Mario's getting a makeover, and it's imminent. The Nintendo Switch, which will celebrate its eighth birthday in March, is about to get a sequel. Nintendo revealed the Switch 2 via a several-minute-long YouTube trailer that showed off the new console's contours and a single Mario Kart game but little else. We'll know even more in a Nintendo Direct video on April 2 at 9am ET.We also know Nintendo will be showcasing the Switch 2 in hands-on gameplay via a world tourthat was extremely hard to win free tickets to. What we don't know yet is price or release date. It could go on sale sometime around when Nintendo's next Super Nintendo World theme park opens at Universal Studios Florida this May or June, but we probably won't know that until April 2.The countdown is underway, and these are the knowns and the unknowns so far. The Switch 2 was rumored for a long time, and its reality closely matches previous leaks. But that doesn't mean there won't be surprises. Watch this: Nintendo Switch 2 Announced: Everything We Know 03:01 A familiar formulaSigns point to a big jump in gaming power -- don't expect something on the order of a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, but you should expect a console that can finally play higher-end games at higher resolutions, and has improved controllers too. That's okay with me.Recent reactions online seem a little disappointed in the Switch 2 perhaps not being a hardware powerhouse, but keep in mind the relative landscape and Nintendo itself. Handheld game systems have to split differences in performance and power efficiency in ways that plugged-in megaconsoles don't: ConsiderValve's Steam Deck as a template.It's also worth remembering that Nintendo likes to keep its hardware affordable. Plenty of Nintendo consoles made magic with older graphics chipsets. As far as my expectations for Switch hardware performance, I'd think it would feel as good as or slightly better than what the current Steam Deck can pull off.Price unknown: will it be $400?Nintendo's president, Shuntaro Furukawa, recently told investors that the April 2 Nintendo Direct, and the hands-on experiences afterwards, will be used to determine consumer demand for the system. Pricing is still being considered, with reports suggesting anywhere from $350 to $500. Nintendo's aim here is affordability, however, so expect something not so incredibly expensive that people won't have money left over to buy games.It wouldn't be any surprise if the new console were at least $400, since the many-year-old Switch debuted at $300. Inflation alone would merit a price uptick of nearly $90. Could it hit $500? Or could Nintendo sell different configs, similar to what Microsoft and Sony are already doing? Reports also suggest higher prices for the games themselves, possibly around $70 for big first-party games.And yet, the most recent reports seem to be suggesting prices no higher than $400 and possibly even less. Nintendo's Switch Online subscription price could see an increase instead, based on one report from a purported retailervia Reddit. Maybe higher-priced games and subscriptions would be Nintendo's way of making up for the lower hardware cost. A teaser video from accessory maker Genki showed off a mockup of the next Switch right on its website at CES. Those mockups were pretty darn close to the truth. GenkiNintendo's showing it off on tourNintendo offered a chance to win free tickets to anyone with a Nintendo Account to attend a hands-on experience of the Switch 2 in a number of world cities, but it was hard for even our colleagues at CNET to win. (There is a waitlist, though.)New York, April 4 to 6Los Angeles, April 11 to 13Dallas, April 25 to 27Toronto, April 25 to 27Paris, April 4 to 6London, April 11 to 13Milan, April 25 to 27Berlin, April 25 to 27Madrid, May 9 to 11Amsterdam, May 9 to 11Melbourne, May 10 to 11Tokyo (Makuhari), April 26 to 27Seoul, May 31 to June 1Hong Kong and Taipei, TBAIt'll be backward compatible with the SwitchNo worries: the Switch 2 can play older Nintendo Switch cartridges and digital games. Almost all of them, at least.Nintendo previously confirmed the Switch 2 would be backward compatible with both Nintendo Switch games and Nintendo Switch Online. Backward compatibility for Nintendo game consoles isn't new. Many TV-connected Nintendo consoles and handhelds could play games from the immediate last generation before it: the Wii U, Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance, for instance. But the original Switch made a clean break from the Wii U and 3DS and ran its own software. I'm glad that's not happening again.As for the few games Nintendo says may not be compatible? I'm guessing they're games that needed specific older Switch hardware, like Nintendo Labo or Ring Fit Adventure.It means you should be perfectly safe treating the next Nintendo console as an upgrade for your existing Switch and its game library. That's the whole idea.New games expected: Mario Kart for sure, but also Mario, Xbox Games and moreNintendo revealed only one game in its most recent trailer: a new Mario Kart game, which appears to have 24 simultaneous players. As for the rest of the lineup, we may not know until April. Still, reports have given us ideas.Based on the most recent reports, Nintendo's expected to announce a new 3D Mario game as well, arriving later this year. Super Mario Odyssey, the Switch's first new 3D Mario game, is already more than 7 years old. Well-regarded leaker Nate the Hate detailed the reports on his YouTube channel.Reports also point to Xbox games debuting on Switch, with a Halo compilation and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 being the first. Other games may include Final Fantasy VII Remake, Red Dead Redemption II and Assassin's Creed Mirage. Microsoft's gaming head, Phil Spencer, has already teased games arriving on Nintendo's next system.Based on what we think Nintendo's graphics power on the Switch 2 will be, it's likely safe to assume a lot of previously unavailable Xbox and PlayStation games might finally be able to make the move sooner than later, including notable Switch no-show Madden. NintendoSpecs and features? Double USB-C for sureThe Switch 2 is definitely bigger than the original Switch and seemingly thicker. It reportedly has an 8-inch screen, up from the 