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To Grow, Web3 Needs To Rely On Web2
Crypto Trends

To Grow, Web3 Needs To Rely On Web2

by admin



Opinion by: Richard Johnson, chief operating officer of Data Guardians Network 

In the ongoing drive to increase Web3 adoption, many Web3 enthusiasts and organizations continue to call for industries to move away from Web2 processes. 

Whether it’s trying to make Web3 tools feel like a Web2 application or redefining business models to focus more on Web3 infrastructure, there is a vocal group that believes in demolishing Web2 for Web3 to grow. 

This view is flawed. 

Replacing existing systems is neither practical nor beneficial in the short term and risks limiting Web3’s growth and potential.

Getting people on side

Web3 offers solutions to challenges from economic issues to daily tasks, but it remains complex and intimidating outside the industry.

Meanwhile, Oxford University has identified the “trust paradox” of blockchain technology: The contradiction between blockchain’s assurances of removing worries over trust is inherently held back by the public image lacking confidence in the technology. Together, these trends demonstrate a broader confusion and lack of engagement from the mass market. 

This trend fundamentally means that users will most likely “play it safe” with Web2 applications rather than risk experimenting on Web3. It’s this barrier that slows Web3 adoption. Innovators cannot rely solely on the benefits of Web3 but instead must engage with the existing infrastructure if they hope to draw in a wider audience. 

Related: Here’s how hybrid blockchain solutions bridge the gap between Web2 and Web3

The Web3 scaffold 

Collaboration between Web2 and Web3 is already happening, primarily driven by Web2 providers. In finance, giants like PayPal, Visa and major banks are integrating crypto and blockchain services, legitimizing them for the mass market. Beyond finance, Amazon Web Services has launched Web3 labs, and Google Cloud is working with zero-knowledge proofs, weaving Web3 into traditional offerings.

While Web2 applications are pushing for a middle ground, Web3 developers can and should be doing the same, leveraging Web2’s established market to scale faster. Just as 4G supported the rollout of 5G, Web2 processes can help build better Web3 apps.

Looking at this in practice

Web3 developers can balance decentralization with the convenience users expect from Web2 by prioritizing accessibility, from sleek UX to human-readable names. They should also recognize how their products could benefit Web2 organizations. 

Too often, Web3 enthusiasts assume their approach’s superiority is obvious, avoiding the work of explaining why it is better. This risks alienating users instead of winning them over. Demonstrating practical advantages through engagement with Web2 offerings can help bridge the gap between both sectors.

A clear example is the synergy between AI and blockchain. If every piece of data used to train an AI model were immutably tracked on blockchain, whether original or frontier data, its origin, usage and outcomes could be verified instantly, eliminating such disputes. 

Fundamentally, a good idea will deliver whether it is a Web3 application or not. 

Demonstrating this value — even if it means engaging with Web2 sectors — will enhance the legitimacy of the tool and gain greater attention from the mass market.

Engaging to innovate

While it may feel uncomfortable to lean into Web2 to establish a greater trust in a Web3 tool, the benefits are undeniable. Bringing any form of technology to the mass market can generate a range of issues, including day-one bugs or scaling challenges. Research from Nielsen shows that usability testing with real-world users can improve a product’s success rate by up to 500%. In this way, getting Web2 users to dip their toes into Web3 applications will mean a greater end product.

Debates over “Web2 vs. Web3” may grab attention, but successful companies rarely define themselves by the label. They are AI firms, financial institutions, consumer platforms and data companies, using whatever tools best serve their market. No customer wakes up wanting to use “a Web3 app”; they want better banking, smarter AI or more useful platforms. 

The winners will be those quietly using Web3 to solve real problems, not chasing purity points.

Working with Web2 expands the user base, creating more opportunities to test, iterate and improve. Web3’s passionate community has yet to reach mass-market appeal, and achieving that means embracing Web2 processes, habits and infrastructure that have shaped technology adoption for decades.

Opinion by: Richard Johnson, chief operating officer of Data Guardians Network.

This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.



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The Thrustmaster T98 on a living room setup.
Gaming Gear

This racing wheel took me back to my childhood, and I can’t wait to grow up

by admin



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Thrustmaster T98: One-minute review

The Thrustmaster T98 is about as budget as a budget racing wheel and pedals can get, but that’s by design. This entry-level bundle includes everything a young racer needs to get started with a wheel, pedals, and mounting clamp, but does away with plenty of standard features in order to keep costs down.

Feeling more like a racing toy than a piece of sim racing gear, the T98 is made entirely of plastic but still carries an impressive overall build quality. The wheel itself has all the usual buttons and inputs, but the attached wheelbase offers no force feedback or even simple vibration. Instead, the T98’s wheel has a light, linear resistance from what Thrustmaster calls ‘bungee cord technology’ and will always spin back to centre when let go

The pedals are equally simple, just an accelerator and brake with a short travel distance and no real pushback. Remarkably, though, Thrustmaster has managed to include Hall effect sensors here, which almost feels out of place with the rest of the unit but is certainly a welcome addition.

I’ve hit the track in a few different games, and while racing with the Thrustmaster T98 is more fun than with the stock Xbox Wireless Controller, it’s a very superficial experience. The wheel feels floaty and disconnected from your digital car, making it surprisingly hard to achieve any real control, even with three sensitivity profiles to choose from.

It may be targeted at kids and the entry-level market, and I can see such an audience initially enjoying it, but I’d imagine most will quickly outgrow the T98 and soon be wanting a wheel that offers a little more.

