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2025-05-14 20:54:35 ·

Ubisoft Remains Unprofitable, Sales Drop 17% in 2024-25

At this point, it's fair to say that 2024 has been the most disastrous year in Ubisoft's history as far as reputation and goodwill within the gaming community are concerned, with the studio releasing flop after flop, angering players with questionable statements, pushing out NFT games, and seemingly doing everything under the sun to make itself seem as unlikeable as it can be.But reputation is but a smaller part of what keeps big-league AAA studios afloat, with their financial performance being a far more important element. Now, Ubisoft has finally released its financial report for the full year 2024-25, giving us insight into how one of the most disliked game developers has fared money-wise during its most turbulent 12 months to date.UbisoftSurprising virtually no one, the report shows that the company remains unprofitable, posting an €82.6 million loss in IFRS operating income and a €15.1 million loss in non-IFRS operating income.The studio's sales totaled €1.9 billion for the year, a 17.5% drop from last year's €2.3 billion, while net bookings reached €1.85 billion, a 20.5% decline from €2.3 billion in 2023-24. Although Ubisoft slightly improved its debt position in 2024, it still carries €885 million in debt, which it plans to cover in FY2025-26 by finalizing its deal with Tencent.In light of this performance, Ubisoft plans to continue laying off its developers, revealing that around 1,230 employees were terminated in 2024-25 – which helped them achieve €200m reduction in the fixed cost base ahead of schedule – and stating that it intends to reduce its fixed cost base by at least an additional €100 million over the next two years through "ongoing targeted restructurings and strict control on recruitments."Despite their losses, the culture of toxic positivity within Ubisoft continues to thrive, with the studio describing its biggest release of the year, Assassin's Creed Shadows, as a great success. In the report, the company repeated its earlier talking points about Shadows achieving the second-highest Day 1 sales revenue in franchise history and setting a new Day 1 record for Ubisoft on the PlayStation Store, proclaiming that the game holds a 91/100 average player score across first-party stores.Neither the number of Shadows' copies sold nor the revenue it generated for Ubisoft has been disclosed, which is also not surprising in the slightest, given Ubisoft's past tendency to disclose player numbers rather than actual sales.Also worth pointing out is the report breaking down the studio's net bookings by platform. Over the past twelve months, console sales accounted for 45% of net bookings, PC for 31%, mobile for 16%, and the remaining 8% went to other platforms. Compared to 2023-24 figures, the studio lost some ground on consolesbut gained on mobile.Check out the full report here and don't forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our new Discord server, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, TikTok, and Threads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.
#ubisoft #remains #unprofitable #sales #drop

Ubisoft Remains Unprofitable, Sales Drop 17% in 2024-25
At this point, it's fair to say that 2024 has been the most disastrous year in Ubisoft's history as far as reputation and goodwill within the gaming community are concerned, with the studio releasing flop after flop, angering players with questionable statements, pushing out NFT games, and seemingly doing everything under the sun to make itself seem as unlikeable as it can be.But reputation is but a smaller part of what keeps big-league AAA studios afloat, with their financial performance being a far more important element. Now, Ubisoft has finally released its financial report for the full year 2024-25, giving us insight into how one of the most disliked game developers has fared money-wise during its most turbulent 12 months to date.UbisoftSurprising virtually no one, the report shows that the company remains unprofitable, posting an €82.6 million loss in IFRS operating income and a €15.1 million loss in non-IFRS operating income.The studio's sales totaled €1.9 billion for the year, a 17.5% drop from last year's €2.3 billion, while net bookings reached €1.85 billion, a 20.5% decline from €2.3 billion in 2023-24. Although Ubisoft slightly improved its debt position in 2024, it still carries €885 million in debt, which it plans to cover in FY2025-26 by finalizing its deal with Tencent.In light of this performance, Ubisoft plans to continue laying off its developers, revealing that around 1,230 employees were terminated in 2024-25 – which helped them achieve €200m reduction in the fixed cost base ahead of schedule – and stating that it intends to reduce its fixed cost base by at least an additional €100 million over the next two years through "ongoing targeted restructurings and strict control on recruitments."Despite their losses, the culture of toxic positivity within Ubisoft continues to thrive, with the studio describing its biggest release of the year, Assassin's Creed Shadows, as a great success. In the report, the company repeated its earlier talking points about Shadows achieving the second-highest Day 1 sales revenue in franchise history and setting a new Day 1 record for Ubisoft on the PlayStation Store, proclaiming that the game holds a 91/100 average player score across first-party stores.Neither the number of Shadows' copies sold nor the revenue it generated for Ubisoft has been disclosed, which is also not surprising in the slightest, given Ubisoft's past tendency to disclose player numbers rather than actual sales.Also worth pointing out is the report breaking down the studio's net bookings by platform. Over the past twelve months, console sales accounted for 45% of net bookings, PC for 31%, mobile for 16%, and the remaining 8% went to other platforms. Compared to 2023-24 figures, the studio lost some ground on consolesbut gained on mobile.Check out the full report here and don't forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our new Discord server, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, TikTok, and Threads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more. #ubisoft #remains #unprofitable #sales #drop

80.LV

Ubisoft Remains Unprofitable, Sales Drop 17% in 2024-25

At this point, it's fair to say that 2024 has been the most disastrous year in Ubisoft's history as far as reputation and goodwill within the gaming community are concerned, with the studio releasing flop after flop, angering players with questionable statements, pushing out NFT games, and seemingly doing everything under the sun to make itself seem as unlikeable as it can be.But reputation is but a smaller part of what keeps big-league AAA studios afloat, with their financial performance being a far more important element. Now, Ubisoft has finally released its financial report for the full year 2024-25, giving us insight into how one of the most disliked game developers has fared money-wise during its most turbulent 12 months to date.UbisoftSurprising virtually no one, the report shows that the company remains unprofitable, posting an €82.6 million loss in IFRS operating income and a €15.1 million loss in non-IFRS operating income.The studio's sales totaled €1.9 billion for the year, a 17.5% drop from last year's €2.3 billion, while net bookings reached €1.85 billion, a 20.5% decline from €2.3 billion in 2023-24. Although Ubisoft slightly improved its debt position in 2024, it still carries €885 million in debt, which it plans to cover in FY2025-26 by finalizing its deal with Tencent.In light of this performance, Ubisoft plans to continue laying off its developers, revealing that around 1,230 employees were terminated in 2024-25 – which helped them achieve €200m reduction in the fixed cost base ahead of schedule – and stating that it intends to reduce its fixed cost base by at least an additional €100 million over the next two years through "ongoing targeted restructurings and strict control on recruitments."Despite their losses, the culture of toxic positivity within Ubisoft continues to thrive, with the studio describing its biggest release of the year, Assassin's Creed Shadows, as a great success. In the report, the company repeated its earlier talking points about Shadows achieving the second-highest Day 1 sales revenue in franchise history and setting a new Day 1 record for Ubisoft on the PlayStation Store, proclaiming that the game holds a 91/100 average player score across first-party stores.Neither the number of Shadows' copies sold nor the revenue it generated for Ubisoft has been disclosed, which is also not surprising in the slightest, given Ubisoft's past tendency to disclose player numbers rather than actual sales.Also worth pointing out is the report breaking down the studio's net bookings by platform. Over the past twelve months, console sales accounted for 45% of net bookings, PC for 31%, mobile for 16%, and the remaining 8% went to other platforms. Compared to 2023-24 figures, the studio lost some ground on consoles (which made up 56% last year) but gained on mobile (up from just 6%).Check out the full report here and don't forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our new Discord server, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, TikTok, and Threads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.

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2025-05-14 20:51:18 ·

Space Marine II is about to go wild with native mod support

Space Marine II now has official mod support baked into the base game, fresh from the devs’ hands to your eyeballs. This is big news, albeit for a very particular kind of fan. Allow me to give you some necessary context.
Space Marine II is based in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Which, in terms of pop culture settings, is about as deep as it gets. Starting with a tabletop strategy game that was itself a spinoff, the setting has been going strong since the late 80s, with ten editions of the main game, all with deep accompanying lore; several alternate games; hundreds of novels; and dozens of video games. All of that is, to a greater or lesser degree, canon to the game’s story. A story that takes place across literally millions of planets and tens of millions of years, dozens of human and alien species, psychic magic, demons, and sci-fi tech, all rolled together in one miserable, glorious heap of grimdark fiction.
Focus Entertainment
It’s a lot. I think it’s very possible that Warhammer 40K might have the most information and lore of any media property, ever. It is so deep and so wide that it makes Star Trek look like Captain Simian and the Space Monkeys.And here’s the crazy thing: That’s just the official material.
As a tabletop war game that also includes building, painting, and customizing your own incredibly delicate, tiny, and expensive army, 40K attracts the kind of fan who loves to literally get their hands dirty. You can spend thousands of hours and a small fortune painstakingly choosing your perfect fighting force, assembling them, and showing off your skills.

And a lot of players aren’t content to simply go along with the game’s official story; they’d rather invent their own “chapters” or “factions” of the game’s various sci-fi legions. They do the same with the fiction itself. There are decades of fan content, an entire culture, surrounding this game, its stories and lore, and even its basic mechanics. I’m not exaggerating when I say you could spend the rest of your life obsessed with Warhammer 40,000 and still never see everything there is to see.
Here’s one of my favorites, playing off the Ork’s latent psychic powers. 40K’s space Orks aren’t smart enough to make things like cars or spaceships, but because they believe a car-shaped thing should work like a car, it does. They also believe that painting a car red makes it go faster. For them, it actually does.
Space Marine II knows this, knows that its most dedicated fans want to dive into all of that headfirst. While a single video game can only encapsulate a fraction of the full breadth of 40K’s official material and can’t even begin to accommodate all the unofficial stuff, it includes an impressive customization tool that lets you equip and “paint” your giant, grimdark supersoldier in an incredible variety of ways. It’s exactly the sort of thing that makes a 40K fan’s heart go pitter-patter.
But for the most dedicated 40K fan, that’s still not enough. Which is why the game now has official, native support for player-created mods. It’s a formula that’s worked well for tons of PC games, from Skyrim to Cities Skylines to Baldur’s Gate III. But because of Warhammer 40K’s unique relationship with both its own medium and its fans, it’s inevitable that an explosion of user-generated content is coming.
Within the first release of the official Integration Studio, modders will get access to tools for making new levels, new modes, new NPCs and enemy behavior, and even the base game’s logic. But that’s just the bones of what players can make. They can recreate essential moments from 40K fiction, like, say, the Fall of Cadia or the throne room battle of the Horus Heresy.They can add in iconic allies and enemies, from an Avatar of Khaine to Ciaphas Cain. They could bring in some Exodite Eldar and play as an alien elf riding a dinosaur, which Games Workshop has yet to give players in the real game.
And again, that’s just emulating the stuff from the official fiction. Warhammer 40K fan content goes hard and crazy, often leaning into the setting’s most ridiculous elements or its largely forgotten satirical bent.I can’t wait to see Buzz Lightyear marines, or the Angry Marines, or the best unofficial chapter: the Space Maids, who go around in pink maid dresses giving aid and comfort to the armies of the Imperium.

