Over the festive period Valve released an update to Proton Experimental bringing in more game fixes for the likes of Marvel Rivals and other games on Steam Deck and Desktop Linux. There’s also an update to the open source Xalia tool, which is used for getting gamepad input in launchers. Check out my Proton beginner’s guide if you’re confused.
For the update on December 24th these are listed as now playable with Proton:
Factorio does have a Native Linux version that’s nicely supported, but the point of Proton is to get everything possible worknig.
The Marvel Rivals improvements:
Improved rendering of Marvel Rivals launcher.
Fixed Marvel Rivals displaying OS/drivers out of date warning.
Pictured – Marvel Rivals
And all other changes:
Fixed Experimental regressions causing a black screen when using CRT shader in Eastward.
Fixed graphics scaling in Master Magistrate (Proton 9.0-2 regression).
Fixed Simulakros and Assassin’s Creed Syndicate not launching on AMD systems due to NVAPI presence.
Enabled Xalia for Overlord, The TakeOver, Floppy Heroes, Whiskered Away, Himno, Survirus, The Adventure of Ninomae Ina’nis.
Updated Xalia to 0.4.5.
Until Then – New Game Plus and alternate realities
Let’s face it: Most players likely skip or ignore a game’s the end credits, which is quite unfortunate. However, this is something you shouldn’t do if you’re playing Until Then, a visual novel with distinctly Filipino characters, themes, and setting.
Once you’ve finished Until Then’s story, you’ll realize that something feels off, as though not every narrative thread was fully explained. These aren’t gaping plot holes. Rather, they’re part of a unique narrative device.
After the end credits, choosing to continue brings you back to the game’s first location. You might think that everything’s the same as before, until you realize that there are a few key changes, such as interactions with different characters and new events that transpire. As you continue all the way to your next playthrough, you slowly piece together the puzzle to learn about the real outcome of the story.
Warning: Spoilers for both Death of the Reprobate and Die Hard With A Vengeance lie ahead.
One day, you’re just living your life, and then bang, some dickhead has to come in and mess everything up.
For the protagonist of Death of the Reprobate – a point-and-click indie game that’s one big collage of wacky renaissance paintings – it’s a messenger being wheeled in on the bad boy’s barrow, interrupting some lovely execution orderings to tell him that his father, Immortal John, is dying.
For John McClane, in Die Hard With A Vengeance, it’s an unknown baddie blowing up a department store, and then ringing up the NYPD demanding to take to the suspended detective who once dropped Professor Snape out of a window near the top of the Nakatomi Plaza.
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For both, it’s a bit of a bummer. Driven by a desire to weasel into some nice inheritance in one case, and by the fact that lives on the line are more important than a hangover in the other, the pair head off to heed their respective callings.
Both are forced to meet with men they hate, but who have power over them, in the forms of Walter Cobb and Immortal John, in packed meeting rooms filled with these two figures’ various cronies. Then, the job begins. For Death of the Reprobate’s protagonist, it’s to do seven good deeds for the townsfolk, in order to prove that you aren’t just some selfish, godless wanker. For McClane, it’s to head off to Harlem wearing a sign designed to get him killed, with the threat from the mysterious Simon that more destruction will be wrought if the instruction isn’t followed.
It’s a crappy situation, but you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do. And the good news is, both men are set to be supplied with a mate who has links to a god to help guide them through the tough tasks ahead.
For DOTR’s protagonist, it’s a literal fellow resembling the lord himself, dangling little signs indicating who needs a favour doing for them from a little fishing rod. McClane, meanwhile, has his life saved by Samuel L Jackson’s Zeus Carver, named after the Greek god of thunder, and cursed from then on to follow the divorced cop on his painful pilgrimages to various locations across the city.
We all know a Powerful David. | Image credit: VG247
An array of different challenges await these poor fools, as they voyage from point to point in the surrealist nightmare that is New York’s urban jungle, and a relatively mundane by comparison fictional town constructed entirely from the landscapes, portraits, and other doodles of artists like John Everett Millais, Willem Koekkoek, and David Teniers the younger.
Some, like McClane’s trip to Harlem, and Immortal John’s heir’s quest to find some apparel that’ll allow some men to engage in a bit of gentle bottom fisting out in the country air without traumatising the locals, involve clothing. Some, like the water jug puzzle McClane and Zeus have to do to prevent a bomb going off in a park and the bit of monkey dice roll estimating DOTR’s main character has to do when he visits the tavern, involve the kind of maths you hated at school.