(Image credit: Future)

  • Thrustmaster T98 (Black) at Amazon for $119.99

Thrustmaster T98: Price and availability

  • List price: $109.99 / £89.99 / AU$199.99
  • Available direct from Thrustmaster
  • Great value for money for an entry level wheel

You’re not going to find many full racing bundles much cheaper than the Thrustmaster T98, and that’s worthy of applause in itself.

It’s a refreshing change to see a genuine, modern, entry-level option around that $100 mark. Perhaps more importantly, it’s nice to see brands starting to fill in options at both ends of the market. Beyond the similarly priced Hori Racing Wheel Apex for PlayStation, the numbers quickly increase until you reach the genre staple Logitech G923 racing wheel.

What’s particularly pleasing is that the T98 is a complete set; there are no asterisks or sold separately disclaimers here. There’s even a desk clamp included, too; one box really is all you need to go from nothing to racing.

This makes shopping easy for parents, just make sure you get the right version, as there are separate Xbox and PlayStation variants with just a single letter differentiating the model names – GTS for Xbox and GTB for PlayStation.

Thrustmaster T98: Specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Dimensions

10 x 9.6 x 9.8in / 255 x 245 x 250 mm

Weight

2.9 lbs / 1.3kg

Rotation

240 degrees

Force Feedback

No

Platform Compatibility

Xbox/PC or PlayStation/PC

Box Contents

T98 Ferrari 296, clamping system, T2PM pedal set, instruction manual, and warranty information

Thrustmaster T98: Design and features

  • Complete set with wheel, pedals, and table clamp
  • Three on-board driving profiles
  • H.E.A.R.T. Hall effect sensors in pedals

At this price point, it’s really no surprise that every part of the Thrustmaster T98 bundle is entirely made of plastic. Usually, I’d be critical of this; it’s not exactly the most premium material, but this isn’t a premium bit of kit, so it’s understandable. As far as plastic goes, it’s not bad, though.

Pulling it out of the box, I was immediately struck by just how solid the wheel and wheelbase both feel. There’s no flex or creakiness to either of them; they feel reassuringly sturdy. Thrustmaster’s experience in the genre really shows here, even if this is the closest thing to a toy it’s ever made.

The Thrustmaster T98’s 10” wheel is inspired by the one you’ll find in the Ferrari 296 GTS, and it’s not a bad recreation. The overall shape is sporty, and it’s comfortable enough to hold. There’s a little grip texturing embossed into the plastic on either side, which is a welcome addition, and a few faux carbon fibre accents to break things up.

The standard range of controller buttons is neatly spread across the face of the wheel, with a pair of clicky paddle shifters behind. I could easily reach all of them without adjusting my grip on the wheel, and it’s something I not only appreciated but have regularly not been able to do with more expensive options.

Admittedly, I have reasonably large hands, but they all felt close enough that I imagine smaller users would be able to reach them just as easily.

(Image credit: Future)

The Thrustmaster T98’s wheelbase is simple but stylish enough. It’s a compact little unit that takes its design cues from more ‘grown-up’ options, albeit with considerably less going on inside. The included desk clamp took a little fiddling to correctly line up, but eventually held things firmly in place.

With no force feedback and no vibration or rumble motor, it’s left to essentially a rubber band to impose any sort of resistance. It’s not uncommon for wheels to forego force feedback. Logitech’s Heavy Equipment Bundle will set you back nearly three times as much and offers the same experience, but that doesn’t make me miss it any less.

The pedals are the most basic part of the Thrustmaster T98 bundle, though funnily enough feature the most advanced technology. Both the accelerator and brake feel similar underfoot without much travel distance and an equally small amount of resistance. These are definitely designed with junior racers in mind. If you’re pressing it, you might as well floor it; there’s no real in-between.

That makes the inclusion of Thrustmaster’s H.E.A.R.T. Hall effect sensors in each pedal a little unusual. I’m not complaining, it’s great to see this kind of technology in a budget device, I’m just not sure anyone is going to see the benefit beyond some extra lifespan and no chance of stick – I mean, pedal – drift.

Speaking of which, there’s a good chance you’ll find the whole unit drifting across your floor because while there’s a generously sized heel plate with some texturing on top, the bottom of the pedal box is pretty slick.

There’s no spikey carpet gripper bar to keep things still, and while there are four tiny rubber pads, these didn’t achieve a lot when I tested on my laminate floor.

Thrustmaster T98: Performance

  • Impressive plug-and-play game compatibility
  • No force feedback or rumble
  • Bungee cord resistance has quirks and a learning curve

“It’s not aimed at sim racers, it’s aimed at kids, for first-time steering wheel users”. That’s what Thrustmaster product marketing manager Xavier Pieuchot told us when we got our first look at the T98 at Gamescom in August.

Well, I’m none of those things. I do quite a lot of sim racing, and my usual setup is worth north of $2,000. I know what the top end of the market is like, so I channeled my inner child when I played with the Thrustmaster T98.

Setup was a breeze, and actually an area the T98 performed better than a vast majority of considerably more expensive wheels I’ve tested in recent times.

I plugged in the single, pre-attached cable from the pedals to the wheelbase, and then the USB-C cable from the wheelbase to my Xbox Series X. That’s it. Done. Ready to race. The list of officially compatible games on the Thrustmaster website is surprisingly modest, but pretend-8-year-old Alex doesn’t read product listings, so my first stop was a game not on the list, Forza Motorsport.

Who needs compatibility lists anyway? The Thrustmaster T98 worked perfectly from the moment the game launched. Every button was pre-bound to what I’d have expected it to be, including the pedals, and without even considering an options menu, I was straight out on track and racing.

