Animated movies can be an entertaining way to learn fascinating facts about the animal kingdom. Pixars 2003 classic Finding Nemo introduced many children and adults to marine biology for the first time. Among other things, it highlighted the symbiotic relationship between clownfish and their sea anemone hosts where the anemones sting protects the fish from predators, and in return, the fish help keep the anemone clean.A recent study has expanded our understanding of this partnership. Researchers from Japans Osaka Metropolitan University observed that clownfish, also known as anemonefish, actively share food with their hosts, reinforcing their mutualistic relationship. Their findings, published in Scientific Reports, highlight a previously unrecognized benefit of this unique marine collaboration.Symbiotic RelationshipsSurvival in the natural world often depends on cooperation. Many species have evolved close relationships classified as mutualistic (beneficial to both), commensalistic (one benefits while the other is unaffected), or parasitic (one benefits at the expense of the other). Nutrient exchange is a major driver of symbiosis and is found across a wide range of species.For example, ants protect certain trees from herbivores while feeding on the trees nectar. Wolves provide carcasses for scavengers like ravens, which, in turn, learn to follow wolf howls for food opportunities. Another well-documented case involves goby fish and shrimp, demonstrating the complexity of interspecies interactions.The shrimp excavates and maintains a burrow in the sand, offering shelter to both itself and the goby. However, since the shrimp has poor vision, it relies on the goby for protection. When a predator approaches, the goby warns the shrimp with a tail flick, prompting them both to retreat into the burrow. Additionally, the shrimp benefits from nutrients provided by the gobys waste, further strengthening their bond.Another remarkable example of symbiosis in the ocean is the relationship between sea anemones and anemonefish.A Special BondOne of the longest-studied marine symbioses is that between anemonefish and sea anemones. Although coral reefs host diverse species, they are nutrient-poor, making symbiotic interactions essential for survival.Sea anemones provide anemonefish with shelter and a secure spawning site thanks to their stinging tentacles. In return, anemonefish remove waste, consume harmful invertebrates, and deposit nutrient-rich fecal matter that benefits the anemone. Until recently, this was thought to be the extent of their contributions until researchers observed anemonefish deliberately feeding their hosts.For the first time, scientists documented anemonefish taking pieces of clam, holding them in their mouths, and attaching them to their host anemones tentacles. This behavior led researchers to hypothesize that anemonefish actively provide food to their hosts and prompted further investigation into the factors influencing this behavior and its impact on the anemones.Fishing for New DiscoveriesThe research team conducted fieldwork at Morode Beach, Ainan, South Japan, to study the anemonefish Amphiprion clarkii and its host, the sea anemone Entacmaea quadricolor.Their observations revealed that anemonefish selectively consumed small animal-based foods like krill, clams, squid, and fish, as well as green macroalgae, while reserving larger pieces of animal food for their anemone hosts. They avoided consuming or offering brown macroalgae and sponges, which appeared unsuitable as food for either species. The fish initially ate to satisfy their own hunger before increasing the amount of food provided to their hosts.We also confirmed that feeding the anemonefish directly increases the growth rate of the sea anemones, explained Ph.D. student Kobayashi in a press release. It is known that in other anemonefish species, the number of eggs laid increases when the hosts are larger. For anemonefish, which cannot leave their sea anemone, feeding their hosts is extremely important and will ultimately benefit themselves. This study presents a rare example of symbiosis involving direct food provisioning. Understanding such behaviors not only advances ecological and biological research but also contributes to the development of conservation strategies for species at risk of extinction.Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:Ecological Complexity: Gobyshrimp mutualism: Costs and benefits of obligate versus facultative strategiesScientific Reports: Active provisioning of food to host sea anemones by anemonefishHaving worked as a biomedical research assistant in labs across three countries, Jenny excels at translating complex scientific concepts ranging from medical breakthroughs and pharmacological discoveries to the latest in nutrition into engaging, accessible content. Her interests extend to topics such as human evolution, psychology, and quirky animal stories. When shes not immersed in a popular science book, youll find her catching waves or cruising around Vancouver Island on her longboard.

