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BREAKING: Ripple CTO Stepping Down, CEO and President Share Reactions

by admin September 30, 2025

Joining board of directors
“You are my boss now?”

David Schwartz has announced that he will step down as Ripple’s chief technology officer at the end of the year after more than 13 years at the company.

“The time has come for me to step back from my day-to-day duties as Ripple CTO at the end of this year. I’m really looking forward to spending more time with the kids and grandkids and going back to the hobbies I set aside,” he said.

Schwartz was appointed as the company’s CTO back in July 2018. Before him, this role was held by Coil CEO Stefan Thomas and Ripple/Stellar co-founder Jed McCaleb.

In his statement, Schwartz stressed his appreciation for the company and the community, describing his time at Ripple as “one of the greatest honors and experiences of his life.”

As happens in one’s life, I’ve been taking stock of my last 40 years. It’s been a wild ride. I’ve gone from consulting for the NSA to watching the early stages of Bitcoin. Then, I met Arthur, Jed, and Chris and worked on coding the XRP Ledger. Now, I’ve spent more than 13 years…

— David ‘JoelKatz’ Schwartz (@JoelKatz) September 30, 2025

He has also expressed his gratitude to Ripple’s leadership (CEO Brad Garlinghouse and President Monica Long), co-founders Chris Larsen and Arthur Britto, as well as the RippleX team.

Joining board of directors

Schwartz has confirmed that he is not breaking ties with Ripple. In fact, he will be joining the company’s board of directors. He will also remain involved as CTO Emeritus.

“I look forward to seeing the rest of you at XRP community events around the world,” he said in a statement.

“You are my boss now?”

Ripple’s leadership has already reacted to Schwartz’s upcoming exit. Garlinghouse has described Schwartz as “the smartest (and maybe the funniest) person” he personally knows. “A true OG in crypto with the conviction and vision to see what others couldn’t – you are a legend,” he added.

He has also jokingly suggested that Schwartz will be his boss after joining the company’s board of directors.

The smartest (and maybe the funniest) person I know. A true OG in crypto with the conviction and vision to see what others couldn’t – you are a legend. Thank you David for everything you’ve done for the industry, for Ripple and for the XRP Ledger. We are all forever grateful…… https://t.co/tt4uX4JlkV

— Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) September 30, 2025

Long has acknowledged that the “mighty community” would not have existed without Schwartz. “I deeply respect your ingenuity, integrity, humor, and humility, which you demonstrate daily…” Long said.

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September 30, 2025 0 comments

Esports

Ravens’ undrafted rookies have emotional reactions to making 53-man roster

by admin August 28, 2025

Jamison HensleyAug 27, 2025, 07:25 PM ET
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OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Jay Higgins IV, an undrafted inside linebacker out of Iowa, was eating lunch in the Baltimore Ravens’ cafeteria on Tuesday when he got a tap on his shoulder. Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta wanted to talk with him.

It was the day when Baltimore had to cut its roster down to 53 players, and Higgins felt his heart rate rising as he walked down the hall to DeCosta’s office. When DeCosta broke the news that he made the Ravens roster, Higgins just bent over with his head facing the floor.

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“I was just lightheaded when he told me,” Higgins said after Wednesday’s practice. “I was so surprised.”

Higgins’ reaction was among the highlights of a Ravens video that captured the reactions of three undrafted rookies who overcame the steep challenge of making an NFL 53-man roster. In a span of four months, Higgins, cornerback Keyon Martin and safety Reuben Lowery went from the dejection of not getting selected in the NFL draft to the joy of landing a spot on a Super Bowl contender’s roster.

Higgins’ family put the video in a group chat. Inside linebackers coach Tyler Santucci played the video in the meeting room.

“We were celebrating everybody, just to see the surprise in our faces and just how happy we were,” Higgins said.

Martin’s road was the toughest one of them all. Coming from Louisiana-Lafayette, he had no offers after he went undrafted and he received one call for a tryout.

“It was pretty hard on me. I’m not going to lie, coming out right after the draft, realizing that nobody was going to sign me,” Martin said. “But once I got that call about the [Ravens] rookie minicamp, I’m like, all right, ‘It’s on me now.’ So I knew that if I wanted to come in and do what I really wanted to do in the NFL, I just had to come out here and prove it.”

