Disney has been one of the biggest references in animation since its first films, with many beloved classics like The Lion King, Pinocchio, and Snow White, and many more when looking at its past. However, among the many other movies released by the company since it started in the business, it is expected that some of these titles didn’t reach classic status.

In the face of growing labor shortages and need for sustainability, European manufacturers are racing to reinvent their processes to become software-defined and AI-driven. To achieve this, robot developers and industrial digitalization solution providers are working with NVIDIA to build safe, AI-driven robots and industrial technologies to drive modern, sustainable manufacturing. At NVIDIA GTC Paris at VivaTech, Europe’s leading robotics companies including Agile Robots, Extend Robotics, Humanoid, idealworks, Neura Robotics, SICK, Universal Robots, Vorwerk and Wandelbots are showcasing their latest AI-driven robots and automation breakthroughs, all accelerated by NVIDIA technologies. In addition, NVIDIA is releasing new models and tools to support the entire robotics ecosystem. NVIDIA Releases Tools for Accelerating Robot Development and Safety NVIDIA Isaac GR00T N1.5, an open foundation model for humanoid robot reasoning and skills, is now available for download on Hugging Face. This update enhances the model’s adaptability and ability to follow instructions, significantly improving its performance in material handling and manufacturing tasks. The NVIDIA Isaac Sim 5.0 and Isaac Lab 2.2 open-source robotics simulation and learning frameworks, optimized for NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 workstations, are available on GitHub for developer preview. In addition, NVIDIA announced that NVIDIA Halos — a full-stack, comprehensive safety system that unifies hardware architecture, AI models, software, tools and services — now expands to robotics, promoting safety across the entire development lifecycle of AI-driven robots. The NVIDIA Halos AI Systems Inspection Lab has earned accreditation from the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) to perform inspections across functional safety for robotics, in addition to automotive vehicles. “NVIDIA’s latest evaluation with ANAB verifies the demonstration of competence and compliance with internationally recognized standards, helping ensure that developers of autonomous machines — from automotive to robotics — can meet the highest benchmarks for functional safety,” said R. Douglas Leonard Jr., executive director of ANAB. Arcbest, Advantech, Bluewhite, Boston Dynamics, FORT, Inxpect, KION, NexCobot — a NEXCOM company, and Synapticon are among the first robotics companies to join the Halos Inspection Lab, ensuring their products meet NVIDIA safety and cybersecurity requirements. To support robotics leaders in strengthening safety across the entire development lifecycle of AI-driven robots, Halos will now provide: Safety extension packages for the NVIDIA IGX platform, enabling manufacturers to easily program safety functions into their robots, supported by TÜV Rheinland’s inspection of NVIDIA IGX. A robotic safety platform, which includes IGX and NVIDIA Holoscan Sensor Bridge for a unified approach to designing sensor-to-compute architecture with built-in AI safety. An outside-in safety AI inspector — an AI-powered agent for monitoring robot operations, helping improve worker safety. Europe’s Robotics Ecosystem Builds on NVIDIA’s Three Computers Europe’s leading robotics developers and solution providers are integrating the NVIDIA Isaac robotics platform to train, simulate and deploy robots across different embodiments. Agile Robots is post-training the GR00T N1 model in Isaac Lab to train its dual-arm manipulator robots, which run on NVIDIA Jetson hardware, to execute a variety of tasks in industrial environments. Meanwhile, idealworks has adopted the Mega NVIDIA Omniverse Blueprint for robotic fleet simulation to extend the blueprint’s capabilities to humanoids. Building on the VDA 5050 framework, idealworks contributes to the development of guidance that supports tasks uniquely enabled by humanoid robots, such as picking, moving and placing objects. Neura Robotics is integrating NVIDIA Isaac to further enhance its robot development workflows. The company is using GR00T-Mimic to post-train the Isaac GR00T N1 robot foundation model for its service robot MiPA. Neura is also collaborating with SAP and NVIDIA to integrate SAP’s Joule agents with its robots, using the Mega NVIDIA Omniverse Blueprint to simulate and refine robot behavior in complex, realistic operational scenarios before deployment. Vorwerk is using NVIDIA technologies to power its AI-driven collaborative robots. The company is post-training GR00T N1 models in Isaac Lab with its custom synthetic data pipeline, which is built on Isaac GR00T-Mimic and powered by the NVIDIA Omniverse platform. The enhanced models are then deployed on NVIDIA Jetson AGX, Jetson Orin or Jetson Thor modules for advanced, real-time home robotics. Humanoid is using NVIDIA’s full robotics stack, including Isaac Sim and Isaac Lab, to cut its prototyping time down by six weeks. The company is training its vision language action models on NVIDIA DGX B200 systems to boost the cognitive abilities of its robots, allowing them to operate autonomously in complex environments using Jetson Thor onboard computing. Universal Robots is introducing UR15, its fastest collaborative robot yet, to the European market. Using UR’s AI Accelerator — developed on NVIDIA Isaac’s CUDA-accelerated libraries and AI models, as well as NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin — manufacturers can build AI applications to embed intelligence into the company’s new cobots. Wandelbots is showcasing its NOVA Operating System, now integrated with Omniverse, to simulate, validate and optimize robotic behaviors virtually before deploying them to physical robots. Wandelbots also announced a collaboration with EY and EDAG to offer manufacturers a scalable automation platform on Omniverse that speeds up the transition from proof of concept to full-scale deployment. Extend Robotics is using the Isaac GR00T platform to enable customers to control and train robots for industrial tasks like visual inspection and handling radioactive materials. The company’s Advanced Mechanics Assistance System lets users collect demonstration data and generate diverse synthetic datasets with NVIDIA GR00T-Mimic and GR00T-Gen to train the GR00T N1 foundation model. SICK is enhancing its autonomous perception solutions by integrating new certified sensor models — as well as 2D and 3D lidars, safety scanners and cameras — into NVIDIA Isaac Sim. This enables engineers to virtually design, test and validate machines using SICK’s sensing models within Omniverse, supporting processes spanning product development to large-scale robotic fleet management. Toyota Material Handling Europe is working with SoftServe to simulate its autonomous mobile robots working alongside human workers, using the Mega NVIDIA Omniverse Blueprint. Toyota Material Handling Europe is testing and simulating a multitude of traffic scenarios — allowing the company to refine its AI algorithms before real-world deployment. NVIDIA’s partner ecosystem is enabling European industries to tap into intelligent, AI-powered robotics. By harnessing advanced simulation, digital twins and generative AI, manufacturers are rapidly developing and deploying safe, adaptable robot fleets that address labor shortages, boost sustainability and drive operational efficiency. Watch the NVIDIA GTC Paris keynote from NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang at VivaTech, and explore GTC Paris sessions. See notice regarding software product information.

