Latest news with #VGC
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Silent Hill F Was Going To Be Set In The Real Japanese Location, But Mount Fuji Wouldn't Move
While deciding on a location for Silent Hill f, the production team hit a snag when they tried to use the real 'Silent Hill' as the setting—Mount Fuji killed the tone. As revealed in March 2025, Silent Hill f is all about atmosphere. The development team leaned into the idea of 'finding the beauty in terror' as the guiding vision for the game's grotesque imagery. It was also confirmed that this instalment would mark a first for the franchise: it would be set in Japan, not the fictional American town of Silent Hill. According to a new Famitsu interview with the developers (as reported by VGC), lead writer Ryukishi07 said the team initially considered Japan's Shizuoka Prefecture as the setting for Silent Hill f. In the (Google Translated) Famitsu interview, the development team explains that finding the right location was key in developing the heavy atmosphere associated with the Silent Hill franchise. Ryukishi07 explains that using real-life settings as the basis for the title would have a heavier impact on players, so the team visited many locations in Japan to find the perfect fit. Ryukisho07 says, 'I used real locations as the basis for the image. In fact, since it's [literally] Silent Hill, we even visited Shizuoka Prefecture as a potential location (laughs).' Shizuoka can almost literally translate to 'quiet' or 'silent,' when put into English, so the irony wasn't lost on Ryukishi07. There was only one problem for the team, though: Mount Fuji's extreme presence killed the mood. Ryukishi07 says, 'However, when we actually went there, we felt that the presence of Mount Fuji as seen from Shizuoka was too overbearing and it didn't seem suitable for a Silent Hill setting.' The development team rejected a location in Japan due to Mount Fuji's looming presence draining the atmosphere of the setting, so they determined it would not be good enough for the horror delivered by the franchise. As revealed in March, the setting used in Silent Hill f is based on the small town of Kanayama, in the city of Gero in Gifu prefecture. The fictional twin is known in-game as Ebisugoka, a long way from the previous US location of Silent Hill. Silent Hill f will launch globally on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and PC on September 25. Solve the daily Crossword
Business Wire
31-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Voya Investment Management expands Distribution team and launches new practice management platform: Voya Global Consulting
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Voya Investment Management (Voya IM), the asset management business of Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), today announced key additions to its Distribution team and the launch of a new practice management initiative, underscoring its commitment to the Intermediary channel. Three senior leaders have joined Voya IM's Distribution team, reporting to Tiffani Potesta, head of Distribution: Lynn Flaherty will join mid-August as head of Marketing. In this role, Flaherty will lead a team of marketing professionals responsible for the development and implementation of Voya IM's brand and marketing strategy for institutional and intermediary channels. Prior to Voya, Flaherty was at Schroders, where she established and executed the marketing strategy for their North American institutional business. Greg Khost joined in June 2025 as managing director and head of Intermediary Sales. He is responsible for leading the firm's business development efforts across private wealth markets in the U.S., including broker-dealers, private banks and RIAs. Khost has over 30 years of experience in private wealth and asset management. Prior to Voya IM, he was the head of Business Development for Neuberger Berman Private Wealth and also held sales leadership roles at Deutsche Bank, U.S. Trust and Central Park Group. Reporting to Khost is Brook Conley. Conley joined Voya IM in March as the Eastern Divisional sales head. Before joining Voya, Conley spent 29 years at Columbia Threadneedle as a wholesaler, most recently covering investment banks and cross- channel territories. Andrew Terry joined in July as head of Insurance Solutions. In this role Terry is responsible for expanding Voya IM's investment capabilities for insurance clients. Before joining Voya, Terry was a managing director at ACORE Capital, responsible for leading the firm's engagements with insurance companies in the U.S. and abroad. 'I'm thrilled that Lynn, Greg, Brook and Andrew have joined Voya IM. The Distribution team is very much in growth mode as we work to meet Voya IM's ambitious goals for the rest of 2025 and onward,' said Potesta. 'I am confident this team will bring the passion and expertise that will benefit Voya and our clients.' Concurrently, Voya IM also announced the launch of Voya Global Consulting (VGC), a new practice management platform led by Jason Chura, head of Voya Consulting. VGC is designed to help financial advisors grow their businesses through a customizable learning experience that addresses real-world challenges faced by advisors. VGC offers resources to improve advisor communication skills, deepen understanding of client behavior and build confidence in client interactions. 'We are committed to enhancing our Intermediary channel. As such, we made a concerted effort to provide our intermediary clients with not only the best products to meet their client's needs but also cutting-edge insights to help them meet their business needs,' said Potesta. 'Initial feedback from advisors has been overwhelmingly positive, and I look forward to working with Jason and Greg to develop VGC further.' About Voya Investment Management Voya Investment Management (IM) has approximately $395 billion in assets under management and administration as of March 31, 2025, across public and private fixed income, equities, multi-asset solutions and alternative strategies for institutions, financial intermediaries and individual investors, drawing on a 50-year legacy of active investing and the expertise of 300+ investment professionals. Voya IM has cultivated a culture grounded in a commitment to understanding and anticipating clients' needs, producing strong investment performance. VOYA-IM
Morocco World
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Morocco World
Morocco Gaming Expo 2025: French Delegation Backs Youth, Talent and Tech in Rabat
