Illustration of two types of travois, or sledge, that may have been used by ancient people in North AmericaGabriel UguetoDrag marks and human footprints made up to 22,000 years ago have been found on several sites at White Sands National Park in New Mexico. These are thought to have been made by people pulling long pieces of wood laden with goods and are the earliest evidence of such activity.This kind of primitive vehicle is known as a travois. Basically its a wheelbarrow without the wheel, says Matthew Bennett at the University of Bournemouth in the UK, a member of the team that studied the tracks. AdvertisementThey were widely used across the world, but this is by far the oldest evidence of their use, says Bennett. Theres nothing this old.An ancient dried-up lake at White Sands has many ancient animal footprints, while human footprints were discovered there in 2017. In 2019, the team found long drag marks in association with human footprints, with several other examples identified since.They occur in lots of different areas, so it was widespread, says Bennett. Its not just one inventive family using a travois. Keep up with advances in archaeology and evolution with our subscriber-only, monthly newsletter.Sign up to newsletterSome of the drag marks consist of a single line. The team think this was made by a travois consisting of two long pieces of wood joined in a triangle shape, with one end of each piece held in one hand, but only a single contact point with the ground.Other drag marks consist of two parallel lines. These were probably the result of a travois where two pieces of wood were crossed in an X shape, providing two handles and two ground contact points, which would have been more stable.The drag marks often go through the footprints of the person assumed to be pulling the travois, as would be expected. In some cases, there are parallel tracks of footprints often of children showing other people walking alongside.Drag marks made by ancient vehicles in White Sands National Park, New MexicoBournemouth UniversityElsewhere in the world travois were often pulled by dogs or horses, says Bennett, but there is no evidence that the people at White Sands used animals.The dating of the footprints, announced in 2021, challenges the conventional idea that humans didnt move into the Americas until ice sheets began retreating around 15,000 years ago.The peopling of the Americas debate is a very controversial one, but were fairly confident about the dates, says Bennett. The traditional story is that the ice sheets parted and they came, but you can come through before the door closes, too. Other recent discoveries hint that humans may have reached the Americas as early as 33,000 years ago.Bennett says there are very likely similar tracks around the world that havent been recognised for what they are. In fact, his team has already discovered similar markings elsewhere in the US, he says.Journal reference:Quaternary Science Advances DOI: 10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100274Topics:human evolution

Microsoft's stock slipped Monday after an analyst note said it was canceling some US data center leases.The TD Cowen analysts said the pullback may indicate Microsoft is in a "potential oversupply position."Microsoft told BI it "may strategically pace or adjust our infrastructure in some areas" and will "continue to grow strongly."Microsoft's stock slid slightly on Monday morning after an analyst note said that the company has canceled leases for some of its US data centers, suggesting AI demand might be lower than the company expected.In a Friday note that generated buzz over the weekend, analysts at TD Cowen published takeaways from their recent channel checks, which often seek out information from a company's supply chain and distribution channels."Our channel checks indicate that MSFT has 1) cancelled leases in the US totaling 'a couple of hundred MWs' with at least two private data center operators, 2) has pulled back on the conversion of SOQ's to leases, and 3) has re-allocated a considerable portion of its international spend to the US," the analyst note said, referring to megawatts and statements of qualifications, which often precede lease signings and which data center operators frequently take as a green light on data center construction."When coupled with our prior channel checks, it points to a potential oversupply position for MSFT," the analysts wrote. In some cases, Microsoft is "using facility/power delays as a justification for the termination," they added.The analysts said it was unclear if the conversion of SOQs to leases was simply delayed or if they were outright terminated. Lastly, the analysts said the reallocated international spending suggests "a material slowdown in international leasing."Taken together, their observations at the moment suggest to the analysts that Microsoft "may have excess data center capacity relative to its new forecast."Microsoft's stock was down around 2% in Monday morning trading.In another note published Monday, the TD Cowen analysts said they believe Microsoft's actions are "related to a shift in incremental OpenAI workloads to Oracle/Softbank as we have seen a material ramp in Oracle requirements in the last three months, at a scale we have not seen from Oracle prior."President Trump last month announced Stargate, a new joint venture between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank expected to invest up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure in the US.In their Monday note, the analysts concluded, "Microsoft is still active to a degree, although it appears their run-rate data center demand is now lower vs. the torrid pace of leasing seen in 2023 and 1H24, during which time they led the data center leasing league tables amongst hyperscalers."Microsoft said in Q2 earnings that AI demand is so high that the challenge is having enough data centers. The company plans to spend $80 billion on AI data centers in this fiscal year.A Microsoft spokesperson told BI this spending "remains on track as we continue to grow at a record pace to meet customer demand.""Thanks to the significant investments we have made up to this point, we are well positioned to meet our current and increasing customer demand," the spokesperson said. "Last year alone, we added more capacity than any prior year in history. While we may strategically pace or adjust our infrastructure in some areas, we will continue to grow strongly in all regions. This allows us to invest and allocate resources to growth areas for our future."Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has previously said that he thinks global productivity and GDP growth are better metrics of AI progress and success than chasing an arbitrary definition of artificial general intelligence, or AGI."Us self-claiming some AGI milestone, that's just nonsensical benchmark hacking to me," he said said on an episode of the "Dwarkesh Podcast" that aired earlier this month. "The real benchmark is, is the world growing at 10%?"Nadella also said that "at some point, the supply and demand have to map" when it comes to AI."The classic supply side is, 'Hey, let me build it and they'll come.' I mean, that's an argument, and after all, we've done that, we've taken enough risk to go do it," he said.However, "you can go off the rails completely when you are hyping yourself with the supply-side, versus really understanding how to translate that into real value to customers," Nadella added.Though Microsoft has already had its earnings call this quarter, Wall Street will be watching Nvidia's earnings release on Wednesday for any signs of softening AI spending.

