The Internet Archive will come back within “days” following a cyberattack that brought down the organization’s vast digital library and the Wayback Machine, according to an update from founder Brewster Kahle. It’s been struggling due to a data breach and DDoS attack earlier this week that revealed the email addresses, screen names, password change timestamps, and other information associated with more than 31 million unique email addresses.
Technology
GamesBeat Next 2024’s all-star agenda (Oct. 28-29) | The DeanBeat
I am proud of the collection of voices, personalities and perspectives that we have gathered for GamesBeat Next 2024. You can see them below in the tentative agenda I’m revealing today for our conference coming October 28-29 in San Francisco.
We’re holding the event at the beautiful Convene event space near Union Square. You can use this code, gbn24dean, for a 25% discount for registration.
We’re still adding speakers to the agenda but check out our heavy hitters who will help us address the question on everybody’s mind: how does the game industry get back to growth. In staging this event, we are seeking to put together diverse voices and perspectives so that we can make this the most efficient and inspiring event for the gaming industry.
For 17 years, our conferences and community have been about heart and soul of gaming and the technology behind it. Our task is to help educate the leaders and future leaders of the game industry when it comes to creating a sustainable, fair and fun industry for all who get joy from making games.
These speakers reflect a wide array of interests and topics in gaming, but we will always focus on the intersection of games and other spheres such as technology — the things at the edge of gaming that can create growth in the future — or other growth opportunities like Hollywood. As we all know, gaming and tech constantly change, and we hope that our event will be the best place to catch up on visionary ideas about the future — and practical ideas of how to get back to growth.
We’ve also got people from the heart of triple-A development as speakers, and yet we’ve got one of the most diverse lineups when it comes to game industry events.
Our tracks at the event are organized along technology, industry, culture and growth themes. We’ll have concurrent roundtables running alongside the talks for those who want interactive small group sessions.
An agenda full of all-star speakers
MONDAY OCTOBER 28
1:10-1:15 pm Emcee Tagdh Kelly, game consultant and cofounder of Whenere
1:15 pm -1:20 pm Dean Takahashi, lead writer for GamesBeat
1:20 pm -1:50 pm (growth)
Finding New Growth Vectors: Extending IP to Reach New Audiences
Stanley Pierre Louis, president and CEO of the Entertainment Software Association, sits down with Laura Naviaux Sturr, general manager of operations at Amazon Games, for a conversation on the role of popular and beloved intellectual property in video games and how it is attracting a new generation of players.
Moderator: ESA CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis
Laura Naviaux Sturr, GM Operations, Amazon Games
150 pm -220 pm (culture)
Lessons from generations of gaming
It’s the 25th anniversary of the launch of the Sega Dreamcast, and we’ll talk with the executive who brought it to the market in the U.S. with the flair of a showman. Sega managed to be competitive in the U.S., but not in the long run. But Peter Moore had the longevity in games – as a soccer player turned marketer turned top exec – across companies such as Microsoft, Electronic Arts and Unity. We’ll catch his wisdom from a journey across the leadership of the top companies of gaming – before he went on to be a winning general manager at Liverpool FC.
Peter Moore, former executive at Unity, Microsoft, EA, Sega and Liverpool FC
Moderator: Dean Takahashi, lead writer for GamesBeat
2:20 pm – 2:50 pm (growth)
Game discovery drives growth
Ludeo Asaf Gazit, Co-founder & CEO,
Charles Kha, Vice President of Innovation, Ventures at Electronic Arts
More speakers TBD
2:50 pm – 3:20 pm (industry)
Building games players actually want to PLAY
Our panelists will discuss how Web3 is enabling new innovation and IP into the gaming space.
Ready GG CEO Christina Macedo
Shawn Layden
3:20 pm – 4:05 pm (technology/culture)
The science fiction future that we want
We’ve got one of the world’s most famous science fiction authors — a true technology thinker — talking about tying together the open metaverse, AI and Web3. We’ll have sci-fi fan Dean Takahashi and seasoned technology author Riz Virk (whose book topics include simulation theory) quiz Neal Stephenson in this fireside chat.
Neal Stephenson, author of Snow Crash and cofounder of Lamina1 and Whenere
co-moderator: Riz Virk, faculty associate at Arizona State University; founder of Play Labs
co-moderator: Dean Takahashi, lead writer for GamesBeat
4:05 pm – 4:35 pm (technology) — a virtual prerecorded talk
The path to the open metaverse
Tim Sweeney is the founder and CEO of Epic Games, the makers of Unreal Engine, Fortnite, and the Epic Games Store. Sweeney started Epic in 1991 with the release of its first shareware game, ZZT, and the company has gone on to build a portfolio of technologies and studios to provide an end-to-end digital ecosystem for creators. Sweeney has led the company through the eras of PC, console, mobile, and online gaming, and now, the metaverse. This will be a prerecorded virtual talk shown at the conference.
Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games
Moderator: Dean Takahashi, lead writer for GamesBeat
4:35 pm. to 5 pm (technology)
Title/description TBD
Matt Bromberg, CEO of Unity
Moderator: Dean Takahashi, lead writer for GamesBeat
5:00 pm – 5:30 pm (technology)
Games and AI panel
Pany Haritatos, CEO of Series Entertainment
Kent Keirsey, CEO of Invoke AI
Andy Mauro, CEO of Storycraft
Moderator: Hilary Mason, CEO of Hidden Door
Roundtables Day One (separate room than mainstage)
2 pm to 3 pm roundtable
TBD
Monika Madrid, vp of business development at Magid
Mike Salmon, SVP of games division at Magid
3:00 pm – 4 pm (technology)
A follow up conversation on game discovery and creators
Ludeo Asaf Gazit, CEO at Ludeo
Charles Kha, vice president of innovation, ventures at Electronic Arts
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm (industry/growth)
Studio funding should be more like startup funding
Without a playable prototype, it’s hard to get funding. Without any funding, it’s hard to make a great prototype. Y Combinator solved the pre-demo funding problem for startups and invented the Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) in 2013.
