a shift in how gaming platforms can support content creators. Unlike traditional models where creators rely on advertising revenue or direct sales, Fortnite's ecosystem offers an alternative path for gaming content creators.The types of content being created are expanding with growth in non-combat genres, including social roleplay, party games, deathruns, and horror experiences. As of January 2025, these variety content formats make up more than 30% of time spent in creator-made experiences - a 50% increase from the previous year.MORE FOR YOUThis diversification suggests that Fortnite is developing beyond its battle royale origins into a broader gaming platform. Games like "Fort Knight Legend" and "Havoc Hotel 2" show creators exploring new possibilities within the platform.Epic Games' investment in creator tools and infrastructure, including features like First Person Camera devices, UI tools, and Custom NPCs, shows a commitment to this creator-first approach. The company's partnership with IPs like LEGO and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles expands the creative options for developers.This evolution may represent a new direction for gaming platforms, where the distinction between professional game development and user-generated content becomes less defined.For creators, Fortnite's model presents a new opportunity. The platform shows that user-generated content can be both creatively and financially viable. With appropriate tools and support, creators can build businesses around their gaming content.For the gaming industry, this model offers an alternative to traditional game development and distribution. It suggests that gaming platforms might increasingly serve as enablers for creator-driven content rather than just publishers of their own games.Looking ahead to 2025, Epic Games plans to introduce more tools and features for creators, including custom items and enhanced development capabilities.

Science splits the iconic king cobra into four distinct species, reshaping our understanding of ... [+] venomous snake diversity and toppling long-standing records in herpetology.Fayrer, 1872. From Biodiversity Heritage Library.Venomous snakes, in general, tend to be sleeker and smaller, with their evolution favoring agility and precision over brute strength. But in the forests of southern Asia, stretching from Indias Western Ghats to the mangroves of the Philippines, you might run into a terrifying exceptionthe worlds largest venomous snake, the king cobra.Known for its immense size and unmatched prowess, this apex predator defies the norms of venomous snakes (which rely on their potent venom rather than physical power to subdue prey), growing up to an extraordinary 1819 feet and commanding both awe and fear in equal measure.Now, with the king cobra no longer classified as a single species, the rankings of the worlds longest venomous snakes are undergoing a dramatic shake-up. Snakes like the black mamba and bushmaster, once considered to be the second and third longest venomous snakes, respectively, appear to have slipped further down the list as herpetologists recognize four distinct species within the king cobra population.What Makes The King Cobra Stand Out In The Herpetology World?The king cobra has long held a unique and almost mythical status among snakes, captivating scientists and snake enthusiasts alike. Found across a vast rangefrom the forests of India and Southeast Asia to the mangroves of the Philippinesit is the worlds longest venomous snake, capable of reaching lengths of up to 18 to 19 feet.But its claim to fame is not just its size. The king cobra is also known for its remarkable intelligence, fierce territoriality and potent venom.Unlike most venomous snakes, the king cobra pairs its venom with a dramatic defensive displayrearing up, flaring its hood, and even letting out a deep growl-like hiss.When threatened, it can deliver a massive dose of potent venom capable of incapacitating large predators or other snakes, making it one of the most intimidating reptiles in the wild.In fact, one of its most fascinating traits is its dietary preference: the king cobra primarily preys on other snakes, including venomous ones, giving rise to its scientific name, Ophiophagussnake-eater. This specialized diet, along with its unique adaptations, has made it an iconic, albeit terrifying, member of the reptile class.The king cobras ability to hunt and consume other venomous snakes, such as kraits and smaller ... [+] cobras, demonstrates its physical strength and exceptional intelligence. King cobras are known for their calculated and precise hunting strategies, which allow them to take down dangerous prey with minimal