Last month the two senior Labour figures were given a guided tour of the mixed-use suburb of Newquay, developed by long-term custodian the Duchy of Cornwall the estate formerly overseen by the king before its was passed on to Prince William in 2022.The residential-led urban addition will eventually deliver nearly 4,000 homes over its 50-year phased delivery programme. The scheme, with its traditional design, has again come into the media spotlight as the government looks to build a wave of new towns.Here, ADAM Architectures design director Hugh Petter, who designed the masterplan and pattern book for Nansledan, sets out what has, and hasn't, worked at the development, and what the government needs to do to create similar projects.AdvertisementStreet view on Lergh Trewollek at Nansledan, photographed by Hugh Hastings for the Duchy of Cornwall.What do you think is the main lesson from Nansledan that could be used in other urban developments new towns?Nansledan enjoys a Local Development Order (LDO), which, in essence, is a detailed planning consent within agreed parameters. When an LDO is granted, the development team takes over the day-to-day regulation of the project, avoiding the endless little planning applications that would normally be required as things change. This makes the developer team lighter on their toes and able to tune each phase to the market, reduces risk and professional fees, and becomes an attractor for businesses that want new premises. It takes away delay and planning risk and, in turn, declutters the overworked local authority planning officers, giving them more time to regulate bad development elsewhere.The LDO is monitored by the local authority and, if it is abused, it is taken away, so the developer team is incentivised not to abuse the trust that they have been given. An LDO is therefore a virtuous circle and could be used more widely to encourage better development outcomes.Has it got anything wrong? Does it feel like a busy, inhabited town yet? Is it too reliant on car transport?There are over 800 homes built and occupied; 40 commercial units occupied; a work hub and a nursery school. There is also a new two-form entry primary school. Many residents work from home so there is a pleasant buzz but it will become more bustling when the high street opens this spring, and when the first phase of Market Street opens next year.The tight road network allows cars to move around the development but only slowly and many people choose to walk or cycle because it is easier and quicker.There was nowhere to park white vans except on the adopted roadsInevitably some mistakes are made for example, in the earliest stages, we underestimated how many small trade businesses would operate from the development and there was nowhere to park white vans except on the adopted roads.AdvertisementEvery house has the required amount of off-street parking for cars. So more recent phases have several oversized parking spaces in each parking court, which are owned by the management company. This means that commercial vehicles can be parked off the road so as not to create a nuisance for other residents. Source:Hugh HastingsBuilding progress and street views/community activities photographed for The Duchy of Cornwall by Hugh HastingsFuture new towns may not be in the right place initially, and people may need encouraging to move there when services and amenities take time to build. So how do you encourage people to move there?Development should be popular. When done well, it can benefit a local community. We spent a long time listening to local needs and so are providing affordable housing; family housing; employment space; high-quality green space and all the things that any responsible development should do.As a result, Nansledan is popular and has grown from the original allocation of 400 homes to 4,000 homes. It was the first major development in Cornwall to get fast broadband into every building. The elevations are bespoke and use local materials and detailing so it has a strong sense of place.Inevitably some mistakes are madeOf the properties, 30 per cent are tenure-blind affordable homes and, of the remaining 70 per cent, nearly three-quarters go to buyers from Cornish post-codes so we are confident we are meeting local needs.It is in the right place. All residents can walk to some shops within five minutes and to the new Market Street, when it is open, within 10 minutes. These facilities will benefit many existing residents too, who currently live in residential suburbs of the old town.Our Market Street will form a new sub-town centre. We used our network analysis tool, Place Logic, to help ensure that the commercial uses are on naturally busy routes.We are currently working on a Knowledge Transfer Partnership project with Strathclyde University and The Polytechnic of Milan, in partnership with Innovate UK, to develop a new walkability tool for Place Logic which looks not only at physical connectivity but also at other attributes of urban form which trigger an emotional response and so which will affect how likely someone is to choose one possible route over another.What changes do you think the government could make to kickstart similar developments?Most development is unpopular because it is bad, is not tuned to local needs and provides only housing estates without supporting infrastructure.The best way to control development is to work with local SME housebuilders who are less constrained and more innovative than the bigger PLCs. They also care more about their local areas. The planning system needs to be simplified to encourage them back into the market.The planning system must be simplified to encourage SMEs back into the marketLandowners should be encouraged to retain control as they have a long-term interest in doing right by their neighbours. At present, the landowner sells land sequentially to developers to keep that control, they pay twice as much tax as they would if they sold it all up front: this should be equalised.We are hoping the government will recognise this stewardship approach as an alternative strategy to conceive and deliver better development through long-term collaborative partnerships that tie landowners, developers and their communities together, linked to the more widespread use of LDOs to encourage better development outcomes. Source:Hugh HastingsAerial photography at 8.30pm on a May evening, of the buildings of NansledanDo you think the projects overtly traditional design deters some developers and architects from taking the transferable lessons from Nansledan?There is no silver bullet when it comes to design, but I and others continue to try and explain the deeper principles behind such schemes as Nansledan in the hope that, by sharing ideas, we can work together to make better new places for everyone in a variety of styles.Nansledan is not Classical, but it is rooted in the local vernacular traditions to help it feel familiar and appropriate on the north Cornish coast; to facilitate the use of local materials with low embodied carbon; to help put money back into the local economy, and to create a place that is tough, beautiful and enduring in the harsh maritime climate where it sits.It is worth remembering too that the majority of new speculative development is, to a greater or lesser extent, rooted in tradition. Much of it is poorly designed and much is not designed by architects at all. We may hope, over time, that architects will become reacquainted with traditional design and compositional principles and will choose to get more involved in commercial buildings to help raise standards and improve the quality of design.How can the government encourage landowners/housebuilders to be long-term custodians of a place (and what are the benefits of having the continuity of ownership)?The long-term stewardship of legacy schemes is usually through a consortium of the landowners, the SME developers, and the local community. Over time the first two may fall away and the community will assume a more hands-on approach, but the developers may choose to hold some buildings, and the landowners may choose to hold some of the key green spaces and some of the buildings too.If the government could remove the current tax obstacles and help people understand that a project conceived, delivered and sustained by stewardship can create better new places that enable people to live better, healthier and happier lives, this would be a big step forward. It would still enable the current mainstream models of development to continue, but it would help broaden and diversify the gene pool, which in turn will help the government to