The Future Games Show Spring Showcase airs on March 20th from the Game Developers Conference (GDC). While we know titles like System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster will receive updates, Remedy Entertainment has also confirmed FBC: Firebreak for the show.On Bluesky, the developer told fans to get excited for more news, though it didnt provide further details. It could potentially reveal a beta or even a release date. Time will tell, so stay tuned for updates.FBC: Firebreak is out sometime this year for Xbox Series X/S, PC, and PS5 while launching on day one for Game Pass and PlayStation Plus Extra/Premium. Taking place years after Control, it sees players controlling a special unit who circulate through The Oldest House and take on any threats. Despite the co-op nature of the title (which is also a first-person shooter, a Remedy first), its not necessarily a live-service game.On top of being a mid-priced title, Remedy also confirmed that its PC requirements wont be as steep as Alan Wake 2. Head here for more details on the teams vision for the game.Get excited for some more FBC: Firebreak news on March 20th! See you there #FBCFirebreak Remedy Entertainment (@remedygames.com) 2025-02-28T14:46:43.612Z

Developer Morefun Studios has released a new trailer for its upcoming action game The Hidden Ones. The trailer showcases one of the newest additions to the games roster of characters: Xue Fan. Check out the trailer below.Kicking things off on a creepy note, Xue Fan is swiftly introduced in a fight against the games protagonist, where he gets to show off quite a few of his moves. More of the characters capabilities are then showcased, giving us a look at how Xue Fan would work in the games PvP mode.Capping things off, the studio has also revealed that it will be kicking off a pre-alpha test for The Hidden Ones. Those interested can get access to the pre-alpha test by registering on the official website. Access will also be distributed through social media giveaways, as well as through Twitch Drop rewards.The pre-alpha for The Hidden Ones will be kicking off on February 17 on PC and Android. To take part, players will need at minimum an Intel i7 9700 or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, or an Intel Arc A580 GPU, and 16 GB of RAM along with 40 GB of storage.The studio recommends an Intel i7 10700KF or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 or AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT GPU, and 32GB of RAM.Android devices will need to run on at least a Snapdragon 8 Gen1 or Dimensity 9000 SoC and have 8 GB of RAM. The recommended smartphone specs are a Snapdragon 8 Gen3 or Dimensity 9200 SoC and 12 GB of RAM. The Hidden Ones will weigh in at 35 GB on Android.The Hidden Ones is a 3D fighting game that will have an emphasis on PvP. Along with competing against others, players can also take on the games story mode, which will feature its own boss fights, complete with cinematic cutscenes and massive set pieces.

Virtuos CEO Gilles Langourieux wonders if tighter budgets could lead to more creativity in the shell-shocked game industry.Read More

TechTarget and Informa Techs Digital Business Combine.TechTarget and InformaTechTarget and Informa Techs Digital Business Combine.Together, we power an unparalleled network of 220+ online properties covering 10,000+ granular topics, serving an audience of 50+ million professionals with original, objective content from trusted sources. We help you gain critical insights and make more informed decisions across your business priorities.Monster Hunter Wilds opens to 1.3 million PC playersMonster Hunter Wilds opens to 1.3 million PC playersThe player count for Monster Hunter Wilds greatly rose up overnight, and it's now Capcom's most-played PC game ever.Justin Carter, Contributing EditorFebruary 28, 20252 Min ReadImage via Capcom.At a GlanceCapcom put faith in Monster Hunter Wilds for its current fiscal year, and that faith appears to have been rewarded.The newly launched Monster Hunter Wilds has already started off big, with over 1.3 million players on PC alone.As Capcom's beast-slaying game launched overnight, its concurrent player count gradually rose to hundreds of thousands. At time of writing, the current count is 1,307,976 players. So far, Capcom hasn't disclosed how this translates to sales, which would also include its release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.Wilds is now Capcom's best-ever PC launch, a record previously held by Dragon Dogma II's then-peak of over 200,000 players in 2024. It's also considerably higher than the peaks for Monster Hunter World (334,684 players) and Monster Hunter Rise (231,360 players).For Steam overall, it's the sixth most-played game on the platform of all time ahead of Dota 2 (1.2 million players) and Cyberpunk 2077 (1 million players) and behind Lost Ark (1.32 million players) and Counter-Strike 2 (1.8 million players).In the developer's third-quarter fiscal report from January, Capcom placed its faith in Wilds' performance as a counterbalance for its declining income and revenue that quarter.The milestone is also notable since its Steam version first had an "Overwhelmingly Negative" response on the storefront, which has since changed to "Mixed."The rise of Monster HunterMonster Hunter has gradually grown into a flagship franchise for Capcom, which has been working to score more consistent hits beyond Resident Evil and Street Fighter. Ahead of Monster Hunter Wilds' launch, sales for World grew until it hit over 25 million copies, the highest-grossing Capcom game to date.Similarly, sales for its Iceborne expansion and Monster Hunter Rise have grown in the years since their respective launches. The franchise will further grow with Monster Hunter Outlanders, a mobile spinoff developed by Capcom and TiMi.Ahead of Wilds' launch, Game Developer spoke with Capcom about the game's approach to open-world design and the company's ongoing hot streak.Read more about:CapcomSteamTop StoriesAbout 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