By TREVOR HOGG Images courtesy of Prime Video. For those seeking an alternative to the MCU, Prime Video has two offerings of the live-action and animated variety that take the superhero genre into R-rated territory where the hands of the god-like figures get dirty, bloodied and severed. “The Boys is about the intersection of celebrity and politics using superheroes,” states Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor on The Boys. “Sometimes I see the news and I don’t even know we can write to catch up to it! But we try. Invincible is an intense look at an alternate DC Universe that has more grit to the superhero side of it all. On one hand, I was jealous watching Season 1 of Invincible because in animation you can do things that you can’t do in real life on a budget.” Season 4 does not tone down the blood, gore and body count. Fleet notes, “The writers almost have this dialogue with us. Sometimes, they’ll write in the script, ‘And Fleet will come up with a cool visual effect for how to kill this person.’ Or, ‘Chhiu, our fight coordinator, will make an awesome fight.’ It is a frequent topic of conversation. We’re constantly trying to be inventive and create new ways to kill people!” When Splinter (Rob Benedict) splits in two, the cloning effect was inspired by cellular mitosis. “The writers almost have this dialogue with us. Sometimes, they’ll write in the script, ‘And Fleet will come up with a cool visual effect for how to kill this person.’ Or, ‘Chhiu, our fight coordinator, will make an awesome fight.’ It is a frequent topic of conversation. We’re constantly trying to be inventive and create new ways to kill people!” —Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor A total of 1,600 visual effects shots were created for the eight episodes by ILM, Pixomondo, MPC Toronto, Spin VFX, DNEG, Untold Studios, Luma Pictures and Rocket Science VFX. Previs was a critical part of the process. “We have John Griffith [Previs Director], who owns a small company called CNCPT out of Texas, and he does wonderful Unreal Engine level previs,” Fleet remarks. “On set, we have a cartoon of what is going to be done, and you’ll be amazed, specifically for action and heavy visual effects stuff, how close those shots are to the previs when we finish.” Founding Director of Federal Bureau of Superhuman Affairs, Victoria Neuman, literally gets ripped in half by two tendrils coming out of Compound V-enhanced Billy Butcher, the leader of superhero resistance group The Boys. “The word that we like to use on this show is ‘grounded,’ and I like to say ‘grounded’ with an asterisk in this day and age because we’re grounded until we get to killing people in the craziest ways. In this case, having someone floating in the air and being ripped in half by two tendrils was all CG.” Multiple plates were shot to enable Simon Pegg to phase through the actor laying in a hospital bed. Testing can get rather elaborate. “For that end scene with Butcher’s tendrils, the room was two stories, and we were able to put the camera up high along with a bunch of blood cannons,” Fleet recalls. “When the body rips in half and explodes, there is a practical component. We rained down a bunch of real blood and guts right in front of Huey. It’s a known joke that we like to douse Jack Quaid with blood as much as possible! In this case, the special effects team led by Hudson Kenny needed to test it the day before, and I said, “I’ll be the guinea pig for the test.’ They covered the whole place with plastic like it was a Dexter kill room because you don’t want to destroy the set. I’m standing there in a white hazmat suit with goggles on, covered from head to toe in plastic and waiting as they’re tweaking all of these things. It sounds like World War II going on. They’re on walkie talkies to each other, and then all of a sudden, it’s ‘Five, four, three, two, one…’  And I get exploded with blood. I wanted to see what it was like, and it’s intense.” “On set, we have a cartoon of what is going to be done, and you’ll be amazed, specifically for action and heavy visual effects stuff, how close those shots are to the previs when we finish.” —Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor The Deep has a love affair with an octopus called Ambrosius, voiced by Tilda Swinton. “It’s implied bestiality!” Fleet laughs. “I would call it more of a romance. What was fun from my perspective is that I knew what the look was going to be [from Season 3], so then it’s about putting in the details and the animation. One of the instincts that you always have when you’re making a sea creature that talks to a human [is] you tend to want to give it human gestures and eyebrows. Erik Kripke [Creator, Executive Producer, Showrunner, Director, Writer] said, ‘No. We have to find things that an octopus could do that conveys the same emotion.’ That’s when ideas came in, such as putting a little The Deep toy inside the water tank. When Ambrosius is trying to have an intimate moment or connect with him, she can wrap a tentacle around that. My favorite experience doing Ambrosius was when The Deep is reading poetry to her on a bed. CG creatures touching humans is one of the more complicated things to do and make look real. Ambrosius’ tentacles reach for his arm, and it becomes an intimate moment. More than touching the skin, displacing the bedsheet as Ambrosius moved ended up becoming a lot of CG, and we had to go back and forth a few times to get that looking right; that turned out to be tricky.” A building is replaced by a massive crowd attending a rally being held by Homelander. In a twisted form of sexual foreplay, Sister Sage has The Deep perform a transorbital lobotomy on her. “Thank you, Amazon for selling lobotomy tools as novelty items!” Fleet chuckles. “We filmed it with a lobotomy tool on set. There is a lot of safety involved in doing something like that. Obviously, you don’t want to put any performer in any situation where they come close to putting anything real near their eye. We created this half lobotomy tool and did this complicated split screen with the lobotomy tool on a teeter totter. The Deep was [acting in a certain way] in one shot and Sister Sage reacted in the other shot. To marry the two ended up being a lot of CG work. Then there are these close-ups which are full CG. I always keep a dummy head that is painted gray that I use all of the time for reference. In macrophotography I filmed this lobotomy tool going right into the eye area. I did that because the tool is chrome, so it’s reflective and has ridges. It has an interesting reflective property. I was able to see how and what part of the human eye reflects onto the tool. A lot of that shot became about realistic reflections and lighting on the tool. Then heavy CG for displacing the eye and pushing the lobotomy tool into it. That was one of the more complicated sequences that we had to achieve.” In order to create an intimate moment between Ambrosius and The Deep, a toy version of the superhero was placed inside of the water tank that she could wrap a tentacle around. “The word that we like to use on this show is ‘grounded,’ and I like to say ‘grounded’ with an asterisk in this day and age because we’re grounded until we get to killing people in the craziest ways. In this case, having someone floating in the air and being ripped in half by two tendrils was all CG.” —Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor Sheep and chickens embark on a violent rampage courtesy of Compound V with the latter piercing the chest of a bodyguard belonging to Victoria Neuman. “Weirdly, that was one of our more traditional shots,’ Fleet states. “What is fun about that one is I asked for real chickens as reference. The chicken flying through his chest is real. It’s our chicken wrangler in green suit gently tossing a chicken. We blended two real plates together with some CG in the middle.” A connection was made with a sci-fi classic. “The sheep kill this bull, and we shot it is in this narrow corridor of fencing. When they run, I always equated it as the Trench Run in Star