Monster Hunter Wilds has sold 10.1 million copies since its launch on February 28, driving Capcom‛s net sales during the last quarter.As noted in the company‛s fiscal report for the 12 months ended March 31, 2025, net sales increased by 11.3 percent year-on-year to 169.6 billion yen ($1.15 billion), with net income following suit by 11.7 percent year-on-year to 48.45 billion yen ($328 million).In the previous fiscal report, which encompassed the nine months ended December 31, 2024, Capcom predicted that the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds would enable it to achieve its goals for the corresponding fiscal year. In the lead up to the game‛s release, previous entries Monster Hunter World: Iceborne and Monster Hunter Rise saw an increase in sales (15.2 million and 9.88 million total, respectively), resulting in cumulative sales of the series surpassing 100 million units worldwide."These efforts brought sales volumes in the Digital Contents business in the fiscal year under review to 51.87 million units, exceeding the previous fiscal year’s figure of 45.89 million units," the company said, referencing its plans to increase global figures with Monster Hunter Wilds as well as pursuing catalog sales. The latter includes recent premium games such as 2023‛s Resident Evil 4 Remake, which has sold 9.92 million units, with 2.76 million units in the last financial year.Related:"In addition, with the company's efforts to promote its digital sales strategies, sales volumes of catalog titles were 39.49 million units, up from 36.29 million units in the previous fiscal year. As a result, the company sold 248 titles in 227 countries and regions, contributing to enhancing the value of its brands," Capcom said.As of March 31, 2025, Capcom‛s top five franchises are Resident Evil (170 million units), Monster Hunter (120 million units), Street Fighter (56 million units), Mega Man (43 million units), and Devil May Cry (33 million units).Looking ahead, the company is placing its focus on the upcoming releases of Capcom Fighting Collection 2 and the Onimusha 2 remaster in May. It also mentioned catalog push sales of Street Fighter 6 and Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess for the Nintendo Switch 2 in June.Premium games continue to pay off while live-service efforts falterCapcom continues to bet on premium games as a service model. While the company still has a transmedia push as one of its pillars—driven by arcade machines, film and TV adaptations, and esports, to name a few—games continue to be at the center.Related:The company has been vocal that there are clear risks involved. Monster Hunter Wilds has taken about 5-6 years of development, but some elements have been key to supporting this. This includes the RE Engine, Capcom's proprietary engine that's been used not only in the Resident Evil series, but also Dragon's Dogma 2, Street Fighter 6, and Devil May Cry 5.Establishing constant, open communication across teams has been important, too. "Our teams all work closely together, even across different titles," Wilds executive producer Ryozo Tsujimoto said. "We're able to share ideas and discoveries and technology with each other."The ongoing rise in popularity for the Monster Hunter franchise was spearheaded by World in 2018. The global interest, as well as a larger-scale audience, has led Capcom to take in new input on where to steer the franchise moving forward."From the get-go, we approached Monster Hunter World with a global mindset," Tsujimoto said during an interview at Summer Game Fest 2024. "At that point, we had approached things by releasing in Japan first and following up with other territories, but World was our first worldwide simultaneous release for Monster Hunter. It was also the first game we made with so many forms of localization. That seems obvious to say, but that was a challenge for us initially because, with that global approach, we had to open up the series to other Capcom members across the globe to give opinions and input on the kind of direction the series would be going on."Related:While the focus has been paying off for the company, its efforts toward live-service games, with Resident Evil Re:Verse as the latest example, haven't been as successful. Capcom shut down the servers for the shooter on June 29, 2024, after removing the game and all DLC from sale on March 3 of the same year. Despite this, the developer said that the game "far exceeded" its expectations since its release, although there aren't mentions of live-service plans in the latest fiscal report. Source: https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/monster-hunter-wilds-primarily-drives-net-sales-for-capcom-s-last-quarter #monster #hunter #wilds #drives #quarterly #net #sales #for #capcom

If you want to play Android or iOS games with physical controls, the easiest and most portable way to do so is with a clamp-on phone controller. You could also buy a regular Bluetooth gamepad, though it won't stay attached to your handset unless you add a clunky clip. Or you could get both with the Backbone Pro, a $169.99 snap-on phone controller that's almost as compact as the Backbone One and has Bluetooth. The Backbone Pro performs well in both roles and feels better in the hand than its predecessor. However, it isn't quite as comfortable as the full-size Razer Kishi Ultra ($149.99), and it locks several useful companion app features behind a $39.99 yearly subscription. Still, it's a good compromise if you want a single gamepad you can easily use with your phone or PC.Design and Controls: Not Quite a Full-Size GamepadThe Backbone Pro is slightly chunkier than the Backbone One at 4.1 by 7 by 1.4 inches (HWD). It's still easy to slip it into a pocket, despite the plumper, rounded grips that are much more comfortable to hold. Weighing 7.02 ounces without its rubber inserts installed (more on those in a bit), the Backbone Pro feels a little hollow since it doesn't have haptic