The theme of the German Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka is the circular economy. The Berlin-based studio of architecture network LAVA designed the structures which are, unsurprisingly, circular: Circular shape aside, visitors are meant to wend their way through the displays—which cover exhibitions of biospheres, circular cities with closed material and energy cycles, and examples of humans coexisting harmoniously with nature—in a linear fashion. Not literally, but meaning that there is a beginning and end to the exhibit hall. What most caught my eye is the final room in this sequence, this "Circular Me" hall: Within this space, designed by Cologne-based creative agency Facts and Fiction, "visitors reflect on personal choices, habits, and values. Through poetic imagery, thought-provoking questions, and a space that invites to pause, you're asked: 'What are you willing to change? What kind of future do you want to co-create?'" The space is an interesting twist on the sunken living room/conversation pit, creating intimacy through a depression in the ceiling rather than the floor. And while I'm getting away from the theme of the exhibition here, the following occurred to me: If the screen was divided into four quadrants all showing the same thing, and if a lenticular effect could be created such that someone sitting at 6 o'clock could only see the screen centered on 12 o'clock, it would make for a rather novel home cinema.

If only every random scroll through Reddit was as productive as the one that changed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lead writer Jennifer Svedberg-Yen’s entire life.  Not too long after ditching the finance world to pursue creative dreams, but in the thick of the COVID-19 lockdown, Svedberg-Yen was wasting away an afternoon on the community forums when she stumbled upon a call from former Ubisoft producer Guillaume Broche for voice-actor help. Broche was in need of a willing and able person to record scratch lines for a game he was developing. Svedberg-Yen agreed to read for two roles — why not? — and immediately had notes for Broche on how to imbue the characters with more nuance. That game was not Clair Obscur. When Svedberg-Yen met Broche, the game designer was originally at work on We Lost, a much smaller, steampunk game set in Victorian England. An avid fantasy reader and writer, Svedberg-Yen sparked to Broche’s vision for a turn-based RPG that incorporated elements of realtime combat, and couldn’t help but offer her thoughts when discussing the characters she might voice. Over the course of months, and from two corners of the world — Broche in Shanghai and Svedberg-Yen in Sweden — the pair developed a narrative bible for the game. But by the end of the creative process, advisors and investors told them the idea wasn’t viable. They needed to go bigger.  “They said, ‘assume you had more resources,’” Svedberg-Yen recalls. “‘Think bigger’ […] We were trying to be realistic and that kind of limited the scope of it. So we went back to the drawing board, and came up with Expedition 33.” The only connections to the scrapped steampunk game and the Belle Époque-inspired RPG they eventually made are a few names — Lune and Maelle both made the cut. Everything else was built up from scratch, Svedberg-Yen says, world-building she says came easy to her thanks to a lifetime of reading. The Wheel of Time books were a major influence, just by the nature of them being expansive and lived in.  “I would say Robert Jordan was definitely a major influence on how I think about epic fantasy, in terms of how he weaves in societies and how social structures affect the citizens that reside within them,” she says. “You follow a lot of the logic of the world in terms of cause and effect. So when I start writing, I always try to think about what is the world that they inhabit? How does that shape who the characters are? Because I do believe that we are a function of all of our experiences, the society we grew up in, the people who are in our lives. The specific things that have happened to us that affect who we are affects how we see the world. And that in turn affects how we think, then affects how we speak and how we react to other things. And as a writer, you need to know how your characters are going to speak and react. Wheel of Time does a fantastic job with that.” Going back to the drawing board meant finding new inspiration, but the aesthetic of French architecture, baguette costumes, and mimes could only carry the new project so far. Svedberg-Yen ultimately found the game’s foundation in her own work, developed out of a short story she had previously written. In the writer’s words, the story was about a young woman “who thought she was an orphan and realizes later on that her mom is actually a painter and can enter paintings, and that her mom was still alive and was lost in a painting, and she has to go and try to save her mom and bring her out of the painting. So that then became the backstory for Clair Obscur.” As much as the pivot away from Victorian steampunk was driven by business potential, none of the development on Clair Obscur was driven by its potential as a long-lasting IP for studio Sandfall Interactive. She says there was nothing coded into the storytelling that would lead directly into a sequel or even a DLC, and that was never the goal. “I think we told the story we wanted to tell based on the characters we had — our story has a beginning, a middle and end,” she says. But she does have reams and reams of lore stashed away, lots of storytelling that didn’t make it into the games, and plenty of other ideas. So maybe “Clair Obscur” — which roughly translates to the contrasting balance of lightness and darkness often referred to as chiaroscuro in the painting world — could become what “Final Fantasy” is to the disconnected games of that franchise? “‘Clair Obscur’ has a lot of symbolic meaning tied to all of the themes within the game. It links very specifically to the emotional journey that the characters are going through, but it’s also broad enough,” she says without, wisely, committing to anything. “So who knows. The world is our oyster. Everything is possible.”

