DOOM: The Dark Ages is going to tackle a setting that the sci-fi-focused franchise has typically avoided: medieval fantasy. Speaking to Edge Magazine (via GamesRadar), director Hugo Martin has revealed that id Software went with medieval fantasy because it wanted to get darker and more sinister with what players could do.Going with medieval fantasy means that DOOM: The Dark Ages will have some unique, new weapons that are seemingly inspired by classical torture devices. Examples of this are the Rail Spike, which has been described as literally a hammer and a giant spike, and a weapon that is used to break bones with.Part of the reason we chose the fantasy genre is that we could get more dark and sinister with the tool kit, said Martin. When you think medieval, dark fantasy, you think torture device, ropes, and chains, and spikes.In the same interview, Martin also spoke about the scope of the levels in DOOM: The Dark Ages. He described the spaces that players can explore and fight hordes of demon in as the largest spaces that id Software has made so far.Despite the size of these levels, however, Martin pointed out that players wouldnt enjoy wasting too much time by not fighting demons. He said that the sweet spot for players to spend time in an area would be around an hour. Completionists, however, can find a lot more to do if they want.I dont know that you want to play a single Doom level for two hours, said Martin. You want them to be nice, contained experiences, so around an hour is about the sweet spot. But if youre a completionist, you could certainly extend that.The size of these large areas also means that id Software got to experiment quite a bit with how it used the space. This means that players will get to experience a lot more variety in their time with DOOM: The Dark Ages.You might start in a dungeon-like space, then open up in the second half of the level into a more open-ended portion, Martin explained. Were trying to make sure the player feels theres a good amount of variety.Tying in with the idea that DOOM: The Dark Ages will allow players to get much darker and more sinister with how they deal with weapons, Martin had revealed last month that the Doom Slayer in the game was inspired by Frank Millers take on Batman through his The Dark Knight graphic novel.My all-time favorite comic, which, big surprise, I think its a favorite comic of many people, is Frank Millers The Dark Knight, said Martin. He showed a depiction of Batman that was huge. He was amazing. He was powerful. He looked like a tank[] Everything about his arsenal is powerful. He just looked awesome, and it was like, Id love to make a slayer like that, like a heavier, powerful Slayer.DOOM: The Dark Ages is being developed for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and is coming out on May 15. For more details, here are 15 new things weve learned about the game.

As the games industry moves on from survive til 25, 2024 games investment and M&A data revealed recovery and improvement, DDM said.Read More

Justin Carter, Contributing EditorFebruary 21, 20252 Min ReadImage via NetEase/Marvel Games.At a GlanceNetEase recently laid off Marvel Rivals' support staff, but those cuts appear to be part of its larger reductions.Marvel Rivals developer NetEase Games has reportedly laid off hundreds of developers and canceled dozens of projects as of late, according to Bloomberg.The outlet's report alleged founder and CEO William Ding has spent the last year focusing on a "smaller portfolio" of titles in the apparent aim of outperforming fellow Chinese conglomerate Tencent. As a result, NetEase's game division has pulled back on international investments, which has already affected the various subsidiaries it's started up or acquired in recent years.Bloomberg further revealed Ding is looking for mass-market games that encourage player spending, similar to the mobile game Eggy Party. Previously, he took a hands-off approach with NetEase Games, but sources told the outlet his direct involvement over the past year has been "dramatic."Current staff expressed concern about Ding's focus on moneymakers and disinterest in any project that wouldn't generate "hundreds of millions of dollars per year." Some alleged he changes his mind frequently, and has previously called on staff to work late. He's also reportedly hired several recent finance graduates to directly report to him and lead or supervise units within the game division.According to Bloomberg, internal conversations were held prior to Marvel Rivals' release about canceling the game. Ding reportedly wanted to avoid paying licensing fees to Disney so it could use popular characters like Spider-Man and Wolverine, and allegedly told NetEase artists to use their own hero designs instead of Marvel-made ones. The attempted cancelation, which NetEase later denied to Bloomberg, was said to have cost "millions of dollars."Earlier this week, a United States support team for Rivals was laid off. NetEase later reported $11.2 billion in revenue for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, and said these reductions would "optimize development efficiency."NetEase's new priorities hit its newer studios hardThe report also detailed Ding's step back from games without that aforementioned moneymaking potential. Several China-based NetEase teams had their projects canceled or support support services nixed, potentially leading to a year with no major Chinese releases.Outside of China, several western developers have been impacted: Jar of Sparks and Worlds Untold both paused operations after their funding was pulled, and NetEase laid off staff at Ouka Studios before Visions of Mana's release in 2024. 