Yet somehow more than a decade later, game funding is still a chicken egg problem for many studios. Join Tim Keenan, Founder of Misfits Attic, and John Graham, Founder of Elbow Grease Games, for a discussion of why prototype funding should look like the Y Combinator model and how Tim and John are using it to build their businesses.
John Graham, founder of Elbow Grease Games; Tim Keenan of Misfits Attic
530 pm Emcee wrap up Tadgh Kelly
530 pm to 7 pm reception Pacific gallery
Day 2 TUESDAY OCTOBER 29
8:30 am stage 1 Women in Gaming Breakfast starts
8:30 am -9:00 am networking time
9:00 am – 9:30 am fireside chat (culture)
Moderator: Rachel Kaser, GamesBeat writer
Dametra Johnson-Marletti, corporate vice president of consumer game sales at Microsoft
9:30 am Q&A
9:30 am – 9:45 am networking
9:45 am Women in Gaming Breakfast concludes
9:45 am Main conference begins
9:50 am – 9:55 am (Ashley Trick emcee intro)
9:55 am – 10 am (Rachel Kaser opening talk)
10 am – 10:30 am general session stage 1 (growth)
Title/description TBD
Josephine Friday, senior director for global enterprise business development at Xsolla
Berkley Egenes, chief marketing officer at Xsolla
Other speakers TBD
10: 30 am – 11:00 am stage 1 general session (technology)
New directions for content creation for gaming, entertainment and AI
Moderator: Joanna Popper, media and tech executive, executive producer
Edward Saatchi, CEO of Fable
Jacob Navok CEO of Genvid interactive
10:30 am – 11:00 am stage 2
TBD
1030 am – 11 am stage 3 (technology/culture)
Connecting human machine interfaces (HMI) to improve real and virtual performance through gaming
Dr. Khizer Khaderi of Stanford University has studied athletes and gamers through the Human Perception Lab and more to uncover the nuances of performance in traditional sports, esports and gaming. He will talk about using methods leveraging HMIs to capture unique human perception data, analytics providing information about individual performance and how to improve both physical and virtual performance through gaming.
Dr. Khizer Khaderi, is the founding director of the Stanford Human Perception Laboratory (HPL) and the Stanford Vision Performance Center (VPC)
11:00 am – 11:30 am stage 1
From Kickstarter to Netflix – The Exploding Kittens Journey
Elan Lee, CEO of Exploding Kittens (growth)
Moderator: Dean Takahashi, lead writer for GamesBeat
What started as a side hustle on Kickstarter, Exploding Kittens now sells a game every 5 seconds and has a hit TV show and mobile app on Netflix. Join Elan Lee, co-founder and CEO of Exploding Kittens to talk about the journey of the company, how it has formed a lasting relationship with fans and how audiences’ engagement with its characters inspired a successful transmedia company.
Elan Lee, co-founder and CEO of Exploding Kittens
Moderator: Dean Takahashi
11:00 am – 11:30 am stage 2 (industry)
The future of game publishing
How has game publishing changed in recent years? Who will the winners and losers be? What propelled double A games to success this year, and how long will this last?What effect will GTA6 have? What do developers and publishers need to do together to make a game launch successful? Our session will delve into game publishing and how it’s changing in the future.
Moderator: TBD
Kimberly Corbutt, chief publishing officer at Fortis Games
Paul Sulyok, CEO of Green Man Gaming
11:00 am – 11:30 am stage 3
Ethical Growth: Navigating an Ambiguous Era
As layoffs continue, with the risk of irreparable damage to the gaming industry, [GamesBeat noted the first half of 2024 recorded more layoffs than 2023], and the broader tech market experiencing even more profound effects, signs of possible future growth are present. But, how can studios rebuild responsibly and ethically, with an eye toward building strong cultures today, while capturing market value, without over-investing in a manner that will result in further calamity when the cycle next turns? How can we help studios thrive and find a path where the industry can grow again through reimagining and breathing new life into this space?
What does leadership look like in this moment? As we work through this period, studio leaders will need a combination of skills, both oriented toward working through the crisis, as well as preparing for the ongoing cycles of growth and contraction. Industry leaders will provide insights and guidance for responsible and ethical growth, including how to:
- Shift internal communications strategy to rebuild trust
- Redefine or reinforce company values
- Cultivate resilience and a future-focused mindset
- Develop leadership skills (at all levels of management) that support a culture of empathy, grit, and renewed sense of purpose
- And, how to implement practically
Shannon Loftis, senior adviser at Valued Cultures
Daryl Ogden, cofounder at Valued Cultures
Emily Greer, 1UP Ventures
Rory McGuire, president and chief creative officer at Blackbird Interactive
1130 am – 12 pm stage 1 (technology)
Moderating voice chats in VR: Player safety and lessons learned with Rec Room
Join safety experts from Modulate and Rec Room for an in-depth fireside chat discussion on the current state of voice moderation in online gaming. Player-to-player voice communication is integral to an immersive and engaging gaming experience – especially in VR environments. But voice chat interactions can often turn sour, driving players away from the game and creating a culture of toxicity. Our speakers will explore how advanced voice moderation systems, like those used in Rec Room, are addressing some of the many challenges of detecting and mitigating toxic behavior in real time.