In the second preseason game, Martin recorded a safety. In the third one, he returned an interception for a touchdown.

“Every day I step in this building, I know that I’m beating the odds,” Martin said. “So I’m just enjoying the journey really.”

Dreams becoming a reality.

Eric DeCosta surprises three undrafted rookies with news they made the 53-man roster. 🥹 🥹 pic.twitter.com/8Rf2shoQoz

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 27, 2025

What the Ravens’ cameras didn’t capture was an exchange between Martin and Lowery on a stairwell. Lowery was walking down after being told the good news that he made the team, and Martin was heading up to DeCosta’s office.

“We didn’t even have to say any words. It was just a big hug,” Lowery said. “It was like a movie moment, honestly.”

Lowery still remembers how he waited an hour after the draft ended to get his only call from an NFL team. The Ravens offered him a one-year deal that included no signing bonus.

But Lowery hasn’t had time to appreciate the moment that he made the Ravens.

“It is hard to wrap your mind around honestly right now because your brain, especially in camp, has been so focused on working, working, working, working,” Lowery said. “But one day, I’m going to definitely look back on it and be like, ‘Wow, this is insane.'”

Lowery was on the dean’s list at Tennessee-Chattanooga and has a degree in mechanical engineering. So, was it tougher to get his degree or make the Ravens?

“That’s a good question,” Lowery said. “I would say [the Ravens], just because it’s a new atmosphere, it’s new people. Mechanical engineering is hard, but you just go into a classroom every day and you figure it out. But ‘Play like a Raven’ means something here.”

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August 28, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

“You’ve just made my day” live reactions to the Silksong release date

by admin August 21, 2025

In case you hadn’t heard the many summon circle participants crying out in joy that their prayers had finally been answered, or the klaxons sounding far and wide, let me tell you the good news – Silksong has a release date!

The much anticipated Hollow Knight follow up is set to release across Switch consoles, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, including on Xbox Game Pass in just two weeks time, on 4th September.

On the ground here at Gamescom, applause could be heard as the date was announced, so of course I headed out into the fray to get some first hand reactions from those waiting in line for the Silksong demo. What I got was a mix of relief, giddy anticipation and, for one person, a little bit of stress.

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First up, there was the lovely young gentleman who had somehow missed the news until I asked his thoughts about Silksong’s release date.

“Wait, what?! It’s coming out? Okay, I am pretty freaking excited. This is crazy, because everybody was waiting for it, and now it’s so soon! Two weeks? Ahhh, I am very happy,” he beamed. “I played the first Hollow Knight a few years back, and it was the first metroidvania I played, and it made me fall in love with the genre, and since then I have played many more metroidvanias and it’s all because of Hollow Knight. I loved it – I hope this is going to be even better!

“You’ve just made my day.”

Image credit: Team Cherry

“I am quite surprised it is so soon,” another Gamescom attendee told me. “I’ve been waiting just as impatiently as everyone else.”

“I played the original in 2017, and since then – I’ve been waiting!!” another added. “It’s two weeks, that’s wild!! When [Team Cherry] said it’s this year, I thought maybe at Christmas, but… two weeks!”

“I am sooo, so so so surprised it is coming out so soon,” I was again told. “Ahh, I can’t wait!!”

A very eloquent chap of 12 years old told me he had been waiting for this moment for four years. “I loved the first one,” he said. “It’s super nice.” He will “definitely” be getting Silksong day one, he informed me, with this being the game he is most excited about.

Another chap waiting in the queue for Silksong’s demo told me that while he was both “surprised” and “excited”, but also already feeling pretty stressed about managing to play all the games he wants to. “It’s coming out right between Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and before Silent Hill f. I want to play all of those games! But, I will play Silksong day one,” he laughed.

“I have been waiting for years [he gestured to his shirt which shows Hornet looking back at me]. It’s absolutely great news, I have been waiting for so long.”

Are you just as excited as this lot?

Image credit: Team Cherry

Elsewhere in Silksong news, it has not, in fact, taken so long to release due to being stuck in development hell. Rather, hype skyrocketed sales of the original game to give Team Cherry financial freedom.

Our Dom also braved the Gamescom queues to go hands-on with Silksong, and came away impressed with its high challenge and how Hornet’s movement differs from the original game’s Knight. You can check out their thoughts in Eurogamer’s Silksong preview here.

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August 21, 2025 0 comments