60 developers were reportedly affected by the layoffs at Jar of Sparks and Worlds Untold.NetEase argued to Bloomberg that its various adjustments did not constitute a "wide scale layoff." Japan-based studios, like the one headed up by Like a Dragon creator Toshihiro Nagaoshi, have reportedly been granted time to "wrap up ongoing projects." However, those titles will reportedly not be given any marketing or promotional push.Bloomberg's full report on NetEase Games can be read here.Read more about:NeteaseAbout the AuthorJustin CarterContributing Editor, GameDeveloper.comA Kansas City, MO native, Justin Carter has written for numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don't ask him about how much gum he's had, because the answer will be more than he's willing to admit.See more from Justin CarterDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

The 25thGame Developers Choice AwardsatGDC 2025has unveiled the recipients of this year's prestigious special awards. Sam Lake, iconic writer for games likeMax Payne, Alan Wake, Quantum Break,andControl, will receive this year's Lifetime Achievement Award. Lucas Pope, renowned mentor, designer, and developer who's worked at major game companies for over two decades, will be recognized with the Pioneer Award.The Game Developers Choice Awards has a proud legacy of shining the spotlight on figures who make gaming the most gripping and evocative method of storytelling, said Event Director Stephenie Hawkins. Were excited to recognize Sam Lake and Lucas Pope for their commitment to pushing the boundaries of the medium through transcendent narrative structures, complex moral questions and evocative gameplay.See the Honorees In-Person: Register for GDC 20252025 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient: Sam LakeLifetime Achievement Award honoree Sam Lake is a respected writer and director in the game industry, acting as a key creative force in dreaming up Remedys acclaimed games and stories in theAlan Wake/Controluniverse, along with other hits likeQuantum Breakand theMax Payneseries (the game's protagonistwas famously designed with his likeness in mind). Lake is renowned for his deep, layered storytelling and ability to meld together different mediums to create unique interactive experiences. Most recently, he was the co-director and lead writer ofAlan Wake 2, which won over 200 industry awardsincluding Best Game Direction and Best Narrative at The Game Awards, along with Best Visual Art at the 2024 Game Developers Choice Awards. Lake was also a BAFTA nominee for Narrative and Performer in a Supporting Role in Alan Wake 2. In 2023 and 2024, Lake was included in the Variety500 list of the most influential people shaping the global media industry and received The Develop:Star Award for Best Creative Lead and Gamesbeat Visionary Award. He also recently received the prestigious Andrew Yoon Legend Award at the New York Game Awards in January 2025.Previous recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award include last year's honoreeYoko Shimomura, famed game soundtrack composer, along with game designer John Romero, writer and director Amy Hennig, and Epic Games founder and CEO Tim Sweeney.2025 Pioneer Award Recipient: Lucas PopeLucas Pope, recipient of this year's Pioneer Award, is an independent game developer experimenting with the interactions of mechanics, narrative, and art. Starting with hobbyist development on the Mac Plus, he found his interests in music, engineering, art, and problem-solving perfectly reflected in the toil of creating games. Stumbling through 30 years of indie, serious, AAA, and mobile titles, he has tried to make things that others don't, exploring new genres and new ways of telling interesting stories. He is most well known as the creator of Papers, Please and Return of the Obra Dinn, bothawarded the Seumas McNally Grand Prize at theIndependent Games Festival(IGF) in 2014 and 2019, respectively, for their innovative approach to storytelling and immersive gameplay.The Pioneer Award is given to key individuals who elevate video games and the industry as a whole, including 2023's posthumous recipientMabel Addis, the first female video game designer. Other industry icons honored include Jordan Mechner, Gabe Newell, and Alexey Pajitnov.The Game Developers Choice Awards take place at the GDC Main Stage on Wednesday, March 19, and will be held immediately after the 2025 Independent Games Festival Awards. Recipients of the Lifetime Achievement and Pioneer Award were chosen by this years Game Developers Choice Editorial Committee, following suggestions from the International Choice Awards Network (ICAN).Both the GDCA and IGF ceremonies are available to attend for allGDC 2025 pass-holders. The GDCA and IGF award shows will be live-streamed onGDC Twitch.Don't Miss Your Chance: Register for GDC 2025!GDC returns this March 17-21, 2025, and registration is open! Check out ourPasses & Prices,and follow the#GDC2025hashtag onBlueskyandLinkedIn.Subscribe to the GDCnewsletterandRSSfeed.Get regular updates onGDC social mediaincluding Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.GDC and Game Developer are sibling organizations under Informa.