motors. Still, it doesn't feel remotely flimsy. The Backbone Pro is a well-built, comfortable gamepad. (Credit: Will Greenwald)The controls consist of a standard Xbox-style gamepad layout with offset dual analog sticks on either grip. There is also a plus-shaped direction pad below the left stick, A/B/X/Y face buttons above the right stick, and a pair of bumpers and analog trigger sets on the top. Small system buttons for Start/Select, Capture, and Backbone/Guide sit below the direction pad and right analog stick. The Backbone button lights up and doubles as a status indicator.The Backbone Pro's analog sticks are larger than the ones on the Backbone One and the same size as the sticks on an Xbox controller. They don't use Hall effect sensors like the magnetic triggers. Due to the controller's compact design, the triggers' pull distances are much shorter than the triggers on full-size gamepads. Likewise, the face buttons are noticeably smaller than full-size gamepad buttons, though slightly larger than Nintendo Switch Joy-Con face buttons. They're satisfyingly clicky, though.Like the Backbone One, the Backbone Pro has a USB-C port in the right grip and a headphone jack in the left grip. They serve the same power and audio pass-through functions. A new pairing button puts the controller into Bluetooth pairing mode. Since the Backbone Pro functions as a standalone wireless controller, the USB-C port also charges its internal battery, not just the phone it's attached to.(Credit: Will Greenwald)The Backbone Pro works with almost any phone with a USB-C port. That covers most Android phones and iPhone 15 (and later models). The older Backbone One has an iPhone-friendly Lightning version if you have an iPhone 14 or earlier handset. The Backbone Pro holds phones between approximately 3.4 and 7 inches long, so it can snap onto phablets like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. If you own an iPad mini or a small Android tablet, consider the larger Razer Kishi Ultra. Two pairs of included rubber adapters (one narrow, one wide) let you get a snug fit. They aren't designed for specific phone models, but they should accommodate your handset. To use the Backbone Pro with your phone, just pull it open and slip the phone between the jaws with the USB-C plug lined up with the phone's port. Your phone should automatically detect that it's connected to a Backbone controller and prompt you to download the Backbone app for configuration. At that point, the Backbone Pro functions as a controller for any game that supports it.Recommended by Our EditorsWirelessly connecting the Backbone Pro to a compatible device is easy. You press the pairing button and sync using a phone's standard process. It works with anything that supports a generic XInput Bluetooth gamepad, including PCs, phones, tablets, and many media streamers and TVs with games or game streaming apps. (Credit: Will Greenwald)If you wirelessly use the Backbone Pro with your phone, you can't access the Backbone app's features. As mentioned, the Backbone Pro lacks haptic motors, so the only rumble you'll experience will potentially come from your handset. According to Backbone, the Pro can function as a Bluetooth controller for up to 40 hours between charges.Software: Major Features Need a SubscriptionEven though the Pro's basic controls work without issue, you'll want to launch the Backbone app to update the firmware and add features. For example, the app lets you remap the controller inputs and take screenshots with the Capture button. Once it's all set up, the Backbone app opens whenever you insert your phone. You can also launch it by pressing the orange Backbone button.(Credit: Backbone/PCMag)Out of the box, those functions are where the Backbone app starts and ends, but you can expand the feature set with a Backbone+ membership ($39.99 per year). Backbone+ lets the app launch installed and streaming games, capture video at up to 1080p60 with cloud storage and Twitch streaming support, and use voice chat with other Backbone+ subscribers. iPhone users also get beta access to an in-app emulator for retro games.Most of Backbone+'s features should be available by default with the Backbone Pro and are unnecessarily gated behind a subscription. The emulator and voice chat are fun bonuses, but they are already well-supported on mobile devices with RetroArch and Discord, respectively. It just doesn't feel necessary. (Credit: Backbone/PCMag)Playing Games With the Backbone ProI had no problem controlling PC games with the Backbone Pro thanks to Steam's gamepad support. It also worked well with the Xbox app, albeit not quite as consistently. I had several hiccups with Claire Obscur: Expedition 33; it occasionally wouldn't respond to controller inputs, though restarting it fixed the problem. It seemed like an issue with the game rather than the Backbone Pro, because the controller worked reliably under all other circumstances.The full-size analog sticks were comfortable to use in testing, and they tracked movement consistently. Likewise, the buttons, bumpers, and triggers had just the right amount of resistance. Although the gamepad's face buttons are a bit small, I didn't accidentally press the wrong ones while playing. Moving and aiming with the analog sticks were similarly accurate, which resulted in exciting Monster Hunter Wilds and Palworld sessions. That said, the analog triggers' shallow pull required a bit more finesse than usual to accelerate and brake precisely in Forza Horizon 5. Source: https://me.pcmag.com/en/game-controllers-accessories/29813/backbone-pro #backbone #pro