This session will provide actionable insights and best practices for implementing and improving voice moderation systems and policies as part of a holistic trust and safety strategy. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the importance of content moderation, voice chat moderation, the scaling and cost challenges involved, and the strategies for creating a safer and more enjoyable gaming environment.
Moderator: Imran Khan, senior writer at GamesBeat
Yasmin Hussain, Rec Room, Head of Trust & Safety
Mark Frumkin, Modulate, Director of Account Management
11:30 am – 12:00 pm stage 2 (industry)
Gaming M&A: Will the Rising Tide Lift All Boats into 2025?
Rob Ricca, SVP of Corporate Development for Scopely
Hemal Thaker, Goldman Sachs
Moderator: Angela Dalton, CEO and founder at Signum Growth
1130 am – 12 pm stage 3
TBD
12 pm – 1230 pm stage 1 (growth)
Does marketing D2C work outside your mobile game?
Are you looking for new ways to grow profit? You might consider that converting just 25% of your live service transactions to direct-to-consumer (D2C) payments can increase your future profitability by over 8%. For many games, up to 70% of revenue comes from a targetable population of just 2% of players who are VIPs. There could be a tremendous opportunity for you to use D2C to help you grow, but succeeding with D2C will require a lot more than just launching a fancy new web shop.
In this panel, our panelists will bring their insights about D2C for leading mobile games, and what they think you need to succeed with D2C. The panelists will share their thoughts about how to align your external marketing, creator program, web shop, live services strategy, VIP management, and more to work in unison to help you establish and grow a D2C channel that will help you succeed. If you’re considering launching D2C, don’t miss this session.
Moderator: Braden Steel, senior product marketing manager at Fastspring
Justin Sacks, CEO of Nexus.gg
Josh Burns, business development and partnerships at FunPlus
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm stage 2 (technology)
The future of gaming: Beyond the game – hyper-personalization, infrastructure, and the next frontier
This session will explore how gaming is transforming into a fully immersive, socially-driven experience. Kyle Lindsey (WWT) and Simon Wistow (Fastly) will dive into the importance of real-time social features like chat, cross-platform play, and personalized matchmaking that enhance player engagement and retention. The discussion will also touch on how edge computing and scalable infrastructure are crucial to maintaining seamless global interactions in modern gaming. This session will offer insights into how gaming companies can build community-driven ecosystems that extend beyond gameplay.
Kyle Lindsey, Director of Technology, Innovation & Transformation, World Wide Technology
Simon Wistow, Co-Founder & VP of Strategic Initiatives, Fastly
Moderator: Imran Khan, senior writer at GamesBeat
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm stage 3 (technology)
Childhood Fantasies Fulfilled: What Games Learn from Puppies, Dolls and Imaginary Friends
(and how it provides a new area for us to explore)
We’ve reached an inflection point in games and tech, pushed towards evolutionary adaptation. I’m worried that this comes from a monoculture of genres being recycled over and over, until the market cannot support the status quo. We’ve built so many products along the ‘survival of the fittest’ fantasy.
LLMs have opened up the pathway to another paradigm. The computer not an opponent but as a friend.
Games are articulations of childhood fantasies and dreams – let’s move beyond cops and robbers to the reward of caring and growing things. Survival of the friendliest. Cozy games are already exploring this frontier. I will explore the evolutionary roots, human behavioral loops, and examples of how this basic human need – for belonging – should drive our thinking for designing games into a future defined by disconnection, dislocation and loneliness.
Bernard Yee, CEO & Co-founder, Windup Minds
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Lunch
1:00 pm – 1:30 pm diversity in gaming lunch panel (culture)
Bridget Stacy, vice president of marketing at Xsolla (moderator)
Sheloman Byrd, CEO of Open Ocean Games
2 speakers TBD
1:30 pm – 2:00 pm stage 1 (growth)
Mini-millennials and the future of age-adaptive gaming
A deep dive on how the games of tomorrow are building into the fabric of their foundation support for a generation of gamers that will create more of their identity & community online at a younger age than any generation prior.
Tami Bhaumik, Roblox for k-ID session
Kieran Donovan, CEO of k-id
Moderator: Jonathan Lai, general partner at A16z
1:30 pm – 2:00 pm stage 2 (technology/industry)
The future of open source game engines
Juan Linietsky, CEO of W4 Games
Moderator: Monika Madrid, vp of business development at Magid
1:30 pm – 2:00 pm stage 3 (growth/culture)
Commercial video games – an effective treatment for mental health
Starting in 2025 the federal government will begin paying doctors and game developers to prescribe and use video games that provide treatments for mental health.
Moderator: Amy Jo Kim, founder of Game Thinking
Ryan Douglas, chairman of Deepwell
2:00 pm – 2:30 pm stage 1 (industry)
VR’s advantages for shaping the future of Play
Join Kerestell Smith, Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Another Axiom and the visionary solo developer behind Gorilla Tag, for an intimate fireside chat exploring how VR is uniquely positioned to engage the rapidly rising Gen Alpha audience. As the industry nears a critical inflection point, Kerestell will discuss how this younger audience is embracing VR as a ‘third place’ for gaming, social connection, creativity, and community. He’ll expand on how VR is shaping the next generation’s expectations for entertainment, what game companies should prioritize to stay ahead, and why now is the time to pay attention to what is captivating this key audience before the opportunity slips by.