Tesla is planning to install dozens of Supercharger sites at Steak n Shake locations across the country, according to an exchange between the companies on X. The companies have signed an agreement for over six sites, with over 20 more to come. And if Steak n Shake gets its way, possibly 100 restaurants will see future Supercharger installations. The way the news trickled out was a little weird, yet typical of how Elon Musk likes to use his social media platform, X, to publicize new information about his various companies. It started with seed oilsIt started with a post about how Steak n Shake was switching from seed oils to beef tallow to cook its french fries, referencing Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has repeatedly made controversial claims about seed oils. (We dont have to get into all that now.)Musk, a major Trump supporter who is fronting the DOGE-led effort to overhaul the federal bureaucracy, replied to the post that the fries taste way better! Steak n Shake responded by thanking him and asking whether Tesla planned on installing charging stations at its restaurants. To which Teslas Supercharger account replied:6 sites signed already, 20+ sites in design reviewLets lock in those layouts @Steaknshake Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) February 27, 2025Steak n Shake responded again, suggesting 100 locations could serve as Supercharger sites. Tesla has formed partnerships with restaurant and convenience store chains in the past, including Ruby Tuesday and Sheetz. The company is also currently building its own 1950s-style diner and drive-in movie theater, with over 30 charging stalls. Tesla likely wont be able to rely on federal funding for any new charging locations, after the Trump administration halted a $5 billion federal program to install new EV chargers. Tesla has received $31 million in funds from the program to install 539 DC fast-charging ports, which represents 6 percent of all funds distributed so far,according to a dashboard that tracks the spending.

Cold Wallet, Well Go USAs new darkly comedic home invasion thriller from director Cutter Hodierne, becomes increasingly more absurd as it unfolds. At every turn, the movies heroes a group of excitable retail investors make unhinged choices that make them feel more like cartoons than people who have complex lives outside of Reddit. But in the films story about how quickly big bets on crypto can go left, you can feel Cold Wallet tapping into something very real about what makes people believe that rugs can never be pulled from beneath their feet.Cold Wallet tells the tale of Billy (Ral Castillo), a down-on-his-luck father, who, after a nasty separation from his ex, decides to bet everything he has on a hot, new crypto coin called Tulip. Like his twitchy hacker friend Eva (Melonie Diaz) and MMA-obsessed buddy Dom (Tony Cavalero), Billy sees Tulip as an opportunity to radically change his lot in life. Its easy for the trio to pour their money into Tulip because they genuinely believe that the coins creator, Charles Hegel (Josh Brener), wants to make the world a better place for people like them. But when Tulips value suddenly tanks one day and Hegel an eclectic recluse dies under very dubious circumstances, Billys crew is convinced that theyve been screwed over, and they set out on a deadly mission to put things right.Especially once people start speculating that Hegel isnt actually dead, Cold Wallets plot begins to sound more and more like a heightened riff on the very real story of how thousands of people lost everything in 2018 when Quadriga cofounder Gerald Cotten unexpectedly dropped dead during his honeymoon.When I recently sat down to speak with Hodierne about Cold Wallet, he told me that he very much wanted for the movie to play like the kind of revenge fantasy people hurt by Quadriga might dream about. In Hegel, were supposed to see shades of the greed that made Cotten a wealthy man before his death. But Hodierne also wanted his villain to feel like a larger-than-life example of the way capitalism can turn people into ghoulish caricatures, which is why he looked to Martin Shkreli for inspiration.With Hegel, we wanted to lean into him being the kind of guy who is like the rules are here to be manipulated and taken advantage of; Im just doing my part, Hodierne explained. Hes the type of person who thinks if the rules arent good enough to stop me, then whose problem is that really? That kind of attitude is very dangerous and I think Hegels character resembles a lot of the people who are taking over the country right now.Though Hodierne owns some crypto of his own, he sees memecoins like President Donald Trumps and the Hawk Tuah girls as bastardizations of cryptos true potential that reflect the USs wealth-obsessed culture. It was important to Hodierne that Cold Wallet