reach its ambitious housing target.As it becomes better understood that more controlled design and delivery in tune with local needs can produce a social and economic dividend for all parties, the likelihood is that it will encourage the PLCs to tune up their offer, which will benefit everyone.Can having such a custodian restrict the evolution of a place?At some level, possibly, because there are often covenants that sit outside planning law. However, the management company is run in concert with the community and so if, collectively, they want to make changes, these can be made if there is a majority in favour.Changes can be made if there is a majority in favourThere is strong evidence that people are willing to pay a bit more to buy a property where there is a management company because they have the comfort of knowing that their neighbour, for example, cant leave a broken washing machine in their front garden.People like certainty. There is evidence to suggest that, with a management company, the residents take a more active interest in the management of their public realm and so often it is maintained to a higher standard than if it was adopted by the council.What do residents mention most to you when you go back to see them?There is ongoing dialogue and consultation to ensure that everyones views are taken into consideration. Some of my answers above give examples of this.People really appreciate the attention we pay to their questions and the effort that has gone into creating a better place with more facilities and amenities. Source:Hugh HastingsThe Platinum Jubilee Celebrations in Nansledan photographed for The Duchy of Cornwall by Hugh Hastings.2025-03-03Richard Waitecomment and share

Teams selected for the maximum four-year agreement will have the opportunity to work on a range of projects with the cultural and educational organisation which manages more than 150 premises around the world.The dynamic purchasing system covers a range of services including architecture and design, space planning, project management, MEP, environmental consultancy, fire and risk advisory, geophysical consultancy, technical testing & analysis and security advisory services.According to the brief: The British Council Global Estates department is looking to establish a Dynamic Purchasing System of potential suppliers able to deliver a diverse range of construction related technical and professional services across all the regions we work in.AdvertisementThe services provided by the Potential Suppliers will support the British Council in the delivery of a wide range of construction projects & programmes including but not limited to: New Build, Refurbishments, Extensions, Alterations, Maintenance requirements, Fit-out, Life Cycle Works, Heritage/Historic buildings, Structures, Infrastructure, Modern state of the art building.The British Council is a UK government body for promoting international cultural relations and educational opportunities.In 2014, Jestico + Whiles completed an extension to the British Councils headquarters in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Aedas and the British Councils (BC) in-house architect completed a 1,200m2 structure for the new British Council Teaching Centre in Dubai in 2010.The latest procurement comes a year after the British Council revealed the winning UK-Kenya team chosen to design and deliver the British Pavilion for next years Venice Biennale.Bids for the latest framework will be evaluated 50 per cent on quality, 10 per cent on social value and 40 per cent on cost.AdvertisementCompetition detailsProject title 2025 GE Construction Services DPSClient British CouncilContract value TbcFirst round deadline 5pm, 23 March 2025Restrictions TbcMore information https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/98ffd1a1-80bc-43f8-9f1c-2eeed084bcf5

You should always feel safe in your own home and a security camera can really help. But while it's difficult to put a price on the peace of mind a great camera can give, not everyone wants to deal with the monthly subscription that so many of them need. Don't worry if you fall into that category because we've found all the best security cameras that don't require any additional subscriptions -- just buy the camera and you're done.While subscription plans can offer bonus features, they often feel like a rip-off just to cover basic security needs. Thankfully, after spending over 200 hours testingall kinds of security camerasfordifferent parts of your home, we've found plenty of options that will provide top-notch security without asking for monthly or annual payments. Our Picks The best overall home security camera with no subscription Eufy Indoor Cam S350 View details $130 at Amazon View details Best local storage home security camera with no subscription Lorex 2K Indoor Camera View details $50 at Amazon View details Best outdoor home security camera with no subscription Reolink Argus Track Cam View details $170 at Argus View details The best versatile home security camera with no subscription TP-Link Tapo C120 Indoor/Outdoor Cam View details $40 at Amazon View details Best high-end home security camera with no subscription Lorex 2K Wi-Fi Floodlight Security Camera View details $250 at Amazon View details Best battery-powered home security camera with no subscription Blink Outdoor 4 with Sync Module 2 View details $100 at Amazon View details What's the best subscription-free home security camera?Our top pick is theEufy Indoor Cam S350, a 4K dual cam that offers a local storage option and advanced features like pet detection and 32-foot night vision. You can get a lot of quality camera features with this model without worrying about them being locked behind a paywall.Suppose the pan/tilt indoor cam like Eufys isnt on your radar. In that case, our list includes several other fee-free options, including some excellent outdoor light-and-camera combinations and a top-rated budget pick. None require a $5 to $10 subscription to enable essential features. After youre done, consider checking out our lists of the best cheap home security cameras and best wireless cams, too. Lorex is a popular choice for buyers who want to stay off the cloud and away from subscriptions. Lorex/AmazonThe best home security cameras without subscriptions Photo Gallery 1/1 Pros Dual-cam design with sharp image Pan/tilt/zoom People/pet detection and tracking Local storage options Cons Local storage costs extra Wired only Eufy's app is a little janky Video storage option Local with microSD card or Eufy HomeBaseResolution 4K and 2K dual camsMotion detection Motion, people, petsSmart home support Apple HomeKit/Home/Siri 8 Eufys pan/tilt/zoom dual-cam model can see anywhere, and with the right vantage point it can cover multiple doors or areas in a home, all at an excellent 4K resolution for the wide-angle lens and 2K resolution for the telephoto lens. It also has 32-foot night vision and the ability to recognize people or pets and quietly follow them -- and its surprisingly small for these features, so you can easily find room on a shelf. It offers support for both Amazon Alexa and Google Home/Assistant, but no Apple HomeKit at this time (some Eufy cams do offer Apple support, including the budget pan/tilt 2K model).Eufy also nabs the top spot on our list for its subscription policies: You dont need one. Nothing significant is locked behind ongoing fees unless you really want cloud storage, and the cam comes with a slot for a microSD card (purchase the size of your choice) to add local storage. You also have the option of adding a HomeBase S380 hub if you prefer more storage, better AI capabilities and other useful features, still without any necessary subscription. The one downside to Eufys cam is that the Eufy app is a little janky and may time patience to learn, but thats a minor tradeoff. CNET Score Breakdown 8 /10 SCORE Performance 9 Usability 6 Features 8 Design 9 Lorex brings to the table not only a high-resolution camera, but a whole camera system built around keeping your data out of the cloud. It comes with a 16GB microSD card and no subscription options at all. You can also use Lorex Fusion with a recorder device for more video storage capacity, but its not necessary. Or, if you add the cam to the full Lorex home security system with its touchscreen controls, you can switch to a mode that keeps you offline entirely.In addition to these plentiful privacy options, Lorex offers person detection and compatibility with both Alexa and Google Assistant. While there are no pan/tilt features here, the cam can be adjusted to a variety of angles and includes two-way audio for communication.