Update February 21st: Apple has removed its Advanced Data Protection feature in the UK, calling itself gravely disappointed with the move.The encryption wars have reached a fever pitch, and the most contentious battle is not happening in the United States, where much of the action has been in the past like the governments efforts to restrict exports of encryption software until the 1990s and the FBIs standoff with Apple in 2016. Its in the United Kingdom, where the government has reportedly ordered Apple to give officials blanket access to iCloud users encrypted backups. And the order allegedly didnt just apply to UK users it demanded backdoor access for users worldwide. The secret order, first reported by The Washington Post, was issued in January under the auspices of the UKs Investigatory Powers Act of 2016. Apples compliance or refusal will have ramifications far beyond the UK, potentially making users less safe and signaling to other governments that they, too, can seek backdoor access a way of bypassing encryption to users information via legislation.Simply put, the message the UK government is sending is that its own citizens cannot expect its government to respect their privacy, and that it is willing to put their security at risk from all manner of bad actors like hackers and thieves because it cannot tolerate the ability to have a private conversation online, Andrew Crocker, surveillance litigation director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told The Verge.Apple can appeal the ruling to a secret panel, but per the Posts reporting, it cant delay complying with the order during an appeal. And the UKs Home Office would prohibit Apple from telling users that the government can now access their encrypted backups. This obviously creates a huge problem for Apple, which has built its reputation on safeguarding user privacy.Apple should be transparent with its users about how its responding to this threat to their privacy and security, Greg Nojeim, the director of the Center for Democracy and Technologys Security and Surveillance Project, told The Verge. It remains to be seen whether this move to weaken global cybersecurity around the world will hold, or whether the UK will back off.Apple did not respond to The Verges request for comment.For now, bystanders are left guessing. If Apple does not appeal if we dont see or hear about an appeal does that mean they have complied? Joe Jones, the director of research and insights at the International Association of Privacy Professionals, told The Verge. If they complied, that creates a precedent not just for the UK, but for many other law enforcement authorities around the world.Its Apples policy to respond to law enforcement requests for data. Until 2022, iMessage might have been end-to-end encrypted, but iCloud backups were not, so a warrant would typically result in the police getting access to your phone. But that year, Apple implemented end-to-end encryption for iCloud backups under a feature it called Advanced Data Protection. Though users have to opt in to Advanced Data Protection, this feature rendered Apples compliance with governments much less useful for law enforcement than before.Security experts say, however, that the companys resistance to backdooring has less to do with taking a stand against governments and more to do with baseline cybersecurity. Governments are locked out of encrypted iCloud backups because everybody is locked out of it, so that hackers cant get in, Ciaran Martin, the former head of cybersecurity at the UKs Government Communications Headquarters their equivalent to the NSA said on a recent interview with the BBC. The issue with backdoors, Martin continued, is that theres no way to build one that lets law enforcement in and keeps everyone else out. If you build a door, other people will try to get in, he said.But according to Martin, the fact that the order is no longer secret could prevent it from being effective. For the order to work, it has to not be known about by the criminals and the offenders, he said.Previous matchups between tech companies and governments over backdooring have had decidedly mixed results. In 2016, Apple and the FBI were involved in a bitter legal battle over the tech companys refusal to unlock the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino shooters, which Tim Cook described as a fight to help you protect your data and your privacy. The feds needed the password because, a few days after the shooting, someone with access to the phone triggered a password reset