OPM sent an email to federal workers over the weekend asking them to list their accomplishments.The Social Security Administration told workers to treat it as an opportunity to highlight their work.The Department of Defense, on the other hand, told their workers not to respond to the email.One federal agency's advice to workers who received Elon Musk's email on productivity: treat it like an opportunity to highlight your accomplishments.After the Office of Personnel Management sent an email to all federal employees over the weekend requesting five bullet points on what they accomplished at work over the past week, the Social Security Administration told all agency employees that the email "is a legitimate assignment and should not be reported as spam.""You must take the action requested by the deadline," SSA's human resources department told employees in an email, reviewed by Business Insider.It added: "Review your work over the last week and identify the most impactful mission-critical work accomplishments" that advance the agency's public service goals and the administration's priorities."This is an opportunity to highlight the important work you do that helps impact the lives of those we serve," it said.An SSA employee who received the email told BI that management told workers to respond to the email as advised, and that the agency's management will have a meeting this afternoon to get more information on the next steps.SSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.The email comes after federal agencies terminated thousands of their workers over the past week, in line with President Donald Trump and Musk's goal to reduce waste and slash the government workforce. Dozens of workers including those who voted for Trump told BI that they were upset that the administration is targeting the federal workforce. Some fired workers were told cuts were targeting low performers, upping the stakes on Musk's latest ask.Some other federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, have instructed their employees not to respond to OPM's email."The Department of Defense is responsible for reviewing the performance of its personnel and it will conduct any review in accordance with its own procedures," the agency posted on X.The email sparked mass confusion across federal agencies, leaving many workers frustrated to have received the email on a Saturday with minimal guidance on how to respond. One federal worker told BI that the email was "pure harassment;" another worker said that they did not plan to respond to the email."It's absolutely crazy to be treated like this by a president," the worker said.Musk also posted on X that failure to respond to the email would be treated as a resignation. The email sent to workers did not include that claim, and Musk later posted on X on Monday morning that it "was basically a check to see if the employee had a pulse and was capable of replying to an email. This mess will get sorted out this week."The OPM gave employees Monday at 11:59 p.m. EST as the deadline to respond to the email. The National Treasury Employees Union told its members that those who have not received guidance from their agency should wait to respond; those who have received guidance should follow it, whether that means responding or not responding to the email."This situation remains very fluid, and we are actively seeking out clearer information to pass along," the union said. "It is incredibly unfortunate that you were required to complete this wholly unnecessary request."Are you a federal worker? Got a tip? Contact this reporter securely on Signal at the username asheffey.97 or email her at asheffey@businessinsider.com.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear its first employment discrimination case since President Donald Trump took power and began a fairly comprehensive assault on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in government and private employment. The case, known as Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, reads like it was generated for the very purpose of fueling opposition to DEI, and could be the end of a strange rule meant to discourage meritless discrimination lawsuits by groups not traditionally discriminated against.That legally dubious, and often impractical, rule used in a handful of federal appeals courts is known as the background circumstances rule. It often requires members of a majority group to introduce evidence that is not demanded of minority plaintiffs. It is highly likely that the Court will say that these appeals courts must abandon this rule. Indeed, the appeals courts approach rests on such shaky legal ground that its possible that the Supreme Courts decision will be unanimous.Additionally, Ames is the first Supreme Court case alleging employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation since a majority of the justices held that discrimination on this basis is illegal in Bostock v. Clayton County (2020). Though two Republican justices, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Neil Gorsuch, joined the Courts decision in Bostock (Gorsuch even authored it), the Court appeared to back away from Bostock in an odd case involving Biden-era education regulations that the Court handed down last year. None of the parties ask the Court to overrule or even narrow Bostock, but Ames could nonetheless give the justices a chance to clarify whether they stand by that decision.Significantly, Marlean Ames, the plaintiff in Ames, is a straight woman. According to her brief, she was denied a promotion that later went to a lesbian. She also alleges she was later demoted, despite a record of favorable performance reviews, and replaced by a gay man. The crux of her employment discrimination claim is that both of these actions were taken because she is heterosexual.The lower courts that heard her case, however, ruled against her before determining if this claim has merit, arguing that Ames failed to meet the standard of evidence required by the background circumstances rule. The core question facing the justices is whether courts can effectively require members of a majority group to provide evidence that is not required of minority plaintiffs. Under both federal law and the Supreme Courts precedents, the answer