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 might be the most fun I’ve had playing a role-playing game since 2023’s Baldur’s Gate 3. Its turn-based combat is more engaging than at first blush, and defeating powerful enemies provides the same elation that taking down a boss in a FromSoftware game does. It also offers some of the more challenging gameplay I’ve encountered in some time, with dodge and parry timing that’ll leave even the most experienced soulsborne vets pulling their hair out. Clair Obscur’s six playable heroes all have unique combat mechanics, so no two heroes play the same. This is great once you’ve mastered Gustave, Maelle, and the rest, but mastering them takes plenty of trial and error. You’re only presented each character’s tutorial once, so you’ll have to learn how to use them on the fly in battles with Nevrons. How does Sciel enter Twilight again? What exactly are Lune’s stains? How does Monoco’s Bestial Wheel move? There’s a learning curve to each character, but once they click for you — knowing how to best leverage Maelle’s stance switching, quickly overcharge with Gustave — you’re off to the races. Using my A-team of Maelle, Lune, and Sciel makes the game almost too easy, and I barely felt in any danger during Act 2’s late-game boss fights. They bounce off one another well, and at higher levels, can easily knock off enemies before your opponents have even had a turn. Unfortunately for Clair Obscur’s other characters, the strengths of Maelle, Lune, and Sciel put the rest of the group on the sidelines. Look, I like Verso — nice guy, great hair, plays the piano, ageless wonder. But his skills mostly rely on not taking damage, which is difficult when fighting enemies for the first time as you’ve yet to learn their attack patterns. Parrying is perhaps the greatest challenge in Clair Obscur’s combat, and trying to parry as Verso just opens the door to getting hit and therefore lowering his Perfection Rank, his own special ability. (Did I mention there’s a lot to learn in Clair Obscur? Because there’s a lot to learn.) Monoco, too, ends up getting the short end of the stick in my party. He arrives in the game when I’ve already settled on a good rhythm with Clair Obscur’s three women leading my party, and timing his Bestial Wheel to make the most use out of it is something I’m still struggling with going into Act 3. Alas, Monoco and Verso are warming the bench as my “B-team Boys,” itching for some playing time. Verso and Monoco gave way to my A-team trio late in Act 2. Around when I had to go fight the Axons, I finally started to get the hang of using Maelle, Lune, and Sciel as a team, synergizing their abilities in a way that I could wipe the floor with enemies before those enemies even got a turn. Once I hit that stride, I never had any use for the other playable characters (Sorry, Monoco and Verso. See you at camp?). Clair Obcur’s battles rely on leveraging your characters’ skills and unique mechanics, like Maelle’s Stance switching or Sciel’s Foretell stacking, to pummel your foes to dust. Lune might be the toughest hero to pin down as generating and using her elemental stains at first is a confusing matter. When using Lune’s skills in battle, the element(s) between the skill name and the Action Point (AP) cost are what stains are generated. Each of her powers can consume those stains for additional effects, like enhancing damage or increasing the duration of a power. When I fully understood how to leverage Lune’s stains, the game opened up for me. Lune can use Wildfire to burn all enemies, but I prefer positioning Maelle first and using her Rain of Fire right off the bat. Lune’s Thermal Transfer can then generate AP for her when used against the burning foe, meaning, depending on your Pictos and Luminas setup — Clair Obscur’s system for stat bonuses and passive effects — she could have the max of 9 AP by her next turn. With foes on fire, Maelle can then use Swift Stride to put her in Virtuose Stance, and on her next turn stay in Virtuose Stance with Fleuret Furyuse. Maelle’s Virtuose Stance sees her dealing 200% damage, and using it in conjunction with her high damage-dealing skills is your path toward hitting — or exceeding in Act 3 — the damage cap. Even post-nerf, she’s still a powerhouse. With Lune’s Chapelim weapon, I fall into a bit of a rhythm for each bout. At level 20, it generates an Earth Stain on each turn, and Thermal Transfer consumes two Earth Stains to allow Lune to play again and continue to wreak havoc. If Lune and Maelle are low on AP, no matter — Sciel’s Plentiful Harvest consumes all of an enemy’s Foretell and distributes AP among the party for each Foretell consumed. When in Twilight with 20 Foretell applied to a foe, this skill can easily top off everyone’s AP, leaving you free to continue your onslaught. Venturing into Act 3, with even more “Danger” areas and tough Chromatic foes ahead, knowing the end is in sight, I’ll be sticking with Maelle, Lune, and Sciel for the battles to come. They’ve gotten me this far. Source: https://www.polygon.com/opinion/598952/clair-obscurs-three-female-characters-make-me-never-want-to-switch-my-party #clair #obscurs #three #female #characters #make #never #want #switch #party

RandomlyRandom67 Member Jul 7, 2023 2,535 Was the rumoured Switch Pro actually Switch 2 all along? The Switch 2's main processor has been analysed - and its design is older than you might imagine. www.eurogamer.net Remember the discourse surrounding a proposed Switch Pro? Rumours of an upgraded Switch model began as early as 2018, but it wasn't until 2020 that the Pro's attributes including "more computing power and 4K high definition graphics" were reported on by Bloomberg. Simultaneously, it was understood that the Pro would also feature a seven-inch OLED panel. Of course, the OLED upgrade happened for the original Switch but the Pro did not. However, recent coverage of the Switch 2's main processor may provide a partial explanation. Forensic analysis of a final Switch 2 chip by Geekerwan and Kurnal suggests that the hardware was finalised way back in 2021. With the benefit of hindsight, it now seems plausible that the Switch Pro was an amalgamation of rumours: a combination of the Switch OLED model and formative work on the console that'll finally hit stores on June 5th this