7-inch Switch OLED, and it definitely has USB-C ports on both the top and bottom of the console this time. The handheld will dock just like the Switch, but that extra USB-C port suggests something else: maybe accessories and, who knows, support for secondary displays like glasses.The Steam Deck, laptops and most phones already support video-out modes that work with display glasses like those made by Xreal and others. It would be a great bonus to have this work on a new Nintendo Switch 2 and could even hint at Nintendo making some glasses-like accessory of its own. That's speculation on my part, but considering Nintendo had its own cardboard VR kit for the Switch and a remote-controlled AR race car, not impossible.There's also a headphone jack again, and a rear handle-shaped kickstand bends all the way back to rest the Switch 2 at a variety of angles for tabletop play, similar to the Switch OLED model. The Switch 2 Joy-Cons snap on and off more easily. What else could be possible? NintendoJoy-Cons updates: Magnetic, more buttons, and also doubling as mice?The Switch 2's Joy-Cons are similar-looking but definitely new and bigger. The beefier controllers snap more easily onto the Switch body and external controller adapters, and the Joy-Con side edges look to have an extra set of shoulder buttons. It looks like the triggers are improved, and an extra button below the right Joy-Con stick has appeared too.We didn't get hard confirmation, but these controllers look magnetic. One report from game controller manufacturer Mobapad goes into detail on the magnetic system as well as extra buttons on the controllers.Will that allow for new accessories as well? I'm curious how modular the next Switch successor could be. The current Switch doesn't have other accessories that slot into the side rails to replace the Joy-Cons, but might there be peripheral surprises with the next version? We'll see. There's a stick-out pin connector inside that looks like a new type of interface.The biggest wildcard is that the new Joy-Cons may have optical sensors that turn them into mice. This was reported earlier, but the teaser trailer shows the Joy-Cons sliding along a table in exactly that type of mouse-like way, and a recent patent filing looks like a pretty strong confirmation.Graphics should get a big boost to play more current-gen gamesReports going back to 2023 and earlier have pegged the next Switch as having revamped graphics capable of handling current-gen console games that the current Switch can't. Think of games like Death Stranding or Elden Ring or Madden NFL. The next Nintendo console should still be a combo console with handheld and TV-docking modes, especially since that model is one the rest of the industry is slowly drifting toward (see the Steam Deck and a wave of PC gaming handhelds).How high-end will the TV docking graphics feel compared with the handheld mode? It's possible that TV docking could flex 4K gaming, but handheld modes could reduce frame rates and be limited to what's been reported to be a 1080p LCD screen. That makes sense: The Steam Deck, in comparison, still has only a 1,200x800-pixel resolution display, and it looks just fine for most games.According to Digital Foundry and others, an Nvidia T239 processor looks to be the likely chip inside the next console. This chipset's notable features include ray tracing and PlayStation 4-level or better graphics, along with the possibilities of faster load times, added AI capability and the ability to upscale to 4K or downscale as needed for more efficient handheld gaming modes.More recent reports of what could show leaked internals of the Switch 2 motherboard suggest even more details: 12GB of RAM, 256GB of onboard storage and an ability to auto-upscale games to higher 4K resolutions on a TV using AI.Nintendo hasn't revealed any performance specs yet, but expect a big boost that could make this feel a lot more up to date for current third-party games. Never forget Weird Nintendo, like Labo VR. Sarah Tew/CNETExpect other surprisesOne thing I feel personally confident about, knowing Nintendo, is to expect the unexpected. Nintendo loves a good, weird surprise. No matter how seemingly normal the reported Switch 2 design leaks seem, history says Nintendo will throw curveballs.This fall already prepped us: We got a surprise Nintendo alarm clock (!) and a streaming Nintendo music service. In the past, who could have predicted Nintendo Labo or Mario Kart Live or, going back further, the Wii's odd controller design, the Nintendo DS's dual-screen design or even the Nintendo 3DS' glasses-free 3D? Whimsy is Nintendo's calling card.Doug Bowser, president of Nintendo of America, said as much in an interview with the AP in 2023: "One of the things we look at always is how can we surprise and delight. How can we introduce new, unique ways of playing. That's always in front of our mind."The current-gen Switch had its own surprises baked in, like its infrared camera on one of the Joy-Cons that can measure heart rate and track finger movement. Will the Switch 2 have a new standout feature that's equally whimsical and surprising? I'd be surprised if it didn't. Genki's mockup of the Switch 2 Joy-Cons shows an optical sensor on the side. Is it a hidden mouse? GenkiThat possible optical sensor on the Switch 2 could be one of the surprises. The optical sensor could turn one of the Joy-Cons into a mouse, similar to what Lenovo's Legion Go has. It's a clever idea, but for what exactly?I'm still even more curious about what extra accessories the Switch 2 could support, either via its extra USB-C port or those new side Joy-Con slots.We'll know more April 2Nintendo won't reveal more for a few months, but in April and through May Nintendo will be demoing the Switch 2 at a series of hands-on experiences around the world. I'd expect that Nintendo announces preorder information April 2 at 9am ET and then makes the Switch 2 available to buy before summer breaks kick in. May or June would allow Nintendo to have a head start getting supplies in order for the holidays (hopefully).Right now, hold off on buying a new Switch, but buying Switch games should be fine. We'll update with more news when we hear it, but for now consider the Switch 2 a very real and overdue upgrade from the Switches we've been playing for years.