to this question is almost certainly no.Still, while it is hard to imagine the justices upholding the Sixth Circuits background circumstances rule, and a decision striking down that rule would hardly upend federal employment discrimination law, the case is worth watching because it potentially gives the Courts Republican majority a vehicle to lash out more broadly at DEI programs. What is unsure is whether the justices will seize the opportunity this case presents.The federal law banning employment discrimination applies equally to majority and minority plaintiffsThe background circumstances rule at the heart of Ames was first invented by the DC Circuit in 1981. Though that opinion acknowledged that whites are also a protected group under Title VII, the federal law governing many forms of employment discrimination, it reasoned that it defies common sense to suggest that the promotion of a Black employee justifies an inference of prejudice against white co-workers in our present society.Accordingly, the DC Circuit announced that majority plaintiffs in Title VII cases must demonstrate early in their lawsuit that the defendant is the unusual employer who discriminates against the majority. A handful of other federal appeals courts, including the Sixth Circuit, have since embraced this rule.It is, frankly, baffling that this rule survived as long as it has. Title VII makes no distinctions between suits brought by majority plaintiffs and suits brought by members of a minority group. And the Supreme Courts decisions stating that Title VII suits by members of historically privileged groups should be treated no differently than any other Title VII suit stretch back decades, long before the Republican Partys hard turn against DEI programs of all kinds.Title VII states that it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against anyone because of such individuals race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Thats broad language that applies to white, Christian, male, and American workers no differently than it does to anyone else. (Bostock held that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is a form of sex discrimination, which is why Amess case may be brought under Title VII.)Similarly, a unanimous Supreme Court held in McDonald v. Santa Fe Trail Transportation Co. (1976) that Title VII prohibits racial discrimination against white people upon the same standards as would be applicable if they were Black. The author of that statement, by the way, was Justice Thurgood Marshall, the legendary civil rights lawyer who argued Brown v. Board of Education.Five years before the DC Circuit created the background circumstances rule, in other words, a unanimous Supreme Court held that courts should decide Title VII suits brought by members of the majority upon the same standards as suits brought by a minority plaintiff. The DC Circuit should have followed the Supreme Courts decision in McDonald, rather than creating a rule thats inconsistent with the Courts holding.There are also serious practical difficulties in applying a rule that treats members of a majority group differently than members of a minority, at least in these circumstances. Women, for example, slightly outnumber men in the United States. Does that mean that a man alleging employment discrimination carries a lower burden than a similarly situated woman? Similarly, the background circumstances rule could cause a case to turn on very fine distinctions regarding an employers motives. Suppose, for example, that a worker alleges they were fired because their boss objected to Catholic iconography displayed on the workers desk. Catholics make up about 20 percent of the US population, so if this case is characterized as anti-Catholic discrimination, the plaintiff will not have to demonstrate the background circumstances required by the DC and Sixth Circuits. But Christians as a whole make up a majority of the US population. So if this exact same case is reframed as a case about discrimination against Christians, rather than a case about Catholics, then the background circumstances rule would apply.All of which is to say: The law has been clear for a half-century that Title VII does not draw distinctions between majority and minority plaintiffs. And this particular rule is hard to apply to a large number of potential cases.There is some risk that the Court will use this case to make a broader attack on DEI programsThe Court could hand down a narrow opinion in Ames that, much like Justice Marshalls McDonald opinion, simply announces that Title VII does not draw distinctions based on majority or minority status. But the Court also has a Republican majority, and the Republican Party is currently on a tear against DEI programs of all kinds. So it is possible that a majority of the justices will join a broader opinion in Ames.Though Amess own brief largely makes a modest attack on the background circumstances rule, a few briefs filed by right-wing legal organizations suggest a more aggressive approach. One implies that DEI programs of all kinds are a form of invidious discrimination, claiming that the rise of governments and private businesses embracing diversity, inclusion, and equity initiatives (DEI) means that discrimination pervades the modern workplace. A few quote Judge James Ho, a Trump judge known for making trollish legal arguments, who argues that diversity has increasingly become a code word for discrimination.RelatedThe edgelord of the federal judiciaryThe reality is that DEI is a broad and somewhat vague term that encompasses both programs that are unquestionably illegal (such as racial quotas), and also more benign programs such as enabling workers to form affinity groups based on their identity, or holding recruitment drives at historically Black colleges and universities in order to identify highly qualified Black job applicants. At the very least, the Court should look at each of the various programs that can fit under the DEI umbrella individually, rather than issuing a blanket statement that may sweep too broadly. The law supports a narrow decision against the background circumstances rule. But if the Republican justices decide to follow party orthodoxy, they could go much further, potentially disrupting even fairly uncontroversial efforts to diversify workplaces.See More:

This story was originally published in The Highlight, Voxs member-exclusive magazine. To get early access to member-exclusive stories every month, join the Vox Membership program today.Denise Poirier was facing a pivotal moment. After teaching in Maine public schools for more than three decades, she was preparing to leave her career for what would likely be a lower-paying job, while also navigating other major changes: adjusting to life after the end of a 28-year marriage, downsizing from a house to a condo, and her third son moving out. One afternoon, as Poirier listened to local news, she learned about Nesterly, an online platform matching older homeowners with younger renters seeking affordable housing. The company had just launched a statewide partnership and pitched a simple concept: In exchange for below-market rent, some tenants could help with light chores around the house. Im a natural worrier about money; I just am that type of person, Poirier told Vox. With my youngest son moving out, I thought, Hm, I have a little extra room. Ive always liked young people I taught high school and underresourced youth and I thought maybe this could be a good way to supplement my income. Soon, she matched with Joseph Anzalone, a 20-year-old student at Southern Maine Community College who also juggled a full-time job at the Hyatt hotel in Portland. Poirier wasnt looking for help with mowing or shoveling, just someone to keep their space clean and handle their own dishes. Anzalone was drawn to the idea of a quieter, off-campus space that, at $850 a month, cost hundreds less than a typical apartment in the area. After signing a Nesterly agreement, which is like a rental lease but also includes expectations around shared spaces, quiet hours, guests, chores, and smoking, he moved in last August. We got pretty close, Anzalone told Vox. We had fun watching the presidential debate, played debate bingo, and since my family lives in Florida, she invited me to Thanksgiving with hers.Poirier and Anzalones arrangement highlights a trend emerging across the country, one that harnesses changing demographics and an acute housing shortage. When Noelle Marcus, who would go on to found Nesterly, was studying urban planning at MIT, one statistic caught her attention: 54 million spare bedrooms sat empty each night in American homes. And thats using a very conservative methodology, only counting occupied housing units, said Marcus. Thats a lot of real estate.According to ApartmentList, about 60 percent of homes in the US now have at least one spare bedroom. The opportunity is particularly notable among empty nest households Zillow reports roughly 21 million such homes where older residents living with no children have at least two extra bedrooms. And with baby boomers retiring and birth rates declining, census data projects that by 2030, adults over 65 will outnumber children under 18 for the first time in US history.With a nationwide housing shortage and developers having largely abandoned building new entry-level homes, the idea of unlocking millions of unused bedrooms through intergenerational home-sharing is gaining traction. Between 2017 and 2022, the number of families sharing living spaces with non-relatives increased by more than 500,000, suggesting growing acceptance of the practice.Melanie Lambrick for VoxBut the benefits can extend beyond just aiding young renters or seniors on fixed incomes: Advocates see intergenerational living as a powerful tool against social isolation. Studies examining the outcomes of such households are limited, but existing research finds that seniors often report feeling more connected and in better health than those living alone. For younger residents, particularly students from disadvantaged backgrounds, research suggests that their academic performance improves when living in mixed-age communities.Ive seen situations where an 18-year-old kid is good friends with the 73-year-old retired Marine Corps sergeant, and you never would have predicted that but theyve lived together for five to six years, said Atticus LeBlanc, the CEO of Padsplit, another company founded to facilitate home-sharing arrangements.Many home-sharing programs now actively encourage these cross-generational connections. Its really a win-win for everyone, said Marci Alboher, a leader with CoGenerate, a nonprofit focused on bridging age differences. Its not just one generation showing up to serve and rescue another.Reviving an older ideaWhile multigenerational living among relatives has long offered a way for families to share resources and manage caregiving, intentional home-sharing between unrelated people traces its modern American roots to Philadelphia in the early 1970s.Thats when Maggie Kuhn, forced to retire at age 65 from a job she loved at the Presbyterian Church, founded the Gray Panthers. The organization advocated for Social Security, Medicare, and against workplace age discrimination, and grew into a movement with 100,000 members across 30 states within its first decade.As part of this work, Kuhn opened her Philadelphia home to panther cubs (younger activists), an experience that led her to establish the National Shared Housing Resource Center in 1980. That organization would go on to help establish hundreds of home-sharing programs across the US, fielding thousands of inquiries annually by the late 1980s. Kuhn viewed home-sharing as both a form of affordable housing and a way to combat social isolation. Kuhns ideas about intergenerational housing have found new urgency in West Philadelphia. The citys historically Black neighborhood of Mantua is seeing more longtime residents pushed out as Drexel University expands nearby. Over the past decade, the areas white population has increased by 73 percent, while rents have risen by 44 percent. Most concerning, theres been a startling 454 percent increase in the number of households that spend more than half their incomes on rent. In response, leaders, through the Mantua Civic Association, are partnering with Drexel to match students with older residents in the area. Again, the goal is twofold: helping longtime residents maintain or achieve homeownership while providing more affordable rental options for students.This