I can’t overstate how refreshing this was and how many times this hasn’t been the case with ‘premium’ options. It was the same story in almost any other game I tried; Forza Horizon 5, EA Sports WRC, Farming Simulator 25, and even older titles like Wreckfest, everything was fully button-mapped, and the wheel and pedals worked exactly how I’d hoped they would.

(Image credit: Future)

Unfortunately, the actual experience behind the wheel wasn’t quite as positive for either my experienced sim racing side or my childhood alter ego. I can overlook the lack of force feedback; that’s a nice-to-have feature, albeit a basic one, and I remind myself this is a $110 wheel after all. The problem is that while the Thrustmaster T98 was more of a giggle to play with than a controller, even the adult me found the learning curve and overall difficulty much harder than it should have been.

Thrustmaster calls the bungee resistance linear, though I experienced quite a wide physical deadzone before the cord grabbed. For hard corners and aggressive moves, this wasn’t a problem. The 240° max rotation can be a little limiting on some tracks, but I still had a good amount of fun. Across titles, though, it was the gentle, sweeping turns, small adjustments, and overtaking manoeuvres that proved surprisingly difficult.

I’d constantly need to turn the wheel further than I’d like to get the car to respond, and then quickly correct it back the other way when it inevitably went too far. More often than not, this caused me to lose control completely and end up against a wall, even down straights. It was a frustrating experience for me as a 33-year-old; I can’t imagine how much patience a 10-year-old might have before giving up and labelling it dumb and annoying.

There are three ‘driving support profiles’ built into the Thrustmaster T98 that adjust the sensitivity of the wheel. I did notice a clear difference between each setting, and it’s a nice idea to be able to dial down the sensitivity and, in theory, make things easier, though none of them managed to overcome the problem I mentioned before.

It’s also worth noting that these don’t change any physical characteristics of the wheel’s behavior, just how your movements are translated into the game.

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Thrustmaster T98?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Also consider

Not sure if the Thrustmaster T98 is your best option? There are plenty of other sim racing wheels available, though not too many at quite such a low price point.

Swipe to scroll horizontallyRow 0 – Cell 0

Thrustmaster T98

Hori Racing Wheel Apex

Logitech G920

Price

$109.99 / £89.99

$119.99 / £99.99

$299.99 / £349.99

Dimensions

10 x 9.6 x 9.8in / 255 x 245 x 250 mm

11 x 10.8 x 11.3in / 280 x 275 x 286mm

10.6 x 10.2 x 10.9in / 270 x 260 x 278mm

Weight

2.9lbs / 1.3kg

3.09lbs / 1.4kg

4.96lbs / 2.25kg

Rotation

240 degrees

270 degrees

900 degrees

Force Feedback

No

No

Dual-motor

(Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Thrustmaster T98

  • I used the T98 on my Xbox Series X for a few days
  • Tested across a range of titles
  • Approached as a complete beginner

I swapped out some of the best Xbox racing wheels and used the Thrustmaster T98 as my primary racing wheel on Xbox Series X for a week. At this time, I reset my expectations, approaching this as a complete novice and casting my mind back to how I’d have felt about this as a child.

I tried a range of different games, including options both on and absent from the official compatibility list.

I jumped into each title blind, avoiding any configuration or settings menus. I aimed for the most plug-and-play experience possible, seeing how the T98 felt in each game out of the box. The only change I made was testing the three on-board driving profiles in each game, often switching multiple times during a single lap to feel the impact this had.

Throughout testing, I had the Thrustmaster T98 clamped to a coffee table with the pedals resting on the floor. Primarily, this was carpeted, though I also moved my setup into the hallway to test movement and feel on a hard, laminate floor.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed September 2025

Thrustmaster T98: Price Comparison



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Algorand bets on gamification to grow retail community
NFT Gaming

Algorand bets on gamification to grow retail community

by admin



Algorand’s head of strategy and marketing, Marc Vanlerberghe, explains how the network plans to take on other DeFi giants.

Summary

  • Algorand is preparing a completely on-chain retail-focused rewards campaign
  • The chain seeks to highlight Algorand’s speed, security, and ease of use
  • Marc Vanlerberghe, Algorand’s Head of Strategy and Marketing, explains why the network avoids hype

Algorand is launching a major campaign that hopes to close the awareness gap when it comes to its technical capabilities, UX, and community. The 13-week gamified campaign, set to start on September 22, hopes to engage Web3 users and demonstrate what the network can do.

Marc Vanlerberghe, Algorand’s Head of Strategy and Marketing, explained to crypto.news the inner workings and the goals of the campaign, as well as some of the advantages he believes Algorand has over other chains.

Crypto.news: You’ve recently unveiled an on-chain rewards campaign. What are some elements that set it apart?

Marc Vanlerberghe: We’ve designed the campaign differently. It’s completely gamified — a 13-week experience where users earn points instead of direct payouts. We’re avoiding “do this transaction and get $5” mechanics, because those just attract farmers who move on once the rewards dry up. Instead, users earn points that could translate into prizes.

The second key element is community building. Real stickiness comes from people feeling part of the Algorand (ALGO) ecosystem, not from one-off payments. A lot of the campaign is focused on onboarding users into the Algorand community.

What is more, the entire campaign is being run on-chain. Points, referrals, and game mechanics are all recorded on-chain. Even the prize winners are selected by the chain itself, using Algorand’s verifiable random function.

