2024 Game of the Year Nominations Signal the Fall of Nintendo Right Before Switch 2 Release
2024 Game of the Year Nominations Signal the Fall of Nintendo Right Before Switch 2 Release
As games make their way to the end of 2024, they are eagerly waiting for the announcement of the year’s biggest honor: the Game of the Year (GOTY) nominations. For years, if not winning, Nintendo has made the list with its original titles. However, as the 2024 nominees were revealed, there was a surprising absence: not a single Nintendo title.
The GOTY list for 2024 has been revealed and it has been making buzz. | Image Credit: Game Science’s ****** Myth Wukong
The 2024 GOTY nominations are dominated by titles from other major studios with even the indie darling Balatro securing a spot. With the Switch 2 set to debut soon, this absence is a worrying sign for a company that has long been synonymous with innovative gaming experiences. Is this the beginning of the end of Nintendo’s reign as a gaming powerhouse?
A Historic Omission Of Nintendo From The Game of the Year Nominations
Players are surprised to see no Nintendo Titles in the nomination list. | Image Credit: Team Asobi’s Astro ****
Historically, Nintendo has always been in the talk of GOTY conversations, with titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons earning widespread acclaim. However, it seems the company’s reliance on safe, well-established franchises has begun to backfire.
While it’s clear that Nintendo games continue to sell well and maintain a loyal fanbase across the globe, many critics argue that the company has ******* to sustain the cultural highs it once reached. One of the reasons behind this shift is likely the delay of the Switch 2, which still has not been officially announced.
It seems like the company wants to stick to its formula of beloved sequels and remasters, emphasizing family-friendly, nostalgia-driven content. This approach may no longer be enough as shown with the GOTY 2024 nominations. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry has continued to look forward with ambitious, new titles pushing the boundaries of storytelling and technology.
The nominees for GAME OF THE YEAR at #TheGameAwards on December 12.
Vote Now: pic.twitter.com/75AZeqo6KS
— The Game Awards (@thegameawards) November 18, 2024
From ****** Myth: Wukong showing that a ******** Studio can create AAA titles to Balatro, an indie title that is considered a dark horse, none of these are Nintendo exclusives. In fact, all of the nominated titles have shown that pushing the boundaries of conventional gaming is the only way a studio can achieve true success.
The Super Mario franchise, The Legend of Zelda, and Pokémon still dominate the revenue charts, but the company has yet to release a new game in recent years that matches the level of innovation seen in its prime.
It’s time for the once-innovative company to stop worrying about others stealing their IPs and focus on creating new ones. Otherwise, the omission of its title from the GOTY list won’t be a surprise in the following years, instead, it may become a trend.
The Bad News Hitting At a Critical Point
The company needs to step up otherwise not being able to make the GOTY list will become common. | Image Credit: FromSoftware’s Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
This news comes at a very critical time. The hype for the much-anticipated Switch 2 is growing and as the company slowly releases information about the much-anticipated console, this GOTY news will sting a lot.
The original Switch, despite being one of the best-selling consoles of all time, has aged significantly. Many fans were hoping for a successor to breathe new life into the company’s offerings, but the delay of the Switch 2 has left many questioning the company’s ability to innovate in the same way it did in the past.
For now, the 2024 Game of the Year nominations should serve as a wake-up call for the company. While its legacy as the king of innovative and beloved franchises ******** intact, the absence from this year’s nominations shows the pressure the company has to face if it wants to evolve with the times.
In the end, only time will tell if the Switch 2 will mark a return to form for Nintendo, or if the company will be forced to accept that its era of being at the top has ended. Either way, the 2024 GOTY nominations have made one thing very clear: innovation is the key to success.
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New lunar map can help guide future sample return missions
New lunar map can help guide future sample return missions
1:3M mapping (originally mapped at 1:200,000) of a portion of the Orientale basin. Credit: The Planetary Science Journal (2024). DOI 10.3847/PSJ/ad862f
Billions of years ago, a giant asteroid struck the moon with so much energy that it melted rock until it was super-heated and white-hot, or what scientists call impact melt. This eventually cooled and hardened, creating a multi-ringed impact crater that is known today as Orientale basin.
Having samples of impact melt is valuable because scientists can use laboratory techniques to determine the exact time of the melt’s solidification, and therefore the age of the impact. The problem is, geologic processes after impact—such as lava flows and smaller impacts—have ******* and mixed up much of the original impact melt.
But parsing out the impact crater from which a rock originated is worth the effort because that knowledge can help scientists understand how the impact rate changed throughout the solar system’s history, as well as how impacts shaped the moon, Earth, and early life on our planet.
Planetary Science Institute Research Scientist Kirby Runyon is a lead author on a paper published in The Planetary Science Journal and containing a new high-resolution geologic map of Orientale basin that attempts to identify the original basin impact melt. The hope is that future researchers will use this map to target sample return missions and pin down impact dates for this and other impact basins.
“We chose to map Orientale basin because it’s simultaneously old and young,” Runyon said. “We think it’s about 3.8 billion years old, which is young enough to still have its impact melt freshly exposed at the surface, yet old enough to have accumulated large impact craters on top of it as well, complicating the picture. We chose to map Orientale to test melt-identification strategies for older, more degraded impact basins whose ages we’d like to know.”
The map uses BFsc—shorthand for smooth, cracked basin floor material—to map original, unpolluted impact melt from Orientale basin’s formation. Those rocks record the age of Orientale basin, and parts of this melt ******** would have been ******* beneath other geologic units, such as the lava flows mapped in red.
Stars mark rims and debris from smaller impact craters that have unearthed previously ******* Orientale melt. So, if rocks from starred locations turn out to be the same age as rocks from the BFsc areas, geologists know they can rely on rocks from similar small craters in other, more degraded basins to record the ages of those basins’ formation.
‘Earth’s attic’
Earth’s early impact record from its first billion years—about 4.5 to 3.5 billion years ago—has been erased by shifting continents, water, weather and the general disturbance by living things. In fact, Earth itself is 4.5 billion years old, while most of its surface rocks are less than about a half-billion years old. In contrast, most of the moon’s surface rocks are older than about 2.5 billion years.
Luckily, the moon is close enough in the solar system that scientists can infer that the rate of impacts that happened there was likely the same for Earth, scaled for Earth’s larger size and higher gravity.
“The moon is sort of like Earth’s attic in terms of preserving the impact records; it’s the only place where we can get Earth’s baby photos,” Runyon said. “The moon is so nearby to us that its impact record is a reliable proxy record for early Earth’s, and we can scale impact statistics to have some reasonable approximation for what Earth’s first billion years were like, impact-wise. Earth has more gravity and we’re *******, so we would have gotten hit a little more often and ******* than the moon.”
Understanding Earth’s early environment is key to understanding when and even how life first arose on Earth.
“Giant impacts—like the one that formed Orientale—can vaporize an ocean and ***** any life that had already started,” Runyon said. “Some recent modeling has shown that we probably never totally sterilized Earth during these big impacts, but we don’t know for sure. At some point, our oceans could have been vaporized from impacts, then recondensed and rained out repeatedly. If that happened a number of times, it’s only after the last time that life could have gotten a foothold.”
Runyon and his co-authors hope that their mapping method can be used in other impact basins across the moon so that future sample return missions could test this approach by sampling rocks from areas similar to those highlighted on their map.
“If samples collected from any of the starred areas on our map are the same age as samples collected from the BFsc areas that denote original impact melt, then we have confidence that we can apply the impact melt sampling technique to other basins,” Runyon said.
More information:
Kirby Runyon et al, Orientale Basin as a Guide for Identifying Lunar Basin Datable Impact Melt and Assessing Impact Melt Differentiation, The Planetary Science Journal (2024). DOI: 10.3847/PSJ/ad862f. iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/PSJ/ad862f
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The PS5 Pro is surprisingly efficient — 30% performance uplift while operating at nearly the same power draw as the base PS5
The PS5 Pro is surprisingly efficient — 30% performance uplift while operating at nearly the same power draw as the base PS5
Digital Foundry tested the PlayStation 5 Pro’s power consumption and discovered some surprising results. According to its three-way discussion piece on YouTube featuring Richard Leadbetter, John Linneman, and Oliver Mackenzie, the PlayStation 5 Pro consumes practically no additional power than the base PS5, despite featuring a significantly more powerful GPU.