Rachel Kaser, GamesBeat Writer (Moderator)
Kerestell Smith – Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Another Axiom
2:00 pm – 2:30 pm stage 2 (culture)
Winning moves: Building powerful remote game development teams
Description: Muus Collective, a women-founded and led mobile gaming company, has built a fully remote team composed of leaders from EA, GSN, and more. This talk will explore strategies for effective communication, collaboration, and building great culture for dispersed teams.
Sarah Fuchs, cofounder of Muus Collective
Shelby Moledina
2:00 pm – 2:30 pm stage 3 (technology)
Corp development conversation
EA corp dev Jon Robinson
Moderator: Michael Metzger, partner at Drake Star Partners
2:30 pm – 3:00 pm stage 1 industry
State of game VC funding (real title TBD)
Josh Chapman, managing partner, Konvoy Ventures
Justin Yuan, Tirta Ventures
Lia Zhang, Makers Fund
Moderator: Eric Goldberg, cofounder of Playable Worlds
2:30 pm – 3:00 pm stage 2 culture
Cross media innovation – IP with games at the center
A conversation between Astrid Entertainment’s Sharon Tal Yguado & Netflix Games’ Leanne Loombe
Sharon and Leanne stepped into each other’s worlds as they made opposite career moves. Sharon transitioned from a successful TV and film career, where she led major divisions at studios like Fox and Amazon and spearheaded franchises like The Walking Dead, The Boys, and Invincible, to leading a new gaming studio startup, Astrid. Meanwhile, Leanne Loombe moved from running a studio at Riot Games to leading a large gaming division within a major entertainment company, Netflix. These two accomplished executives will discuss their seemingly opposite paths and how they approach entertainment and games with a 360-degree perspective.
In this two-way conversation, they will explore building 360-degree franchises that engage fans through various mediums and experiences. Through the lens of their current roles, they will discuss their approaches to building and nurturing IP, as well as fostering community around their products. Sharon will share insights into Astrid’s latest projects and her reasons for transitioning into gaming to create a new universe. Loombe will discuss her approach to IP and games in her role.
Leanne Loombe, Netflix
Sharon Tal Yguado, CEO of Astrid Entertainment
2:30 pm to 3:00 pm stage 3 (culture/growth)
Navigating recovery: Games data, layoffs, and industry trends
No one has transparently captured so much data about job resources and the stage of game industry employment as Amir Satvat. Our panelists will delve into the post-crisis recovery of the video games industry. This insightful discussion will explore key data trends, including layoff forecasting, industry role distributions across locations, demographic shifts, and the evolving landscape of job splits. Whether you’re curious about where roles are emerging or how workforce changes are shaping the future, this talk provides essential insights into the industry’s rebound and its path forward.
Dean Takahashi, moderator
Amir Satvat, business development director at Tencent
3:00 pm – 330 pm Break
3:30 pm – 4:00 pm general session (culture)
Seats at the table: Fostering a welcoming workplace
The 2024 State of the Game Industry report from GDC noted that nothing has changed when it comes to the representation of women in the industry. Skydance Games is working hard to change that perception. As Skydance continues to increase gender representation across their studios, women currently hold lead positions in business, design, production, and other disciplines for their console, VR, PC, and mobile titles. This panel will explore how they’ve fostered an inclusive workplace, the importance of having more diverse voices on AAA titles and explain the critical role studios have in providing more seats to underrepresented communities.
Moderator: TBD
Jenna Seiden, Senior Vice President, Business Development, Licensing, and Publishing
Amy Hennig, Co-President
Andrea Silvers, Vice President of Marketing and Communications/Skydance
4:00 pm – 4:30 pm general session (industry)
Announcing the 2025 Game Changers
Moritz Baier-Lentz, partner and head of gaming & interactive media at Lightspeed
Dean Takahashi, lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat
TBD
Kylan Gibbs, Co-Founder and CEO of Inworld AI (confirmed)
Mihir Vaidya, Chief Strategy Officer at Electronic Arts
To close the conference, Lightspeed and GamesBeat will announce the 2025 Game Changers—an annual list to celebrate and accelerate extraordinary startups in gaming & interactive technology. We’ll have the standout winners from each of the five key categories present live on stage: 3D technology & infrastructure, generative AI, game studios & UGC, interactive media platforms, and extended reality (AR &VR).
In addition to meeting the winners for the first time, you’ll hear from a panel of Game Changers judges, which this year included executives and operators from Activision Blizzard, Amazon, Bungie, ByteDance, Call of Duty, DeepMind, Disney, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Goldman Sachs, Google, Inworld AI, King, Krafton, League of Legends, McKinsey, Meta, Microsoft, NCsoft, Niantic, Oculus, Riot Games, Stanford University, Take-Two Interactive, Tencent, TikTok, Uber, Unity, Unreal Engine, Valve, YouTube Gaming, Xbox, Zynga, and others.
