Following our previous look at an opening for an Assistant Architect at the Central Park Conservancy, we are using this weeks edition of ourJob Highlights seriesto explore an open role on Archinect Jobs for an Innovation Lab Teacher at Mountain Views Supervisory School District.The role, based in Woodstock, Vermont, calls for an individual who is passionate about design, technology, and education to lead the Innovation Lab at the Woodstock Union High School and Middle School. Among the responsibilities for the role will be leading hands-on studio courses with students through exposing them to the design process, prototyping techniques, and digital fabrication. The ideal candidate will have an undergraduate or graduate degree in design, architecture, or a related field, as well as teaching experience.Related on Archinect: 2025 Summer Architecture Programs for Kids and High School StudentsWhy the role interests usThe open role at Woodstock Union High School and Middle Sch...

The countdown to 13th Annual A+Awards winners' announcement has begun! Stay updated by subscribing to Architizer's Awards Newsletter.Its safe to say that the days when architects relied solely on hand-drawn plans and traditional tools to bring their visions to life are long gone. Nowadays, they use a mix of advanced techniques, from parametric modeling to robotic fabrication. One of these tools is CNC (Computer Numerical Control) technology a method that cuts, mills and carves materials with machine-guided precision. This allows architects to shape wood, metal, and even concrete with incredible accuracy, making intricate designs faster and more efficient to build.While CNC is commonly used behind the scenes for cabinetry, structural elements or standardized components, some projects take it a step further, making the technology integral to the design and construction process. Whether carving out wooden lattices, constructing gravity-defying pavilions, or repurposing recycled materials, CNC technology can help turn complex ideas into reality. And for these eight projects, thats precisely what it does.The Learning Architecture for LearnersBy VUILD, Koganei, Japan This incubation center brings together industry, government and academia under a structure shaped by CNC precision. Using 5-axis CNC milling, three-dimensionally curved wood beams and panels were cut to serve as both concrete formwork and the final structural surface. Instead of being discarded, the wooden molds remain in place, giving the building its distinctive character. The shells depth is formed by a zigzag cross-section, with layers slightly offset to add strength. Every component was pre-cut in VUILDs own factory, ensuring accuracy and efficiency. The result is a lightweight yet resilient structure that demonstrates how digital fabrication can minimize waste while pushing the possibilities of timber construction.Pavilion of Floating LightsBy JK-AR, Jinju-si, South Korea The Pavilion of Floating Lights reinterprets East Asian timber architecture through CNC precision and augmented reality. Inspired by the historic -ru pavilions, the structure features six tree-like columns that echo the wooden brackets of Chokseok-ru, a landmark built in 1365. Traditional carpentry techniques are revived without nails or adhesives, using CNC-milled plywood components assembled on-site with AR guidance. This approach increases construction efficiency while honoring heritage craftsmanship. Positioned along the Namgang River, the pavilion offers an open civic space for public gatherings, particularly during the Floating Lights Festival. Its delicate framework, combined with glass walls, creates a sense of openness, reconnecting visitors with the citys natural and historical landscape.Learning from TreesBy Andrew Barre Lab, Venice, Italy Learning from Trees is a lightweight timber installation designed for the Italian Pavilion at the 2021 Venice Biennale. Built from 1.2 kilometers of CNC-milled timber, the structure forms a delicate lattice that appears woven but is precisely engineered for rapid assembly. Each timber piece was cut using a specialized CNC process that minimizes waste and eliminates the need for complex steel joints. The system relies on diamond-shaped profiles and hidden symmetries to simplify connections while maintaining structural strength. Originally part of a now-demolished state house, the reclaimed timber finds new life in this modular, low-carbon design. After the Biennale, the structure was disassembled