of the shooters iCloud account, effectively locking law enforcement out.Microsofts refusal to give federal law enforcement access to emails stored at a data center in Dublin, Ireland, almost led to a US Supreme Court case which was dropped after Microsoft and other tech giants, including Apple, Amazon, and Google, threw their support behind the CLOUD Act.Given Apples public comments, the company is unlikely to comply with the UK order. There is no reason why the UK [government] should have the authority to decide for citizens of the world whether they can avail themselves of the proven security benefits that flow from end-to-end encryption, Apple told Parliament in March. Rather than comply, people familiar with the matter told the Post, Apple may stop offering encrypted storage to UK-based users but that still wouldnt address the Home Offices demand that Apple let its officials access the encrypted backups of users around the world. The challenge for that approach is that the UKs Investigatory Powers Act is extraterritorial, Jones said, which could lead to a lengthy, protracted legal process. And these lengthy and protracted legal processes often spill out into diplomatic and political issues as well.See More: Policy

Soon, youll be able to use Apple Intelligence with the Vision Pro. That includes a mix of features weve seen before, as well as a new feature called Create Memory Movie thats exclusive to the headset.Apple has been keen to position the Vision Pro as a unique tool for viewing memories, and thats the whole goal of the Create Memory Movie feature, which is built into the Photos app. To use it, youll enters in a description or a voice prompt, and Apple Intelligence will then either find a photo or video that best matches that the description. That memory movie can then be blown up to be viewed on a large scale virtual screen or inside a virtual environment.Other Apple Intelligence features for Vision Pro include writing tools with ChatGPT. That means Vision Pro owners will be able to dictate memos or emails, create bulleted summaries, or edit the tone of a draft using AI. This is a fairly typical AI feature these days, but it does address how writing within the headset isnt always the easiest thing unless paired with a Bluetooth keyboard. Smart replies are also coming to visionOS, where youll be able to use Apple Intelligence to automatically respond to messages with a tap.Writing tools are among the main Apple Intelligence features coming to VisionOS. Image: AppleOther features also include things like Genmoji and Image Playground, which is Apple Intelligences prompt-based image generator. Priority notifications and summaries will also be available, along with Image Wand, which lets you create more polished images based off rough sketches. Natural language search will also be available in the Photos app. You can view the full list of Apple Intelligence features for visionOS on Apples website.Apple Intelligence will be part of the visionOS 2.4 update, which is available in developer beta today and arrives for the general public in April. Apple Intelligence for visionOS will first be available only in US English, with more features and languages slated to roll out throughout the year.visionOS 2.4 will also bring a few other features that address some major pain points with using the headset. That includes an improved, easier-to-use Guest Mode, as well as two new discovery apps for discovering content: one for the iPhone, and the other acting as an Apple-curated content guide within the headset itself.See More:

Author(s): Reelfy Originally published on Towards AI. Building a Self-Learning AI Marketing Agent with LangMem + LangGraph (Part 2)Ensuring Consistency in AI-Generated Marketing CampaignsAI Agent Bot taking memory pills. As imagined by Dall-E 3The Challenge: Creating a Consistent Brand Narrative with AIIn Part 1, we introduced the concept of AI-powered Social Media Agents capable of analyzing brand presence, generating video content, and automating posts.But what happens when AI starts creating content at scale? Without a structured memory system, AI-generated marketing materials can lose coherence, creating disjointed messaging that fails to build a recognizable brand identity over time.Imagine a brand posting one AI-generated video about sustainable fashion, followed by another completely unrelated clip encouraging clients to cut costs no matter what confusing audiences and weakening brand trust.This is where LangMem comes into play. By integrating long-term memory