illustrate what makes people so game to bet on the blockchain even though the crypto space is filled with horror stories. But through Billys character, in particular, Hodierne wanted to reinforce how quickly investing in crypto can upend peoples lives in disastrous ways.With Billy, it was about this tug and pull between enthusiasm and desperation enthusiasm to evangelize Tulip coins possibilities to his friends, and then his desperation when its all gone, Hodierne told me. Hes the embodiment of a freefall event or a crash in the crypto market, and he has this level of rage that has been amplified tenfold because this was his last fucking try and it backfired.As Billy and his friends arm themselves and set out for Hegels remote compound, Cold Wallet frames their mission in a comedic light thats at odds with the fact that theyre psyching themselves up to kill a man if push comes to shove. The framing makes them feel like people whove spent too much time watching action movies, but Hodierne told me that Cold Wallets silliness is, in part, one of the ways he wanted to convey the sense of desperation that often leads to people putting their faith in digital currencies.There are so many systems in place to sort of keep people just getting by, and crypto can feel like a way out, Hodierne said. I have friends who became like multi-millionaires from crypto, and thats the kind of positive reinforcement that can make people think oh, this is worth the risk. That was the vibe when crypto had its major resurgence during the Covid era and everyone was desperate.As dark as Cold Wallet gets, Hodierne always knew that keeping the film funny would be key to making it accessible to folks who have kept their distance from crypto. Billy and his friends are supposed to feel like the sorts of ordinary people you might know and be able to sympathize with. But theyre also meant to remind you that, in most cases, things like Tulip are designed to help the few and hurt the masses.Unfortunately, I think the joke is always on the little guy, Hodierne said. Even with GameStop all that stuff, ultimately, Wall Street was able to follow the movement and benefit from it. Even when the little guy is getting his public win, the big guy can always tack on to it, and it all just reminds you that its hard to beat the house.Cold Wallet is now in theaters and available to purchase digitally.See More:

LatestMachine LearningBuilding LLM Agents with LangGraph #1: Introduction to LLM Agents & LangGraph 0 like February 28, 2025Share this postAuthor(s): Youssef Hosni Originally published on Towards AI. Step-by-Step Guide to Building LLM Agents with LangGraphThis member-only story is on us. Upgrade to access all of Medium.LLM agents are a very powerful tool for automating complex workflows. In this first article of the Building LLM Agents with LangGraph series, we lay the foundation for understanding LLM agents and their agentic workflows.We explore what LLM agents are, the fundamental building blocks that make them work, and the concept of agentic workflows. By diving into key design patterns, such as self-reflection, tool use, planning, and multi-agent collaboration, readers will gain insights into how these patterns enhance agent capabilities.The article also introduces LangGraph, a framework designed to streamline the creation and management of LLM agents, highlighting its core concepts and advantages. This introduction serves as the gateway to mastering the principles and practicalities of building LLM agents with LangGraph, which we will build in the coming articles.This article is the first article in the ongoing series of Building LLM Agents with LangGraph:Introduction to Agents & LangGraph (You are here!)Building Simple ReAct Agent from Scratch (Coming Soon!)Main Building Units of LangGraph (Coming Soon!)Agentic Search Tools in LangGraph (Coming Soon!)Persistence and Streaming in LangGraph (Coming Soon!)Human in the Loop in LLM Agents (Coming Soon!)Putting it All Together! Building Essay Writer Read the full blog for free on Medium.Join 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. Published via Towards AITowards AI - Medium Share this post

IDW may have just recently relaunched its flagship Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic, but there's also a big finale looming on the horizon. This April, IDW will publish the fifth and final chapter of TMNT: The Last Ronin II - Re-Evolution, as a new generation of Turtles make their final stand in a dystopian future version of New York.As part of IGN Fan Fest 2025, we can exclusively debut a new preview of The Last Ronin II #5. Get a closer look in the slideshow gallery below:Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II - Re-Evolution #5 - Exclusive Preview GalleryTMNT: The Last Ronin II - Re-Evolution #5 is written by Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz, with art by Ben Bishop, Isaac Escorza, and Esau Escorza.Here's IDW's official description of issue #5: The second installment in the legendary Last Ronin saga comes to its fiery and climactic conclusion! The streets of New York have erupted in an all-out war and no one is safe. Casey, April, Odyn, Yi, Moja, and Uno are all in the crosshairs. Will everyone make it out alive? Their fate is in the hands of legendary writers Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz as curtains close on this chapter of The Last Ronin!"One of the things that we did want to do was really