Some involve children, like the house full of screaming, crying, and hungry tykes yelling toff like ‘Feed me!’ that DOTR’s protagonist has to find a way to settle down, or like that bomb Simon says he’s planted in a school which leads Cobb and co on a city-wide search. Some, like the train bomb McClane just about manages to detach before it rolls into a packed station, are designed to be impossible to accomplish by conventional means, which is why he probably wishes he could be handed a magic flute by a goat king, like DOTR’s protagonist is.
Getting through all of this – including solving the riddles given out by Simon in one case and some weird people blocking entry to a forest in the other – is all about thinking outside the box, doing the unexpected, or the blatantly obvious in a couple of cases. It’s mental gymnastics, right up until the moment everything flips on its head.
We’ve all been there. | Image credit: VG247
In McClane’s case, he starts to figure out what Simon – real name Peter Gruber – is up to. He’s not out just to scare everyone and avenge his brother, he’s also here to steal a ton of cash, a bit like DOTR’s leading man. After nearly being drowned twice – once inside a dam, and then when Gruber sinks him and Zeus aboard a ship filled with slag – McClane is probably less of a fan of things being filled with water than the lady who wants you to turn a well into a hot tub in DOTR.
With all of this over, it looks like our protagonists have both run all over town for nothing. DOTR’s poor fella has to listen as his mean Uncle Vladimir twists all of his good deeds into sins in his relaying of them to the about to kick the bucket Immortal John, resulting in him being denied that precious inheritance. As McClane and Zeus are brought ashore, Gruber and his cohort escape with the stolen money.
But it’s not over. McClane discovers the location where his foe is headed via a bottle of aspirin Gruber threw him, in one of the most ‘I’m literally shouting at my telly’ bad guy blunders of all time. At Immortal John’s funeral, the real god himself intervenes,m refusing to let the game end this way.
And so begins a mad chase, both to a truckstop north of the US border and to start an apocalypse on the painted world. Birds are shot, swarms of locusts are unleashed, choppers are scrambled, and eventually both McClane and DOTR’s protagonists end up facing their respective devils head on, but as underdogs. Being heroes, albeit flawed ones, they get away.
Devil on your shoulder? | Image credit: VG247
But their tales don’t end there. For McClane, there’s an awkward phone call to be made to Holly Gennaro. For DOTR’s protagonist, there’s some form of eternal damnation.
Because the moment the camera stops rolling isn’t the end to things for these characters. They’re just living their lives in the narrative version of that weird armpit of the year between Christmas and the turning over of the calendar.
This GFN Thursday wraps up another incredible year for cloud gaming. Take a look back at the top games and new features that made 2024 a standout for GeForce NOW members.
Enjoy it all with three new games to close the year.
Remember to mark the calendar for the CES opening keynote, to be delivered by NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang on Monday, Jan. 6.
That’s a Wrap
In another ultimate year of high-performance cloud gaming, GeForce NOW introduced new features for cloud gamers and reached a significant milestone by surpassing 2,000 games in its library, thanks to strong collaborations with celebrated publishers.
Don’t pass up the chance to get all the premium benefits of the cloud for 24 hours.
GeForce NOW also launched new data centers in Japan and Poland this year, bringing GeForce RTX 4080-powered servers to gamers in the regions. Day Passes were introduced to offer gamers more flexible ways to access the cloud, with the ability to enjoy premium benefits of Ultimate and Performance memberships for 24 hours at a time.
Members who wanted to stream their favorite PC games to Valve’s Steam Deck were provided a new beta installation method that let them automatically install Google Chrome to the device, along with all the settings needed to log in to GeForce NOW to stream their favorite games. And GeForce NOW brought an upgraded streaming experience for Performance members, providing up to 1440p resolution — an increase from the original 1080p limit.
Conquering in the cloud never looked so good.
The rollout of Xbox automatic sign-in streamlined the gaming experience, enabling members to link their Xbox profile to their GeForce NOW account for seamless access to their game libraries. GeForce NOW also partnered with CurseForge to bring mod for World of Warcraft, enabling Ultimate and Priority members to easily enable and customize over 25 top WoW Addons in the cloud, enhancing their gameplay experience across various devices.
Everything is great in the cloud.