Our Picks Best overall home security camera for Apple HomeKit and Siri Eufy Security Indoor Cam E220 View details $55 at Amazon View details Best budget home security camera for Apple HomeKit and Siri Eufy Security Indoor Cam C120 View details $43 at Amazon View details Best video doorbell for Apple HomeKit and Siri Arlo Essential Video Doorbell with Arlo Smarthub View details $130 at Amazon View details Best outdoor home security camera for Apple HomeKit and Siri Eve Outdoor Cam View details $242 at B&H Photo-Video View details Keeping your home and other buildings safe and sound is easier when you have a great security system, but it's useless if it doesn't work with all your other devices. If you're an iPhone user that means buying security cameras that work with Apple's HomeKit Secure Video system, not to mention Siri. There are plenty of options for you to choose from and we've found all of the best so you can more easily pick the right one for you and your budget.Our top pick, the Eufy Security Indoor Cam E220, offers Apple HomeKit connectivity immediately after updating, as well as a 2K resolution and a video package that doesn't require cloud video storage. With its reasonable under-$60 price tag and extra features like pan/tilt and object recognition, we haven't found a better Apple-compatible security camera for your home.Since Apple support can vary from device to device and even change over time, we've also included several other HomeKit-ready security cameras from other brands, including Arlo and Eve. Take a look at our full list and review our recommendations on what to look for when getting a security camera that's more than happy to work with the Apple Home app. Check back often, as we'll be keeping this list updated.Best home security cameras for Apple HomeKit and Siri Photo Gallery 1/1 $55 at Amazon $55 at Eufy Pros 2K resolution Object recognition Affordable Pan/tilt abilities Object tracking Good night vision Cons Eufy's app could use some work Pan/tilt cameras need space to work well Camera type Pan/tilt with 2K resolutionPower source WiredSmart home support Amazon Alexa, Google Home/Assistant, Apple HomeKit/Home/SiriVideo storage options Local storage with microSD card or cloud storage with subscription $55 at Amazon $55 at Eufy Eufy is one of the brands that offer Apple compatibility on some devices but not others -- fortunately, this pan/tilt cam is one of the lucky security camera models and offers an array of features that make it a quick recommendation for indoor security. In addition to the 360-degree view, the camera offers a 2K resolution, object detection for pets and people and good night vision. It can also track motion around a room when it recognizes something, so you don't have to manually follow details.We aren't the biggest fans of the Eufy app with its finicky UI, but it does help you connect to Apple HomeKit during setup to save time. It's difficult to find security cameras that can do so much and work with the Apple ecosystem, especially at a higher resolution, but Eufy managed to pull it off.Note that Eufy also hasan outdoor version of the E220, so if you need outdoor security cameras there is an option that should fit right into your smart home. It's not pan/tilt, but it does have many of the same advantages including Apple support. So, if you're looking for indoor and outdoor cameras, you should take a look at them before making a final call. $43 at Amazon $43 at Eufy This simpler Eufy cam also made our list of the best security cameras, as it brings a couple of different advantages compared to our top pick. First, it's more affordable and we've frequently found it discounted, so it's a top choice for Apple fans who prefer to save up their money for the next iPhone instead. Despite losing the pan/tilt capabilities of the E220, this security camera still comes with many similar features, including good two-way audio, object detection and solid night vision. The 125-degree field of view is also quite healthy for a stationary security camera at this price.The C120 is technically a 2K resolution security camera, but since HomeKit only supports live views up to 1080p, youll experience a downgrade compared to the 2K feed available in the Eufy app. Otherwise, this budget cam is very friendly with Apple devices.

Keiji Inafune quit Level-5 last year, leaving Fantasy Life team to "reassess and restructure the project"An "unexpected challenge".Image credit: Via My Nintendo News News by Victoria Kennedy News Reporter Published on March 3, 2025 Japanese video game producer and design legend Keiji Inafune left Level-5 in the middle of last year, in the middle of development for the next Fantasy Life game.Level-5 boss Akihiro Hino detailed Inafune's departure in a post on the company's development blog, and described it as an "unexpected challenge" for the Fantasy Life team."In mid-2024, Fantasy Life faced an unexpected challenge," Akihiro Hino, CEO of Level-5, wrote. "At that time, producer Keiji Inafune left the company, and we had to reassess and restructure the project."To see this content please enable targeting cookies. 9 Nintendo Switch 2 Games It NEEDS to Have. Watch on YouTubeIn addition to Inafune's departure from the company, Hino revealed internal playtests for its upcoming Fantasy Life game - known as Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time - had resulted in "harsh evaluations", with changes necessary."In response, I decided to take on the role of producer, shifting the core development team from Osaka to our headquarters," Hino said. "While the Osaka team had been dedicated from the start, the project evolved into a collective effort across our whole company - with developers from Fukuoka, Tokyo and beyond, we were able to significantly strengthen our development capabilities."According to the studio exec, this restructuring allowed the team to expand and "create an environment where we could focus on fine-tuning the game's quality right up until the very end".Said Hino: "From that point onward, we undertook a complete overhaul of the game: adding open-world exploration and parkour-style actions, restructuring the system's progression flow, improving the core mechanics, and refining the scenario to be even more emotionally impactful."All of this will "enhance what was already great about the game", Hino continued, stating Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is now nearing completion. Image credit: LEVEL5 Inc Image credit: Level-5We first got word of Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time during a Nintendo Direct in February 2023. At the time of its announcement, the game was set to release in 2023, but it later saw its launch nudged back.We got a subsequent look at Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time in February last year, along with a peek at the various jobs players will be able to undertake in this time travelling adventure.Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is currently slated for release across PlayStation 5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC via Steam on 21st May.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereA new Baldurs Gate 3 mod adapts some of Blizzards most popular franchises into Larians RPG by boldly creating a series of new Feats inspired by Heroes of the Storm. Not the first Blizzard-themed mod to hit the role-playing gamecheck out the World of Warcraft custom campaign for thatthe new mod aims to bring more variety to the D&D adventure with a host of new powers.Baldurs Gate 3 meets Heroes of the StormCreated by prominent BG3 modder Yoonmoonsick, the new Baldurs Gate 3 Heroes of the Storm mod adds seven new Feats inspired by characters included in Blizzards less-popular MOBA. Available to nab here on Nexus Mods, the new add-on allows you to take on passives inspired by playable heroes.While the actual Heroes of the Storm game has 90 playable characters from across Blizzard history, the first version of this mod includes just 7. In the mod, players can take on the abilities of characters from Diablo, Starcraft and Warcraft, but not Overwatch. (Phew.)Here is every character included at the time of writing:Arthas: The Lich KingPassive: Frostmourne HungersMelee weapon attacks deal an additional 1d4 cold damage. You Have Resistance to Cold Damage.Q: Death CoilFires a corrupted essence to deal damage.W: Howling BlastDeals cold damage and may freeze the target.E: Frozen TempestEmits an aura that deals cold damage to nearby enemies.Diablo: Lord of TerrorPassive: Black SoulstoneThe next time damage would reduce the affected entity to 0 hit points, it remains conscious with Level plus