risk to themselves.gettyWhy Split The King Cobra Into Four Species?The king cobra has long been recognized as the worlds longest venomous snake, a single species with a vast geographic range across southern Asia. However, recent genetic and morphological studies revealed that what was thought to be one species is actually a species complexa group of closely related but genetically distinct species.The split was based on years of careful research that revealed key differences among king cobra populations. DNA studies showed that these populations had evolved separately over time, while scientists also observed physical variations in size, scale pattern and color between groups. Natural barriers like mountains, rivers and oceans kept these populations isolated, allowing them to develop into distinct species.The Four Species That Form The King Cobra Species ComplexScientists analyzed 148 preserved king cobra specimens and utilized advanced genetic tools to uncover the evolutionary differences within this species. Their findings revealed that the king cobra, long thought to be one species, is actually a group of four distinct species that each occupy different geographic regions.The Northern king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is the most widely distributed species, ranging from eastern Pakistan and northern India to Myanmar, Thailand and parts of Southeast Asia, including the Andaman Islands. This species is characterized by prominent dark-edged yellow bands along its body and the highest count of pterygoid teeth among its relatives, which enhances its ability to grip prey.The Western Ghats king cobra (Ophiophagus kaalinga) is found exclusively in the lush, mountainous forests of the Western Ghats in southern India. This species is smaller in size compared to its counterparts and has unique pale bands that lack darker edges. It inhabits a variety of altitudes, from lowland forests to high montane plateaus, showcasing its adaptability to diverse environments within its limited range.The Sunda king cobra (Ophiophagus bungarus) is native to the Malay Peninsula, the Greater Sunda Islands and parts of the southern Philippines. This species displays distinct coloration and scalation, which help it blend into the dense rainforests of Sundaland. Its evolutionary history includes adaptations to a tropical island environment, making it distinct from its mainland relatives.The Luzon king cobra (Ophiophagus salvatana) is found only on Luzon Island in the Philippines. This species is particularly striking due to its lack of pale body bands in adults and its angular, well-defined body bands in juveniles. Its isolation on Luzon has led to unique genetic and physical traits, making it one of the most regionally specialized species within the complex.The Lengths Of These Four Species Need To Be Studied FurtherOphiophagus hannah, now officially known as the Northern king cobra, was renowned for its size, pushing 18 feet, but we now lack precise measurements for the maximum lengths of each of the newly classified species.It is the most widespread of the four. However, without comprehensive studies on the sizes of the newly defined species, its unclear how the Northern species compares to its cousins in the Western Ghats, Sundaland and Luzon.The Western Ghats king cobra, for instance, is noted for being smaller, but whether this applies across all populations remains to be seen. The Sunda and Luzon king cobras, with their island-adapted traits, may also vary significantly in length due to the unique pressures of their environments.What we do know is that the king cobra species complex as a group dominates the rankings for the worlds longest venomous snakes. Its safe to assume that the four longest venomous snake species on Earth are likely members of this complexmeaning that the black mamba and bushmaster are off the list of top threebut further research will be required to confirm this.Measuring these newly identified species in the wild and captivity will be crucial in determining whether one species surpasses the others or if they all share similar maximum lengths.This reclassification not only reshapes our understanding of the king cobras place in the natural world but also opens the door to new discoveries about its biology, behavior and role as one of Earths most iconic predators. For now, the crown for the longest venomous snake remains firmly within the king cobra family, even as scientists work to untangle its many mysteries.Reclassifications like the king cobras remind us how much we still have to learn about the world we live in. Take this quick, science-backed test to learn how you connect to the natural world around you.