year. Click to expand... Click to shrink... .... Even more telling is that both analyses reveal that the chip was "taped out" - basically meaning the design was complete - in 2021. Geekerwan compares this to Nvidia's GA107 processor - another 8nm product, taped out in 2020 and released in the form of various GPUs (RTX 3050, for example) in 2021. The implication is that Nintendo had the new Switch 2 processor ready up to four years ago and could conceivably have released a Switch successor in 2022. Bearing in mind that processors take some time to create, it's very likely that leaks from Nintendo in Japan, or via its partners, could have started in 2020 when the Switch Pro reports began - at the same time as the platform holder was planning its OLED upgrade. However, it wasn't until June 2021 that noted leaker kopite7kimi named the new processor as T239 and stated that it would sit at the heart of the next Nintendo console. It seems as though the leaker got wind of the project just as T239 completed development at the taping out stage. So, the question is why it has taken so long for Switch 2 to arrive, bearing in mind that Nintendo would have had final silicon in 2021. Being familiar with console design having spoken to console system architects in the past, final silicon does typically arrive a year before a console releases. Bearing in mind that T239 was ready in 2021, it would have taken years to get to that point. Maybe an earlier Switch 2 was considered - but of course, plans can change. At the beginning of the project, one might imagine that Nintendo would still not understand just how long-lived the original Switch would be and the extent to which the Covid pandemic would elevate its sales. In turn, game development for the older system would continue. In the meantime, one might imagine that the production cost for the new T239 processor would have decreased - the 8nm process is old technology now, but thanks to Nintendo and Nvidia, the production lines can still continue with a brand new console to sustain them. The firm didn't release Switch 2 any earlier because there was no business case for doing so: the original model was still wildly popular. Then there's the fact that development resources were still invested in the existing Switch - the transition period to Switch 2 and the need to build up enough software for a new console would obviously delay the release of the machine. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Ultimately, the controversy surrounding the make-up of the Switch 2 processor comes from a good place - the desire for the new Nintendo hardware to be the best it can be - but perhaps this idea misses the point. Developers work with what they're given, often delivering remarkable results. We were concerned about the Tegra X1 powering the original Switch based on its showing in the Nvidia Shield Android TV micro-console - and yet developers delivered miracles from its relatively meagre capabilities. Click to expand... Click to shrink...   SharpX68K Member Nov 10, 2017 11,781 Chicagoland Oh boy. This is gonna be one for the ages...  DC5remy Member Jan 20, 2018 9,751 Texas lol. First reply nails it   ConflictResolver Member Jan 1, 2024 4,726 Midgar No they cancelled Pro because of Covid.   Ant_17 Member Oct 28, 2017 2,889 Greece Yes.   tucah Member Oct 25, 2017 1,488 maybe!   BabyDontHurtMe Member Dec 9, 2018 30,627 New Jersey Wouldn't be surprised   YuriLowell Member Oct 26, 2017 4,477 Yes.   Jswanko Member Oct 26, 2017 43 ConflictResolver said: No they cancelled Pro because of Covid. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Ant_17 said: tucah said: There you have it!  yap Avenger Oct 25, 2017 10,779 why not   OP OP RandomlyRandom67 Member Jul 7, 2023 2,535 ConflictResolver said: No they cancelled Pro because of Covid. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I think the implication being made here is the Switch OLED and Switch 2 rumors collided to form an amalgamation rumor of a "Switch Pro." Switch Pro might have never existed, it was just the fact that a Switch OLED revision was coming while T239 was deep into design phase and presumably taped out in 2021   Homura ▲ Legend ▲ Member Aug 20, 2019 6,940 Of course. Leakers assumed around 2020-2021 all the T239 information was about a Pro version, not realizing Nintendo was just planning the successor all the way back then.  Kouriozan Member Oct 25, 2017 24,678 Oh I so wished Switch Pro was real, years and years of bad performances and I had enough, can't really fucking wait to get a Switch 2 lmao. iirc Switch Pro rumors did start to appear around 2020, so it could line up and people mistakenly thinking Switch 2 preps was a Pro model.  Glio Member Oct 27, 2017 27,708 Spain Sometimes you get a rumor wrong and that's it.   natestellar Member Sep 16, 2018 853 It seems to be the case.   RivalGT Member Dec 13, 2017 7,449 Probably not related to a switch pro, but DF is likely right. Why release the switch 2 when switch 1 was selling amazingly well.   Source: https://www.resetera.com/threads/digital-foundry-was-the-rumoured-switch-pro-actually-switch-2-all-along.1188360/ #digital #foundry #was #the #rumoured #switch #pro #actually #all #along