OpinionFebruary 11, 20254 min readFirearm Forensics Is Still Troubled by Systemic FailureThree forensic examiners at the Rhode Island State Crime Laboratory last year mistakenly concluded that cartridge cases from a crime scene matched a specific firearm. The error exposes systemic flaws that risk wrongful convictionsBy Nicholas Scurich edited by Megha Satyanarayana & Dan VerganoForensics training image showing side-by-side comparison of cartridge cases from fired bullets seen through a microscope. Chaotic Paladin/Alamy Stock PhotoEach year, forensic firearm examiners play a pivotal role in thousands of criminal investigations, comparing spent bullets and cartridge cases to determine if they came from same gun. Their conclusions often carry immense weight in criminal trials, helping prosecutors secure convictions and send defendants to prison. Yet for decades, the validity of forensic firearm analysis has come under increasing scrutiny from research scientists.Last October a debacle at the Rhode Island crime laboratory showed why. This is not just a story of incompetencethe case exposes deeper, systemic flaws in the discipline and how these flaws can jeopardize justice.A fundamental principle of firearm examination involves analyzing class characteristics, the objective features shared by firearms of the same design, such as caliber or the lands and grooves in a gun barrel. If two cartridge cases dont share the same class characteristics, they cannot possibly have come from the same firearm. This is a basic task that any competent examiner should perform without error.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Yet in the Rhode Island case, three trained forensic examiners called a match between cartridge cases that had differences in class characteristics. This was not a subtle error; it was the forensic equivalent of declaring that two tires of entirely different sizes match the same vehicle. The fact that not one but three examiners overlooked such a fundamental discrepancy underscores a deeper problem: systemic issues embedded in the disciplines methods, practices and culture.One reason for these mistakes lies in visual confirmation biasa natural tendency for humans to see what they expect to see. For example, when a scrunched image of 13 is quickly flashed to people, they interpret it as B when primed to think about letters, or as 13 when primed to think about numbers. Unconsciously using background information is an inherent feature of how people make sense of ambiguous stimuli.Likewise, when examiners know the details about a case or have reason to suspect a particular weapons involvementinformation commonly available to firearm examiners working in crime laboratoriesthey may unconsciously focus on similarities and ignore dissimilarities or conflicting evidence, such as mismatched class characteristics. This bias is especially dangerous in firearm forensics because there is no guidance for what marks to examine and focus on and no standards for how many similarities are needed to declare a match.A Providence Journal image shows the marks on the breech face (the flat part at the back of a gun that holds the cartridge in place and stops it from moving backward when the gun is fired) that were noted by the outside expert who discovered the error in the Rhode Island case. Both the breech face marks and the rounded versus square corners apparent on the fired cartridge cases should have led the examiners to immediately conclude that the same gun did not fire these two cartridge cases. However, the examiners overlooked these differences, instead zooming in on the few markings that lined up to conclude that they were a match. They searched for confirmatory evidence so diligently that they failed to notice the difference in class characteristics. They lost the forest for the trees.The problem was compounded by nonblind verification, a flawed practice where other examiners review evidence knowing the conclusions of the first. Instead of providing an independent check, nonblind verification reinforces errors, creating a feedback loop of confirmation rather than correction. In the Rhode Island case, once the first examiner declared a match, subsequent reviewers approached the evidence with the same expectation, making them overlook key class characteristic discrepancies. Indeed, the power of expectation is so strong that one examiner conducted two examinations of the same items and missed these differences both times.Addressing these systemic vulnerabilities requires meaningful reform. First, firearm examiners must adopt practices that prioritize objectivity over expectation. For example, examiners should first document the class characteristics of an unknown item before they even begin comparing it to a known sample. This ensures that the most basic and essential criteria are met before subjective judgment comes into play. Only after confirming that the two items are comparable in their class characteristics should the examiner proceed to a comparison of finer details. This process, sometimes called linear sequential unmasking, helps ground conclusions in objective observations rather than expectations. While used in some European forensic labs, this process has yet to gain traction in the U.S.Another critical step is ensuring that the process of verifying conclusions is genuinely independent. Too often, second examiners review evidence with the first examiners conclusions already in mind, creating a feedback loop where errors go unchallenged. Indeed, in 2023 a prominent firearm examiner testified that he had never seen a second examiner disagree with the first examiner in over 50 years of practice. Each examiner should analyze the evidence without any knowledge or inkling of previous findings. This approach breaks the cycle of rubber-stamped errors and ensures that conclusions are more rigorously vetted.Finally, the discipline must move toward more scientifically grounded methods. Firearm identification relies entirely on subjective judgment, with no universal standards for interpreting marks on bullets or cartridge cases or declaring matches. Emerging statistical models and probability-based methods offer a promising path forward, providing quantitative measurements and thresholds to reduce subjectivity and improve consistency. While not yet ready for courtroom use, these innovations represent an essential step toward making forensic conclusions more scientifically grounded and reliable.The failures in the Rhode Island case were not just the result of mistakes; they were the predictable outcome of a system that lacks safeguards against bias and subjectivity. By adopting objective, transparent and scientifically validated procedures, forensic firearm identification can start to move beyond its systemic failures, which imperil thousands of individuals each year. Justice demands nothing less.This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