Star Wars: New Jedi Order was first announced almost two years ago, and now,The Hollywood Reporterhas reported that the project has a new screenwriter. George Nolfi, who is best known for writing the screenplays forThe Bourne UltimatumandOceans 12, has been tapped to write the project, which is expected to be a film focused on Daisy Ridleys Rey from the sequel trilogy.Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, a documentary director, is set to make her narrative debut on the project, which is set 15 years after the events of the sequel trilogy and focuses on Rey as she trains a new cohort of young Jedi. Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson were the projects initial writers, but that was before Obaid-Chinoy came on board. When Ridley was confirmed to be returning for the film,Peaky Blinderscreator Steven Knight was brought in to take a pass at the script.Recommended VideosThe delays in getting to a final script have meant that the movie itself has also been delayed.The Mandalorian and Groguis currently slated for a May 2026 release, and the next Star Wars movie to shoot will now be Shawn Levys project, which reporting suggests may star Ryan Gosling.Please enable Javascript to view this contentIf Nolfi ultimately pens the final script for this film, it will be a departure from the thrillers that he has spent most of his career writing. Given the revolving door of writers on the project, though, it seems like Disney is working hard to make sure the final script is one worth moving forward with.Editors Recommendations

Although restored to service shortly after the TikTok debacle first took it down, Marvel Snap still hasnt returned to US app stores. Developer Second Dinner said it began the process of restoring the game to the Google Play Store yesterday, and expects the game to come back to the iOS App Store early next week. In addition to bringing the game back, the developers also have a welcome back package for players.Second Dinner shared a long post on X detailing what players can expect, along with the words We cant thank you all enough for being so patient with us through this downtime ordeal. Your outpouring of support to all of us at Second Dinner was heart and greatly appreciated.Recommended Videoshttps://t.co/tdxcUBBXp7 Second Dinner (@seconddinner) January 25, 2025Please enable Javascript to view this contentMarvel Snap was an unfortunate and unintended victim of the TikTok ban. Its original publisher is owned by ByteDance, and now Second Dinner says the team is seeking a new publisher for the game.The reward packages are meant as a thank you to all players, not just those in the United States. While the compensation packages are slightly higher for those in the US, non-US players are also set to receive a ton of items.Heres the full list of rewards.Package OverviewsFor US-based players US Downtime Package:Over Collection Level 500 2 Spotlight Keys 5000 Season Pass XP 4150 Credits 6200 Collectors Tokens 1000 Gold 5 Gold Conquest Ticket 3 Infinite Conquest Ticket 4000 Conquest Medals 1 Mystery Variant 6 Premium Mystery Variants 1 Cosmic Red Border (Super Rare) 3 Cosmic Gold Border (Super Rare) 155 x5 Random BoostersUnder Collection Level 5006 Mystery Series 3 Cards5000 Season Pass XP7150 Credits1000 Gold1 Mystery Variant6 Premium Mystery Variant1 Cosmic Red Border (Super Rare)3 Cosmic Gold Border (Super Rare)155 x5 Random BoostersFor non-US-based players Global Gratitude Package:Over Collection Level 5002 Spotlight Key3000 Collectors Tokens1500 Credits1 Mystery Variant1 Premium Mystery Variant1 Cosmic Gold Border (Super Rare)1 Cosmic Red Border (Super Rare)155 x3 Random BoostersUnder Collection Level 5006 Mystery Series 3 Cards3000 Credits1 Mystery Variant1 Premium Mystery Variant1 Cosmic Gold Border (Super Rare) 1 Cosmic Red Border (Super Rare)155 x3 Random BoostersSecond Dance says players can expect these items to be delivered to their inboxes sometime next week.Editors Recommendations

Bill Gates, in a recent Journal interview, said Elon Musk's DOGE could be "a valuable thing."Gates said the federal deficit will "create a financial problem" for the US if it isn't reduced.But the Microsoft cofounder also said it was important to retain vital programs.Bill Gates, in a recent Wall Street Journal interview, said theElon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency could be a "valuable" effort, adding that it's important to reduce the size of the federal budget deficit."I think the idea that looking at government expenditures on a sort of zero-based budgeting approach could be a valuable thing," he told the newspaper. "I'm amongst the people who think the deficit needs to be brought down because otherwise, it will create a financial problem for us. That effort could come up with some good things."DOGE, which recently saw the departure of businessman Vivek Ramaswamy as a co-lead, aims to tackle government inefficiencies and reduce the deficit.After DOGE was first proposed, Musk set a goal to cut $2 trillion in spending. However, during a conversation with political strategist Mark Penn earlier in January, Musk said the $2 trillion figure was a "best-case outcome" and that the commission had a "good shot" at saving $1 trillion.DOGE announced on Friday that it had canceled roughly $420 million worth of existing or forthcoming contracts, in addition to two leases. However,according to Business Insider's calculations, the commission would need to be far more aggressive in its spending cuts to meet any of its goals.During Gates' interview, Journal editor in chief Emma Tucker asked the Microsoft cofounder where he'd look to find savings if he was leading DOGE."Well, given the numbers that they've tossed around, they'll have to look at everything, including pension, defense, healthcare," he said.However, Gates said he had concerns about the government shutting down resources that have "long-term benefits" for citizens, specifically citing HIV."I obviously believe in HIV medicines, where the US is keeping tens of millions of people alive," he said. "If you cut those off, not only would they die when we have a cure on its way, but the negative feelings you'd have, say in Africa, would be worse than never having done the thing at all."While rising to prominence in the technology sphere, Gates has also long been known for his philanthropic work through the Gates Foundation, which he cofounded in 2000 with his then-wife Melinda French Gates.During the 2024 presidential race, Gates didn't publicly endorse Vice President Kamala Harris. But the New York Times reported in October that he privately donated $50 million to a pro-Harris super PAC. After the story was published, Gates released a statement pointing to his bipartisan background while adding that "this election is different."In December, Gates traveled to Mar-a-Lago to dine with then-President-electDonald Trumpand recently told The Journal he was "impressed" with the president's interest in global health issues.