News The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Winds Down Support, Won’t Receive Any More DLC The next big patch arrives this month, but the asymmetrical multiplayer title will remain playable and purchasable on storefronts. Posted By Ravi Sinha | On 13th, May. 2025 Less than two years after its launch, Gun Interactive has announced that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre won’t receive future updates or content. In a new post on Steam, the publisher said it felt “proud” of the game and believes it’s “reached its full potential.” The last patch for the asymmetrical multiplayer horror title is out this month. Other upcoming patches will focus on transitioning to peer-to-peer matchmaking, and the publisher clarifies that the title will remain playable. It also won’t be delisted from online storefronts. However, don’t expect more content, bug fixes or balance adjustments. As for what’s next, Gun Interactive didn’t say much aside from “stay tuned” in all caps. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is available for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and PC. Based on the original 1974 film, it features one side playing as members of the Slaughter family and hunting down the teenage Survivors. It reached 5.6 million players as of March 2024. Check out our review of the launch version here. Tagged With: Elden Ring: Nightreign Publisher:Bandai Namco Developer:FromSoftware Platforms:PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, PCView More DOOM: The Dark Ages Publisher:Bethesda Softworks Developer:id Software Platforms:Xbox Series X, PS5, PCView More Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Publisher:Sony Developer:Kojima Productions Platforms:PS5View More Amazing Articles You Might Want To Check Out! The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Winds Down Support, Won’t Receive Any More DLC The next big patch arrives this month, but the asymmetrical multiplayer title will remain playable and purchas... Ninja Theory May Have Teased Next Project With Blurry Photo In a recent photo on its Instagram account, Ninja Theory has seemingly teased a new project that has a vibran... Capcom Credits Monster Hunter Wilds for Record-Breaking Sales and Income in FY 2025 This marks the company's 12th consecutive year of profit growth. It's now forecasting 54 million unit sales in... DOOM: The Dark Ages List of Known PC Issues and Temporary Fixes Revealed According to developer id Software, several of these issues depend on future driver updates to fix. The Steam ... Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate Director Believes it “Would be Compatible with Switch 2” During Comic Con Napoli, Yuji Horii once more apologised for the lack of any new information about Dragon Ques... Borderlands 4 Has Been in Development for 6 Years Gearbox Entertainment CCO Randy Parnell reveals that development began immediately after the team shipped Bord... View More Source: https://gamingbolt.com/the-texas-chain-saw-massacre-winds-down-support-wont-receive-any-more-dlc #the #texas #chain #saw #massacre #winds #down #support #wont #receive #any #more #dlc

Humans display different ways of attaching to one another, shaped largely by how our caregivers responded to us in early childhood. Some of us may shy away from closeness and prefer emotional distance, while others feel anxious in relationships, seeking reassurance and fearing abandonment. Understanding these underlying attachment styles can help us navigate emotions and relationships — and, as it turns out, might even help us better understand ourselves through the eyes of our primate relatives.A recent study led by the Ape Social Mind Lab at France's University of Lyon offers insight into mother-offspring attachment types in wild chimpanzees. Their findings suggest that some patterns we assumed were uniquely human may be more deeply rooted in our evolutionary history — while others may be distinctly modern.The Different Attachment StylesAttachment theory, grounded in the work of 20th-century researchers John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth (among others), proposes that children develop mental templates, or “attachment styles,” based on how consistently and sensitively their caregivers respond to their emotional needs. The styles include:Secure attachment arises when caregivers are reliably supportive. The child feels safe, explores confidently, and trusts others.Anxious attachment emerges when caregiving is inconsistent. The child may become clingy, fearing abandonment and needing constant reassurance.Avoidant attachment develops when caregivers are emotionally distant or rejecting. These children tend to suppress their emotional needs and rely only on themselves.Disorganized attachment, often linked to trauma or fear-inducing caregiving, combines both approach and avoidance behaviors — wanting comfort, but also fearing it.In psychological research, secure, anxious, and avoidant styles are considered “organized” because they reflect clear, if not always ideal, strategies for seeking support. Disorganized attachment, by contrast, is erratic and conflicted, and often associated with later emotional struggles.Wild Chimpanzees and HumansResearchers observed 50 wild chimpanzees in Côte d’Ivoire (or Ivory Coast, West Africa) over nearly 4,000 hours and found that their young showed only organized attachment styles — either secure or insecure-avoidant. Some infants stayed close to their mothers during threats, showing secure-like behavior. Others remained more independent, resembling avoidant styles. But perhaps what is most striking is what researchers didn't find.“In the wild, we found no evidence of disorganized attachment patterns, which supports the hypothesis that this type of attachment may not be an adaptive survival strategy in the face of environmental constraints,” said lead author Eléonore Rolland in a news release.This differs sharply from humans, where studies suggest around 23.5 percent of children display disorganized attachment. Among captive, peer-raised chimpanzees, that number jumps to 61 percent, a clue that caregiving environment plays a massive role in shaping attachment.“By identifying attachment patterns in wild chimpanzees, we provide important insights into the roots of human social behavior,” added senior author Roman Wittig in the statement.Rethinking Parenting Through a Primate LensSo, what does this mean for us?If disorganized attachment is nearly nonexistent among wild chimps — but relatively common in modern human societies — it raises important questions about how contemporary caregiving practices align with our evolutionary needs.