Even as Texas grapples with a measles outbreak that has already left one child dead, the childhood vaccination schedule is coming under new scrutiny by the Trump administration. The recommended list of immunizations starting at birth protects kids against more than a dozen deadly diseases from measles to whooping cough.U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine skeptic,included vaccines on his list of things to investigate to see if they have contributed to chronic diseases. And the future of the federal system for weighing the risks and benefits of vaccines in order to make recommendations is in limbo.Yet health experts overwhelmingly credit vaccines for measles and other preventable diseases as huge public health successes. For instance, before a measles vaccine became available in 1963, nearly all children got the highly contagious disease by the time they turned 15 and about 400 to 500 people in the United States died each year from the disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Vaccines have eradicated smallpox and have eliminated polio and other diseases from the United States and many other parts of the world.The turmoil currently surrounding vaccines and the diseases they are designed to tackle has left many people confused. Science News sat down with two experts to discuss some of the most frequently voiced concerns and questions.Meet the vaccines expertsAditya Gaur is a pediatric infectious diseases doctor and a clinical researcher at St. Judes Childrens Research Hospital in Memphis. Before coming to the United States in 1996, Gaur worked as a pediatrician in India before vaccines were routinely available. He and colleagues repeatedly treated cases of measles, he says, along with many other vaccine-preventable ailments.I saw tetanus in children and how uncomfortable it was for children, sometimes leading to death, he says. I saw diphtheria and how the throat looks and how difficult it can get to breathe. I saw those with pneumonia and air leaks in the lungs, and then the children that died. Ive seen polio in terms of paralysis. Thanks to vaccines, he hasnt seen a single case of any of those diseases since coming to the United States, he says.Iron lungs, such as this one used in 1938, became a symbol of polio, a viral disease that can paralyze people and leave them unable to breathe without assistance. Now, wild polio circulates only in Afghanistan and Pakistan but falling vaccination rates threaten to undo decades of work to eradicate the disease.Keystone/Getty ImagesKawsar Talaat, an infectious diseases doctor and vaccine safety researcher at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, recalls how her father had polio as a child. He was born before the vaccine was available, she says. He was paralyzed as a child. Hes always had a limp, and then as he got older, he got weaker and weaker and weaker, and now hes in wheelchair Its a lifelong debilitating illness, even if you survive it.She has also treated vaccine-preventable diseases. When I was a resident, we would get waves of children in with dehydration due to rotavirus, and we would dread rotavirus season, she says. Now the waves are more like ripples.How do vaccines work?Vaccines train the immune system to fight off diseases. When a baby is born, they get some antibodies from their mothers that may give them some protection against certain illnesses for a few months, Gaur says. Thats why a new vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus is given during pregnancy to protect newborns.As the child grows, the immune system learns to combat illness either by getting infected or through immunization. Vaccines may consist of whole weakened or killed pathogens or parts of those organisms, called antigens. The vaccine doesnt cause disease, but it does teach the immune system what invaders to look out for, Gaur says.Although measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000, outbreaks still happen, mostly when infected travelers bring the virus back with them and spread it among unvaccinated people.As of February 28, at least 146 people in Texas had caught measles in an ongoing outbreak that started in late January. Twenty people have been hospitalized with the highly contagious and dangerous disease, and an unvaccinated school-age child has died. The disease also has been reported in eight other states this year.From 2002 through 2016, measles hospitalized 1,018 people in the United States. Of those, 34 died; some others had serious complications including kidney failure, brain swelling, pneumonia, blood clots and eye problems, researchers reported in PLOS One in 2020.In contrast, the side effects from measles vaccines usually consist of a sore arm and sometimes a fever or mild rash. Yes, a child can see natural measles and, if they survive, they have good immunity. But there is no upfront way of saying what will be the outcome, Gaur says. With vaccines, you are controlling that exposure and teaching the immune system how to fight off an infection.Even more benign infections may have serious consequences that vaccines can prevent, Talaat says. For most people, chicken pox is mild, but not for everybody. I have seen kids in the hospital with really severe life-threatening bacterial infections that occurred because their skin was disrupted by chicken pox, she says. Kids have lost so much skin, its as if they were severely burned. Its happened in childrens groins, and so their future fertility and sexual function have been affected.Vaccines not only protect children but also keep them from spreading disease to people in the community at high risk of complications, Talaat says. And even if the disease is mild, it still means that that