This is a joke. But also it isn’t. The Space Maids have semi-official lore, as official as fan content can get. They have divisions of their army with documented insignias, and they have a “Primarch” or founder like all the other Space Marine chapters/legions. They’re based on cutesy anime tropes, including lots of catgirls and baked goods. They’re wonderful.
Space Maid Marines are coming to Space Marine II. It is inevitable, and it’s going to be glorious.
#space #marine #about #wild #with

Space Marine II is about to go wild with native mod support
Space Marine II now has official mod support baked into the base game, fresh from the devs’ hands to your eyeballs. This is big news, albeit for a very particular kind of fan. Allow me to give you some necessary context. Space Marine II is based in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Which, in terms of pop culture settings, is about as deep as it gets. Starting with a tabletop strategy game that was itself a spinoff, the setting has been going strong since the late 80s, with ten editions of the main game, all with deep accompanying lore; several alternate games; hundreds of novels; and dozens of video games. All of that is, to a greater or lesser degree, canon to the game’s story. A story that takes place across literally millions of planets and tens of millions of years, dozens of human and alien species, psychic magic, demons, and sci-fi tech, all rolled together in one miserable, glorious heap of grimdark fiction. Focus Entertainment It’s a lot. I think it’s very possible that Warhammer 40K might have the most information and lore of any media property, ever. It is so deep and so wide that it makes Star Trek look like Captain Simian and the Space Monkeys.And here’s the crazy thing: That’s just the official material. As a tabletop war game that also includes building, painting, and customizing your own incredibly delicate, tiny, and expensive army, 40K attracts the kind of fan who loves to literally get their hands dirty. You can spend thousands of hours and a small fortune painstakingly choosing your perfect fighting force, assembling them, and showing off your skills. And a lot of players aren’t content to simply go along with the game’s official story; they’d rather invent their own “chapters” or “factions” of the game’s various sci-fi legions. They do the same with the fiction itself. There are decades of fan content, an entire culture, surrounding this game, its stories and lore, and even its basic mechanics. I’m not exaggerating when I say you could spend the rest of your life obsessed with Warhammer 40,000 and still never see everything there is to see. Here’s one of my favorites, playing off the Ork’s latent psychic powers. 40K’s space Orks aren’t smart enough to make things like cars or spaceships, but because they believe a car-shaped thing should work like a car, it does. They also believe that painting a car red makes it go faster. For them, it actually does. Space Marine II knows this, knows that its most dedicated fans want to dive into all of that headfirst. While a single video game can only encapsulate a fraction of the full breadth of 40K’s official material and can’t even begin to accommodate all the unofficial stuff, it includes an impressive customization tool that lets you equip and “paint” your giant, grimdark supersoldier in an incredible variety of ways. It’s exactly the sort of thing that makes a 40K fan’s heart go pitter-patter. But for the most dedicated 40K fan, that’s still not enough. Which is why the game now has official, native support for player-created mods. It’s a formula that’s worked well for tons of PC games, from Skyrim to Cities Skylines to Baldur’s Gate III. But because of Warhammer 40K’s unique relationship with both its own medium and its fans, it’s inevitable that an explosion of user-generated content is coming. Within the first release of the official Integration Studio, modders will get access to tools for making new levels, new modes, new NPCs and enemy behavior, and even the base game’s logic. But that’s just the bones of what players can make. They can recreate essential moments from 40K fiction, like, say, the Fall of Cadia or the throne room battle of the Horus Heresy.They can add in iconic allies and enemies, from an Avatar of Khaine to Ciaphas Cain. They could bring in some Exodite Eldar and play as an alien elf riding a dinosaur, which Games Workshop has yet to give players in the real game. And again, that’s just emulating the stuff from the official fiction. Warhammer 40K fan content goes hard and crazy, often leaning into the setting’s most ridiculous elements or its largely forgotten satirical bent.I can’t wait to see Buzz Lightyear marines, or the Angry Marines, or the best unofficial chapter: the Space Maids, who go around in pink maid dresses giving aid and comfort to the armies of the Imperium. This is a joke. But also it isn’t. The Space Maids have semi-official lore, as official as fan content can get. They have divisions of their army with documented insignias, and they have a “Primarch” or founder like all the other Space Marine chapters/legions. They’re based on cutesy anime tropes, including lots of catgirls and baked goods. They’re wonderful. Space Maid Marines are coming to Space Marine II. It is inevitable, and it’s going to be glorious. #space #marine #about #wild #with

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Space Marine II is about to go wild with native mod support

Space Marine II now has official mod support baked into the base game, fresh from the devs’ hands to your eyeballs. This is big news, albeit for a very particular kind of fan. Allow me to give you some necessary context. Space Marine II is based in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Which, in terms of pop culture settings, is about as deep as it gets. Starting with a tabletop strategy game that was itself a spinoff, the setting has been going strong since the late 80s, with ten editions of the main game, all with deep accompanying lore; several alternate games (ditto); hundreds of novels; and dozens of video games. All of that is, to a greater or lesser degree, canon to the game’s story. A story that takes place across literally millions of planets and tens of millions of years, dozens of human and alien species, psychic magic, demons, and sci-fi tech, all rolled together in one miserable, glorious heap of grimdark fiction. Focus Entertainment It’s a lot. I think it’s very possible that Warhammer 40K might have the most information and lore of any media property, ever. It is so deep and so wide that it makes Star Trek look like Captain Simian and the Space Monkeys. (What? Exactly.) And here’s the crazy thing: That’s just the official material. As a tabletop war game that also includes building, painting, and customizing your own incredibly delicate, tiny, and expensive army, 40K attracts the kind of fan who loves to literally get their hands dirty. You can spend thousands of hours and a small fortune painstakingly choosing your perfect fighting force, assembling them, and showing off your skills. And a lot of players aren’t content to simply go along with the game’s official story; they’d rather invent their own “chapters” or “factions” of the game’s various sci-fi legions. They do the same with the fiction itself. There are decades of fan content, an entire culture, surrounding this game, its stories and lore, and even its basic mechanics. I’m not exaggerating when I say you could spend the rest of your life obsessed with Warhammer 40,000 and still never see everything there is to see. Here’s one of my favorites, playing off the Ork’s latent psychic powers. 40K’s space Orks aren’t smart enough to make things like cars or spaceships, but because they believe a car-shaped thing should work like a car, it does. They also believe that painting a car red makes it go faster. For them, it actually does. Space Marine II knows this, knows that its most dedicated fans want to dive into all of that headfirst. While a single video game can only encapsulate a fraction of the full breadth of 40K’s official material and can’t even begin to accommodate all the unofficial stuff, it includes an impressive customization tool that lets you equip and “paint” your giant, grimdark supersoldier in an incredible variety of ways. It’s exactly the sort of thing that makes a 40K fan’s heart go pitter-patter. But for the most dedicated 40K fan, that’s still not enough. Which is why the game now has official, native support for player-created mods. It’s a formula that’s worked well for tons of PC games, from Skyrim to Cities Skylines to Baldur’s Gate III. But because of Warhammer 40K’s unique relationship with both its own medium and its fans, it’s inevitable that an explosion of user-generated content is coming. Within the first release of the official Integration Studio, modders will get access to tools for making new levels, new modes, new NPCs and enemy behavior, and even the base game’s logic. But that’s just the bones of what players can make. They can recreate essential moments from 40K fiction, like, say, the Fall of Cadia or the throne room battle of the Horus Heresy. (That would be roughly equivalent to the bombing of Pearl Harbor or the Charge of the Light Brigade, for those not in the know.) They can add in iconic allies and enemies, from an Avatar of Khaine to Ciaphas Cain. They could bring in some Exodite Eldar and play as an alien elf riding a dinosaur, which Games Workshop has yet to give players in the real game. And again, that’s just emulating the stuff from the official fiction. Warhammer 40K fan content goes hard and crazy, often leaning into the setting’s most ridiculous elements or its largely forgotten satirical bent. (The humans and Space Marines are unequivocally and almost universally bad guys, if not necessarily the Bad Guys, something that’s often overlooked in the video games.) I can’t wait to see Buzz Lightyear marines, or the Angry Marines, or the best unofficial chapter: the Space Maids, who go around in pink maid dresses giving aid and comfort to the armies of the Imperium. This is a joke. But also it isn’t. The Space Maids have semi-official lore, as official as fan content can get. They have divisions of their army with documented insignias, and they have a “Primarch” or founder like all the other Space Marine chapters/legions. They’re based on cutesy anime tropes, including lots of catgirls and baked goods. They’re wonderful. Space Maid Marines are coming to Space Marine II. It is inevitable, and it’s going to be glorious.

