Tag:

December

World of Warcraft is getting player housing in December, ahead of Midnight expansion launch
Game Reviews

World of Warcraft is getting player housing in December, ahead of Midnight expansion launch

by admin


Blizzard has announced that player housing will be coming to World of Warcraft starting 2nd December, ahead of the Midnight expansion launch.

This initial rollout for housing will not be feature-complete, with the full suite of mechanics arriving when it enters the game proper at Midnight’s launch sometime in 2026. With the housing release in December, players will be able to buy a plot of land, establish a neighbourhood with other players, and begin designing your home with a selection of decor items.

Future updates to housing will include hundreds of decorations, including some furnishings that come from older achievements and content from prior expansions such as World of Warcraft: Legion Order Hall completion.

Here’s the full developer Q&A for World of Warcraft: Midnight, that came out alongside the alpha.Watch on YouTube

In addition, players will be able to level up their houses over time, which provides increased interior and exterior decor placement budget, fixture budget, and room placement budget. Neighbourhoods can be both private and public, allowing those from the same guild to build up an estate of sorts together within a variety of biomes.

Not only that, but neighbourhoods will be able to participate in endeavors. These are monthly neighbourhood events that provide exclusive decor to use on participants’ homes. As such, some level of community collaboration is intended for the housing system.

World of Warcraft: Midnight is the second part of a three-part trilogy, which started with The War Within last year. It’ll take players back to Silvermoon city, where the Blood Elves are having a rough time fending off void ne’er-do-wells. In addition players will be able to play as the Haranir as an allied race, a faction of note throughout The War Within’s narrative.

When Blizzard first announced housing it did so with a subtle jab at Final Fantasy 14, another popular MMO with its own housing system and housing-related problems. It’s worth noting that unlike Final Fantasy 14, housing isn’t limited in World of Warcraft, so players won’t be unable to get a house come December, which is good!



Source link

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Sec Targets Crypto Rule Exemption By December Under New Approach
GameFi Guides

SEC Targets Crypto Rule Exemption By December Under New Approach

by admin



The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) plans to introduce a conditional rule exemption for crypto firms by the end of 2025, signaling a shift away from enforcement-first policies. The move, revealed by SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, is part of a broader push to give digital asset companies more regulatory breathing room to launch new products without clearing the traditional compliance gauntlet.

Dubbed an “innovation exemption,” the proposal would allow certain crypto projects to bypass existing SEC rules that Atkins has described as “incompatible or burdensome” for emerging technologies. The plan aligns with President Trump’s stated goal of establishing the U.S. as a leader in crypto development and signals a departure from the aggressive enforcement strategy led by former SEC Chair Gary Gensler.

SEC rollback clears path for pro-crypto reset

The agency is working to provide a “stable platform” for crypto product launches, while also advancing efforts to establish new regulatory rules for digital assets. A week ago, he emphasized the need to revitalize U.S. capital markets, pointing to a sharp decline in publicly traded companies over the past 30 years. “I want to make IPOs great again,” Atkins said, echoing familiar political messaging from the Trump era.

The exemption proposal follows a series of enforcement reversals at the Commission, including the dismissal of several lawsuits initiated under Gary Gensler’s leadership. It coincides with the formation of an internal crypto task force charged with developing a regulatory structure that keeps pace with innovation. 

While specific details remain scarce, the SEC aims to finalize the rule by year’s end, a timeline that aligns with former President Trump’s broader efforts to position the U.S. as a hub for crypto, including his reported involvement in easing terms of Binance’s $4.3 billion plea agreement amid scrutiny over ties between his family and the exchange.

Also read: SEC Approves New Standards to Fast-Track Spot Crypto ETFs Listings



Source link

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Decrypt logo
Crypto Trends

Ethereum Devs Set December Date for Fusaka Upgrade

by admin



In brief

  • Mainnet activation is set for December 3, with testnets starting in October.
  • Recent testing suggested raising blob capacity in phases.
  • Further tests will confirm those numbers before rollout.

Ethereum developers have set Dec. 3, 2025, as the mainnet activation date for the Fusaka upgrade, nudging forward a timeline that had been expected to extend well into 2026.

The decision came after testing on Fusaka Devnet-5, which highlighted some software bugs and setup errors that cut short the time developers had to measure data capacity, according to a summary from researcher Christine Kim.

During the brief period when the test network was stable, developers agreed to raise blob capacity in two steps: First to 10/15 blobs per block, then to 14/21. A blob on Ethereum is a temporary data packet that rollups, or bundling and scaling solutions on the network, use to post transaction data to the blockchain at lower costs.