vision gained traction in 2021 when leaders received state and philanthropic funding to help existing Mantua residents make repairs on their duplexes so homeowners could start home-sharing. Now, leaders are partnering with a local developer to build a $60 million mixed-use project that will include 18 duplexes and triplexes specifically meant for intergenerational home-sharing. Older Mantua residents will buy the properties, and rent out some units to help cover their mortgages.These home-sharing programs will recruit renters from Drexels longstanding community-based writing workshop, a free arts program for students and local Philadelphians. Leaders plan to incorporate journaling and storytelling sessions into their home-sharing model called Second Story Collective and already have their sights on expanding to university-adjacent areas beyond Philadelphia. In 2022, they received a $1 million National Science Foundation grant to explore replicating this model nationwide. Higher education is in crisis, and students and faculty are craving a new way of being more impactful, said Rachel Wenrick, executive director for arts and civic innovation at Drexels community partnerships office. This offers that, while bringing university resources to bear on solutions the neighborhood itself has identified.While such institutional partnerships show promise, sustaining intergenerational housing can be difficult. The model pioneered by Kuhn often struggled with sustainability and hundreds of home shares ultimately shut down after just a few years. Finding reliable renters that homeowners trusted, handling legal and administrative tasks, and collecting payments proved overwhelming. The Gray Panthers had popularized intergenerational home-sharing with these same values of helping people age in place and creating more affordable housing options, said Marcus of Nesterly. But they were very labor intensive and paper-driven. Today, automated background checks and payments, secure messaging, and video call portals are supposed to modernize the process and make it more convenient than it was in the 80s and 90s. Yet technology itself can present new barriers, particularly for seniors who may struggle with both awareness of and access to online platforms.Growth constraintsSavenia Falquist sees these challenges firsthand. As executive director of HomeShare Oregon founded in 2021 to address the states housing crisis shes realized that digital solutions arent enough. What I feel and where were going is we need to build capacity across the state to have coordinators in regions that go work directly with folks, she told Vox. They need help putting photos on their pages, and support to match those folks with renters.The barriers extend beyond technology. Alfa Hernandez, who directs a home-share program through the Homeless Intervention Services of Orange County, California, points to deeper concerns about safety. Seniors like the idea of companionship, but even though were there to facilitate and do monthly check-ins and screenings, theyre more prone to identity theft and falling for scams, so I think thats why theres more fear to participate, she told Vox.Melanie Lambrick for VoxMany still view sharing their private living space with strangers as a last resort. Just as ride-sharing in Uber or Lyft had to overcome being seen as weird or risky before becoming mainstream, home-sharing faces similar cultural barriers. Local regulation compounds these challenges some communities still have outdated laws that enforce traditional nuclear family living arrangements. Their zoning codes define family as those related by blood, marriage, or adoption, with occasional exceptions for domestic servants. These restrictive rules can be wielded against not just home-sharing programs, but also larger, often immigrant, intergenerational families living together. The laws are enforced when people want them to be, said LeBlanc of Padsplit. If you have a neighbor who doesnt want affordable housing in their neighborhood ... then you absolutely see an issue with it.Despite these barriers, several states have begun updating their housing policies. Over the past few years, Colorado, Iowa, Oregon, and Washington have all passed laws banning or restricting family-based occupancy limits. At the federal level, the Department of Housing and Urban Development took a step in 2021 by allowing housing vouchers to be used for shared housing arrangements.The conversation is expanding beyond just policy changes. Last spring, leaders in housing, finance, and social services convened for a Harvard University symposium on the future of intergenerational housing. Their October report emphasized design choices that could foster connection even spaces as mundane as lobbies and stairwells are being reconsidered. In one New York City housing complex, the laundry room was placed next to the rooftop garden so that parents and grandparents could play with children, practice tai chi, or tend to gardening projects while washing their clothes.Some jurisdictions are learning from parallel efforts. After California eased restrictions on accessory dwelling units in 2016, developers built over 80,000 new housing units over the next six years, providing a model that states like Massachusetts, Oregon, and Vermont have since followed. Marcus, of Nesterly, sees potential for similar momentum in home-sharing if more local governments create supportive policies. She points to the UKs Rent a Room Scheme, where homeowners can earn tax-free rental income by renting rooms in their primary residence.In Tampa, Florida, 61-year-old Quantia Hollowell shares a six-bedroom Padsplit home with five people. Though initially drawn to the more affordable rent, shes formed an unexpected bond with Bennie, a housemate two decades her junior. Her adopted son drives her to medical appointments and helps with errands. Bennie, he loves me and I love him, she said. Every day we hug each other.What started as a practical solution became something neither of them expected.See More:

GTA 5 players are proposing a group drive around Los Santos before the end of an era, with GTA 6 on the horizon and slated for launch later this year but you'll need plenty of gasTech15:54, 24 Feb 2025GTA Online could continue even after GTA 6 arrivesIt feels surreal that GTA 5 launched in 2013 and now, after so long waiting, Grand Theft Auto 6 is slated to launch this year.The game has persisted across three console generations, seen a PC port, and had GTA Online keep it going in lieu of single-player DLC. It really has been some journey for the likes of Franklin, Michael, Trevor, and the huge community they've helped foster.Still, with its numbered successor waiting in the wings, it's perhaps no surprise we're all feeling a bit misty-eyed for GTA 5 and fans have formulated a fantastic way to honour a game that will go down in history as one of the greatest of all time.Content cannot be displayed without consentPosting on X (formerly Twitter), the GTA 6 Unlimited account shared a map of Los Santos with the caption "The night before GTA 6 releases. One last drive."As the picture shows, the drive in question is one that takes in the entirety of the Los Santos area, running from the urban sprawl in the south up to the mountains and more and it's inspired the community."Would be pretty epic if full servers participated in like a group drive," one commenter said."Bro driving this route with the bros one more time is gonna be so emotional" said one fan of the word 'bro', while another asked how long it would take (some estimate less than 10 minutes, in case you're wondering).Given the GTA Online fanbase's desire to blow everything up, one player even suggested a fun way to sunset Los Santos."At the end of the drive, a random player destroys everyone and the server ends after a slow fade to black."Last week, the CEO of Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two Interactive, spoke to IGN about GTA Online's future once GTA 6 arrives.Im going to speak theoretically only because Im not going to talk about a particular project when an announcement hasnt been made. But generally speaking, we support our properties when the consumers are involved with those titles, said Zelnick."As an example, we launched NBA 2K Online in China, I think originally in 2012 if Im not mistaken. And then we launched NBA 2K Online 2 in China in 2017. If Im not mistaken. We did not sunset Online. They both are still in the market and they serve consumers and theyre alive and we have this massive audience."Article continues below"So weve shown a willingness to support legacy titles when a community wants to be engaged with them.In case you missed it, GTA 5 fans on PC are getting a free update to convert it to the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

Dave Bautista has been attached to a Gears of War movie for years, but now the former WWE Champion is pushing Netflix to get the ball rolling on the project once and for allTech15:49, 24 Feb 2025Gears of War is one of Microsoft's biggest franchisesVideo game movies and TV shows are a funny thing, aren't they? For years, they were pretty lacking in quality outside of a gem like the first Silent Hill movie, and then all of a sudden we get The Last of Us, Fallout, and Sonic 3 which are all great.As we inch closer to the long-awaited Jack Black and Jason Momoa-starring Minecraft movie, one action star is calling for an update from Netflix on its long-dormant Gears of War project.Dave Bautista, known for his time in WWE as well as starring in Guardians of the Galaxy and for his role in Dune Pt 1 and 2 among others, is appearing in the upcoming Lost Lands but he's got a trip to Sera on his mind.Bautista has gone from WWE superstar to Hollywood star(Image: Getty Images)Speaking to Comic Book about his new movie, Bautista has had enough with the wait for movement on Gears of War.Start an online thing about freaking Gears of War. Come on, Netflix. Come on already, Bautista told the outlet, even confirming he's been "badgering" the streaming service.Its not like Im not badgering them. Come on, Netflix. Get it together.Bautista has been one of the more obvious fan castings for Gears of War's Marcus Fenix, with series creator Cliff Bleszinski taking to X (formerly Twitter) way back in 2022 to express his support for the star.Content cannot be displayed without consentAs for the project, though, it's unclear on what stage it's at. As Comic Book points out, the trail has gone cold since early 2023 after Dune and Doctor Strange's co-writer Jon Spaihts joined the project.Gears of War is one of the all-time great action games, with vivid characters, a beautifully designed world, and a combat system that drives home the lethality of war and the importance of standing by your squadmates, Spaihts said at the time.Article continues belowIt wants to be cinema, and Im thrilled to have the chance to help that happen.As for Netflix, the company revealed a whole host of projects at its Geeked Week event last year. Those include a Magic The Gathering animated series, more Cyberpunk content, a Devil May Cry show, Splinter Cell animated series, and much, much more. Will they ever find time for Gears? Here's hoping.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

Monster Hunter Wilds a hunt worth joining (Capcom)The follow-up to Monster Hunter: World is finally here and its easily the best in the series so far, with an expanded open world and improved combat.Monster Hunter celebrated its 20th anniversary last year and it seems fair to say its never been so popular. Its always been big in Japan being almost single-handedly responsible for the success of the PSP handheld console but ever since the aptly named 2018s Monster Hunter: World its been popular everywhere else as well.Theres always been a fairly arbitrary distinction as to what is and isnt a mainline entry and while Wilds is being positioned by publisher and developer Capcom as the true successor to World, it also takes some influence from 2021s Monster Hunter Rise which started off as a Nintendo Switch exclusive.The Monster Hunter series relies on slow evolution rather than sudden change but by the standards of the franchise Wilds is a big step forward in a number of areas, even if its key pleasures, and most obvious faults, remain the same as always.A lot of the new features have been added following discussions with fans, about what they want to see added and changed, but were not sure many of them were desperate for Capcom to spend much time worrying