update the characters. There's two male, two female Turtle characters, and me and Tom trying to write what teenagers might think and say and do," Eastman told IGN in 2024. "There's a nice cross section of different personalities, much like the original Turtles. You want to have them always love their family, but not always like them. And so they might argue. They might spat. They might have disagreements, but when they need to work together as a team, it's the heart and soul of the family that always keeps them together. And that's always going to be the foundation of anything we do with Turtles."PlayTMNT: The Last Ronin II - Re-Evolution #5 will be released on April 30. You can also preorder The Last Ronin II hardcover collection on Amazon.In other TMNT news, check out our exclusive interview with TMNT writer Jason Aaron and TMNT x Naruto writer Caleb Goellner.Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

IDW has been nothing if not ambitious in its approach to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise lately. In 2024 alone, they relaunched the flagship TMNT comic under writer Jason Aaron, kicked off the sequel to the best-selling TMNT: The Last Ronin, and embarked on a ninja-heavy crossover in the form of TMNT x Naruto. Now in 2025, the main TMNT series has a new regular artist and a new status quo. The four Turtles are finally back together, but theyre not exactly on friendly terms these days.As part of IGN Fan Fest 2025, we had a chance to speak with both Aaron and TMNT x Naruto writer Caleb Goellner to find out whats next for their respective books. How do these stories grow with time? Whats the mission statement for the TMNT line? And will Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo ever learn to get along again? Heres what we learned.The Mission Statement of Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesAgain, IDW has launched a lot of new TMNT series in a short span of time, including their flagship monthly series. The new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 was certainly a hit, selling around 300,000 copies and ranking among the top-selling comics of 2024. We were curious if IDW had a guiding vision or mission statement for the TMNT line that Aaron was seeking to execute. As he explains, its all about getting back in touch with the classic Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird TMNT comics from the Mirage days.For me, on this book, the guiding principle was just looking back at that original series, the original Mirage Studios book, Aaron tells IGN. Last year was the 40th anniversary of that series, kicking off and introducing the Turtles, and that was my expert first experience with those characters. Before the films or the cartoons or anything, it was that original black and white Mirage Studios book. So I wanted to try to recapture some of the grittiness and griminess and the big double-page spreads and action scenes of grimy turtles fighting ninjas in New York City alleyways. Aaron continues, That's kind of the spirit we were going for, but also to tell a story that felt new and felt like it was taking these characters forward after all the stuff they'd been through in the previous 150 issues of the IDW series, to see how they've kind of grown up a little bit and reached a turning point in their lives where they're going in four different directions and trying to figure out how do they come back together and be the heroes they used to be that they need to be to win this fight.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #11 - Exclusive Preview GalleryAs mentioned, TMNT #1 was among the best-selling comics of last year, alongside other major successes like Marvels Ultimate Universe line, DCs Absolute line, and Skybounds Energon Universe. There seems to be a common thread there, with audiences responding very strongly to comics that seek to reboot and/or streamline major franchises. Is there a pent-up demand for books that offer easy jumping-on points for these big properties?It certainly seems like it after last year, and I'm very happy to have been a part of a couple of those, even though I've been doing this for 20 years and I've written, wrote a whole bunch of stuff for Marvel in the last few years, I've written for what feels like every company in comics. I still don't really even think about that stuff, Aaron says. I sit down to do my job here at my desk, in an empty basement by myself, and I'm just trying to make up stories that get me excited. And I knew as soon as I got the call about doing Turtles, which was not really a job I'd ever imagined would come my way when I got that call, I was excited for that opportunity and realized I think I can do something kind of cool.Aaron continues, And then got to work with an incredible, ridiculous cavalcade of artists over the course of those first six issues. So I just knew we were doing a book that made me really, really excited. As someone who grew up a Turtles fan and as someone who just loves good comic book stories, I think this is a story for you if you've loved The Turtles for 40 years, if you've never heard of them until this moment in time. And so, thankfully, that excitement seems to have translated to other people.A TMNT Family ReunionAarons TMNT run started off with a very unusual status quo. As issue #1 opens, the four Turtles are scattered to the four corners of the globe. Raph is in prison. Mike is a TV star in Japan. Leo is a