into our Social Media Agents, we can ensure that AI doesnt just create isolated posts, but remembers the brands story, audience preferences, and marketing themes resulting in a cohesive and evolving social media strategy.Why LangMem? The Secret Sauce for AI-Driven Marketing Consistency The LangMem SDK was just released on February 18, 2025, and here at Reelfy, were already experimenting with it to push the boundaries of AI-driven content marketing.LangMem provides an advanced memory system that allows AI agents to retain and refine knowledge over time. It goes beyond short-term context windows by enabling agents to learn from past interactions, update brand guidelines dynamically, and improve storytelling consistency.Which Type of Memory is Best for Social Media Marketing?LangMem offers three key types of memory each serving different functions in AI-driven workflows. To maintain brand consistency in AI-generated marketing videos, we focus on Semantic Memory and Procedural Memory:Building a Social Media Agent with LangMem + LangGraphLangMem alone isnt enough we need a structured way for our AI agent to access and update its memory. Thats where LangGraph comes in. By integrating LangMems memory tools into LangGraphs agent framework, we create a self-learning marketing assistant that can analyze, generate, and refine content in real time.In Part 1, we used SmolAgents to orchestrate our AI Social Media Agent. This time, were using LangGraph instead. Why? LangGraph natively integrates with LangMem, making it easier to demonstrate the benefits of using a built-in memory approach.Step 1: Initializing AIs Memory A Built-in RAG for Marketing KnowledgeBefore our AI can generate strategic marketing content, it needs a place to store and retrieve knowledge over time. In this setup, LangMem serves as a built-in RAG.Lets initialize our long-term memory store, which will hold both Semantic Memory (facts & knowledge) and Procedural Memory (marketing workflows).from langgraph.store.memory import InMemoryStore# Initialize memory storage using LangGraphstore = InMemoryStore(index={"dims": 1536, "embed": "openai:text-embedding-3-small"}) Why? AI needs a persistent knowledge base to avoid generating disconnected, inconsistent content.Step 2: Storing Key Marketing Knowledge with Semantic MemoryLets define a structure for storing key marketing knowledge and create memory management tools for later use. We will first:1 Storing Key Marketing Knowledge in Semantic MemoryInstead of hardcoding knowledge into prompts, we store marketing facts in LangMems long-term memory, ensuring that AI can retrieve and apply them dynamically.from langmem import create_memory_manager, create_manage_memory_tool, create_search_memory_toolfrom pydantic import BaseModel# Define structure for marketing knowledgeclass MarketingKnowledge(BaseModel): topic: str key_insights: str# Create memory manager to store factsmemory_manager = create_memory_manager( "anthropic:claude-3-5-sonnet-latest", schemas=[MarketingKnowledge], instructions="Store key marketing facts and retrieve them for future campaign strategies.", store=store,)# Store industry knowledgemarketing_facts = [ {"topic": "Startup Founders' Challenges", "key_insights": "Founders struggle with hiring, funding, and scaling."}, {"topic": "Engaging Video Content", "key_insights": "Short-form educational videos drive 3x more engagement than static posts."}, {"topic": "Brand Differentiation", "key_insights": "Successful startups use storytelling to highlight unique brand values."}]# Store facts in AI's memoryfor fact in marketing_facts: memory_manager.invoke({"messages": [{"role": "user", "content": f"Save this fact: {fact}"}]})# Create tools for AI to interact with memorymanage_memory_tool = create_manage_memory_tool(namespace=("memories",))search_memory_tool = create_search_memory_tool(namespace=("memories",)) Why? AI now has access to real-world knowledge that it can apply when generating marketing campaigns.2 Updating Semantic Memory as New Insights EmergeMarketing knowledge is not static trends change, audience behaviors shift, and new insights emerge.Lets say we discover a new engagement trend (e.g., LinkedIn carousels are outperforming videos). We need to update AIs memory accordingly.Semantic Memory visual representation. Drawn in https://excalidraw.com/# Update AI's marketing knowledge with new industry insightsnew_insight = { "topic": "Engaging Video Content", "key_insights": "LinkedIn carousels now outperform short videos for B2B engagement."