Digital Foundry tested the PS5 Pro in Elden Ring, Spider-Man 2, and F1 24. All three games were compared to the launch model of the PS5, the refreshed variant dubbed the PS5 Slim, and the Pro model, with the Pro running the Pro-exclusive version of all three games with enhanced graphical capabilities.
PS5 Pro Power Consumption Tested vs PS5 Slim vs Launch PS5 – YouTube
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Elden Ring saw the PS5 Pro operating at virtually identical power draw to the PS5 Slim. In one instance of the video, the Pro model operated at 214.1 watts of power consumption, the PS5 Slim model at 216.2 watts, and the PS5 Launch model at 201.3 watts. Frame rates were inevitably much higher on the Pro, operating at 52 FPS, the PS5 Slim at 40 FPS, and the PS5 launch model at 37 FPS. (The frame rate variance between the Slim and launch models should be taken lightly, as the information displayed was taken from one snapshot of Digital Foundry’s benchmark run. Both consoles are the same in terms of performance.) Effectively, the PS5 Pro was operating at the same power as the PS5 Slim, while providing a 30% higher frame rate.
Spider-Man 2 showed a slightly different story due to the game being locked to 60 FPS on all three consoles. In the same scenario, the PS5 Pro yielded the highest wattage at 232 watts, the PS5 Slim at 218.2 watts, and the PS5 launch model at 208.1 watts. In Spider-Man 2, the Pro consumed 6% more power than the PS5 Slim and 11% more power than the launch version. There were no comparisons for the F1 24 title, but Digital Foundry showed the PS5 Pro operating at around 235 watts in-game, locked at 60FPS.
Note the launch model and Slim should not be taken lightly; power consumption can change based on silicon quality, which explains why the Slim is performing worse than the launch model. Variance in silicon quality means that certain consoles can operate at their advertised CPU clock speeds at lower voltages compared to others.
Digital Foundry’s testing confirmed that the PS5 Pro operates at very similar power consumption targets as the base PS5 models, despite featuring a significantly more powerful GPU. This came as a surprise to Digital Foundry, who thought the console might consume upwards of 300 watts.
The PS5 Pro is armed with an 8-core Zen 2 CPU and a 16.7 TFLOP capable RDNA-based GPU, with 576 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The regular PS5 models ship with the same CPU (though CPU clocks could be different) but with a significantly weaker 10.28 TFLOP RDNA-based GPU, featuring and 448 GB/s of memory bandwidth.
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Undersea cable between Germany and Finland severed
Undersea cable between Germany and Finland severed
Germany and Finland say they are “deeply concerned” after an undersea cable linking the countries was severed.
The rupture of the 1,170km (730-mile) telecommunications cable – which is being investigated – comes at a time of heightened tension with Russia.
The two countries’ foreign ministers said in a ****** statement: “Our ********* security is not only under threat from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, but also from hybrid warfare by malicious actors.”
Damage to pipelines in the Baltic Sea has raised fears of sabotage in recent years.
In October 2023 a natural gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia was severely damaged. Finnish officials later said the incident had been caused by a ******** container ship dragging its anchor.
And ******* prosecutors are still investigating the ********** of Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany in 2022.
There have been *********** theories around that *******, with unconfirmed rumours that either the Ukrainian, Russian or US government was behind it.
The latest incident involves a C-Lion1 fibreoptic cable linking the Finnish capital, Helsinki and the ******* city of Rostock.
Finnish network operator Cinia said all fibre connections in it had been cut.
“These kinds of breaks don’t happen in these waters without an outside impact,” a Cinia spokesperson told local media.
Samuli Bergstrom, a Finnish government cybersecurity expert, said the ******** had not affected internet traffic between the two countries as other cable routes were available.
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Even Halo’s biggest voice actors have heard nothing “at all” about Xbox’s new projects
Even Halo’s biggest voice actors have heard nothing “at all” about Xbox’s new projects
Vits1d 23h ago
I actually think it’s the opposite. For an Xbox handheld—or a PlayStation handheld, for that matter—to stand a chance, it needs to share the same library and infrastructure as the home console. Otherwise, we’re just doomed to repeat the mistakes that ******* off so many handhelds before.
Here’s the kicker: it also has to deliver everything we expect from portable gaming. That means being reasonably sized, reasonably powerful, and reasonably efficient. But today’s tech can’t pull off all that magic in one package. Microsoft isn’t just making a Handheld-PC here; they’re making a handheld console. The bar’s set higher—this thing has to work perfectly out of the box and hold its own for an entire generation. This isn’t some trendy experiment like the Asus Ally.
To nail it on the first try, they’re going to need a custom solution from AMD, something that aligns with the tech in their consoles. Honestly, that’s probably better suited for the next-gen Xbox. Either that, or they’ll need a ******* ARM solution from Nvidia or Qualcomm plus an insane translation layer. And, surprise—it all takes time.
By the time an Xbox handheld finally drops, it’ll be up against the Steam Deck 2, Switch 2, and a new lineup of Windows handhelds. So, yeah, they’d better get it right the first time. It’ll need to be priced like the Steam Deck 2 and Switch 2 but perform close to those Windows handhelds. And the same goes for Sony if they’re thinking of jumping back into the handheld arena.
People look at the booming handheld PC market and think it’s a breeze. But here’s the thing they’re conveniently overlooking: the expectations for a console are a whole different ballgame. The manufacturer isn’t just tossing together a decent hardware setup—they have to supply everything: hardware, software, infrastructure, media, and all that jazz. And it’s all expected to last an entire generation.
It’s not just about throwing some specs together and calling it a ‘console.’ It’s about creating an entire ecosystem that actually works. And, to make things even more fun, that ecosystem has to be identical or close enough to share resources with to the home console’s. Yeah, that’s a whole lot ******* than a handheld PC or even a dedicated solo handheld like the Switch.
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Americans face an insurability crisis as climate change worsens disasters
Americans face an insurability crisis as climate change worsens disasters
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain
Home insurance rates are rising in the ******* States, not only in Florida, which saw tens of billions of dollars in losses from hurricanes Helene and Milton, but across the country.
According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, homeowners’ insurance increased an average of 11.3% nationwide in 2023, with some states, including Texas, Arizona and Utah, seeing nearly double that increase. Some analysts predict an average increase of about 6% in 2024.
These increases are driven by a potent mix of rising insurance payouts coupled with rising costs of construction as people build increasingly expensive homes and other assets in harm’s way.
When home insurance averages $2,377 a year nationally, and $11,000 per year in Florida, this is a ***** to many people. Despite these rising rates, Jacques de Vaucleroy, chairman of the board of reinsurance giant Swiss Re, believes U.S. insurance is still priced too low to fully cover the risks.
It isn’t just that premiums are changing. Insurers now often reduce coverage limits, cap payouts, increase deductibles and impose new conditions or even exclusions on some common perils, such as protection for wind, hail or water damage. Some require certain preventive measures or apply risk-based pricing—charging more for homes in flood plains, wildfire-prone zones, or coastal areas at risk of hurricanes.
Homeowners watching their prices rise faster than inflation might think something sinister is at play. Insurance companies are facing rapidly evolving risks, however, and trying to price their policies low enough to remain competitive but high enough to cover future payouts and remain solvent in a stormier climate. This is not an easy task. In 2021 and 2022, seven property insurers filed for bankruptcy in Florida alone. In 2023, insurers lost money on homeowners coverage in 18 states.
But these changes are raising alarm bells. Some industry insiders worry that insurance may be losing its relevance and value—real or perceived—for policyholders as coverage shrinks, premiums rise and exclusions increase.
How insurers assess risk
Insurance companies use complex models to estimate the likelihood of current risks based on past events. They aggregate historical data—such as event frequency, scale, losses and contributing factors—to calculate price and coverage.
However, the increase in disasters makes the past an unreliable measure. What was once considered a 100-year event may now be better understood as a 30- or 50-year event in some locations.
