The meaning of DeepSeek, or: the power of constraintsPublished inThe Medium BlogSent as aNewsletter3 min readJust now-- Hello againIssue #261: the early days of Etsy, morality rankings, and getting out thereBy Harris SockelI was playing around with DeepSeek last night and asked it to write an issue of the Medium Newsletter. I gave it yesterdays issue as an example. It talks in this weird hype-y voice thats not really me. And it thinks today is Thursday. But:10,000 of you definitely did not respond to yesterdays newsletter. But maybe messy middles is a good topic for a future issueI tried. Ill remain employed for now, I guess.DeepSeek does basically the same things as ChatGPT and Gemini, but according to some it does them better. It can write mildly interesting derivative fiction. Its decent at math. And in the words of one poster on Hacker News, It is simply smarter more careful, more astute, more aware, more meta-aware. DeepSeek is also open weight, meaning its algorithm (how it weighs factors when responding) is free and available for download. (This is not quite the same as open source.)On Medium, Alberto Romero explains why this AI product is getting so much coverage. Despite facing significant constraints like U.S. export controls on NVIDIA chips a previously unknown Chinese company built a bot that is 10 times cheaper than its leading U.S. competitors and arguably performs better. Weeks after OpenAI announced a $500 billion investment in AI, DeepSeek is making everyone question whether these models actually need to be so expensive.We all know constraints make you more creative. They give you something to push against. Marketing and creativity facilitator Rachel Audige uses the term creative desperation, which sounds extreme but I like it. Its the feeling you get when working toward a tight deadline, the feeling when you just have to finish something and, in those last moments before its due, you find workarounds or extra reserves of energy to accomplish it. (Have I mentioned Ive been writing this newsletter every day for a year? Ive definitely had some creative desperation moments.)In the Interesting Engineering newsletter, AI enthusiast Suhnylla Kler conveys the software and architectural elegance within DeepSeeks model. Elements like a DualPipe algorithm let the model compute and communicate at the same time. Kler comes to a similar conclusion about constraints: DeepSeek V3 was able to keep their AI model running efficiently, showing that innovation isnt just about having the best tools but also about using what you have in the smartest way possible. She compares it to cooking a big meal in a kitchen with fewer appliances than youd like. And she imagines U.S. AI models will copy these tricks. 1 story, 1 sentenceA pattern: Tech platforms foster weird, fragile communities early on until they grow big enough that they develop hyperpersonalized algorithms and community erodes as a result. (Abby Paradis on the early days of Etsy)One way to view political differences: Pretty much all of us agree that our primary moral obligation is to our family, but after that we rank our affinities (to community, coworkers, and country) differently. (Prof. Nichola Raihani)If I ever write a book, I too will sleep with it. (Emily J. Smith) A dose of practical wisdom: get out thereA new study out of Cambridge tracking 2,000 British adults over age 50 found one factor that reliably decreased their risk of depression: getting out to enjoy some kind of cultural event (a movie, show, museum, etc.) just once a month. (Jessica Stillman)

Microsoft Build is once again being held in Seattle this year, just over the lake from Microsofts headquarters in Redmond, Washington. The developer conference will start on May 19th and run through May 22nd at the Seattle Convention Center.Microsoft hasnt provided any hints about what the company plans to launch at Build, but its safe to say the conference will be full of AI announcements. Last years Build included Microsofts AI agents announcement, an AI-powered Windows clipboard PowerToy, and a tiny Snapdragon PC.Were building a new path forward. Come join us at #MSBuild, May 19 22, 2025. https://t.co/MflbdY5UAh pic.twitter.com/YbRLwmepK1 Microsoft Events (@events_msft) February 4, 2025Microsoft Build 2024 also took place just days after the unveiling of new Qualcomm-powered Copilot Plus PCs at a special Windows and Surface AI event. With rumors of a smaller Surface Pro and Surface Laptop expected in the spring, perhaps well even see new Surface hardware debut around the same time again.Im also expecting a lot of announcements for Copilot at Build, whether its the consumer version or the Microsoft 365 Copilot that businesses pay for. Microsoft recently relaunched Copilot for businesses with free AI chat and pay-as-you-go agents, and its certainly not done trying to convince businesses that AI agents are the future. Microsoft also started bundling Office AI features into Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions recently, and Im expecting to hear more about Microsofts Office and Windows AI ambitions at Build this year.