4:30 pm to 5:00 pm (industry)
Game Changers continued with winners
Dean Takahashi
Moritz Baier-Lentz of Lightspeed
TBD
Roundtables day two (rooms TBD)
10:30 am -11:30 am roundtable
TBD
11:30 am – 12:30 pm roundtable
TBD
Ninel, Gryuner Anderson, CEO of Devoted Studios
12:30 pm -1:30 pm roundtable (culture)
Ethical Growth: Navigating an Ambiguous Era
As layoffs continue, with the risk of irreparable damage to the gaming industry, [GamesBeat noted the first half of 2024 recorded more layoffs than 2023], and the broader tech market experiencing even more profound effects, signs of possible future growth are present. But, how can studios rebuild responsibly and ethically, with an eye toward building strong cultures today, while capturing market value, without over-investing in a manner that will result in further calamity when the cycle next turns? How can we help studios thrive and find a path where the industry can grow again through reimagining and breathing new life into this space?
What does leadership look like in this moment? As we work through this period, studio leaders will need a combination of skills, both oriented toward working through the crisis, as well as preparing for the ongoing cycles of growth and contraction. Industry leaders will provide insights and guidance for responsible and ethical growth, including how to:
- Shift internal communications strategy to rebuild trust
- Redefine or reinforce company values
- Cultivate resilience and a future-focused mindset
- Develop leadership skills (at all levels of management) that support a culture of empathy, grit, and renewed sense of purpose
- And, how to implement practically
Shannon Loftis, senior adviser at Valued Cultures
Daryl Ogden, cofounder at Valued Cultures
Emily Greer, 1UP Ventures
Rory McGuire, president and chief creative officer at Blackbird Interactive
1:30 pm to 2:30 pm roundtable
TBD
2:30 pm to 3:30 pm roundtable
TBD
Convene venue
You can’t have a great event without a great place to do it.
We’ll be returning to Convene, a venue in the heart of San Francisco’s Union Square area. It is a welcoming space built for community, as it was created to be an event space. We were the very first event at the venue last year and now we’re coming back for a second year, this time using both the fourth and fifth floors for our expanded conference agenda.
The event will start at about 1 p.m. Pacific time on October 28 and then continue all day long on October 29. At the last event, we had two stages running simultaneously. We hope to deliver more value with a total of three stages this year.
And we’ll have more content in the form of eight roundtables spread through both days in private rooms. These sessions, which are open to sponsorship, will have up to 30 attendees in a private session as you can see above.
Game Changers
We will also close day two with our second annual Game Changers celebration of the list of the coolest game startups. Moritz Baier-Lentz, partner and head of gaming at Lightspeed Venture Partners, the venture capital firm with more than $28 billion under management.
Last year, Baier-Lentz surprised the 25 finalists by putting their companies on the Nasdaq Tower electronic billboard for the world to see in Times Square in New York. Startup entrepreneurs can file an application here for your chance to be one of the finalists.
Maier-Lentz has already recruited a list of all-star judges for the new list, and we’re proud to partner with him, Lightspeed and Nasdaq again to bring the newest gaming startup stars to our stage.
Our hopes for those who support us
We are in better shape than last year. If you recall, we had a nail-biting time as the game industry was in the midst of difficult layoffs. We had our own cutbacks and we only had about 29 attendees signed up a month ahead of the event. We put out a call for help and you responded. Sponsors signed up and we had more than 550 attendees by the time of the event in October 2023.
This time, we have been able to sign up speakers earlier and kick off our plans earlier. We have hundreds of attendees. But it’s still tough and we could still use your help in rounding up more sponsor support. We also appreciate our partners helping to get the word out about the event.
We’re proud to have returning sponsors including Xsolla, Fastspring, Modulate, the Entertainment Software Association as well as new sponsors such as Open World, Fastly, Ludeo, Lightspeed, RapidFire and Ready.GG. If you’d like to request sponsorship information, you can fill out this form.
Source link
Technology
Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered hits the PS4 and PS5 on February 14
It’s time to dust off a pair of pistols, as Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered on February 14, 2025. What better way to spend the next Valentine’s Day by foraging around caverns for loot?
These remasters boast updated visuals, though you can toggle to the old-school graphics to soak in the nostalgia. The same goes for controls. There are modern controls inspired by the newer entries in the series, but those retro inputs are just a toggle away.
The collection includes more than 150 trophies, which feature “nods to iconic moments from the series.” The photo mode from Tomb Raider I-III Remastered has also returned, allowing players to share “favorite moments and the beauty of the remastered environments with the community.”
It’s worth noting that the three games included in this collection were never referred to as numbered sequels. The remaster features Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Tomb Raider: Chronicles and Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness.
Crystal Dynamics and Eidos are behind these remasters, so this is the real deal. This is the team that made the aforementioned Tomb Raider I-III Remastered, .
It sure looks like we are in the midst of a Croft-ian renaissance. The animated Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who starred in the latest Indiana Jones film, is writing a live-action .
Servers computers
install server rack #printer #diy #music
Technology
NearStudios unveils Hawthorn co-op sandbox RPG with animals
Former Bethesda game developers have announced their indie game studio, NearStudios, and their debut game called Hawthorn.
Hawthorn is a nostalgic co-op sandbox role-playing game with animals as the characters. It has a creative mixture of cozy gameplay with more realistic looking animated creatures and environments.
Potomac, Maryland-based NearStudios (spelled NEARstudios by the firm) is led by Heather Cerlan, CEO and creative director, as well as cofounder Jason Richardson, game director.
“We had to idea of blending the charm and the accessibility of a cozy game with the depth and visual appeal of a core RPG,” Cerlan said in an interview with GamesBeat.
Hawthorn
She said that early play testers have described it as “an intimate Skyrim sandbox meets a Stardew Valley village simulation.” Hawthorn promises to bring friends together into an immersive and charming world where everyone can determine their player experience while being incentivized to work together towards shared objectives.