Wars and looked at the sheep as TIE fighters or X-wings coming at them.” The scene was one of the scarier moments for the visual effects team. Fleet explains, “When I read the script, I thought this could be the moment where we jump the shark. For the shots where the sheep are still and scream to the camera, Untold Studios did a bunch of R&D and came up with baboon teeth. I tried to keep anything real as much as possible, but, obviously, when sheep are flying, they have to be CG. I call it the Battlestar Galactica theory, where I like to shake the camera, overshoot shots and make it sloppy when they’re in the air so you can add motion blur. Comedy also helps sell visual effects.” The sheep injected with Compound V develop the ability to fly and were shot in an imperfect manner to help ground the scenes. Once injected with Compound V, Hugh Campbell Sr. (Simon Pegg) develops the ability to phase through objects, including human beings. “We called it the Bro-nut because his name in the script is Wall Street Bro,” Fleet notes. “That was a complicated motion control shot, repeating the move over and over again. We had to shoot multiple plates of Simon Pegg and the guy in the bed. Special effects and prosthetics created a dummy guy with a hole in his chest with practical blood dripping down. It was meshing it together and getting the timing right in post. On top of that, there was the CG blood immediately around Simon Pegg.” The phasing effect had to avoid appearing as a dissolve. “I had this idea of doing high-frequency vibration on the X axis loosely based on how The Flash vibrates through walls. You want everything to have a loose motivation that then helps trigger the visuals. We tried not to overcomplicate that because, ultimately, you want something like that to be quick. If you spend too much time on phasing, it can look cheesy. In our case, it was a lot of false walls. Simon Pegg is running into a greenscreen hole which we plug in with a wall or coming out of one. I went off the actor’s action, and we added a light opacity mix with some X-axis shake.” Providing a different twist to the fights was the replacement of spurting blood with photoreal rubber duckies during a drug-induced hallucination. Homelander (Anthony Starr) breaks a mirror which emphasizes his multiple personality disorder. “The original plan was that special effects was going to pre-break a mirror, and we were going to shoot Anthony Starr moving his head doing all of the performances in the different parts of the mirror,” Fleet reveals. “This was all based on a photo that my ex-brother-in-law sent me. He was walking down a street in Glendale, California, came across a broken mirror that someone had thrown out, and took a photo of himself where he had five heads in the mirror. We get there on the day, and I’m realizing that this is really complicated. Anthony has to do these five different performances, and we have to deal with infinite mirrors. At the last minute, I said, ‘We have to do this on a clean mirror.’ We did it on a clear mirror and gave Anthony different eyelines. The mirror break was all done in post, and we were able to cheat his head slightly and art-direct where the break crosses his chin. Editorial was able to do split screens for the timing of the dialogue.” “For the shots where the sheep are still and scream to the camera, Untold Studios did a bunch of R&D and came up with baboon teeth. I tried to keep anything real as much as possible, but, obviously, when sheep are flying, they have to be CG. I call it the Battlestar Galactica theory, where I like to shake the camera, overshoot shots and make it sloppy when they’re in the air so you can add motion blur. Comedy also helps sell visual effects.” —Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor Initially, the plan was to use a practical mirror, but creating a digital version proved to be the more effective solution. A different spin on the bloodbath occurs during a fight when a drugged Frenchie (Tomer Capone) hallucinates as Kimiko Miyashiro (Karen Fukuhara) goes on a killing spree. “We went back and forth with a lot of different concepts for what this hallucination would be,” Fleet remarks. “When we filmed it, we landed on Frenchie having a synesthesia moment where he’s seeing a lot of abstract colors flying in the air. We started getting into that in post and it wasn’t working. We went back to the rubber duckies, which goes back to the story of him in the bathtub. What’s in the bathtub? Rubber duckies, bubbles and water. There was a lot of physics and logic required to figure out how these rubber duckies could float out of someone’s neck. We decided on bubbles when Kimiko hits people’s heads. At one point, we had water when she got shot, but it wasn’t working, so we killed it. We probably did about 100 different versions. We got really detailed with our rubber duckie modeling because we didn’t want it to look cartoony. That took a long time.” Ambrosius, voiced by Tilda Swinton, gets a lot more screentime in Season 4. When Splinter (Rob Benedict) splits in two was achieved heavily in CG. “Erik threw out the words ‘cellular mitosis’ early on as something he wanted to use,” Fleet states. “We shot Rob Benedict on a greenscreen doing all of the different performances for the clones that pop out. It was a crazy amount of CG work with Houdini and particle and skin effects. We previs’d the sequence so we had specific actions. One clone comes out to the right and the other pulls backwards.” What tends to go unnoticed by many is Splinter’s clones setting up for a press conference being held by Firecracker (Valorie Curry). “It’s funny how no one brings up the 22-hour motion control shot that we had to do with Splinter on the stage, which was the most complicated shot!” Fleet observes. “We have this sweeping long shot that brings you into the room and follows Splinter as he carries a container to the stage and hands it off to a clone, and then you reveal five more of them interweaving each other and interacting with all of these objects. It’s like a minute-long dance. First off, you have to choreograph it. We previs’d it, but then you need to get people to do it. We hired dancers and put different colored armbands on them. The camera is like another performer, and a metronome is going, which enables you to find a pace. That took about eight hours of rehearsal. Then Rob has to watch each one of their performances and mimic it to the beat. When he is handing off a box of cables, it’s to a double who is going to have to be erased and be him on the other side. They have to be almost perfect in their timing and lineup in order to take it over in visual effects and make it work.”

The new Street Fighter movie has added a few more names to the cast. Earlier this week, rapper-turned-actor Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson teased that he will play Balrog in the film. That rumor now appears to be confirmed, and another performer has signed up to play Dan Hibiki, one of the weakest fighters in the Street Fighter universe.According to Deadline, comedian Andrew Schulz will play Dan in the film. That's appropriate, since Dan is largely a comic relief character who gets played for laughs. This will mark Dan's first-ever appearance in live-action media. Schulz has previously appeared in The Underdoggs and the remake of White Men Can’t Jump, as well as the second season of Netflix's sitcom Tires. He is also the host of Flagrant Pod, a popular comedy podcast, and his most recent comedy special was streamed on Netflix.Jackson's casting as Balrog was confirmed in a subsequent report by The Hollywood Reporter. THR went a step further by confirming the roles of a few previously cast actors including Andrew Koji as Ryu, Noah Centineo as Ken, Jason Momoa as Blanka, and Orville Peck as Vega. Additionally, the outlet notes that Joe "Roman Reigns" Anoa’i, a longtime WWE superstar and former World Champion, will play Akuma, one of the film's primary villains.Continue Reading at GameSpot

JKR's Lisa Smith explains the art of the rebrand.