Find your own artistic voice with advice from MoonActive Studio’s Lynn Chen.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Skydance Games has delayed its extremely exciting upcoming Captain America and Black Panther game, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra. Originally set to release this year, the studio has officially delayed the title until 2026. The second major delay of the year, the first being GTA 6, the upcoming action-adventure game will release in Early 2026 to make sure the game is the best experience possible for players. Marvel 1943 delayed In a statement on Twitter, or X if you’re like that, Skydance confirmed the early 2026 release date while also keeping details very light. “We have an important update,” the studio explained. “Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra will now be launching in early 2026.” “Taking this additional time will allow us to add more polish, and make sure we give you the best possible experience, and one that lives up to our vision,” they continued. “We have some exciting things in store and look forward to sharing more soon.” Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra is the first title in a new Marvel games initiative. Alongside the continued Insomniac titles focusing on Spider-Man and Wolverine, the superhero license is expanding further into the realm of blockbuster video games. Alongside Rise of Hydra, Xbox-owned Arkane Studios is working on an immersive sim-style Blade game. Additionally, EA is working on an open-world Iron Man game built in Unreal Engine 5. Very few details have been revealed regarding either title. Subscribe to our newsletters! By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime. Share

A few summers ago, when the culture was moving through micro trends as fast as they could be Instagrammed, Cottage Core was born. The trend, which came out of a Covid-influenced romanticism for living close to nature (but not ruffing it, à la gorpcore, fashion’s cousin trend), inspired an infusion of chintz and whicker-filled interiors, and, of course, lush English-style gardens.Flash forward to 2025. All those cottage gardens planted in early 2020—rustic, sophisticated, chic—are at their peak. And there really is something to an outdoor space that merges with the indoors, is there not? On a warm summer evening, when the bougainvillea is in bloom, and the grass is a bit damp, what could be more appealing than a home built to nestle into a fantastical garden.Here, we’ve collected some of our favorite cottage gardens. They range from fairy house gardens to campground landscape, historical (Anne Hathaway’s famed cottage that has inspired Shakespeare devotees the world over) to contemporary compound gardens in the woods.While we may have a specific notion of a cottage garden, but they are—and should be—as unique as the people who tend them. One lesson for planting your own? A small space is an asset rather than a limitation.Below, you’ll find 15 of our favorite cottage gardens from Marin County California to Stratford-Upon-Avon, England.William Jess LairdThis Amagansett cottage was literally designed for “summertime snoozes.” It’s also a good reminder that a delicate slate garden pathway can take you far. Designer Melissa Lee noted how “unexpected” the whole place felt, surrounded by the many mansions of the Hamptons. As she rightfully notes, the charm is in the surprise. A suggestion of mystery always adds to a cottage! Think The Secret Garden or the unexpectedly expansive Weasley Family home.Noe DewittVines climb up this 1920s English Art and Crafts style cottage in the Hamptons. The elegant and eclectic cottage was re-designed by Nick Olsen to emphasize outdoor living with comfy couches, a tiled patio and a pool.William James LairdThis pink cottage kitchen looks out over a garden in Litchfield County, Connecticut. Designer Clive Lonstein’s work is vibrant and unexpected, particularly for a modest Connecticut cottage built in the late 1800s. In a way though, the bright colors all throughout the house are a reflection of the original design for the house. The architect, Ehrick Rossiter was known for his own whimsy, and even included a turret in this design. This cottage is a great reminder to leave the door open all summer long.Stephen Kent JohnsonThis former fishing shack in Provincetown proves that a sprawling garden can fit into a small space. From Windex yellow fox gloves to arching lavender, this is a bucolic slice of heaven. A classic shingled home, complete with flower boxes and a white picket fence, it has a deeply cottage-core sequence backstory. It was used as an artist studio for William Maynard until his death in 2016, and when it was sold, prospective buyers were asked to write why they wanted to live there.Rachael SmithWe love an indoor / outdoor cottage garden. Ideally, you have a branch that grows through a window, like this one in Suzie de Rohan Willner’s English Country Garden. It is a charming marriage of dynamics: English and French, contemporary and historical, and, of course just as eclectic as a cottage should be. Willner notes, “The whole house is a collection of things from each period of my and my husband’s lives. I love to pick up bibs and bobs and it all comes together very happily.”Chronicle / Alamy Stock PhotoKate Middleton’s Adelaide Cottage conjures images of an Arthurian fantasy. The Wales family made this their Windsor home since 2023. Built in 1831 for Queen Adelaide (the German-born wife of William IV, who was the Uncle of Queen Victoria). It went through