Another Ethereum test network, called Devnet-6, will be launched soon to double-check those numbers before they go live on public testnets and mainnet, per the call logs.



Developers found that the Prysm client, one of Ethereum’s major validator clients, struggled under high loads, creating orphaned blocks.

Validator clients are the software running Ethereum’s proof-of-stake system, responsible for proposing and verifying blocks. A block is “orphaned” when it was produced correctly by a validator, but was rejected because the network chose a different block for the same spot in the chain.

Ethereum researcher Justin Traglia said a bug in the ckzg library, used to verify blobs, had been fixed, and added that a lighter version is being prepared to make upgrades easier for client teams.

The Ethereum Foundation did not immediately return Decrypt’s request for comments.

According to the notes from Kim, the faster timeline is aimed at giving rollups more blob space to handle transactions and keep fees low, with capacity raised step by step to reduce the risk of overloading the network. Over the call, developers also confirmed that client teams will ship bundled releases for the October testnet upgrades and run shadow forks, or copies of Ethereum’s main network,  ahead of deployment. The developers then agreed that delays remain possible if new bugs appear or if testing falls short.

The Fusaka upgrade follows Pectra, which was rolled out in May and helped make the Ethereum network easier to use, raised staking limits, and boosted data capacity to reduce costs for rollups.

At the time, industry observers touted Pectra as a turning point for Ethereum’s roadmap, but also warned that scaling pressures would persist, with rollups needing far more blob capacity to stay uncongested as usage grows.

Fusaka is designed to address that demand, phasing in higher blob limits much sooner as network activity continues to increase.

Daily Debrief Newsletter

Start every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.



Source link

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Ethereum
NFT Gaming

Ethereum Devs Disclose New Fusaka Upgrade For December 3: What You Need to Know

by admin


Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

Ethereum (ETH) is set to introduce its latest upgrade, dubbed the Fusaka upgrade, on December 3, 2025, a timeline that has been accelerated from previous expectations of a 2026 launch. This announcement comes from Christine Kim, a researcher monitoring Ethereum’s development progress. 

The confirmation of the mainnet activation date was made during the recent All Core Developers Consensus (ACDC) call, where developers also established schedules for public testnet upgrades and the blob-parameter-only (BPO) hard fork related to Fusaka.

Ethereum’s Fusaka Devnet Update

The developers reached a consensus on these matters with surprising ease, indicating a smooth path forward despite ongoing testing challenges. They remain committed to the December activation date, barring any major setbacks during the next few months of testing. 

Currently, two versions of the Fusaka Devnet are in operation. Devnet-3 is stable, with client teams actively addressing software fixes. Meanwhile, Devnet-5 is also stable but encountered issues earlier this week, including multiple client bugs and node misconfigurations. 

These problems have reportedly limited the team’s ability to gather critical data on Blob-Parameter-Only (BPO) values. However, insights were still derived from a brief period of stability on Devnet-5, leading to recommendations for setting maximum blob counts for the upcoming hard forks.

Looking ahead, the Ethereum Foundation’s EthPandaOps team plans to roll out Fusaka Devnet-6 in the coming weeks to validate the findings from Devnet-5. 

The team is focused on addressing a bug in the Prysm client that has emerged on Devnet-5, which appears to be linked to high blob counts resulting in orphaned blocks. Additionally, a recent update to the “ckzg” library has resolved prior issues, with a new version now available on GitHub.

Upcoming Testnets 

The timeline for the Fusaka rollout is well-defined, with several key upgrades scheduled before the mainnet activation. Upcoming testnets include the Holesky upgrade on October 1, the Sepolia upgrade on October 14, and the Hoodi upgrade on October 28. 

Developers agreed that client teams should consolidate their releases for these testnet upgrades but can individually publish updates closer to the mainnet activation.

In a separate but related development, the Ethereum community is engaged in discussions regarding the naming of a new consensus layer upgrade, referred to as Glamsterdam. 

This will also involve the deprecation of the Sepolia testnet, although developers assured that there would be ample time for the community to adapt to this change, with the new testnet expected to launch in March 2026.

The daily chart shows ETH’s price consolidating below the $4,500 mark. Source: ETHUSDT on TradingView.com

At the time of writing, Ethereum trades at $4.460, recording a 3.5% price drop in the 24-hour time frame. Still, the altcoin registers gains of 80% year-to-date. 

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.



Source link

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Scattered pile of $1 bills (Gerd Altmann/Pixabay)
Crypto Trends

ETH News: Fusaka Coming in December

by admin



Ethereum core developers have confirmed a tentative roadmap for the network’s next major upgrade, Fusaka, during Thursday’s All Core Developers Consensus (ACDC) call.