child will miss a week or more of school, and that their parent will miss a week or more of work.Most of the cases in the Texas outbreak are children who are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status. That mirrors previous U.S. outbreaks: Of 285 reported cases in 2024, nearly 90 percent of those sickened were not vaccinated, CDC data show.Losing herd immunityIn the 20092010 school year, at least 20 states reported that 95 percent or more of their kindergartners were vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella, according to the CDC. That is the threshold that helps protect people in the community who cant be vaccinated because of weakened immune systems or other medical issues. It essentially erects a wall of vaccinated people between the vulnerable and the measles virus. By the 20232024 school year, just 11 states had vaccination rates among kindergartners at or above the 95 percent threshold. Click the arrows to see how MMR vaccination rates among kindergartners has changed between those two school years.MMR vaccine coverage for U.S. kindergartners by school year C. Chang C. Chang Across the United States, vaccination rates have been falling for measles, as well as other childhood diseases. When more than 95 percent of people are vaccinated against measles, there is community or herd immunity that can protect people with weakened immune systems who cant be vaccinated. But measles vaccination rates among kindergartners has fallen from 95.2 percent in the 20192020 school year to 92.7 percent in 20232024. That left about 280,000 kindergartners vulnerable to measles during the last school year, according to the CDC.How many deaths and illnesses are prevented by vaccines?Worldwide, vaccination against 14 pathogens saved 154 million lives over the last half century, researchers reported in 2024 in the Lancet. In the United States, routine childhood vaccinations prevented more than 24 million cases of disease in 2019, including about 1,000 cases of tetanus and more than 4.2 million chicken pox cases, researchers reported in Pediatrics in 2022.Childhood vaccines cover diseases including polio, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), measles, mumps, rubella, rotavirus, hepatitis, chicken pox and meningitis. They also cover infections caused by bacteria, including Haemophilus influenzae and Pneumococcal bacteria. All those diseases may cause severe infections that land people in the hospital and can be deadly. Some may have lifelong consequences.Those are all long-lasting vaccines, some even conveying lifetime protection. In addition, yearly vaccines for flu and COVID-19 are also recommended. About 1.2 million influenza cases in the United States were averted in 2019, an estimated 17 percent reduction from what it would have been without vaccination. COVID-19 vaccines are estimated to have saved at least 14 million lives globally in the first year after they were rolled out, researchers reported in 2022 in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. Immunizations against human papilloma virus to prevent cervical, head, throat and other cancers are recommended for older children. Cervical cancer rates have plummeted for young women vaccinated against HPV.Downward trendVaccination rates for kindergartners in the United States have fallen in recent years. During the 20232024 school year, just 92.3 percent of kindergartners were vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP) and 92.7 percent were protected from measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). Varicella (chicken pox), polio and hepatitis B vaccination rates have also dropped in recent years.The ability to add new vaccines or update existing ones, such as the flu and COVID vaccines has been jeopardized by the Trump administrations withdrawal from the World Health Organization and cancellation of important meetings of committees that advise the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about vaccines. Among other considerations, nixing those meetings may threaten the United States ability to get updated flu vaccines for the next flu season.This decision and other federal efforts to underminewell-establishedscience aboutvaccine safety puts everyone at risk, especially when we are currently experiencingthe worst U.S. flu season in more than a decade, Tina Tan, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said in a statement.The CDC estimates that at least 33 million people have gotten the flu so far this season. An estimated 430,000 people have been hospitalized and 19,000 have died, making this the first high severity flu season since the 20172018 season.How did the childhood vaccine schedule come about?It happened very gradually over time, Talaat says. Advisers for the CDC and FDA carefully weigh the benefits and risks of each vaccine against the harms caused by infections and recommend whether to add a shot to the schedule and when to give it.Once we started making vaccines, children were a natural target because they were the most susceptible to a lot of these infections, Talaat says. For instance, rotavirus infections produce diarrhea that can easily dehydrate young children and land them in the hospital, she says. That vaccine is given when babies are 2 months old.Pertussis vaccines are also among the earliest given because the younger the baby, the more susceptible they are to [whooping cough], Talaat says. Their airways are so small that theyre more likely to die from it.With measles vaccines, Talaat says, theres a sweet spot when you want to get the vaccine into kids to protect them, but you dont want to give it too early, because antibodies passed from the mother to the baby can interfere with