without adhesives and is being permanently reinstalled in Italy, proving that precision fabrication can support both sustainability and reuse.National Museum of Qatar Gift ShopsBy KOICHI TAKADA ARCHITECTS, QatarJury Winner, Retail, 8th Annual A+Awards Inspired by the glowing gypsum crystals of Dahl Al Misfir, the National Museum of Qatar Gift Shops turn wood into an immersive sculptural experience. The design consists of 40,000 CNC-cut European oak pieces, each uniquely shaped to fit only in its precise location. Cut in Italy and assembled by hand in Qatar, the pieces were encoded with visual markers to guide their placementlike a massive three-dimensional puzzle. Without visible fixings, the structure forms a flowing, organic space that echoes the museums desert rose-inspired architecture. CNC technology allowed for extreme precision, transforming a complex concept into a tangible, functional interior that feels both intricate and natural.IWIBy IWI Studio, Quito, Ecuador IWI is a modular living space built with CNC-milled wood for precision, easy assembly and mass production. Designed to expand and contract, it shifts between a compact storage unit and a fully functional workspace, studio or relaxation area. The structure consists of two modules connected by a folding mechanism, allowing users to modify the space as needed. The back module acts as a built-in storage system with tables, chairs, shelves and essential utilities like lighting and water connections. The front module slides open, extending the accordion-like frame and fabric enclosure. CNC milling ensures every piece fits with accuracy, creating a flexible, efficient design that transforms spaces without wasting them.Sauna in TeshikagaBy VUILD, Teshikaga, Japan This tower-shaped sauna rethinks traditional bathhouse design through digital precision and advanced fabrication. Using a 5-axis CNC machine, solid cypress blocks were cut into free-form curves that shape both the interior and exterior. Each wooden piece is unique, designed to interlock with three-dimensional grooves that hold the structure together without traditional fasteners. Inside, a spiraling layout guides visitors through a gradual temperature shift, with warmth increasing as they ascend. Seating blocks double as structural supports, maximizing vertical space. Adjustable airflow and indirect lighting contribute to a controlled thermal experience. By merging CNC technology with ancient sauna principles, this project turns a simple ritual into an architectural journey of heat, light and form.CavilionBy Dahi Studio, Tehran, Iran Cavilion is a bending-active pavilion built through CNC precision and computational design. Created as part of the DigiPy workshop, the project introduced students to digital fabrication, guiding them from concept to full-scale assembly. Using a 3-axis CNC machine, plywood components were cut with exacting accuracy, each piece uniquely shaped to fit into the pavilions flowing structure. Instead of relying on rigid frameworks, the design harnesses elastic deformation, allowing flat plywood strips to form a double-curved surface when assembled. Every part was labeled for easy construction, reducing complexity despite the intricate geometry. Built in just three days at the University of Tehran, Cavilion demonstrates how digital tools can streamline fabrication while embracing adaptability, efficiency and structural innovation.Ashen CabinBy HANNAH, Ashen Cabin Ashen Cabin pushes digital fabrication to its limits, combining 3D-printed concrete with robotically milled wood to create a small but experimental structure. Its concrete foundation and walls are printed using a custom-built large-scale printer, forming corbeled surfaces that define key areas like seating, storage and a towering fireplace. The upper envelope, made from irregular ash logs, is cut with robotic precision to fit together despite their natural inconsistencies. This process turns wood once deemed waste infested by the Emerald Ash Borer into a durable and striking cladding system. By merging 3D scanning, CNC machining and robotic milling, Ashen Cabin rethinks traditional construction, proving that overlooked materials and cutting-edge technology can shape innovative architecture.The countdown to 13th Annual A+Awards winners' announcement has begun! Stay updated by subscribing to Architizer's Awards Newsletter.The post Cutting-Edge Craft: 8 Times CNC Technology Redefined Modern Wooden Architecture appeared first on Journal.