You can play as characters such as a mouse, owl or more. The mouse can mount the back of the owl or eagle, and you can go flowing around the beautiful bucolic environment. There will be more playable characters coming. The name comes from the Hawthorn tree, which has been associated with philosophies, outlooks and superstitions over time and across cultures.
“We’re mostly interested in how it’s known as the faries tree,” Cerlan said. “In some literature, it’s been known to be a tree that they protect, and that it’s the portal to their magical world.”
A seasoned team
The team includes industry veterans such as Bruce Nesmith, the lead designer of Skyrim, who has taken time out of retirement, where he’s been focused on writing his LitRPG series Glory Seeker, to lend his extensive sandbox systems expertise to the project. The team also features developers with experience on triple-A titles like Mass Effect, Dragon Age, The Last of Us, Ultima Online, League of Legends, and Fallout, among others.
Cerlan said that Hawthorn is a unique fairytale-inspired fantasy. In particular, it’s inspired by Victorian-era European fairytales and the spirit of 80s and 90s adventure stories featuring anthropomorphic animals.
Hawthorn offers a rich fantasy world where woodland creatures and fairy beings coexist in a complex, layered sandbox. Players will have the opportunity to build a village, forge relationships with endearing NPCs, and explore a world that is both familiar and refreshingly new.
Despite the triple-A pedigree, the team operates as a small, indie outfit, currently bootstrapping Hawthorn.
“We’re relishing the freedom to explore new creative possibilities and build a genuine relationship with our players,” said Cerlan. “This is our passion project, and we are putting everything we have into it. We have a strong vision, and we can’t wait to develop it alongside our community.”
NearStudios is committed to crafting games that foster connection and collaboration. With Hawthorn, they aim to create a world where players of all interests can work together toward common goals.
NearStudios is inviting players to join them on the journey to create Hawthorn. The studio is committed to involving players and creators early in the development process, offering unique insight into the challenges and triumphs of bringing an ambitious game to life.
“In Hawthorn, everything—from crafting to adventuring—is centered around a living village of NPCs and your co-op friends,” said Richardson, in a statement. “We want to evoke the nostalgic joy and wonder of shared adventures, much like the timeless stories and simple pleasures that connect us across generations.”
A new era of game development
As the gaming industry faces challenges like funding shortages, layoffs, and studio closures, NearStudios is proud of its passionate team and the mission to innovate alongside a tight-knit community. The devs believe that the future of gaming lies in the hands of smaller, dedicated studios willing to break new ground.
You can Wishlist Hawthorn now on Steam. Stay updated on Hawthorn’s development, get exclusive insights, and participate in the community by following the game on social media, or joining the Discord.
The team has been working hard for a year and a half. Cerlan has had to assemble a team of freelancers who have helped the company get to this stage. She said the game received positive feedback from hundreds of content creators at TwitchCon a couple of weeks ago.
“Our strategy is to keep our heads down, build the community, and build the game,” Cerlan said. “The community is very passionate and excited about it. We have a lot of momentum from that and hopefully it will keep on growing.”
It’s a co-op title in part because Cerlan felt like there weren’t enough games on the market that allowed couples to play together, particularly those with very different play styles.
“There’s a dynamic where there’s a cozier counterpart and we’re more like a hardcore gamer in the mix, and there’s not a really whole lot of immersive games on the market that allow these two playstyles to come together,” Cerlan said. “When I reached out to Jason, it turned out that he was also interested in starting a company and he had been thinking about the same exact problem. We were thinking about a world and a visual style that would appeal to both of those groups.”
It’s interesting that Richardson is working on something that is cozy, as much of his background has been in combat design. They had previously worked together at Bethesda and began prototyping. Recognizing the market was tough, they pivoted to a simpler design.
“That’s where we are right now,” Cerlan said.
The team is thinking about harmonizing the playstyles, and that may make it unlike any other game on the market, Cerlan said. At the moment, the game is envisioned as a sandbox with a lot of side quests where players can express themselves.
More internal playtesting is on the way and a public demo is expected sometime next year. The company has had some angel funding, but it is largely bootstrapped.
“We’re thankful for everybody’s help,” Cerlan said.
Source link
Technology
The Internet Archive is still down but will return in ‘days, not weeks’
Currently, if you try to access the Internet Archive’s website, you’ll see a notice that says it’s “temporarily” offline. Links to the Wayback Machine also won’t load.
“The data is safe. Services are offline as we examine and strengthen them. Sorry, but needed. @internetarchive staff is working hard. Estimated Timeline: days, not weeks,” writes Kahle.
After a pop-up from a purported hacker claimed the archive had suffered a “catastrophic security breach” earlier this week, Have I Been Pwned founder Troy Hunt confirmed he’d received a file with the stolen data, so anyone registered on his site can get an alert if it includes their information.
Servers computers
RACK DE SERVIDORES FIXXNET 42U SHIELD
Technology
NYT Connections today — hints and answers for Saturday, October 12 (game #489)
Good morning! Let’s play Connections, the NYT’s clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need clues.
What should you do once you’ve finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I’ve also got daily Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
NYT Connections today (game #489) – today’s words
Today’s NYT Connections words are…
- GOO
- SWALLOW
- GOBBLE
- STOLE
- COO
- MOTOR
- SCARF
- TAKE
- APP
- HONK
- STAND
- HOOT
- WRAP
- BEAR
- SAM
- SHAWL
NYT Connections today (game #489) – hint #1 – group hints
What are some clues for today’s NYT Connections groups?