Our consensus mechanism is built on VRF — a lottery system where every algo you stake is like a lottery ticket. Every round, block proposers are selected randomly. The more algos you stake, the higher your chance.

What makes this secure is that each node runs the lottery locally. When a node wins, it proposes a block and attaches cryptographic proof. Only then does the network know who the proposer is — and by that time, it’s too late for an attacker to act.

It’s a very elegant design: lightweight, resilient, and highly decentralized. You don’t need big data centers to run a node — I run one on a mini-PC. Anyone can do it, which is the ultimate proof of decentralization. If only data centers could run nodes, you wouldn’t have censorship resistance. But with Algorand, you do.

CN: What are your main goals with the rewards program?

MV: The goal is to attract more retail users to Algorand. We’re not targeting Web2 novices who’ve never touched blockchain. Instead, we’re aiming for people who already have experience on other chains, so they can see what Algorand offers. Over the past six months, we’ve introduced major changes, so we think it’s worth highlighting them.

At the beginning of this year, we rolled out staking rewards for the first time in Algorand’s history. We’re now compensating stakers and node runners for helping secure the network, which has greatly boosted decentralization. We have close to 3,000 node runners today, making us probably the second most decentralized network after Ethereum.

Alongside that, we’ve expanded staking options: running a node, liquid staking, delegated staking, and other methods of participation. We want to communicate these opportunities more broadly. In addition to staking, we’ve seen a wave of new projects launch in the past six months.

For example, a prediction market called Alpha Arcade recently went live. It’s the first prediction market to offer parlays, which makes it very unique. We also saw the launch of Haystack, a mobile-first DeFi app, and new AI agent projects. Beyond that, more stablecoins are being introduced, along with tokenization initiatives — such as Midas, which is tokenizing U.S. Treasuries, and Lofty, which is doing real estate tokenization.

With all this activity, we want to ensure people are aware of what’s happening on Algorand. The campaign’s goal is to introduce retail users to these apps while showing why Algorand is a mature blockchain that provides a strong user experience.

CN: From a user perspective, what’s the selling point of Algorand compared to other Layer-1s or Layer-2s?

MV: As you may know, Algorand has always focused on underlying technology. But what matters most is how that translates into user experience. For example, we don’t fork, we don’t have transaction failures, and we offer instant finality. Users don’t need to wait for confirmations. We think this makes Algorand one of the smoothest DeFi experiences available, and we want people to try it for themselves.

Algorand, it feels different. Transactions finalize in under three seconds. They never fail, never roll back, and you don’t have to wait long for confirmation times. It’s smooth, almost Web2-like. We want users to experience that for themselves: a chain that never fails, never forks, and where finality is instant.

The system is also very secure. That’s the beauty of Algorand’s consensus. Since attackers never know which proposer will be selected, they can’t target them ahead of time. And once a block is proposed, it’s already too late to interfere.

It’s also very easy to run a node. I run mine on a mini-PC — you don’t need specialized hardware or massive bandwidth. That accessibility has made Algorand one of the most decentralized networks.

CN: Given these advantages, why isn’t Algorand bigger?

Well, Algorand is actually quite big. If you look at the facts, over 3 billion transactions processed, strong traffic, and active users. The perception may lag, but the reality is very strong. This may be because we never played the hype game.

Algorand has always focused on building robust technology and attracting real users. We don’t overhype announcements. That may have hurt perception, but it’s not due to a lack of capability or adoption. Now, with this campaign, we’re doubling down on communication to close that gap.



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Best Grow A Garden Mutations
Game Updates

Best Grow A Garden Mutations

by admin



Mutations are the key to making your fortune in Grow A Garden. Each one makes plants more valuable, while pets gain the ability to convert plants or other animals into the mutated variant. Therefore, if you want to make a lot of money quickly, you’ll need these mutations or ways to manipulate the odds and get these multipliers easily.

Discovering which are the best Grow a Garden mutations is a huge reason why everyone is playing this Roblox game every day. But where do you start? We’ll go over everything you should know in advance about all the mutations available in Grow A Garden. These range from which ones you should focus on getting to start with, to why events are so valuable, and which pets give you the mutation with the highest multiplier.

Combining mutations turns an otherwise worthless strawberry into a fruit worth hundreds of thousands of Sheckles.

The best Grow A Garden mutations

The best Grow a Garden mutations are:

  • Shocked
  • Paradisal
  • Celestial
  • Dawnbound
  • Sundried
  • Frozen
  • Zen
  • Corrupt
  • Disco
  • Meteoric

Obviously, the best Grow A Garden mutations are the ones that give you the highest multiplier bonus for selling the affected plants at the shop. For example, Shocked, Paradisal, Celestial, and Dawnbound all give the highest increase of values available in the base game without any events. However, they’re also the most difficult to obtain as they require either luck for the plant to be hit by lightning or meteors, combining even rarer weather effects, or submitting sunflowers to a god that rarely appears. Pets with the Ascended mutation give plants a whopping 150 times their value, but you’ll rarely, if ever, see them.

As for the more commonly available base game weather events, Heat Wave weather gives Sundried mutations, which have a massive 85x multiplier. They’re rare, but only require the Heat Wave weather to be in effect to apply to your crops or pets. The rates do drop significantly from here, though a Frozen crop gives 10 times the value of the base crop and is relatively easy to get, provided a Wet or Drenched plant is subjected to a Frost weather effect. Sushi Bears also grant plants the Frozen effect.