Shortly after launching on PC, Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced is seemingly having a rocky time. Several fans of GTA 5 have taken to leaving negative reviews on the titles Steam store page. At the time of writing, Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced is currently sitting at a review aggregate of Mixed on Steam, averaged out from 6,255 reviews.While there are quite a few positive reviews for the title, numbering it at around 3,370, the negative reviews are edging out a small win. Complaints in user reviews largely revolve around a few technical issues, like HDR not working for some.On the other hand, the several positive reviews also praise Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced for the visual upgrades that it brought to the aging open-world title, as well as it being a free upgrade for players who already owned the original GTA 5.Despite this, however, the release ultimately seems to have been quite successful for roster. In its first day alone, Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced has managed to hit an 24-hour peak of 187,059 concurrent players at the time of writing. This essentially makes it the second-most played game right now as of data from SteamDB.Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced was released as a free update for all GTA 5 owners on PC. The release brings with all of the enhancements that were made to GTA 5 back when it came out on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Players are also allowed to migrate all of their story and GTA Online progress into Enhanced.Enhanced also brought with it new vehicles, as well as new activities like the Wildlife Photography Challenge. It also makes the on-ramp for new GTA Online players gentler by offering GTA$4,000,000 to start out with.Grand Theft Auto 5 has generally proven to be incredibly successful for Rockstar as well as publisher Take-Two Interactive. The publisher revealed back in February that the open-world game had sold more than 210 million copies since its 2013 release. This pushed up cumulative sales across the GTA franchise up to 440 million units.Rockstars most recent game, Red Dead Redemption 2, also managed to hit incredible sales figures. While not as successful as GTA 5, the western has sold 70 million copies worldwide, with total series sales crossing the 95 million copies mark.In the meantime, Rockstar is hard at work trying to hit its Fall 2025 release window for Grand Theft Auto 6. While its no secret that the next game in the franchise is highly anticipated, Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick believes that its release will be big enough to cause a meaningful uptick in console hardware sales.When you have a big title in the market and we have many of them coming, historically that has sold consoles, Zelnick said in February. And I think that will happen this year. I dont think tariffs are going to be our friend, but I think there will be a meaningful uptick in console sales in calendar 25 because of the release schedule, not just coming from us, but coming from others.Grand Theft Auto 6 is being developed for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. There were rumours floating around of a PC release potentially being slated for early 2026. This has been confirmed to just be speculation, however.

Joe Russo, a co-director on upcoming Marvel movies Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, has said that his studio would be open to take another shot at making a game based on the Avengers. Speaking to Variety, Russo spoke about the studio where he, along with his brother, act as executive producers.We would definitely be open to it, said Russo when asked if his studio, AGBO, would be open to a game based on Avengers or Amazon series Citadel.Right now, what were doing is creating new IP, he continued. At AGBO, we want to tell new stories. We want to tell new stories with new characters and new worlds that people havent seen before. So Anthony and I and Donald are working together to build out new worlds. And we have three that were currently working on that the intention is, for every world we build to have the scale and depth of a Star Wars universe, but in a different genre. And then well build materials around those new worlds. Well tell stories in different ways using different media in those worlds.When asked about how the Russo brothers would continue to build out the gaming business at AGBO, especially with the upcoming release of Citadel.We have a new partner at the company who is one of the greatest game developers in history, Donald Mustard, hes the creator of Fortnite, and hes come in now to work with us on building out what we think the future of storytelling could be, which is, some hybrid between linear and virtual and gaming, he said. And were really interested in new ways to tell stories using technology.And so the three of us together are trying to explore and ideate around what opportunities there could be over the next decade using new tools and new technology to tell stories and can we make it can we make it true transmedia, where the same assets that were using for CG in movies is also the same assets that are in the game, that are also the same assets in a virtual experience. And thats the mission of AGBO currently, at the moment.Anthony Russo has also spoken about AGBO. Responding to a question about the platforms that the studio would focus on for its games, Russo said that its approach to development would be similar to how the brothers approach film making.We always call ourselves sort of film agnostic, which is, basically, we value all the different forms you can express yourself in linear cinema storytelling, he said. Same is true with games. Every idea has a different way that it can best be explored and best be brought to audiences or gamers for an experience. So we really like to tailor everything to the creative idea that were exploring, evolving and building upon, in terms of how we find an expression for it.The first game developed by AGBO will be based on Netflixs The Electric State, which will be coming to Android and iOS on March 18.The last major title based on the Avengers franchise was the Crystal Dynamics-developed Marvels Avengers. The title featured a single-player story mode, but also placed quite a bit of emphasis on its co-op multiplayer mode that was structured to be a live-service game.After a rocky launch and a series of patches that tried to alleviate problems while also bringing new content to the game, Marvels Avengers was ultimately delisted back in 2023. Among the additions to the game through post-launch updates were new heroes like Hawkeye and Black Panther.Check out our review of Marvels Avengers from back when it first came out. The title used to be available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S before ultimately being delisted.