The upgrade, designed to further scale the blockchain, is now scheduled for early December, with follow-up changes aimed at more than doubling blob capacity in the weeks after.

Before the Fusaka upgrade reaches Ethereum’s mainnet, developers will push the code through three public test networks in October.

If those tests proceed smoothly, the mainnet activation is targeted for Dec. 3. Developers noted that exact epoch numbers and timing will be confirmed in the coming days.

Blob Capacity Expansion via BPO Forks

While Fusaka itself won’t immediately change blob parameters, the call outlined a phased approach to scaling blob availability through so-called Blob Parameter Only (BPO) forks.

One week after Fusaka BPO-1 will raise the blog target/max from 6/9 to 10/15, then one week later BPO-2 will push the limit to 14/21.

These incremental changes are based on performance observed on the Fusaka Devnet-5 and are intended to safely expand capacity without requiring client-side software updates.

Blobs, introduced in March’s Dencun upgrade, allow Ethereum to store large amounts of rollup transaction data more efficiently, reducing costs for users of layer-2 scaling networks.

Looking Ahead

Ethereum researcher Christine Kim, who reported the call highlights on X, noted that additional BPOs remain on the roadmap for Fusaka, although only the first two were scheduled in this week’s call.

A detailed timeline of the Fusaka and BPO activations is available via Ethereum’s public notes.

The Fusaka rollout follows May’s Pectra upgrade, which introduced validator staking changes and new account abstraction features, underscoring Ethereum’s ongoing push to optimize scalability and network efficiency.



Source link

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Decrypt logo
GameFi Guides

Bitcoin Steady as Fed Cuts Interest Rates for First Time Since December

by admin



In brief

  • The Federal Reserve had kept interest rates unchanged since last December.
  • U.S. President Donald Trump has been hammering the Fed to cut rates.
  • Crypto and other assets typically benefit from rate cuts that increase financial liquidity.

The U.S. central bank, as widely expected, cut the federal funds rate by 0.25% Wednesday, amid recent signs that the economy was faltering and needed a boost—and under relentless pressure from President Donald Trump.

Bitcoin and other major digital assets traded largely flat  in the immediate aftermath. The largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization was recently changing hands just above $116,000, up 0.2% over the past hour hours, according to crypto markets data provider CoinGecko. BTC rallied in recent days with investors possibly pricing in the anticipated decision.

Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market value, was trading at $4,501, flat over the same period.

The Fed slashed the interest rate to a range between 4% and 4.25% after a downward revision in a Department of Labor report showing that the U.S had created 911,000 fewer jobs than initially reported for a year-long period ending in March, and other concerning economic signs.

Those seemed to outweigh the threat of inflation, which has risen to 2.9% on an annual basis, stubbornly above the bank’s longstanding 2% goal. The Fed has a dual mission to keep inflation low and ensure full employment.

Central bankers had kept rates unmoved over five meetings this year over inflation concerns, with Fed Chair Jerome Powell vowing after these decisions to remain data-driven in focus. The bank dropped rates a percentage point in three late 2024 rate cuts as prices slackened and raised expectations for additional cuts this year.

Fearful that his administration will be saddled with an economic cratering, Trump has hotly criticized the bank for not following through and looked to replace Fed governors with his own more dovish selections. On Tuesday, White House advisor Stephen Miran was sworn in to serve out the remaining four months of a term left open when Adriana Kugler resigned in August.

The same day, a federal appeals court blocked Trump’s firing of Fed governor Lisa Cook, whom he considered—possibly wrongly—of being an obstacle to a rate cut. By numerous accounts, Cook is considered less restrictive about monetary policy. Trump has also hotly criticized Powell.

The CME’s FedWatch tool, the widely watched measure of investor sentiment, forecast a 96% probability of a rate reduction in the days leading up to the decision.

Still, investors have been unbalanced by the White House-Fed feud and ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties, including Trump’s global trade war. Gold, the traditional safe haven asset, rose to a record high on Tuesday above $3,730. It is up more than 10% over the past month.



And a Myriad market found that nearly nine in 10 users expect the price of Bitcoin, which is often likened to gold, to remain above $105,000 throughout September.

(Disclosure: Myriad is a prediction market and engagement platform developed by Dastan, parent company of an editorially independent Decrypt.)

In her Crypto Is Macro Now newsletter, crypto markets researcher Noelle Acheson noted that updated projections showing end-of-year gains for unemployment and insurance and Powell’s comments about the Fed’s approach following Wednesday’s announcement could “encourage or spook” markets.