about the storytelling. Previous games have had very little plot, but Wilds purposefully has a lot more cut scenes than usual, even if the characters are still paper thin and desperately uninteresting.The problem with having too much story in Monster Hunter is the same as in the Pokmon games, where trying to justify a society based almost solely on capturing, or in this case killing and resource-mining, wild animals all starts to seem a bit distasteful. Sensibly, Wilds tries not to dwell on that too much, but its story of lost civilisations and previously unknown monsters is not terribly gripping.The story segments dont even look particularly good, when theyre not pre-rendered, with background characters teleporting in and out of scenes and an ugly dithering effect straight out of a Switch game. This is strange because the wider game world, and the monsters, look fantastic and are easily the best the series has seen.While Worlds was open world, Wilds expands the concept further so that the village hub that you return to at the end of a hunt is now a part of that world and not some separate, dislocated location. Not only that but the various biomes are all persistent, so if you bring down a rock formation or farm one area for smaller creatures, they dont suddenly reset back to their original state if you leave and come back.How does Monster Hunter Wilds work?If youre not familiar with the series, the main gameplay loop for Monster Hunter is very straightforward even if the implementation is not. Although there are now story missions that can focus more on exploration and unique set pieces, generally each one sets you the goal of defeating a particular monster, whose carcass you can then butcher for resources needed to make new armour, weapons, and other items (the game is entirely bloodless, which you could argue is somewhat hypocritical, given what youre doing).Often, monsters have to be tracked down or coaxed into the open, and most will end up running off multiple times in a battle. You always enter combat with a bipedal cat-like creature called a Palico, which can offer some assistance in terms of healing items and acting as a distraction, but ideally you want to be playing with up to four people in online co-op, which is where much of the games popularity comes from even though you can also play on your own and with computer-controlled allies.All of this is the same for Wilds but the one benefit of the new focus on storytelling is a wider range of bespoke missions where its not simply go here and kill this. A lot of the plot involves searching for a long lost expedition, which leads to unique set pieces where you werent initially on the hunt for monsters but they suddenly turn up anyway.At the same time, some missions are investigations to find where a particular monster is on a map, for later reference, while creature can have different statuses, such as frenzied monsters and tempered monsters (that have survived multiple battles) which are tougher but make the process of fighting the same creature again and again in order to gain enough resources to craft items a lot more enjoyable. They also help to alleviate inevitable veteran complaints that Wilds is too easy. The Seikret come in very handy (Capcom)There are two main reasons Western gamers were put off of Monster Hunter for so long, the most obvious being the lack of robust online options, which Worlds fixed. The other is the games continuing problem with accessibility. Press the Start button and suddenly the full user interface is revealed, and it looks like the control panel for a jumbo jet.Wilds makes a much better effort than before with tutorials, many of which pop back multiple times when the game thinks you might have forgotten something which is very useful. But as shallow as Capcom try to make the learning curve its still huge and asks an awful lot from completely new players.Another long-standing point of contention has been that while there are 14 weapon types (surprisingly there are no new ones this time round) the vast majority are very slow and unwieldy to use, the absolute opposite of what youd expect of a Capcom action game. This always used to be a stumbling block for us, in appreciating the series, but over the years weve come to enjoy the unique pace of the game and how it forces you to consider every attack and wait for your moment.That said, Wilds introduces a new Focus mode which revolves around using a more direct, over the shoulder camera view that lets you target already injured body parts and is very satisfying when you get a direct hit on a weak point. You dont have to do this though and while the array of options may take a while to learn youve got a great deal of freedom in how you take monsters down, depending on the weapons you use, the various traps and potions at your disposal, and how you organise your teamwork with other players.The idea of tricking monsters into fighting each other is also expanded upon, with the game making it more obvious that some are the prey of other creatures, which helps to bring them out into the open and/or soften them up. Theres generally a lot more monsters on screen at once too, with an attempt to portray herd behaviour when theyre both moving and under attack, with the monsters able to roam the whole open world map just as easily as you.Wilds introduces a new mount named Seikret, which is a chocobo type creature that will move towards your target automatically if you let it. They can also be ridden in combat and can carry a second weapon for you to swap to if you need it, which reduces the chance of you being stuck with the wrong tool for the job.This helps to make traversal a lot easier and quicker, especially as you still have the grappling hook style slinger from World, which as well as being used to grab items can also trigger rock falls and the like from a distance.More TrendingThere is probably no way to make Monster Hunter instantly accessible, in the way some non-believers would like, without removing most of the depth and peculiarities that are at the heart of its appeal. It can still be frustrating, when you forget how a particular system works or struggle with the slow wind-up of many of the weapons, but the game has to be that way or thered be no satisfaction in getting