What many people do not realize is that the rise of so-called “secondary perils“—an insurance industry term for floods, hailstorms, strong winds, lightning strikes, tornadoes and wildfires that generate small to mid-size damage—is becoming the main driver of the insurability challenge, particularly as these events become more intense, frequent and cumulative, eroding insurers’ profitability over time.
Climate change plays a role in these rising risks. As the climate warms, air can hold more moisture—about 7% more with every degree Celsius of warming. That leads to stronger downpours, more thunderstorms, larger hail events and a higher risk of flooding in some regions. The U.S. was on average 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.6 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer in 2022 than in 1970.
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Insurance companies are revising their models to keep up with these changes, much as they did when smoking-related illnesses became a significant cost burden in life and health insurance. Some companies use climate modeling to augment their standard actuarial risk modeling. But some states have been hesitant to allow climate modeling, which can leave companies systematically underrepresenting the risks they face.
Each company develops its own assessment and geographic strategy to reach a different conclusion. For example, Progressive Insurance has raised its homeowner rates by 55% between 2018 and 2023, while State Farm has raised them only 13.7%.
While a homeowner who chooses to make home improvements, such as installing a luxury kitchen, can expect an increase in premiums to account for the added replacement value, this effect is typically small and predictable. Generally, the more substantial premium hikes are due to the ever-increasing risk of severe weather and natural disasters.
Insurance for insurers
When risks become too unpredictable or volatile, insurers can turn to reinsurance for help.
Reinsurance companies are essentially insurance companies that insure insurance companies. But in recent years, reinsurers have recognized that their risk models are also no longer accurate and have raised their rates accordingly. Property reinsurance alone increased by 35% in 2023.
Reinsurance is also not very well suited to covering secondary perils. The traditional reinsurance model is focused on large, rare catastrophes, such as devastating hurricanes and earthquakes.
As an alternative, some insurers are moving toward parametric insurance, which provides a predefined payment if an event meets or exceeds a predefined intensity threshold. These policies are less expensive for consumers because the payouts are capped and cover events such as a magnitude 7 earthquake, excessive rain within a 24-hour ******* or a Category 3 hurricane in a defined geographical area. The limits allow insurers to provide a less expensive form of insurance that is less likely to severely disrupt their finances.
Protecting the consumer
Of course, insurers don’t operate in an entirely free market. State insurance regulators evaluate insurance companies’ proposals to raise rates and either approve or deny them.
The insurance industry in North Carolina, for example, where Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic damage, is arguing for a homeowner premium increase of more than 42% on average, ranging from 4% in parts of the mountains to 99% in some waterfront areas.
If a rate increase is denied, it could force an insurer to simply withdraw from certain market sectors, cancel existing policies or refuse to write new ones when their “loss ratio“—the ratio of claims paid to premiums collected—becomes too high for too long.
Since 2022, seven of the top 12 insurance carriers have either cut existing homeowners policies or stopped selling new ones in the wildfire-prone California homeowner market, and an equal number have pulled back from the Florida market due to the increasing cost of hurricanes.
To stem this tide, California is reforming its regulations to speed up the rate increase approval process and allow insurers to make their case using climate models to judge wildfire risk more accurately.
Florida has instituted regulatory reforms that have reduced litigation and associated costs and has removed 400,000 policies from the state-run insurance program. As a result, eight insurance carriers have entered the market there since 2022.
Looking ahead
Solutions to the mounting insurance crisis also involve how and where people build. Building codes can require more resilient homes, akin to how ***** safety standards increased the effectiveness of insurance many decades ago.
By one estimate, investing $3.5 billion in making the two-thirds of U.S. homes not currently up to code more resilient to storms could save insurers as much as $37 billion by 2030.
In the end, if affordability and relevance of insurance continue to degrade, real estate prices will start to decline in exposed locations. This will be the most tangible sign that climate change is driving an insurability crisis that disrupts wider financial stability.
Justin D’Atri, Climate Coach at the education platform Adaptify U and Sustainability Transformation Lead at Zurich Insurance Group, contributed to this article.
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Denmark agrees deal to tax farmers for livestock emissions
Denmark agrees deal to tax farmers for livestock emissions
Denmark has agreed on how to implement the world’s first tax on agricultural emissions, including *********** by livestock.
This comes after months of negotiations between the country’s major parties, farmers, the industry, trade unions and environmental groups. The Green Tripartite agreement was first announced in June.
From 2030, farmers will have to pay a levy of 300 kroner ($43; £34) per tonne of methane (as per carbon dioxide equivalent) on emissions from livestock including cows and pigs, which will rise to 750 kroner in 2035.
The Green Tripartite minister said they will “do what it takes to reach our climate goals” after receiving a “broad majority” in parliament.
“[It is a] huge, huge task that is now underway: to transform large parts of our land from agricultural production to forestry, to natural spaces, to ensure that we can bring life back to our fjords,” Jeppe Bruus said.
Part of the Green Tripartite agreement between the government, the agriculture industry and environmental organisations is to also reduce nitrogen pollution in an effort to restore the coasts and fjords. Nitrogen emissions could be reduced by 13,780 tonnes annually from 2027, AFP news agency reported.
A concerted effort will also be made to improve the country’s biodiversity.
According to Danish daily The Copenhagen Post, 250,000 hectares of new forest will be planted, and 140,000 hectares of peatlands that are currently being cultivated will be restored to natural habitat.
Peatlands are wetlands characterised by waterlogged conditions and are known carbon stores.
Around 60% of Denmark’s territory is currently cultivated, making it together with Bangladesh the country with the highest share of cultivated land, according to a Danish parliamentary report.
“Danish nature will change in a way we have not seen since the wetlands were drained in 1864,” Mr Bruus said, as quoted by AFP news agency.
Speaking about the agreement, the Danish minister for climate, energy and utilities, Lars Aagaard, said it showed the country’s “willingness to act”.
“It also shows the Danish model – broad political majority in the Danish parliament [and] involvement of the sectors that will be affected by the tax and involvement of environmental stakeholders,” he added, explaining these are “things that we could all benefit from if the rest of the world could foster such cooperation in the climate ******.”
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A four-pack of Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 trackers is 38 percent off for ****** Friday
A four-pack of Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 trackers is 38 percent off for ****** Friday
A four-pack of Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 trackers are on ***** via Amazon for just under $62. This ****** Friday deal brings this particular combo pack down to a record low price. The typical cost is $100, so this represents a discount of 38 percent.
This is one of our favorite Bluetooth trackers, and with good reason. They are the perfect companion accessory to Samsung phones. The finding network is vast and the battery life is fantastic. These trackers will stay powered on for up to 500 days, or even longer with Power Saving Mode enabled.
Samsung
We also appreciate the simple, yet aesthetically pleasing, design. There’s an actual ***** for keychains, which is something Apple AirTags lack. These trackers are IP67-rated for water and dust-resistance. This means that the unit is protected from dust that’s larger than 1mm in diameter and that it can be submerged in water up to one meter deep for up to 30 minutes. Just don’t throw it in a lake and you should be good to go.
The four-pack includes two white tags and two ****** tags, for a little yin and yang action. There’s not really a serious downside here for Samsung users. However, there’s a major caveat for everyone else. The SmartTag2 trackers only work with Samsung phones and tablets.
Check out all of the latest ****** Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.
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Does immigration really drive up ******? Not according to the evidence
Does immigration really drive up ******? Not according to the evidence
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain
Immigration and ****** were once again central themes throughout the US presidential election campaign. The belief that immigration drives up ****** is one of the oldest—and strongest—convictions held by the public, spanning over a century in the US and elsewhere.
This view ******** deeply rooted despite mounting evidence to the contrary, in large part thanks to politicians such as Donald Trump, who are all too keen to amplify this narrative. Since his first presidential campaign announcement in June 2015, Trump has persistently linked immigration to ******.
At that time, he stated: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending people that have lots of problems … They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing ******.” He has since stepped up this rhetoric.