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2025-05-14 20:47:14 ·

Hosting.com

There are many web hosts vying for your dollar, so it takes a special service to stand out from the crowded field and prove itself worthy of your investment. Hosting.comdistinguishes itself in the competitive web hosting market with terrific customer service and several feature-rich hosting packages. Notably, Hosting's high-quality WordPress plans rival those from our Editors' Choice winner, Bluehost. However, its lack of cloud, dedicated, and Windows server plans prevents it from seizing the crown as one of our top picks overall.Shared Web HostingIf you want to launch a site without spending a lot of money, check out shared hosting. A shared package places your site on a server with many other sites, so you literally share resources and lower your overall hosting costs. It's practical and cheap, but it isn't particularly powerful. The main drawback is that the other sites sharing the server can slow your site's load speed with a crash or traffic spike.Hosting.com offers four tiers of Linux-based shared web hosting: Startup, Plus, Pro, and Max. Starterhas 15GB of storage, unlimited monthly data transfers, and five email addresses, but you're limited to a single domain. Plusbuilds on Startup with 30GB of storage,10 email accounts, and two websites. Proups the ante with its 50GB of storage, 20 email accounts, and 10 websites. Finally, there's Max, which offers 100GB of storage, 40 email accounts, and 50 websites. Each plan includes free domain registration for the first year when committing to an annual contract. These are respectable shared plans, but they're a step behind HostGator. HostGator features free domain registration, unlimited monthly data transfers, and unlimited email addresses with each shared hosting plan. If you want to explore shared hosting, HostGator is the place to start.VPS Web HostingAs with its shared hosting plans, Hosting.com has multiple Linux-based virtual private server packages. VPS hosting is like shared hosting in that multiple sites exist on the same server. The difference? VPS hosting offers more resources per site. There are far fewer sites on each server, and each is isolated from its server mates. Hosting.com offers managed and unmanaged VPS servers. With managed servers, Hosting.com takes care of all aspects of server management, including setup, configuration, security, backups, and maintenance. On the other hand, unmanaged servers require you to handle all these tasks yourself for a more hands-on experience.Unmanaged VPS XSstarts with 4GB of virtual memory, 80GB of storage, and unlimited monthly data transfers. The next tier up, VPS S, increases the virtual memory to 8GB and storage to 160GB. VPS Mlets you work with 16GB of virtual memory and 320GB of storage. Lastly, VPS Lis a plan with a hefty 32TB of virtual memory and 640GB of storage.Managed VPS plans use the same naming structure and offer the same configurations, but include managed server support. As expected, that white glove treatment comes at a much higher cost than unmanaged VPS. Managed VPS XS starts at per month for a one-year commitment, while the highest tier, Managed VPS L, costs you per month for the year. The upside is that Hosting.com’s team handles your site's backend, so you can focus on website content without stressing about site maintenance.All VPS plans come with a free SSL certificate and cPanel. It's worth noting that both managed and unmanaged VPS have root access options for complete website control; it's standard on unmanaged VPS plans, and an option for managed ones.Hostwinds tops Hosting.com in VPS hosting. It has you covered with multiple tiers of managed or unmanaged VPS, plus Linux- or Windows-based hosting, something that Hosting's VPS services lack. Hostwinds even features MinecraftVPS server hosting. Like the standard VPS hosting, Minecraft VPS hosting has a slider that lets you quickly select a pre-configured server. The entry-level tieris designed for 10 people; the high-end tiercan host 350 people.Dedicated Web HostingDedicated servers are the most powerful web hosting type, as your website shares zero resources with other sites. If you expect a large amount of website traffic, you should spring for dedicated hosting.However, Hosting.com lacks dedicated servers. The transition from A2 to Hosting.com has left some plans in limbo, with dedicated servers being the most glaring omission. That said, my conversation with a customer support representative confirmed that dedicated servers are coming in the future. If your operation requires dedicated servers, take a look at the feature-packed AccuWeb. AccuWeb offers customizable or prefab Linux—or Windows-based dedicated servers, starting at per month for 8GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and 20TB of monthly data transfers. These servers also scale considerably if you need more power.Recommended by Our EditorsCloud Web HostingCloud hosting differs from traditional hosting in that it spreads resources across multiple servers, whereas traditional hosting pulls power from a single server. Unfortunately, Hosting.com doesn't currently offer cloud hosting. Instead, consider DreamHost. DreamHost's Linux-based packages start at per hourand top out at per hour. Liquid Web is another notable host with cloud options, and it has an array of Windows servers, unlike Hosting.com.WordPress Web HostingWordPress is synonymous with web hosting and a service that powers more than 40% of the web. It's easy to see why: WordPress is easy to use and has a rich theme and plug-in ecosystem that lets you tweak the content management system as you see fit.If you want to use WordPress, Hosting.com has many noteworthy packages. Its four shared WordPress hosting plans—Starter, Plus, Pro, and Max—are identical to the company's shared web hosting plans, though marginally more expensive. The low-end and high-end packages cost per month and per month, respectively, with an annual contract.If you require something a bit more hands-off, Hosting.com lets you sign up for managed WordPress servers. With a managed WordPress server, the company handles updates. If you're focused on one website, the Starter plan starts at per month per year as a managed WordPress package. That scales up to the Max plan, which starts at per month per year. These server plans otherwise have the same features as Hosting.com's shared and WordPress plans. Bluehost has Editors' Choice-worthy WordPress plans, starting at per month for 10 websites, 10GB of storage, DDoS protection, malware scanning, and 40,000 monthly visitors. They max out with the -per-month eCommerce Essentials tier, which lets you build 100 sites, store 100GB of data in fast-speed NVMe storage, allow 400,000 visitors, and use AI creation tools. Alternately, Bluehost also has an excellent website builder that integrates WordPress functionality and offers tremendous flexibility. Bluehost's multiple WordPress options give you lots of flexibility for building websites.Reseller Web HostingIf you're looking to get into the web hosting business, but don't want to deal with infrastructure matters, check out Hosting.com's reseller hosting packages. The plans start at per month for a one-year term and scale up to per month annually. These plans offer unlimited email and up to 250GB of storage and 3500GB of monthly data transfers. In addition, Hosting.com lets you apply your own branding to the servers you rent, and it supplies 24/7 tech support. Hosting.com's reseller packages aren't quite as robust as Hostwinds, which has a variety of packages that are sure to please anyone thinking about getting into the reseller business.Commerce and SecurityIf you plan to sell products, check out Hosting.com's many e-commerce tools. You can use PrestaShop, OpenCart, WooCommerce, or another tool to construct an online store. All offer a one-click setup that lets you get started fairly easily. Magento, a common and popular e-commerce app, lets you easily drag and drop elements to create a store.Naturally, you'll need a Secure Socket Layer certificate to accompany that store. It encrypts the data between your shop and customers' browsers for safe online transactions. Hosting.com's SSLs start at per year for a one-year certificate and 256-bit encryption and climb to the Organization Validation Wildcard SSL.Customer Support, Uptime Promise, and RefundsWebsite uptime is a vital element of web hosting. If your site goes down, clients or customers will be unable to find you or access your products or services. It's in your best interest to find a reliable web host that can keep your site up and running. Otherwise, customers may go elsewhere, and they might never come back. Hosting.com promises 99.9% uptime. If you're ever in need of technical assistance, Hosting.com's aptly named Guru Crew is available to lend a helping hand. Available 24/7/365 via phone or live chat, the Guru Crew is one of the best customer support teams I've encountered in the web hosting space. I contacted the team on a weekday morning to learn which plans offer Windows-based hostingand how to install WordPress. I waited just a few seconds before a Guru Crew member fielded my questions. Hosting.com's customer service squad ranks up there with GoDaddy as the best in the business.Hosting.com's money-back guarantee grants you a full refund if you cancel your account within a 30-day window. You can cancel services directly from your account page, so you don't need to submit a ticket, the case with many other web hosts.
#hostingcom

Hosting.com
There are many web hosts vying for your dollar, so it takes a special service to stand out from the crowded field and prove itself worthy of your investment. Hosting.comdistinguishes itself in the competitive web hosting market with terrific customer service and several feature-rich hosting packages. Notably, Hosting's high-quality WordPress plans rival those from our Editors' Choice winner, Bluehost. However, its lack of cloud, dedicated, and Windows server plans prevents it from seizing the crown as one of our top picks overall.Shared Web HostingIf you want to launch a site without spending a lot of money, check out shared hosting. A shared package places your site on a server with many other sites, so you literally share resources and lower your overall hosting costs. It's practical and cheap, but it isn't particularly powerful. The main drawback is that the other sites sharing the server can slow your site's load speed with a crash or traffic spike.Hosting.com offers four tiers of Linux-based shared web hosting: Startup, Plus, Pro, and Max. Starterhas 15GB of storage, unlimited monthly data transfers, and five email addresses, but you're limited to a single domain. Plusbuilds on Startup with 30GB of storage,10 email accounts, and two websites. Proups the ante with its 50GB of storage, 20 email accounts, and 10 websites. Finally, there's Max, which offers 100GB of storage, 40 email accounts, and 50 websites. Each plan includes free domain registration for the first year when committing to an annual contract. These are respectable shared plans, but they're a step behind HostGator. HostGator features free domain registration, unlimited monthly data transfers, and unlimited email addresses with each shared hosting plan. If you want to explore shared hosting, HostGator is the place to start.VPS Web HostingAs with its shared hosting plans, Hosting.com has multiple Linux-based virtual private server packages. VPS hosting is like shared hosting in that multiple sites exist on the same server. The difference? VPS hosting offers more resources per site. There are far fewer sites on each server, and each is isolated from its server mates. Hosting.com offers managed and unmanaged VPS servers. With managed servers, Hosting.com takes care of all aspects of server management, including setup, configuration, security, backups, and maintenance. On the other hand, unmanaged servers require you to handle all these tasks yourself for a more hands-on experience.Unmanaged VPS XSstarts with 4GB of virtual memory, 80GB of storage, and unlimited monthly data transfers. The next tier up, VPS S, increases the virtual memory to 8GB and storage to 160GB. VPS Mlets you work with 16GB of virtual memory and 320GB of storage. Lastly, VPS Lis a plan with a hefty 32TB of virtual memory and 640GB of storage.Managed VPS plans use the same naming structure and offer the same configurations, but include managed server support. As expected, that white glove treatment comes at a much higher cost than unmanaged VPS. Managed VPS XS starts at per month for a one-year commitment, while the highest tier, Managed VPS L, costs you per month for the year. The upside is that Hosting.com’s team handles your site's backend, so you can focus on website content without stressing about site maintenance.All VPS plans come with a free SSL certificate and cPanel. It's worth noting that both managed and unmanaged VPS have root access options for complete website control; it's standard on unmanaged VPS plans, and an option for managed ones.Hostwinds tops Hosting.com in VPS hosting. It has you covered with multiple tiers of managed or unmanaged VPS, plus Linux- or Windows-based hosting, something that Hosting's VPS services lack. Hostwinds even features MinecraftVPS server hosting. Like the standard VPS hosting, Minecraft VPS hosting has a slider that lets you quickly select a pre-configured server. The entry-level tieris designed for 10 people; the high-end tiercan host 350 people.Dedicated Web HostingDedicated servers are the most powerful web hosting type, as your website shares zero resources with other sites. If you expect a large amount of website traffic, you should spring for dedicated hosting.However, Hosting.com lacks dedicated servers. The transition from A2 to Hosting.com has left some plans in limbo, with dedicated servers being the most glaring omission. That said, my conversation with a customer support representative confirmed that dedicated servers are coming in the future. If your operation requires dedicated servers, take a look at the feature-packed AccuWeb. AccuWeb offers customizable or prefab Linux—or Windows-based dedicated servers, starting at per month for 8GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and 20TB of monthly data transfers. These servers also scale considerably if you need more power.Recommended by Our EditorsCloud Web HostingCloud hosting differs from traditional hosting in that it spreads resources across multiple servers, whereas traditional hosting pulls power from a single server. Unfortunately, Hosting.com doesn't currently offer cloud hosting. Instead, consider DreamHost. DreamHost's Linux-based packages start at per hourand top out at per hour. Liquid Web is another notable host with cloud options, and it has an array of Windows servers, unlike Hosting.com.WordPress Web HostingWordPress is synonymous with web hosting and a service that powers more than 40% of the web. It's easy to see why: WordPress is easy to use and has a rich theme and plug-in ecosystem that lets you tweak the content management system as you see fit.If you want to use WordPress, Hosting.com has many noteworthy packages. Its four shared WordPress hosting plans—Starter, Plus, Pro, and Max—are identical to the company's shared web hosting plans, though marginally more expensive. The low-end and high-end packages cost per month and per month, respectively, with an annual contract.If you require something a bit more hands-off, Hosting.com lets you sign up for managed WordPress servers. With a managed WordPress server, the company handles updates. If you're focused on one website, the Starter plan starts at per month per year as a managed WordPress package. That scales up to the Max plan, which starts at per month per year. These server plans otherwise have the same features as Hosting.com's shared and WordPress plans. Bluehost has Editors' Choice-worthy WordPress plans, starting at per month for 10 websites, 10GB of storage, DDoS protection, malware scanning, and 40,000 monthly visitors. They max out with the -per-month eCommerce Essentials tier, which lets you build 100 sites, store 100GB of data in fast-speed NVMe storage, allow 400,000 visitors, and use AI creation tools. Alternately, Bluehost also has an excellent website builder that integrates WordPress functionality and offers tremendous flexibility. Bluehost's multiple WordPress options give you lots of flexibility for building websites.Reseller Web HostingIf you're looking to get into the web hosting business, but don't want to deal with infrastructure matters, check out Hosting.com's reseller hosting packages. The plans start at per month for a one-year term and scale up to per month annually. These plans offer unlimited email and up to 250GB of storage and 3500GB of monthly data transfers. In addition, Hosting.com lets you apply your own branding to the servers you rent, and it supplies 24/7 tech support. Hosting.com's reseller packages aren't quite as robust as Hostwinds, which has a variety of packages that are sure to please anyone thinking about getting into the reseller business.Commerce and SecurityIf you plan to sell products, check out Hosting.com's many e-commerce tools. You can use PrestaShop, OpenCart, WooCommerce, or another tool to construct an online store. All offer a one-click setup that lets you get started fairly easily. Magento, a common and popular e-commerce app, lets you easily drag and drop elements to create a store.Naturally, you'll need a Secure Socket Layer certificate to accompany that store. It encrypts the data between your shop and customers' browsers for safe online transactions. Hosting.com's SSLs start at per year for a one-year certificate and 256-bit encryption and climb to the Organization Validation Wildcard SSL.Customer Support, Uptime Promise, and RefundsWebsite uptime is a vital element of web hosting. If your site goes down, clients or customers will be unable to find you or access your products or services. It's in your best interest to find a reliable web host that can keep your site up and running. Otherwise, customers may go elsewhere, and they might never come back. Hosting.com promises 99.9% uptime. If you're ever in need of technical assistance, Hosting.com's aptly named Guru Crew is available to lend a helping hand. Available 24/7/365 via phone or live chat, the Guru Crew is one of the best customer support teams I've encountered in the web hosting space. I contacted the team on a weekday morning to learn which plans offer Windows-based hostingand how to install WordPress. I waited just a few seconds before a Guru Crew member fielded my questions. Hosting.com's customer service squad ranks up there with GoDaddy as the best in the business.Hosting.com's money-back guarantee grants you a full refund if you cancel your account within a 30-day window. You can cancel services directly from your account page, so you don't need to submit a ticket, the case with many other web hosts. #hostingcom