February 11, 20254 min readHow Corals Fight Back against Warming SeasMost corals cant relocate, but theyre finding ways to beat the heatBy Rohini Subrahmanyam edited by Sarah Lewin FrasierMany corals have creative ways to fight the dangers of warming seas. imageBROKER.com GmbH & Co. KG/Alamy Stock PhotoDeep underneath the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean lies a dazzling landscape of undulating coral reefs colored by photosynthetic algae, from which corals get their energy. But in the early 1980s an aquatic heat wave caused by the El Nio climate phenomenon led to a record-breaking mass-bleaching event, turning more than 90 percent of these corals a pale, lifeless white. The algaewhich had thrived inside their coral hosts for millions of yearscould no longer bear to live within them.Strong El Nio events warmed up the same Pacific waters in the late 1990s and again in 20152016, but scientists noticed that these heat waves didnt affect the reefs as badly as the first. Diving after the latest event, University of Miami marine biologist Ana Palacio saw that some of the corals seemed to be resisting or recovering from the bleaching. Maybe, Palacio thought, theyve found a way to adapt.Many adult corals are tethered to the reefs they build. Swimming to cooler waters is not an option, making them particularly vulnerable to the changing climate. But corals are also resilient, and scientists are discovering how they adapt. Some corals switch out their algal tenants for more heat-resistant species. Others can use rows of tiny hairs on their bodies to fan away excess harmful oxygen released by stressed-out algae. And certain baby corals modify their own metabolisms to withstand the warming waters. Scientists hope to use such natural adaptations in the race to preserve these crucial ecosystem anchors.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.When Palacio and her team examined coral reefs after the 20152016 heat wave, they found that particular corals called Pocilloporathe main reef-building coral species in the eastern tropical Pacificseemed to have expelled the algae that usually reside within them and taken in other species that were more tolerant to the heat.They start changing their [algae] community as the water becomes warmer and warmer, and they associate more and more with this thermotolerant algal symbiont called Durusdinium glynnii, Palacio explains. This species name comes from the Latin word durus, meaning rough or tough. Most symbiotic algae produce toxic levels of oxygen under heat stress, forcing the corals to evict them. But Durusdinium keeps its levels tolerable.Yet the corals dont always rely on their algal guests to avoid excessive oxygen, researchers have found; sometimes they can take matters into their own hands. Rows of ciliatiny, hairlike projectionscan act like corals own personal ventilation system by fanning excess oxygen toward spots that lack it.In 2022 marine biologists Cesar O. Pacherres and Soeren Ahmerkamp, then at the University of Bremen in Germany, showed that these fast-beating cilia create microscopic whirlpools in the water, swirling the oxygen around and preventing it from harmfully accumulating in any one spot. All corals have this ventilation system, but how much they use it can vary between species. The scientists now plan to test if and how some vulnerable coralssuch as those in the Great Barrier Reefbeat their cilia faster in response to higher temperatures.And corals arent always stuck in place; their larvae float freely through the ocean before settling, which offers crucial opportunities for a species to shift to more hospitable waters or spread its heat-tolerant genes. Thats why Ariana Huffmyer, a marine biologist at the University of Washington, is particularly interested in how baby corals adapt to higher temperatures. She and researchers at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology recently showed that coral larvae, if exposed to warm water for as little as three days in the laboratory, alter their own metabolism to cope with heat stress and avoid bleaching.Corals typically provide a small amount of nitrogen to their resident algae, and in return they get carbon, which they use as an energy source. To maintain [the algaes] own survival and give the nutrients required to the host, theres a really intricate, delicate and very complex nutritional relationship between the two, Huffmyer says. Under stress, corals produce too much nitrogen. This excess causes the algae to go into hyperdrive and divide a lot morehoarding the carbon and keeping it from their hosts. Huffmyer discovered that baby corals exposed to short periods of heat stress learn to keep the excess nitrogen to themselves and dont overshare with the algae, maintaining a stable symbiosis.Pacherres cautions that such adaptations can protect an organism only to some extent. They have the tools to withstand certain things, but past that limit theres not enough they can do. For example, if its hot, we [humans] can sweat to alleviate the heat. But if it gets too hot, we die, he says. At one point sweating is not enough.But whatever heat-beating tools corals do have can help scientists develop protection strategies. Baby corals that can withstand stress are especially important for conservation efforts because they can travel between reefs and potentially share heat-tolerant genes in new locales. The larvae from those reefs are already preadapted to some degree to rising temperatures, so we need to protect them because theyre in some ways the source of the future, says Madhavi Colton, a conservation scientist who researched science-based tactics to save corals at the nonprofit Coral Reef Alliance.Natural coral adaptations can also aid direct interventions like stress-hardening corals in nurseries before planting them back into ocean reefs. You need to grow corals that are more likely to survive than the corals that died before, Palacio says. If researchers can persuade corals to adopt heat-resistant algae or if they activate genes that can deal with heat stress, it raises the corals chance of surviving future ocean heat waves.When you dive and see a beautiful healthy reef with these colorful corals ... I still feel this euphoria of being in this whole alien underwater world, Huffmyer says. Its hard to go back after a bleaching event and see it dead. But that does give you the motivation to want to use whatever your skill set is, whatever your passion is, to try to help.