The highly anticipated Indiana Jones and the Great Circle made its debut in the cloud, offering players a thrilling globetrotting adventure with stunning ray-traced graphics and NVIDIA DLSS 3 support. Fans could uncover one of history’s greatest mysteries as they traveled from the pyramids of Egypt to the sunken temples of Sukhothai, all while enjoying the game’s immersive action and intriguing puzzles.
The cloud is the path of least resistance.
Early access for Path of Exile 2 arrived with deep customization options and improved visuals. Dragon Age: The Veilguard captivated players with BioWare’s rich fantasy world, while Black Myth: Wukong pushed cloud gaming graphics to new heights with its stunning take on Chinese mythology.
The long-awaited S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl brought its intense survival horror to the GeForce NOW cloud, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 delivered fast-paced multiplayer action to members on day one.
Raining terror on any device.
GeForce NOW also welcomed Activision Blizzard games and Battle.net integration. Members gained access to blockbuster titles like Diablo IV, Overwatch 2, Call of Duty: Warzone, Hearthstone and more, adding to the cloud gaming library some of the most popular multiplayer titles.
And it doesn’t stop there — check back in each week to see what’s in store for GeForce NOW in the new year.
Toast to New Adventures
Look for the following games available to stream in the cloud this week:
Headquarters: World War II (Steam)
Supermarket Together (Steam)
Ys X: Nordics (Steam)
What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.
Mark your calendars, #CES2025 is fast approaching! 📅
Be sure to tune-in on 1/6/25 👉 https://t.co/yC5KAednSw pic.twitter.com/PlrIzPQv5g
— 🌩️ NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) December 24, 2024
Last Year, on Christmas Day, I reviewed Yuletide Legends, a Christmas point and click. This year, I am doing Save Christmas with Santa, a horrid platformer for children that is anything but cheerful. And it is fitting, because 2024 is the year the eShop was finally completely overrun with garbage, washing away any good stuff for me to review, especially in the month of December. To find this game, I just typed “Christmas” into the search bar on Nintendo’s site, and this was the first entry, which naturally was on sale for $1.99, always a telltale sign of crap. And crap it is. So, its the day before Christmas, and Santa isn’t ready, so you… do horrible platforming and stuff.
Oh No! Anyway,,,
I created a longer video than usual showcasing Save Christmas With Santa. It shows three parts. First walking along a path, when Santa finds a sign. Then jumping on Icebergs in a lake. Then jumping in clouds in the sky. Note the sections are in order of appearance in the game. Between sections two and three, you’ll get a double jump.
You can see how bad Save Christmas with Santa is. The platform jumping is awful as the jumping is imprecise. For one thing, there’s no shadow, so you cannot tell where you are in the air, critical for 3D platformers like this one. Also, sometimes, you’ll jump far, sometimes you won’t. Who knows? Then notice the lack of a splash in the water, showing no water physics. The entire games takes place in a bland, all white setting that just isn’t interesting to look at. The melody gets grating after awhile.
Save Christmas with Santa isn’t the worst platformer I’ve played on the Switch(Flannel Amethyst), but it is not anywhere near good. If you get your kids this for Christmas, you’ll be on their naughty list for life. This gets a not Recommended with a four back-end score.
Overall: If you get your kids Save Christmas with Santa for Christmas, you’ll be on their naughty list for life. Find something better, please.
The PlayStation 5 has entered the latter stage of its lifecycle, Sony announced back in February. The fourth anniversary of the console has been marked by impressive victories and surprising setbacks. 2024 felt like an inflection point for the PS5, with Sony unofficially turning the page on the PS4 and paving the way for the next era of its first-party blockbuster exclusives. It was another lowkey great year for what is increasingly becoming the default high-end gaming console.
The Best Reveals From The Game Awards 2023
There were excellent updates to the PS5 home screen UI, a slew of great exclusive games from second- and third-party partners, and an entire update to the console in the form of the $700 PS5 Pro. PS VR2 became platform agnostic, a 30th Anniversary celebration unveiled nostalgic accessories for longtime fans, and the base tier of PS Plus continued to deliver plenty of premium freebies. The lack of a new big-budget first-party game and the abysmal failure of Concord sent up red flags, but not major hurdles to a platform that soared to 65.5 million units sold last month.
All of this as an executive shakeup saw Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan replaced by co-CEOs Herman Hulst and Hideaki Nishino, reporting up to Sony COO Hiroki Totoki. Highly respected long-time PlayStation veteran Shuhei Yoshida, one of the last familiar faces in the top ranks of the console maker, also announced he was leaving in a year when PlayStation went very quiet, with just a few State of Play livestreams and no major summer showcase. The next phase of PlayStation is coming, and 2024 showed that even seeming “off years” can still deliver for players in spades.