“Our results deepen our understanding of chimpanzees’ social development and show that humans and chimpanzees are not so different after all,” said Rolland in the release. “But they also make us think: have some modern human institutions or caregiving practices moved away from what is best for infant development?”As senior author Catherine Crockford notes, “The high prevalence of disorganized attachment in humans and captive orphan chimpanzees, in contrast to wild chimpanzees, also supports the idea that the rearing environment plays an important role in shaping attachment types.”These findings not only deepen our understanding of our primate cousins but also invite us to reflect on how early relationships shape emotional health — for chimps and for us.Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:Journal of Pediatric Health Care: A REVIEW OF ATTACHMENT THEORY IN THE CONTEXT OF ADOLESCENT PARENTINGHaving worked as a biomedical research assistant in labs across three countries, Jenny excels at translating complex scientific concepts – ranging from medical breakthroughs and pharmacological discoveries to the latest in nutrition – into engaging, accessible content. Her interests extend to topics such as human evolution, psychology, and quirky animal stories. When she’s not immersed in a popular science book, you’ll find her catching waves or cruising around Vancouver Island on her longboard. Source: https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/what-chimpanzees-can-teach-us-about-attachment-styles-in-relationships #what #chimpanzees #can #teach #about #attachment #styles #relationships

Labubus have captivated the world under a spell of mischievous fantasy that is making the plush purse baubles a must-have collector’s toy. And if you’re a Jim Henson creature fan (think Labyrinth and Dark Crystal) or grew up on Where the Wild Things Are with a dash of Donnie Darko’s Frank the Bunny, you’ll find them hard to resist. Much like the lucky spirits of forest folklore that inspired them, Labubus are everywhere all at once and yet hard to find if you’re trying to buy one. Pop Mart, which distributes artist Kasing Lung’s beloved characters in vinyl and plush collectible form, releases drops that immediately sell out. Cutesy toy collectors are often having to turn to re-sellers at a steeper mark-up than the $20-30 the keychains usually go for, with prices often reaching hundreds of dollars for elusive variants. And while Pop Mart encourages fans to shop through official outlets, many fall for the trap of the Lafufus—faux Labubus, many of which are so cursed-looking, with eyes that fall out or bald peeled heads, they’ve garnered their own cult following as well.  “The Monsters,” as the series that spawned Labubu is called, continue to gain global recognition through popularity in the fantasy cottagecore realms of the internet. Labubu is the breakout species of the Monsters crew; the main character is also named Labubu and became the standout of the group thanks to the extreme ugly-cute quality that made her a viral sensation. Other characters in the Smurf-like tribe of Labubu include the rare pink Mokoko and the Labubu leader Zimomo (who has a tail), who also have a cult following of their own. Toy collectors love them, including celebrities like Blackpink’s Lisa (The White Lotus), What We Do in the Shadows‘ Harvey Guillén, and Madame Web’s Emma Roberts. io9’s conversation with Labubu figure creator Kasing Lung, conducted over email, delves into how Nordic supernatural folklore inspired the fuzzy elven creatures. Also—as fans ourselves, often awake at all hours of the night trying to nab an official Labubu on the Pop Mart app—we were excited to explore with Lung why he thinks the Monsters’ enchanting whimsy has taken over the world. Sabina Graves, io9: I’ve read that the creation of the Monsters was inspired by your time in the Netherlands when you were young. What about that experience inspired the Monsters story book idea, and how did that shift to making them into a physical art form? Kasing Lung: That’s right—Labubu was born from my fascination with Nordic mythology and European folklore, which I was surrounded by while growing up in the Netherlands. I’ve always been drawn to creatures that live in the space between fantasy and reality—figures that are both familiar and mysterious. I wanted to create a character that embodied that duality: mischievous yet endearing, strange yet deeply human. Labubu, like all the characters in the Monsters universe, has an emotional depth that makes her feel alive. When I partnered with Pop Mart, I was able to bring that imagination into the physical world—transforming Labubu from a storybook figure into something people could collect, connect with, and make their own. io9: What makes Pop Mart the ideal collaborator to share the Monsters with the world? Were you a part of collector culture growing up, and if so, what toys did you collect? Lung: Pop Mart’s design-forward philosophy makes them an ideal collaborator for any artist. They prioritize artistic integrity and allow creators like me the freedom to develop characters without compromise. That kind of trust is rare. It means every figure stays true to its roots—from concept to final collectible—and collectors can feel that authenticity in every piece. As for collecting, yes—I have always been interested in that world. I was drawn to toys that sparked imagination, whether it was action figures, miniature creatures, or things with unexpected personality. I think that fascination with small, expressive objects has stayed with me. The Monsters are really just a grown-up extension of that childlike wonder. [TK unboxing IG reel link] io9: I’d love to get your perspective on seeing your creations begin to appear in so many places on a global scale, even on fashion and music icons like Lisa. What do you think about the current fashion craze that the Monsters are a part of? Lung: Seeing Labubu embraced by fans worldwide, from