Civilizaton 7 PC crossplay disabled to "expedite" patch releaseToday's update addresses "some feedback" from advanced access, as modders work to fix UI issues.Image credit: Firaxis News by Tom Phillips Editor-in-Chief Published on Feb. 11, 2025 Civilization 7 cross-play between PC and consoles is currently disabled, as developer Firaxis has launched a new update just for the PC, Max, Linux and Steam Deck versions of the game. "To expedite updates to the PC experience, we will sometimes deploy patches to PC at a different cadence than we do on consoles - including today's Patch 1.0.1," Firaxis wrote."As a result, cross-play between PC players and console players is temporarily disabled. This will have no impact on console players attempting cross-platform play with other console players, nor on PC-to-PC multiplayer."Fan feedback to Civilization 7's advanced access period is reflected in today's patch, Firaxis continued, with "some" of the initial issues raised by players addressed.Eurogamer's Civilization 7 review.Watch on YouTubeCivilization 7 is now generally available, after a week of advanced access which saw the game land with a "mixed" user response on Steam.Today, Firaxis published its PC patch notes for Civilization 7 update 1.0.1 - and thanked fans who had flagged bugs so far. "We are reading and collecting all of your feedback, and will continue to do so as we roll out improvements going forward," Firaxis said, highlighting its previous pledge to turn the game around.The patch includes a string of gameplay bug fixes, tweaks to the game's AI opponents, and some small improvements to the game's UI. From a quick scan, there's nothing too meaty here yet - and so it's worth also flagging the work currently being taken on by modders to improve the game themselves. Take, for instance, the Simple UI Adjustments Mod, which adds a series of handy floating tooltips that save you from having to dig through menus to find information about a particular tile. Handy!Last week, Firaxis told fans it would "need some time to digest all of your feedback", but pledged to prioritise community-requested features such as being able to pick starting and ending Ages, and adding hotseat multiplayer."A competent entry with some poorly executed ideas and a striking lack of personality," Sin Vega wrote in Eurogamer's Civilization 7 review.Civilization 7 update 1.0.1 - Windows PC/Mac/Linux/Steam Deck patch notesGameplayFixed an issue causing Ages in Epic and Marathon speed games to be shorter than intended.City States will now turn into Friendly Independent Powers on Age Transition instead of disappearing completely. They will also now start with more units in Exploration and Modern Ages.Fixed inconsistencies with Naval Combat.Naval Units will use the correct Combat Strength values when attacking another Naval Unit in all instances.Naval Units will properly take reciprocal damage after attacking another Naval Unit.Naval Units will more consistently move into the attacked tile after defeating another Naval Unit.Completing the final milestone of a Legacy Path no longer adds Age Progress in the Modern Age to ensure you have more time to complete a Victory.Towns will now switch their focus back to Growing town automatically if they are no longer eligible for their chosen Focus (for example, if their population decreases) until they are eligible again.Future Civic is now repeatable in all Ages. The cost of Future Tech and Future Civic will now increase more when repeated.Fixed an issue after too many bonuses to Growth where Food needed for the next growth event became negative.Improvements to Rail Networks aimed at increasing the reliability of Settlements connecting to the Rail Network over water by building Ports. This should apply as long as the Capital either has a Port or is connected by rail to a settlement with a Port.Made improvements to the Loyalty Crisis in the Antiquity Age, including giving the ability to purchase Villas in towns during this crisis, giving another way to manage the happiness of your settlements.A note about cross-play multiplayer: To expedite updates to the PC experience, we will sometimes deploy patches to PC at a different cadence than we do on consoles - including today's Patch 1.0.1. As a result, cross-play between PC players and console players is temporarily disabled. This will have no impact on console players attempting cross-platform play with other console players, nor on PC-to-PC multiplayer.AIAI will now offer high-value Cities less often during Peace Deals.In Modern, AI will now declare war less often at the start of the age.In Modern, AI will now consider Ideology more before Declaring War or offering Peace.Other Leaders now have a decreased desire for war if neither party has an Ideology.Other Leaders now have an increased desire for war with players of Opposing ideologies.Other Leaders now have a decreased desire for Peace with players of opposing Ideologies.CameraFixed an issue on native-resolutions where the camera would focus on the lower end of the map when clicking on the minimap.UIReplaced the Simplified Chinese font with the font used in Civilization VI while we work on additional improvements for future patches.Fixed an issue where the Settlement menu fails to open when clicking on a non-player's Settlement Banner in gameplay.Fixed an issue where yield icons fail to populate on the now available buildings when converting a town to city.Fixed an issue where some text was cut off on the Global Yields Breakdown screen.Added a notification for completed Espionage actions, so that you can more easily check the results of their Espionage actions.City projects no longer appear to be purchasable.Your current religion is now displayed first in the belief picker tabs.Fixed an issue where a Districts health bar would remain on-screen after being fully healed.Fixed an issue where Leaders fail to have a portrait when the relationship has changed during gameplay.Improved the alignment of leader names and portraits on the Age Summary, when viewing the Overview screen of the Victories Rankings.Fixed an issue where the background color remains the default color when the user changes it in the Player Customize tab.Improved the spacing between Civ descriptions, unique units and building icons on loading screen.