a transformative renovation in 2015 which left the historical decorations in tact. Fun fact: the Wales family pay market rent for their use of the home.Photo 12//Getty ImagesThe poet, actor, and playwright Anne Hathaway’s famed cottage and accompanying garden must have inspired her husband’s plays (that would be Shakespeare). This might be what comes to mind when you think of a cottage garden. Now open to the public daily, it was originally built more than 500 years ago, and is the site of Hathaway’s own birth in 1556.CostcoThis Costco (yes, Costco!) shed turned cottage is an ideal backdrop for your cottage garden fantasy. If you’re feeling very DIY this year, start here. Priced at $6,499, it measures 12’ x 24’ feet, a perfect amount of space for your own summer hide away or gardening shed.Richard PowersThis glass house is a reminder that a cottage garden doesn’t have to follow a prescribed style. The Amagansett cottage, originally built in 1960, is a marvel of mid-century design, an aesthetic reflected in the mod-furniture choices. Again, we love a stylistic mix in an updated cottage. Japanese Maple Trees complete the woodsy vibe.© David Hockney, Photo By Jonathan WilkinsonDavid Hockney illustrated his own cottage garden during the Pandemic. His drawing is illustrative of the benefits of an English garden: a bit wild, extremely lush, and more green than anything else. If we could, we’d jump right into this scene like Mary Poppins on a rainy day.John M. Hall for ELLE DecorHere’s a rule of thumb: trust Ina Garten. This cottage-like structure, on the grounds of the East Hampton home Garten shares with her husband Jeffrey, is perennially perfect. Note, too, the green and purple color scheme here. This is perhaps the dream cottage garden and something of a childhood playhouse. It has just enough space for a cozy chat and is a reminder that you can build your own little cottage on a very small plot of land.Photo 12//Getty ImagesMarie Antoinette’s Hamlet on the grounds of Versailles still sets the standard for the cottage garden with a thatched roof, hedges, and roses straight out of a fairy tale. During the former French Queen’s reign, her hamlet was used as a faux farm house, where she and her young daughter, Princess Marie Thérèse, would dress as idealized versions of French peasant farmers and milk cows. The interior, though, of this modest cottage, is appropriately grand with silk furnishings and canopy beds.Douglas FriedmanA garden that proves succulents and cottages are a match made in heaven. This one, in Marin County, California, adds a bit of desert flair. On the other side of this cottage is a water way and a perfect little dock for launching paddle boards. We love how the greens liven up this side of the house and create a completely different, almost modern desert-like, aesthetic. As with any great cottage garden, there is a distinctly transportive factor.Michael CliffordA light wood sauna and cold plunge on the grounds of Jenni Kayne’s Hudson Valley farmhouse are hidden behind shrubbery for a sense of privacy against a wide open landscape. We love the idea of adding a spa-like ambiance to a cottage garden as well as finding inventive ways to use the space. This is exactly where we want to be in the summer!Getty ImagesThis is sort of cheating, but Bunny Williams is a necessary inclusion! Williams’s Oak Spring Garden in Upperville, Virginia continues to inspire garden and cottage enthusiasts the world over. Rather than one cottage, the grounds of Williams’s large estate feature a guest cottage and a basket house, both of which are charming in the extreme.Dorothy ScarboroughDorothy Scarborough (she/her) is the assistant to the Editor in Chief of Town & Country and Elle Decor. 

The International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia,  has returned, with its grand opening held in early May. The exhibition runs until November 23, 2025 The Canada Council for the Arts, Commissioner of Canada’s official participation in the International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, administers the selection process and oversees the exhibition at the Canada Pavilion. But in addition to the Canada Pavilion, Canadian architects and designers have a presence in several other exhibitions that are part of this year’s festival. Here’s a round-up of the Canadian work in Venice. Picoplanktonics. Photo credit: Valentina Mori Picoplanktonics led by Living Room Collective Canada’s official entry to the Biennale is Picoplanktonics, a 3D-printed living artwork incorporating cyanobacteria—a global first at the intersection of architecture, biotechnology, and art. The exhibition, developed by the Living Room Collective, showcases the potential for collaboration between humans and nature. Picoplanktonics is an exploration of the potential to co-operate with living systems by co-constructing spaces that “remediate the planet rather than exploit it.” The installation transforms the Canada Pavilion into an aquatic micro-ecosystem, where architectural structures grow, evolve, and naturally degrade alongside their living components. It was designed according to regenerative architecture principles, and is not only a built object, but also a breathing organism interacting with its environment, which prompts reflection on potential futures of the built environment. The creative team is led by bio-designer Andrea Shin Ling, alongside core team members Nicholas Hoban, Vincent Hui and Clayton Lee. Etude Ile Verte by Atelier Pierre Thibault. Photo credit Alex Lesage Les boucaneries de l’île Verte