Constitution Modifier hit point left.Q: Shadow ChargeCharge forward and attack the first enemy in your way. The target may be stunned.W: Fire HandsIt emits fire from your hands, dealing damage to the front.E: OverpowerPick up an item or creature and use it to make a melee attack. The target may be stunned.Illidan: The BetrayerPassive: Betrayers ThirstWhen a melee weapon attack hits, you regain 1d4 hit points.Q: DiveLeap down unto a foe.W: Sweeping StrikeCharge forward and attack all enemies in your way.E: EvasionAttackers have disadvantage on attack roll against you.Kerrigan: Queen of BladesPassive: AssimilationWhen you kill a hostile creature, you gain Temporary Hit Points.Q: RavageLeap down unto a foe, knocking them Prone.W: Impaling BladesSummons thorns that grow from the ground, dealing damage. The target may be stunned.E: Primal GraspDeals damage to the enemy and pulls them in.Kharazim: Veradani MonkPassive: Iron FistsMelee Unarmed Attacks now have a 25% chance to deal 1d10 Bludgeoning damage to the target.Q: Radiant DashDash quickly to the target. Heals if the target is an ally, and deals damage if the target is an enemy.W: Breath of HeavenHeal yourself and all nearby allies and increase their movement speed.E: Deadly ReachIt delivers a fierce four-hit combo to deal damage.Raynor: Renegade CommanderPassive: Give em Some PepperWeapon Attacks now have a 25% chance to trigger a splash effect in a small area, dealing 1d10 Piercing damage to the primary target.Q: Penetrating RoundShoots a penetrating projectile that deals damage to targets and knocks them back.W: InspireAll nearby allies can use their reaction to make one weapon attack.E: Adrenaline RushRegain 1d10 + level + Constitution Modifier amount of Hit Points.Uther: The LightbringerPassive: Eternal DevotionWhen you heal another creature, it gains resistance against Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage dealt by weapon attacks.Q: Holy LightHeals the target and restores half of the healed amount to yourself.W: Holy RadianceRelease a wave of light to heal allies and damage enemies.E: Hammer of JusticeIt strikes the enemy with a hammer, potentially stunning them.Theres currently no word from the modder if there are any plans to expand the Heroes of the Storm mod to include other characters from Blizzards MOBA. However, considering the sheer talent of the BG3 modding community, if someone wants it, someone will make it. For more BG3 mods, check out the upcoming custom campaign that aims to bring six to eight new companions to the game alongside a whole new story. Baldurs Gate 3Platform(s):macOS, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Adventure, RPG, Strategy10VideoGamerSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Since its release, Marvel Rivals devs have continued to evolve the game, releasing bug updates, revising hero balance, and introducing new content to maintain a dynamic meta. Season 1s Eternal Night Falls introduced the Fantastic Four, as well as new maps and modes, while patches like the February 21 update included Human Torch and The Thing, along with changes to counter the popular triple-support meta.Community feedback has spurred these adjustments, with developers resolving performance issues and fine-tuning hero team-ups to make matches competitive. Now, anticipation is rising for an upcoming patch on March 6, 2025, which promises to shake things up once more. According to leaks, this update will nerf Human Torch, whose flaming prowess has scorched the meta, while fine-tuning other heroes to restore the games balance. Here are the full leaked patch notes.Marvel Rivals March 6 update full patch notes all platformsHuman Torchs overpowered abilities are dominating lobbies. Image by VideoGamer.General FixesSwitching from Proficiency Deluxe Avatar back to standard now works instantlyno relog required.Career profiles now update scores immediately after max proficiencyno more relog needed! Fixed misleading blocklist full notification (it mistakenly said the friends list was full).Maps & ModesResolved terrain issues where characters could get stuck or clip into unintended areas.Fixed broken collisions, floating objects, and other environmental glitches.Addressed various sound effect problems across multiple maps.Hero FixesLokiUI no longer disappears after transforminghis tricks stay visible! Lokis Regeneration Domain: Overlapping domains wont lose healing effects when re-entered.Human TorchFlaming Meteor wont trap enemies inside walls anymore. Also, Pyro-Prison now disappears correctly when hes defeated.PunisherHis Ultimate wont keep firing missiles during network disruptions.HelaFixed an issue where she could be launched upwards after using her Ultimate. Also, shell now be properly detected near mission vehicles. WolverineHis Ultimate no longer gives enemies unexpected jump boosts. Jeff the Land SharkFixed a bug where Frozen Spitballs could exceed normal behavior when Team-Up Ability was active.Adam WarlockIf his Ultimate fails near cliff edges, 50% energy will now properly be refunded.Peni ParkerPositioning issue when hit by Namors Ultimate is now fixed.Furthermore, other leaks have also revealed that a new event is also arriving with the update and will grant all players a free skin in the game. You can also check out the updated win rates for every hero as Marvel Rivals Season 1.5 marches on.Marvel RivalsPlatform(s):macOS, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Fighting, ShooterRelated TopicsMarvel Rivals Subscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

Crypto recapsIssue 78 President on brink of bailout for bitcoinTrump tries to breathe life back into the crypto markets Trump pump while federal regulatory agencies wash their hands of any crypto industry oversightMolly White02 Mar 2025 23 min readIssue 78 President on brink of bailout for bitcoin0:00/1978.200816Listen to me read this post here (not an AI-generated voice!), subscribe to the feed in your podcast app, or download the recording for later.The crypto industry has gotten everything it could have dreamed of in the US after the elections, and yet the market has taken a dramatic turn for the worse. Bitcoin prices have been tanking, dropping more than 25% since the previous all-time high price, which was set on January 20. A 12% tumble last week became the new largest three-day drop since FTX exploded in November 2022.1 Although Trump has been hailed by the crypto industry as their knight in shining armor, and although he quickly got to work fulfilling the industry wishlist, prices have been on the decline since he took office.While cryptocurrencies were once viewed as a subversive financial instrument intended to be independent from governments, banks, or the traditional financial system, and although many in the industry still like to repeat that narrative when it suits them, its become clear that the crypto world is deeply dependent on outside forces propping it up. Earlier this week, crypto media outlet CoinDesk published a headline that would make Satoshi blush: Crypto Market Faces Weak Demand, Needs Trump Initiatives to Kick In, JPMorgan Says.2 (Satoshi inscribed into the first block of the bitcoin blockchain the text The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks. This quote of that days Times headline has long been interpreted as a nod to bitcoins original ideology, and a rebuke of banks and government financial intervention.)And although many still describe bitcoin as digital gold, believing that it should serve as a hedge against economic turmoil in similar ways as some people view actual gold, bitcoin and other crypto assets are once again demonstrating that they are among some of the first assets to decline among broader economic uncertainty. With looming tariffs by the Trump administration against Canada, Mexico, and China, concerns from the Federal Reserve about those and other policies impacts on inflation, and continuing wobbles in the labor market, people are selling off risky assets like crypto in hopes of better weathering the economic storm on the horizon. The comparatively new bitcoin ETFs set new records for the highest single-day outflows on February 25, with investors withdrawing more than $1billion in total from the eleven ETFs.3Seeming to respond to the panicked pleas from the cryptocurrency industry, Trump rescued bitcoin from its below-$80,000 slide in a Sunday Truth Social post reiterating his plans for a U.S. Crypto Reserve, which he added would contain XRP [Ripple], SOL [Solana], and ADA [Cardano]. Further panic [I74, 75] from bitcoin maximalists likely prompted his quick addendum two hours later that And, obviously, BTC and ETH, as other valuable Cryptocurrencies, will be the heart of the Reserve. I also love Bitcoin and Ethereum! Nice save.4 These assets were certainly not chosen at random, and give us some insight into whos got the ear of the president (at least at the current moment). Part of it has to do with Trumps nationalist and also rather absurd insistence that the reserve feature assets that are made in the USA. But beyond that: Ripples XRP token is an unsurprising if controversial choice its a divisive asset in the crypto world, but on the other hand, the company contributed $48 million to crypto-focused super PACs and another $5million to Trumps inauguration fund. The companys CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, has been rumored to be on the shortlist of people to be named to the much awaited crypto advisory board,5 and both he and the companys Chief Legal Officer dined with the president in early January.Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and CLO Stuart Alderoty pose with Donald Trump in January (via Twitter) Trumps Crypto Czar David Sacks is a big Solana guy. Andreessen Horowitz has also heavily invested in Solana both directly and in Solana-based projects and in the Trump administration. Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has also clearly been trying to woo Trump, claiming very shortly after the election that he was going to be spending quite a bit of time working with lawmakers in Washington DC and quite a bit of time with members of the administration to help foster and facilitate with other key leaders in industry the crypto policy.6 While he has continued to boast vaguely about meetings with various influential figures, winkingly describing a VIP dinner where diet coke will certainly be on [the menu], theres been little outside confirmation that hes had much access to the Trump administration. However, the inclusion of his ADA token on the shortlist certainly suggests some degree of success in his endeavors.Besides the mention of specific crypto assets, Trumps post doesnt actually appear to announce anything new, and instead reiterates that his Executive Order on Digital Assets directed the Presidential Working Group to move forward on a Crypto Strategic Reserve [I75]. (I will note that the actual wording of the EO was more guarded, directing the working group not to move forward on a strategic reserve, but rather to evaluate the potential creation and maintenance of a national digital asset stockpile.) Nonetheless, crypto prices rallied a bit, with bitcoin returning to around $93,000. This was still somewhat of a subdued recovery, only juicing bitcoin back to around its February 25 price, leaving me wondering how many promises Trump has left in the tank to keep bitcoin prices pumped up as they are now. Without the actual government infusion of cash into bitcoin markets via this strategic reserve gambit something that may yet be a ways off, could take various forms, and could fail to materialize entirely words alone seem to be running out.Adding to pre-existing market jitters, the crypto world has just experienced a new record-shattering hack of the cryptocurrency exchange Bybit. Bybit is less known in the United States, as it is not permitted to serve US customers, which is probably why this hack has not earned the media attention of some of the other major industry disasters. However, Bybit is the second-largest exchange globally, ahead of Coinbase and behind Binance. On February 21, attackers stole more than 400,000 ETH (priced at around $1.5billion7 They were able to manipulate the Safe Wallet multisignature system used by Bybit to authorize transfers from the cold wallet to the companys hot wallet, and when the Bybit employees signed off on what they thought was a routine transfer, the wallet was drained. Bybit and Safe are now pointing fingers at one another, with Bybit claiming that Safes infrastructure was compromised, allowing an attacker to manipulate the transaction signing interface. While Safe acknowledged that a developer had been socially engineered and their device was compromised, they blamed Bybit for blind signing the transaction (that is, signing a transaction without fully understanding it).8The Lazarus group is an extremely sophisticated cybercrime group that has been responsible for many of the chart-topping attacks in the crypto world, including the previously recordbreaking thefts of $625million from the Axie Infinity game in March 2022 [W3IGG], and the the $300million and $235million hacks of the exchanges DMM [W3IGG] and WazirX [W3IGG] in May and July 2024. Their expertise means that they know how best to launder the stolen funds without causing serious impacts to the ETH price or risking the funds being frozen by exchanges and other centralized entities, and they have successfully laundered more than half of the stolen assets thus far by swapping it across various chains and into different crypto assets.9 While a substantial $43million in stolen assets was frozen and recovered by the mETH Protocol, as was around $181,000 in Tether, that amounts to less than 3% of the total.10To put this theft in perspective, the $1.5billion stolen from Bybit alone surpasses the North Korean cyberattackers entire 2024 profits from crypto heists: around $1.34billion from across 47 separate attacks throughout 2024. Its more than double what they stole the year prior.11 According to the United Nations and the USgovernment, these thefts have been a substantial source of funding for the countrys nuclear and ballistic missile programs.1213Bybit CEO Ben Zhou was quick to try to reassure customers that Bybit is Solvent even if this hack loss is not recovered, all of clients assets are 1 to 1 backed, we can cover the loss.14 Many customers werent satisfied with his promises,15 The lack of skepticism around Bybits solvency is a little odd to me. For one, its clear that the assets were not 1:1 backed at the time of Zhous tweet, given that 400,000 ETH had just been stolen. Bybit later issued a press release boasting that they were Fully Backed Within 72 hours, acknowledging themselves that customer balances werent fully backed for those three days.16 Furthermore, much of the gap has been papered over with loans rather than the firms own assets. As we saw with Genesiss $1.1billion loan to try to cover losses in 2022 [I74], a companys ability to secure a loan to cover a hole does not magically make that hole disappear. While Bybits proof-of-reserves demonstrates that the company now holds a sufficient quantity of ETH to back customer balances, these reports do not evaluate Bybits ability to repay the loans or provide any information about the terms of those loans.In the courtsThe Seychelles-based OKX crypto exchange has pleaded guilty and will pay more than $500million in penalties and forfeiture as part of a US Justice Department investigation into the company providing services to US customers without a money transmitting license. According to the DOJ, although the company knew it could not serve US customers without registering, and had an official policy prohibiting US customers, the company sought out such customers and allowed them to use the exchange. According to the DOJ:Even after OKX began requiring all customers to provide some KYC information to trade, OKX employees on certain occasions advised customers how to provide false information to circumvent the companys KYC process and official policy prohibiting U.S. customers. For example, in April 2023, an OKX employee encouraged a potential U.S. customer to open an account by providing false information about the customers nationality during the KYC processing, writing I know youre in the US, but you could just put a random country and it should go through. You just need to put Name, nationality, and ID number. You could just put United Arab Emirates and random numbers for the ID number.The payment will include an $84million fine, and another roughly $420million in forfeited fees obtained from US customers. For a period of three years, OKX will also retain a consultant to advise them on properly prohibiting US customers.17 Around the time of the settlement, a crisis management document prepared by the company was leaked, outlining how the companys PR team should try to buy time by offering up leadership schedules if contacted by journalists about investigations, and describing a plan to contact key friendly publications for a parallel story to seed in a complimentary narrative to the originating story.18The DOJ has extradited Aleksei Andriunin, co-founder of the Gotbit market making firm. Gotbit and several other market makers were charged