The potential of using artificial intelligence in drug discovery and development has sparked both excitement and skepticism among scientists, investors and the general public.Artificial intelligence is taking over drug development, claim some companies and researchers. Over the past few years, interest in using AI to design drugs and optimise clinical trials has driven a surge in research and investment. AI-driven platforms like AlphaFold, which won the 2024 Nobel Prize for its ability to predict the structure of proteins and design new ones, showcase AIs potential to accelerate drug development.AI in drug discovery is nonsense, warn some industry veterans. They urge that AIs potential to accelerate drug discovery needs a reality check, as AI-generated drugs have yet to demonstrate an ability to address the 90% failure rate of new drugs in clinical trials. Unlike the success of AI in image analysis, its effect on drug development remains unclear.Behind every drug in your pharmacy are many, many more that failed.nortonrsx/iStock via Getty Images PlusWe have been following the use of AI in drug development in our work as a pharmaceutical scientist in both academia and the pharmaceutical industry and as a former program manager in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA. We argue that AI in drug development is not yet a game-changer, nor is it complete nonsense. AI is not a black box that can turn any idea into gold. Rather, we see it as a tool that, when used wisely and competently, could help address the root causes of drug failure and streamline the process.Most work using AI in drug development intends to reduce the time and money it takes to bring one drug to market currently 10 to 15 years and US$1 billion to $2 billion. But can AI truly revolutionise drug development and improve success rates?AI in drug developmentResearchers have applied AI and machine learning to every stage of the drug development process. This includes identifying targets in the body, screening potential candidates, designing drug molecules, predicting toxicity and selecting patients who might respond best to the drugs in clinical trials, among others.Between 2010 and 2022, 20 AI-focused startups discovered 158 drug candidates, 15 of which advanced to clinical trials. Some of these drug candidates were able to complete preclinical testing in the lab and enter human trials in just 30 months, compared with the typical 3 to 6 years. This accomplishment demonstrates AIs potential to accelerate drug development.Drug development is a long and costly process.On the other hand, while AI platforms may rapidly identify compounds that work on cells in a Petri dish or in animal models, the success of these candidates in clinical trials where the majority of drug failures occur remains highly uncertain.Unlike other fields that have large, high-quality datasets available to train AI models, such as image analysis and language processing, the AI in drug development is constrained by small, low-quality datasets. It is difficult to generate drug-related datasets on cells, animals or humans for millions to billions of compounds. While AlphaFold is a breakthrough in predicting protein structures, how precise it can be for drug design remains uncertain. Minor changes to a drugs structure can greatly affect its activity in the body and thus how effective it is in treating disease.Survivorship biasLike AI, past innovations in drug development like computer-aided drug design, the Human Genome Project and high-throughput screening have improved individual steps of the process in the past 40 years, yet drug failure rates havent improved.Most AI researchers can tackle specific tasks in the drug development process when provided with high-quality data and particular questions to answer. But they are often unfamiliar with the full scope of drug development, reducing challenges into pattern recognition problems and refinement of individual steps of the process. Meanwhile, many scientists with expertise in drug development lack training in AI and machine learning. These communication barriers can hinder scientists from moving beyond the mechanics of current development processes and identifying the root causes of drug failures.Current approaches to drug development, including those using AI, may have fallen into a survivorship bias trap, overly focusing on less critical aspects of the process while overlooking major problems that contribute most to failure. This is analogous to repairing damage to the wings of aircraft returning from the battle fields in World War II while neglecting the fatal vulnerabilities in engines or cockpits of the planes that never made it back. Researchers often overly focus on how to improve a drugs individual properties rather than the root causes of failure.While returning planes might survive hits to the wings, those with damage to the engines or cockpits are less likely to make it back.Martin Grandjean, McGeddon, US Air Force/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SAThe current drug development process operates like an assembly line, relying on a checkbox approach with extensive testing at each step of the process. While AI may be able to reduce the time and cost of the lab-based preclinical stages of this assembly line, it is unlikely to boost success rates in the more costly clinical stages that involve testing in people. The persistent 90% failure rate of drugs in clinical trials, despite 40 years of process improvements, underscores this limitation.Addressing root causesDrug failures in clinical trials are not solely due to how these studies are designed; selecting the wrong drug candidates to test in clinical trials is also a major factor. New AI-guided strategies could help address both of these challenges.Currently, three interdependent factors drive most drug failures: dosage, safety and efficacy. Some drugs fail because theyre too toxic, or unsafe. Other drugs fail because theyre deemed ineffective, often because the dose cant be increased any further without causing harm.We and our colleagues propose a machine learning system to help select drug candidates by predicting dosage, safety and efficacy based on five previously overlooked features of drugs. Specifically, researchers could use AI models to determine how specifically and potently the drug binds to known and unknown targets, the level of these targets in the