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Hosting.com

There are many web hosts vying for your dollar, so it takes a special service to stand out from the crowded field and prove itself worthy of your investment. Hosting.com (formerly A2 Hosting) distinguishes itself in the competitive web hosting market with terrific customer service and several feature-rich hosting packages. Notably, Hosting's high-quality WordPress plans rival those from our Editors' Choice winner, Bluehost. However, its lack of cloud, dedicated, and Windows server plans prevents it from seizing the crown as one of our top picks overall.Shared Web HostingIf you want to launch a site without spending a lot of money, check out shared hosting. A shared package places your site on a server with many other sites, so you literally share resources and lower your overall hosting costs. It's practical and cheap, but it isn't particularly powerful. The main drawback is that the other sites sharing the server can slow your site's load speed with a crash or traffic spike.(Credit: Hosting.com/PCMag)Hosting.com offers four tiers of Linux-based shared web hosting: Startup, Plus, Pro, and Max. Starter (starting at $7.99 per month with an annual contract) has 15GB of storage, unlimited monthly data transfers, and five email addresses, but you're limited to a single domain. Plus (starting at $9.99 per month with an annual contract) builds on Startup with 30GB of storage,10 email accounts, and two websites. Pro (starting at $12.99 per month with an annual contract) ups the ante with its 50GB of storage, 20 email accounts, and 10 websites. Finally, there's Max (starting at $15.99 per month with an annual contract), which offers 100GB of storage, 40 email accounts, and 50 websites. Each plan includes free domain registration for the first year when committing to an annual contract. These are respectable shared plans, but they're a step behind HostGator. HostGator features free domain registration, unlimited monthly data transfers, and unlimited email addresses with each shared hosting plan. If you want to explore shared hosting, HostGator is the place to start.VPS Web HostingAs with its shared hosting plans, Hosting.com has multiple Linux-based virtual private server (VPS) packages. VPS hosting is like shared hosting in that multiple sites exist on the same server. The difference? VPS hosting offers more resources per site. There are far fewer sites on each server, and each is isolated from its server mates. Hosting.com offers managed and unmanaged VPS servers. With managed servers, Hosting.com takes care of all aspects of server management, including setup, configuration, security, backups, and maintenance. On the other hand, unmanaged servers require you to handle all these tasks yourself for a more hands-on experience.Unmanaged VPS XS (starting at $9.99 per month with an annual contract) starts with 4GB of virtual memory, 80GB of storage, and unlimited monthly data transfers. The next tier up, VPS S (starting at $15.99 per month with an annual contract), increases the virtual memory to 8GB and storage to 160GB. VPS M ($24.99 per month with an annual contract) lets you work with 16GB of virtual memory and 320GB of storage. Lastly, VPS L ($60.99 per month with an annual contract) is a plan with a hefty 32TB of virtual memory and 640GB of storage.Managed VPS plans use the same naming structure and offer the same configurations, but include managed server support. As expected, that white glove treatment comes at a much higher cost than unmanaged VPS. Managed VPS XS starts at $65.99 per month for a one-year commitment, while the highest tier, Managed VPS L, costs you $110.99 per month for the year. The upside is that Hosting.com’s team handles your site's backend, so you can focus on website content without stressing about site maintenance.All VPS plans come with a free SSL certificate and cPanel. It's worth noting that both managed and unmanaged VPS have root access options for complete website control; it's standard on unmanaged VPS plans, and an option for managed ones. (Credit: Hosting.com/PCMag)Hostwinds tops Hosting.com in VPS hosting. It has you covered with multiple tiers of managed or unmanaged VPS, plus Linux- or Windows-based hosting, something that Hosting's VPS services lack. Hostwinds even features Minecraft (yes, the video game) VPS server hosting. Like the standard VPS hosting, Minecraft VPS hosting has a slider that lets you quickly select a pre-configured server. The entry-level tier ($4.99 per month) is designed for 10 people; the high-end tier ($328.99 per month) can host 350 people.Dedicated Web HostingDedicated servers are the most powerful web hosting type, as your website shares zero resources with other sites. If you expect a large amount of website traffic, you should spring for dedicated hosting.However, Hosting.com lacks dedicated servers. The transition from A2 to Hosting.com has left some plans in limbo, with dedicated servers being the most glaring omission. That said, my conversation with a customer support representative confirmed that dedicated servers are coming in the future. If your operation requires dedicated servers, take a look at the feature-packed AccuWeb. AccuWeb offers customizable or prefab Linux—or Windows-based dedicated servers, starting at $123 per month for 8GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and 20TB of monthly data transfers. These servers also scale considerably if you need more power.Recommended by Our EditorsCloud Web HostingCloud hosting differs from traditional hosting in that it spreads resources across multiple servers, whereas traditional hosting pulls power from a single server. Unfortunately, Hosting.com doesn't currently offer cloud hosting. Instead, consider DreamHost. DreamHost's Linux-based packages start at $0.0075 per hour (for 512MB of RAM, 80GB of storage, and unlimited monthly data transfers) and top out at $0.0800 per hour (for 8GB of RAM, 80GB of storage, and unlimited monthly data transfers). Liquid Web is another notable host with cloud options, and it has an array of Windows servers, unlike Hosting.com.(Credit: Hosting.com/PCMag)WordPress Web HostingWordPress is synonymous with web hosting and a service that powers more than 40% of the web. It's easy to see why: WordPress is easy to use and has a rich theme and plug-in ecosystem that lets you tweak the content management system as you see fit.If you want to use WordPress, Hosting.com has many noteworthy packages. Its four shared WordPress hosting plans—Starter, Plus, Pro, and Max—are identical to the company's shared web hosting plans, though marginally more expensive. The low-end and high-end packages cost $8.99 per month and $17.99 per month, respectively, with an annual contract.If you require something a bit more hands-off, Hosting.com lets you sign up for managed WordPress servers. With a managed WordPress server, the company handles updates. If you're focused on one website, the Starter plan starts at $27.99 per month per year as a managed WordPress package. That scales up to the Max plan, which starts at $59.99 per month per year. These server plans otherwise have the same features as Hosting.com's shared and WordPress plans. Bluehost has Editors' Choice-worthy WordPress plans, starting at $15.99 per month for 10 websites, 10GB of storage, DDoS protection, malware scanning, and 40,000 monthly visitors. They max out with the $24.99-per-month eCommerce Essentials tier, which lets you build 100 sites, store 100GB of data in fast-speed NVMe storage, allow 400,000 visitors, and use AI creation tools. Alternately, Bluehost also has an excellent website builder that integrates WordPress functionality and offers tremendous flexibility. Bluehost's multiple WordPress options give you lots of flexibility for building websites.Reseller Web HostingIf you're looking to get into the web hosting business, but don't want to deal with infrastructure matters, check out Hosting.com's reseller hosting packages. The plans start at $49.99 per month for a one-year term and scale up to $115.99 per month annually. These plans offer unlimited email and up to 250GB of storage and 3500GB of monthly data transfers. In addition, Hosting.com lets you apply your own branding to the servers you rent, and it supplies 24/7 tech support. Hosting.com's reseller packages aren't quite as robust as Hostwinds, which has a variety of packages that are sure to please anyone thinking about getting into the reseller business.Commerce and SecurityIf you plan to sell products, check out Hosting.com's many e-commerce tools. You can use PrestaShop, OpenCart, WooCommerce, or another tool to construct an online store. All offer a one-click setup that lets you get started fairly easily. Magento, a common and popular e-commerce app, lets you easily drag and drop elements to create a store.Naturally, you'll need a Secure Socket Layer certificate to accompany that store. It encrypts the data between your shop and customers' browsers for safe online transactions. Hosting.com's SSLs start at $29.99 per year for a one-year certificate and 256-bit encryption and climb to the $449.99 Organization Validation Wildcard SSL.Customer Support, Uptime Promise, and RefundsWebsite uptime is a vital element of web hosting. If your site goes down, clients or customers will be unable to find you or access your products or services. It's in your best interest to find a reliable web host that can keep your site up and running. Otherwise, customers may go elsewhere, and they might never come back. Hosting.com promises 99.9% uptime. If you're ever in need of technical assistance, Hosting.com's aptly named Guru Crew is available to lend a helping hand. Available 24/7/365 via phone or live chat, the Guru Crew is one of the best customer support teams I've encountered in the web hosting space. I contacted the team on a weekday morning to learn which plans offer Windows-based hosting (none do!) and how to install WordPress. I waited just a few seconds before a Guru Crew member fielded my questions. Hosting.com's customer service squad ranks up there with GoDaddy as the best in the business.Hosting.com's money-back guarantee grants you a full refund if you cancel your account within a 30-day window. You can cancel services directly from your account page, so you don't need to submit a ticket, the case with many other web hosts.

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TechCrunch shared a link

2025-05-14 20:43:09 ·

Grok is unpromptedly telling X users about South African ‘white genocide’

Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok appeared to experience a bug on Wednesday that caused it to reply to dozens of posts on X with information about “white genocide” in South Africa, even when the user didn’t ask anything about the subject.
The strange responses stem from the X account for Grok, which replies to users with AI-generated posts whenever a user tags @grok. When asked about unrelated topics, Grok repeatedly told users about a “white genocide,” as well as the anti-apartheid chant “kill the boer.”
Grok’s odd, unrelated replies are a reminder that AI chatbots are still a nascent technology, and may not always a reliable source for information. In recent months, AI model providers have struggled to moderate the responses of their AI chatbots, which have led to odd behaviors.
OpenAI recently was forced to roll back an update to ChatGPT that caused the AI chatbot to be overly sycophantic. Meanwhile, Google has faced problems with its Gemini chatbot refusing to answer, or giving misinformation, around political topics.
In one example of Grok’s misbehavior, a user asked Grok about a professional baseball player’s salary, and Grok responded that “The claim of ‘white genocide’ in South Africa is highly debated.”
Several users posted on X about their confusing, odd interactions with the Grok AI chatbot on Wednesday.
It’s unclear at this time what the cause of Grok’s odd answers are, but xAI’s chatbots have been manipulated in the past.