brooding monk. And Don? Lets just say hes the worst off of the bunch. Only by the end of that first storyline does Aaron bring the family back together in their old stomping grounds in New York City. We were curious if Aaron feels a certain sense of satisfaction in bringing the brothers back together (even if its clear most of them would rather be anywhere else).Those first four issues were really fun to write when you're seeing each of the brothers kind of in a different situation around the globe, Aaron says. I had a lot of fun with those - what kind of trouble they had gotten into and then what starts to bring them back together. But the real fun is what happens once they are all together, seeing how those four characters bounce off each other. At this point in time in the book, things aren't great. Theyre not really happy to see each other, and they're not reliving old times. They're very much rubbing each other the wrong way.Aaron adds, None of them really want to be there, the pieces don't fit together anymore like they used to. And then in issue #6, when they finally make their way back to New York City, we see that the city has changed as well. The entire city of New York City has been weaponized against them by this new villain who's a part of the Foot Clan. So the Turtles find themselves the most hated entities in the Five Boroughs, the Six Boroughs, I guess, including Mutant Town. So the odds are stacked against them in a huge way, and again, they can't even stand to be around each, it seems like. So how are they going to come together and win this fight?Apart from the Turtles being back together, the biggest change beginning with issue #6 is the fact that Juan Ferreyra has become the new regular artist on the series. Aaron makes it clear hes thrilled to be working with Ferreyra and to have a more consistent visual style going forward.Again, it made sense to use different artists for those first five issues because we focused on the different Turtles, and then issue #5 focused on our new bad guy who's the District Attorney of New York City, Aaron says. But having Juan come on with issue #6 made sense when the main bulk of the plot picks up. And Juan, even though he was following this group of titans on this book, artistic Titans, he's doing incredible work. I think anybody who sees issues #6 and #7 realized this guy was born to draw the Turtles. He was born to draw this kind of Turtle story again, jumping through alleyways, running across the rooftops of Manhattan. Juan's work on this has been absolutely killer. So I think even though he's following all those legends, he's really making this book his own, I think, in a huge way.Merging the TMNT and Naruto UniversesIts no easy challenge combining two franchises as iconic as TMNT and Naruto, but thats what Goellner and artist Hendry Prasetya have managed with their crossover series. The first two issues of TMNT x Naruto introduce a universe where the Turtles and the Uzumaki Clan coexist in the same world, though theyre only just now encountering one another for the first time. Goellner gives Prasetya all the credit for redesigning the Turtles and making them feel like a cohesive part of the Naruto universe.I couldn't be happier, Goellner tells IGN. I only had a few basic little suggestions about how to do that. I can't take any credit for the Turtles awesome redesigns. I was like, I don't know, put them in masks in the first issue, like in Naruto, and what they came back with was, it's unreal. I hope they get made into toys. I don't have any say. I don't have any insight, but that's my wish, just so I can put them up on my shelf with my collection.As with so many comic book crossovers, half the fun of TMNT x Naruto is seeing the various personalities clash and the interactions between the gathered heroes. We were curious if Goellner had any favorite character pairings in these first few chapters of the series.The job for me is sort of to make sure all of the characters have a moment together through the course of the book, because you don't want to leave anybody hanging, Goellner says. I really like seeing Kakashi with anyone because now that I'm a dad, Kakashi is my viewpoint character to the Naruto world. I'm like, How do you manage all these kids? Splinter, you know, I'm not as wise and strong and as good at fighting as Splinter, so I love him, too, but Kakashi is doing a lot of internal face-palming, but he's staying profesh and he's keeping the trains moving for the youth. I'm going to cheat and just say all of them.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto #3 - Exclusive Preview GalleryGoellner adds, I mean, it's funny. I write this stuff and I just kind of forget what I even did. You are trying to do a good job, and all of it's a surprise. It comes back. I'm like, I wrote that? That's pretty good. That's pretty funny. Mikey's being funny with the group. I really like the heavies. I like Raph and Sakura. I like the way they bounce off each other, both kind of like the tanks of the teams, but I'm super excited to keep going. I think there'll be some even more cool surprises once the fighting with the adversary of the story heats up in #3.Finally, Goellner teased what fans can expect from the series as the two ninja clans make their way into Big Apple Village. It all centers around a major TMNT villain who was specifically requested by Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto.He had one request for this crossover. It was to have a certain villain appear and for the Naruto characters to fight that certain villain, Goellner says. I'm not going to say who, but I think everybody's going to be pretty stoked. I know I am, and I can't wait to see how folks react because so far the vibe on the book's super positive, and I really appreciate everybody coming on this journey.