body, how concentrated the drug becomes in healthy and diseased tissues, and the drugs structural properties.These features of AI-generated drugs could be tested in what we call phase 0+ trials, using ultra-low doses in patients with severe and mild disease. This could help researchers identify optimal drugs while reducing the costs of the current test-and-see approach to clinical trials.While AI alone might not revolutionise drug development, it can help address the root causes of why drugs fail and streamline the lengthy process to approval.Duxin Sun, Associate Dean for Research, Charles Walgreen Jr. Professor of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan and Christian Macedonia, Adjunct Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of MichiganThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Story by The Conversation An independent news and commentary website produced by academics and journalists. An independent news and commentary website produced by academics and journalists. Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with

The NBA is experimenting with a digital brain for basketballs.The system is the brainchild of SportIQ, a Finnish startup that develops smart basketballs.Inside each balls valve, SportIQ embeds a sensor that tracks a players shots. Data is first extracted on their form, position, angle, power, and technique. Next, the information is fed to a mobile app for AI analysis. Players then receive direct feedback and advice.According to SportIQ, over 20 million shots have already been tracked. The company estimates that regular users improve their shooting accuracy by 12%.Register NowThe results impressed bigwigs at the NBA. They revealed this week that SportIQ has been selected forLaunchpad, the leagues tech incubator.During the six-month program, SportIQ will gets hands-on support and resources from the NBA to develop its tech. It all culminates with a presentation to the leagues executives, partners, and investors during the prestigious NBA Summer League.Erik Anderson, CEO of SportIQ, said the process will integrate his companys system at basketballs highest level.This partnership opens doors to opportunities that are rare for startups, Anderson told TNW. It positions us to enhance officiating, provide deeper analytics for teams, and elevate the fan experience all while staying true to our vision of making basketball smarter and more connected.Building smarter basketballsBasketball is at the root of SportIQ. The startups founder, Harri Hohteri, is a former professional player and computer scientist.The sport is also ripe for data-driven disruption. Basketball has a gap in analytics solutions, particularly at the consumer level, compared to other sports, Anderson said. This provides a clear opportunity to bring innovative and accessible tools to players, coaches, and fans alike, revolutionising the way the game is understood and played.Credit: SportIQAnderson (left) and Hohteri believe basketball is underserved by analytics. Credit: SportIQSportIQ is also a rare example of a European consumer tech firm breaking into the US. According to the startup, thousands of Americans buy its smart basketballs a year. Launchpad provides a chance to increase those numbers.SportIQ is the only European company in the program this year. Joining the Finish startup are OneCourt, which translates gameplay into haptics and generative audio for vision-impaired fans; VReps, an education platform that improves basketball IQ; Somnee, which has developed a clinical-grade sleep diagnostic and therapeutic headband; and Trashie, a clothes recycling and rewards platform.The squad earned their spots after pitching innovations that address Launchpads key objectives. For the sport itself, the program is prioritising the future of officiating, youth basketball, and player health. For the business of basketball, meanwhile, the focus shifts to the future of media, fan connection, and impact.SportIQ will also benefit from targeting these objectives. By joining Launchpad, the company hopes to expand its product lines, usage cases, revenue streams, and technological capabilities.But the NBA is just a starting point for SportIQ. The company is already planning to expand into new markets, and its sensor system can adapt to numerous sports.As Anderson puts it: Every ball can be smart. Story by Thomas Macaulay Managing editor Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he e (show all) Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse). Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with

The Aga Khan, pictured in 2016 Source:&nbsp AKDNThe Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the world's Ismaili Muslim community and a lifelong advocate for Islamic architecture and culture,has died aged 88 Prince Karim al-Hussaini, the Aga Khan IV, became the 49th hereditary imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, a branch of Shia Islam with its own distinct theology and cultural traditions, in 1957. At the time he was a 20-year-old Harvard graduate.The Aga Khan is considered by his followers to be a direct descendant of the prophet Muhammad, and treated elsewhere as a head of state, being referred to as his highness by Queen Elizabeth when he was given his title.He was a lifelong philanthropist and defender of Islamic culture and values, and was widely regarded as a builder of bridges between Muslim societies and the West, according to the Guardian.AdvertisementWith his personal wealth estimated to have been in the billions, the Aga Khan alsospent billions of dollars on homes, hospitals and schools in developing countries throughout his lifetime.In 1967 he founded the Aga Khan Foundation, the first agency of what would become the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), to support sustainable, community-driven development to tackle poverty, primarily in south and central Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East.The wider Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) employs 96,000 people across more than 30 countries, and channels $1 billion per year into development projects including hospitals, schools, universities, businesses and climate and cultural initiatives.He was behind the creation of Aga Khan Centres, designed as places for education, knowledge and cultural exchange, and established all around the world. Seven years ago he opened the Maki & Associates-designed centre in King's Cross, London.In 1977, the Aga Khan established the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) through the foundation. The award is given every three years to projects that set new standards of excellence in architecture, planning practices, historic preservation and landscape architecture.AdvertisementRecipients of the award have included Foster + Posters for its Petronas University of Technology building in Malaysia (2007), and Zaha Hadid Architects for the Issam Fares Institute in Beirut (2016).The Aga Khan also set up programmes for Islamic architecture at MIT and Harvard, through which he restored ancient Islamic structures throughout the world, according to the Guardian.The spiritual leader died in Portugal on Tuesday. The Aga Khan Foundation and Ismaili religious community announced the news on their websites.The Aga Khan Centre in Kings Cross, London, which opened in 2018 designed by Maki & Associates and delivered by Allies and MorrisonAga Khan Award 2025-02-05Anna Highfieldcomment and share TagsAga Khan Award

Greybelt land Source:&nbsp ShutterstockA Lords inquiry into the governments grey belt plans has described the proposals as incoherent, saying they will make almost no difference to the 1.5 million new homes target Under amendments to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) made in December, councils will be asked to prioritise house building on previously developed plots otherwise known as grey-belt land.However, the policy will have a marginal, at best impact on the governments target of 1.5 million homes by 2030, House of Lords Built Environment Committee chair Daniel Moylan said in a 36-page letter sent to housing secretary Angela Rayner yesterday (4 February).Moylan argued that the NPPF revisions made in December were rushed and incoherent and that the grey belt policy would be largely redundantbecause of other proposed planning reforms.AdvertisementThe committee said it expected councils and developers to instead use existing mechanisms to build more homes on the green belt, which was likely to be redrawn to meet housing targets.Moylan said: The governments policy has been implemented in a somewhat rushed and incoherent manner. The committee does not believe that it is likely to have any significant or lasting impact on planning decision-making or helping the government achieve its target of building 1.5 million new homes by the end of this parliament.In response, a spokesperson for the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government said that the grey belt policy was just one of the ambitious housing reforms set out by the government, which had inherited the worst housing crisis in living memory.They continued: [We] are taking decisive action to deliver 1.5 million homes as part of our Plan for Change, including overhauling the broken planning system Our green belt reforms are informed through widespread consultation and will unlock more land for the homes and infrastructure communities desperately need, delivering sustainable, affordable and well-designed developments on low-quality grey belt.And Fergus Charlton, planning partner at national law firm Michelmores LLP, said the grey belt policy was already playing a key role in planning.AdvertisementHe argued: Whether or not the grey belt policies will play an effective role in achieving the governments difficult-to-reach 1.5 million new homes target will become clearer as the policies begin to play a defining role in plan making.In the realm of decision taking, they are already playing a key role in the outcome of appeals where green-belt land is considered by inspectors to be grey belt. We have seen more than a handful of successful appeals in the eight weeks since the grey belt concept was confirmed in the NPPF.Architects have so far welcomed the governments planning and house-building reforms. Speaking to the AJ, RIBA president Muyiwa Oki said the planning reforms announced in December were a promising path forward.He added: Significant moves to review the use of the green belt and define the meaning of grey-belt land, while prioritising brownfield development, also signal a willingness to tackle some of the most pressing barriers to large-scale development.The governments Planning and Infrastructure bill is expected to be introduced to Parliament in March when further plans to fast-track major housebuilding and infrastructure projects will be set out.However, doubts have been raised over the 1.5 million homes target, with Rayner telling a select committee last month that house-building targets would have to be ramped up towards the end of Labours five-year term in order to reach that goal, as AJ sister title Local Government Chronicle reported.Estimates on how many homes could be unlocked by grey-belt development range between 50,000 and 4 million.At a glance: National Planning Policy Framework changesCouncils have been given immediate mandatory housing targets, adding up to 370,000 units per yearAreas with the lowest levels of affordability and greatest potential for growth will see house-building targets increase the mostCouncils must review their green belt boundaries and identify lower-quality grey-belt land for developmentAny development on the green belt must meet strict requirements, with rules requiring developers to provide infrastructure for local communitiesCouncils and developers will need to give greater consideration to social rent when building new homesThe government said it supported builders, not blockers and would deliver for working people2025-02-05Gino Spocchiacomment and share

Capcom has released a PC benchmarking tool for Monster Hunter Wilds so players can test out their machines ahead of release. Read more