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Report: Sony lays off employees at Visual Arts and PS Studios MalaysiaStaff cuts said to be "widespread" across both studios News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 5, 2025 First-party PlayStation support studio Visual Arts and PS Studios Malaysia have reportedly been affected by staff cuts.As reported by Kotaku, an "unknown number of staff" were allegedly laid off at Visual Arts and informed that "their last day at Sony would be March 7."These layoffs are allegedly "widespread" and said to include developers who were working on the recently cancelled live-service game from Bend Studios.PS Studios Malaysia seems to have also faced layoffs, according to a LinkedIn post from former senior project manager Johann Affendy Mahfoor."There was a wave of workforce reduction and unfortunately I'm no longer part of the PS brand," Mahfoor wrote. "[The] saddest, most devastating part for me was seeing high performers and key individuals who were actively working on projects being laid off."GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to Sony for further comment and clarification.PS Studios Malaysia was founded in 2020 to work alongside Visual Arts, which itself provides art and technical support to first-party PS studios. Most recently, it worked with Naughty Dog on The Last Of Us Part 1 and 2 remasters.Former employees Chris Clyde and Lewis Labram also shared that they were part of the layoffs on LinkedIn.Riot Games R&D senior lead producer Abby LeMaster, who previously worked at Visual Arts as project manager, shared her thoughts about the situation on Monday (March 3)."It was tough waking up to messages that many friends and former coworkers from PSVA were laid off this morning," LeMaster wrote. "The layoffs today hit hard. PSVA let go of developers with decades of subject matter expertise; talent that will be extraordinarily difficult to recoup."This industry can be unpredictable, but the skill, experience, and passion of the people I worked with at PSVA are undeniable."

The Dyson Supersonic r is finally getting a wider release. | Image: DysonSince its launch just over a year ago, Dysons upgraded Supersonic r hairdryer has only been available for purchase by salons and professional stylists. But today the company announced the styling tool will be available to everyone in the US starting tomorrow, and in April for those in Europe, according to a report by Yahoo.The consumer version of the Supersonic r will be available in two new color options ceramic pink and jasper plum and will sell for $569.99, the same price as the original, according to Yahoo. Dyson will also continue to offer a professional version of the hair dryer with a longer power cable and a new copper and violet color option coming in the summer.Dyson originally launched its Supersonic hairdryer in 2016, and aside from new color options, it went largely unchanged until the Supersonic r debuted in 2024. Featuring a design thats 30 percent smaller and 20 percent lighter than the original, the Supersonic r so named because it looks like a lowercase letter r offers better visibility and more flexibility in how it can be positioned and maneuvered.The Supersonic r also features a smaller motor (spinning at 130,000RPM) squeezed into the handle of the hairdryer for improved weight distribution, and three disc-shaped heating elements designed to produce more even heat without cold spots. Its styling accessories attach to the hairdryer magnetically and are recognized through RFID which automatically switches the Supersonic r to specific heat and power settings, or whatever setting was last used with the attachment.