- Yellow: Neck wear
- Green: Put up with
- Blue: Cluck cluck
- Purple: SON is another
Need more clues?
We’re firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today’s NYT Connections puzzles…
NYT Connections today (game #489) – hint #2 – group answers
What are the answers for today’s NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: DRAPED ACCESSORIES
- GREEN: TOLERATE
- BLUE: BIRD ONOMATOPOEIA
- PURPLE: STARTS OF CELL PHONE MAKERS
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #489) – the answers
The answers to today’s Connections, game #489, are…
- YELLOW: DRAPED ACCESSORIES SCARF, SHAWL, STOLE, WRAP
- GREEN: TOLERATE BEAR, STAND, SWALLOW, TAKE
- BLUE: BIRD ONOMATOPOEIA COO, GOBBLE, HONK, HOOT
- PURPLE: STARTS OF CELL PHONE MAKERS APP, GOO, MOTOR, SAM
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
Another easy Connections puzzle today, folks. The frustrating thing for me is that the one I didn’t get was the one I absolutely should have got. That one was the purple START OF CELL PHONE MAKERS group, and given that in my spare time (when I’m not writing puzzle columns) I am a technology journalist, I really should have spotted APP(LE), SAM(SUNG), GOO(GLE) and MOTOR(OLA).
Still, I got the other three, of which BIRD ONOMATOPOEIA (blue) was a nice one, the other two fairly standard fare. Move along, nothing much to see here.
How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.
Yesterday’s NYT Connections answers (Friday, 11 October, game #488)
- YELLOW: CHERISH RELISH, SAVOR, TREASURE, VALUE
- GREEN: QUICK JUMP IN THE POOL DIP, DIVE, SPLASH, SWIM
- BLUE: ADDITIONAL BENEFIT BONUS, EXTRA, FROSTING, GRAVY
- PURPLE: BRASHNESS BRASS, CHEEK, NERVE, SAUCE
What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you don’t technically need to solve the final one, as you’ll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What’s more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It’s a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.
It’s playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Hyperelastic gel is one of the stretchiest materials known to science
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Would-be reality TV contestants ‘not looking real’
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
How to unsnarl a tangle of threads, according to physics
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
‘Running of the bulls’ festival crowds move like charged particles
-
Womens Workouts3 weeks ago
3 Day Full Body Women’s Dumbbell Only Workout
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Maxwell’s demon charges quantum batteries inside of a quantum computer
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Liquid crystals could improve quantum communication devices
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Quantum ‘supersolid’ matter stirred using magnets
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Sunlight-trapping device can generate temperatures over 1000°C
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
ITER: Is the world’s biggest fusion experiment dead after new delay to 2035?
-
News4 weeks ago
the pick of new debut fiction
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
How to wrap your mind around the real multiverse
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Why this is a golden age for life to thrive across the universe
-
News3 weeks ago
Our millionaire neighbour blocks us from using public footpath & screams at us in street.. it’s like living in a WARZONE – WordupNews
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Quantum forces used to automatically assemble tiny device
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Nerve fibres in the brain could generate quantum entanglement
-
Science & Environment2 weeks ago
X-rays reveal half-billion-year-old insect ancestor
-
Technology2 weeks ago
Is sharing your smartphone PIN part of a healthy relationship?
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
A slight curve helps rocks make the biggest splash
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Physicists are grappling with their own reproducibility crisis
-
Business2 weeks ago
Eurosceptic Andrej Babiš eyes return to power in Czech Republic
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Time travel sci-fi novel is a rip-roaringly good thought experiment
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Laser helps turn an electron into a coil of mass and charge
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Nuclear fusion experiment overcomes two key operating hurdles
-
News4 weeks ago
▶️ Hamas in the West Bank: Rising Support and Deadly Attacks You Might Not Know About
-
News3 weeks ago
You’re a Hypocrite, And So Am I
-
Sport3 weeks ago
Joshua vs Dubois: Chris Eubank Jr says ‘AJ’ could beat Tyson Fury and any other heavyweight in the world
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
Caroline Ellison aims to duck prison sentence for role in FTX collapse
-
News3 weeks ago
▶️ Media Bias: How They Spin Attack on Hezbollah and Ignore the Reality
-
Business2 weeks ago
Should London’s tax exiles head for Spain, Italy . . . or Wales?
-
Technology2 weeks ago
‘From a toaster to a server’: UK startup promises 5x ‘speed up without changing a line of code’ as it plans to take on Nvidia, AMD in the generative AI battlefield
-
Football2 weeks ago
Football Focus: Martin Keown on Liverpool’s Alisson Becker
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Rethinking space and time could let us do away with dark matter
-
News4 weeks ago
New investigation ordered into ‘doorstep murder’ of Alistair Wilson
-
News3 weeks ago
The Project Censored Newsletter – May 2024
-
Technology2 weeks ago
Quantum computers may work better when they ignore causality
-
MMA2 weeks ago
Conor McGregor challenges ‘woeful’ Belal Muhammad, tells Ilia Topuria it’s ‘on sight’
-
Sport2 weeks ago
Watch UFC star deliver ‘one of the most brutal knockouts ever’ that left opponent laid spark out on the canvas
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
A new kind of experiment at the Large Hadron Collider could unravel quantum reality
-
News3 weeks ago
Israel strikes Lebanese targets as Hizbollah chief warns of ‘red lines’ crossed
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Future of fusion: How the UK’s JET reactor paved the way for ITER
-
Technology2 weeks ago
Get ready for Meta Connect
-
Business2 weeks ago
Ukraine faces its darkest hour
-
Health & fitness3 weeks ago
The secret to a six pack – and how to keep your washboard abs in 2022
-
Technology3 weeks ago
The ‘superfood’ taking over fields in northern India
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
UK spurns European invitation to join ITER nuclear fusion project
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Why we need to invoke philosophy to judge bizarre concepts in science
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
A tale of two mysteries: ghostly neutrinos and the proton decay puzzle
-
News3 weeks ago
Why Is Everyone Excited About These Smart Insoles?