Stellar Blade's PC sales expected to exceed console, says Shift UpAs company reaches record revenue.Image credit: ShiftUp News by Ed Nightingale Deputy News Editor Published on Feb. 11, 2025 Stellar Blade developer Shift Up expects the forthcoming PC release of its action game to exceed sales of the console release.As part of its latest financial report, the company was asked about the expected results of Stellar Blade on PC, where it noted the "higher market share" for PC over consoles. It follows similar comments from its previous financial report."In the AAA game market, PC devices have a higher market share than consoles, so we expect the performance of the PC version to exceed that of the console version," the company said. "We are particularly observing trends such as the significant expansion of the single-player action game market in the Asian gaming industry."Stellar Blade - Launch Trailer | PS5 GamesWatch on YouTubeThat "significant expansion" is presumably due to the success of Black Myth: Wukong.The company is analysing the market for comparison and also promised an optimised experience, even on Steam Deck."We have identified and analysed both successful and underperforming cases of console exclusives released on PC, and we are preparing to release the game in a way that ensures continued success in the PC market," the company continued."This will include optimisation, enhancing user convenience, adding supplementary content, and tailored marketing strategies unique to Shift Up. In particular, we plan to optimise the game to ensure smooth gameplay even in UMPC (Steam Deck) environments."The release of Stellar Blade on PC, expected at some point this year, will follow other PlayStation exclusives like God of War, Horizon: Zero Dawn, and most recently Marvel's Spider-Man 2.However, these releases have seen diminishing returns in terms of player numbers. Helldivers 2 remains Sony's biggest success on PC, released simultaneously across PC and console.Other companies are also looking at PC releases of console games. Square Enix in particular has launched a multiplatform strategy, with the likes of Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth both released on PC in the last year following PS5 exclusivity.Earlier this week, meanwhile, Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick teased a possible PC release for GTA 6, though Rockstar is officially focused on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S for launch.While Shift Up didn't reveal further sales figures for Stellar Blade, it previously announced it had sold over a million copies in its first couple of months. As a result, Shift Up has now recorded its highest annual revenue with a 30 percent year-on-year increase."Despite being a narrative-based single-player game with a defined ending, it has been continuously updated like a live-service game, and has steadily built a strong global fandom for the Stellar Blade IP," the company said.The game received a PS5 Pro patch in time for the new console's release, which Digital Foundry described as a "hugely effective upgrade".

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 Helldivers 2 had an incredible first year, and Arrowhead recently celebrated the games one year anniversary with a big update plus the release of the Servants of Freedom Warbond. Now that the HD2 one year anniversary has come and gone, fans are looking ahead to the future. While Arrowhead wish to remain tight-lipped, the Helldivers 2 game director has teased theres a lot more coming for The Illuminate, while also hinting at other additions.Helldivers 2 game director teases more IlluminateHelldivers 2 game director, Mikael Eriksson, recently conducted an interview with Polygon. During this interview, the director discussed Arrowheads initial expectations for how well HD2 would succeed, and they also discussed challenges Arrowhead encountered and had to overcome during its first year.While its interesting to hear the developers reflect on the recent past, they also very slightly hinted at aspects for the future. Discussing plans for a super epic 5.0 release well into the future, Erikkson briefly hinted at more developments concerning the Illuminate. 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. In the interview, Polygon noted that the Illuminate faction is smaller compared to bugs and bots. In acknowledging this, Errikson said, The Illuminate are more advanced than they might seem, and they have a long history in the Helldivers universe. Therell be a lot more coming with the Illuminate, and their intentions will become gradually more clear as the story progresses.In addition, whole bots are inspired by Terminator and bugs influenced by Starship Troopers, Errikson regarded the Illumiate as a mishmash of alien invasion fantasy meets zombie horde experience. Must-Listen: Publishing Manor Lords w/ Joe Robinson VideoGamer Podcast Listen Now While the Illuminate will be a key story in 2025, fans neednt threat about bots and bugs being forgotten as more content is arriving for them, too. One of the highlights with the Illuminates arrival was urban maps where players had to fight through city streets as opposed to desert wastelands.When asked if Helldivers 2 will add similar urban maps for bots and bugs, Errikson teased, Keep playing and youll find out. The game director also elaborated, The Helldivers are expanding in all directions, into bug and Automaton territories [therefore] It makes total sense there should be settlements there.Lastly, in the same interview, Errikson was asked if Arrowhead have any plans to introduce in-game ways for players to give battle orders or set up a plan of action for an invasion.Although unable to disclose whats currently being developed, Errikson said Arrowhead do have plans to improve in-game communication to give players the ability to group up and form plans and so forth.For more Helldivers 2, a leak has uncovered amelee weapon seemingly from Warhammer 40K. Make sure to check out our guide to thebest warbonds ranked, along with thebest stratagemsandbest throwables. We also have a guide to thebest weapons, and, if youre coming back to HD2 for the first time in a long while, we have a bunch oftips and tricksto help you get reaccustomed to the battlefield.Helldivers 2Platform(s):PC, PlayStation 5Genre(s):Action, Shooter, Third Person8VideoGamerRelated TopicsHelldivers 2 Subscribe 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 Ever since release, the Grand Theft Auto series has been tainted by old media as a pathway to real world violence, despite studies often proving the opposite to be true. With the GTA 6 release date primed for Fall 2025, the same tired arguments are being thrown at the upcoming open world game.Releasing later this year for PS5 and Xbox Series consoles, with a PC version sometime in the future, Rockstar Games open world game is the most realistic looking entry in the almost 30-year old franchise. With this in mind, some media outlets are perpetuating the same old worry that the games violent nature will result in more violent actions in real life.GTA 6 publisher pushes back against violent video game claimsIn an interview with CNBC (Paywalled), Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick was asked about the games violent crimes and how they will impact the real world. Speaking on the pay-walled Squawk Box segment, Zelnick explained that hes not worried about the games violence influencing people to commit horrific acts. 