by Atelier Pierre Thibault Atelier Pierre Thibault has been invited to participate in this year’s Venice Biennale as the only team from Québec. His project is inspired by the old fish smokehouses, or boucaneries, of Île Verte. With the support of the fifty permanent residents of Île Verte, Atelier Pierre Thibault has designed a participatory architectural project that aims to reinterpret the boucaneries as creative canvases to imagine new uses to strengthen Île Verte’s autonomy. This includes community greenhouses, artist studios, and gathering places. The exhibition aims to highlight, as Thibault puts it, “the strength of a sensitive and collective gesture in response to the erosion of traditional buildings and the major climate challenges faced by inhabitants living year-round in an isolated island environment.” The construction of the installations, along with the exchanges sparked with the community, was documented through photography and video, and captures both the process and the spirit of collaboration that defined the project. Celebrating the Verdoyants’ collective intelligence and inviting reflection on the future of the boucaneries, this participatory project highlights the exemplary and internationally resonant nature of this approach. The Atelier Pierre Thibault project will be on view at the Corderie dell’Arsenale. The pavilion itself will take the form of a temporary, lightweight structure constructed from reused materials, situated on the grounds of the French Pavilion, which is currently undergoing renovation. The curators have selected 50 projects to be featured across six thematic sections: Living With the Existing, the Immediate, the Broken, Vulnerabilities, Nature, and Combined Intelligences. Image courtesy of WZMH Architects Speedstac by WZMH Architects as part of Living With…Combined Intelligences  As part of the exhibition “Living With… Combined Intelligences,” WZMH Architects presents Speedstac, a prefabricated modular precast solution that aims to reimagine how urban areas devastated by war can be rebuilt. Originally designed to accelerate housing construction in Canada, Speedstac took on urgent new relevance following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. With more than 170,000 buildings damaged or destroyed and millions displaced, WZMH’s innovation, developed through its R&D lab, sparkbird, aims to offer a scalable solution: self-contained, plug-and-play building modules with integrated electrical and plumbing systems that can be seamlessly inserted into existing structures. The use of modern materials such as high-performance concrete can reduce the weight of the modules, making them easier to lift and move using conventional crane equipment. Using a robust locking mechanism, several modules can be securely fastened and unfastened as needed, to produce an adaptive modular housing solution. The Speedstac system aims to offer a solution to the challenges of traditional construction methods, enabling faster, more flexible, and more sustainable building projects. The Vivre Avec / Living With exhibition is hosted in the French Pavilion. Presentation, Northern Horizons. Photo credit: Blouin Orzes architectes Northern Horizons by Blouin Orzes architectes as part of Time Space Existence  Through a wide selection of projects—ranging from conceptual works, models and photographs to videos, sculptures and site-specific installations—the exhibition Time Space Existence, hosted by the European Cultural Centre, aims to provoke participants to question their relationship with space and time, re-envisioning new ways of living and rethinking architecture through a larger lens. Quebec firm Blouin Orzes’ participation revolves around their first-hand understanding of Inuit territories, where they have been working since 2000. Their contribution is based on their  recent publication, Northern Journeys. Blouin Orzes’ contribution in on display at the Palazzo Mora, and additional contributions to Time Space Existence are on view at the Palazzo Bembo and Marinaressa Gardens. View of Commercial and Residential Towers from Seymour and West Georgia Streets. Image credit: Henriquez Partners Studio BC Glass Sea Sponge Another contribution to Time Space Existence is the work of Henriquez Partners Studio. The transformative mixed-use development which they are presenting merges architectural innovation, social responsibility and urban revitalization, and has recently been submitted to the City of Vancouver. The project is about ambitious city-building, and aims to unlock public benefits on currently underutilized land in a way that supports some of the city’s most urgent needs, while contributing bold architecture to the city skyline. Four towers, designed by Henriquez, draw inspiration from rare and ancient glass sea sponge reefs, whose ecological strength and resilience have shaped both form and structure. These living marine organisms, which are unique to the Pacific Northwest, aim to serve as a metaphor for regeneration and adaptation. This concept is translated through the architectural language of the towers: silhouettes, sculptural forms, and sustainable performance. The tallest tower, a stand-alone hotel, proposed at 1,033 feet, is shaped by a structural diagrid exoskeleton that allows for column-free interiors while maximizing strength and minimizing material use. Developed in collaboration with Arup, the structural system references the skeletal lattice of sea sponges; a concept researched at Harvard for its groundbreaking structural efficiency. Henriquez Partners’  