In the final stretch of his recent presidential campaign, he made claims such as: “The corrupt media is outraged that I keep talking about migrant ****** and the migrant ****** epidemic. It’s the worst thing that’s happened to our country in 50 years. They’re taking over our small towns and cities.”
According to survey evidence from the Pew Research Center, an ********* thinktank based in Washington DC, immigration and ****** were two of the top three issues for Trump voters in the 2024 election, after the economy.
But what does the evidence really show? Our analysis reveals that studies consistently find no causal link between immigration and increased ****** across a variety of countries. Research from the US, including both older and more recent studies, as well as research on Italy and the ***, demonstrates that immigration does not have a significant impact on ****** rates.
Our paper also provides new evidence from Europe that reinforces this conclusion. After analyzing 15 years of data on immigration inflows and ****** rates across 216 regions in 23 ********* countries, we found no significant link between immigration levels and ****** rates.
Indeed, through the application of robust causal methods, our findings demonstrate that even in areas experiencing substantial immigration, ****** rates do not rise—and may even decline slightly—as immigration increases.
Why perceptions and reality diverge
One of the main reasons why the belief that immigration drives ****** has persisted for so long is the influence of media and political rhetoric. During an election campaign, for example, selective coverage and targeted political messages can fuel public fears.
In Chile, where the foreign-born population tripled over a decade in the early 2000s amid a booming economy, public concern about ****** intensified and demand for private security increased. However, research indicates that this surge in immigration had no impact on ****** rates, and that intense media coverage played a significant role in shaping and amplifying public misperception.
Such negative messaging, though effective (as exemplified by Trump’s successful campaign), often diverges sharply from reality. Developing policies that focus on the social and economic integration of immigrants, rather than assumptions based on *****, can promote safer and more cohesive communities.
This isn’t to say migrants are not involved in ******. In fact, immigrants are often over-represented in the prison populations of many host countries.
But the fact this doesn’t lead to a rise in ****** rates, according to our analysis, could be because immigrant populations are often too small to alter ****** rates significantly. And it is also possible that some form of offender substitution occurs, where immigrants replace natives in local “****** markets.”
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One strand of research has explored whether the over-representation of immigrants in ****** statistics may stem from external factors, such as restricted legal status or limited economic opportunities, rather than any inherent ********* propensity.
Our review highlights how legal work permits and stable employment are directly linked to reductions in ****** rates. For example, in cases where certain Eastern ********* immigrants to other countries in Europe were granted legal work permits, their ****** rates dropped by over 50%.
This is consistent with separate research that finds that granting immigrants legal status can lead to significant reductions in ********* activity, and that policies expanding legal access to work can help reduce ****** rates among immigrant populations.
In fact, one study from March 2024 that examined long-term trends in the US revealed that immigrants today are much less likely to be imprisoned, compared with the 1960s. The same study attributes this reduction in ****** to better work opportunities and more stable family structures among male immigrants. These insights provide a pathway toward policies that value integration over exclusion.
Expanding access to legal work, particularly for asylum seekers and other vulnerable groups, could foster safer communities. But restrictive policies focused on criminalizing undocumented immigrants or barring them from employment may, paradoxically, increase ******.
As the US considers its approach to immigration, prioritizing causal evidence over *****-driven narratives could pave the way for policies that benefit both immigrants and the communities they join. By fostering economic participation and addressing public misperceptions, we can build fairer, safer societies for all.
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Monday Night Club: England, Nations League, Amorim at Man Utd
Monday Night Club: England, Nations League, Amorim at Man Utd
Alistair Bruce-Ball and guests debate the weekend’s football.
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The Largest Sonic Lego Set Is Only $45 Ahead Of ****** Friday
The Largest Sonic Lego Set Is Only $45 Ahead Of ****** Friday
Sonic the Hedgehog fans can get the Green Hill Zone Lego set for its lowest price ever at Walmart right now. Normally $80, the 1,125-piece build is discounted to only $45. This early ****** Friday deal probably won’t stick around for long, so Sonic fans should run as fast as him to snag it.
Lego Ideas Sonic the Hedgehog Green Hill Zone
Green Hill Zone recreates part of the iconic first level from Sonic the Hedgehog’s debut on ***** Genesis. Once completed, the 1,125-piece build measures in at 14 inches wide and 7 inches tall. It comes with a Sonic minifigure, and buildable Dr. Eggman, Moto Bug, and Crab Meat figures. You also get Dr. Eggman’s Eggmobile.
Released in 2022 as the first Sonic the Hedgehog Lego set, Green Hill Zone ******** the biggest set featuring *****’s beloved mascot. It’s technically not part of Lego’s official Sonic the Hedgehog lineup, as it launched under the Lego Ideas banner over a year before the first Sonic playsets released.
Green Hill Zone is one of two Lego Sonic display models geared toward adults. Last month, Lego released a Shadow the Hedgehog bust. Though these builds are a bit more complicated than the Sonic playsets with more interactivity, young Sonic fans who have a familiarity with medium- to large-scale Lego builds shouldn’t have an issue building either of them.
All Sonic the Hedgehog Lego Sets
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Virginia Real Estate Agent Could Lose License for Posting Scriptures About Marriage
Virginia Real Estate Agent Could Lose License for Posting Scriptures About Marriage
A veteran Virginia real estate agent is facing professional ethics charges and could lose his license after sharing scripture on social media that pointed out that marriage is between and a woman.
The Founding Freedoms Law Center (FFLC), a non-profit legal group, is representing Wilson Fauber in a December 4 hearing before the National Association of Realtors (NAR) ethics panel for sharing his biblical views on marriage and sexuality.
According to the group, Fauber posted comments to his personal Facebook page explaining the biblical definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman.
“In 2015, I posted Biblical quotes on my personal Facebook page,” Fauber told The Federalist. “Around the same time, Rev. Franklin Graham had created a post and I re-posted with some additions for emphasis.”
“The post thread contained ****** references and explanations from a minister’s perspective,” the ordained minister added.
The Staunton, Virginia realtor posted the scriptures before the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 to redefine marriage. He also posted it before NAR amended its ethics code in 2020 requiring realtors to avoid “harassing speech, hate speech, epithets, or slurs based on race, ******, religion, ****, disability, familial status, national origin, ******* orientation, or gender identity.”
The minister told the outlet he did not receive any complaints about his comments until last year when he decided to run for Staunton City Council.
At that time, an opposition group criticized Fauber for his ********** beliefs calling him “The Hater.”
“There were those who don’t like freedom of speech and freedom of religion and so they researched my Facebook accounts and found the post from 2015 and then a local reporter met with me to ask me if I still believed in the scripture I had posted,” Fauber said.
Fauber told the reporter he does believe in scripture and what he posted.
As a result, an ethics complaint was filed with the NAR following Fauber’s statement. The complaint also cited a recent post from the minister pointing out how female athletes were being physically injured by transgender athletes who were born biologically male.
They concluded that Fauber’s statements may have violated the NAR’s rules against hate speech, the FFLC explains.
“Apparently quoting the truth of the ****** is now enough to trigger a formal ethics hearing that could ruin a real estate agent’s career. In reality, ‘hate speech’ is nothing more than an Orwellian device used to silence others. Ironically, rules and regulations like these are put in place to hate and harm individuals with disfavored viewpoints,” reads a statement from the group.
Fauber is being required to defend his statements in an ethics hearing on December 4 to avoid monetary penalties or lose his membership to the organization, which means after 44 years as a realtor he would be barred from accessing the multiple listing service (MLS).
“It’s pretty much impossible to do the real estate business without the MLS,” Fauber said. “The MLS does more than allow a realtor to find a property, it includes when it’s sold, how many days it’s been on the market, and other information, documents, and restrictions.”
Victoria Cobb, president of the Family Foundation of Virginia, oversees FFLC and says the board’s action to possibly charge Fauber is concerning.
“When somebody brought him up on ethics charges, the board could have chosen to dismiss them, but they did not,” Cobb said. “We’re really in a situation where if someone’s personal ****** posted on their personal Facebook speech becomes hate speech in the minds of an employer or an association, we don’t live in a free America, everyone should be concerned about that.”