ActuGaming.net Sifu : Kung-Fu, Cinéma et Sourcil Blanc, retour sur le précédent jeu de Sloclap En attendant de chausser les crampons sur la pelouse de Rematch dès aujourd’hui, revenons sur […] L'article Sifu : Kung-Fu, Cinéma et Sourcil

In this article:See more ▼Post may contain affiliate links which give us commissions at no cost to you.Preppy fonts capture that quintessential East Coast elite vibe – think Nantucket summers, yacht clubs, and monogrammed everything. These typefaces embody the perfect balance of tradition and refinement that makes preppy design so timeless and aspirational. But here’s the thing: not all fonts can pull off that coveted preppy aesthetic. The best preppy fonts have a certain je ne sais quoi – they’re classic without being stuffy, elegant without being pretentious, and refined without being inaccessible. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the most gorgeous preppy fonts that’ll have your designs looking like they belong in the pages of Town & Country magazine. So grab your pearls and let’s dive into this typographic treasure trove! 👋 Psst... Did you know you can get unlimited downloads of 59,000+ fonts and millions of other creative assets for just $16.95/mo? Learn more »The Preppiest Fonts That Define 2025 Let’s start with the crème de la crème – the fonts that truly embody that preppy spirit. I’ve curated this list based on their ability to channel that classic New England charm while remaining versatile enough for modern design needs. Gatsby Prelude Gatsby Prelude is an elegant and modern Art Deco font duo. It combines sans-serif characters with decorative elements, perfect for creating sophisticated designs with a touch of vintage glamour.Burtuqol Burtuqol is a vintage slab serif font that exudes a retro charm. Its bold, chunky serifs and aged appearance make it ideal for projects requiring a nostalgic or timeworn aesthetic.Gafler Gafler is a classy vintage serif font with decorative elements. It combines elegance with a touch of old-world charm, making it perfect for high-end branding and classic design projects.Get 300+ Fonts for FREEEnter your email to download our 100% free "Font Lover's Bundle". For commercial & personal use. No royalties. No fees. No attribution. 100% free to use anywhere. Kagnue Kagnue is a modern and classy serif font. It offers a fresh take on traditional serif typefaces, blending contemporary design with timeless elegance for versatile use in various design contexts.The Blendinroom The Blendinroom is a retro serif typeface featuring luxurious ligatures. Its vintage-inspired design and intricate details make it ideal for creating sophisticated, old-world aesthetics in design projects.MODER BULES MODER BULES is a playful sans-serif font with a fun, childlike appeal. Its quirky design makes it perfect for kids-oriented projects or Halloween-themed designs, adding a touch of whimsy to typography.Nickey Vintage Nickey Vintage is a decorative display font with a strong vintage flair. Its bold, eye-catching characters make it ideal for headlines, logos, and designs that require a striking retro aesthetic.Ladger Ladger is a casual script font that exudes luxury and elegance. Its flowing lines and graceful curves make it perfect for logo designs, high-end branding, and projects requiring a touch of sophistication.Hadnich Hadnich is a modern script font with a brush-like quality. Its versatile design makes it suitable for various applications, from signage to branding, offering a contemporary take on handwritten typography.Belly and Park Belly and Park is a condensed beauty classic font family featuring both serif and sans-serif styles. Its vintage-inspired design and narrow characters make it ideal for creating elegant, space-efficient layouts.Loubag Loubag is a modern retro font family encompassing sans-serif, serif, and decorative styles. Its bold, fashion-forward design makes it perfect for creating eye-catching headlines and trendy branding materials.Petter And Sons Petter And Sons is a romantic beauty script font with decorative elements. Its elegant, flowing design makes it ideal for wedding invitations, luxury branding, and projects requiring a touch of refined beauty.Preteoria Preteoria is a modern cursive font with a sleek, contemporary feel. Its smooth curves and clean lines make it versatile for various design applications, from branding to digital media projects.Delauney Delauney is an Art Deco-inspired sans-serif font that captures the essence of the roaring twenties. Its geometric shapes and sleek lines make it perfect for creating designs with a bold, metropolitan flair.Amadi Vintage Amadi Vintage is a chic and beautiful serif font with a timeless appeal. Its elegant design and vintage-inspired details make it ideal for creating sophisticated, classic-looking designs and branding materials.LEDERSON LEDERSON is a vintage-inspired shadow font. Its weathered look and strong character make it perfect for designs requiring an authentic, aged aesthetic.Fancyou Fancyou is a versatile serif font with alternate characters. Its elegant design and customizable options make it suitable for a wide range of projects, from formal invitations to modern branding materials.Catterpie Font Catterpie is a handwritten script font that mimics natural handlettering. Its fluid, signature-like style makes it perfect for creating personal, authentic-looking designs and branding materials.Jemmy Wonder Jemmy Wonder is a Victorian-inspired serif font with a strong vintage character. Its ornate details and old-world charm make it ideal for creating designs with a classic, nostalgic feel.Monthey Monthey is a bold, elegant vintage display serif font. Its chunky characters and 70s-inspired design make it perfect for creating eye-catching headlines and retro-themed branding materials.Madville Madville is a classy script font with a versatile design. Its elegant curves and smooth transitions make it suitable for a wide range of projects, from formal invitations to modern branding materials.Crowk Crowk is a luxury serif font with a timeless, elegant appeal. Its refined design and classic proportions make it ideal for high-end branding, editorial layouts, and sophisticated design projects.Peachy Fantasy Peachy Fantasy is an Art Nouveau-inspired display font with decorative elements. Its vintage charm and unique character make it perfect for creating eye-catching headlines and artistic design projects.Cormier Cormier is a decorative sans-serif font with a strong artistic flair. Its unique design and fashion-forward aesthetic make it ideal for creating bold, attention-grabbing headlines and branding materials.Syntage Syntage is a decorative modern luxury font with both serif and ornamental elements. Its retro-inspired design and luxurious details make it perfect for high-end branding and sophisticated design projects.Jeniffer Selfies Jeniffer Selfies is a retro-inspired bold font combining sans-serif and script styles. Its playful design and vintage feel make it ideal for creating nostalgic, fun-loving designs and branding materials.The Rilman The Rilman is a ligature-rich rounded sans-serif font with a 90s-inspired design. Its retro charm and smooth edges make it perfect for creating playful, nostalgic designs and branding materials.Milky Croffle Milky Croffle is a classic beauty elegant serif font. Its refined design and timeless appeal make it ideal for creating sophisticated layouts, high-end branding, and projects requiring a touch of traditional elegance. What Makes a Font Feel Preppy? You might be wondering what exactly gives a font that unmistakable preppy vibe. After years of working with typography, I’ve identified several key characteristics that define the preppy aesthetic: Classic Serif Structure: Most preppy fonts are serifs, drawing inspiration from traditional typography used in prestigious publications and academic institutions. These serifs aren’t just decorative – they’re a nod to centuries of refined typographic tradition. Elegant Proportions: Preppy fonts tend to have well-balanced letterforms with moderate contrast between thick and thin strokes. They’re neither too delicate nor too bold – just perfectly poised, like a well-tailored blazer. Timeless Appeal: The best preppy fonts don’t scream “trendy.” Instead, they whisper “timeless.” They’re the typography equivalent of a strand of pearls – always appropriate, never out of style. Sophisticated Details: Look for subtle refinements in letterforms – graceful curves, well-crafted terminals, and thoughtful spacing. These details separate truly preppy fonts from their more pedestrian cousins. Heritage Inspiration: Many preppy fonts draw inspiration from historical typefaces used by Ivy League universities, prestigious publishing houses, and old-money families. This connection to tradition is what gives them their authentic preppy pedigree. Where to Use Preppy Fonts (And Where