Nvidias dominance over the latest generation of graphics cards ends today. AMD might have surrendered the high end of the GPU market, but its new $549 Radeon RX 9070 and $599 RX 9070 XT look set to bring Nvidia back to reality, at least in the midrange. After a disappointing $549 RTX 5070, a $749 RTX 5070 Ti thats near impossible to buy for anything less than $899, and a $1,999 RTX 5090 whose only competition is other Nvidia cards, AMDs next-gen GPUs look perfectly timed and deliver on performance and price. The RX 9070 is around 17 percent faster than Nvidias RTX 5070 in 4K without upscaling enabled, cruising past Nvidias card for the same price. The RX 9070 XT is as fast as the RTX 5070 Ti for $150 less.Pricing is key with these cards, particularly as only 10 percent of GPU sales right now are from AMD. The company needs a big win with its latest generation of cards if it wants to regain ground from Nvidia, and the RX 9070 series might be just what the GPU market needs.AMD Radeon RX 9070$549$549The Good16GB of VRAMFSR 4 image quality improvementsLower power draw than previous Radeon cardsThe BadNo AMD reference designBig and bulky card$549 at Best BuyHow we rate and review products$598The GoodThe $599 price tagFSR 4 image quality improvementsLower power draw than previous Radeon cardsThe BadI wish it had a little more VRAMNo AMD reference designBig and bulky card$598 at Best BuyHow we rate and review productsHardwareAMD hasnt created reference cards for the RX 9070 series, so the end result is designs from add-in board partners that look very similar to the ones used for previous generations of Radeon GPUs. The Gigabyte RX 9070 Ive been testing is longer and bulkier than the RTX 5070.The XFX 9070 XT Ive been testing is also a 3.5-slot card, so it takes up far more space in a case than the two-slot RTX 5080 or 5090 Founders Edition or even the 2.5-slot RTX 5070 Ti card I reviewed. I far prefer the reference designs AMD has used in the past, and the RX 9070-series cards are big and bulky in comparison. AMD has also stuck to using two 8-pin PCIe power connectors with the RX 9070 series, instead of switching to 12VHPWR. It does mean youll need to run two PCIe connectors to both the RX 9070 and 9070 XT, but you wont need to worry about PSU compatibility or the risk of a 12VHPWR connector melting.Both the RX 9070 and 9070 XT ship with 16GB of VRAM, which is a good amount at these prices. Nvidia only has 12GB of VRAM on its $549 RTX 5070, so youre certainly getting more value from a $549 RX 9070 here especially if youre looking at 4K gaming where VRAM demands are higher.1440p and 4K benchmarksTest machine:CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 9800X3DCPU cooler: Corsair H150i Elite LCDMotherboard: Gigabyte Aorus MasterRAM: 32GB G.Skill DDR5-6000Storage: Samsung 970 Evo Plus 2TBPSU: Corsair HX1000WCase: Streacom BC1 V2 open benchtableIve been testing AMDs RX 9070 and 9070 XT cards with an AMD Ryzen 9 9800X3D processor and Asus 32-inch 4K OLED PG32UCDP. Ive put the RX 9070 and 9070 XT up against Nvidias RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti as well as its existing RX 7900 XT and XTX GPUs. Ive tested a variety of games at both 1440p and 4K, including more demanding titles like Black Myth: Wukong and benchmarking favorites like Cyberpunk 2077 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. All games have been tested at very high or ultra settings, and I enabled ray tracing in some titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Metro Exodus to see what AMDs latest GPUs can deliver there.The RX 9070 comfortably beats Nvidias RTX 5070 at both 4K and 1440p. Its 17 percent faster at 4K and nearly 20 percent faster at 1440p. Its not even close. In some games, like Horizon Zero Dawn, the RX 9070 is more than 30 percent faster, with or without FSR enabled.1/9The $599 RX 9070 XT competes with Nvidias $749 RTX 5070 Ti, with an average frame rate difference of less than 1 percent without upscaling across the nine games we tested. The differences between these two cards really come down to the individual games, with the RX 9070 XT less than 5 percent behind the RTX 5070 Ti in titles like Returnal and Metro Exodus Enhanced.The RX 9070 comfortably beats Nvidias RTX 5070 at both 4K and 1440pThe RX 9070 XT isnt that far behind AMDs previous flagship, the $999 RX 7900 XTX, either. I found the XTX was less than 2 percent faster at 4K and 1440p tests without upscaling enabled. Thats a small performance gap, considering the price differences between these cards.I think the RX 9070 makes the most sense at 1440p, and the RX 9070 XT is definitely worth the extra $50 if you want to move to 4K gaming. Considering the small price gap, its worth paying the extra $50 for better 1440p performance, too. 1/9FSR 4 and RDNA 4AMDs 9000-series GPUs are built on top of the companys RDNA 4 architecture, which AMD says offers twice the rasterization graphics performance per compute unit as RDNA 2. This new architecture also includes improvements to boost ray-tracing performance.In Metro Exodus Enhanced with ultra ray tracing