}# Store the updated fact in memorymemory_manager.invoke({"messages": [{"role": "user", "content": f"Update this fact: {new_insight}"}]}) Why? AI-generated content will now reflect the latest trends, ensuring it stays competitive and relevant.Step 3: Creating and Refining Procedural Memory for AI Marketing AgentsWith LangMem, we can teach our Social Media Agent how to structure marketing campaigns through procedural memory. To avoid inconsistent storytelling formats, our AI agent must learn the structure of effective marketing videos such as hooks, storytelling arcs, and call-to-action placement.But marketing is not static brands evolve, strategies shift, and audience engagement fluctuates.Thats why we dont just define instructions once we store them in memory and refine them over time based on market trends and performance insights. Well first:1 Storing Initial Marketing Guidelines in Procedural MemoryLets start by defining how our AI should structure marketing campaigns. We store these rules in LangMems long-term memory, ensuring the agent follows a predictable format.# Store initial campaign structure in procedural memorystore.put(("instructions",), key="marketing_campaigns", value={ "prompt": """You are a Social Media Agent. Every marketing campaign must follow this structure: 1. Hook: Start with an engaging question, bold statement, or surprising stat. 2. Educational Insight: Teach startup founders something valuable about the topic. 3. Call to Action: Encourage audience interaction with a thought-provoking question or challenge. Maintain a playful yet professional tone. Focus on creating **educational content** for startup founders."""}) Why? By saving these campaign guidelines in memory, our AI will remember and follow this structure across multiple campaigns ensuring consistency.2 Refining the Campaign Structure Based on Market InsightsAs marketing strategies evolve, we may need to update our AIs procedural memory for example, if we realize that audience engagement increases when we add a success story to the campaign format.Procedural Memory visual representation. Drawn in https://excalidraw.com/from langmem import create_prompt_optimizer# Initialize prompt optimizer to refine procedural memoryoptimizer = create_prompt_optimizer("anthropic:claude-3-5-sonnet-latest")# Retrieve current campaign structurecurrent_prompt = store.get(("instructions",), key="marketing_campaigns").value["prompt"]# Market feedback suggests success stories increase engagementfeedback = {"request": "Include a success story in every campaign to increase engagement."}# AI refines campaign structure based on feedbackupdated_prompt = optimizer.invoke({"prompt": current_prompt, "trajectories": [(current_prompt, feedback)]})# Store the updated procedural memorystore.put(("instructions",), key="marketing_campaigns", value={"prompt": updated_prompt}) Why? AI-generated campaigns keep improving, ensuring higher engagement.Step 4: Generating AI-Driven Marketing Campaigns That Learn and AdaptNow that our AI has both knowledge (Semantic Memory) and structured processes (Procedural Memory), lets generate campaigns that evolve over time.1 Creating the First Marketing Campaignfrom langgraph.prebuilt import create_react_agentfrom langgraph.config import get_store# Define prompt function to fetch instructions from memorydef prompt(state): item = store.get(("instructions",), key="marketing_campaigns") instructions = item.value["prompt"] sys_prompt = {"role": "system", "content": f"## Campaign Instructions\n\n{instructions}"} return [sys_prompt] + state["messages"]# Create AI Marketing Agentagent = create_react_agent( "anthropic:claude-3-5-sonnet-latest", prompt=prompt, tools=[manage_memory_tool, search_memory_tool], store=store,)# Generate the first campaignfirst_campaign = agent.invoke({ "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Create a campaign about Hiring and Team Building for startup founders."}]})print(first_campaign) # AI follows stored campaign structure2 Generating a Second Campaign That Expands on the First OneSince AI remembers past campaigns, we dont need to retrieve them manually AI automatically keeps context.# Generate a follow-up campaign while maintaining continuitysecond_campaign = agent.invoke({ "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Create a follow-up campaign on Product Development that builds on the Hiring and Team Building insights."