contribution is on display at Palazzo Bembo. Renewal Development Shishalh Project Duplex Renderings – Image credit: Renewal Development Shíshálh Nation: Ten Home Rescue Project as part of theLiving With / Vivre avec exhibition Vancouver-based company Renewal Development has been selected to appear as part of the French Pavilion’s exhibition on housing innovation. In 2024, Renewal Development partnered with developer Wesgroup and the shíshálh Nation to relocate ten high value Port Moody homes set for demolition to the shíshálh Nation on the Sunshine Coast. The Nation has been experiencing an acute housing shortage with 900 Nation members currently on a waitlist for housing. Renewal Development says that this initiative reflects its “deeply held values of sustainability, and reconciliation” and its “work to offer real-world solutions to waste and housing shortages by reimagining what already exists.” The project will be on display in the French Pavilion. The following is a list of other Canadian groups and individuals contributing to this year’s Venice Biennale: On Storage Brendan Cormier is a Canadian writer, curator, and urban designer based in London. He is currently the lead curator of 20th and 21st Century Design for the Shekou Partnership at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Prior to this he served as the managing editor of Volume Magazine. La Biennale di Venezia and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London present for the ninth consecutive year the Applied Arts Pavilion Special Project titled On Storage, curated by Brendan Cormier, in collaboration with Diller, Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R). It explores the global architecture of storage in service of the circulation of things, and features a newly commissioned six-channel film directed by DS+R. From Liquid to Stone: A Reconfigurable Concrete Tectonic Against Obsolescence Inge Donovan, based in Boston, achieved her Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Design and Architectural History, Theory and Criticism from the Daniels Faculty of Architecture at the University of Toronto in 2019 after growing up in Nova Scotia, Canada. The Curse of Dimensionality Adeline Chum is currently a Graduate Research Assistant at the Center for Spatial Research and third-year student in the MArch Program at GSAPP. She has received her Bachelor of Architectural Studies from the University of Waterloo, Canada and has worked in small and medium-sized architecture firms in Toronto, New York, and London. Oceanic Refractions Elise Misao Hunchuck, born in Toronto and currently based Berlin and Milan, is a transdisciplinary researcher, editor, writer, and educator. Her practice brings together architecture, landscape architecture, and media studies to research sites in Canada, Japan, China, and Ukraine, employing text, images, and cartographies to document, explore, and archive the co-constitutive relationships between plants, animals, and minerals—in all of their forms. SpaceSuits.Us: A Case for Ultra Thin Adjustments Charles Kim is a designer currently based in Boston. Stemming from his background in architecture, he is interested in materials, DIY, and the aesthetics of affordability. Since graduating from Harvard Graduate School of Design in 2022, he has been working as an architectural designer at Utile. Uncommon Knowledge: Plants as Sensors Sonia Sobrino Ralston is a designer, researcher, and educator, and is currently an Assistant Teaching Professor in Landscape Architecture and Art + Design at Northeastern University in the College of Arts, Media, and Design. She is interested in the intersections between landscape, architecture, and the history of technology. Doxiadis’ Informational Modernism Mark Wasiuta is Senior Lecturer in Architecture at Columbia GSAPP and Co-Director of the Critical, Curatorial and Conceptual Practices in Architecture program. Wasiuta is recipient of recent grants from the Onassis Foundation, the Asian Cultural Council, NYSCA, and the Graham Foundation, where he was an inaugural Graham Foundation Fellow. Blue Garden: The Architecture of Emergence Tanvi Khurmi, based in London, UK, is a multidisciplinary designer and artist. Her practice is focused on addressing and combatting issues surrounding the climate crisis. After receiving a Bachelor’s in Architecture with a minor in Environmental Studies from the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture at the University of Toronto, she earned a Masters of Architecture in Bio-Integrated Design at the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London. Design as an Astronaut Dr. Cody Paige is the Director of the Space Exploration Initiative at the MIT Media Lab, a team of 50+ students, faculty, and staff building and flying advanced technology for space exploration. The Initiative focuses on helping students take their research into space. The pipeline developed to achieve this works with students from across the Media Lab and the MIT community to prototype space-related research in the lab, fly and test them in microgravity on parabolic and suborbital flights, and finally to take them to the International Space Station or on to the Moon. Cody also has a background in geology, specifically quaternary geochronology, and completed her Master of Applied Science at the University of Toronto in Aerospace Engineering and her Bachelor of Applied Science from Queen’s University in Engineering Physics.   The post Round-up: Canadian-led exhibitions at the 2025 Venice Biennale appeared first on Canadian Architect.