Michael Sylvester, FFLC litigation counsel, says that if Fauber is dismissed then “society has really reached a new low.”
“The hopeful outcome is that the ethics judges will recognize that Wilson hasn’t violated the rule and has never spoken against anybody in any online space or publicly,” Sylvester told The Federalist. “In the ******* picture, if quoting the ****** is hate speech then society has really reached a new low. Usually, we admire our professionals, but now we are telling our professionals they need to leave their values at the door. One would have thought that this 2020 rule would be to stop society’s greatest evil, but now it is targeting ********** ministers.”
“If this can happen to Wilson it can happen to anyone and if we don’t stand up alongside, we may not have anyone stand with us when it happens to us,” Sylvester said.
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The Game Awards 2024 – All Nominees Announced
The Game Awards 2024 – All Nominees Announced
·
·
November 18, 2024
The Game Awards 2024 are coming on December 12, and all of the nominees for the 10th annual award show have been announced.
This year’s show features 30 categories with dozens of games and studios up as nominees. Compared to last year’s event, there are two less categories. Best Esports Coach and Best Esports Event were removed from the list.
One clarification this year as well is that expansions, game seasons, DLCs, remakes, and remasters are eligible for all categories if the jury deems them “worthy”. With that announcement days before the reveal of the nominees, it seemed clear it was targeted for those questioning if Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred would be eligible for awards.
Spoiler alert: Shadow of the Erdtree was specifically nominated
RELATED: The Game Awards Calls on Fans to Help Protect Its Brand
The biggest award of the night, Game of the Year, has six games vying for it. This year’s nominees are Astro ****, Balatro, ****** Myth: Wukong, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Metaphor: ReFantaszio.
Check out the full list of award nominees, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below. You can also join the discussion in the official Insider Gaming forums.
The Game Awards 2024 Award Nominees
Game of the Year
Astro ****
****** Myth Wukong
Balatro
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Metaphor: ReFantaszio
Best Game Direction
Astro ****
Balatro
****** Myth
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Metapahor: ReFantazio
Best Narrative
Final Fantasy VII Rebrith
Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth
Metaphor re Fantazio
Senua’s Saga Hellblade II
Silent Hill 2
Best Art Direction
Astro ****
****** Myth: Waking
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Neva
Best Score/Music
Astro ****
FF Rebirth
Metabirth
Silent Hill 2
Stellar Blade
Best Audio Design
Astro ****
Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Senua’s Saga Hellblade II
Silent Hill 2
Best Performance
Briana White (Final Fantasy VII Rebirth)
Hannah Telle (Life Is Strange: Double Exposure)
Humberly González (Star Wars Outlaws)
Luke Roberts (Silent Hill 2)
Melina Juergens (Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II)
Games for Impact
Life is Strange Double Exposure
Tales of Kenzera
Closer the Distance
Indika
Neva
Senua’s Saga Hellblade II
Best Ongoing Game
Destiny 2
Diablo IV
Final Fantasy XIV
Fortnite
Helldivers 2
Best Indie Game
Animal Well
UFO 50
Balatro
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
Neva
Best Debut Indie Game
Animal Well
Manor Lords
Pacific Drive
The Plucky Squire
Balatro
Best Mobile Game
AFK Journey
Balatro
Withering Waves
Zenless Zone Zero
Pokemon TCG Pocket
Best Community Support
Baldur’s Gate 3
Final Fantasy XIV
Fortnite
Helldivers 2
No Man’s Sky
Best VR/AR Game
Arizona Sunshine Remake
Asgard’s Wrath 2
Batman Arkham Shadow
Metal Hellsinger VR
Metro Awakening VR
Innovation in Accessibility
Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6
Diablo 4
Dragon Age Veilguard
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Star Wars Outlawa
Best Action Game
****** Myth Wukong
Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6
Stellar Blade
Warhammer 40 Space Marines 2
Helldivers 2
Best Action/Adventure Game
Astro ****
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Silent Hill 2
Star Wars Outlaws
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Best RPG
Dragon’s Dogma II
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Best Fighting Game
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero
Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection Arcade Classics
MultiVersus
Tekken 8
Best Family Game
Astro ****
Princess Peach *********
Super Mario Party Jamboree
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
The Plucky Squire
Best Sports/Racing Game
NBA 2K25
EA FC 25
TopSpin 2K25
WWE 2K24
F1 24
Best SIM/Strategy Game
Age of Mythology Retold
Frostpunk 2
Kunisu-Gami Patch of the Goddess
Manor Lords
Unicorn Overlord
Best Multiplayer Game
Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6
Helldivers 2
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Tekken 8
Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2
Content Creator of the Year
Caseoh
Illojuan
Techno Gamerz
Typical Gamer
Usada Pekora
Best Esports Athlete
33
alesksiB
Chovy
Faker
zywoo
zmjjkk
Best Esports Game
Counter-Strike 2
Dota 2
League of Legends
Mobile Legends Bang Bang
VALORANT
Best Esports Team
Bilibili Gaming
Gen.G
NAVI
T1
Team Liquid
Most Anticipated Game
****** Stranding 2: On The Beach
Ghost of Yotei
GTA 6
Metroid Prime 4 Beyond
Monster Hunter Wild
Best Adaptation
Arcane
Fallout
Knuckls
Like a Dragon Yakuza
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft
Players’ Voice
Will be announced on December 2.
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Nintendo of Europe has launched its ****** Friday ***** online
Nintendo of Europe has launched its ****** Friday ***** online
Nintendo of Europe has launched its ****** Friday ***** online.
Running until December 1, the ****** Friday promotion includes savings on over 2,000 games, according to the platform holder.
Featured discounts include EA Sports FC 25 for £27.49 (50% off), Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Super Mario Odyssey for £33.29 (33% off), and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for £41.99 (30% off).
There’s a games under £5 section which includes Lego City Undercover for £3.99 (92% off), Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl for £3.99 (90% off), and Worms Rumble for £1.09 (90% off).
Hardware, accessories and subscriptions are also on offer in the *****, which is running on the My Nintendo Store website and the Nintendo eShop.
There are savings of up to 30% on Lego sets for ****** Friday, too.
On the subscription front, players who buy or extend a 12-month Nintendo Switch Online or Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack individual membership will receive a 12-month bonus code which can be gifted to a friend.
Codes will be delivered via email within 72 hours of purchase and will be valid until end of January 2025.
Nintendo of America recently revealed a range of upcoming ****** Friday deals.
While ****** Friday itself isn’t until November 29, the platform holder is kicking off its holiday offers earlier, with online deals set to launch on Nintendo eShop and My Nintendo Store “after November 19”.
PlayStation’s ****** Friday deals have seemingly leaked early, including significant price cuts for the base PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2 headset.
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Why the Justice Department is suing a software company to stop landlords colluding on rents
Why the Justice Department is suing a software company to stop landlords colluding on rents
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain
Of all the reasons it could be hard to pay rent each month, did you have an algorithm-powered ******** cartel on your list?
Millions of people across the ******* States are paying far more rent than they can reasonably afford, with rental housing prices rising far quicker than household income. In 2022, 22.4 million U.S. households were spending more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities, up from 20.4 million in 2019.
Many of these households faced severe cost burdens, with an all-time high of 11.6 million struggling with housing costs that consume more than half of their income. In Chicago, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, Virginia Beach and Washington, year-over-year rental prices are climbing at double-digit rates.
Several factors drive the high cost of rentals, including increasing demand, a dwindling supply of low-rent units, the rising cost of capital to build new rentals, and regulatory barriers restricting the construction of multifamily units.
But there’s another surprising factor driving up rental prices: landlords colluding with the help of technology. The U.S. Justice Department is suing the company RealPage, Inc., accusing it of selling software to landlords that allows them to collectively set prices—the ******** practice of price-fixing. As a former official in the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and a law professor, I’ve been following the case closely.
The perils of price-fixing
The Federal Trade Commission defines price-fixing as an agreement, *********** or combination among competitors to raise, fix or otherwise maintain the price at which their goods or services are sold.
Any agreement that restricts price competition violates the antitrust laws. Examples of price-fixing agreements include commitments among competitors to hold prices firm, adopt a standard formula for computing prices, or adhere to a minimum fee or price schedule.