with wash trading and other market manipulation in October [I68], and a superseding indictment shortly afterwards added charges against Andriunin personally [I69]. Gotbit actively marketed to their clients that they could stealthily wash trade cryptocurrencies to inflate their trading volume, in turn helping the tokens get listed on crypto exchanges and cryptocurrency tracking sites. Andriunin allegedly personally profited to the tune of millions of dollars.19US law enforcement has seized $31million in crypto assets believed to be the part of the proceeds from the April 2021 Uranium Finance hack [W3IGG].20 At the time of the theft, the total amount of assets stolen was priced at around $50million, and it seems this recovery is only a portion of that. While its to be expected that crypto thieves will try to launder their ill-gotten funds, this thief took the rather unusual approach of doing so via Magic: The Gathering cards [W3IGG].A federal judge has dismissed the case from the SEC against Hex founder Richard Heart, determining that the agency failed to demonstrate that the Finland-based American had sufficient presence within the US to fall within their jurisdiction. This is a win for Heart, who also took it as an opportunity to thank Trump (although neither Trump nor his new crypto-friendly SEC seemed to have much to do with the federal judges decision).21 Heart still faces major issues abroad, where he remains on Europes Most Wanted List on warrants from Finland alleging hundreds of millions of euros in tax evasion and physical assault on a minor [I72].Although Nigeria in October finally freed Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan, who theyd imprisoned for eight months in a seeming attempt to get leverage over the company [I52, 54, 56,60, 64], the countrys legal action against Binance remains ongoing. Over the months, Nigeria has alleged that Binance was evading taxes, undermining Nigerias currency, operating without a license, and allowing criminals to launder money through the exchange. Most recently, the countrys Federal Inland Revenue Service filed suit against Binance, demanding $71.5billion in compensation for economic losses, and another $2billion in back taxes.22In US regulatorsSECTrumps nominee for SEC Chair, Paul Atkins [I71], has not even been confirmed yet, but that hasnt stopped the agency from barreling ahead with the new administrations promises to the industry that all their problems would go away.Most notably, the SEC case against Coinbase was dismissed with prejudice, meaning the SEC cannot refile the case in the future. CEOBrian Armstrong was explicit with his thanks when announcing the dismissal on Twitter: I have to give credit here to the Trump administration, for winning the election. He insisted that he believed we would have won this case in the courts either way, but noted that Trumps election certainly helped accelerate the process.23 Coinbase has spent $75million on contributions to crypto-focused super PACs, some apparently in violation of federal election law, and contributed $1million to Trumps inauguration fund.A case against Justin Sun and his Tron project, opened in March 2023 and alleging fraudulent market manipulation through extensive wash trading, orchestrating a scheme to pay celebrities to tout TRX and BTT without disclosing their compensation, and unregistered securities offerings, has been stayed as parties consider a potential resolution.24 As a foreign national, Sun is not permitted to make contributions to American political candidates or committees. However, he has spent $75million purchasing World Liberty Financials WLFI tokens, and Trump personally gets a 75% cut of that projects revenues.A case against Consensys, the makers of the MetaMask crypto wallet, will be dropped shortly by the agency, according to the company.25 Consensys contributed $800,000 to crypto-focused super PACs.Simultaneously, ongoing investigations of companies including Gemini, OpenSea, Robinhood, and Uniswap have been dropped, despite the agency previously having sent Wells notices signaling impending enforcement action. Geminis Winklevoss twins contributed $4.9million to crypto-focused super PACs and $2.6million to Trump directly; Robinhood contributed $2million to Trumps inauguration fund.Having succeeded in lobbying for the investigation into Gemini to be dropped, Cameron Winklevoss is not satisfied. Winklevoss, a billionaire, argues that the government should pay him 3 his legal expenses, and that furthermore anyone at the SEC who was involved in cases or investigations such as the one into his company should be dishonorably discharged and publicly named-and-shamed on the SEC website.26TargetOutcomePolitical contributionsCoinbaseCase dismissed with prejudice$75 million to crypto-focused super PACs$1million to Senate super PACs$1million to Trumps inauguration fund$300,000 to the Democratic National ConventionJustin Sun and TronCase stayed as parties explore resolution$75million purchase of Trump-affiliated WLFI tokensBinanceCase stayed as parties explore resolutionGeminiInvestigation droppedOngoing enforcement case status unclear$4.9 million to crypto-focused super PACs$2.6million to TrumpConsensysConsensys says SEC has agreed to drop the case$800,000 to crypto-focused super PACsOpenSeaOpenSea says SEC has closed their investigationRobinhoodRobinhood says SEC has closed their investigation$2million to Trumps inauguration fundKrakenNo announcements with respect to ongoing SEC caseRelaunched staking services which were shut down as part of a February 2023 SEC settlement$1 million to Trump$1million to Trumps inauguration fund$1million to crypto-focused super PACsCircleJanuary 2024 IPO still under review$1million to crypto-focused super PACs$1million to Trumps inauguration fundRippleNo announcements with respect to ongoing SEC case$48 million to crypto-focused super PACs$12.6million to Harris$5million to Trumps inauguration fund$3million to the Democratic National Convention~$1million to House and Senate Democrat super PACsIn Geminis case, although the twins have publicly declared victory over the SEC, its not clear that there have been any changes to the ongoing case from the SEC in which both Genesis and Gemini were named. Docket activity in early February schedules deposition deadlines ahead of a jury trial, and there has been no further activity.27 Other as-yet unaffected SEC enforcement cases include those against Kraken and Ripple, two other big spenders this cycle. However, Id be surprised if any of these cases remains ongoing much longer.Besides the axing of ongoing cases, the SEC has also issued a statement opining that memecoins dont fall within the agencys remit. This is somewhat predictable, at least in the same sense that so many previously unthinkable US government actions are predictable once ones prediction model shifts to factor in Trumps authoritarianism. In that sense, it would be wild for the SEC to crack down on memecoins shortly after the president launched his own in the current political environment where Trump is bringing formerly independent agencies to heel. Yet it is still somewhat remarkable that the agency is washing its hands of one of the most fraud-ridden, manipulated sectors of the cryptocurrency world. They note that fraudulent conduct in the memecoin world could still be prosecuted... just by somebody else.28 Expect a lot of Spiderman-style fingerpointing if you ask who that someone else might be presumably the FTC, although the FTC is among the so-called independent agencies that Trump has mentioned by name in his executive order promising to rein in such entities (along with the FCC and SEC). The order purports to require such agencies to submit draft regulations for White House review, in another move by Trump demonstrating that he believes he is entitled to unilateral and unchecked power as president.29Meanwhile, Democratic Representative Sam Liccardo(CA) has proposed a bill called the MEME Act that would prohibit the president, Congresspeople, and related figures from creating or sponsoring securities, commodities, or crypto assets, and would require Trump to return the money hes made from sales of his $TRUMP token.30 Needless to say, it has precisely zero chance of passing in the current Congress under the current president, where profiting off ones elected role is more openly accepted than ever.ElsewhereA Biden-nominated Democratic CFTC Commissioner, Christy Goldsmith Romero, has announced she will resign from the agency following the likely confirmation of Andreessen Horowitzs Brian Quintenz as its new chairman [I77].31 She has previously spoken of contagion risk