Your best bet is to focus on the event-only weather conditions and unlocking the associated pet. Obtaining the animal companion requires a lot of investment of time and resources, completing event quests, and eventually buying the egg to stand a chance to hatch the correct critter. Some events also trigger effects, such as the Zen update’s Zen and Corrupt weather, which automatically converted plants and gave them an extra 20 times their overall value. The most valuable event pets in the game are the Disco Bee and the Lobster Thermidor, as they have a chance to affect your crops with the Disco and Meteoric mutations, respectively, granting affected plants 125 times their value.

Even something as simple as the humble carrot can become somewhat valuable when it’s made of gold.

All Grow A Garden Mutations and effects

Standard mutations

These mutations are available at any time in the game, but outside of having a developer or content creator use Grow A Garden cheats and console commands, the appearance of these weather effects is random.

MutationSheckles MultiplierObtaining MethodsSilverX5

  • During the Crystal Beam weather.
  • Apply Silver Fertilizer gear.
  • 10% chance to grow instead of normal plant.

Goldx20

  • 1% chance to grow instead of normal plant.
  • Applied by Dragonfly or Golden Bee pets.
  • Applied during Golden Bee pet while harvesting.

Rainbowx50

  • 0.1% chance to grow instead of normal plant.
  • Applied by Butterfly pet when crop has 5+ environmental mutations, removing all other mutations when it does so.

Wetx2

  • During Rain and Thunderstorm weather.
  • Applied by Sprinklers, Sea Turtle or Kappa pets, and the Mutation Spray Wet item.

Windstruckx2

  • During Windy or Gale weather.
  • Applied by Pterodactyl or Windy mutated pets.
  • Use Mutation Spray Windstruck.

Moonlitx2

  • During Night weather (up to six plants mutated every two minutes).
  • Applied by Tanuki pet.

Chilledx2

  • During Frost weather.
  • Applied by Polar Bear, Tanuki, or Sushi Bear pets.
  • Use Mutation Spray Chilled.

Chocx2

  • Use Chocolate Sprinkler.
  • During Chocolate Rain weather (dev only)
  • Applied by Tanuki pet.
  • Use Mutation Spray Choc

Pollinatedx3

  • During Bee Swarm, Worker Bee Swarm, or Beenado weather.
  • Applied by Bee, Honey Bee, Petal Bee, Queen Bee, Wasp, Tarantula Hawk, Pack Bee, or Golden Bee pets.
  • Use Mutation Spray Pollinated.

Sandyx3

  • During Sandstorm weather.
  • Applied by Jackalope pet.

Clayx3

  • Plant affected by Wet and Sandy mutations.

Verdantx5

  • During Solar Flare weather.
  • Applied by Scarlet Macaw pet.
  • Use Mutation Spray Verdant.

Bloodlitx5

  • During Blood Moon weather.
  • Replace Wet into Bloodlit by using the Kappa pet.

Twistedx5

  • During Tornado weather if hit by tornadoes.
  • Chance to be applied by Pterodactyl if not already Windstruck.

Drenchedx5

  • During Tropical Rain weather (can replace Wet mutation).

HoneyGlazedx5

  • Applied by Bear Bee pet.
  • Use Honey Sprinkler or Mutation Spray HoneyGlazed.

Cloudtouchedx5

  • Applied by Hyacinth Macaw pet.
  • Use Mutation Spray Cloudtouched.

Frozenx10

  • Combine Wet or Drenched with Chilled mutation.
  • Applied by Sushi Bear or pets with Frozen mutation.
  • User Flower Froster Sprinkler on flower-type plants only.

Acidicx12

  • During Acid Rain weather.

Eclipsedx15

  • During Solar Eclipse weather.

Tempestuousx19

  • Have the plant affected by Windstruck and Twisted mutations.

Ceramicx30

  • Combine Clay with one of the following: Burnt, Fried, Cooked, Molten, Sundred, Meteoric, or Plasma.

Friendboundx70

  • Use Friendship Pot when it’s fully grown or have five friends in a server.

Sundriedx85

  • During a Heatwave or Solar Flare weather.

Aurorax90

  • During Aurora Borealis or Crystal Beam weather.

Shockedx100

  • Struck by lightning during Thunderstorm, Jandel Storm, or Flamingo Storm.
  • During Crystal Beam weather.
  • Use Mutation Spray Shocked.
  • Applied by Raiju or Shocked pets (during Thunderstorm weather only) or Firefly pets at any time.

Paradisalx100

  • Combine Verdant and Sundried mutations.
  • During Solar Flare weather.

Celestialx120

  • Struck during a Meteor Shower weather event.
  • During the Crystal Beam weather.

Dawnboundx150

  • Applied by pets with Ascended mutation.
  • During Sun God weather (four players must hold sunflower in front of the Sun God NPC.

During certain events, it’s worth leaving plants to thrive in your garden, just in case a frozen bamboo shoot becomes corrupted.

Event mutations

These mutations are not available through standard play, instead appearing during certain weather effects or requiring limited-time items to activate. If you still have the relevant pets in your garden or have other items available outside of the event, you can use them even after the event ends, but the weather effects won’t reappear until the event returns.

MutationSheckles MultiplierObtaining MethodsGlimmeringx2

  • During Fairies weather event.
  • Applied by Glimmering Sprite or any pets with the Glimmering mutation.
  • Using the Mutation Spray Glimmering.

Saucex3

  • Applied by Spaghetti Sloth pet.

Meatballx3

  • Applied by Spaghetti Sloth pet.

Burntx4

  • Applied by Cooked Owl or Red Dragon pets.
  • Use Mutation Spray Burnt.
  • Available during Armageddon weather.