A former Rockstar Games developer that has previously worked on Grand Theft Auto 4 has said that the studio should work on a remaster of the game. Responding to social media X users asking him a question about rumours surrounding a GTA 4 remaster, former technical director at the studio Obbe Vermeij said that it should happen, considering other successful remasters in recent times. “I hadn’t heard those rumours,” posted Vermeij on X. “I think GTA IV should be remastered. It’s a great game and there have been a number of successful remasters recently.” Vermeij also wrote about wanting to see GTA 4 protagonist Niko Bellic return in some form, saying that he is still the best protagonist of the franchise in his opinion. “I would like to see it updated,” Vermiej responded to a post asking his thoughts. “Niko is still the best protagonist in any GTA game I think.” Rumours about a remastered release of Grand Theft Auto 4 first started making the rounds all the way back in November 2021. The rumours came in light of the at-the-time recent release of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – Definitive Edition. At the time, the rumours indicated that the remaster would be released in 2023 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, and that it would include the Episodes from Liberty City expansions as a bundle. However, 2023 is a long time ago when it comes to video game releases, and Rockstar Games has still been quiet on the matter. While smaller rumours kept popping up here and there, they started coming back in earnest this year. A more recent rumour, courtesy of known Rockstar Games insider Tez2, indicated that a port for modern platforms is still in the works. Taking to the GTA Forums, Tez2 said that Grand Theft Auto 4 is being ported to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and that work on the ports had been going on for more than a year. While the post didn’t reveal too many details, it did indicate that Rockstar might be looking to tide fans of GTA 6 over in light of its recent delay to May 26, 2026 by releasing the GTA 4 port later this year. The insider also said that the GTA 4 port would be part of a larger plan by Rockstar to also release a remaster of Max Payne 3 down the line. The latter would be released in time with Remedy’s current work on remaking the original Max Payne games. “Someone at R* hinted at the [GTA] IV port, and by now it should’ve gone up a year in development.+,” he wrote. “We may end up seeing it drop later this year. And it’s one more reason, in addition to existing reasons, the LCPP mod was taken down. If they still follow their plan laid out from the pandemic days, they’ll do an MP3 port after IV. So that is an opportunity to do a bundle or a Definitive Edition. Max Payne 1 & 2 remakes, and a Max Payne 3 port.” Grand Theft Auto 4 was originally released back in 2008 on Xbox 360 and PS3. It has since also been released on PC, where it can still be played on modern systems alongside its Episodes from Liberty City story expansions. I hadn't heard those rumours. I think gtaIV should be remastered. It's a great game and there have been a number of successful remasters recently.— Obbe Vermeij (@ObbeVermeij) May 12, 2025 I would like to see it updated. Niko is still the best protagonist in any gta game I think.— Obbe Vermeij (@ObbeVermeij) May 13, 2025

While we have been seeing a bit of a resurgence in popularity for the classic skateboarding series Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater with the upcoming release of 3 + 4, the skateboarder lending his name to the franchise has said that he would also like a remaster of Tony Hawk’s Underground happen at some point. In an interview with ScreenRant, Tony Hawk spoke about how he was trying his best to get the story-based skateboarding game remastered. “I always have aspirations,” Hawk said. “It’s not up to me generally. I’ll campaign all I can, but I’m working with a much bigger company that’s a lot smarter than me.” It is worth noting, however, that Hawk also said that discussions about remastering Tony Hawk’s Underground haven’t actually happened at Activision yet. The company is likely waiting to see the commercial response to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 before it makes any decisions about bringing back later games in the franchise. When later asked about whether discussions had begun yet, Hawk also noted that it was too early right now, since Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 hadn’t been released yet. “Yeah, we haven’t even released this game,” he said. Tony Hawk’s Underground was the follow-up to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4. Released all the way back in 2003, the game was originally released on PS2, GameCube and Xbox back in the day. There was also a version made for the Game Boy Advance. Rather than staying with the franchise’s more arcade-styled loop, Tony Hawk’s Underground instead focused on telling a story with the player’s own custom-created skateboarder. Throughout the story in Tony Hawk’s Underground, players would get to meet and skate with a variety of skateboarding legends as they travelled all over the world to take part in skateboarding competitions. Borrowing some aspects from THPS 4, Underground also featured a more open approach to its objectives, with the player needing to complete a variety of missions from NPCs in the zone they were in before they could continue with the next chapter of the story. As for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, Activision recently confirmed that Bam Margera would be part of the game’s roster as one of its Secret Skaters. The announcement was made with a trailer, where Margera spoke about first playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 and getting so enthralled with it that he ended up missing several flights. A rumour from back in March indicated that Margera was added to the roster of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 on the insistence of Tony Hawk himself. According to The Live Club podcast co-host Roger Bagley, Hawk insisted to Activision that Margera be included in the roster, which reportedly ended up with Margera having to fly to the studio to get body-scanned for the game. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is slated for release on July 11, and will be coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch.