The Hardware
After tons of reporting, rumors, and speculation, 2024 was the year Sony finally launched the PS5 Pro. Its hefty price tag promised no-compromises gaming, with upscaled 4K resolution at 60fps thanks to a more powerful GPU and new machine learning technology called PSSR. The results so far have been good to mixed, with some games looking more gorgeous than ever while certain third-party releases struggle to play nice with PSSR and studios race to amend their PS5 Pro updates in the face of unexpected visual downgrades.
This has put the device, at least early on, firmly into the “nice but unnecessary” category of upgrades. Denser visual detail at higher framerates and greater ray-tracing options bring the PS5 console experience into closer parity with mid-level PC gaming, but don’t quite offer the “oh shit!” moments that might make even longtime fans feel the need to run out and immediately pick one up. That’s especially the case when even the base PS5 continues to perform so well and feel perfectly adequate in the near-term.
Image: Sony / Kotaku
This could be another indication that the console arms race is slowing to a crawl, with future generations yielding even more granular improvements. But the PS5 Pro’s PSSR tech also provides a glimpse at where console manufacturers could leverage AI to try to make up ground. Sony recently announced a partnership with AMD called Project Amethyst to “support broad work and machine learning across a variety of devices” in an effort that would pay dividends for other companies as well. The company is also reportedly already working with AMD on the PS6.
For now, the PS5 still isn’t getting a price drop. In fact, it actually became more expensive this year in certain regions, including Japan. The DualSense controller also received a stealth price hike. A temporary Black Friday sale took the PS5 all-digital price down to $375, only $25 less than what it launched at in 2020. The PS5 got better in 2024, but not cheaper.
The Software
The PS5 interface received a notable refresh this year in the form of a new customizable welcome hub. The default module when you start up the console comes with new backgrounds and a bunch of tiles that can be swapped in with various widgets, from trophies and controller battery life to news about wishlisted games, console storage, and who’s online. It’s a seemingly small touch that goes a long way toward making the PS5 ecosystem easier to parse, navigate, and engage with, and it might just be the start of a bold new era for the system’s UI.
There were a few other updates to the firmware in 2024. Adaptive charging made the console more energy-efficient for newer PS5 models, including the Slim and Pro, and party share now lets you circulate session invites directly on social media and other messaging apps. There’s still no great way to directly share screenshots and gameplay footage on social media after Sony cut integration with X (formerly known as Twitter), though the PlayStation App is getting closer to being the remote second screen for the PS5 it deserves to be.
But the biggest software update of all this year didn’t come to the PS5 at all—it came to the PlayStation Portal. The not-quite-a-gaming-handheld peripheral can now play a growing list of games directly from the cloud rather than needing to stream them from a home console strictly as a remote play device. This change essentially doubles the value of the $200 accessory, and potentially serves as a bridge to a future in which a full-fledged Sony handheld reportedly in development can play new games natively as well.
The Networks and Services
This portion of our annual PlayStation report card usually focuses almost exclusively on the services portion of the equation, but 2024 showcased some significant lapses in network functionality. While it still pales in comparison to the infamous 2011 PSN outage, the services were down intermittently for almost a full day back in the fall. It was a reminder of how much of the platform relies on constant connectivity to deliver on its promise, from multiplayer-only games to always-online single-player campaigns. Any outage, no matter how brief, is also notable in the context of Sony charging $10 a month for the ability to play online.
PlayStation Stars, a smaller rewards initiative incorporated into the PS app rather than the console itself, nevertheless raised questions when it was offline for multiple weeks over the summer with no real explanation from Sony as to why the service had gone down. Coupled with issues with activity cards and various high-profile firmware bugs, the normally quite stable PS5 platform wobbled more than usual in 2024. PS Plus’ Netflix-like library of downloadable games was on much firmer footing, however.
Image: Sony / Kotaku
PS Plus Premium, the most expensive of the service’s three tiers at $160 per year, added a bunch more PS classics to help round out its back catalog. Subscribing fans finally got access to the Sly Cooper trilogy, the first two Legacy of Kain games, Dino Crisis, and a bunch of other old-school favorites. For the program’s price, though, there still really needs to be a better alternative for accessing the vast reservoir of PS3 exclusives. Insomniac’s WW2 alien shooter trilogy Resistance also arrived on Premium, but only via streaming.