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In February, Grok 3 appeared to have briefly censored unflattering mentions of Elon Musk and Donald Trump. At the time, xAI engineering lead Igor Babuschkin seemed to confirm that Grok was briefly instructed to do so, though the company quickly reversed the instruction after the backlash drew greater attention.
Whatever the cause of the bug may have been, Grok appears to be responding more normally to users now. A spokesperson for xAI did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.
#grok #unpromptedly #telling #users #about

Grok is unpromptedly telling X users about South African ‘white genocide’
Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok appeared to experience a bug on Wednesday that caused it to reply to dozens of posts on X with information about “white genocide” in South Africa, even when the user didn’t ask anything about the subject. The strange responses stem from the X account for Grok, which replies to users with AI-generated posts whenever a user tags @grok. When asked about unrelated topics, Grok repeatedly told users about a “white genocide,” as well as the anti-apartheid chant “kill the boer.” Grok’s odd, unrelated replies are a reminder that AI chatbots are still a nascent technology, and may not always a reliable source for information. In recent months, AI model providers have struggled to moderate the responses of their AI chatbots, which have led to odd behaviors. OpenAI recently was forced to roll back an update to ChatGPT that caused the AI chatbot to be overly sycophantic. Meanwhile, Google has faced problems with its Gemini chatbot refusing to answer, or giving misinformation, around political topics. In one example of Grok’s misbehavior, a user asked Grok about a professional baseball player’s salary, and Grok responded that “The claim of ‘white genocide’ in South Africa is highly debated.” Several users posted on X about their confusing, odd interactions with the Grok AI chatbot on Wednesday. It’s unclear at this time what the cause of Grok’s odd answers are, but xAI’s chatbots have been manipulated in the past. Techcrunch event Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot for our leading AI industry event with speakers from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere. For a limited time, tickets are just for an entire day of expert talks, workshops, and potent networking. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you’ve built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | June 5 REGISTER NOW In February, Grok 3 appeared to have briefly censored unflattering mentions of Elon Musk and Donald Trump. At the time, xAI engineering lead Igor Babuschkin seemed to confirm that Grok was briefly instructed to do so, though the company quickly reversed the instruction after the backlash drew greater attention. Whatever the cause of the bug may have been, Grok appears to be responding more normally to users now. A spokesperson for xAI did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment. #grok #unpromptedly #telling #users #about

TECHCRUNCH.COM

Grok is unpromptedly telling X users about South African ‘white genocide’

Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok appeared to experience a bug on Wednesday that caused it to reply to dozens of posts on X with information about “white genocide” in South Africa, even when the user didn’t ask anything about the subject. The strange responses stem from the X account for Grok, which replies to users with AI-generated posts whenever a user tags @grok. When asked about unrelated topics, Grok repeatedly told users about a “white genocide,” as well as the anti-apartheid chant “kill the boer.” Grok’s odd, unrelated replies are a reminder that AI chatbots are still a nascent technology, and may not always a reliable source for information. In recent months, AI model providers have struggled to moderate the responses of their AI chatbots, which have led to odd behaviors. OpenAI recently was forced to roll back an update to ChatGPT that caused the AI chatbot to be overly sycophantic. Meanwhile, Google has faced problems with its Gemini chatbot refusing to answer, or giving misinformation, around political topics. In one example of Grok’s misbehavior, a user asked Grok about a professional baseball player’s salary, and Grok responded that “The claim of ‘white genocide’ in South Africa is highly debated.” Several users posted on X about their confusing, odd interactions with the Grok AI chatbot on Wednesday. It’s unclear at this time what the cause of Grok’s odd answers are, but xAI’s chatbots have been manipulated in the past. Techcrunch event Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot for our leading AI industry event with speakers from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere. For a limited time, tickets are just $292 for an entire day of expert talks, workshops, and potent networking. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you’ve built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | June 5 REGISTER NOW In February, Grok 3 appeared to have briefly censored unflattering mentions of Elon Musk and Donald Trump. At the time, xAI engineering lead Igor Babuschkin seemed to confirm that Grok was briefly instructed to do so, though the company quickly reversed the instruction after the backlash drew greater attention. Whatever the cause of the bug may have been, Grok appears to be responding more normally to users now. A spokesperson for xAI did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.

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Unity shared a link

2025-05-14 20:42:46 ·

more8bit’s Bleak Sword showcases a minimalist approach to mobile game design

Bleak Sword takes the challenging combat of games like Dark Souls and distills it down to the essentials for a compelling adventure on iOS, macOS, and Apple TV. Learn how Unity developer more8bit kept streamlined the project with a clear vision and smart prototyping to launch this Apple Arcade hit.Mobile developer Luis Moreno Jimenezhas worked in the games industry for more than 20 years. “I started pretty early doing little 3D models and crude animations, and fantasizing about the games I would like to make,” he says.At 17 years old, he joined Enigma Software, where he spent three years working on different prototypes and the RTS-RPG hybrid Excalibug. His next role was at MercurySteam, first as an animator on games like Scrapland and Clive Barker’s Jericho, and then as lead in-game animator on Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and its sequel, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2.“Years working closely with gameplay programmers and gameplay designers has been very beneficial for me in the long run,” he says. “I got to see how they tackle gameplay specific problems from different points of view, understand what works and what doesn’t, and pick up little gameplay tricks here and there. I’ve also learned how to finish and close projects, which is something very important if you’re working solo.”Inspired by the growing number of indie innovators finding success outside large studios, Luis decided to pursue the dream of making his own game. He experimented with a couple of different engines before choosing Unity. “I felt that if I was going to learn a programming language, it would be better to learn a more established and general one like C#.”From the outset, Luis knew he wanted to make a mobile game, and he had a clear idea of what Bleak Sword would look like. The game features 2D sprites rendered in a 3D environment. All game assets use minimalistic pixel art, brought to life in a lo-fi, monochrome style.“The first thing I came up with was this aesthetic,” he explains. “From the very beginning, the main character was as you see in the final game. I thought this minimalistic style would look cool on a handheld or mobile screen, so I chose mobile as my first target platform.”Gameplay took several rounds of prototyping. “The first version of Bleak Sword was 2D,” says Luis. “Another was open world, like a mini-Witcher 3, but that idea soon proved to be too big for one person to do in reasonable time, even with minimalist graphics.”Eventually, Luis landed on the concept of “diorama-based arenas,” where each level is confined to a small square. “This was the structure I was looking for – the two ideas matched perfectly as both have a minimalistic design approach,” he says. “The great thing about Unity is how quickly you can put together a few assets and try out different ideas. It definitely saved me months of work in the experimental phase.”Bleak Sword’s base game contains nine different chapters, each containing 10 diorama-based arenas. Every chapter has new enemies to conquer and culminates in a unique boss encounter.“I knew from the start that I wanted to have very different settings. Because the game loop in the original game was designed specifically for short, quick, intense sessions, if the settings were too similar, it could bore the player,” says Luis.To keep the experience fresh, Luis created different types of terrain, obstacles, enemy types, and gameplay elements. “You have chapters with water, environmental traps, weather conditions that can affect gameplay, and so on,” says Luis. “Players can also hide behind trees or other objects when enemies throw projectiles at them. I tried to balance each arena together with the enemies, so each level is a little different and has the potential to create memorable moments.”One of the game’s most memorable chapters is the Northern Passage, where combat happens on horseback in a perpetually scrolling environment. Luis used Shader Graph to prevent enemies and objects from coming into view beyond the bounds of the scrolling diorama.“Enemies on that level have a script that changes their material. When they spawn, they are created outside the arena using the shader that hides pixels. When they enter the arena, the script changes the material and uses a normal shader, making them visible.”Going mobile gave Luis the opportunity to experiment with control schemes and create a uniquely challenging Soulslike, a genre not often seen on handheld devices. “I wanted to make an action game playable with one hand – no onscreen joysticks or buttons,” he says. “When people play mobile games on their commute, they’re usually holding onto the bar with one hand and playing with the other.”The controls are simple but effective: Players swipe to roll in a direction for movement, tap once to attack, and tap and hold to charge an attack or counter a blow from an enemy.In early prototypes, Luis used Unity’s built-in Input System because it was easy to set up and implement, but switched to Rewired from the Unity Asset Store later in production. “I was very happy in general with the plug-in – it helped a lot with the original Bleak Sword’s development, especially with the Apple TV controls.”more8bit’s publisher, Devolver Digital, pitched Bleak Sword to Apple, who added it to their library of Apple Arcade exclusives in 2019. The game was a hit, receiving praise for its fluid and responsive gameplay.“I’m very happy with how things went,” says Luis. “It definitely allowed me to continue on this indie adventure.”So, what’s next for Bleak Sword? This year, Devolver Digital announced Bleak Sword DX, an expanded and improved version of Bleak Sword for PC and Nintendo Switch™ with updated controls, visuals, and a brand-new campaign.“I can’t wait for players to try the new DX campaign mode, which I think is a lot of fun and pretty challenging, especially with the addition of two more difficult modes,” says Luis. “I’m also excited for players to try their hand at the new Boss Rush mode or see if anyone can get a crazy high number of rounds in Endless Arena. I put a lot of work into this game, and I hope players enjoy their time with it!”Check out the Bleak Sword DX case study to learn how more8bit brought his debut game as a solo developer to more platforms.*Nintendo Switch is a registered trademark of Nintendo.
#more8bits #bleak #sword #showcases #minimalist

more8bit’s Bleak Sword showcases a minimalist approach to mobile game design
Bleak Sword takes the challenging combat of games like Dark Souls and distills it down to the essentials for a compelling adventure on iOS, macOS, and Apple TV. Learn how Unity developer more8bit kept streamlined the project with a clear vision and smart prototyping to launch this Apple Arcade hit.Mobile developer Luis Moreno Jimenezhas worked in the games industry for more than 20 years. “I started pretty early doing little 3D models and crude animations, and fantasizing about the games I would like to make,” he says.At 17 years old, he joined Enigma Software, where he spent three years working on different prototypes and the RTS-RPG hybrid Excalibug. His next role was at MercurySteam, first as an animator on games like Scrapland and Clive Barker’s Jericho, and then as lead in-game animator on Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and its sequel, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2.“Years working closely with gameplay programmers and gameplay designers has been very beneficial for me in the long run,” he says. “I got to see how they tackle gameplay specific problems from different points of view, understand what works and what doesn’t, and pick up little gameplay tricks here and there. I’ve also learned how to finish and close projects, which is something very important if you’re working solo.”Inspired by the growing number of indie innovators finding success outside large studios, Luis decided to pursue the dream of making his own game. He experimented with a couple of different engines before choosing Unity. “I felt that if I was going to learn a programming language, it would be better to learn a more established and general one like C#.”From the outset, Luis knew he wanted to make a mobile game, and he had a clear idea of what Bleak Sword would look like. The game features 2D sprites rendered in a 3D environment. All game assets use minimalistic pixel art, brought to life in a lo-fi, monochrome style.“The first thing I came up with was this aesthetic,” he explains. “From the very beginning, the main character was as you see in the final game. I thought this minimalistic style would look cool on a handheld or mobile screen, so I chose mobile as my first target platform.”Gameplay took several rounds of prototyping. “The first version of Bleak Sword was 2D,” says Luis. “Another was open world, like a mini-Witcher 3, but that idea soon proved to be too big for one person to do in reasonable time, even with minimalist graphics.”Eventually, Luis landed on the concept of “diorama-based arenas,” where each level is confined to a small square. “This was the structure I was looking for – the two ideas matched perfectly as both have a minimalistic design approach,” he says. “The great thing about Unity is how quickly you can put together a few assets and try out different ideas. It definitely saved me months of work in the experimental phase.”Bleak Sword’s base game contains nine different chapters, each containing 10 diorama-based arenas. Every chapter has new enemies to conquer and culminates in a unique boss encounter.“I knew from the start that I wanted to have very different settings. Because the game loop in the original game was designed specifically for short, quick, intense sessions, if the settings were too similar, it could bore the player,” says Luis.To keep the experience fresh, Luis created different types of terrain, obstacles, enemy types, and gameplay elements. “You have chapters with water, environmental traps, weather conditions that can affect gameplay, and so on,” says Luis. “Players can also hide behind trees or other objects when enemies throw projectiles at them. I tried to balance each arena together with the enemies, so each level is a little different and has the potential to create memorable moments.”One of the game’s most memorable chapters is the Northern Passage, where combat happens on horseback in a perpetually scrolling environment. Luis used Shader Graph to prevent enemies and objects from coming into view beyond the bounds of the scrolling diorama.“Enemies on that level have a script that changes their material. When they spawn, they are created outside the arena using the shader that hides pixels. When they enter the arena, the script changes the material and uses a normal shader, making them visible.”Going mobile gave Luis the opportunity to experiment with control schemes and create a uniquely challenging Soulslike, a genre not often seen on handheld devices. “I wanted to make an action game playable with one hand – no onscreen joysticks or buttons,” he says. “When people play mobile games on their commute, they’re usually holding onto the bar with one hand and playing with the other.”The controls are simple but effective: Players swipe to roll in a direction for movement, tap once to attack, and tap and hold to charge an attack or counter a blow from an enemy.In early prototypes, Luis used Unity’s built-in Input System because it was easy to set up and implement, but switched to Rewired from the Unity Asset Store later in production. “I was very happy in general with the plug-in – it helped a lot with the original Bleak Sword’s development, especially with the Apple TV controls.”more8bit’s publisher, Devolver Digital, pitched Bleak Sword to Apple, who added it to their library of Apple Arcade exclusives in 2019. The game was a hit, receiving praise for its fluid and responsive gameplay.“I’m very happy with how things went,” says Luis. “It definitely allowed me to continue on this indie adventure.”So, what’s next for Bleak Sword? This year, Devolver Digital announced Bleak Sword DX, an expanded and improved version of Bleak Sword for PC and Nintendo Switch™ with updated controls, visuals, and a brand-new campaign.“I can’t wait for players to try the new DX campaign mode, which I think is a lot of fun and pretty challenging, especially with the addition of two more difficult modes,” says Luis. “I’m also excited for players to try their hand at the new Boss Rush mode or see if anyone can get a crazy high number of rounds in Endless Arena. I put a lot of work into this game, and I hope players enjoy their time with it!”Check out the Bleak Sword DX case study to learn how more8bit brought his debut game as a solo developer to more platforms.*Nintendo Switch is a registered trademark of Nintendo. #more8bits #bleak #sword #showcases #minimalist