-
Health & fitness2 weeks ago
The 7 lifestyle habits you can stop now for a slimmer face by next week
-
CryptoCurrency3 weeks ago
Cardano founder to meet Argentina president Javier Milei
-
Politics3 weeks ago
UK consumer confidence falls sharply amid fears of ‘painful’ budget | Economics
-
MMA3 weeks ago
Rankings Show: Is Umar Nurmagomedov a lock to become UFC champion?
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Meet the world's first female male model | 7.30
-
News3 weeks ago
Four dead & 18 injured in horror mass shooting with victims ‘caught in crossfire’ as cops hunt multiple gunmen
-
Womens Workouts3 weeks ago
3 Day Full Body Toning Workout for Women
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Robo-tuna reveals how foldable fins help the speedy fish manoeuvre
-
Health & fitness3 weeks ago
The maps that could hold the secret to curing cancer
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Being in two places at once could make a quantum battery charge faster
-
News4 weeks ago
How FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam Is Adapting to a Post-Pandemic Economy
-
CryptoCurrency3 weeks ago
Decentraland X account hacked, phishing scam targets MANA airdrop
-
CryptoCurrency3 weeks ago
Low users, sex predators kill Korean metaverses, 3AC sues Terra: Asia Express
-
Womens Workouts3 weeks ago
Best Exercises if You Want to Build a Great Physique
-
Womens Workouts3 weeks ago
Everything a Beginner Needs to Know About Squatting
-
TV3 weeks ago
CNN TÜRK – 🔴 Canlı Yayın ᴴᴰ – Canlı TV izle
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
CNN TÜRK – 🔴 Canlı Yayın ᴴᴰ – Canlı TV izle
-
Servers computers2 weeks ago
What are the benefits of Blade servers compared to rack servers?
-
Technology2 weeks ago
The best robot vacuum cleaners of 2024
-
News3 weeks ago
Church same-sex split affecting bishop appointments
-
Politics3 weeks ago
Trump says he will meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi next week
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Physicists have worked out how to melt any material
-
Sport3 weeks ago
UFC Edmonton fight card revealed, including Brandon Moreno vs. Amir Albazi headliner
-
CryptoCurrency3 weeks ago
Ethereum is a 'contrarian bet' into 2025, says Bitwise exec
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
How one theory ties together everything we know about the universe
-
Business4 weeks ago
JPMorgan in talks to take over Apple credit card from Goldman Sachs
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Quantum time travel: The experiment to ‘send a particle into the past’
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Tiny magnet could help measure gravity on the quantum scale
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Most accurate clock ever can tick for 40 billion years without error
-
CryptoCurrency3 weeks ago
Bitcoin miners steamrolled after electricity thefts, exchange ‘closure’ scam: Asia Express
-
CryptoCurrency3 weeks ago
Dorsey’s ‘marketplace of algorithms’ could fix social media… so why hasn’t it?
-
CryptoCurrency3 weeks ago
DZ Bank partners with Boerse Stuttgart for crypto trading
-
CryptoCurrency3 weeks ago
Bitcoin bulls target $64K BTC price hurdle as US stocks eye new record
-
CryptoCurrency3 weeks ago
Blockdaemon mulls 2026 IPO: Report
-
Business3 weeks ago
Thames Water seeks extension on debt terms to avoid renationalisation
-
Politics3 weeks ago
‘Appalling’ rows over Sue Gray must stop, senior ministers say | Sue Gray
-
CryptoCurrency3 weeks ago
Coinbase’s cbBTC surges to third-largest wrapped BTC token in just one week
-
News2 weeks ago
US Newspapers Diluting Democratic Discourse with Political Bias
-
Technology3 weeks ago
iPhone 15 Pro Max Camera Review: Depth and Reach
-
News3 weeks ago
Brian Tyree Henry on voicing young Megatron, his love for villain roles
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
How do you recycle a nuclear fusion reactor? We’re about to find out
-
CryptoCurrency3 weeks ago
RedStone integrates first oracle price feeds on TON blockchain
-
CryptoCurrency3 weeks ago
‘No matter how bad it gets, there’s a lot going on with NFTs’: 24 Hours of Art, NFT Creator
-
Business3 weeks ago
How Labour donor’s largesse tarnished government’s squeaky clean image
-
News3 weeks ago
Brian Tyree Henry on voicing young Megatron, his love for villain roles
-
Travel3 weeks ago
Delta signs codeshare agreement with SAS
-
Politics2 weeks ago
Hope, finally? Keir Starmer’s first conference in power – podcast | News
-
Technology2 weeks ago
University examiners fail to spot ChatGPT answers in real-world test
-
Technology2 weeks ago
Microphone made of atom-thick graphene could be used in smartphones
-
CryptoCurrency3 weeks ago
Louisiana takes first crypto payment over Bitcoin Lightning
-
CryptoCurrency3 weeks ago
Crypto scammers orchestrate massive hack on X but barely made $8K
You must be logged in to post a comment Login