“He might studiously avoid saying anything at all, but that itself would be a signal. Or, he could hint that a new easing cycle has begun, with consecutive cuts in coming months. Or, he could reiterate the need to wait for more data on inflation and employment,” Acheson wrote. “As usual, his words will be parsed carefully for deviations from the expected tropes, and as usual, too much will be read into them.”

Daily Debrief Newsletter

Start every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.



Source link

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Sims challenger Paralives is out in December, so it's time to scientifically assess those flirting animations
Game Updates

Sims challenger Paralives is out in December, so it’s time to scientifically assess those flirting animations

by admin


“What does flirting actually look like?” is one of several, quintessentially Friday-afternoon questions raised by the latest development footage for Paralives, the upcoming life sim with its heart set on stealing yours away from The Sims.

We last covered Paralives in October last year, when the devs confirmed an early access release in 2025. That early access launch date, 8th December, is fast approaching, so it’s high time we treated this would-be Maxis-feller to some fresh scrutiny. If only to stop ourselves thinking about The Sims 4’s harrowing suite of imaginary friends.

So: what does flirting actually look like? Paralives thinks it looks like smiling and making eye contact and maybe leaning in a bit closer than you otherwise would. Maybe fluttering your hands around in a delicately come-hither way. Witness the simmering emotions in the below development video, just published on the developer’s site. All the animations are created with reference to the moderately context-sensitive Together Cards you’ll play to direct conversations.

Watch on YouTube

As in most other departments, The Sims prefers to play things slapstick. I myself adhere to the Mr Darcy/Kaguya-sama approach to flirting, which consists of looking steadily at a ceiling corner while making no sudden movements. You know, kind of like how you’d defuse an argument with a bear. If it’s really going well, I’ll storm out of the room and stop speaking to that person for months. Believe it or not, this method has worked at least once.

The video also includes some animations for how Parafolks, as they’re called, talk to children. The devs are currently working on bespoke animations for kids, looking at what they can carry over from the adults, and what needs to be “made from scratch”. This aside makes me wonder after the possibility of a life sim in which kids pick up body language from parental figures. Similar to this scene in The Invincibles.

Alice Bee (RPS in peace) compared Paralives favourably to what we then knew of The Sims 5 in 2022. I like the looks of it rather more than I do this year’s other big Sims competitor – burbanite frightfest InZOI, which Jay Castello summarised in our early access review as “an endless series of vapid, corporate-feeling interactions that never lend themselves to interesting storytelling”. Paralives is a smalltown affair, and much less glossy – check out this antique shop, for example.

I do worry it might be wholesome to a fault, though. The game’s Steam page blurb is bracingly unromantic: “You live and then you die. But at least do it in a nice house!” The action in-game, however, seems very feelgoody-two-shoes, notwithstanding the obligatory option to shut your characters in doorless rooms.

The Sims has been a success partly because it has quite a pronounced nasty streak born of understanding the sociopathic tendencies of certain players – The Sims 4 has whole expansion packs dedicated to death. I’d like to see some of that energy in Paralives, and a little less parafolksiness. At the very least, they could let me romance people by giving no outward impression that I am conscious they exist.

This being an article about life sims, I will spare a thought for the cancelled Life By You and its shuttered creators, Paradox Tectonic. The game’s former publishers Paradox Interactive are still interested in making a Sims competitor, but have said they need to “start smaller” next time.



Source link

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Hits Nintendo Switch 2 And Switch This December
Game Updates

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Hits Nintendo Switch 2 And Switch This December

by admin


Nintendo has revealed that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will launch this December. More specifically, it hits Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch on December 4, and that same day, a Sylux amiibo will hit stores, too. Before that, though, you can pick up a Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Samus amiibo and a Samus + Vi-0-La (motorcycle) amiibo on November 6. 

Nintendo announced this news during today’s Nintendo Direct with a new gameplay trailer showcasing Samus in a desert biome, utilizing a new tool in her arsenal: a motorbike. Its official name is Vi-0-La, and it’s the bike featured in the aforementioned amiibo. The trailer also gives us a new cinematic look at Sylux, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond’s first-person gameplay, and more. 

Check it out for yourself in the Metroid Prime 4: Beyond release date trailer below: 

 

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond hits Switch 2 and Switch on December 4. 

In the meantime, read Game Informer’s hands-on preview of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and then check out this Metroid Prime 4: Beyond gameplay trailer from earlier this year. 

Are you picking up any of these Metroid Prime 4: Beyond amiibo? Let us know in the comments below!