enabled, the RX 9070 XT is nearly 7 percent faster than the RX 7900 XTX, but its 4 percent behind the RTX 5070 Ti. Nvidia still reigns supreme in Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K with ray tracing and upscaling enabled, though, with the RTX 5070 Ti 16 percent ahead of the RX 9070 XT.The RDNA 4 architecture also includes a new version of AMDs FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) upscaling, which now uses dedicated AI accelerator hardware to improve frame rates and image quality much like Nvidias DLSS. FSR 4 is exclusive to these new RX 9070 graphics cards, and it works in all games that have FSR 3.1 integrated. All you have to do is flick a switch in the AMD software, and FSR 4 will be enabled automatically in supported games.With FSR 4, AMD hasnt followed Nvidia with Multi Frame Generation, instead focusing on improving image quality in upscaled games. I tested FSR 4 in both Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. The FSR 4 changes are more obvious in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.In Black Ops 6, the advances are immediately obvious. The current FSR 3.1 implementation often results in a more soft or blurry image, which is especially noticeable in text on walls or objects that are slightly further away. FSR 4 makes the overall image look a lot sharper and, in some cases, even better than the native 4K output. A police car has a blurry numberplate and logo in FSR 3.1 quality mode. But in FSR 4 quality, its upscaled correctly, and the entire car looks a lot sharper as a result. Details on buildings are also more clear, and even enemies look more detailed in motion with FSR 4. And this all comes without a noticeable performance hit, which is great. The FSR 4 improvements are less obvious in Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, and I struggled to notice any difference between FSR 3.1 quality and FSR 4 quality modes. While this might suggest your mileage may vary with FSR 4 quality, I was able to use ultra performance FSR 4 and get surprisingly good visual quality and higher frame rates from the game.You have to look really closely at rocks to notice FSR 4 improvements in Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered.Beyond gaming, the RX 9070 cards are both a lot more capable for AI workloads. In Procyons AI XL (FP16) test, the RX 9070 XT is more than 40 percent faster than the RX 7900 XTX, but its around 20 percent behind the AI performance of the RTX 5070. The RX 9070 is also more than 40 percent faster in the AI XL test over the RX 7900 XT, but the RTX 5070 is nearly 40 percent faster in this AI workload test.I normally test video editing capabilities with PugetBenchs DaVinci Resolve benchmark, but it gets around 20 percent into the test and crashes on AMDs GPUs.Power draw and heatIts great to see AMD lower power supply requirements and power draw on its latest Radeon GPUs. AMD recommends a 750-watt power supply for the RX 9070 XT, for its 304 watts of total board power. Ive found it delivers performance close to the RX 7900 XTX while using 40 watts less power at 4K. The 9070 XT averaged at 303 watts during my tests, while the 7900 XTX averaged 346 watts.Its the same story for the RX 9070. AMD recommends a 650-watt power supply for this card, 100 watts less than the 750-watt recommendation for the 7900 XT. In my tests, the RX 9070 averaged 244 watts, while the 7900 XT averaged more than 25 percent more power draw at 307 watts. Thats a big efficiency improvement, and its only 34 more watts of power draw than the RTX 5070 for a noticeable performance gap between these two $549 cards.The RX 9070 also hit a maximum temperature of 60 degrees Celsius in my open testbench, compared to 70C for the RX 7900 XT. The RX 9070 XT reached just 55C in my testing, compared to 71C for the RX 7900 XTX. Nvidias RTX 5070 Founders Edition card reached 77C in the same tests, with MSIs Ventus 3 RTX 5070 Ti reaching 68C. AMDs latest generation of Radeon GPUs are more efficient and run cooler than its previous generation, and they also run cooler than Nvidias direct competitors. Thats a clear win for AMD.Nvidias new GPUs are big and bulky compared to Nvidias sleek Founders Edition cards.AMD has priced its RX 9070-series cards really aggressively, particularly with the $599 RX 9070 XT being $150 cheaper than the RTX 5070 Ti. The $549 RX 9070 is the same price as Nvidias RTX 5070, but it beats the 5070 in every game Ive tested, sometimes by a big margin.If AMD manages to have these cards in stock at these prices, then its going to shake up the important midrange of the GPU market.The question is whether it can chip away at Nvidias dominance. In addition to (or because of) its 90 percent market share, Nvidia also has an advantage in how many more games support DLSS than FSR. And DLSS is so popular that 80 percent of RTX owners activate it in games. FSR 4 improves image quality to compete more closely with DLSS, but AMD still needs game developers to implement it. Nvidia lets you simply force DLSS 4 in games, so you dont need to wait on developers at all.The