How a small team is helping to move accessibility forward, one thumbstick at a time"It's a no-brainer."Image credit: Microsoft Feature by Vivek Gohil Contributor Published on Feb. 5, 2025 What's the state of accessibility in games at the moment? When it comes to console platform holders, two of the three main players have made serious contributions. The release of the PlayStation Access Controller in 2023 was a thoughtful response to at least some of the barriers presented by the Sony's controllers, allowing players to remap buttons to better suit their needs. And since 2018, Microsoft's Xbox Adaptive Controller has allowed players to customise inputs with remarkable granularity.This has made me think deeply about accessibility over the past few months, specifically about what other approaches might provide real advancements for players with disabilities. Maybe it's less a question of the advancements but who might be making them. Is progress still reliant on a radical shift in thinking by corporate giants, or is there room for innovations from smaller organisations, third-parties and start-ups?Crucially, is there more that can be done to transform the experience of using the standard controllers that consoles already come with? Taking Sony as an example, the current PlayStation controller cannot be adapted out of the box. Many disabled players without the Access Controller will be stuck if they struggle to use the DualSense, due to the shape and size of it, or if they lack the muscle strength to move the sticks or physically press a button. Here's a look at Thumb Soldiers' accessibility system.Watch on YouTubeBut this area is exactly where a handful of companies like Thumb Soldiers are making a difference. Last year I sat down with David Chapman, an inventor and the founder of Thumb Soldiers, to talk about his work, and the solution he offers for the lack of control many disabled players face with their own out-of-the-box gaming setups.Thumb Soldiers wants to disrupt what it sees as the current "one size fits all" mentality in controller design. Rather than creating full adaptive controllers that allow for button remapping, it seeks to empower players to modify their own controllers to suit the games they're playing and their physical abilities. Here's a bespoke Special Effect controller set-up that includes the Xbox Adaptive Controller. | Image credit: SpecialEffectThe team does this by exploring a hidden niche in accessibility: controller adaptations for the sticks, equipping players with a new range of tools to allow them to play their way. I can't help but believe that thinking like this, and products that emerge from it, should be the first port of call for disabled players who require assistance. After all, it's stressful and disheartening to face accessibility issues preventing you from enjoying a beloved hobby.I always measure the level of compassion in my interviewees with the question: Why is accessibility important to you? "It's a no-brainer," Chapman tells me when we chat. "If you can [do something about it], why wouldn't you? It's not from being disabled myself or having a sibling who requires accessibility products, it's just something that's obvious to me. As soon as the idea for the product was born, one of my first thoughts was, 'How can this be used to help gamers who need assistance with their gaming?' I wanted to help those that may struggle to enjoy the things I enjoy."I ask Chapman if Thumb Soldiers initially set out to enter the gaming accessibility industry. The answer is: not exactly. "The very first design was the steering wheel [attachment]," he explains. This is, like all Thumb Soldiers creations, a device that clips onto the analogue sticks of a controller to give the player more options and control. "It was not necessarily intended as an assistive product." Chapman sees Thumb Soldiers as being unique in the accessibility space for this reason: "We are not solely an accessibility product, nor are we a non-accessibility product," he explains. "We simply have an inclusive product range...to suit a user's requirements best." Sony's Access Controller goes some way to making games more accessible on PlayStation, but smaller teams like Thumb Soldiers still have plenty of room to work with. | Image credit: SonyThat Racer kit is a case in point. With its mounted ring attachment, It's useful for racing games in general, and it's advantageous to many gamers due to the security it provides by allowing the user to insert their thumb into the ring element and therefore prevent the thumb from slipping off the thumbstick. "Likewise," Chapman says, "the sticks [attachments], though designed for gamers with limited dexterity, also allows gamers to interact with the controller like a retro joystick, or for games requiring controlled inputs." The Racer kit is now joined by other product lines such as precision attachments for the likes of FPS games, and the wonderfully named Shrooms kit, which provides a bigger surface area to the sticks for players with conditions like multiple sclerosis, arthritis and cerebral palsy. I would have benefitted from using stick extensions or differently shaped attachments like this when I first detected issues with gaming when I was younger. It's a reminder that struggling to play games when you love the artform can make for a lonely and depressing time. You can feel like the world is against you.Accessibility products require collaboration and testing, which is where gaming charities such as Special Effect or Everyone Can often come in, offering vital knowledge and experience and feedback. I ask Chapman whether experts like this have been of use. "We contacted Special Effect early in the development of the products," he says. "As soon as we had trial kits to send out, Special Effect was one of the first to receive them, and the feedback we received was overwhelming. It was so important to get that feedback from those guys." It sounds like it went well. "To hear how positively they referred to what we were doing, how well the product works, the quality of the product, we knew we were absolutely onto something special."The controller adaptation field is currently in its infancy, but it has the scope to improve gaming for disabled gamers. While Thumb Soldiers can provide stick attachments already, being able to adapt buttons or triggers would clearly be the next step, and is one that other teams are already experimenting with. And the accessibility space will still require the aid of gaming charities such as Special Effect for serious adaptations such as soft-press buttons. Still, Thumb Soldiers would be a great way for a disabled player to enter the realm of accessibility and find some semblance of hope again. As I look over Thumb Soldier's line-up, I realise that, ultimately, accessibility innovations don't have to be radical. Innovation can come from someone at home playing a video game who happens to have a small idea. And it can often be these small ideas, which may be considered simple to some, that can provide the greatest result.