Source link

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Fallout 4K Blu-Ray Deal - Catch Up Before Season 2's December Premiere
Game Updates

Fallout 4K Blu-Ray Deal – Catch Up Before Season 2’s December Premiere

by admin



Season 1 of Amazon’s Fallout adaptation is up for grabs for $30 on 4K Blu-ray at Amazon. Fallout Season 1 released on 4K and 1080p Blu-ray as well as DVD on July 8. With Amazon’s current deal, the 4K Blu-ray edition is the same price as the 1080p edition.

Now’s not a bad time to catch up or rewatch Season 1, as Amazon has revealed Fallout Season 2 will premiere December 17. Unlike Season 1, which released all of its episodes on the same day, Season 2 will follow a traditional weekly schedule. Episodes will stream on Wednesdays, with the Season 2 finale slated for February 4.

Watch Fallout Season 1

To be clear, the Fallout 4K Blu-ray deal is for the standard edition with a plastic case, not Amazon’s exclusive Steelbook Edition. The collectible 4K Blu-ray edition sold out shortly after preorders opened in April. We saw brief restocks during launch week and in mid-July, but it’s been sold out for about a month now. Amazon has indicated this truly is a limited-edition release, so we wouldn’t be surprised if the Steelbook Edition is gone for good.

$30 (was $40)

Fallout: Season 1 is a three-disc set featuring all eight episodes in 4K resolution (2160p) with HDR (Dolby Vision and HDR10). It also supports enhanced audio with Dolby Atmos and Dolby TrueHD 7.1 surround sound.

Season 1’s eight episodes clock in at 450 minutes (7.5 hours). After you’re done, you can pop in the special features disc and watch an assortment of behind-the-scenes featurettes. Like many other 4K releases of shows and movies, the bonus content is on a regular Blu-ray disc instead of 4K.

You can check out the full list of special features below:

Fallout: Season 1 Special Features:

  • Animated Content
  • Console to Camera
  • Inside Season 1
  • Prosthetics & Makeup Gone Nuclear
  • Set Your Sets on 2296
  • Welcome to the World of Fallout
  • Becoming The Ghoul
  • Creating the Wasteland
  • Safe and Sound
  • Meet the Filmmaker Jonathan Nolan
  • The Costumes of Fallout
  • Writing for the Wasteland

Season 1 released on Prime Video last April and earned positive reviews from critics and fans, making it one of the few live-action video game adaptations for TV that lived up to its namesake. It’s fairly uncommon for Amazon to release its original shows on Blu-ray, so it’s cool that Fallout is now available to watch without a subscription. The physical editions were manufactured and distributed by Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment.

The show follows three characters as they trek across the Wasteland–a Vault dweller heading above ground for the first time, a squire of the Brotherhood of Steel, and a deadly bounty hunter known as The Ghoul.

We’ve rounded up some cool Fallout merch below, in case you want to add some collectibles to your display shelves.

Tubbz Vault Boy Plush Duck

The official Fallout Store on Amazon is loaded with products themed around the Prime Video show and Bethesda’s game series. From backpacks and hoodies to records and figurines, there’s a little bit of everything, including a Vault Boy plush fashioned as a rubber duck, as shown above. You can also get Vault Boy, Vault Girl, Nuka-Cola, and more characters fashioned as vinyl rubber duck figures. Nuka-Girl is on sale for $8.79 (was $20), while the T-51 duck is only five bucks.

Fallout: Tubbz Rubber Duck Vinyl Figures

Fallout Action Figures

If you like action figures and statues, check out this four-pack of six-inch Fallout figures. You could also grab the premium Fallout Maximus Figure by Dark Horse for $55 (was $70). Standing 10 inches tall, the hand-painted Brotherhood of Steel collectible is a great addition to any home theater or game room.

Fallout Mega Bloks Building Sets

Fallout T-60 Power Armor Mega Bloks Set

Fallout fans who like construction sets should check out the pair of Mega Bloks sets based on the Fallout 4 video game. Both sets released last year and were sold out for months before Amazon restocked them earlier this year. The Amazon-exclusive Mega Fallout T-60 Power Armor Set comes with five micro action figures and buildable rigs (327 pieces) for $32.39. The Mega Fallout: Red Rocket Truck Stop Set is a larger 824-piece playset with multiple figures and game-accurate details. You can pick up this set for $70 (was $86).

Speaking of post-apocalyptic TV series based on video games that have received good reviews, The Last of Us Season 2 releases on 4K Blu-ray on September 23. The Limited Edition Steelbook is still available to preorder, and Amazon has dropped the price from $47 to $35.



Source link

0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Close