Not To) Preppy fonts aren’t one-size-fits-all solutions, but when used appropriately, they’re absolutely magical. Here’s where they shine brightest: Wedding Invitations: Nothing says “elegant affair” quite like a beautifully chosen preppy serif. These fonts are perfect for formal invitations, save-the-dates, and wedding stationery that needs to feel sophisticated and timeless. Luxury Branding: Brands targeting affluent audiences or positioning themselves as premium often benefit from preppy typography. Think boutique hotels, high-end fashion, or artisanal goods. Editorial Design: Magazines, newsletters, and publications focusing on lifestyle, fashion, or culture can leverage preppy fonts to establish credibility and sophistication. Corporate Identity: Professional services, law firms, financial institutions, and consulting companies often choose preppy fonts to convey trustworthiness and establishment credibility. Academic Materials: Universities, prep schools, and educational institutions naturally gravitate toward preppy typography that reflects their traditional values and heritage. However, preppy fonts might not be the best choice for: Tech Startups: The traditional nature of preppy fonts can feel at odds with innovation and disruption. Modern sans serifs usually work better for tech companies. Children’s Brands: While elegant, preppy fonts might feel too formal for products targeting young children. Playful, rounded fonts are typically more appropriate. Casual Brands: If your brand personality is laid-back and approachable, overly formal preppy fonts might create distance between you and your audience. How to Choose the Perfect Preppy Font Selecting the right preppy font requires careful consideration of several factors. Here’s my tried-and-true process: Consider Your Audience: Are you designing for actual prep school alumni, or are you trying to capture that aspirational preppy aesthetic for a broader audience? Your target demographic should influence how traditional or accessible your font choice is. Evaluate the Context: A wedding invitation can handle more ornate details than a business card. Consider where your text will appear and how much personality the context can support. Test Readability: Preppy doesn’t mean hard to read. Always test your chosen font at various sizes to ensure it remains legible. Your typography should enhance communication, not hinder it. Think About Pairing: Will you be using this font alone or pairing it with others? Consider how your preppy serif will work alongside sans serifs for body text or script fonts for accents. Consider Your Medium: Some preppy fonts work beautifully in print but struggle on screens. Others are optimized for digital use but lose their charm in print. Choose accordingly. Pairing Preppy Fonts Like a Pro The magic of preppy typography often lies in thoughtful font pairing. Here are some winning combinations that never fail: Classic Serif + Clean Sans Serif: Pair your preppy serif headline font with a crisp, readable sans serif for body text. This creates hierarchy while maintaining sophistication. Traditional Serif + Script Accent: Use a refined script font sparingly for special elements like signatures or decorative text, balanced by a solid preppy serif for main content. Serif + Serif Variation: Sometimes pairing two serifs from the same family – perhaps a regular weight for body text and a bold condensed version for headlines – creates beautiful, cohesive designs. Remember, less is often more with preppy design. Stick to two or three fonts maximum, and let the inherent elegance of your chosen typefaces do the heavy lifting. The Psychology Behind Preppy Typography Understanding why preppy fonts work so well psychologically can help you use them more effectively. These typefaces tap into powerful associations: Trust and Reliability: The traditional nature of preppy fonts suggests stability and permanence. When people see these fonts, they subconsciously associate them with established institutions and time-tested values. Sophistication and Education: Preppy fonts are reminiscent of academic institutions and intellectual pursuits. They suggest refinement, education, and cultural awareness. Exclusivity and Status: Let’s be honest – part of the preppy aesthetic’s appeal is its association with privilege and exclusivity. These fonts can make designs feel more premium and aspirational. Quality and Craftsmanship: The careful attention to typographic detail in preppy fonts suggests similar attention to quality in whatever they’re representing. Modern Takes on Classic Preppy Style While preppy fonts are rooted in tradition, the best designers know how to give them contemporary flair. Here are some ways to modernize preppy typography: Unexpected Color Palettes: Pair traditional preppy fonts with modern colors. Think sage green and cream instead of navy and white, or soft blush tones for a fresh take. Generous White Space: Give your preppy fonts room to breathe with plenty of white space. This modern approach to layout keeps traditional fonts feeling fresh and uncluttered. Mixed Media Integration: Combine preppy typography with photography, illustrations, or graphic elements for a more contemporary feel while maintaining that sophisticated foundation. Strategic Contrast: Pair your refined preppy fonts with unexpected elements – maybe a bold geometric shape or modern photography – to create dynamic tension. Preppy Font Alternatives for Every Budget Not every preppy project has a premium font budget, and that’s okay! Here are some strategies for achieving that coveted preppy look without breaking the bank: Google Fonts Gems: Fonts like Playfair Display, Crimson Text, and Libre Baskerville offer sophisticated serif options that can work beautifully for preppy designs. Font Pairing Magic: Sometimes combining two free fonts thoughtfully can create a more expensive-looking result than using a single premium font poorly. Focus on Execution: A free font used with excellent spacing, hierarchy, and layout will always look better than an expensive font used carelessly. Common Preppy Font Mistakes to Avoid Even with the perfect preppy font, poor execution can ruin the effect. Here are the most common mistakes I see designers make: Overdoing the Decoration: Just because a font has elegant details doesn’t mean you need to add more flourishes. Let the typeface’s inherent sophistication speak for itself. Ignoring Hierarchy: Preppy design relies on clear, elegant hierarchy. Don’t make everything the same size or weight – create visual flow through thoughtful typography scaling. Poor Spacing: Cramped text kills the elegant feel of preppy fonts. Give your typography generous leading and appropriate margins. Wrong Context: Using an ultra-formal preppy font for a casual pizza restaurant’s menu will feel jarring and inappropriate. Match your font choice to your content and audience. The Future of Preppy Typography As we look ahead in 2025, preppy fonts continue to evolve while maintaining their classic appeal. We’re seeing interesting trends emerge: Variable Font Technology: Modern preppy fonts are increasingly available as variable fonts, allowing designers to fine-tune weight, width, and optical size for perfect customization. Screen Optimization: Classic preppy fonts are being redrawn and optimized for digital screens without losing their traditional charm. Inclusive Preppy: Designers are expanding the preppy aesthetic beyond its traditional boundaries, creating fonts that maintain sophistication while feeling more accessible and diverse. Sustainable Design: The timeless nature of preppy fonts aligns perfectly with sustainable design principles – these typefaces won’t look dated next year, making them environmentally responsible choices. Conclusion: Embracing Timeless Elegance Preppy fonts represent more than just letterforms – they’re a gateway to timeless elegance and sophisticated communication. Whether you’re designing wedding invitations for a Martha’s Vineyard ceremony or creating brand identity for a boutique law firm, the right preppy font can elevate your work from merely professional to genuinely distinguished. The beauty of preppy typography lies in its ability to feel both traditional and fresh, formal yet approachable. These fonts have stood the test of time because they tap into something fundamental about how we perceive quality, tradition, and sophistication. As you explore the world of preppy fonts, remember that the best typography choices support your message rather than overshadowing it. Choose fonts that enhance your content’s inherent qualities and speak to your audience’s aspirations and values. So whether you’re channeling that old-money aesthetic or simply want to add a touch of refined elegance to your designs, preppy fonts offer a wealth of possibilities. After all, good typography, like good manners, never goes out of style.