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. To be clear: entertainment doesnt create behaviour, entertainment reflects behaviour, the CEO said. Entertainment gives people an opportunity to release feelings, engage in feelings, entertainment tells stories. The notion [that] entertainment creating behaviour has been tested and disproved over and over again.Zelnick explained that people watch violent shows all the time that show far more realistic violence against real actors than video games ever have, but theyre not blamed anymore. Must-Listen: Publishing Manor Lords w/ Joe Robinson VideoGamer Podcast Listen Now When you watch TV and movies from any time [period] theyre very realistic looking so Im not worried about photorealistic video games, the Take-Two executive explained.Every GTA game has been the subject of the exact same violent video game controversy since the original release in 1997. While it is true that the games are more photorealistic than ever before, the link between violent video games has been disproven countless times. Video game violence has been the scapegoat for tragedies such as the Columbine Massacre for decades, but they have never truly been the cause.For more Grand Theft Auto news, check out the new GTA Vice City fan remake that runs like a dream on Steam Deck, a reality that would make Joe Lierberman cry.Grand Theft Auto 6Platform(s):PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Action, Action AdventureSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Actor Walton Goggins and his wife, writer-director Nadia Conners, want to make one thing very clear about their decision to quit the West Coast and plant their family flag in the Hudson Valley. We werent running away from Los Angeles. We were running toward something, insists Goggins, a standout player in the third season of HBOs The White Lotus and an actor renowned for portraying villains and antiheroes with a certain sinister silkiness. We loved our home in LA. Its the city where our son, Augustus, was born and raised, the city where I became the person I always wanted to be, culturally, spiritually, not just career-wise, the Georgia-bred talent adds. Nevertheless, the siren call of the Hudson Valley would not be denied. Goggins and Conners had visited the area for years, renting homes and flirting with real estate listings, but it was the COVID pandemic that finally propelled them eastward in 2021. The pandemic opened windows of self-perception and possibility. It was an opportunity to do something different, not to start over from scratch but to change, to evolve, the actor explains.Nadia Conners and Walton Goggins in their Hudson Valley house. Vintage de Sede leather chairs occupy the sunroom.Conners seconds the notion. We marinated on this decision for years, but the pandemic was the real reckoning. The audacity of contemplating this move suddenly seemed less far-fetched, says the director of 2024s The Uninvited, who was raised in LA and Egypt. Still, it wasnt just the COVID upheaval or some abstract Washington Irving fever dream that ultimately sealed the deal. There was also a house, specifically a bewitching estate built in the style of a Scottish hunting lodge by a prominent entrepreneur and sportsman in the 1920s. I have an affinity for that time period, and when I saw the listing, I became obsessed, Goggins recalls. There was something incredibly seductive about the proposition. We were buying a feeling, an idea of a new way of life for our family. We were tapping into the generative idea of a place.Of course, when it comes to buying old houses, theres the inevitable moment when romance collides with reality. When we got here, we realized that the house hadnt been touched in a hundred years. Every system, every fixture, faucet, and fireplace was ready to fail or had already failed. But it was magic, Goggins remembers. Undeterred (albeit slightly intimidated) by the scope of work, the couple initially thought they could renovate the property in phases over time. That turned out to be a fantasy. Once you start tinkering with one part of the house, you understand its all connected. Basically, the first year we were here I took every part I was offered so we could afford to do everything that needed to be done, the actor says.A Danny Fox painting adorns Gogginss office, which is outfitted with vintage Togo seating by Michel Ducaroy and African stools from Galerie Half.Art: Danny FoxEarly in the process, Goggins and Conners brought in their friend Shawn Henderson to help with the interior architecture. Working closely with the homeowners, the AD100 designer essentially reconfigured the house to adapt the outmoded layout to the rhythms and rituals of contemporary life. He reorganized the entry sequence; expanded the kitchen; carved out a new primary suite; and converted three obsolete staff bedrooms into Gogginss home office. It was all about making the home more accommodating, reshaping it to the contours of their family life as discreetly and inconspicuously as possible, the designer notes. I should also say that Walton is more than a little design-obsessed. He dives deep into the details.A small army of artisans, technicians, and craftspeople set itself to the task of restoring life and functionality to the dilapidated structure while taking pains to preserve the timeworn texture of antique beams, floorboards, and fireplaces redolent of history. Some of that history is literally written on the walls of the houses original gun room in the form of signatures by notable guests of yesteryear, including the poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. Other regular visitors are said to have included celebrities on the order of Babe Ruth, Walt Disney, Joan Crawford, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. That same room