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 One of the absolute best parts of Marvel Rivals is the games ability to make every hero feel like an accurate representation of their comic book counterpart. With new heroes coming every month and a half, developer NetEase is working hard to make sure the game properly reflects what players want those heroes to do.However, as revealed in an interview with Epic Games, its not always easy, and the team has struggled to keep core features in the game during development. The biggest issue by far? Doctor Stranges portals.Doctor Strange was a challenge for Marvel RivalsMarvel Rivals Technical Lead Designer Ruan Weikang explained that creating Doctor Stranges portal technology was a massive hurdle for the team. With the games focus on 60fps gameplay and environmental destruction, the portals led to unprecedented performance demands during development. Save Up to $1,200 on the Samsung Galaxy S25! Pre-order now and save big with trade-in and Samsung credit. Limited time only! *Includes trade-in value + $300 Samsung credit. As a staple release for Unreal Engine 5, NetEase wanted to make sure that unique features of the cutting-edge engine could be used. Alongside the games destruction tech, Rivals Lumen lighting system could prove taxing. All of that combined with Doctor Stranges portals resulted in shocking performance early in development.Doctor Stranges spatial portals proved particularly challenging from a technical perspective, Weikang explained. Creating portals that enable real-time spatial connections and bi-directional combat interactions not only presented complex gameplay implementation challenges but also introduced unprecedented performance demands when combined with advanced graphics features like Lumen. Must-Listen: Publishing Manor Lords w/ Joe Robinson VideoGamer Podcast Listen Now Originally, the team implemented a scene capture system which introduced massive performance drops, especially when two portals were active at the same time. Combined with more complex battles, the game would slow to a crawl.However, after months of work, the team created a new method of creating portals in Marvel Rivals, switching to a modified ViewPort split-screen implementation that was rendered directly instead of relying on capturing a scene and projecting it into a portal. While this method has its own challenges, it proved vastly more performant for the game.While balancing portal functionality with performance requirements presented significant challenges, the end result successfully captures the essence of Doctor Stranges iconic abilities while adding meaningful tactical depth to gameplay, ultimately justifying the technical investment, the developer explains.With all this work for one characters ability, it shows that NetEase is extremely dedicated in their attempts to properly replicate heroes superpowers. Alongside Stranges portals, the team has created Spider-Man web-slinging, Sue Storm invisibility and even The Hulks transformation. Its awesome.For more Rivals coverage, read about the games shockingly low map variety or check out a list of all the in-game slang those youngsters keep using. What did they just call me?Marvel RivalsPlatform(s):macOS, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Fighting, ShooterSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

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 Finals mid-season update is here! Embark recently promised big updates coming for a whole bunch of weapons, and the developer has delivered as this is the biggest patch yet in regard to balance changes. The Finals update 5.8.0 patch notes include an assortment of buffs as well as some nerfs, and theres also a new event to celebrate Valentines Day. The Finals update 5.8.0 patch notes Below are The Finals update 5.8.0 patch notes: The Season 5 Mid-Season Update is here!Love is in the air, Contestants! As we hit the heart of the season, there are some exciting events kicking off, plus a whole slew of balance changes and fixes to keep your matches fresh, fierce, and fun.Valentines Event: Spin the Wheel of Love!Cupids not the only one shooting arrows this season! Our Valentines event is live, and the Wheel of Love is here to steal your heart (and maybe a few wins). Earn tickets by completing daily contracts, spinning the wheel, and unlocking up to20 charming rewards. If you snag them all, youll also win the final prize: the Heads Over Heels Set!This time around, when you land on a duplicate item, youll receive a ticket part. Collect four parts to craft a new ticket for another spin! Youll also start off with a ticket to ensure everyone gets lucky this Valentines Day! Save Up to $1,200 on the Samsung Galaxy S25! Pre-order now and save big with trade-in and Samsung credit. Limited time only! *Includes trade-in value + $300 Samsung credit. Stay tuned tomorrow for the Love Hurts World Tour event for another week of heart-pounding action, with an explosive touch! Must-Listen: Publishing Manor Lords w/ Joe Robinson VideoGamer Podcast Listen Now Reddit AMA Incoming!Got burning questions about THE FINALS? Join Rob and the team for an AMA on r/thefinals, the fan-run Reddit on February 19. Its your chance to dive deep, get insights, and maybe even drop that meme youve been saving. Please come and join us for a few hours of questions!Stun Gun Rework on the HorizonWe hear