Pastax4

  • Applied by Spaghetti Sloth pet.

Plasmax5

  • Applied by Peach Wasp pet.
  • Struck by lightning during Laser Storm or Flamingo Laser Storm weather.

Staticx8

  • Applied by Raiju pet after devouring Shocked mutation.

Friedx8

  • During Fried Chicken weather.
  • Applied by pets with Fried mutation.
  • Use Mutation Spray Fried.

Bloomx8

  • Applied by Spriggan pet.
  • Use the Mutation Spray Bloom.

Rotx8

  • Applied by Mandrake pet when harvesting Mandrake crop.

Amberx10

  • Applied by Raptor pet.
  • Use Mutation Spray Amber.

Cookedx10

  • Applied by Cooked Owl pet.
  • Use Mutation Spray Cooked.

Aromaticx15

  • During Cooking Storm weather event (give 40 points to Chris P NPC to start this weather).
  • Applied by any pets with Aromatic mutation.

Oilx15

  • During Oil Rain weather.
  • Applied by Junkbot pet.

Gnomedx15

  • Applied by Gnome pet. Increased chance if you have more Gnome Cosmetics in your garden.

Chakrax15

  • Applied by Kitsune pet when it’s stolen.

CorruptedChakrax15

  • Applied by Corrupted Kitsune pet.

Spaghettix15

  • Combine Meatball Sauce and Pasta mutations.

Tranquilx20

  • During Zen Aura weather.
  • Applied by Tanchozuru and pets with the Tranquil mutation.
  • Apply to Zen-type crops with the Kodama when harvesting.

OldAmberx20

  • Amber turns into OldAmber after one day (24 hours).

Corruptx20

  • During Corrupt Zen Aura weather.
  • Applied by pets with Corrupted mutation.
  • Apply to Zen-type crops with the Corrupted Kodama when harvesting.

Zombifiedx25

  • Applied by Chicken Zombie pet.

Moltenx25

  • Plants or pets touching magma during the Volcano weather.
  • During Armageddon weather.
  • Applied by Lobster Thermidor pet.

Gloomx30

  • Combine Rot and Bloom mutations.

HarmonisedChakrax35

  • Combine Chakra and CorruptChakra mutations.

AncientAmberx50

  • OldAmber mutates into AncientAmber after two days (48 hours).

Fortunex50

  • Applied by Golden Goose pet when selling a Golden Egg crop.

Cyclonicx50Warpedx75

  • Applied by Apple Gazelle pet.
  • During Brainrot Stampede event.

FoxfireChakrax90

  • Applied by Kitsune pet when stolen.

CorruptFoxfireChakrax90

  • Applied by Corrupted Kitsune pet.

Brainrotx100

  • Applied by Lemon Lion pet.
  • During Brainrot Portal event.

Maelstromx100

  • Combine Cyclonic and Tempestuous mutations.

Discox125

  • During Disco, Monster Mash, or DJ Sam weather.
  • Applied by Disco Bee pet.
  • Use Mutation Spray Disco.

Meteoricx125

  • Item struck by a meteor during Meteor Strike weather.
  • Applied by Lobster Thermidor pet.

HarmoniseFoxfireChakrax190

  • Combine FoxfireChakra and CorruptFoxfireChakra mutations.

Toxicx15

  • Applied by Cockatrice pet.

Flamingx25Fallx4

  • Applied by Grizzly Bear pet
  • Fall Bloom event.

Gracefulx77



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Crypto Trends

Concerns Grow That Bot Networks May Be Amplifying Calls for ‘Civil War’ After Charlie Kirk Killing

by admin



In brief

  • Identical “civil war” posts flooded X hours after Kirk’s killing, many from generic or low-engagement accounts.
  • Past studies show botnets can generate billions of impressions; researchers warn AI tools make them harder to spot.
  • Analysts see echoes of Russian and Chinese ops, but no confirmed attribution for this week’s spike in violent rhetoric.

In the hours after Charlie Kirk was assassinated at a Utah event on Wednesday, social media platforms—especially X—erupted with hostile rhetoric. Right-leaning posts quickly invoked “war,” “civil war,” and demands for retribution against liberals, Democrats, and “the left.”

Among these were aggregations of accounts with strikingly similar characteristics: generic bios, MAGA-style signifiers, “NO DMs” disclaimers, patriotic imagery, and stock or nondescript profile photographs.

These patterns have raised a growing suspicion: Are bot networks being used to amplify right-wing calls for civil war?

Thus far, no definitive external report or agency has confirmed a coordinated bot-driven campaign tied specifically to the event. But circumstantial evidence, historical precedent, and studies on the nature of inauthentic accounts on X suggest there is reason for concern.

What the evidence suggests

Researchers and users point out repetitive phrasing (e.g., warnings that “the left” will pay, “this is war,” or “you have no idea what is coming”) appearing in many posts within a narrow timeframe. Many of these posts come from low-engagement accounts with default or generic profiles.

“In the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, we are going to see a lot of accounts pushing, effectively, for civil war in the U.S. This includes the rage-baiter-in-chief, Elon Musk, but also an army of Russian and Chinese bots and their faithful shills in the West,” wrote University of San Diego political science professor Branislav Slantchev on X.

In the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, we are going to see a lot of accounts pushing, effectively, for civil war in the US. This includes the rage-baiter in chief, Elon Musk, but also an army of Russian and Chinese bots and their faithful shills in the West.

Do not… https://t.co/OyErwAYnV8

— Branislav Slantchev (@slantchev) September 10, 2025

He cited a viral thread of X posts from purported bot users that advocated for retributive violence. The poster claimed that “half of them have an AI-generated profile photo, the standard bio schlop, and the standard banners.”