And while the middle tier—PS Plus Extra—continues to be hit-or-miss with what great games are added or rotated out, the base PS Plus catalog continues to be full of bangers. 2024 saw the addition of A Plague Tale: Requiem, Nobody Saves the World, Immortals of Aveum, Tunic, Sifu, Borderlands 3, Streets of Rage 4, Little Nightmares II, and the Dead Space remake, just to name a few. At the same time, we’ve gotten fewer and fewer high-profile day-one PS Plus releases. Animal Well was a GOTY contender but Foamstars and Quidditch Champions were both duds. Still, the cumulative library competes with the best of what Extra has and offers a great way to catch up on many of the best games of recent years.
The Games
Sony’s impressive first-party studios mostly took a backseat in 2024 with two important exceptions: Astro Bot and Concord. The first, from Asobo Studio, married the whimsy and creativity Sony’s Japan Studio was once synonymous with to the high bar of quality and production values showcased by the company’s more recent big-budget blockbusters. Astro Bot was announced in May and won best game at The Game Awards 2024 just seven months later. It’s a top-tier action platformer that also shows how the DualSense controller’s haptic gimmicks can transform the feel of otherwise familiar gameplay. Coupled with Lego Horizon Adventures, Sony demonstrated a new family-friendly range outside of the grim, violent prestige games that have defined its brand in years prior.
Concord, meanwhile, was an Icarus moment for Sony’s first-party live service initiative. The hero shooter from Firewalk Studios had a development budget of over $200 million, sources told Kotaku earlier this year, which culminated in a fine but forgettable multiplayer experience which failed to attract players so spectacularly at launch that Sony yanked the plug less than two weeks later with full refunds and a complete server shutdown. The company closed the studio it had purchased only the year prior and promised to incorporate the learnings from the debacle into its ongoing strategy.
Image: Sony / Kotaku
How Sony, renowned since the middle of the PS4 generation for quality checks and proactive player feedback, failed to spot any warning signs and instead ploughed full speed ahead either speaks to the overall challenge, complexity, and random luck of making live-service hits or to serious blindspots within PlayStation Studios. 2024 also saw the shutdown of London studio and mobile game maker Neon Koi, as well as the cancellation of multiple unannounced projects and hundreds of cuts across various studios, including Bungie. It all comes as the larger game industry grapples with high costs and delayed development timelines in a release climate that’s more competitive than ever.
Yet where Concord crashed, Helldivers 2 soared. Arrowhead Game Studios’ squad-based, ragdoll-physics alien shooter is one of the bestselling games of the year, especially on PC. Despite controversies around the required PSN login on Steam, nerfs to fan-favorite builds and battle pass gear, and a mid-year slowdown in new content, the game has delivered a fascinating, evolving storyline like a sci-fi D&D campaign made up of millions of players, all while continuing to push out regular new updates. It was a game worth buying a PS5 for, and not because it relied on the typical Sony blockbuster’s mix of expensive cinematic narratives and lush production values.
Image: Sony / Kotaku
What might have seemed like an otherwise quiet year for the PS5 was bolstered by other console exclusives both big and small, like Granblue Fantasy: Relink, Rise of the Rōnin, Stellar Blade, Silent Hill 2, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. The mix of action adventure, open world, RPG, and survival horror went a long way to rounding out an otherwise sparser release calendar compared to the post-covid high-water mark set by 2023. Xbox’s multiplatform strategy also saw critically acclaimed hits like Hi-Fi Rush and Pentiment arrive on PS5 alongside multiplayer juggernaut Sea of Thieves and the open-world survival sim Grounded. and the biggest 2024 game that wasn’t available on PS5, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, will still arrive their early next year.
The PS5 might be heading into the latter stage of its lifecycle, but it feels like the best years are still in front of it. Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsuhima 2, titled Ghost of Yotei, was revealed earlier this year for a 2025 release, and Naughty Dog finally teased its first new, non-Last of Us project in a long time. It’s called Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and promises a bold new sci-fi direction for the premier PlayStation studio that may also see it return a bit to its action-adventure roots. Fans are also still waiting on reveals for Santa Monica’s new not-God of War project, and leaks suggest Bend Studio will offer Sony’s next risky experiment in live-service gaming. Plus a multiplayer Horizon Zero Dawn game could be arriving as early as next year, and Insomniac’s Wolverine has been dark for a while as well.