the vaccine. So the measles, mumps and rubella shot is typically first given when infants are 12- to 15-months old.Vaccines that protect against HPV and meningococcal disease arent given until kids are preteens or teenagers because they are at higher risk of infection during the teen or young adult years.Is it safe for children to get many vaccines at once?Yes. Many childhood vaccines protect against multiple diseases in a single shot, such as one that combines polio, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzaetype b. Another guards against up to 20 strains of Pneumococcal bacteria. So a 2-month-old might get a couple of shots with protection against more than two dozen pathogens, along with a drink containing the rotavirus vaccine.A baby gets inoculated with the rotavirus vaccine, which is given as a liquid instead of a shot. Thats one of 14 diseases that U.S. children are commonly immunized against.chameleonseye/iStock/Getty Images PlusWe have done studies that show that giving these vaccines together is safe and that the immune responses to the vaccines arent damaged, Talaat says.We are exposed to lots of things every day in our environment. Our bodies and our immune systems are built to handle that, she says. And when we get multiple vaccines and multiple antigens at the same time our bodies can handle that, too.She adds that the reason we give kids a bunch of vaccines all at once is to make sure that they get them. Its hard on families to keep bringing their children back to the doctor to get their shots, she says.What are the side effects or possible harms from vaccines?Sore arms are common since most vaccines are given as shots. Anything which is injectable may cause an immediate owie, and then may cause some swelling and tenderness, Gaur says. Depending on the vaccine, mild side effects might also include short-lived fever, fatigue, muscle or joint pain and maybe a rash.Some people develop rare severe side effects such as allergic reactions. Certain groups have a higher risk of that. For instance, adolescent and young adult males are more likely than other people to develop myocarditis and pericarditis inflammation of the heart or the sac around the heart after a COVID-19 vaccine. But getting a COVID-19 infection is more likely to cause those heart problems than the vaccine, and the vaccine can prevent severe disease and hospitalization, so regulators calculate that benefits of vaccination outweigh the low risks.How are vaccines tested?Vaccines go through many years of development in lab and animal tests before they are tested in people. Clinical trials in people happen in multiple phases.First, vaccines like any treatment are tested in small numbers of people for safety. Usually this involves giving some people in the trial the vaccine while others get a placebo. Thats necessary, Gaur says, because things happen to humans, as in, we may get headaches, we may get fevers. The placebo helps sort out which symptoms come from the vaccines.Additional phases of clinical trials test vaccines in increasingly larger groups of people to look for rare side effects and to determine how well the vaccines prevent disease. New vaccines are tested against placebos in those stages as well. But if there is an existing vaccine, it would not be ethical to leave people unprotected by giving them a placebo, Gaur and Talaat say. Instead, potential vaccines would go head-to-head with existing ones to show that they work at least as well if not better than what is already available.Unlike medications and therapies, which are usually given to sick people to keep them from getting sicker, vaccines are given to healthy people. That means that side effects associated with other treatments would never be tolerated for vaccines. Says Talaat: Vaccines pass a higher bar than most treatments.

Nature, Published online: 28 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00660-9Nature talks with scientists inside US agencies about what the latest directive could mean for their staff members and budgets.

Nature, Published online: 26 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00301-1Metallurgists have designed an extraordinary titanium alloy that is light, strong and flexible, and which recovers its original shape after large amounts of deformation even when as cold as liquid helium or hotter than boiling water.

Researchers have discovered that humans lived in tropical rainforests 150,000 years ago, around 100,000 years earlier than previous evidence suggested.

3D Artist yuki showcased this playful and appealing animation made with Blender depicting a realistically rendered egg on top of an appetizing toast.The interesting feature of the animation is how the artist plays with the yolks color, changing it from white to almost red. The effect was achieved by tweaking the color panel within the Blender editor, creating a fun and engaging look. However, the artist refrained from following any wild, intrusive thoughts that may have appeared and chose not to experiment with unnatural hues like blue or violet, keeping the scene visually appetizing.yuki has been sharing plenty of appealing Blender artworks and shown the process of cooking the same toast, from presenting the oven to showing the baked state:Some of the other artists works feature cute, woolly-looking characters placed in various environments:Follow yuki on X/Twitter for more artwork anddont forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our new Discord server, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, TikTok, and Threads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post 3D Artist Changes Yolk Colors in This Delicious & Fun Animation appeared first on CG SHARES.