If you’re hunting for the best laptop deals this April, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’re looking for a high-speed gaming laptop, a cheap laptop under $500, or a premium ultrabook, we’ve carefully curated the best deals available right now. With our expert knowledge and hands-on testing, we’ve rounded up the top deals from Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg, and Adorama. Want even more choices? Check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptops available right now. Best budget laptop deals under $500 Acer Our top pick: Acer Aspire 3, $299.99 ($26.99 off at Amazon) If you’re looking for a dependable laptop that won’t burn a hole in your wallet, the Acer Aspire 3 is a solid choice. For around $300, it covers the basics really well–web browsing, Zoom calls, streaming Netflix, or cranking out school or work stuff. It’s got an AMD Ryzen 3 chip and 8GB of RAM, so it runs smoothly for everyday use. The 15.6-inch 1080p display also looks good and has wide viewing angles, making it great for work and entertainment. Plus, a backlit keyboard is a nice bonus at this price. It’s not fancy, but it’s reliable and sometimes that’s all you need. View Deal Amazon Lenovo IdeaPad 1, Intel Celeron N4500 processor/15.6-inch 1080p display/20GB RAM/1TB SSD, $335.99 ($83.01 off at Amazon) HP 255 G10, AMD Ryzen 3 7330U processor/15.6-inch 1080p display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $449.99 ($150 off at Amazon) Best Buy Asus FHD Laptop, Intel Celeron N4500 processor/14-inch 1080p display/4GB RAM/64GB eMMC, $119.99 ($60 off at Best Buy) Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE, Intel Core 5 120U processor/16-inch 2560×1600 display/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, $449 ($200 off at Best Buy) Adorama HP Chromebook x360, Intel Celeron N5100 processor/11.6-inch 1366×768 touchscreen display/8GB RAM/64GB eMMC, $304.99 ($95 off at Adorama) Asus Chromebook CM30, MediaTek Kompanio 520 processor/10.5-inch 1920×1200 display/8GB RAM/128GB eMMC, $419.99 ($29.01 off at Adorama) Newegg Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3, AMD Ryzen 5 7530U processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $369.99 ($130 off at Newegg) Lenovo IdeaPad 5 2-in-1, AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS processor/14-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $459.99 ($140 off at Newegg) HP Envy 2-in-1, AMD Ryzen 5 processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 IPS touchscreen display/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, $498 ($101 off at Newegg) Best mid-range laptop deals ($500-$900) Samsung Our top pick: Samsung Galaxy Book4, $699.99 ($300 off at Adorama) The Samsung Galaxy Book4 is a sleek and lightweight machine with decent hardware. It weighs just 3.42 pounds, which is impressive for a laptop with a 15.6-inch display. Underneath the hood, you’ll find an Intel Core i7-1355U processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage–so it should have no problem zipping through web browsing, document editing, and media consumption. The 15.6-inch display also has a 1920×1080 resolution, which is great for working with documents or watching streaming content. View Deal Amazon Dell Inspiron 5441, Snapdragon X Plus processor/14-inch 1920×1200 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $749.99 ($50 off at Amazon) Microsoft Surface Laptop (2024), Snapdragon X Plus processor/13.8-inch 2304×1536 display/16GB RAM/256GB SSD, $799.99 ($200 off at Amazon) Dell Inspiron 16 Plus, Intel Core i7-13620H processor/16-inch 2560×1600 display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $806.26 ($143.73 off at Amazon) Best Buy Microsoft Surface Laptop Copilot+ PC, Snapdragon X Plus processor/13.8-inch 2304×1536 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/256GB SSD, $799.99 ($200 off at Best Buy) Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x, Snapdragon X Elite processor/14.5-inch 2944×1840 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $899.99 ($300 off at Best Buy) Adorama Asus Vivobook 16, AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 processor/16-inch 1920×1200 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $749.99 ($80 off at Adorama) Lenovo ThinkPad 14 G7, Intel Core Ultra 5 125U processor/14-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $769.99 ($259.01 off at Adorama) HP EliteBook x360, Intel Core i7-1365U processor/13.3-inch 1200p touchscreen display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $899.99 ($599.01 off at Adorama) Newegg Acer Swift Go, Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor/16-inch 1200p touchscreen display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $699.99 ($300 off at Newegg) Acer Aspire, Intel Core i9-13900H processor/15.6-inch 1080p display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $749.99 ($150 off at Newegg) Asus ZenBook, Intel Core i9-13900H processor/14-inch 2880×1800 OLED touchscreen display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $759.99 ($140 off at Newegg) Best gaming laptop deals HP Our top pick: HP Victus, $849 ($89 off at Newegg) If you’re looking to get into PC gaming (or just want a fast laptop that can handle more), the HP Victus is a great deal at $849. Inside you’ll find a powerful Intel Core i5 processor and an RTX 4050 graphics card, which means you can run modern games at 1080p. With 16GB of RAM and a roomy 1TB SSD, you’ve got plenty of speed and space to work with. Whether you’re gaming, editing videos, or just want something that can keep up with a busy workload, this delivers great performance without going overboard on the price. View Deal Amazon MSI Katana 17, Intel Core i7 processor/RTX 4060 graphics/17.3-inch 1920×1080 display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,339.75 ($200.24 off at Amazon) Best