it right.Wilds isnt a breakthrough like Worlds, but it is a better game and by a fairly clear margin. If it had been made brand new today, as the first in the franchise, theres no way it would be this complex and esoteric. But its long lineage, and less instinctive elements, have become part of a very welcome legacy, that helps to retain the series distinctiveness and protect it against the ravages of execs trying to make it more streamlined and instinctive.Monster Hunter is what it is and hopefully that will never change, especially as Monster Hunter Wilds is the best the series has ever been.Monster Hunter Wilds review summaryIn Short: An excellent follow-up to Monster Hunter World, which expands the formula in a number of useful and exciting ways, without streamlining the heart out of the franchise.Pros: The new style of open world works great and new features such as the Seikret are welcome. Focus mode is very satisfying to use and the core combat and co-op action is as enjoyable as ever.Cons: Being the most accessible Monster Hunter ever doesnt really mean that much. Predictably poor storytelling and a lack of new weapon types is surprising.Score: 9/10Formats: PlayStation 5 (previewed), Xbox Series X/S, and PCPrice: 64.99Publisher: CapcomDeveloper: CapcomRelease Date: 28th February 2025Age Rating: 16 Some weapons are more difficult to wield than others (Capcom)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.ArrowMORE: Games Inbox: Is Mario better than Astro Bot?GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Look down at your desk for a moment. Whats your space look like? Hows you keyboard? What about speakers? How many monitors do you have? When it comes to PC gaming, there is just so so so much room to upgrade your setup. From the different GPUS and CPUs and RAM on the system itself to the various gaming accessories like a mechanical keyboard or surround sound over-the-ear headset, it can be a slow process to build your dream PC gaming area. One of those accessories that easily can be forgotten about is the mouse. That cheap $10 one you got at the checkout counter last time you were at Staples certainly does what its supposed to do, but it can be so much better than that.Take a look at this Logitech G Pro wireless gaming mouse. Its designed for esports grade performance and right now its marked down by 47%. Its nearly half off, down from $130 to just $69. Thats a savings of $61 for a spectacular gaming mouse that will be feel nicer to use and improve your game noticeably.See at AmazonMade with and for Pro GamersThis mouse is the result of two years of working with professional esports gamers to combine their needs while performing with advanced technologies and ultra-lightweight design. Over 50 of the worlds top pro players were consulted during the design process.The wireless at play here is able to overcome the traditional limitations of wireless latency, delivering a super-fast 1 millisecond response rate when connected. The Logitech G Pro gaming mouse utilizes a HERO 25K sensor, tracking flicks at speeds of over 400 IPS, achieving peak performance with no smoothing or filtering at andy DPI.The endoskeleton design is ultra-thin yet remains strong, allowing the mouse to weigh in at a remarkably light 80 grams. Its ergonomic and ambidextrous in design to maximize your comfort and control.Its built to last for as much as 50 million clicks. Thats a crap ton of clicking before you will feasibly run into any issues. It also utilizes removable and programmable side buttons to add more versatility to your gaming or workflow. Personally, my job requires a lot of screen capping so Ive set one of my side buttons to triggering the snipping tool. It comes in super handy.For a limited time, you can grab the Logitech G Pro wireless gaming mouse for almost half off. Down from $130, the esports grade mouse is currently going for just $69.See at Amazon

If youve opened TikTok, Instagram, or X (formerly Twitter) even once this year, you probably know what aCostco Guyis. If you too want to go shopping while eating a chicken bake or try the new double-chunk chocolate cookie, then youll need yourself a Costco membership. A Costco membership will allow you to shop at over 600 locations within the United States as well as over 800 locations worldwide. Youll be able to use your card at Costcos business centers, travel, gas stations, hearing aid centers, optical, pharmacies and, of course, Costcos website.Lucky for you,its only $65 for the year and right now,youll be granted a $20 digital shop card with your purchase.See at StackSocialThousands of Brand-Name ProductsThe real magic however happens right at the warehouses where you can find anything your heart desires. Laundry detergent? Got it. Rotisserie chicken? Oh yeah. 80 4K OLED television? You bet. Seven-person hot tub? Yup. And then you can treat yourself after a long day of shopping to a hot dog for one dollar a price point to which the founder of Costco told a CEO who wanted to raise it,If you raise the effing hot dog, I will kill you.Anyone in your household can share the membership with you. Kid just got their license and wants to drive? Cool! Put them to work doing errands. Perhaps you can entice them with the free samples.I finally bit the bullet and got myself my own Costco membership recently. I honestly dont know how I was living without one. Stocking up on snacks in bulk is really the only way you should be buying snacks. Bulk also makes it way harder to eat the entire box of Goldfish in one sitting which, yes, is something I was dealing with.Upon signing up, the $20 Costco card will be sent directly via email from Costco within two weeks after successfully redeeming. The digital credit is not just one-time use, so you dont have to spend the $20 at once. Good luck with that though. Not because Costco items are expensive, but because theres so much good stuff youll have trouble staying in the double digits each time you go.Note that this offer is only available to customers in the United States and Puerto Rico and can is only valid for new members or for members whose memberships have been expired for more than 18 months. Get your membership today for just $65 and be rewarded with your bonus $20 shop card in your inbox.See at StackSocial