Check out this amazing recreation of Kung Fu Pandas Tai Lung from the escape scene showcased by Lead 3D Character Artist Alexandre Mougenot.The 3D representation is based on the work by Concept and Visual Artist Nicola Saviori and is made using ZBrush, Maya, Arnold, Substance 3D Painter, Houdini, and Photoshop. Alexandre Mougenot skillfully created the 3D model of the villain and masterfully visualized his fur. He managed to capture the leopards temper and mood and recreate the animated movies stylized visual features.Take a look at the close-up and the WIPs:Also, check out this marvelous 2D-like 3D recreation of Tai Lung showcased by 3D Artist and ModelerAngel Corona:Before, Alexandre Mougenot showcased another high-quality artwork depicting an adorable 3D dragon, which was created with ZBrush and Marmoset Toolbag:Also, the artist presented an impressive 3D portrait of The Queens Gambit protagonist, Beth Harmon, portrayed by Anya Taylor-Joy:Visit Alexandre Mougenots ArtStation page anddont forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our new Discord server, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, TikTok, and Threads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post An Amazing 3D Take on Tai Lung from Kung Fu Panda Made with ZBrush appeared first on CG SHARES.

Death, taxes, and video games getting delayed--it seems these are the three constants in 2025, with a number of high-profile video games getting delayed past their initial release dates. Some of these have been delayed far past their initial dates, while others have only been delayed more recently. To help keep everything organized, we've made a list of every game delayed right now, including those with delays announced weeks, months, or even years ago. Once a game has been released, it will be removed from this list. Assassin's Creed ShadowsIt's rare that a delay shocks us these days, but Ubisoft managed to do it with Assassin's Creed Shadows--the series just always seems to hit its planned release dates, but that hasn't been the case with this game. It was first delayed out of 2024 to February before landing on a March 20, 2025 release date. Soup PotEveryone knows soup tastes better when it takes more time to simmer, and Chikon Club's Soup Pot will be doing that--slated for release in August, the game is now coming to Xbox platforms and PC later this year in order to give the developer more time for polishing. You'll be doing "livestreams" of your cooking in the game to make over 100 dishes. Crimson DesertFirst revealed with a gameplay trailer in 2020 and planned for a 2021 launch, the open-world spin-off to Black Desert Online, Crimson Desert, is now arriving in late 2025. Prince of Persia: The Sands of TimePrince of Persia: The Sands of TimeOriginally planned for a launch this March, the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake was delayed to an unclear future date back in February. Ubisoft cited wanting to make a remake that still feels fresh while staying true to the spirit of the original version, but it didn't specify how long the delay would be. The series has been largely on ice since Assassin's Creed exploded in popularity over a decade ago, though we did get the excellent The Lost Crown spin-off recently. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2A game awash in controversy and production issues, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 has been delayed numerous times. It was originally planned to launch all the way back in 2020, and was subsequently delayed well past that point as development changed hands. It's now planned to launch in 2025. PragmataA mysterious and Death Stranding-esque game from Capcom, Pragmata was already not scheduled to arrive until 2022. However, that window has now been closed, as the publisher revealed the game will instead be arriving in 2023. No specific reason was given for the delay other than wanting to provide a better experience. ReplacedThe upcoming sci-fi platformer Replaced was planned to release in 2022, but the game was then pushed into 2023, then 2024, and then 2025. The decision to push the game to 2023 was made by developer Sad Cat Studios along with Coatsink and Thunderful because the studio has developers located in both Belarus and Ukraine. With the ongoing war, the team opted to relocate and had to pause development during this period. The second and third delays appear to be related to game quality as the team continues development. Arc RaidersA cooperative shooter created by a former Battlefield developer, Arc Raiders was previously scheduled to arrive in 2022. However, Embark Studios put out a message in August that announced a delay to 2023 in order to "expand the experience, and allow it to reach its fullest potential." As of 2025, it is still not out. The Wolf Among Us 2Previously planned to launch in 2023, Telltale's The Wolf Among Us 2 has been delayed out of the year. Work began on the project in 2020 at the rebooted Telltale--which is much smaller than the original studio--and the studio said in its announcement that it simply needs more time to deliver something up to players' expectations. No new window or date were announced. Ark 2 and Ark: Survival AscendedPreviously planned to launch in 2023, Ark 2--the sequel to Ark: Survival Evolved and a Vin Diesel vehicle--will now be coming in 2024. Developer Studio Wildcard