features a hidden Prohibition-era bar simply labeled Linen Closet on the original floor plans.Walton Goggins and Lucy the black Labrador beside a Wes Lang artwork.Art: Wes LangA painting by Orlando Seale hangs above the fireplace in the gun room.Art: Orlando SealeThe deeply personal interior appointments create a provocative foil to the architecture, eschewing hackneyed signifiers of twee country charm and faded gentry in favor of bold contemporary artworks, polyglot treasures collected from around the globe, family keepsakes, and happily disconsonant furnishings such as the dining rooms Verner Panton shell hanging lamp. An inveterate hunter-gatherer, Goggins spent a year handpicking every vintage light fixture in the house. He drove six hours round trip to Long Island to secure the suite of groovy 1970s de Sede lounge chairs in the sunroom. If you buy the right sofa, you never have to buy another sofa again, Goggins opines, gladdening the hearts of professional decorators and design junkies alike.Design and art are two of the great love languages. Walt and I find each other in the things that inspire us, Conners says of the couples adventures in collecting. Walt doesnt buy a Porsche; he buys a Kerry James Marshall. Thats what hell stretch for, she adds. Goggins is quick to point out that his drive to acquire isnt about ego or resale. Im a poor kid from Georgia. How great is it to have our child grow up around art and music and great furniture and all these things that are so life-affirming and expansive, the actor says, concluding, This house has stimulated me in ways Ive never been stimulated before. Love language, indeed.Another painting by Danny Fox is installed in the living room. Furnishings include a vintage Illum Wikkels sofa (right), a Dan Pollock cocktail table, and an antique Persian rug.Walton Goggins and Nadia Connerss upstate abode is featured in ADs March issue. Never miss a story when you subscribe to AD.1/13Goggins found the French midcentury chairs at the Brimfield Flea Market in Massachusetts. Replacing the houses cedar shake roof was a major part of the renovation. The project team included general contractor Jim Romanchuk, David Romanchuk, landscape designer Wenonah Webster, Anthony Antil (gardener), David Savage (window restoration), Chris Gregory (stonework), Jake Saca (plumbing), Serge Bervy, Kevin Krein (roofing), Eddie Scott, Jock Winch, Jonathan Zeretsky, Susan Taylor, and Emily Ward. Furnishings for the project were gleaned from local resources including Quittner, The Red Chair, Regan & Smith Antiques, Arenskjold Antiques, and The Modern Exchange.2/13A Lumfardo sconce hangs above an antique farm sink in the mudroom.Art: Michael Ornstein3/13Artworks in the living room include a large abstract painting by Eugene Pera, a painting by David Bailin above the piano, and a portrait by Michael Ornstein.Art: Xander Berkeley4/13The kitchen cabinetry is painted in Farrow & Balls Pitch Black. Painting on counter by Xander Berkeley.5/13A French farm table is paired with a Verner Panton Capiz shell light in the dining room.Art: Wes Lang6/13Nadia Conners and Goggins in the dining room, which is centered on a French farm table and a Verner Panton capiz shell light, both from Obsolete. An artwork by Wes Lang surmounts the fireplace.Art: Wes Lang7/13Thonet bistro chairs pull up to a French farm table beneath a vintage pendant light of brass lotuses in the breakfast nook. Drawing by Wes Lang.8/13A Waterworks tub anchors the bath off the home office.9/13Goggins acquired the antique root table in the primary closet during one of his regular visits to the Brimfield flea market.10/13View of the primary bedroom.11/13A guest bedroom is outfitted with an Ersari rug from The Antique Knot, a Lumfardo sconce, and paintings by Tracy Nakayama.12/13View of the sunroom. David Savage of Savage Metal Restoration restored all the steel casement windows.13/13The house sits on more than 100 acres with expansive views of the Berkshires.

Shes having a career renaissance, but when it comes to real estate, Demi Moores houses havent budged for over two decades. The actor, who recently received her first Golden Globe for her starring role in The Substancewhich also garnered her a nomination for best actress at the upcoming Oscarshas maintained ownership of her homes in Beverly Hills and Idaho since around the turn of the millennium.Both dwellings emphasize their surrounding natural environments, which is clearly a trait that Moore values in a home. You feel the outside when you're inside. The house is part of nature, and nature rarely does it wrong, she said in a 2007 AD tour of her Beverly Hills home. If we stick closely to it, well always be on the right track. In her California abode, that philosophy involved floor-to-ceiling glass, a sun-filled atrium, and a natural color palette; in Idaho, the actor opted for an idyllic sprawl fit for a nature preserve. Below, we explore both of Moores peaceful pads and the other places shes called home over the years.Malibu beach houseThough Moore technically didnt own this Malibu property, she did live in it for a decade. Actor Bruce Willis plunked down $2.15 million on a five-bedroom home on the Pacific Coast Highway in June 1987. One month later, he met Moore. Before the year was out, the two were married, and the Feud actor moved into Williss 4,850-square-foot beachfront pad. During their tenancy, the duo thoroughly renovated the 1948-built structure. It featured a double-height living room, a projection room, two offices, a pool overlooking the ocean, and 70 feet of beach frontage.The modern-style dwelling was the couples home base during the years they starred in some of their most iconic projects, like Ghost and Die Hard. While discussing The Substances themes of body image and societal pressure during an interview on CBS last year, Moore revealed that she biked the 30 miles each way from the Malibu home to Paramount Studios in Hollywood while filming Indecent Proposal in 1993.In 1997, Moore and Willis offered up the house for rent at $50,000 a month. Late television legend Norman Lear was reportedly one short-term tenant. Around the same time, the couple returned it to the market, asking $8 million. The Mortal Thoughts costars announced their separation in 1998, and Willis offloaded the dwelling the following year for about $6.7 million.New York City penthouseThe San Remo building as seen from Central Park.Photo: Gary Hershorn/Getty Images

In this video Johnny Matthews looks at rigging a strange little machine I put together and in the process learn about rigging gears and crankshafts, as well as using drivers with your armature bones.Source