Such patterns—rapid appearance of similar content across many accounts—are consistent with known botnet coordination or message amplification. While these are based on user observations more than systematic data to date, the consistency with known bot behavior adds weight to suspicions.

Past research provides a baseline for what bot-amplified political content looks like on X (formerly Twitter). A Plos One study in February found that after Elon Musk’s acquisition of the platform in late 2022, hate speech increased and there was no reduction in activity of inauthentic or “bot-like” accounts. 



Another investigation by Global Witness last summer uncovered a small set of bot-like accounts (45 accounts in one instance) that between them generated over 4 billion impressions for partisan, conspiratorial, or abusive content. This type of amplification shows the potential reach of such networks. 

Finally, there is a history of states or organized groups deploying botnets or troll farms to exploit US political polarization. Examples include Russia’s Doppelgänger campaign, “Spamouflage” (Chinese government-linked), and others that have mimicked US users, used AI-generated or manipulated content, or pushed divisive rhetoric for political leverage. 

Nothing definitive yet

As of now, no credible cybersecurity firm, government agency, or academic group has publicly attributed a bot network—foreign or domestic—with high confidence to the wave of “civil war” rhetoric following Kirk’s death.

The MAGA terrorist bots are honouring Charlie Kirk by sending death threats to anyone they perceive to be “left” or a “democrat”, Including public figures. This is likely part of a coordinated Russian campaign to spread chaos and create political unrest, be aware, stay alert.

— Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) September 10, 2025

It is also not clear how many of the posts are automated vs. organic (real users). The portion coming from apparently bot-like accounts vs the broader public discourse is unknown. Also, it’s not established whether any such amplification has a top-down command structure (i.e. centrally coordinated) or is more ad-hoc.

And X is rife with plenty of verified influencers on the right calling for civil war or violent attacks on the left.

Nonetheless, when the U.S. suffers a national tragedy like yesterday’s shooting, groups with a record of exploiting political polarization have seized on the opportunity. Russia’s bot farms (e.g. Internet Research Agency/“Storm”-type operations) have long been flagged. Chinese-linked disinformation networks (e.g. “Spamouflage”) are documented to have used social media amplification and content farming to influence U.S. public sentiment. 

And the rise of AI-enabled content generation makes it easier for bot networks to produce plausible, human-like posts at scale. Research shows that bot detection is increasingly challenged by accounts that mimic human language, timing, and variation. A recent bot detection review found evolving concealment techniques and gaps in current detection methods. 

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NFT Gaming

Institutional Bets Grow Even as Bitcoin Consolidates Below $113K: Analysts Explain Why

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

Bitcoin (BTC) trades around $112,260, consolidating within a tight range as investors weigh bullish technical setups against global macroeconomic headwinds.

The leading asset moved between an intraday high of $113,138 and a low of $110,812, showing the tight range that has dominated trading in recent sessions.

Key momentum indicators suggest cautious optimism. Support remains firm at $110,000, while moving averages at $109,300 and $101,000 strengthen the bullish case.

On the upside, resistance at $113,000–$115,000 remains the next crucial hurdle, with analysts noting that a breakout above this band could unlock renewed momentum.

BTC’s price trends to the upside on the daily chart. Source: BTCUSD chart from Tradingview

Institutional Bets Boost Bitcoin Confidence

Institutional activity continues to shape sentiment despite mixed price action. Market watchers highlight growing expectations of U.S. Federal Reserve rate cuts following weaker jobs data as a stabilizing force for Bitcoin.

Meanwhile, liquidity inflows from crypto ETFs and corporate treasury allocations remain a significant driver of demand.

Japanese firm Metaplanet Inc. recently raised $1.4 billion to expand its Bitcoin holdings, growing its reputation as a proxy play for investors in Asia. Analysts draw parallels to MicroStrategy’s long-term accumulation strategy, noting that such moves show institutional conviction even as spot prices consolidate.

ETF data also paints a complex picture. Fidelity’s spot Bitcoin ETF recently saw $55.8 million in outflows, signaling short-term caution among investors. However, the broader trend of institutional accumulation suggests confidence in Bitcoin’s role as a hedge and long-term store of value.

Analysts Expect Breakout Potential

Despite near-term hesitation, analysts remain cautiously bullish. Many point to accumulation patterns and resilient demand as signs that Bitcoin is preparing for its next decisive move. If BTC can reclaim and sustain levels above $115,000, it could confirm the start of a new rally phase.

For now, consolidation remains the dominant theme, with macroeconomic policy, ETF flows, and institutional strategies dictating the pace of the next breakout. As one analyst put it, Bitcoin’s ability to attract long-term institutional bets during uncertainty may be the clearest sign yet that its next major move is only a matter of time.

Cover image from ChatGPT, BTCUSD chart from Tradingview

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.



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Crypto Trends

Spot Ether ETFs Shed $952M Over 5 Days as Recession Fears Grow

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Spot ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs) logged their fifth straight day of outflows this week, shedding $952 million in total and over $787 million in the four-day week alone.

The withdrawals followed a record-setting August when spot ether ETFs pulled in $3.87 billion even as bitcoin ETFs saw $751 million in net outflows, according to SoSoValue data.

Friday accounted for the sharpest decline, with $446.71 million leaving these ETH-linked funds. Spot bitcoin ETFs, in contrast, posted $246.4 million in net inflows over the past week. The contrast is notable, as funds investing in the flagship cryptocurrency saw $751.1 million in net outflows last month.