With the ongoing jobs cuts across the gaming industry, the shift of “Grand Theft Auto 6” from release this fall to a launch next spring, and the distraction of the first new Nintendo console in eight years, there was a chance that Summer Game Fest 2025 wouldn’t have the same allure as the annual video game showcase has had in years past. (There was also the factor of the actors strike against video game companies, which, as of June 11, has been called off by SAG-AFTRA.) Related Stories But the gamers came out in full force for the Geoff Keighley-hosted event on June 6, which live-streamed out of the YouTube Theater at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Popular on Variety “Viewership was up significantly year over year,” Keighley told Variety. “Stream charts said it doubled its audience year over year for the peak concurrency to over 3 million peak concurrent viewers, which does not include China.” In person, both the Summer Game Fest live showcase event and its subsequent weekend Play Days event for developers and press saw “significantly higher” media creator attendance this year: more than 600 registered attendees vs. “somewhere in the 400s” in 2024, per SGF. The boost is an indicator that both the current U.S. political climate and significant changes in 2025’s game release schedule, like the delay of “Grand Theft Auto 6” until next May, didn’t affect interest in the event. “Things happen in the industry all the time that are big news worthy happenings,” Summer Game Fest producer and iam8bit co-creator Amanda White. “Switch 2 just happened and we’re here, it’s all working out, everybody’s having a great time playing games. It’s not irrelevant — it’s just part of the way things go.” As big a hit as the Switch 2 was with consumers upon release — selling more than 3.5 million units during the first four days after its June 5 launch — and noted multiple times during the Summer Game Fest live showcase on June 6, Nintendo’s new console was not the star of the three-day Play Days event for developers and media in Downtown Los Angeles, which ran June 7-9. “I have not seen a single attendee with a Switch 2 on campus,” SGF producer and iam8bit co-creator Jon M. Gibson said with a laugh. “There’s a few Switch 2s that Nintendo supplied. Some dev kits for Bandai and for Capcom. Of course, the launch happened on Thursday, so bandwidth from Nintendo is stretched thin with all the midnight launches and stuff. But they’re really supportive and supply some for some pre-release games, which is exciting.” Some big video publishers such as EA, Take-Two and Ubisoft skipped this year’s SGF, eliminating potential splashy in-show hits for eagerly anticipated games like “Grand Theft Auto 6.” But SGF still managed a few big moments, like the announcement and trailer release for “Resident Evil Requiem.” Gibson and White attribute that reveal and other moments like it to the immense trust the festival has managed to build up with video game publishers in just a few years. “We are very proud of our ability to keep the trust of all the publishers on campus,” Gibson said. “Six years into SGF as a whole, four years into Play Days, we’re very good. Because we have to print everything ahead of time, too. So there are lots of unannounced things that we’re very careful about who sees what. We have vendors who print and produce and manufacture physical objects under very tight wraps. We’re just very protective, because we know what it means to have to keep a secret because we’ve had our own games that we’ve had to announce, as well. Capcom is a great example with ‘Resident Evil.’ We knew that for a very long time, but they trusted us with information, and we were very careful about what our team actually knew what was going on.” And even though some of the gaming giants sat this year out, White says conversations were already happening on the Play Days campus about who is ready to return next year and what they’ll bring. “People get excited, they come and see. And each year we grow, so people see more potential,” White said. As for next year, the June show will take place just a few weeks after the planned May 26 release for “GTA 6.” While Switch 2 didn’t seem to distract too much, will the draw of playing the newly launched “GTA 6” prove to be so powerful it outshines whatever could be announced at SGF 2026? “My view is that all boats rise with ‘GTA’ launch,” Keighley said. “It is a singular cultural event that is the biggest thing in all of entertainment this decade. It will bring more people into gaming, sell lots of consoles and bring back lapsed gamers. There will never be a better time to feel the excitement and energy around gaming than SGF 2026.” See more from Variety‘s Q&A with Keighley about Summer Game Fest 2025 below. How was this year’s show impacted by the date shift for “GTA 6”? How much was planned before and after that big announcement? So far as I know there wasn’t any material impact, but I think the date move did allow a number of teams to feel more confident announcing their launch dates. Halfway through the year, what do you see as some of the biggest trends in gaming for 2025, and how did you look to reflect that in the show? We continue to see some of the most interesting and successful games come from smaller teams outside of the traditional publisher system – games like “Clair Obscur,” “Blue Prince” and “REPO.” So we wanted to highlight some of those projects at the show like “Ill” and “Mortal Shell 2.” What game announcements and trailers do you think resonated most with audiences after this show? What assets were the most popular? “Resident Evil Requiem” was a massive moment. Also we saw a lot of love for “Ill” from a small team in Canada and Armenia.