So when competitors share proprietary, confidential current price information—directly or indirectly through an intermediary—to stabilize or control industry pricing, they have crossed the line into ******** collusion, according to the FTC. That is the case in major portions of the U.S. rental market, the Justice Department argues.
One algorithm for all
In August 2024, the Justice Department and eight states filed a lawsuit in a federal court in North Carolina against RealPage. The Justice Department accused the company of selling software to landlords that collects nonpublic information from competing landlords and uses that combined information to make pricing recommendations.
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Landlords who use the software input the rental prices they charge, and the software aggregates all the data from the company’s customers. The software’s algorithm then makes recommendations for what to charge. The recommendations are generally higher than the current market rate, and most customers take the recommendations, which push prices in a market higher.
Even if landlords retain some authority to deviate from the algorithm’s recommendations, it is ******** for competing landlords to jointly delegate key aspects of their pricing to a common algorithm, according to the Justice Department suit. The Justice Department declared that “RealPage replaces competition with coordination. It substitutes unity for rivalry. It subverts competition and the competitive process. It does so openly and directly—and ********* renters are left paying the price.”
The case is unusual in that, unlike a typical price-fixing cartel, the landlords used RealPage’s algorithms to dramatically improve their ability to engage in price-fixing. Algorithmic price-fixing is typically easier and more effective than other types of cartel behavior. The software can easily aggregate massive amounts of proprietary data, optimize cartel gains, monitor real-time deviations from cartel pricing and minimize incentives to cheat.
“It’s much easier to price-fix when you’re outsourcing it to an algorithm versus when you’re sharing manila envelopes in a smoke-filled room,” Justice Department antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter told The New York Times.
Since 2022, RealPage and various property managers have been named as defendants in more than 30 class action lawsuits alleging the RealPage software is used to unlawfully fix rental prices. Federal courts tend to be sympathetic to such arguments, as shown in the denial of a motion to dismiss the case in one of the private lawsuits filed against RealPage.
In that case, the court held that a price-fixing agreement could exist as a matter of law. Landlords provided RealPage’s algorithmic system with their proprietary commercial data, knowing that RealPage would require the same from their competitors and would use all of that data to recommend rental prices to all of the company’s clients.
Classic price-fixing or data-driven decisions?
Some landlords seem to be aware that in sharing confidential price information to RealPage’s software, they were facilitating the unlawful monitoring and raising of rental prices. The Justice Department complaint quoted a landlord commenting on RealPage’s software, “I always liked this product because your algorithm uses proprietary data from other subscribers to suggest rents and term. That’s classic price-fixing.”
Even RealPage’s own executives have boasted that when landlords collectively use their software, they can use “every possible opportunity to increase price,” according to the complaint.
RealPage argued that its software “simply helps landlords make data-driven decisions” in a competitive market. The company claims its tools are designed to reflect market conditions and optimize occupancy rates, not to engage in price-fixing.
The company describes the impact of its alleged collusion with landlords as “a rising tide [that] raises all ships.” Perhaps a better description for their service is a rising tide that raises all ships for those who have one.
The Justice Department’s case and the private cases are in the early stages of litigation. If the department is successful, RealPage will be barred from engaging in the anticompetitive practices related to helping landlords share proprietary pricing information.
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Robo price-fixing: Why the Justice Department is suing a software company to stop landlords colluding on rents (2024, November 18)
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Gamer receives free RTX 3060 GPU from Temu — user waits for other PC parts to arrive to see if the GPU is real
Gamer receives free RTX 3060 GPU from Temu — user waits for other PC parts to arrive to see if the GPU is real
People rarely receive free gaming gear, especially something nice, such as an RTX 3060. However, LudM on the PCMR subreddit revealed he was given a free ******** “RTX 3060” from Temu. The new RTX 3060 owner is waiting for the rest of his computer parts to arrive to build his gaming rig and verify if the card he was sent was an actual RTX 3060 and not a fake.
******** online e-commerce platforms are a popular place to find fake GPUs that might be advertised as an RTX 30 series or RTX 40 series GPU at “impossible” price points. More often than not, these crazy-cheap GPUs are scams, with the product being a much older GPU. Some are equipped with GPUs as old as a GTX 650 Ti or GTX 680. However, there are other times when the advertised product is legitimate.
The poster published images of the newly acquired RTX 3060, revealing that the card might be the real deal. One Redditor replied with a keen eye that the components behind the GPU look identical to a Palit RTX 3060 Dual OC. Another plus is that the card has an 8-pin supplementary power connector, three DisplayPort connectors, and one HDMI connector, the same as the Palit GPU, providing good evidence that the card might be legitimate. GPUs packing much older GPU models, such as a 600 series or 700 series GPU, will typically come with an older video connector such as DVI or VGA.
The comments section also suggested that the RTX 3060 might be the mobile variant of the GPU. This could also be the case; it is not uncommon for many of these desktop GPUs to feature a mobile Nvidia GPU, such as the RTX 3060 mobile. However, many comments also warned that the GPU might have malware-infected firmware, which could reach the GPU’s host machine when the system is fully built and operational. This is another legitimate concern, especially considering the RTX 3060 was given for free.
LudM purportedly received the free RTX 3060 from a Temu advertisement. For months, LudM was harassed by Temu ads showcasing “expensive items at ridiculously low prices or even for free.” After investigating and discovering that these ads were purportedly legitimate, LudM entered one of these giveaways and managed to win the aforementioned RTX 3060.
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How to trade on Thanksgiving travel
How to trade on Thanksgiving travel
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Dan Close, head of municipals at Nuveen, joins CNBC’s ‘The Exchange’ to discuss trading on Thanksgiving travel, the case for municipal bonds, and more.
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Garcia rejoins ********* Tour with Ryder Cup in mind
Garcia rejoins ********* Tour with Ryder Cup in mind
While America’s golfers are reportedly in line to be paid for playing in the Ryder Cup one of Europe’s veterans has just stumped up an estimated Stg 1million to be considered for their team.
That is the reported size of the fine Sergio Garcia has had to pay to rejoin the ********* World Tour as he seeks an 11th appearance at the biennial event.
The 44-year-old, who is already the Cup’s leading points scorer, wants to match Lee Westwood and Sir Nick Faldo’s ********* benchmark by playing next year at Bethpage in the ******* States.
In order to do that the Spaniard, who joined the breakaway LIV Golf in 2022, has had to settle the outstanding substantial fines imposed on him by the tour and he will also have to serve a suspension.
Garcia resigned his membership in May 2023 after an arbitration panel found in favour of the ********* Tour and ratified its right to fine and ban players who competed in LIV Golf events without permission.
It was then revealed Garcia was the only one of 17 players initially sanctioned not to have paid his fine, “nor has he given any indication that he intends to”.
But the drive to play in the Ryder Cup meant the 2017 Masters champion kept the channels of communication open and had a number of conversations with captain Luke Donald and has relented in his stance.
“Sergio Garcia submitted his application to return to membership of the DP World Tour for the 2025 season ahead of the deadline on Sunday November 17,” said a tour spokesman.
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Before Outlaws, Star Wars Reportedly Canceled a Darth Maul Game That Had Super Realistic *********
Before Outlaws, Star Wars Reportedly Canceled a Darth Maul Game That Had Super Realistic *********
The Star Wars universe is known for its lore, beloved characters, and genre-defining cinematography. The three trilogies, the spinoff shows, and other media are all things that most fans are familiar with. But behind the scenes, its gaming history is littered with ambitious projects that never saw the light of day.
Darth Maul faces off against Obi-Wan Kenobi in The Clone Wars | Image Credit: Lucasfilm Animation
Among these lost treasures is Red Fly Studio’s untitled Darth Maul game. Designed as a gritty, hack-and-slash adventure showcasing the infamous Sith Lord, the game would’ve featured the character’s origin story alongside some above-average feeling combat. The project ultimately never came to life and ******** a what-if.