from the crypto industry, saying in a 2022 speech:32The vulnerabilities seen during this beginning of what some call the Crypto Winter warn of growing intra-market risks, with parallel themes seen in 2008. Opaque, complex, leveraged, and unregulated products. Underappreciated risk. A lack of confidence that underlying assets were stable or of high quality. Lots of connections between market participants. A market vulnerable to contagion risk, run risk, risk of defaults, cascading losses and a liquidity crisis. ... Just as regulators could not see the true exposures or risk in 2008 due to unregulated companies and products, we cannot see that today with unregulated crypto markets.Her exit will leave only one Democrat at the agency.I have been musing a lot lately on the fact that the cryptocurrency industry has spent years attacking US regulators by claiming that they are what have stifled innovation and prevented crypto from fulfilling its true potential. Now that the industry has obtained the friendliest possible regulatory environment in the US, theyve lost their go-to excuse when someone asks why, 16 years in, crypto has yet to fulfill the many lofty promises of reinventing the financial system or democratizing wealth or creating a fairer internet or whatever else the entrepreneur in front of you might have latched upon. This should be interesting to watch.Along those lines, I couldnt help but laugh when I saw a CoinDesk op-ed from crypto industry lawyer Renato Mariotti, who writes in The U.S. War on Crypto Isnt Over that the crypto industry is still a victim. According to him, the absolute demolition of any federal regulatory oversight of the crypto sector isnt enough, nor would be potential future federal legislation to hamstring state regulators, because state Attorneys General will continue to file lawsuits against crypto businesses.33 Im beginning to think that anything besides massive sums of government money on a silver platter and a red carpet welcome into the White House will be considered a war on crypto that is responsible for any of the industrys failures, and Im also beginning to believe that the money platter and red carpet both well underway are only the first items on a much longer list of demands from the crypto world as its wealthy executives continue to enrich themselves without much to show for it.In US politicsAlthough hes currently in prison, Sam Bankman-Fried has managed to resurface. Not long after rumors emerged that his parents were investigating the possibility of securing a pardon for their son [I76], Bankman-Fried gave a jailhouse interview to the New York Sun. Bankman-Fried, a Biden megadonor who was second only to George Soros in political contributions to the Democratic party in 202122, now claims he too is a victim of the Biden-led prosecutorial abuse and politicization of the DOJ that Trump has alleged for years. Why would they target him? Because, he says, they learned he was giving to and working with Republicans and conservatives more than was previously known.34 In the interview, he also gave an approving nod to Elon Musks chainsaw approach to government cuts something he would extrapolate upon in a 10-tweet long thread posted a few days later, where he apparently felt the need to make his return to Twitter in order to give his thought leader-style take on widespread firings of federal employees.35The revolving door has spit out former Representative and longtime crypto industry ally Patrick McHenry (R-NC) into roles at not one but three industry players. He will be joining Andreessen Horowitz as a senior adviser, where he will help innovators navigate the policy landscape, touting his time in Congress remov[ing] bureaucratic barriers for American entrepreneurs. He wrote that Its time to level the playing field and ensure that Little Techthe next generation of buildersgets a fair shot.36 (Little Tech in this case apparently meaning the largest venture capital firm in the world, which is so very small that it was able to blow $83million on political contributions to ensure that no fewer than four of its employees were placed in major White House roles, including as the likely upcoming head of the crypto industrys chosen regulator, the CFTC). Any mention of everyday American and the fairness of their shots was conspicuously absent in McHenrys statements.Anyone else remember when Andreessen Horowitz published a slide deck denouncing Big Tech Oligopoly? Just me?McHenry subsequently revealed he would also be taking a role as an advisor to the fintech firm Stripe, as well as as vice chairman of the advisory board to Ondo Finance. Ondo Finance is a tokenized real-world asset firm that wants to do things like put US treasury bills or stocks on the blockchain, and McHenry will likely be a valuable asset in in his words making sure that Ondo is heard by the right people in Washington and helping shepherd them to new relationships.37 Ondo contributed $1million to Trumps inauguration in late December;38 in early February, Trumps World Liberty Financial project purchased almost half a million dollars worth of ONDO tokens.39The Web3 is Going Just Great recapThere were four entries between February 18 and March 2, averaging 0.3 entries per day. $1.51 billion was added to the grift counter.Infini stablecoin neobank suffers $50million theft[link]Infini is a stablecoin neobank: a fintech company that promises financial freedom by democratizing banking and redefining the future of digital finance. Infini experienced a different form of financial freedom and a redefinition of its own financial future last week when attackers liberated almost $50million from the company after a thief with access to a wallet with admin rights drained USDC stablecoins, then swapped them for the DAI stablecoin, which unlike USDC cannot be frozen by its issuer.The attack came only a day after a celebratory tweet from the company in which it had announced that they had achieved $50 million in total value locked, suggesting that the theft affected substantially all of the assets on the platform. Despite this, they have claimed that transactions on the platform are unaffected, and when someone asked how that was possible, they simply replied: We've got solid runway to operate. No worries.Everything elseFounder of the Mask Network loses more than $4 million to a wallet hack [link]$1.5 billion taken from Bybit crypto exchange [link]Around 9,000 wallets used with Cardex fantasy trading card game compromised [link]Worth a readIn a January 24 press release, the Department of Education announced they had end[ed] Bidens book ban hoax. According to the DOE, books werent being banned, but if they were, well, it was because they were age-inappropriate, sexually explicit, or obscene. A new report from PEN America contradicts this evidence-free claim, noting that only 13% of books banned from public school libraries in 202324 included on the page sexual scenes. Purely coincidentally, Im sure, 36% of the banned books featured characters of color and 25% featured LGBTQ characters percentages that got much higher when looking at illustrated books or graphic novels.Jeff Bezos did us indie writers a solid this week when he cravenly announced that he would be (at least more overtly) turning the Washington Post into his personal soapbox and, I hope, he helped people realize that they need to look outside of the papers of record for their information and analysis. Look, this is me trying to find a silver lining to the fact that the largest and most widely read media outlets in the United States have been captured by billionaires who care very little about informing the public and very much about solidifying their personal power and wealth, okay? Parker Molloy gives it a good writeup in this piece, drawing parallels to previous actions by other major outlets.In the newsI went on the Majority Report to discuss the risk from the crypto sector to the broader economy. We also talked about the deep ties between the crypto industry and the Trump administration, and the lobbying efforts over the past two years.Needless to say, the concern about crypto and the economy seems to be going around these days. I appear in this video by More Perfect Union, which also features the always fantastic Professor Hilary Allen.I joined Mia Wong to talk in more detail about the Javier Milei-connected memecoin disaster that I wrote about last week [I77]. Come for the crypto disasters, stay for the detailed description of how Peronism led to the rather unusual political atmosphere in Argentina, whose chainsaw-wielding president has been rubbing shoulders with and lending his chainsaw to US Shadow