}]})print(second_campaign) # AI expands on previous campaign, ensuring continuity Why? Instead of creating random standalone posts, AI develops a strategic campaign narrative.Why LangMem is a Game-Changer for AI Marketing AgentsWithout memory, AI agents generate one-off posts without continuity. With LangMem, we unlock: Brand Consistency AI remembers brand identity, voice, and messaging across all content. Content Quality Control AI follows structured campaign workflows, ensuring content remains polished and engaging. Marketing Intelligence AI remembers past campaigns, industry insights, and audience preferences, enabling smarter content decisions.Where Do We Go Next?Weve established the foundation for memory-driven marketing AI, but this is just the beginning. Here a few topics that we can explore to push the boundries further: Advanced Personalization AI dynamically tailors content for different audience segments, ensuring higher engagement. Cross-Platform Content Adaptation AI automatically repurposes content across multiple social media platforms. Real-Time Performance Optimization AI analyzes audience reactions and refines marketing strategies continuously.Stay tuned as we continue redefining AI-driven social media marketing! Written by Garry NewballReferences[1] LangChain Conceptual Guide. Retrieved From: https://python.langchain.com/docs/concepts/[2] LangMem Documentation. Retrieved From: https://langchain-ai.github.io/langmem/[3] LangGraph Documentation. Retrieved From: https://langchain-ai.github.io/langgraph/[4] LangMem SDK for agent long-term memory. Retrieved From: https://blog.langchain.dev/langmem-sdk-launch/[5] LangMem Code Examples. Retrieved From: https://github.com/langchain-ai/langmem/tree/main/examples/intro_videosJoin thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming asponsor. 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AHOY Comics made waves in 2024 by reviving cult hero The Toxic Crusader in comic book form. This year, they're celebrating an event dubbed "Toxic Mess Summer" by having Toxie team up with the heroes of the AHOY Universe. And that includes Jesus Christ.Toxic Mess Summer kicks off in May with the release of The Toxic Avenger Pinup Special, featuring various artists lending their own takes on Toxie and the gang. From there, AHOY will release the miniseries Toxie Team-Up, which pairs Toxie with Project: Cryptid's Jersey Devil, My Bad's Acid Chimp, The Wrong Earth's Dragonflyman and Stinger, Justice Warriors' Swamp Cop and Schitt, and, yes, Second Coming's Jesus Christ.Art by Fred Harper. (Image Credit: Ahoy Comics)For those not familiar with this satirical superhero series, Second Coming sees Jesus return to Earth and become roommates with a superhero named Sunstar. Second Coming has garnered its fair share of both acclaim and controversy since the original series launched, and we doubt that's going to change as Jesus and Toxie join forces. Toxie Team-Up #1 is written and drawn by Second Coming's Mark Russell and Richard Pace.Toxic Avenger and Jesus Christ is the team-up that everybody has been clamoring for and I am not one to stand in the way, said Russell in Ahoy's press release. Just as in Second Coming, Christ shows that there are more tools in the box than just violence and that Tromaville, as strange as it is, is still a place that someone who grew up bullied by the jocks in the Roman Empire would recognize.Having already spawned five films, a cartoon, action figures, a musical, and a Marvel comic book series, the Toxic Avenger is a pop culture icon, said AHOY Comics Editor-in-Chief Tom Peyer. The only question is: why doesnt he have a church of his own?Art by Fred Harper. (Image Credit: AHOY Comics)The Toxic Avenger Pinup Special will be released on May 14, followed by Toxie Team-Up #1 on June 11. Matt Bors and Fred Harper's The Toxic Avenger miniseries will also be collected in a trade paperback edition on April 1. You can preorder The Toxic Avenger on Amazon.Toxie will also be reutrning to the big screen in 2025. In IGN's review of The Toxic Avenger, Amelia Emberwing writes, "Troma and Legendarys partnership on The Toxic Avengers 2023 'not remake' delivers a mixed bag. Director Macon Blair and the rest of the creative team may have more money to play with than Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufmans 1984 original, but it struggles to deliver on the schlocky goodness of Tromas stronger films. Still, what it lacks in so-bad-its-good silliness it makes up for with its heart and mostly practical slaughterfests. Kevin Bacon and Peter Dinklage having an absolute blast in their roles doesnt hurt, either."Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket byfollowing @jschedeen on BlueSky.