stickiness of DLSS could tempt PC gamers to spend a little more to stay with Nvidia, and I havent seen enough from FSR 4 yet to know whether it can compete with the upscaling improvements Nvidia made with DLSS 4.Nvidias Game Ready Drivers are also an advantage; the company works with developers to optimize drivers for games before they launch, whereas AMD has long had driver issues with a variety of games. I havent run into any issues while testing the RX 9070 series, but I cant promise that will be the case when new games are released. While AMD says it has been working hard on improving its drivers, only time will tell.Either way, AMDs RX 9070-series cards are a clear indication that its not giving the entire GPU market to Nvidia. Its willing to compete on performance and price, and thats a winning formula if AMD manages to keep those prices under control.Photography by Tom Warren / The VergeSee More:

The God of War series has been an important fixture across four generations of PlayStation consoles. But when Kratos vengeance-filled journey to becoming the new god of war began in 2005, few could have foreseen where the angry deity destroyer would be 20 years later. Where other long-running franchises have struggled to stay relevant for multiple gaming generations, God of War has survived thanks to its willingness to change. The most important change, of course, was the radical 2018 reboot that plucked Kratos out of Ancient Greece and immersed him in the world of Norse mythology. It dramatically changed both the presentation and gameplay style of the series. But even before that critically acclaimed reboot, developer Sony Santa Monica had implemented a number of smaller, but nonetheless interesting changes that ensured the series survival. Reinvention will be key to God of Wars continued success in the future, too. When the series moved to its Norse setting, director Cory Barlog spoke of his wish of going on to the Egyptian era and the Mayan era and so on and so forth. Recent rumours have once again brought up an Egyptian setting. Even if this is all hopeful thinking rather than genuine insider news, its understandable why people yearn for Kratos to visit the land of the pyramids: Ancient Egypt has a distinct culture and powerfully rich mythology. But a new setting is just the start: wherever God of War goes next, it must reinvent itself in much the same way as when it took the components that worked so well for the series Greek trilogy and updated (and, in some ways, improved) them for the highly acclaimed Norse games.God of War's combat changed significantly for the Norse games, but it stayed true to the furious spirit of the original Greek trilogy. | Image credit: SonyThe series has never shied away from making changes from entry to entry, of course. The original Greek games evolved across the span of a decade, refining their hack and slash gameplay and polishing it to a mirror shine by the release of God of War 3. At the end of the trilogy, Kratos had access to a revamped magic system that complimented the combo-based rhythms of melee combat, and faced an even greater variety of challenging enemies. That final chapter was built for the PlayStation 3, which offered a substantial power increase over the PS2 that the first two games were designed for, and so new camera angles provided even better views of what was in 2010 a graphical powerhouse. Much of what defined these original games was lost in the reboot. The Greek trilogy incorporated plenty of platforming and puzzle game elements to help Kratos achieve his goals. Those platforming sections were phased out of the Norse games, in part due to a change in camera angles the new third-person, over-the-shoulder perspective just didnt work for that kind of approach. The puzzles remained, but were reformulated to fit God of Wars new adventure-first design. By returning to the series Greek roots both mechanically and narratively in Valhalla, Kratos story came full circle.We can see this kind of re-fit applied to a number of the series original concepts. From God of War 2 onwards, the games featured battle arenas that allowed players to set difficulty levels and choose their opponents. These formed some of the most memorable moments of the original series, but were lost in the 2018 reboot. But Valhalla, the roguelike DLC for God of War Ragnark, featured the return of battle arenas, which had been adapted for the new Norse mythology setting. This return to a feature of the past was poetically mirrored by the DLCs story, which saw the Norse god of war, Tr, invite Kratos to Valhalla to confront the ghosts of his past. By returning to the series Greek roots both mechanically and narratively, Kratos story came full circle.The Norse God of War games are not just reinterpretations of past ideas, though. This second iteration of the franchise includes a swathe of new additions, including the unique throwing mechanics for the Leviathan Axe, a combat-defining parry system enabled by a series of shield types and, in Ragnark, a magical spear that allows for a much faster, explosive attack