Sony recently promised at least one new single-player blockbuster every year. 2024 didn’t have one, and it still turned out to be a great year for the platform.
Global Fashion Weeks have become a cornerstone of the fashion industry, offering a platform for designers to showcase their latest collections and set the tone for upcoming trends. With cities like Paris, Milan, New York, and London leading the charge, these events attract fashion enthusiasts, buyers, and media from all around the world. This article delves into the evolution of global fashion weeks, highlights key moments from major fashion capitals, and identifies emerging trends and designers who are shaping the future of fashion.
The Evolution of Global Fashion Weeks Today
Fashion weeks have evolved from exclusive gatherings of elite designers and buyers into globally recognized spectacles that capture the attention of the entire fashion industry. The roots of fashion weeks date back to the early 20th century when designers started organizing private shows to present their collections. Over time, these events have transformed into highly publicized affairs, drawing not only industry insiders but also celebrities and influencers who help amplify the reach of the collections being showcased.
Today, global fashion weeks are not confined to just showcasing clothing; they have become cultural phenomena that highlight the intersection of fashion with art, technology, and social issues. With the rise of digital platforms, fashion weeks have expanded their reach beyond physical runways to virtual audiences, allowing fashion enthusiasts worldwide to participate in the excitement. This digital shift has also opened doors for emerging designers who may not have the resources to participate in traditional runway shows.
Sustainability has become a focal point in the evolution of fashion weeks, with designers and organizers striving to reduce the environmental impact of these events. From eco-friendly materials to virtual showrooms, the industry is increasingly prioritizing sustainable practices. This shift reflects a broader trend towards conscious consumerism, as both designers and consumers become more aware of the ecological footprint of fashion.
Diversity and inclusivity have also become integral to the evolution of fashion weeks. Designers are now more mindful of representing different body types, ethnicities, and gender identities on the runway. This shift is not only a response to societal demands but also a recognition of the diverse global audience that fashion weeks now cater to.
The evolution of fashion weeks is also marked by a blurring of the lines between seasons. Traditional Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter collections are being replaced by more fluid, seasonless collections that cater to a global audience with varying climates. This change reflects a growing desire for more versatile and timeless pieces, as well as the need for designers to adapt to a rapidly changing fashion landscape.
As fashion weeks continue to evolve, they remain a vital part of the fashion industry’s ecosystem, providing a platform for innovation, collaboration, and creative expression. By embracing new technologies, sustainable practices, and diverse representation, fashion weeks are adapting to the demands of a modern, globalized world.
Key Highlights from Major Fashion Capitals
Paris, the undisputed fashion capital of the world, continues to set the bar high with its haute couture and ready-to-wear collections. Paris Fashion Week is renowned for its grandeur and elegance, with designers like Chanel, Dior, and Louis Vuitton consistently delivering show-stopping presentations. This year’s highlights included innovative uses of technology, such as virtual reality experiences, and a strong emphasis on sustainability, with many designers opting for eco-friendly materials and practices.
Milan Fashion Week is synonymous with luxury and craftsmanship, showcasing the best of Italian design. This season, Milan stood out for its bold use of color and texture, with designers like Gucci and Prada experimenting with vibrant palettes and unconventional fabrics. The city’s fashion week also highlighted the resurgence of classic Italian tailoring, with a modern twist that appeals to contemporary audiences.
New York Fashion Week, known for its diverse and eclectic mix of designers, continued to push boundaries with its inclusive and innovative shows. This year, the event featured a significant number of emerging designers, reflecting the city’s commitment to nurturing new talent. Key highlights included a focus on gender-neutral collections and collaborations with artists and musicians, adding a multidisciplinary dimension to the runway presentations.
London Fashion Week is celebrated for its avant-garde approach and its ability to surprise and inspire. This season, the city showcased a mix of established designers and newcomers, with a strong emphasis on creativity and individuality. Highlights included experimental silhouettes, bold prints, and a fusion of traditional craftsmanship with modern design techniques. London’s fashion scene also embraced sustainability, with many designers opting for upcycled materials and zero-waste practices.
Beyond the traditional fashion capitals, cities like Tokyo and Shanghai are making their mark on the global fashion scene. Tokyo Fashion Week is known for its unique blend of streetwear and high fashion, with designers drawing inspiration from the city’s vibrant urban culture. Shanghai, on the other hand, is emerging as a hub for luxury fashion, with a growing number of international brands choosing to showcase their collections in the city.