show some love for the losers Delightfully irreverent Underdogs isn’t your parents’ nature docuseries Ryan Reynolds narrates NatGeo's new series highlighting nature's much less cool and majestic creatures Jennifer Ouellette – Jun 15, 2025 3:11 pm | 5 The indestructible honey badger is just one of nature's "benchwarmers" featured in Underdogs Credit: National Geographic/Doug Parker The indestructible honey badger is just one of nature's "benchwarmers" featured in Underdogs Credit: National Geographic/Doug Parker Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more Narrator Ryan Reynolds celebrates nature's outcasts in the new NatGeo docuseries Underdogs. Most of us have seen a nature documentary or two (or three) at some point in our lives, so it's a familiar format: sweeping majestic footage of impressively regal animals accompanied by reverently high-toned narration (preferably with a tony British accent). Underdogs, a new docuseries from National Geographic, takes a decidedly different and unconventional approach. Narrated by with hilarious irreverence by Ryan Reynolds, the five-part series highlights nature's less cool and majestic creatures: the outcasts and benchwarmers, more noteworthy for their "unconventional hygiene choices" and "unsavory courtship rituals." It's like The Suicide Squad or Thunderbolts*, except these creatures actually exist. Per the official premise, "Underdogs features a range of never-before-filmed scenes, including the first time a film crew has ever entered a special cave in New Zealand—a huge cavern that glows brighter than a bachelor pad under a black light thanks to the glowing butts of millions of mucus-coated grubs. All over the world, overlooked superstars like this are out there 24/7, giving it maximum effort and keeping the natural world in working order for all those showboating polar bears, sharks and gorillas." It's rated PG-13 thanks to the odd bit of scatalogical humor and shots of Nature Sexy Time Each of the five episodes is built around a specific genre. "Superheroes" highlights the surprising superpowers of the honey badger, pistol shrimp, and the invisible glass frog, among others, augmented with comic book graphics; "Sexy Beasts" focuses on bizarre mating habits and follows the format of a romantic advice column; "Terrible Parents" highlights nature's worst practices, following the outline of a parenting guide; "Total Grossout" is exactly what it sounds like; and "The Unusual Suspects" is a heist tale, documenting the supposed efforts of a macaque to put together the ultimate team of masters of deception and disguise (an inside man, a decoy, a fall guy, etc.).  Green Day even wrote and recorded a special theme song for the opening credits. Co-creators Mark Linfield and Vanessa Berlowitz of Wildstar Films are longtime producers of award-winning wildlife films, most notably Frozen Planet, Planet Earth and David Attenborough's Life of Mammals—you know, the kind of prestige nature documentaries that have become a mainstay for National Geographic and the BBC, among others. They're justly proud of that work, but this time around the duo wanted to try something different. Madagascar's aye-aye: "as if fear and panic had a baby and rolled it in dog hair" National Geographic/Eleanor Paish Madagascar's aye-aye: "as if fear and panic had a baby and rolled it in dog hair" National Geographic/Eleanor Paish An emerald jewel wasp emerges from a cockroach. National Geographic/Simon De Glanville An emerald jewel wasp emerges from a cockroach. National Geographic/Simon De Glanville A pack of African hunting dogs is no match for the honey badger's thick hide. National Geographic/Tom Walker A pack of African hunting dogs is no match for the honey badger's thick hide. National Geographic/Tom Walker An emerald jewel wasp emerges from a cockroach. National Geographic/Simon De Glanville A pack of African hunting dogs is no match for the honey badger's thick hide. National Geographic/Tom Walker A fireworm is hit by a cavitation bubble shot from the claw of a pistol shrimp defending its home. National Geographic/Hugh Miller As it grows and molts, the mad hatterpillar stacks old head casings on top of its head. Scientists think it is used as a decoy against would-be predators and parasites, and when needed, it can also be used as a weapon. National Geographic/Katherine Hannaford Worst parents ever? A young barnacle goose chick prepares t make the 800-foot jump from its nest to the ground. National Geographic An adult pearlfish reverses into a sea cucumber's butt to hide. National Geographic A vulture sticks its head inside an elephant carcass to eat. National Geographic A manatee releases flatulence while swimming to lose the buoyancy build up of gas inside its stomach, and descend down the water column. National Geographic/Karl Davies "There is a sense after awhile that you're playing the same animals to the same people, and the shows are starting to look the same and so is your audience," Linfield told Ars. "We thought, okay, how can we do something absolutely the opposite? We've gone through our careers collecting stories of these weird and crazy creatures that don't end up in the script because they're not big or sexy and they live under a rock. But they often have the best life histories and the craziest superpowers." Case in point: the velvet worm featured in the "Superheroes" episode, which creeps up on unsuspecting prey before squirting disgusting slime all over their food. (It's a handy defense mechanism, too, against predators like the wolf spider.) Once Linfield and Berlowitz decided to focus on nature's underdogs and to take a more humorous approach, Ryan Reynolds became their top choice for a narrator—the anti-Richard Attenborough. As luck would have it, the pair shared an agent with the mega-star. So even though they thought there was no way Reynolds would agree to the project, they put together a sizzle reel, complete with a "fake Canadian Ryan Reynolds sound-alike" doing the narration. Reynolds was on set when he received the reel, and loved it so much he recoded his own narration for the footage and sent it back. "From that moment he was in," said Linfield, and Wildstar Films worked closely with Reynolds and his company to develop the final series. "We've never worked that way on a series before, a joint collaboration from day one," Berlowitz admitted. But it worked: the end result strikes the perfect balance between scientific revelation and accurate natural history, and an edgy comic tone. That tone is quintessential Reynolds, and while he did mostly follow the script (which his team helped write), Linfield and Berlowitz admit there was also a fair amount of improvisation—not all of it PG-13.  "What we hadn't appreciated is that he's an incredible improv performer," said Berlowitz. "He can't help himself. He gets into character and starts riffing off [the footage]. There are some takes that we definitely couldn't use, that potentially would fit a slightly more Hulu audience."  Some of the ad-libs made it into the final episodes, however—like Reynolds describing an Aye-Aye as "if fear and panic had a baby and rolled it in dog hair"—even though it meant going back and doing a bit of recutting to get the new lines to fit. Cinematographer Tom Beldam films a long-tailed macaque who stole his smart phone minutes later. National Geographic/Laura Pennafort Cinematographer Tom Beldam films a long-tailed macaque who stole his smart phone minutes later. National Geographic/Laura Pennafort The macaque agrees to trade ithe stolen phone for a piece of food. National Geographic The macaque agrees to trade ithe stolen phone for a piece of food. National Geographic A family of tortoise beetles defend themselves from a carnivorous ant by wafting baby poop in its direction. National Geographic A family of tortoise beetles defend themselves from a carnivorous ant by wafting baby poop in its direction. National Geographic The macaque agrees to trade ithe stolen phone for a piece of food. National Geographic A family of tortoise beetles defend themselves from a carnivorous ant by wafting baby poop in its direction. National Geographic A male hippo sprays his feces at another male who is threatening to take over his patch. National Geographic A male proboscis monkey flaunts his large nose. The noses of these males are used to amplify their calls in the vast forest. National Geographic Dream girl: A blood-soaked female hyena looks across the African savanna. National Geographic A male bowerbird presents one of the finest items in his collection to a female in his bower. National Geographic The male nursery web spider presents his nuptial gift to the female. National Geographic Cue the Barry White mood music: Two leopard slugs suspend themselves on a rope of mucus as they entwine their bodies to mate with one another. National Geographic Despite their years of collective experience, Linfield and Berlowitz were initially skeptical when the crew told them about the pearl fish, which hides from predators in a sea cucumber's butt (along with many other species). "It had never been filmed so we said, 'You're going to have to prove it to us,'" said Berlowitz. "They came back with this fantastic, hilarious sequence of a pearl fish reverse parking [in a sea cucumber's anus)." The film crew experienced a few heart-pounding moments, most notably while filming the cliffside nests of barnacle geese for the "Terrible Parents" episode. A melting glacier caused a watery avalanche while the crew was filming the geese, and they had to quickly grab a few shots and run to safety. Less dramatic: cinematographer Tom Beldam had his smartphone stolen by a long-tailed macaque mere minutes after he finished capturing the animal on film. If all goes well and Underdogs finds its target audience, we may even get a follow-up. "We are slightly plowing new territory but the science is as true as it's ever been and the stories are good. That aspect of the natural history is still there," said Linfield. "I think what we really hope for is that people who don't normally watch natural history will watch it. If people have as much fun watching it as we had making it, then the metrics should be good enough for another season." Verdict: Underdogs is positively addictive; I binged all five episodes in a single day. (For his part, Reynolds said in a statement that he was thrilled to "finally watch a project of ours with my children. Technically they saw Deadpool and Wolverine but I don't think they absorbed much while covering their eyes and ears and screaming for two hours.") Underdogs premieres June 15, 2025, at 9 PM/8 PM Central on National Geographic (simulcast on ABC) and will be available for streaming on Disney+ and Hulu the following day.  