you loud and clear: the Stun Gun needs some love (the other kind, not the Valentines kind). Were got some plans for this gadget and will give you more insight about the road ahead in Update 5.10.0Patch Highlights:Alongside the fun, were rolling out a hefty batch of balance changes, weapon tweaks, and bug fixes. From adjustments to the Lockbolt Launcher and Cashout mechanics to performance boosts and UI improvements, theres something for everyone. Dive into the full notes to see how your favorite gear and strategies might shift.Finally, check out this weeks store update full of sweet surprises to heartfelt treasures!So, suit up, spin that Wheel of Love, and well see you in the arena!Balance ChangesGadgetsBreach ChargeDecreased the delay between throwing multiple Breach Charges from 0.9s to 0.6sLockbolt LauncherIncreased activation grace period from 0.8s to 1s, making it slightly easier to lock on to targetsDecreased the minimum pull distance from 8m to 6m, giving locked players slightly less room to maneuverDecreased the maximum pull distance from 10m to 6m, giving locked players less room to maneuverIncreased the pull force of the Lockbolt by 50%, making it slightly harder for players to move beyond the radius of the locks chainsIncreased the damage the Lockbolt applies to targets from 0 to 5Added functionality that will disable the Lockbolts tethers if the Lockbolt is carried through a Gateway that is outside the maximum pull distance (6m)Game ModesDev Note: Since our changes to deposit values in Cashout in Season 3, weve noticed an increasing number of teams adopting the plug meta, where teams primarily focus on depositing Cash Boxes in World Tour and Ranked Tournaments to increase their chances of winning. While we wanted to encourage teams to focus on depositing and protecting cashouts, rather than third-partying already active cashouts, the plug meta has become a little too common and leads to a bad teamplay experience. The changes to team wipes and deposit values, listed below, aim to nudge teams away from focusing entirely on plugging, while still reducing the incentives for third-partying.CashoutDecreased the percentage of cash in a Cashbox that is awarded for depositing it at the Cashout Station from ~30% to ~20%Increased the percentage of cash in a Cashbox that is awarded for completing a cashout from ~70% to ~80% of the Cashboxs valueRanked Tournament (Cashout)Increased the amount of cash lost from a teams total for a team wipe from 10% to 15%SpecializationsCharge N SlamDecreased the damage done by the initial impact on enemies from 130 to 100Decreased the damage done by subsequent hits on enemies from 50 to 40Decreased the minimum damage of the ground slam, based on fall height from 80 to 50Dev Note: The damage applied by Charge N Slam has been quite high for some time and is especially punishing for Light players, especially when repeatedly hit by the charge. We feel these new values offer a fairer experienceDematerializerDecreased the duration of dematerialized objects from 30s to 15s, causing objects to rematerialize soonerAdded the ability for the Dematerializer to remove props attached to wall segmentsDev Note: This change should mean that the Dematerializer now makes clearer holes in the environment that are easier to move throughGuardian TurretDecreased the cooldown from 8s to 3s when manually picking up the Guardian TurretWinch ClawDecreased the range of the Winch Claw from 12m to 10mWeaponsCerberusIncreased damage from 9 to 10 per pelletSlightly decreased the size of the pellet distribution, making the weapon more accurateDecreased the reload time for reloading one cartridge from 2.2s to 2.1sDecreased the reload time for reloading two cartridges from 2.4s to 2.25sDecreased the reload time for reloading three cartridges from 2.6s to 2.45sCL-40Decreased the radius of the weapons projectile from 10cm to 5cm, making it easier to avoid accidentally hitting nearby surfacesDecreased self-damage multiplier from 1.6 to 1.25, meaning it will now do less damage to the player using it should they accidentally hit themselvesDev Note: While the CL-40 has been in a much better place recently than in the past, we feel these small quality of life changes will improve the experience of using itDaggerAdded a slight adjustment to FoV when charging up for a secondary attack, to make it clearer when the attack is at maximum chargeFAMASDecreased the fire rate from 230 RPM to 220 RPMDecreased damage per bullet from 24 to 23LH1Decreased damage from 48 to 46Decreased rate of fire from 280 RPM to 270 RPMModel 1887Decreased damage from 13 to 11 per pelletIncreased min damage falloff multiplier from 0.6 to 0.7, meaning the Model 1887 retains the same damage at max range as in update 5.7Pike-556Increased damage from 47 to 50SR-84Decreased the bolt action animation duration from 1.25s to 1.05s, slightly increasing the SR-84s rate of fireIncreased damage from 115 to 118SwordIncreased the length of the Swords secondary attack hit sweep by 55cmDev Note: This change reverts the change made in 4.6 and should mean the primary and secondary attacks of the Sword now have a more consistent lengthContent and Bug FixesAnimationFixed a bug where player animations would stutter in the intro and celebration sequencesFixed clipping issues on ShAK-50 inspectsFixed an issue where the characters hands looked broken after throwing the Gravity VortexFixed