style. These are your tools for travelling across the Nine Realms, each of which has its own particular foes, visuals and other disparate characteristics. The original trilogy had solid writing, but the Norse duology took God of War's story to unexpected new heights. | Image credit: SonyBut while the mechanics of battle and exploration are the obvious changes, the creative gulf between the original trilogy and the Norse duology is most clearly observed in the games approach to story. Across the second era, we feel the loss and heartache Kratos experiences for his late wife and how this fuels a fire within him. He is outwardly bitter towards his son, Atreus, and the pairs uneasy relationship is at the heart of the two games. Both uncover unexpected hidden truths about themselves. All this is a far cry from the more brutish storytelling of the original trilogy, and the more emotive approach is almost certainly the key to the Norse eras resounding critical and commercial success. God of Wars radical shift in both mechanical design and storytelling approach is the result of a different kind of thinking when it comes to franchises. The series creators have said that they dont view the Norse games as sequels in the traditional sense, but rather as extensions of Kratos journey. This attitude should sit at the core of any future installments. The Norse games are not sequels in the traditional sense, but rather extensions of Kratos journey.Of course, radical reinvention on its own is not a foolproof way of generating escalating success. Just look at Assassins Creed, another series that has frequently changed location and time period. While consistently profitable, Ubisoft's long-running series has struggled to secure continued fan adornment across multiple console generations in the same way God of War has. Following the 2017 shift to an open world RPG design with Assassins Creed Origins, the series links to its foundational Assassins guild lore has become more and more tenuous. What began as a series linked by the story of Desmond Miles has lost much of its narrative connective tissue, and the new RPG era of games have ultimately proved more divisive with each passing installment. General criticism has been aimed at the series increasing content bloat the classic bigger doesnt necessarily mean better argument but long-term fans are increasingly frustrated by the series drifting away from its assassin roots towards Spartan and Viking power fantasies. Fantasies that many believe would have been better served as standalone RPGs. The series has now attempted a couple of course corrections, starting with 2023s Assassins Creed Mirage; a soft reboot and return to the series Middle Eastern roots. It revived the gameplay and structure of the earlier games and offered a considerably shorter story, which was reasonably well received by both critics and fans. This year, Assassins Creed Shadows looks to be continuing in a similar vein thanks to the introduction of Naoe, a character wholly dedicated to the stealth gameplay that was foundational for the original Xbox 360-era games. The mixed fortunes of Assassins Creeds shift in style shows that abandoning what made a series successful can cause rifts within the fanbase. This is something the God of War series has skilfully navigated. On paper, the Norse series is a radical departure, but it never lost sight of what made Kratos a compelling character, nor the series mechanical roots. It identified the very core of the Greek trilogy that fiery, unrelenting combat and built something new atop it. And with each new game, that foundation supported new evolutions. More Spartan Rage options. Cooler weapons. A stronger variety of combat options and adversaries. The ability to play as another character for sizable chunks of the story. All these additions enhanced what came before and never distracted from the foundations that made the previous games such a success. They maintain a clear sense of identity for the series, and deepen the lore rather than annex it. That is something a follow-up, be it set in Egypt or elsewhere, must continue to do. Regardless of if the rumours of an Egyptian setting prove true, whatever comes next must ensure that its evolutionary upgrades maintain what has made God of War such a success. Back in 2018, that meant a focus on combat the new games had to live up to the standards of the Greek trilogy when it came to butchering foes. But the next God of War will surely be judged by its story, the true gemstone at the heart of the Norse duology. The development of Kratos character from the rage-filled monster encountered in the original series into a sombre, complex father and leader showcases how important the writing has been in making the post-2018 games such a monumental success. Whatever comes next must be built upon that strength, while also striving to make bold new changes that will (hopefully) be remembered as the pinnacle achievement of the next era of God of War. Chris Connor is a coffee and whisky driven culture wordsmith, with work published at NME, Radio Times, Yahoo, and others.