DeepSeek, an open-source Chinese AI company, has riled Silicon Valley with its rapid rise.Meta's chief AI scientist said DeepSeek has benefited from the open-source community.Meta's AI program has remained open-source, while OpenAI has shifted to closed-source.Silicon Valley was on edge this week after DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company, released its R1 model. In third-party benchmarks, it outperformed leading American AI companies like OpenAI, Meta, and Anthropic.For Meta's chief AI scientist, Yann LeCun, the biggest takeaway from DeepSeek's success was not the heightened threat posed by Chinese competition but the value of keeping AI models open source so that anyone can benefit.It's not that China's AI is "surpassing the US," but rather that "open source models are surpassing proprietary ones," LeCun said in a post on Threads.DeepSeek's R1 is itself open source, as is Meta's Llama. OpenAI, which was originally founded as an open-source AI company with a mission to create technology that benefits all of humanity, has on the other hand more recently shifted to closed-source.LeCun said DeepSeek has "profited from open research and open source.""They came up with new ideas and built them on top of other people's work. Because their work is published and open source, everyone can profit from it," LeCun said. "That is the power of open research and open source."When DeepSeek unveiled R1 on January 20, which it said "demonstrates remarkable reasoning capabilities," the company said it was "pushing the boundaries" of open-source AI.The announcement took Silicon Valley by surprise and was easily the most talked-about development in the tech industry during a week that included the World Economic Forum, TikTok uncertainty, and President Donald Trump's busy first few days in office.Days after DeepSeek's announcement, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Meta planned to spend over $60 billion in 2025 as it doubles down on AI. Zuckerberg has been an outspoken advocate of open-source models."Part of my goal for the next 10-15 years, the next generation of platforms, is to build the next generation of open platforms and have the open platforms win," he said in September. "I think that's going to lead to a much more vibrant tech industry."Those who support open source say it allows technology to develop rapidly and democratically since anyone can modify and redistribute the code. On the other hand, advocates for closed-source models argue that they are more secure because the code is kept private.OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the closed-source approach offers his company "an easier way to hit the safety threshold" in an AMA on Reddit last November. He added, however, that he "would like us to open source more stuff in the future."

The Switch 2 has finally been revealed, but now a new leak from a retailer has seemingly shown some of the new titles coming to the console and there are some big names among themTech18:54, 25 Jan 2025Joy-Con will be magnetic nowNintendo finally revealed the Nintendo Switch 2 this month, and while we've heard reports about what some of the games will be that we can play on it at launch, the company has only focused on hardware for now.There's a new Nintendo Direct coming on April 2 that's expected to reveal fresh information, but one retailer may have spilled the beans on what we can expect from Nintendo's handheld's first few months on the market.With suggestions the first Switch 2 exclusives could be a new 3D Mario and a Zelda remake, here's all we know so far.As spotted by Insider Gaming, Newegg has seemingly revealed a few 2025 releases for the Switch 2.We already saw a fresh Mario Kart game coming to Switch 2, but on the retailer's page for an eShop gift card, it lays out a series of "2025 games".Metroid Prime 4: Beyond already looked likely to be a Switch 2 game after its reveal last year, and Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition and Pokemon Legends: Z-A were already announced.Most interesting, then, is "New 3D Mario" and "A Legend of Zelda Remake/Remaster". The wording of the latter is particularly vague, but a 3D Mario title would be the first fully new 3D game starring the iconic character since 2017's Super Mario Odyssey.We've since got a port of Super Mario 3D World which came packed with Bowser's Fury, a great proof-of-concept for what the next Mario game in 3D could look like.As for Zelda, the Switch launched with one of the greatest games of all time in Breath of the Wild, and between that and Tears of the Kingdom, we've seen remakes and remasters for Link's Awakening and Skyward Sword, while last year saw Echoes of Wisdom release.Article continues belowIs this confirmation of a Wind Waker remake that fans have been asking for, or another game in the beloved series? We'll hopefully find out soon enough or the listing could be completely inaccurate.Either way, expect Nintendo to say more about the Switch 2 on April 2.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.RECOMMENDED

The casting ball has been slowly rolling for DCs Lanternsseries. After snagging Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre to play respective leads Hal Jordan and Jon Stewart, more actors have been picked up to play supporting roles in the show. This new addition is a sizable one: Thaal Sinestro, Jordans primary nemesis in the comics. Per Deadline, the DC villain will be played by Danish actor Ulrich Thomson, recently of NBCsThe Blacklistand the upcoming Uwe Boll film,Run. WhileLanternsis primarily set on Earth as Hal and John investigate a murder in the American heartland, Thomsons set for a recurring role throughout the eight-episode season. Thomson joins a cast which presently includes Kelly Macdonald, Garrett Dillahunt, and Poorna Jagannathan. In the comics, Sinestro is a Green Lantern during Hals early days and one of its best members who takes Hal under his ring. Eventually, hes revealed to be abusing his power to rule over his homeworld Korugar, and becomes obsessed with taking down his former Corps and mentee. He later gains access to the Yellow Lantern power of Fear and leads what comes to be known as the Sinestro Corps, frequently getting into battles with the Greens and other Lanterns of the emotional color spectrum. Sinestros popped up throughout DCs animated shows over the years, and his big live-action appearance of note was when Mark Strong played him in the 2011 Green Lanternmovie, which set up his turn as a Yellow Lantern in the final moments and never got to follow through on it. Expect Sinestro and theLanternsshow to hit HBO and Max in 2026. 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.