an issue where the red dot sight for the Horizon Hammer R .357 skin wasnt aligned properly when aiming down sightsCharacters & CosmeticsFixed the Mirrorball Mood helmet so it would not clip with facewearsFixed the hologram effect for ISEUL-T Escape Pants and ISEUL-T Lifestyle CoatFixed visual fidelity of the Final Toss cosmeticsContractsFixed Blind 2 opponents with a Flashbang so it would not count for teammatesFixed an issue where some contracts were able to progress inside Private MatchesGadgetsLockbolt LauncherIt will deactivate if carried through a teleporter outside of the max pull rangeRemoved the ability for objects to be attachedRemoved the ability to tether to the same object it is attached toC4, Breach Charge, Gravity VortexFixed an issue where the light indicator on the detonators was not visible on consolesGameplayImproved stuttery movement on elevators and elevator doorsFixed draw bridges to prevent stuttering when movingFixed an issue that allowed players to vault while being revived by DefibrillatorImproved the visual effect during respawn invulnerability to be more prominentFixed issue where grenades with certain skins would visually go through walls and floorsRemoved the ability to bypass manual action animations (such as using a bolt action or pump-action) by interrupting themFixed an issue where players could get stuck between objects while fallingFixed issue making it so that any secondary melee ability would retrigger when heldFixed the Sword lunge not charging after a vault when holding the button downFixed an issue where Cashout Stations could launch way beyond their intended range when interacting with Jump PadsGame ModesGeneralFixed a rare issue that could lead to locked black screen when reconnecting to a tournament match that just finishedFixed an issue that prevented equipment or customization changes from appearing in-game unless the user navigated away from the screen before the match startedFixing bug where squad respawns would ignore enemy proximity when there are no active objectives on the mapQuick CashFixed an issue where you could sometimes respawn instantlyPowerShiftFixed an issue where the wrong loadout icons could be displayed if revived while changing charactersMapsGeneralFixed an issue with billboard text looking stretchedFixed several floating assets, clipping, and faulty collisions across all mapsBernalImproved fog renderingKyotoUpgraded the destruction from the ground upEach building will collapse more easily, with destruction happening on a more granular scaleDebris from collapsed structures will behave more naturally and add to the terrainMonacoFixed one of the issues that could make the Cashbox fall through the groundFixed collision issues with some walls in the park areaUpgraded terrain to improve performancePractice RangeUpdated the trophy room to include the trophies from Season 4Skyway StadiumFixed one of the issues that could make the Cashbox fall through the groundImproved general traversal by fixing collision issuesSYS$HorizonFixed an issue where some pieCes of the map could be left haNging in the air when deStroyedFixed incorrect health value on one of the big metal apples in the Art Gallery building so it can be destructed as intendedAdded some extra cover in front of and behind the Museum buildingStability & PerformanceOptimized GPU load when there are a lot of effects onscreenResizing the game window by dragging its borders now works better and doesnt constrain it to its previous aspect ratioImprovements to destruction performance on MonacoMinor GPU optimizations for Low and Medium Post-Processing QualityUpgraded XeSS SDK to version 1.3.1SettingsFixed an issue with preview resolution in the video settings for Borderless Fullscreen on non-primary monitorsFixed an issue where tooltips would not show for settings in the general options tabAdded an option to Video settings that enables an overlay with performance metrics during gameplay. Previously this overlay was only shown in the in-game video settings menuImproved the list of available resolutions in Windowed mode. This included fixing a rounding error that resulted in odd resolutions and making sure standard 16:9 resolutions were added to the listSpecializationsHealing BeamAdded a sound to indicate the target is completely healedUINew loading screens!Fixed an issue where loading screens could appear stretched when using an ultra wide monitorAdd a cooldown to the Play button to avoid matchmaking start/cancel spammingFixed an issue that would result in player cards not rendering for some usersFixed an issue where players could temporarily be named PlayerName and have a partially incomplete scoreboard before the match startedIncreased the number of emotes you can equip to 8Security and Anti-CheatUI updates for a more transparent player messaging when using prohibited softwareUse of NVIDIA Profile Inspector is no longer allowedImprovements to anti-cheat performance and reliabilityFor more The Finals, check out our guide to thebest weapons in the game ranked, and we also have a guide to thebest gadgets. In addition, we have a guide to thebest FPS settingsto help you win matchesalong witharanking of the best classesin the game.The FinalsPlatform(s):PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Action, First-Person Shooter, ShooterRelated TopicsThe Finals Subscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share