UNITY.COM

more8bit’s Bleak Sword showcases a minimalist approach to mobile game design

Bleak Sword takes the challenging combat of games like Dark Souls and distills it down to the essentials for a compelling adventure on iOS, macOS, and Apple TV. Learn how Unity developer more8bit kept streamlined the project with a clear vision and smart prototyping to launch this Apple Arcade hit.Mobile developer Luis Moreno Jimenez (more8bit) has worked in the games industry for more than 20 years. “I started pretty early doing little 3D models and crude animations, and fantasizing about the games I would like to make,” he says.At 17 years old, he joined Enigma Software, where he spent three years working on different prototypes and the RTS-RPG hybrid Excalibug. His next role was at MercurySteam, first as an animator on games like Scrapland and Clive Barker’s Jericho, and then as lead in-game animator on Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and its sequel, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2.“Years working closely with gameplay programmers and gameplay designers has been very beneficial for me in the long run,” he says. “I got to see how they tackle gameplay specific problems from different points of view, understand what works and what doesn’t, and pick up little gameplay tricks here and there. I’ve also learned how to finish and close projects, which is something very important if you’re working solo.”Inspired by the growing number of indie innovators finding success outside large studios, Luis decided to pursue the dream of making his own game. He experimented with a couple of different engines before choosing Unity. “I felt that if I was going to learn a programming language, it would be better to learn a more established and general one like C#.”From the outset, Luis knew he wanted to make a mobile game, and he had a clear idea of what Bleak Sword would look like. The game features 2D sprites rendered in a 3D environment. All game assets use minimalistic pixel art, brought to life in a lo-fi, monochrome style.“The first thing I came up with was this aesthetic,” he explains. “From the very beginning, the main character was as you see in the final game. I thought this minimalistic style would look cool on a handheld or mobile screen, so I chose mobile as my first target platform.”Gameplay took several rounds of prototyping. “The first version of Bleak Sword was 2D,” says Luis. “Another was open world, like a mini-Witcher 3, but that idea soon proved to be too big for one person to do in reasonable time, even with minimalist graphics.”Eventually, Luis landed on the concept of “diorama-based arenas,” where each level is confined to a small square. “This was the structure I was looking for – the two ideas matched perfectly as both have a minimalistic design approach,” he says. “The great thing about Unity is how quickly you can put together a few assets and try out different ideas. It definitely saved me months of work in the experimental phase.”Bleak Sword’s base game contains nine different chapters, each containing 10 diorama-based arenas. Every chapter has new enemies to conquer and culminates in a unique boss encounter.“I knew from the start that I wanted to have very different settings. Because the game loop in the original game was designed specifically for short, quick, intense sessions, if the settings were too similar, it could bore the player,” says Luis.To keep the experience fresh, Luis created different types of terrain, obstacles, enemy types, and gameplay elements. “You have chapters with water, environmental traps, weather conditions that can affect gameplay, and so on,” says Luis. “Players can also hide behind trees or other objects when enemies throw projectiles at them. I tried to balance each arena together with the enemies, so each level is a little different and has the potential to create memorable moments.”One of the game’s most memorable chapters is the Northern Passage, where combat happens on horseback in a perpetually scrolling environment. Luis used Shader Graph to prevent enemies and objects from coming into view beyond the bounds of the scrolling diorama.“Enemies on that level have a script that changes their material. When they spawn, they are created outside the arena using the shader that hides pixels. When they enter the arena, the script changes the material and uses a normal shader, making them visible.”Going mobile gave Luis the opportunity to experiment with control schemes and create a uniquely challenging Soulslike, a genre not often seen on handheld devices. “I wanted to make an action game playable with one hand – no onscreen joysticks or buttons,” he says. “When people play mobile games on their commute, they’re usually holding onto the bar with one hand and playing with the other.”The controls are simple but effective: Players swipe to roll in a direction for movement, tap once to attack, and tap and hold to charge an attack or counter a blow from an enemy.In early prototypes, Luis used Unity’s built-in Input System because it was easy to set up and implement, but switched to Rewired from the Unity Asset Store later in production. “I was very happy in general with the plug-in – it helped a lot with the original Bleak Sword’s development, especially with the Apple TV controls.”more8bit’s publisher, Devolver Digital, pitched Bleak Sword to Apple, who added it to their library of Apple Arcade exclusives in 2019. The game was a hit, receiving praise for its fluid and responsive gameplay.“I’m very happy with how things went,” says Luis. “It definitely allowed me to continue on this indie adventure.”So, what’s next for Bleak Sword? This year, Devolver Digital announced Bleak Sword DX, an expanded and improved version of Bleak Sword for PC and Nintendo Switch™ with updated controls, visuals, and a brand-new campaign.“I can’t wait for players to try the new DX campaign mode, which I think is a lot of fun and pretty challenging, especially with the addition of two more difficult modes,” says Luis. “I’m also excited for players to try their hand at the new Boss Rush mode or see if anyone can get a crazy high number of rounds in Endless Arena. I put a lot of work into this game, and I hope players enjoy their time with it!”Check out the Bleak Sword DX case study to learn how more8bit brought his debut game as a solo developer to more platforms.*Nintendo Switch is a registered trademark of Nintendo.

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2025-05-14 20:29:32 ·

Technical Artist, Performance - Unannounced Game | Irvine, CA or Albany, NY at Blizzard Entertainment

Technical Artist, Performance - Unannounced Game | Irvine, CA or Albany, NYBlizzard EntertainmentIrvine California 92618 United States of America2 hours agoApplyTeam Name:Unannounced ProjectJob Title:Technical Artist, Performance - Unannounced Game | Irvine, CA or Albany, NYRequisition ID:R024841Job Description:At Blizzard, we craft genre-defining games and legendary worlds for all to share. Through unparalleled creativity and storytelling, we create immersive universes and iconic characters that are beloved across platforms, borders, backgrounds, and generations -- only made possible by building a work environment that cultivates the artistry of game development and unleashes the aspirations of our people.We are looking for a Technical Artist to help us craft a new, unannounced game for Blizzard. As a key member of the development team, you will be responsible for supporting and optimizing art production through technical and artistic expertise. You understand how to effectively problem-solve, innovate, and collaborate to monitor and address performance problems that arise. You are comfortable operating in a dynamic environment, navigating fluid deadlines and changing priorities with purpose.This role is anticipated to be a hybrid work position, with some work on-site and some work from home. The potential home studio for this role is Irvine, CA or Albany, NY.ResponsibilitiesPriorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:Work alongside programmers to validate asset creation practices and monitor game performance metrics through profiling, captures, and pipelines.Address all aspects of performance in a hands-on manner such as: collision, texture practices, mesh construction and UVs, shader performance, overdraw issues, and more.Mentor the team around you to ensure art is technically compliant and performant.Directly contribute to establishing and improving artist workflows.Be a force multiplier providing technical support for a small team of artists and designers.Remain current on industry trends including advancement in commercial game engines and workflow efficiencies.Proactively identify risks and propose solutions that bridge the gap between engineering and art.Minimum RequirementsExperience3 + years of experience in AAA tech art game teams.Confirmed experience, having shipped at least one major title in a relevant role.Knowledge & SkillsIn-depth knowledge of AAA game engines with an understanding of art implementation and integration methods.Comprehensive understanding of art pipelines and good practice, including proficiency in industry-standard 3D and 2D creation software.A portfolio with examples and detailed breakdowns showcasing your practical work.Strong understanding of physically based rendering.Knowledge and experience working in Houdini and other procedural content approaches.Key AttributesA team-oriented approach to your work, understanding the importance of collaboration and partnering with all departments.The ability to inspire others with an enthusiastic approach to game development and improving core skills.Self-motivated and able to solve problems proactively.Extra PointsExperience working through early development R&D phases of a project is a plus.Solid understanding of game development outside of technical art.Understanding of scripting languages.Passion for playing a wide variety of video games.Your PlatformBest known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft, is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.Our WorldActivision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, Candy Crush™ and Bubble Witch™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!Our ability to build immersive and innovative worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered!The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.RewardsWe provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;401with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting / .In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is - Hourly. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.

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#technical #artist #performance #unannounced #game

Technical Artist, Performance - Unannounced Game | Irvine, CA or Albany, NY at Blizzard Entertainment
Technical Artist, Performance - Unannounced Game | Irvine, CA or Albany, NYBlizzard EntertainmentIrvine California 92618 United States of America2 hours agoApplyTeam Name:Unannounced ProjectJob Title:Technical Artist, Performance - Unannounced Game | Irvine, CA or Albany, NYRequisition ID:R024841Job Description:At Blizzard, we craft genre-defining games and legendary worlds for all to share. Through unparalleled creativity and storytelling, we create immersive universes and iconic characters that are beloved across platforms, borders, backgrounds, and generations -- only made possible by building a work environment that cultivates the artistry of game development and unleashes the aspirations of our people.We are looking for a Technical Artist to help us craft a new, unannounced game for Blizzard. As a key member of the development team, you will be responsible for supporting and optimizing art production through technical and artistic expertise. You understand how to effectively problem-solve, innovate, and collaborate to monitor and address performance problems that arise. You are comfortable operating in a dynamic environment, navigating fluid deadlines and changing priorities with purpose.This role is anticipated to be a hybrid work position, with some work on-site and some work from home. The potential home studio for this role is Irvine, CA or Albany, NY.ResponsibilitiesPriorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:Work alongside programmers to validate asset creation practices and monitor game performance metrics through profiling, captures, and pipelines.Address all aspects of performance in a hands-on manner such as: collision, texture practices, mesh construction and UVs, shader performance, overdraw issues, and more.Mentor the team around you to ensure art is technically compliant and performant.Directly contribute to establishing and improving artist workflows.Be a force multiplier providing technical support for a small team of artists and designers.Remain current on industry trends including advancement in commercial game engines and workflow efficiencies.Proactively identify risks and propose solutions that bridge the gap between engineering and art.Minimum RequirementsExperience3 + years of experience in AAA tech art game teams.Confirmed experience, having shipped at least one major title in a relevant role.Knowledge & SkillsIn-depth knowledge of AAA game engines with an understanding of art implementation and integration methods.Comprehensive understanding of art pipelines and good practice, including proficiency in industry-standard 3D and 2D creation software.A portfolio with examples and detailed breakdowns showcasing your practical work.Strong understanding of physically based rendering.Knowledge and experience working in Houdini and other procedural content approaches.Key AttributesA team-oriented approach to your work, understanding the importance of collaboration and partnering with all departments.The ability to inspire others with an enthusiastic approach to game development and improving core skills.Self-motivated and able to solve problems proactively.Extra PointsExperience working through early development R&D phases of a project is a plus.Solid understanding of game development outside of technical art.Understanding of scripting languages.Passion for playing a wide variety of video games.Your PlatformBest known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft, is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.Our WorldActivision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, Candy Crush™ and Bubble Witch™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!Our ability to build immersive and innovative worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered!The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.RewardsWe provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;401with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting / .In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is - Hourly. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable. Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings. Apply #technical #artist #performance #unannounced #game