These major fashion capitals continue to play a pivotal role in shaping global fashion trends. Each city brings its own unique flavor to the fashion week circuit, contributing to a rich tapestry of creativity and innovation that defines the industry today.
Emerging Trends and Designers to Watch
One of the most notable trends emerging from recent fashion weeks is the emphasis on sustainability and ethical fashion. Designers are increasingly focusing on eco-friendly materials, ethical production processes, and the reduction of waste. This trend is not only a response to consumer demand but also a reflection of the industry’s growing awareness of its environmental impact.
Another trend gaining traction is the rise of gender-neutral fashion. Designers are breaking away from traditional gender norms, creating collections that celebrate individuality and inclusivity. This shift is evident in the increasing number of gender-neutral collections showcased at fashion weeks, reflecting a broader societal movement towards acceptance and diversity.
The resurgence of vintage and retro styles is also a key trend, with designers drawing inspiration from past decades to create nostalgic yet modern collections. This trend is particularly popular among younger consumers, who are drawn to the authenticity and timeless appeal of vintage-inspired pieces. Designers are reimagining classic silhouettes and incorporating retro elements into contemporary designs, resulting in a fusion of old and new.
In terms of emerging designers, several names are making waves in the fashion industry. London-based designer Priya Ahluwalia is gaining recognition for her sustainable approach to fashion, combining recycled materials with traditional Indian textiles. In New York, designer Christopher John Rogers is celebrated for his bold use of color and dramatic silhouettes, earning him a place among the industry’s rising stars.
In Paris, designer Marine Serre is making her mark with her futuristic and eco-conscious collections. Known for her innovative use of upcycled materials and her signature crescent moon motif, Serre is at the forefront of the sustainable fashion movement. Meanwhile, in Milan, designer Marco Rambaldi is turning heads with his eclectic and inclusive collections, challenging conventional notions of beauty and style.
These emerging trends and designers are redefining the fashion landscape, pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo. As the industry continues to evolve, these trailblazers are paving the way for a more inclusive, sustainable, and innovative future in fashion.
Global Fashion Weeks remain a vital platform for showcasing the creativity and innovation that define the fashion industry. As the events continue to evolve, they reflect broader societal changes, from the growing emphasis on sustainability and inclusivity to the embrace of technology and digital platforms. With major fashion capitals leading the charge and emerging designers making their mark, fashion weeks offer a glimpse into the future of fashion, where creativity knows no bounds and diversity is celebrated. As we look ahead, these events will undoubtedly continue to shape the trends and narratives that define the world of fashion.
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The Finals Season 5 began as an early Christmas gift from Embark. It introduced a new map to explore along with a couple of new weapons and gadgets while also introducing a fresh battle pass for players to grind. Another patch is on the horizon, and Embark has confirmed exactly when The Finals’ next update is coming out over the week of Christmas.
As part of update 5.1.0, Embark introduced a Christmas event for players to enjoy. This is an LTM still available in-game, and the community will want to make the most out of throwing snowballs at other players before the sun returns and the snow melts. In addition, if you haven’t already, players will want to grab the new Season 5 bundles that contain free Legendary and Epic weapon skins with Multibucks.
There is a lot to enjoy in The Finals right now, and the next update is on the cusp of coming out. However, fans shouldn’t expect a plethora of balance changes or fixes.
When The Finals Christmas update comes out
Updates and patches for The Finals typically come out on Wednesday. However, because of Christmas day, this week’s patch has slightly been delayed.
Per community manager, Dunlewey, on Discord, this week’s update is set to come out on Boxing Day, December 26th. It will come out at the same time as the weekly store rotation, so expect it to be shared around 2AM PT/5AM ET/10AM GMT.
In addition to confirming when the patch will arrive, Dunlewey said “it’s a minor patch”. No other details are provided, but fans should simply expect a rotation to the store and not much else.
Image credit: The Finals Discord
Although nothing has been said, it’s possible the first update of 2025 could be delayed also because Wednesday is New Year’s Day. Not only that, but it should be another minor patch as the development team are currently on holidays.
For more The Finals, check out our guide to the best weapons in the game ranked, and we also have a guide to the best gadgets. In addition, we have a guide to the best FPS settings to help you win matches along with a ranking of the best classes in the game.