President Musk.Musk and Milei at CPAC on February 2022 (FOX8)Before I sign offLater this week, I am traveling to Austin to speak at South by Southwest. I will be speaking with the unparalleled Brian Merchant of Blood in the MachineSpeaking Truth to Crypto Power on March 7. Then I will be chatting with Flipboards Mike McCue in a session entitled Digital Sovereignty Is the New Influencer Status on March 9. Youll also be able to find me on the morning of March 9 opening up Flipboards Fediverse House with a brief manifesto on a better web.I love this little illustration from the SXSW site for my digital sovereignty talkI believe all of the Featured Sessions are recorded (and my two sessions both are Featured), so hopefully Ill be able to share those with you at some point if you will not be attending the conference. If you are attending, come say hi!That's all for now, folks. Until next time, Molly WhiteFootnotesAs I noted in my article about cryptocurrency prices and notional value in the context of the Trump memecoin, dollar valuations for crypto thefts can be tricky, particularly when the stolen assets are illiquid or the stolen amounts are very large. This theft is a case of the latter while ETH is a major crypto asset that is comparatively liquid, a theft of this size would cause prices to sink considerably if the attacker tried to offload the funds all at once. Crypto projects are more or less required to insist that theyre solvent after an event sparks panic, regardless of whether its true, because staving off a bank run by reassuring jumpy customers can be the only hope of an insolvent company. Does anyone else remember Sam Bankman-Frieds historic FTX is fine. Assets are fine. tweet? Bankman-Fried is sending his tweets to a friend to post on his behalf. ReferencesBitcoin ETFs Are Hit by a Record $1 Billion Outflow in One Day, Bloomberg. Post by Donald Trump on Truth Social. Tweet by Charles Hoskinson. FBI confirms Lazarus hackers were behind $1.5B Bybit crypto heist, BleepingComputer. Treasury Designates Roman Semenov, Co-Founder of Sanctioned Virtual Currency Mixer Tornado Cash, press release from the US Department of the Treasury. Tweet by Ben Zhou. OKX Pleads Guilty To Violating U.S. Anti-Money Laundering Laws And Agrees To Pay Penalties Totaling More Than $500 Million, press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York. Founder of Cryptocurrency Financial Services Firm Gotbit Extradited to the United States to Face Charges of Market Manipulation and Fraud Conspiracy, press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts. Tweet by US Attorney SDNY. Tweet from Richard Heart. Nigeria suing Binance for $81.5 billion in economic losses and back tax, Reuters. Tweet by Brian Armstrong. Joint letter motion to stay filed on February 26, 2025. Document #82 in SEC v. Sun. SEC to drop all claims against Consensys, Consensys blog. Tweet by Cameron Winklevoss. SEC v. Genesis Global Capital and Gemini Trust Company docket. Staff Statement on Meme Coins, statement by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The U.S. War on Crypto Isnt Over, CoinDesk. Tweet thread by Sam Bankman-Fried. Tweet thread by Patrick McHenry. Trump-Backed World Liberty Financial Buys $470K ONDO Tokens, CoinDesk. I havedisclosuresformywork and writing pertaining to cryptocurrencies.Social share image was created from an Al Jazeera photograph and a CoinGecko price chart.

Super Soccer will "no longer be available"Says the writer that will need to redownload a lot of VC purchases on Wii U and 3DSPutting aside for a moment its value as a discovery tool and historical resource for younger gamers who weren't alive in the 8-, 16-, and 64-bit eras, it's the idea of losing access that drives the passionate market for physical games and causes many of us to look upon any subscription service with a raised eyebrow. That access to a game on PSN or Game Pass or NSO could be revoked with little warning makes many of us anxious.Super Formation Soccer was deemed significant enough to be on Japan's Super Famicom Classic Edition Image: Damien McFerran / Nintendo LifeSo what's the solution? As we've discussed before, why not supplement the subscription service with a digital store that lets us buy the games, too? Why not additionally give players the option to buy any game outright?The business realities here are that even with the emulator up and running, the return on investment on sales of, say, Super Soccer might not be worth the expense of drawing up the paperwork for Spike Chunsoft or Nintendo. Even with the framework just sitting there ready for the ROM, accountants might still look at the cost versus benefit and just not see the value.Yet with the existing eShop, with its payment systems active and everything operating for the foreseeable future, surely it wouldn't be a massive investment to partition a small section and devote it to NSO games? There must be a small revenue stream to tap into for people who aren't interested in a subscription service but who would pay a reasonable price to buy those games on an individual basis.And there's the problem: Nintendo wants to drive you to NSO, and if the only reason you're maintaining a subscription is for continued access to Yoshi's Island or a handful of other retro games, a one-time purchase of a few titles isn't sufficiently attractive compared to a rolling, renewable subscription that many people forget they're signed up to. It's streaming platform 101.How long until bigger games start dropping off? Images: Damien McFerran / Nintendo Life, Zion Grassl / Nintendo LifeIf a game's getting delisted, though, Nintendo could get a lot of subscription naysayers on board by simply offering the game for sale on the eShop once it's disappeared. For some, a separate digital purchase wouldn't be attractive, either some players would only want it on a physical game card but offering a method for fans to put their money where their mouth is would put minds at ease. Super Soccer might not be a great loss to you personally, but for some Switch owners it's a treasured childhood classic. Its sudden removal is a kick in the shins.Removing access to any game, regardless of its personal significance or overall quality, is a blow to us all, though. Technologically speaking, there's nothing to stop these games going on sale - Nintendo has the emulation, the servers, and the payment systems in place already. It also has the clout and resources to work through any backroom business issues and ensure that as many games as possible remain playable on Switch in whatever form satisfies all parties.Right now, it's players that lose out. If, as company president Shuntaro Furukawa has said multiple times in investor Q&As, Nintendo is serious about adding value to NSO as it continues on Switch 2, removing games isn't the answer. If the business realities around these services make maintaining access impossible, the answer seems obvious: let people pay for them.Should Nintendo Switch Online retro games be available to purchase individually? (76 votes)Yes!82%Hmm, don't know5%Nah, you're alright13%If you could buy NSO games Virtual Console-style, would you? (72 votes)Yes, all of them - I have infinite monies!6%Yeah, I'd definitely pick some up!53%I'd buy the delisted ones, sure1%Hmm, maybe my absolute favourites18%Probably not11%Nope - I've got enough ways to play SMB already, thankyouverymuch11% Every retro game available with an NSO sub (plus the Expansion Pack)Related GamesSee AlsoShare:00 Gavin first wrote for Nintendo Life in 2018 before joining the site full-time the following year, rising through the ranks to become Editor. He can currently be found squashed beneath a Switch backlog the size of Normandy. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesNintendo Confirms Removal Of Switch Online SNES GameSuper Soccer will "no longer be available"Nintendo Highlights Four Brand New Games "Coming Soon" To SwitchMarch is going to be an exciting monthStunning New Physical Edition Of Stardew Valley Is Now Available At FangamerIncludes comic, poster, art cards, and more

Where does the time go?It seems an almost impossible notion to consider, but with the Nintendo Switch celebrating its eighth birthday today, it's now merely two years away from being a decade old. A decade. That's simply absurd.It would be oh-so easy to remark on how the console is an ageing relic at this point that's in dire need of an upgrade, but heck, we know said upgrade is coming later this year in the form of the Nintendo Switch 2. So instead, we'd like to briefly focus on how utterly incredible Nintendo's humble hybrid system really is.Read the full article on nintendolife.com