GAMEJOBS.CO

Technical Artist, Performance - Unannounced Game | Irvine, CA or Albany, NY at Blizzard Entertainment

Technical Artist, Performance - Unannounced Game | Irvine, CA or Albany, NYBlizzard EntertainmentIrvine California 92618 United States of America2 hours agoApplyTeam Name:Unannounced ProjectJob Title:Technical Artist, Performance - Unannounced Game | Irvine, CA or Albany, NYRequisition ID:R024841Job Description:At Blizzard, we craft genre-defining games and legendary worlds for all to share. Through unparalleled creativity and storytelling, we create immersive universes and iconic characters that are beloved across platforms, borders, backgrounds, and generations -- only made possible by building a work environment that cultivates the artistry of game development and unleashes the aspirations of our people.We are looking for a Technical Artist to help us craft a new, unannounced game for Blizzard. As a key member of the development team, you will be responsible for supporting and optimizing art production through technical and artistic expertise. You understand how to effectively problem-solve, innovate, and collaborate to monitor and address performance problems that arise. You are comfortable operating in a dynamic environment, navigating fluid deadlines and changing priorities with purpose.This role is anticipated to be a hybrid work position, with some work on-site and some work from home. The potential home studio for this role is Irvine, CA or Albany, NY.ResponsibilitiesPriorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:Work alongside programmers to validate asset creation practices and monitor game performance metrics through profiling, captures, and pipelines.Address all aspects of performance in a hands-on manner such as: collision, texture practices, mesh construction and UVs, shader performance, overdraw issues, and more.Mentor the team around you to ensure art is technically compliant and performant.Directly contribute to establishing and improving artist workflows.Be a force multiplier providing technical support for a small team of artists and designers.Remain current on industry trends including advancement in commercial game engines and workflow efficiencies.Proactively identify risks and propose solutions that bridge the gap between engineering and art.Minimum RequirementsExperience3 + years of experience in AAA tech art game teams.Confirmed experience, having shipped at least one major title in a relevant role.Knowledge & SkillsIn-depth knowledge of AAA game engines with an understanding of art implementation and integration methods.Comprehensive understanding of art pipelines and good practice, including proficiency in industry-standard 3D and 2D creation software.A portfolio with examples and detailed breakdowns showcasing your practical work.Strong understanding of physically based rendering.Knowledge and experience working in Houdini and other procedural content approaches.Key AttributesA team-oriented approach to your work, understanding the importance of collaboration and partnering with all departments.The ability to inspire others with an enthusiastic approach to game development and improving core skills.Self-motivated and able to solve problems proactively.Extra PointsExperience working through early development R&D phases of a project is a plus.Solid understanding of game development outside of technical art (e.g. lighting, VFX, characters, animation, audio, rendering, systems).Understanding of scripting languages.Passion for playing a wide variety of video games.Your PlatformBest known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.Our WorldActivision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, Candy Crush™ and Bubble Witch™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!Our ability to build immersive and innovative worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered!The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.RewardsWe provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/ .In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $29.81 - $55.14 Hourly. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable. Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings. Apply

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Hitmarker | Gaming Jobs shared a link

2025-05-14 20:29:25 ·

Kingdom Hearts Missing Link has been cancelled, Square Enix announces

Square Enix states that it believes it would be "difficult for us to offer a service that players would find satisfactory over a long period of time."
#kingdom #hearts #missing #link #has

Kingdom Hearts Missing Link has been cancelled, Square Enix announces
Square Enix states that it believes it would be "difficult for us to offer a service that players would find satisfactory over a long period of time." #kingdom #hearts #missing #link #has

HITMARKER.NET

Kingdom Hearts Missing Link has been cancelled, Square Enix announces

Square Enix states that it believes it would be "difficult for us to offer a service that players would find satisfactory over a long period of time."

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2025-05-14 20:25:02 ·

Play Indiana Jones or Lara Croft in the new TTRPG Outgunned Adventure

Last year, Italian games studio Two Little Mice struck a deal to have Swedish tabletop publisher Free League distribute the Ennie-winning game Outgunned, which lets gaming groups play out heist or action movies like Ocean’s Eleven and Mission: Impossible. As part of that deal, Free League just released the first book in Outgunned’s genre line, Outgunned Adventure, which focuses on pulp films like Indiana Jones, The Mummy, and Tomb Raider.

The standalone book uses Outgunned’s Director’s Cut RPG system, which has players roll between two and nine six-sided dice and score successes based on how many land on the same face. As the name suggests, characters are meant to be outmatched by dastardly villains they need to face through shootouts and fast talking. Failure is common, but PCs can “fail with style” — for instance, getting lost while searching for something might mean the players find something they weren’t expecting. Being too noisy on an infiltration might just lead to an exciting fight with a dangerous enemy they hoped to avoid.

The core rulebook includes 10 new roles, like Scoundrel, Technician, and Captain. Those combine with action movie tropes to provide a wide range of character options. You’ll explore ancient temples, run from traps, and fight on top of trains, while searching for treasure and solving mysteries. GMs looking to start playing quickly can pick up the Fall of Atlantis three-part campaign — Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire is another major influence on the game — and an Adventure Director Screen, which provides a quick rules reference. The print books come with PDF copies, fulfilled through DriveThruRPG.Like the base game, Outgunned Adventure was the product of a highly successful crowdfunding campaign, raising more than €480,000 last summer. Two Little Mice has also just kicked off a campaign for its next genre book, Outgunned Superheroes. It has already raised more than €224,000, and high pledge levels include other Outgunned products, including the Action Flicks setting books and the John Wick-inspired World of Killers.
#play #indiana #jones #lara #croft

Play Indiana Jones or Lara Croft in the new TTRPG Outgunned Adventure
Last year, Italian games studio Two Little Mice struck a deal to have Swedish tabletop publisher Free League distribute the Ennie-winning game Outgunned, which lets gaming groups play out heist or action movies like Ocean’s Eleven and Mission: Impossible. As part of that deal, Free League just released the first book in Outgunned’s genre line, Outgunned Adventure, which focuses on pulp films like Indiana Jones, The Mummy, and Tomb Raider. The standalone book uses Outgunned’s Director’s Cut RPG system, which has players roll between two and nine six-sided dice and score successes based on how many land on the same face. As the name suggests, characters are meant to be outmatched by dastardly villains they need to face through shootouts and fast talking. Failure is common, but PCs can “fail with style” — for instance, getting lost while searching for something might mean the players find something they weren’t expecting. Being too noisy on an infiltration might just lead to an exciting fight with a dangerous enemy they hoped to avoid. The core rulebook includes 10 new roles, like Scoundrel, Technician, and Captain. Those combine with action movie tropes to provide a wide range of character options. You’ll explore ancient temples, run from traps, and fight on top of trains, while searching for treasure and solving mysteries. GMs looking to start playing quickly can pick up the Fall of Atlantis three-part campaign — Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire is another major influence on the game — and an Adventure Director Screen, which provides a quick rules reference. The print books come with PDF copies, fulfilled through DriveThruRPG.Like the base game, Outgunned Adventure was the product of a highly successful crowdfunding campaign, raising more than €480,000 last summer. Two Little Mice has also just kicked off a campaign for its next genre book, Outgunned Superheroes. It has already raised more than €224,000, and high pledge levels include other Outgunned products, including the Action Flicks setting books and the John Wick-inspired World of Killers. #play #indiana #jones #lara #croft

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Play Indiana Jones or Lara Croft in the new TTRPG Outgunned Adventure

Last year, Italian games studio Two Little Mice struck a deal to have Swedish tabletop publisher Free League distribute the Ennie-winning game Outgunned, which lets gaming groups play out heist or action movies like Ocean’s Eleven and Mission: Impossible. As part of that deal, Free League just released the first book in Outgunned’s genre line, Outgunned Adventure, which focuses on pulp films like Indiana Jones, The Mummy, and Tomb Raider. The standalone book uses Outgunned’s Director’s Cut RPG system, which has players roll between two and nine six-sided dice and score successes based on how many land on the same face. As the name suggests, characters are meant to be outmatched by dastardly villains they need to face through shootouts and fast talking. Failure is common, but PCs can “fail with style” — for instance, getting lost while searching for something might mean the players find something they weren’t expecting. Being too noisy on an infiltration might just lead to an exciting fight with a dangerous enemy they hoped to avoid. The $51 core rulebook includes 10 new roles, like Scoundrel, Technician, and Captain. Those combine with action movie tropes to provide a wide range of character options. You’ll explore ancient temples, run from traps, and fight on top of trains, while searching for treasure and solving mysteries. GMs looking to start playing quickly can pick up the $21 Fall of Atlantis three-part campaign — Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire is another major influence on the game — and an Adventure Director Screen, which provides a quick rules reference. The print books come with PDF copies, fulfilled through DriveThruRPG.Like the base game, Outgunned Adventure was the product of a highly successful crowdfunding campaign, raising more than €480,000 last summer. Two Little Mice has also just kicked off a campaign for its next genre book, Outgunned Superheroes. It has already raised more than €224,000, and high pledge levels include other Outgunned products, including the Action Flicks setting books and the John Wick-inspired World of Killers.