If you're a fan of Catan, you definitely don't want to miss out on this Kickstarter campaign for the Catan Masterpiece Series. FanRoll Dice has created official upgrades for Catan's components so you can bring your board to life. Per FanRoll Dice's Kickstarter page, "Each element has been reimagined with a range of materials including wood, metal, resin, and gemstone to provide an unforgettable gaming experience." The Catan Masterpiece Series includes upgrades for "dice, robbers, hexes, number discs, ports, and frames," bringing exciting new pieces to one of the best strategy board games of all time. Back the Catan Masterpiece Series on KickstarterCatan Masterpiece SeriesSee it at KickstarterIf these upgrades have caught your eye, you can pledge to back the project and start building out your new board. The link above will bring you to the main Catan Masterpiece Series page on Kickstarter, but if you're curious to see a breakdown of the different pledge tiers, we've included the graphic from their Kickstarter page just below as well.In regard to pledge tiers, the Catan Masterpiece Series Kickstarter page also states that, "These curated packages offer a variety of ways to combine different pieces and save on your overall investment. But the customization doesn't stop there - once you select a tier, you can further tailor your bundle using our add-ons." This is an excellent investment if you're a Catan fan or know someone in your life with a big love of the game, allowing you to build out your board in a unique way.More Strategy Board Game RecommendationsWingspan See it at AmazonCascadiaSee it at AmazonTicket to RideSee it at AmazonAzulSee it at AmazonCarcassonneSee it at AmazonRiskSee it at AmazonOutside of this Kickstarter, if you're looking for more tabletop games to add to your collection, it's worth having a look at our roundup of the best board games to play in 2025. This list features some of our favorite board games we've reviewed, including Wingspan and Cascadia.Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

A set 65 million years in the making. Dinosaur and LEGO fans alike can rejoice because the biggest Jurassic Park LEGO set of all time has just leaked. Allegedly just 25 more pieces than the 2019 set 75936: T. rex Rampage, the 76968: Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus is rumored to be the new set joining the theme this year. You can view the leaked images from Instagram below:76968: Dinosaur Fossils: TyrannosaurusRelease date: March 1, 2025Price: $249.99This massive brick-built rendition of the T. rex skeleton is 41 inches long (105 cm) and consists of 3,145 total pieces. Made from primarily tan and dark tan bricks, this creation seems like it will immediately become the centerpiece of any LEGO Jurassic Park collectionif youve got the shelf space needed for such a large design.The building looks undeniably immaculate. Fossils are a unique structure LEGO hasnt tapped into often, but it looks like the brick masters did a superb job capturing every detail of the dinosaur kings skeletal structure. Every bone, from the sharp teeth to vertebrae and all the ribs, is present here, which will likely yield a highly satisfying (albeit tedious, look at all those bones) building experience. The model is clearly intended to be just that, a model. Targeted at LEGO devotees ages 18+, this isnt a set meant to be played with, but rather a display item. In fact, the large rods and terrain of the T. rexs stand mimic that of a museum, something that would make fellow Steven Spielberg icon Indiana Jones proud.Speaking of Spielbergs finest characters, two new and exclusive versions of Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler are reportedly included in this package. Their outfits are the ones they are seen wearing at the start of the film, where Alan is recruited to visit the original Jurassic Park. Fittingly, during this sequence, Dr. Grant is pictured as part of an excavation crew digging up dinosaur fossils in Montana. There is even a cute little easter egg hidden behind one of the rocks on the display stand that looks like a printed element resembling a freshly unearthed T. rex skeleton.Finally, for this spectacular build, everything is communicated with an exquisitely printed plaque, queuing builders and spectators in on all the fun details of the Tyrannosaurus itself.Loyal fans of LEGO Jurassic Park might think this set looks familiar, seeing as just last year, the Danish toymaker released a smaller set of just a T. rex skull. Eagle-eyed fans pointed out the similarities between the two builds, but of course, the new set completes the entire skeleton and will allegedly command a much higher price. Additionally, a triceratops skull set was released this past January. Does that mean we can expect a similar full-scale skeleton for that dinosaur in the future? The set name Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus implies this could become a new subtheme for LEGO moving forward.