You should watch it, if only to get that second season. Jennifer Ouellette Senior Writer Jennifer Ouellette Senior Writer Jennifer is a senior writer at Ars Technica with a particular focus on where science meets culture, covering everything from physics and related interdisciplinary topics to her favorite films and TV series. Jennifer lives in Baltimore with her spouse, physicist Sean M. Carroll, and their two cats, Ariel and Caliban. 5 Comments

Published June 15, 2025 10:00am EDT close IPhone users instructed to take immediate action to avoid data breach: 'Urgent threat' Kurt 'The CyberGuy' Knutsson discusses Elon Musk's possible priorities as he exits his role with the White House and explains the urgent warning for iPhone users to update devices after a 'massive security gap.' NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! In the past decade, healthcare data has become one of the most sought-after targets in cybercrime. From insurers to clinics, every player in the ecosystem handles some form of sensitive information. However, breaches do not always originate from hospitals or health apps. Increasingly, patient data is managed by third-party vendors offering digital services such as scheduling, billing and marketing. One such breach at a digital marketing agency serving dental practices recently exposed approximately 2.7 million patient profiles and more than 8.8 million appointment records.Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join. Illustration of a hacker at work   (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Massive healthcare data leak exposes millions: What you need to knowCybernews researchers have discovered a misconfigured MongoDB database exposing 2.7 million patient profiles and 8.8 million appointment records. The database was publicly accessible online, unprotected by passwords or authentication protocols. Anyone with basic knowledge of database scanning tools could have accessed it.The exposed data included names, birthdates, addresses, emails, phone numbers, gender, chart IDs, language preferences and billing classifications. Appointment records also contained metadata such as timestamps and institutional identifiers.MASSIVE DATA BREACH EXPOSES 184 MILLION PASSWORDS AND LOGINSClues within the data structure point toward Gargle, a Utah-based company that builds websites and offers marketing tools for dental practices. While not a confirmed source, several internal references and system details suggest a strong connection. Gargle provides appointment scheduling, form submission and patient communication services. These functions require access to patient information, making the firm a likely link in the exposure.After the issue was reported, the database was secured. The duration of the exposure remains unknown, and there is no public evidence indicating whether the data was downloaded by malicious actors before being locked down.We reached out to Gargle for a comment but did not hear back before our deadline. A healthcare professional viewing heath data      (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)How healthcare data breaches lead to identity theft and insurance fraudThe exposed data presents a broad risk profile. On its own, a phone number or billing record might seem limited in scope. Combined, however, the dataset forms a complete profile that could be exploited for identity theft, insurance fraud and targeted phishing campaigns.Medical identity theft allows attackers to impersonate patients and access services under a false identity. Victims often remain unaware until significant damage is done, ranging from incorrect medical records to unpaid bills in their names. The leak also opens the door to insurance fraud, with actors using institutional references and chart data to submit false claims.This type of breach raises questions about compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which mandates strong security protections for entities handling patient data. Although Gargle is not a healthcare provider, its access to patient-facing infrastructure could place it under the scope of that regulation as a business associate. A healthcare professional working on a laptop   (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)5 ways you can stay safe from healthcare data breachesIf your information was part of the healthcare breach or any similar one, it’s worth taking a few steps to protect yourself.1. Consider identity theft protection services: Since the healthcare data breach exposed personal and financial information, it’s crucial to stay proactive against identity theft. Identity theft protection services offer continuous monitoring of your credit reports, Social Security number and even the dark web to detect if your information is being misused. These services send you real-time alerts about suspicious activity, such as new credit inquiries or attempts to open accounts in your name, helping you act quickly before serious damage occurs. Beyond monitoring, many identity theft protection companies provide dedicated recovery specialists who assist you in resolving fraud issues, disputing unauthorized charges and restoring your identity if it’s compromised. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft.2. Use personal data removal services: The healthcare data breach leaks loads of information about you, and all this could end up in the public domain, which essentially gives anyone an opportunity to scam you.  One proactive step is to consider personal data removal services, which specialize in continuously monitoring and removing your information from various online databases and websites. While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time. Check out my top picks for data removal services here. GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HEREGet a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web3. Have strong antivirus software: Hackers have people’s email addresses and full names, which makes it easy for them to send you a phishing link that installs malware and steals all your data. These messages are socially engineered to catch them, and catching them is nearly impossible if you’re not careful. However, you’re not without defenses.The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.4. Enable two-factor authentication: While passwords weren’t part of the data breach, you still need to enable two-factor authentication (2FA). It gives you an extra layer of security on all your important accounts, including email, banking and social media. 2FA requires you to provide a second piece of information, such as a code sent to your phone, in addition to your password when logging in. This makes it significantly harder for hackers to access your accounts, even if they have your password. Enabling 2FA can greatly reduce the risk of unauthorized access and protect your sensitive data.5. Be wary of mailbox communications: Bad actors may also try to scam you through snail mail. The data leak gives them access to your address. They may impersonate people or brands you know and use themes that require urgent attention, such as missed deliveries, account suspensions and security alerts. Kurt’s key takeawayIf nothing else, this latest leak shows just how poorly patient data is being handled today. More and more, non-medical vendors are getting access to sensitive information without facing the same rules or oversight as hospitals and clinics. These third-party services are now a regular part of how patients book appointments, pay bills or fill out forms. But when something goes wrong, the fallout is just as serious. Even though the database was taken offline, the bigger problem hasn't gone away. Your data is only as safe as the least careful company that gets access to it.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPDo you think healthcare companies are investing enough in their cybersecurity infrastructure? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/ContactFor more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/NewsletterAsk Kurt a question or let us know what stories you'd like us to coverFollow Kurt on his social channelsAnswers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.   Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.