The Star Wars Franchise Could’ve Been So Much Better in Terms of Video Games
So many canceled projects could’ve been great. | Image Credit: Electronic Arts
The initial report for this came via Game Informer back in 2015. Unofficially titled Star Wars: Maul, was envisioned as a gritty action adventure with Maul at its core. Red Fly Studio began development in 2010, following their success with the Wii version of The Force Unleashed II.
Concept art from the cancelled Darth Maul game that was in development for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii U: pic.twitter.com/nGhijcKNDo
— VGF (@VGFGamers) January 16, 2017
Initially planned as a Nintendo exclusive, the project expanded to include platforms like PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. However, communication issues with LucasArts and a lack of clear direction stopped progress.
George Lucas himself reshaped the project mid-development with another storyline featuring Maul and Darth Talon.
Lucas’s vision for a buddy cop dynamic between Maul and Talon clashed with the original darker tone of the game. This pivot created logistical challenges for Red Fly, as Talon’s timeline didn’t align with Maul’s. The developers tried to make these changes and attempted to make this new story work with the gameplay.
Here’s concept art for the cancelled Darth Maul game, which was not finished due to Disney picking up Star Wars
Art is by Thomas A. Szakolczay pic.twitter.com/8G5IxyLvpH
— Art of Lost and Cancelled Media (@ArtofLostandCan) January 5, 2021
After months of uncertainty, LucasArts cut ties with the studio in 2011, effectively shelving the game. The project’s demise highlighted deeper issues within LucasArts, which was struggling to find its identity amid corporate changes.
Red Fly attempted to pitch a revival to Electronic Arts (EA), the company that now controls the gaming side of the franchise. But these efforts were met with indifference, signaling the project’s demise.
We’ve Gotten a Whole Bunch of Underwhelming Games Lately
The franchise hasn’t done so well in video games lately. | Image Credit: Ubisoft
The game’s cancellation coincided with Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012, a move that dissolved LucasArts and handed Star Wars gaming rights to EA. This change ended up being a big turning point for the franchise as the new gaming division struggled to find its identity.
The Darth Maul game could’ve been a standout for its potential to explore darker themes and mature storytelling. Fans fans were already invested in the character of Darth Maul and were excited by the idea of stepping into into his boots.
E3 Demo Gameplay Footage for Star Wars 1313 which would’ve been an M-Rated 3rd Person Shooter.
It would’ve centered on exploring young Boba Fett taking various missions from ****** lords from Coruscant’s slums called 1313.
The game was cancelled after Disney acquired Star Wars pic.twitter.com/JtHnCmboQs
— Art of Lost Media (@ArtofLostMedia) October 24, 2023
Years later, Star Wars games still haven’t been the best. While we’ve had decent success with the likes of Jedi Fallen Order and Jedi Survivor, the latest project from Ubisoft has had its share of struggles.
While Red Fly Studios has since moved on, the passion and creativity behind the project serves as a reminder of what’s possible when smaller studios are given the freedom to innovate.
Unfortunately, it’s something we will never see come to life. Which cancelled Star Wars game would you have liked to play?
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Intel Arc B580 “Battlemage” GPU boxes appear in shipping manifests — Xe2 may be preparing for its desktop debut in December
Intel Arc B580 “Battlemage” GPU boxes appear in shipping manifests — Xe2 may be preparing for its desktop debut in December
Yesterday, we reported that Intel might be gearing up to unleash Battlemage early in December – ahead of AMD’s RDNA 4 and Nvidia’s Blackwell GPUs. Today, a shipping manifest at NBD – highlighted by user josefk972 at X indicates that Team Blue has been dispatching what appears to be GPU boxes for a never-before-seen “BMG B580” card – likely referring to the Arc B580 based on Battlemage.
Per our testing, while a GPU’s retail box is probably the least likely thing you’d expect in a pre-launch *****, it does highlight that Intel is hard at work shipping these boxes to OEMs. Battlemage, or Xe2, first debuted with Intel’s Lunar Lake chips and stood firm against AMD’s Strix Point offerings. The drivers have improved greatly—at least when compared to Alchemist—but a few kinks still need ironing.
It seems this manifest slipped from our eyes as it dates back to September 18. Intel has been sending out packing or retail boxes – measuring around 192mm x 89mm x 381mm for the Arc B580 – a budget offering from the Battlemage lineup. The packaging is relatively small but should be enough to accommodate a compact dual-slot GPU.
(Image credit: NBD via josefk972)
We are still unaware of the specifications, although Battlemage is rumored to feature three GPUs: Arc BMG-31, Arc BMG-20, and Arc BMG-G10. The BMG-31 reportedly offers 32 Xe cores, netting us 256 Xe Vector Engines or 4096 ALUs.
Intel will target the budget gaming segment, like AMD, with Xe2 on the desktop to penetrate the mainstream market better. Team Blue needs some serious value and incentives to win the average consumer’s trust, such as higher VRAM capacities and competitive pricing. Initial leaks paint a positive picture as a 20-Xe2 core dGPU (Dedicated GPU) beat the 28-Xe core-based Arc A750 in a benchmark recently. RDNA 4 will likely be the more mature architecture as it builds upon RDNA 3.5 – Battlemage’s competitor and is poised to make substantial changes in the RT department and AI capabilities.
With more leaks surfacing daily, Battlemage’s potential announcement next month seems likely, but we still advise users to take this rumor with a pinch of salt. It makes sense for Intel to capitalize on the holiday season and make hay while the sun shines, but for this to transpire, it must be able to offer Battlemage in volume—at least until RDNA 4 and Blackwell hit shelves.
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What happens to my flight now that Spirit Airlines has filed for bankruptcy?
What happens to my flight now that Spirit Airlines has filed for bankruptcy?
The troubled US budget carrier Spirit Airlines has filed for “bankruptcy protection” after losing more than $2.5bn since 2020 – and failing to secure deals with two possible suitors.
The company says it “has commenced a voluntary prearranged chapter 11 process in the ******* States Bankruptcy Court” that “will allow it to emerge as a stronger company”.
When many passengers hear the words “bankruptcy” and “airline”, they may reasonably assume that the carrier has shut down – as has happened in the *** recently with Thomas Cook, Monarch and Flybe (twice).
In fact, chapter 11 bankruptcy is a procedure many airlines have used over the decades – including giants such as ********* Airlines The process is known as the “carwash” in the aviation industry, because of the way it freshens up airlines
These are the key questions and answers.
What has gone wrong at Spirit?
Florida-based Spirit is the biggest ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) in the US. It has a main base in Fort Lauderdale, together with crew bases at many of the biggest hubs in America: Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit, Houston Intercontinental, Las Vegas, Miami, New York Newark and Orlando. Its all-Airbus network extends into the Caribbean and northern ****** America.
The company’s mission is this: “We are dedicated to pairing great value with excellent service while re-imagining the airline experience. We make it possible for our guests to venture further, travel often and discover more than ever before. We believe it should be easy to take off and go have some fun.”
Unfortunately Spirit was hard hit by Covid. A proposed merger with the other big ULCC, Frontier, was scuppered in 2022 when jetBlue marched in with a better offer. The takeover was barred by a federal judge on competition grounds. Fresh talks began with Frontier, but fizzled out.
Since the start of 2024, Spirit’s share value has fallen by nearly 80 per cent. On 12 November it announced a 12 per cent fall in its operating margin “due to lower total operating revenues and higher total operating expenses”. Between July and September, revenue was $61m (£48m) down on the corresponding quarter a year earlier, with costs up $52m (£41m) due to “an increase in aircraft rent expense, other operating expense, salaries, wages and benefits, and landing fees”.
Then what happened?
Spirit has been working with the bondholders to whom it owes money “on the terms of a comprehensive balance sheet restructuring”.
The aim: “To reduce Spirit’s debt, provide increased financial flexibility, position Spirit for long-term success and accelerate investments providing guests with enhanced travel experiences and greater value.”
Ted Christie, Spirit’s president and chief executive, said the deal with creditors on “a comprehensive recapitalisation of the company” was “a strong vote of confidence in Spirit and our long-term plan”.
Spirit has filed a petition for chapter 11 bankruptcy in New York.
What exactly does chapter 11 bankruptcy involve?