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7 just hit stores on February 26, while Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto #3 releases on March 26. Also, be sure to check out IGNs exclusive preview of the final chapter of TMNT: The Last Ronin II - Re-Evolution.Also as part of IGN Fan Fest 2025, we got an early look at IDW's new Godzilla shared universe and a sneak peak of an upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog storyline.Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Orchids are by far one of the most beautiful and varied flowers you can keep in your home. Their vibrant colors and unique petals make them some of the most sought-after plants. These beauties, however, require a bit more TLC than beginner-friendly plants like philodendrons or air plants. So whether you bought one of these gorgeous flowers at the store, or you have a bulb and don't know what to do next, here is everything you need to know.What are orchids?Orchids belong to the Orchidaceae family, and these blooms can be found all over the world. As a perennial plant, orchids live for several years. In fact, with proper care, they can survive for more than fifteen years. Of course, to make this happen, you have to be very diligent with their care.Westend61//Getty ImagesPlanting an orchid is best done during spring or early summer. How do you plant an orchid?Orchids are tropical plants that thrive in stable, controlled environments, making them well-suited for indoor cultivation. While orchids can be planted year-round indoors, the best time to plant or repot them is during the spring or early summer when they enter their active growing phase. This period allows the orchid to establish itself in its new environment, benefiting from warmer temperatures and increased light. Whether you're re-potting a mature orchid or starting from a bulb, these plants prefer loose potting materials like coconut husks, bark, or moss, rather than soil. Be sure to use a well-draining orchid mix and avoid overwatering, as orchids prefer a balance of moisture and air around their roots. A bulb should be planted so that a third of it is covered. Follow with water and proper sunlight, and the bulb should open within three months. How much sunlight do orchids need?Experts recommend keeping your potted orchid near windows for optimal sunlight. East-facing windows is often considered best, as it allows the bloom to experience brighter light in the morning, followed by cooler hours as the sun rises. Too much sun can scorch your plant, so keep this in mind when you're finding a place for it. Signs of sunburn can include purply specks or browning leaves in extreme cases.How should you water orchids?Orchids are a good candidate for the dipping method of watering: Fill a bowl with room-temperature water, and leave your orchid in it for ten minutes. This allows your plant to soak up as much water as it needs without becoming water-logged. You can also place up to three ice cubes on top of your potting mixture once a week, allowing your orchid to slowly absorb moisture as the ice melts. If you have a tropical orchid, you can also mist the soil gently. For all orchids, avoid getting water on the flowers. Each orchid variety may require different watering needs, so be sure to check its specific requirements.How long do orchids bloom?The lifecycle of a mature orchid can vary depending on its type. However, typically orchids show signs of new growth in the summer or early fall, followed by a "spike" flower appearing in the fall or early winter. Flowers typically follow in the winter or spring, and can last for up to three months. When the flower eventually dies, don't worry: Your plant isn't dead, and new growth will continue when the new season begins. Oliver Rossi//Getty ImagesA woman prunes her indoor orchids.Should you prune orchids?Yes, orchids thrive best when regularly pruned. However, timing and technique are key to ensuring healthy growth. Pruning helps remove dead or unhealthy parts, encourages reblooming, and maintains the plant's shape. After the orchid finishes blooming, it's best to trim back the flower spike to promote future blooms. If the spike has turned brown or yellow, cut it at the base. If it's still green, you can cut just above a node to encourage new buds. Always use sterilized tools to prevent infections. Pruning also involves removing dead or yellowing leaves and roots during repotting to maintain overall plant health. Are orchids pet safe?Orchids are considered non-toxic, which means they're safe for dogs and cats. However, you still may want to dissuade your pets from consuming the plant, as it could cause an upset stomach. If your pet bites the flower, it could also damage your plant.Tatjana FreundFashion & Luxury Commerce EditorTatjana Freund is Hearst's Fashion & Luxury Commerce Editor, covering beauty, fashion and more across multiple brands. Previously, she worked at ELLE.com and Marie Claire. She's a fan of whiskey neat, podcasts that give her nightmares, and one time Zo Kravitz laughed at a joke she made.