announced that the delay was necessary to "deliver the ultimate next-gen dinosaur survival experience." No footage from the game will be shown in 2023, either, following the pre-rendered reveal trailer that included Vin Diesel.The original game's remade version--Ark: Survival Ascended--was also hit with a delay, getting bumped to October 2023. Studio Wildcard attributed this to struggles with Unreal Engine 5 and did not provide a firm release date. Hollow Knight: SilksongWe know remarkably little about Hollow Knight: Silksong, a game that was announced, went dark for what seemed like an eternity, and then made one more appearance before going dark again. It was previously planned to release in the first half of 2023, but Team Cherry has opted to push the window back to an undetermined point in the future in order to make the game as good as possible. Phasmophobia (consoles)Developer Kinetic Games was prepping for the release of Phasmophobia on PlayStation and Xbox platforms in August. However, a fire broke out at the studio's offices, which it said affected its ability to "test and develop." Now, fittingly enough, the console versions are coming in the week leading up to Halloween. Cities: Skylines 2 (consoles)Cities: Skylines 2 is, unlike the original game, coming to consoles close to its PC release. It was supposed to be coming to consoles at the same time, but the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions have been delayed into 2024. The development team said it needed more time to "reach the quality targets" it had set for itself on console. No Rest For The WickedThe next game from Ori creator Moon Studios, No Rest For The Wicked certainly has high expectations riding on it. Publisher Take-Two seems to be aware of this, as the company opted to delay the game into FY 2025, putting its release date at April 2024 at the earliest. The ThaumaturgeThe Thaumaturge was scheduled to arrive in February. However, Fool's Theory and 11 bit studios noted in the delay announcement that it would be releasing in a very busy period if it stuck to that date. The game is finished, but will now be releasing on March 4 in order to give it a better chance to be seen. Prison Architect 2Previously planned to release in March, Paradox Interactive's Prison Architect 2 was then moved to a May date before receiving another delay--this time shortly before it was set to launch. Stability issues, particularly on lower-spec systems, led Paradox Interactive to move the game to September 3, 2024. However, it would then be delayed indefinitely, with the team saying it has identified areas it needs to improve prior to launch. Little Nightmares IIIThe highly anticipated follow-up Little Nightmares III is no longer arriving in 2024. Developer Supermassive Games and publisher Bandai Namco Europe said they want to focus on quality, opting to delay the game to 2025 as a result. DemonschoolAlso scheduled to release in September was Demonschool, a tactical RPG. The studio Necrosoft Games said the delay, which goes into 2025, will be best "for the game, and for the team as well." The team added that "delaying allows us to add more life and liveliness to the world, so it's more of a game you can hang out in, aside from smashing demons of course." Tales of the ShireThe upcoming Lord of the Rings game Tales of the Shire was supposed to launch in 2024, but developer Weta Workshop announced shortly before the game's planned release date that it was shifting to early 2025. The studio said it wanted it to be "everything you're hoping for," necessitating the delay. The game was then set for March before settling on a July 29, 2025 date. HunterxHunter NenxImpactDeveloper Eighting Co. has confirmed that HunterxHunter NenxImpact, a fighting game set in the anime's universe, will no longer arrive in 2024. A new undetermined release date has been set for 2025 in order to give the development team time to implement rollback netcode, which is becoming a highly requested feature in many online fighting games. The AltersOriginally planned to release in 2024, the upcoming sci-fi survival game The Alters is now arriving in 2025. The announcement was made by developer 11 bit studios, which noted that it wants to "optimize all mission-critical systems and ensure that every aspect of your journey is as seamless as possible." Broken ArrowSlitherine and Steel Balalaika have opted to move the release date for Broken Arrow from 2024 to an undetermined future date in 2025. The decision was made in order to allow for further multiplayer stabilization and to ensure the game works across multiple hardware configurations. CabernetVampire game Cabernet would have been a good fit for spooky season, but the development team believes the game is "not in a state [it feels] truly represents Cabernet and the work this team has put into it." As a result, it's now releasing in 2025 on PC and consoles. Corpse Party II: Darkness DistortionThe post-mortem mayhem will come a little later than anticipated. Corpse Party II: Darkness Distortion has been delayed to 2025, with the development team giving a vague "improving game quality" explanation for the move. John Carpenter's Toxic CommandoThe first-person shooter John Carpenter's Toxic Commando--made in collaboration with the legendary film director--is no longer arriving in 2024. The game will now release no earlier than April 2025. MIO: Memories In OrbitMIO: Memories In Orbit will have to just live in our memory for a little longer, as it has been delayed to 2025. The game will now arrive, at the earliest, in April 2025. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1641960/view/4505380324428152777 Forever SkiesCurrently in Steam Early Access, Forever Skies was planned to have its full launch in 2024. However, the game will now be releasing in 2025 as the development team opted to expand the game in several areas, including progression and world design. Baby Steps"Inadvertent Tripping Simulator" Baby Steps will be arriving in 2025, rather than 2024 as previously planned. The news was announced at the Devolver Delayed Awards in late November. Stick it to the StickmanAlso delayed at Devolver Delayed 2024 was Stick it to the Stickman. The stick-figure brawler will now arrive in 2025. Skate StorySkate Story was formally delayed at the Devolver Delayed 2024 event. The demonic skate-action game will arrive in 2025, though a final date has not been announced. Commandos: OriginsThe highly anticipated return of the Commandos series will have to just be highly anticipated for a little bit longer. Kalypso Media has opted to move the game's release date to March 2025. Feedback from the recent demo will be addressed during this time, particularly regarding AI behavior, voice acting, and performance. Date EverythingMore like "Delay Everything," am I right? Date Everything was originally planned to launch on Valentine's Day--which is fitting--but the title has now been delayed to June 2025. Crysis 4Image from Crysis 3It has already been over a decade since Crysis 3 released, but it might be even longer than expected before we get another Crysis game. Crytek announced in early 2025 that development of the next Crysis has been put on hold, with the studio suffering significant layoffs as it focuses its attention on Hunt: Showdown 1896. It's unclear if or when the game will resume development. Bionic BayThe moody sci-fi platformer Bionic Bay is arriving just a little bit later than planned. In order to give the development team at Mureena and Psychoflow Studio extra time to polish the experience, the game will now launch on April 17, 2025, with a demo available via Steam prior to that date. Parallel ExperimentThe creepy co-op puzzler Parallel Experiment is launching later than planned, as Eleven Puzzles says it opted to delay the game in order to avoid cutting several extra features and puzzles. Because of the delay to June 5, 2025, however, the mobile version will now launch alongside the PC release. FableThe Fable franchise has been on ice for quite a while, with unsuccessful and canceled spin-offs being the only new content since Fable 3 well over a decade ago. The franchise reboot Fable was planned to launch in 2025, but it has been delayed to 2026. Details on the reason are scarce, though Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan promises the extra time is worth it.

Fortnite fans can save on PowerA's new pro-style controller for Xbox and PC at Amazon. The limited-time deal on the Fortnite Special Edition Wireless Controller drops the price from $100 to $83.84. The controller released in October and is officially licensed by Xbox and Epic Games. It features a chaotic graffiti design and combines premium features such as Hall Effect sticks and four remappable back buttons with the traditional Xbox form factor. PowerA Fortnite Special Edition Wireless Controller for Xbox and PC $83.84 (was $100) In addition to anti-drift sticks and built-in back buttons, the controller has trigger locks with three stopping points and three custom profiles to save your preferred control schemes. Inside the box, you'll find a voucher to claim the Tooth Pickaxe in-game item.Here's a quick rundown of the controller's key features:Drift-resistant Hall Effect sticksWear-resistant Hall Effect triggersFour remappable back buttonsTrigger locks with three stopping pointsThree custom profiles that can be cycled through on the flyUSB 2.4GHz wireless for Xbox and PCProfile and Share buttonsUp to 30 hours of battery life10-foot USB-C charging cable (also for wired play)Dial to adjust volume on wired headsetDual rumble motorsTooth Pickaxe in-game item See at Amazon More Officially Licensed Fortnite ControllersA handful of Fortnite-themed officially licensed controllers have released over the past year for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. PowerA is the manufacturer behind several of the others, including the OPS V1 Wireless Controller for PC, which is on sale for $45 (was $55). Meanwhile, Peely fans can save over 20% on PowerA's very yellow Bluetooth controller with remappable back buttons for Nintendo Switch.CRKD released a Fortnite Festival Edition wireless controller with a five-fret attachment in December. The unique pro-style gamepad costs $60 and is part of the manufacturer's Neo S series. The Neo S is one of the best compact controllers you can buy for Switch and PC. Continue Reading at GameSpot

As will come as no real surprise to fans of the James Bond franchise, 007 will live to 'die another day.' While Daniel Craigs time as the pop culture icon came to an end with No Time To Die, plans for the 26th James Bond movie were presumably in the works long before he put down his Walter PPK. Now, fans are bracing for a new era of the martini-swilling spy.