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2025-05-14 20:24:28 ·

EA Motive is Hiring a Level Designer to Create “Major Single-Player Levels” For Iron Man

While EA Motive has been quiet about its ongoing development of a game based on the Iron Man franchise, a new job listing has been spotted on EA’s jobs website that indicates that single-player will be a major component of the game. The job listing is for a Level Designer that would be in charge of designing “major singleplayer levels”. Along with designing levels, the responsibilities for the job posting include bringing the levels through every phase of development, from concept all the way up to polishing. The level designer will also need to incorporate feedback from research and playtest data, while also communicating with the rest of the team when it comes to feedback on the levels they design. According to the posting, the position requires a potential level designer to have experience with single-player action RPG titles, as well as creative skills when it comes to conceptualising and designing environments. The posting also requires familiarity with Epic’s Unreal Engine. The last time EA Motive spoke about Iron Man was with general manager Patrick Klaus revealing that the team in the studio working on the game had hit a major internal milestone. In his update, Klaus mentioned that the project, led by Olivier Proulx and Ian Frazier, has laid “a robust foundation for the journey ahead.” The major internal milestone would likely have to do with the pre-production phase of the development of Iron Man. Back in October 2023, Klaus had revealed that EA Motive was still in the early stages of the game’s development, having started work on the title after wrapping up the Dead Space remake earlier that year. “Since, our focus has switched to the Iron Man project, giving us the opportunity to workwith another extraordinary property,” Klaus wrote back then. “We’re still early in pre-production and taking our time to make sure we set the best possible foundation for development. But already, we’re finding so many opportunities to explore story, design and gameplay with Iron Man, and it’s exciting to see the fantasy start coming alive.” While we don’t yet know too much about the Iron Man project, back in 2023, author Ryan North had announced that he was joining the writing team for the game. Nolan, who has worked on a host of comic booksas well as 2022 video game Lost in Random, said that “You are not ready for how amazing this game is going to be.” Owing to the general silence regarding the game, EA had confirmed that development on Iron Man, along with another project based on superhero Black Panther, hadn’t been cancelled. The statement came in light of lay-offs at the time affecting 670 employees throughout the company. Currently, no further details about EA Motive’s Iron Man game have been revealed, including what platforms it would be coming to, or even a potential launch window. Going by EA’s general multiplatform release strategy, however, the title is likely being made for PC and consoles.
#motive #hiring #level #designer #create

EA Motive is Hiring a Level Designer to Create “Major Single-Player Levels” For Iron Man
While EA Motive has been quiet about its ongoing development of a game based on the Iron Man franchise, a new job listing has been spotted on EA’s jobs website that indicates that single-player will be a major component of the game. The job listing is for a Level Designer that would be in charge of designing “major singleplayer levels”. Along with designing levels, the responsibilities for the job posting include bringing the levels through every phase of development, from concept all the way up to polishing. The level designer will also need to incorporate feedback from research and playtest data, while also communicating with the rest of the team when it comes to feedback on the levels they design. According to the posting, the position requires a potential level designer to have experience with single-player action RPG titles, as well as creative skills when it comes to conceptualising and designing environments. The posting also requires familiarity with Epic’s Unreal Engine. The last time EA Motive spoke about Iron Man was with general manager Patrick Klaus revealing that the team in the studio working on the game had hit a major internal milestone. In his update, Klaus mentioned that the project, led by Olivier Proulx and Ian Frazier, has laid “a robust foundation for the journey ahead.” The major internal milestone would likely have to do with the pre-production phase of the development of Iron Man. Back in October 2023, Klaus had revealed that EA Motive was still in the early stages of the game’s development, having started work on the title after wrapping up the Dead Space remake earlier that year. “Since, our focus has switched to the Iron Man project, giving us the opportunity to workwith another extraordinary property,” Klaus wrote back then. “We’re still early in pre-production and taking our time to make sure we set the best possible foundation for development. But already, we’re finding so many opportunities to explore story, design and gameplay with Iron Man, and it’s exciting to see the fantasy start coming alive.” While we don’t yet know too much about the Iron Man project, back in 2023, author Ryan North had announced that he was joining the writing team for the game. Nolan, who has worked on a host of comic booksas well as 2022 video game Lost in Random, said that “You are not ready for how amazing this game is going to be.” Owing to the general silence regarding the game, EA had confirmed that development on Iron Man, along with another project based on superhero Black Panther, hadn’t been cancelled. The statement came in light of lay-offs at the time affecting 670 employees throughout the company. Currently, no further details about EA Motive’s Iron Man game have been revealed, including what platforms it would be coming to, or even a potential launch window. Going by EA’s general multiplatform release strategy, however, the title is likely being made for PC and consoles. #motive #hiring #level #designer #create

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EA Motive is Hiring a Level Designer to Create “Major Single-Player Levels” For Iron Man

While EA Motive has been quiet about its ongoing development of a game based on the Iron Man franchise, a new job listing has been spotted on EA’s jobs website that indicates that single-player will be a major component of the game. The job listing is for a Level Designer that would be in charge of designing “major singleplayer levels”. Along with designing levels, the responsibilities for the job posting include bringing the levels through every phase of development, from concept all the way up to polishing. The level designer will also need to incorporate feedback from research and playtest data, while also communicating with the rest of the team when it comes to feedback on the levels they design. According to the posting, the position requires a potential level designer to have experience with single-player action RPG titles, as well as creative skills when it comes to conceptualising and designing environments. The posting also requires familiarity with Epic’s Unreal Engine. The last time EA Motive spoke about Iron Man was with general manager Patrick Klaus revealing that the team in the studio working on the game had hit a major internal milestone. In his update, Klaus mentioned that the project, led by Olivier Proulx and Ian Frazier, has laid “a robust foundation for the journey ahead.” The major internal milestone would likely have to do with the pre-production phase of the development of Iron Man. Back in October 2023, Klaus had revealed that EA Motive was still in the early stages of the game’s development, having started work on the title after wrapping up the Dead Space remake earlier that year. “Since [Dead Space’s launch], our focus has switched to the Iron Man project, giving us the opportunity to work (and play!) with another extraordinary property,” Klaus wrote back then. “We’re still early in pre-production and taking our time to make sure we set the best possible foundation for development. But already, we’re finding so many opportunities to explore story, design and gameplay with Iron Man, and it’s exciting to see the fantasy start coming alive.” While we don’t yet know too much about the Iron Man project, back in 2023, author Ryan North had announced that he was joining the writing team for the game. Nolan, who has worked on a host of comic books (Jughead, Adventure Time, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl) as well as 2022 video game Lost in Random, said that “You are not ready for how amazing this game is going to be.” Owing to the general silence regarding the game, EA had confirmed that development on Iron Man, along with another project based on superhero Black Panther, hadn’t been cancelled. The statement came in light of lay-offs at the time affecting 670 employees throughout the company. Currently, no further details about EA Motive’s Iron Man game have been revealed, including what platforms it would be coming to, or even a potential launch window. Going by EA’s general multiplatform release strategy, however, the title is likely being made for PC and consoles.

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2025-05-14 20:02:57 ·

Perseverance takes the first picture of a visible Martian aurora

News

Space

Perseverance takes the first picture of a visible Martian aurora

Future astronauts will be able to observe the ethereal lights with their own eyes

Martian auroras may appear to future astronauts as a faint, green glow that hangs low in the night sky, as shown in this illustration.

Alex McDougal-Page

By Nikk Ogasa
2 hours ago

On some Martian nights, a subtle, green glow hangs low in the sky, wreathing the horizon in every direction.
A visible Martian aurora has finally been observed for the first time, researchers report May 14 in Science Advances. The observation, made March 18, 2024, by the Perseverance rover, is also the first of an aurora from the surface of a planet that isn’t Earth. Moreover, it suggests future astronauts may witness ethereal Martian auroras with their own eyes. “It would be a dull or dim green glow to astronauts’ eyes,” says Roger Wiens, a planetary scientist at Purdue University in Lafayette, Ind.
Auroras can appear when charged particles from space interact with a planet’s atmosphere. They’ve already been spotted on Mercury, Jupiter and every other non-Earth planet in our solar system, but only from orbit. And in Mars’ sky, scientists had only been able to detect auroral wavelengths of light invisible to the naked eye, using instruments. So it wasn’t clear how Martian auroras would appear to future, landed astronauts.
On March 18, 2024, instruments aboard the Perseverance rover captured an image of a Martian aurora. Though relatively faint, the aurora’s green huescan be made out by comparing the image with one of the typical inky Martian night. Due to the phenomenon’s subtle nature, the rover’s instruments were pointed at a low angle over the horizon to peer through a thick layer of the atmosphere. E.W. Knutsen et al/Science Advances 2025
Compared to many Earthly aurora photos, the new image from Mars is fuzzy. There are a couple reasons for that. First, Perseverance’s cameras perform less well at night, Wiens says. “The instruments aren’t tremendously more sensitive than human eyes,” he says.
And second, Mars doesn’t have a global magnetic field that concentrates auroras near its poles like Earth does. Instead, its crust is magnetized in patches. That means auroras can appear all over the planet, but they’re relatively dim.

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Perseverance takes the first picture of a visible Martian aurora
News Space Perseverance takes the first picture of a visible Martian aurora Future astronauts will be able to observe the ethereal lights with their own eyes Martian auroras may appear to future astronauts as a faint, green glow that hangs low in the night sky, as shown in this illustration. Alex McDougal-Page By Nikk Ogasa 2 hours ago On some Martian nights, a subtle, green glow hangs low in the sky, wreathing the horizon in every direction. A visible Martian aurora has finally been observed for the first time, researchers report May 14 in Science Advances. The observation, made March 18, 2024, by the Perseverance rover, is also the first of an aurora from the surface of a planet that isn’t Earth. Moreover, it suggests future astronauts may witness ethereal Martian auroras with their own eyes. “It would be a dull or dim green glow to astronauts’ eyes,” says Roger Wiens, a planetary scientist at Purdue University in Lafayette, Ind. Auroras can appear when charged particles from space interact with a planet’s atmosphere. They’ve already been spotted on Mercury, Jupiter and every other non-Earth planet in our solar system, but only from orbit. And in Mars’ sky, scientists had only been able to detect auroral wavelengths of light invisible to the naked eye, using instruments. So it wasn’t clear how Martian auroras would appear to future, landed astronauts. On March 18, 2024, instruments aboard the Perseverance rover captured an image of a Martian aurora. Though relatively faint, the aurora’s green huescan be made out by comparing the image with one of the typical inky Martian night. Due to the phenomenon’s subtle nature, the rover’s instruments were pointed at a low angle over the horizon to peer through a thick layer of the atmosphere. E.W. Knutsen et al/Science Advances 2025 Compared to many Earthly aurora photos, the new image from Mars is fuzzy. There are a couple reasons for that. First, Perseverance’s cameras perform less well at night, Wiens says. “The instruments aren’t tremendously more sensitive than human eyes,” he says. And second, Mars doesn’t have a global magnetic field that concentrates auroras near its poles like Earth does. Instead, its crust is magnetized in patches. That means auroras can appear all over the planet, but they’re relatively dim. Sign up for our newsletter We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday. #perseverance #takes #first #picture #visible

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Perseverance takes the first picture of a visible Martian aurora

News Space Perseverance takes the first picture of a visible Martian aurora Future astronauts will be able to observe the ethereal lights with their own eyes Martian auroras may appear to future astronauts as a faint, green glow that hangs low in the night sky, as shown in this illustration. Alex McDougal-Page By Nikk Ogasa 2 hours ago On some Martian nights, a subtle, green glow hangs low in the sky, wreathing the horizon in every direction. A visible Martian aurora has finally been observed for the first time, researchers report May 14 in Science Advances. The observation, made March 18, 2024, by the Perseverance rover, is also the first of an aurora from the surface of a planet that isn’t Earth. Moreover, it suggests future astronauts may witness ethereal Martian auroras with their own eyes. “It would be a dull or dim green glow to astronauts’ eyes,” says Roger Wiens, a planetary scientist at Purdue University in Lafayette, Ind. Auroras can appear when charged particles from space interact with a planet’s atmosphere. They’ve already been spotted on Mercury, Jupiter and every other non-Earth planet in our solar system, but only from orbit. And in Mars’ sky, scientists had only been able to detect auroral wavelengths of light invisible to the naked eye, using instruments. So it wasn’t clear how Martian auroras would appear to future, landed astronauts. On March 18, 2024, instruments aboard the Perseverance rover captured an image of a Martian aurora. Though relatively faint, the aurora’s green hues (left) can be made out by comparing the image with one of the typical inky Martian night (right). Due to the phenomenon’s subtle nature, the rover’s instruments were pointed at a low angle over the horizon to peer through a thick layer of the atmosphere. E.W. Knutsen et al/Science Advances 2025 Compared to many Earthly aurora photos, the new image from Mars is fuzzy. There are a couple reasons for that. First, Perseverance’s cameras perform less well at night, Wiens says. “The instruments aren’t tremendously more sensitive than human eyes,” he says. And second, Mars doesn’t have a global magnetic field that concentrates auroras near its poles like Earth does. Instead, its crust is magnetized in patches. That means auroras can appear all over the planet, but they’re relatively dim. Sign up for our newsletter We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

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