Buy MSI Thin 15, Intel Core i5-13420H processor/RTX 4050 graphics/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $649.99 ($250 off at Best Buy) Gigabyte G6 KF, Intel Core i7-13620H processor/RTX 4060 graphics/16-inch 1920×1200 display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $999.99 ($200 off at Best Buy) Asus ROG Zephyrus G16, Intel Core Ultra 9 processor/RTX 4070 graphics/16-inch 2560×1500 display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,479.99 ($520 off at Best Buy) Adorama MSI Cyborg 15 AI, Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor/RTX 4060 graphics/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,299.99 ($349.01 off at Adorama) MSI Stealth 14 AI, Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor/RTX 4060 graphics/14-inch 1920×1200 display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,399.99 ($199.01 off at Adorama) HP Omen Transcend, Intel Core i7-13700HX processor/RTX 4070 graphics/16-inch 2560×1600 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $2,049.99 ($569.44 off at Adorama) Newegg Aorus 16X Series, Intel Core i7-13650HX processor/RTX 4060 graphics/16-inch 1600p display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,069.99 ($330 off at Newegg) MSI Vector 16 HX AI, Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor/RTX 5070 Ti graphics/16-inch 2560×1600 display/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $2,679.99 ($350 off at Newegg) Best premium laptop deals ($900+) Lenovo Our top pick: Lenovo ThinkPad T14s, $1,254.95 ($445.04 off at Amazon) The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s offers jaw-dropping battery life (almost 24 hours on a single charge!), a robust yet portable design, and a responsive keyboard. It features a 12-core Snapdragon X Elite processor, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage. It’ll keep up with light workloads (especially ARM-native applications) and feels, according to our review, “responsive in practice.” While the design may look dated to some, the incredible battery life is just too phenomenal to ignore. If you’re looking for a well-made, long-lasting laptop, we’d definitely recommend the ThinkPadT14. View Deal Amazon Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G2, AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS processor/16-inch 1920×1200 display/64GB RAM/1TB SSD, $999.99 ($139.01 off at Amazon) Asus ZenBook 15 Pro OLED, Intel Core i7-13620H processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,099.99 ($100 off at Amazon) Microsoft Surface Laptop (2024), Snapdragon X Elite processor/13.8-inch ‎2304×1536 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,099 ($300 off at Amazon) Best Buy Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1, Intel Core Ultra 7 processor/16-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,034.99 ($115 off at Best Buy) MSI Stealth 16 AI Studio A1V, Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor/16-inch 1920×1200 display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,599.99 ($400 off at Best Buy) Adorama Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7, Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor/14-inch 1920×1200 OLED display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,059.99 ($79.01 off at Adorama) LG Gram 15, Intel Core i5-1350P processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/16GB RAM/256GB SSD, $1,499 ($1,626 off at Adorama) MSI Creator A16 AI+, AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 processor/RTX 4060 graphics/16-inch 2560×1600 display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,499.99 ($299.01 off at Adorama) Newegg Microsoft Surface Laptop (Copilot PC), Snapdragon X Elite processor/13.8-inch 2304×1536 touchscreen display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,099.99 ($300 off at Newegg) MSI Creator Z16, Intel Core i7-11800H processor/16-inch 2560×1600 display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,960 ($739 off at Newegg) FAQ 1. How much RAM will I need in my laptop? You’ll want at least 8GB, though 16GB is preferable, especially if you play games. Don’t buy laptops with under 4GB of RAM or 128GB of SSD storage—though on a Chromebook or a budget Windows machine, this configuration is acceptable. Check out our article on how much RAM does a laptop need for more in-depth info. 2. What’s the difference between a Chromebook and a Windows laptop? The one big difference between a Chromebook and a Windows laptop is the operating system. Chromebooks run ChromeOS and Windows run, well, Microsoft Windows. Chromebooks make good everyday machines because they’re designed for browsing the web, checking e-mail, and so on. They use less resources and are generally more affordable than the Windows variety. They also don’t need antivirus protection. A Windows laptop is a lot more versatile in what it can do, and not just in terms of running local programs. You can really pump a Windows laptop up with a ton of RAM, storage, and so on. 3. When should I look for a laptop deal? You’ll likely find the best laptop deals during Prime Day (mid-July), Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), and back-to-school season (June-August). Sure, you’ll find good laptop deals throughout the year, but if you really want to save big, we’d recommend scoping out your favorite online retailers during those times. 4. Which retailers offer the best deals? You can find all kinds of deals across a wide range of online retailers such as Newegg, Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon, and so on. However, we’d recommend checking out deals from laptop manufacturers like Lenovo, HP, and Dell. You’ll usually find many different configurations on sale and the discounts can be pretty darn steep. For more options, check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptops available right now.