Ether has climbed more than 16% over the past month, though it slipped 1.8% in the last week now trading just below $4,300. The cryptocurrency has been benefitting from the GENIUS Act passing into law, which restricted stablecoin issuers from paying interest and provided clarity which could lead to greater institutional investment.

Its recent drawdown is likely related to a broader return from risk assets. That came after weak U.S. jobs data furthered expectations the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates later this month, along with growing fears of a recession.

Traders are now weighing an 89% chance of a 25 bps rate cut, and an 11% chance of a 50 bps cut according to the CME’s FedWatch tool.On Polymarket, odds of a 50 bps rate cut are at 12%.

The cooling data , coupled with growing concerns surrounding economic uncertainty and geopolitical risks, has also seen the price of gold top the $3,600 mark for the first time.



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Esports

Can you trade Sheckles in Grow A Garden?

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Players of Roblox’s hit game, Grow A Garden, are wondering whether you can trade sheckles in the farming sim after a key change occurred.

With the release of the Trading Ticket, Gardeners quickly began using the ability to send sheckles to other players as a way to buy rare and sought-after pets like the Golden Goose, Kitsune, and DragonFly.

However, with the release of the Fairy update on August 30, players realized the option to include sheckles in the Trading Ticket had disappeared, leaving many wondering whether they had removed the ability entirely.

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Here’s everything we know about trading Sheckles in Grow A Garden.

Sheckle trading in Grow A Garden

No, you cannot trade Sheckles in Grow A Garden right now.

The game’s admins confirmed that Sheckles are no longer available through the trading ticket system. While some feared the in-game currency had been permanently scrapped, the developers clarified that this isn’t the case.

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The team has not provided a timeline for when trading will return, but in a Discord update on August 30, admins implied that the feature has not been permanently removed.

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“Disabled sheckles from being tradable for now,” said GAG admin DJ Jhai.

DiscordGrow A Garden received a handful of updates before the Fairy event.

For now, players will need to earn and spend Sheckles through gameplay alone, without the option of trading them across accounts.

Another way to give other players a massive amount of money, however, is to grow a heavily mutated prismatic fruit, like a Romanesco or Burning Bud, and include that in the trade.

While you’re waiting for Grow A Garden to re-enable Sheckle trading, check out our list of codes for free in game items and more info on the ongoing Fairy event.

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Product Reviews

Atari now owns the rights to five Ubisoft games: Cold Fear, I Am Alive, Child of Eden, Grow Home, and Grow Up

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Ubisoft has reached into the back of the cupboard, grabbed the intellectual property rights for five games it wasn’t doing anything with, and sold them to Atari. The five games are Cold Fear (which is basically Resident Evil on a boat), I Am Alive (a post-apocalyptic survival platformer), Child of Eden (a psychedelic rhythm game), and both Grow Home and its sequel Grow Up (which are physics-based climbing games where you’re a cute robot).

“Ubisoft and Atari both have a legacy of crafting worlds that players can fall in love with—games that resonate with generations of players not just for how they played, but for how they made us feel,” Wade Rosen, chairman and CEO of Atari, said in a joint statement. “We’re excited to reintroduce these titles while also exploring ways to expand and evolve these franchises.”

While Atari may just be planning ports for Switch 2 and the like for this bundle of games, given that the publisher also owns Nightdive—the studio responsible for projects like the System Shock remake and more recently the re-release of Hexen and Heretic—there’s reason to hope at least some of these games will receive more high-effort revivals.


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I’d personally love to see a remake of Cold Fear, a survival horror game set on a whaling ship during a storm. Original developer Darkworks put a lot of effort into modeling the constant heaving of the sea, making the deck of the ship shift beneath you while you were trying to shoot zombie parasites. A short, self-contained experience, it caught some flak for being about five hours long at release, but honestly that sounds ideal for a haunted-house survival horror game.

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All Flower Plants in Roblox’s Grow a Garden & how to get them

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Grow a Garden’s Beanstalk event has players collecting various Plants to give to Jack. Once they do, they’ll get exclusive rewards. However, he doesn’t tell you the exact plants you need to find, which makes requests like Flower Plants a little tricky.

Alongside its huge player count, Roblox’s Grow a Garden loves handing its players challenging events. Previously, it was the cooking event, where a pig asked you for certain dishes. Now, it’s the Beanstalk event, in which Jack asks for certain plants.

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Well, if he’s asked for Flower Plants, then we’ve got all you need to know, including the best ones to give him, and of course, how to get them.

All Flower Plants & how to get them

We’ve uncovered 52 different Flower Plants in Grow a Garden, all of which work when given to Jack. As we find more, we’ll be updating this table, so check back soon.

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Some plants are currently unobtainable, but will still work if you have them in your inventory.

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Flower Plant

Rarity

Points

How to get

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What are Flower Plants?

Grow a Garden’s Flower Plants are really what they say on the tin, they’re flowers. Any flower you can find or grow will count as a Flower Plant when given to Jack.

For example, Lavender or Sunflowers are both flowers, so they’ll work when Jack asks for them. They’re much easier to decipher than the likes of Woody Plants of Prickly Plants.

When you find them, offer them to Jack. The rarer the item, the more points you get. The player who gets the most points will get an exclusive reward when the event ends on August 23.

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So, that’s all you need to know about how to get Flower Plants in Grow a Garden. While waiting for your crops to grow, be sure to check out the latest Grow a Garden codes for even more free rewards, or all the Vegetable Plants and Berry Plants.

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