The Finals
Platform(s):
PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox Series X
Genre(s):
Action, First-Person Shooter, Shooter
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30 Birds is a poetic and humorous adventure game which casually mixes oriental fairy tales with modern mystery. It is set in an enchanting painted world where 2D and 3D complement each others in a unique way. You play as Zig, a mysterious fearless girl. You’re going to find yourself helping a bunch of birds loyal to the bird goddess Simurgh, as the city seems to have been taken over by corrupt politicians and underground criminal groups. To uncover the truth, save the city, and meet Simurgh, you’ll have to investigate, talk to people, explore and gather the thirty birds.
I wanted to take a moment to wish you all a very merry Christmas! And if you don’t celebrate Christmas, then I wish you an awesome 25th of December. These days it seems fewer people have the Christmas cheer. I hope you’re holding onto the fun, the simple joy of the day, whether it’s an extravagant day full of presents and family or something quiet and chill.
As I write this I’ve got a new favourite Christmas movie on in the background: Violent Night. It’s a great time involving David Harbour playing Santa Claus as he is trapped in a situation where mysterious attackers have taken a rich family hostage. Stranded due to his reindeer running away, Santa has to battle the attackers in increasingly violent, bloody fights. it’s a really fun blend of comedy and action, and a dab of wholesome entertainment as Santa has to work with a young kid. Okay, maybe wholesome isn’t the right word because I’ve just watched Santa fill a sock with snooker balls and use it to beat the shit out of a guy. And then he stabbed him the eye with a Christmas star decoration before turning it on and electrocuting the poor bastard. Check it out if you can. It’s on Netflix. You’ll have a great time, as long as you aren’t looking for a wholesome Christmas family flick.
I can’t even begin to tell you how crazy the last year has been. It’s a long story but suffice to say it has involved connecting with a brother I had always assumed I would never get to know. And now he’s here and we’ve had that chance, it’s incredible how quickly he’s become part of my life. We’ve picked up Warhammer as a hobby which turns out is a very dangerous thing to do for your bank account. With his arrival also comes a shocking fact: being sociable and going outside is exhausting. I’m not a naturally extroverted creature, preferring mostly to hang out where the games and food are, but my brother has been dragging me out to eat, visit places and hang out. I don’t know how extroverts do this, man. I’m tired!
I’ll use this as a bit of a New Year wrap-up as well, shall I? Based purely on the views this has been the best year ever, drawing in about 290,000 visits. I know that’s not a lot compared to the big sites and Youtube channels, but it’s kind of a mind-boggling number to me. I’ve somehow written 454 posts this year, totalling 267,000 words. So basically I talk too god-damn much.
As for the website itself, it continues to trundle along. I admit that I still love writing about games there is a little current of frustration flowing throgh my veins at how I seem unable to grow the site properly. The amount of views and people that visit every day, week and month has gone. It’s good that it isn’t going down obviously and I’m immensely thankful for that, but at the same time it doesn’t grow. Except randomly when the magical math that powers the search engine’s bestow upon me some minor blessing, boosting up traffic for weeks or even a few months before it slowly goes back to normal. Why? Who knows! I don’t. It’s a mystery to me. You know how I said this was technicaly the most successful year? Well that’s mostly because of two random months where Google decided to send heaps of traffic my way. Without those, it would have been a static year. But as dar as I can tell, there was nothing different in those few months.
Whatever the reason, I’m left to ponder why I can’t grow the site; is it just because writing about games is a dying/dead artform, only really sustainable by the massive pe-existing sites? Or the more likely one, which is just that I’m not very good at it.
Enough of those dark musings though. I might be a tad annoyed, but I’m stll immensely thankful for everyone that keeps coming back and reading what I do. I still have great fun talking about games, and thanks to all of this *gestures broadly* I get to play a lot of games I wouldn’t normally be able to afford. That’s a very awesome situation to be in, and I’m extremely thankful for it. It’s all thanks to you wonderful people. Yes, even you, whoever you are reading this whom I’ve never met. You might not realise that your single visit, even if you never come again, does have an impact on my life. It makes it a little bit better. It lets me do cool shit. I dunno, I just find the idea of being able to have an effect on someone by doing something so seemingly inconsequential kind of cool, ya know?
And in the end, like I’ve said before, I’ll keep on writing even if there’s just one solitary soul reading, because it’s fun and keeps me sane. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to do better and make the site bigger though.
So enjoy your day, my friends. Enjoy good company, eat tasty food, play some cool games, watch terrible Christmas movies and love life. For those of you out there who maybe can’t do all those things,