The aim is to keep a company running normally while restructuring debts – for example by extending the term over which they need to be repaid. Fresh deals may be struck with unions that allow the firm to reduce its costs.
Creditors often see a benefit in relaxing their terms in order to ensure they are repaid rather than seeing the company close down – leaving many people who are owed money.
What does it mean for passengers?
Spirit is assuring passengers:
You can continue to book and fly now and in the future.
You can use all tickets, credits and loyalty points as normal.
You can continue to benefit from our Free Spirit loyalty program, Saver$ Club perks and credit card terms.
Our amazing Team Members are here to offer you excellent service and an elevated experience.
What about staff?
Spirit says: “The chapter 11 process itself will not impact Team Member wages or benefits, which are continuing to be paid and honored for those employed by Spirit.”
How long will the restructuring take?
The company says: “We expect to complete this process in the first quarter of 2025 and emerge even better positioned to deliver the best value in the sky. Other airlines that are operating successfully today have undertaken a similar process.
“As we head into the holiday season and beyond, we look forward to welcoming you on board again soon.”
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All The Game Awards 2024 Nominees Revealed, Astro **** Up for 7 Awards
All The Game Awards 2024 Nominees Revealed, Astro **** Up for 7 Awards
Geoff Keighley has today announced the games nominated for all the categories at The Game Awards next month, with the fan-favourite PS5 platformer Astro **** one of the titles leading the way with 7 nominations. It’s been nominated for Game of the Year, Best Art Direction, Best Score & Music, Best Audio Design, Best Action / Adventure Game, Best Family Game, and Best Game Direction. The show itself will take place on 12th December 2024, where all the winners will be revealed.
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Financial stress and cultural differences make migrants particularly vulnerable to gambling harms
Financial stress and cultural differences make migrants particularly vulnerable to gambling harms
by Himanshu Gupta, Devaki Monani, James Smith and Noemi Tari-Keresztes, The Conversation
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain
Australians lose around A$25 billion on legal forms of gambling each year, representing the largest per person losses in the world.
Gambling harms—including financial, emotional, social and psychological costs—extend to loved ones, peers and co-workers and the community. And some communities are impacted differently to others.
The Northern Territory has a growing multicultural population, with 22% of residents born overseas and 33% speaking a language other than English at home.
About 37% of multicultural Territorians are considered at-risk gamblers, compared to 14% in English speaking households.
Many migrants, including those in the NT, experience financial, social, and emotional pressures, which sometimes lead them to gambling as a means of socialization or stress relief. Our research explores why and what might limit the risks and harms.
‘There’s not much to do’
Published earlier this year, our lived experience study explored the pressures that make gambling appealing to migrant communities.
For example, scarce recreational options in Darwin mean gambling fills a social gap. As one person we spoke to said,
“It’s kind of the entertainment for us in Darwin […] there’s not much to do, so we go to the casino for fun with friends.”
Gambling can become a way to socialize in the absence of other affordable, culturally relevant options.
But what begins as a casual activity can quickly lead to personal strain. Some participants in our study described family tensions.
“My sister and brother-in-law got into fighting […] she said,’Why do you have to spend a lot of money on gambling?’ but he said, ‘That’s my hobby.'”
Another person revealed how gambling impacts family dynamics:
“My husband not being present most of the time because he is out gambling has really impacted me […] the kids are missing their dad. I’m missing my husband.”
‘Sometimes you can win some money’
Financial stress is a significant factor increasing gambling risks, especially among migrants on temporary visas who face job and visa uncertainties.
Some migrants view gambling as a potential escape from financial pressures, as an international student explained to us,
“It is common for international students to stake their tuition fees at the casino […] sometimes you can win some money.”
However, gambling losses often exacerbated financial hardship, trapping individuals in cycles of debt and loss.
‘I never gambled until I came to Australia’
The NT’s legal and accessible gambling environment also plays a role, especially for migrants from countries where gambling is restricted.
A participant from Bangladesh shared,
“In my country, gambling is not a good thing […] I never gambled until I came to Australia.”
Another believed that
“******** on soccer is an easy way to make money […] but in *******, I didn’t have access to as much funds as I have here [in Australia].”
The perceived ease of earning money through gambling adds to the temptation, particularly in times of financial uncertainty.
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‘I feel shameful talking about it’
Another critical factor is the reluctance to seek help, often due to cultural stigma or language barriers. Many migrants prefer to manage gambling issues privately. One participant stated,
“In my culture, gambling is seen as a bad behavior […] I just feel shameful talking about it.”
Others expressed skepticism toward counseling, viewing it as ineffective. This reluctance can lead to isolation, with individuals and families managing gambling harms in private, often unaware of local support options.
The impacts of gambling extend to mental health, with participants describing cycles of guilt, shame and financial stress. A participant explained how online gambling worsened their addiction
“My gambling problem grew worse […] I started spending more money than I had any right to be spending […] we always ended up going back to the casino or poker site until our bank account was empty.”
Culturally sensitive approaches are needed
Our research shows culturally sensitive approaches are essential to address gambling harms effectively. This includes raising awareness about gambling risks in a way that resonates with diverse communities.
Further, our research participants reported higher rates of gambling among *********, East ****** and ******** communities, with the issue anecdotally more common among women in certain ****** groups.
Expanding culturally relevant recreational opcportunities could help provide a healthier alternative to gambling.
Support services should also be tailored to migrant need.
Language-specific counseling and culturally competent resources could encourage migrants to seek help. Policymakers could consider revising gambling advertising and venue availability to reduce exposure, especially in vulnerable communities.
Addressing gambling harms among migrants, including those in NT, requires collective efforts from policymakers, community leaders and local organizations.
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Elon Musk’s xAI reportedly shifts $6 billion AI server order from troubled Supermicro to its rivals
Elon Musk’s xAI reportedly shifts $6 billion AI server order from troubled Supermicro to its rivals
xAI, Elon Musk’s AI startup, has shifted all AI server orders from troubled Supermicro to Dell, reports UDN.com. Dell, already among the largest makers of servers, benefits from this decision, just like its suppliers, Inventec and Wistron. However, losing a multi-billion business to rivals amid potential delisting at NASDAQ could devastate Supermicro.
Dell and Supermicro used to supply Musk’s companies, including xAI and Tesla. Musk even appeared publicly with Supermicro’s CEO, Charles Liang, who revealed that xAI had made substantial purchases of Supermicro’s liquid-cooled AI servers. However, after the U.S. Department of Justice began to probe Supermicro for accounting manipulations and alleged export violations to China and Russia and its stock plummeted 35% in one day, Musk’s companies decided to shift orders away from the troubled company.
Dell, among the largest AI server suppliers, is well-positioned to absorb these orders. Wistron, which produces motherboards for Dell’s AI servers and does some assembly tasks, is one of the biggest beneficiaries of this shift. Wistron is expanding its production capacity to meet the surge in demand, particularly in its three Hsinchu facilities in Taiwan and its ******** operations. Wistron is optimistic about the growing demand for AI servers and aims for triple-digit annual growth.
Inventec, another major supplier for Dell, is also reaping the rewards from this order realignment. Inventec has long been involved in AI server production and is one of Dell’s top three global server assembly partners. This year, the company primarily supplied machines based on Nvidia’s Hopper processors. Still, the report claims that the company will be ready to mass-produce Nvidia Blackwell-based machines (powered by B200 and B200A GPUs) in the first quarter of 2025. The company reportedly has spare manufacturing capacity in Mexico, so it will likely be able to produce more AI servers for companies formerly served by Supermicro.
Supermicro’s issues stem from delayed financial filings, putting the company at risk of being delisted from NASDAQ. To avoid delisting, Supermicro needed to submit a plan by November 16 explaining the delay and specifying when the required 10-K annual report would be filed. Since the 16th fell on a Saturday, the company’s final deadline is November 18.
If Supermicro is delisted, it could face serious financial repercussions, including a sharp decline in stock value and the immediate repayment of $1.725 billion in convertible notes, potentially severely hurting the company. Consequently, Elon Musk does not want to take any risks and is shifting orders of AI servers to other companies.
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