dedicated collectors to global icons, is surreal and incredibly humbling. When I first started sketching Labubu, I wasn’t thinking about fame or fashion trends. I was just following a feeling, creating something that felt true to me. So to now see people lining up for drops, customizing their collections, and making Labubu part of their daily lives—it’s overwhelming in the best way. What’s happening in fashion feels like a natural evolution. Today, people want to wear their personalities, to show the world who they are through what they carry, collect, and wear. Labubu speaks to that desire for something playful, expressive, and a little bit rebellious. The fact that the Monsters are becoming part of that cultural language means the world to me. It pushes me to keep expanding the universe, to keep creating characters that surprise people and give them something they can connect with—emotionally and personally. io9: What are your plans to continue to expand the stories for the Monsters characters alongside the figures release? Are there any collaborations and projects related to them coming up that you can share that will open up their story to more fans around the world? Lung: Right now, I’m letting the Monsters story evolve naturally. These characters are always growing in my mind, and every new figure is a chance to explore a different side of their world. I never want to force their direction—it’s more about following the emotion behind them and letting that guide the creative process. In terms of collaborations, there are definitely exciting projects in the works. Most recently, we collaborated with One Piece for the Monsters × One Piece Series Figures. While I can’t reveal too much just yet, I’m always looking for opportunities to expand the Monsters into new mediums and formats, so fans can experience them in deeper and more immersive ways. © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart © Pop Mart To see Pop Mart’s selection of the Monsters’ blind box offerings and collaborations, visit the retailer’s official site. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who. Source: https://gizmodo.com/labubus-creator-on-the-ugly-cute-sensation-thats-taken-over-the-world-2000600397 #labubus #creator #the #uglycute #sensation #thats #taken #over #world

A wildfire rages in British Columbia, Canada, in June 2023Imago/Alamy Stock Photo 2023 smashed the record for the hottest year, but it might have been even hotter. The entire northern hemisphere would have been nearly 1°C warmer on average during its summer without the cooling effect of smoke from massive wildfires in Canada, a climate model suggests. The smoke may also have led to the driest August in India on record. “I think it’s really hard to comprehend how gigantic the fires were. It was insane,” says Iulian-Alin Rosu at the Technical University of Crete in Greece, who presented his team’s findings at a meeting of the European Geosciences Union in Vienna, Austria. Advertisement The emissions were around five or six times higher than those during any previously recorded wildfire season in Canada, estimates Rosu. The carbon dioxide from these fires is having an ongoing warming effect, but in 2023 this warming was outweighed by the cooling effect of smoke blocking sunlight. To estimate how much cooling the smoke caused, Rosu and his colleagues ran a series of climate model simulations with and without the Canadian wildfire emissions. The results suggest that between May and September, the smoke caused local cooling of as much as 5.4°C (9.7°F) in small parts of Canada, and that the northern hemisphere as a whole was 0.9°C (1.6°F) cooler. This may seem surprising given that parts of Canada saw record temperatures during that summer. But the heat records were mostly in western regions, says Rosu, whereas the smoke blew east and had the biggest cooling effect on that side of the country. Unmissable news about our planet delivered straight to your inbox every month. Sign up to newsletter The impacts weren’t limited to Canada. In the model, the wildfire emissions led to changes in winds over Asia that weakened the monsoon and led to less rainfall in India – and that is what happened in reality. “The precipitation anomaly that is seen in the data is really, really close to what we see in our model,” says Rosu. That is an indication that the model did a very good job, he says. However, the cooling effect didn’t last long. “When I looked at the data for November and December, there really wasn’t much of any effect left,” says Rosu. The record set in 2023 for hottest year didn’t last long either – 2024 turned out to be even hotter. Reference:EGU General Assembly 2025 DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10833 Topics:climate Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2479881-massive-wildfires-in-canada-helped-keep-the-world-cooler-in-2023/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home #massive #wildfires #canada #helped #keep #the #world #cooler

‘Out of Africa’ champagne picnic experience during a Masai Mara luxury safari, Kenya. All images © Zed Nelson, courtesy of Guest Editions, shared with permission In His New Book, Photographer Zed Nelson Lifts the Veil on ‘The Anthropocene Illusion’ May 13, 2025 Kate Mothes In the 1985 film Out of Africa starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, a picturesque scene highlights the pair on a romantic picnic high above the sweeping Masai Mara National Reserve. Today, tourists are invited to recreate the iconic moment in a colonial-inspired, hillside champagne picnic experience for which “local Masaai tribesman are employed to provide picturesque authenticity to the experience,” photographer Zed Nelson says. In his new book, The Anthropocene Illusion, Nelson takes us on a global journey that lifts the veil, so to speak, on what we think of as “wilderness” and our progressively uneasy relationship with the environment. “While we destroy the natural world around us, we have become masters of a stage-managed, artificial ‘experience’ of nature—a reassuring spectacle, an illusion,” he says. The Anthropocene defines the ever-evolving, rapid changes to the environment due to humans’ unyielding impact. Many scientists place the epoch’s origin during the Industrial Revolution, but some consider 1945—the year humans tested the atomic bomb—to be the true beginning. Yet others suggest that the Anthropocene was initiated even earlier, during the advent of agriculture. At that point, we entered into an increasingly uneasy relationship with the natural world, relying on ever-more extractive processes, heavy manufacturing, plastics, and advancing technology—all of which depend on the earth’s resources. Our societies’ colonialist tendencies also apply to nature just as much as other human-occupied territories. We’re depleting entire aquifurs, forever altering the composition of the land, and irretrievably damaging delicate ecosystems. All the while, Nelson shows, we subscribe to a nostalgic view of untamed wilderness while at the same time expecting it to mold to our lifestyles. In Kenyan national parks like Masai Mara, wildlife is provided sanctuary, “but the animals living within them are allowed to survive essentially for human entertainment and reassurance,” Nelson says. “These animals become, in effect, performers for paying tourists eager to see a nostalgic picture book image of the natural world.” Snow cannon producing artificial snow at Val Gardena ski resort, Dolomites, Italy Nelson’s illuminating series taps into the absurdities of the illusion that nature is still thriving as it once was. Artificial snow shot from a cannon in the Italian Dolomites, for example, nods to warmer winters. A result of the climate crisis, leading to little snow, the powder is manufactured so holidaymakers can ski. From vine-draped brutalist buildings to overcrowded national park lookouts to half-tame lions walked out like entertainers during a safari, he shares moments that feel skewed and incongruous, indicating looming and ultimately inescapable problems behind the veneer. The Anthropocene Illusion series took first place in the professional category of the 2025 Sony World Photography Awards, and the book, which comes out this month, is available for pre-order in the Guest Editions shop. Ten percent of profits will be donated to Friends of the Earth, an environmental justice nonprofit. See more on Nelson’s Instagram. ‘Walk with Lions’ tourist experience, South Africa Next article Source: https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/05/zed-nelson-the-anthropocene-illusion/ #his #new #book #photographer #zed #nelson #lifts #the #veil #anthropocene #illusion

Your home should be the place where you feel the most relaxed, but you might be in need of some privacy fence ideas if your exposed backyard is making it hard to truly unwind. “Privacy fencing, either along a property line or around a specific area in your garden, creates a sense of sanctuary, seclusion, and peacefulness,” says Janice Parker, a landscape architect based in Greenwich, Connecticut. “A garden should, at its best, connect us to nature, and this is simpler to do when you can relax in a peaceful setting. Hidden areas, made with privacy screening, create a sense of mystery, as you do not see all of the garden at once. Mystery makes a great garden!”Luckily, clever retaining wall ideas and privacy fence ideas (some are even DIY landscaping designs) can ensure your backyard is the secluded oasis you want it to be. “A privacy fence does all the work of a typical fence—indicating boundaries and keeping people and animals in or out—while also blocking views into the yard,” says Kevin Lenhart, a landscape designer and design director at Yardzen, one of the nation’s largest online landscape platforms.Here, a guide to building backyard landscaping and a privacy fence—whether you use a pergola or a trellis—to keep onlookers out and a peace of mind in.Are privacy fences a good idea?“From an ecological and natural point of view, privacy fences are the least desirable element in the landscape,” says Jonathan Fargion, a landscape designer based in New York City. This doesn’t mean privacy fences are necessarily a bad idea, just that there are a few considerations to take into account before getting started.Privacy fences cut the land into lots, which can be problematic for the bugs, insects, and other wildlife that live there. “As a rule of thumb, fences should be at least two inches off the ground to let critters the freedom to move between properties,” Fargion explains. In general, he says privacy fences make the most sense on small properties, like town house gardens. For larger yards, he suggests making use of natural greenery, like trees, to keep unwanted eyes from infiltrating your space.How tall can I make my privacy fence?Fences that are six feet tall should block most views from the ground level. “I’d advise not going any taller than you have to, both to save on expenses and to limit the shrinking, enclosing effect fences can have on a space,” Lenhart says. If you do need extra height, he suggests adding 12 to 18 inches of lattice on the top of a fence, which will add privacy while minimizing the visual impact of a taller fence. If you opt for a natural privacy hedge, these can be much taller and often go up to 12 feet.What is the best type of privacy fence?The best privacy fence will depend on each homeowner’s goals for the fence and their yard. “By necessity, privacy fences must obscure sight lines,” Lenhart says. For this reason, many privacy fences are made from solid wood and designed to be completely opaque. If the goal is to have complete seclusion, something solid without any gaps would likely be the best choice. Source: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/privacy-fence-ideas #privacy #fence #ideas #stylishly #seclude #your #outdoor #sanctuary