The Morocco Gaming Expo is back in Rabat, and this year it comes with a distinctly French twist. Running from 2 to 6 July at the city's Palais des Sports, the second edition of the expo has drawn a sizeable French delegation – some thirty professionals from studios, publishers, unions, and game design schools. At the heart of this cross-border cooperation are two initiatives: the Video Game Creator (VGC) and the Video Game Incubator (VGI). Both will be on full display at the expo, to push for the development of local talent and support emerging Moroccan studios. Launched earlier this year, VGC offers a ten-month certified programme blending technical training with creative rigour. Its counterpart, VGI, is already working with nine promising Moroccan studios, providing mentoring, bespoke training, and access to international experts. 'This joint presence of VGC and VGI, along with the French delegation, reflects the unique and structured partnership between France and Morocco in the gaming sector,' said Agnès Humruzian, Director General of the Institut français du Maroc. 'It's a sign of our commitment to building a strong and innovative ecosystem for Moroccan youth.' The initiative builds on a Franco-Moroccan declaration signed in October 2024 during President Macron's state visit to Morocco. It's backed by France's Fonds équipe France Création, aimed at tightening cultural and digital ties between the two countries. Beyond the formalities, it's also a chance for young Moroccan developers to rub shoulders with major industry names, explore the latest trends, and perhaps, get a foot in the door. Tags: AI technologyDigital creatorsExpo 2025gamingRabat
Tom's Guide
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I'm skeptical about the PS6 — here's 3 upgrades that could change my mind
Sony hasn't announced the PS6, but there's been plenty of buzz about the PS5's successor for quite some time. Sony officially said it's developing a new system during a recent earnings call (via VGC), and several alleged leaks (via VideoCardz) hint at its potential specs. Based on what we've heard, the PS6 could arrive in 2027 or 2028. I'm sure Sony will eventually release a PS6. And while I've been a die-hard PlayStation fan for decades, I can't say I'm thrilled about the prospect of this system. As I've previously written, the PS5 doesn't always feel like a next-gen console. If the PS6 generation is anything like the current one, it will be difficult to get excited about the new system. Despite my skepticism, I'm not going to dismiss the PS6 completely. With some meaningful upgrades and features, it could be a system worth purchasing on day one. Here are 3 upgrades that could change my mind about a PS6. I've said this plenty of times, but the PS5 is one ugly console! Its hourglass-like shape and popped collar top are not only unpleasant to the eye, but make it hard to comfortably situate on a shelf or entertainment center. Say what you will about the refrigerator-like Xbox Series X, but at least that system is easier to store… and to look at! I'm not asking for a boring and utilitarian design for the PS6, but something with a streamlined chassis can make the system easier on the eyes and easier to store. I would ask for a smaller system, but given the trajectory of PS system designs, I don't think that's a realistic ask. I'm sure we'll eventually get a PS6 Slim. We've had PlayStation consoles with irregular designs since the PS3 days. It would be nice if Sony went back to the PS1 and PS2 eras and kept things simple yet unique. I don't want to deal with another big and heavy system. A sleek-looking PS6 would definitely get me excited. The PS5 Pro is the most powerful PlayStation console ever made. It plays all the same games as the regular PS5 but can offer increased image quality and higher framerate with supported titles. It's the ideal console for players who want the best performance levels but Pro comes at a high price of $699. With the PS4 and PS5, Sony failed to truly deliver on its resolution and performance promises for those systems. The PS4 didn't have many games that actually ran at 1080p and 60 frames per second, and the same is true for the PS5 and its handful of 4K/60 titles. While the latter is more consistent than the former, resolutions and frame rates in games are all over the place on both the PS5 and PS5 Pro. I'm sure Sony will tout the PS6 as an 8K-ready machine… which would be ironic considering how the company did that with the base PS5. I neither expect nor care if the system can achieve that resolution, especially since I don't think the best 8K TVs will be widely adopted in the next two to three years. To that end, if PS6 can consistently deliver true 4K resolution and 60 frames per second for the majority (or all) of its titles, I'll be one happy camper. I should note that 60 frames per second should be the bare minimum. I'd actually like to see more games that can run at 120 frames per second, either natively or with whatever version of the frame-generating PSSR tech the PS6 will employ. But given the console brand's track record with frame rates, I'm going to set my expectations for at least 60fps. Anything we get over that will be gravy. The PS6 will undoubtedly have a new design and improved performance. I can't say whether I'll approve of the new design or if we'll see meaningful performance gains, but we know those changes will happen in some form or another. However, there's one big thing I'd love to see on PS6 that would instantly make me consider buying the console: actual first-party exclusives. This is as true now as it was when the PS5 launched in late 2020, but there is a severe lack of true PlayStation first-party games that are only available on PS5/PS5 Pro. Yes, we have gotten a lot of exclusive games over the years, but a good chunk of them have been available for the PS4, which has somewhat defeated the point of owning a PS5. According to our friends at GamesRadar, there are only 21 PS5 exclusives currently available. And if you go through the list, you'll notice many of these are third-party exclusives or remakes. Let's also not forget that even some of the first-party games are now available on the best gaming PCs. In a world with PC ports and cross-gen compatibility, true console exclusives seem to be an endangered species. This is something I've accepted, even if I'm not thrilled about it. However, if the PS6 can launch with at least four or five exclusives that won't be on other platforms for at least six months, then I'd accept that as a compromise. With the PS6, Sony seems keen on delivering the same kind of experience players have become accustomed to. Though cloud gaming will play a role, Sony wants games you can play locally on its next-gen system. If reports are true, we might also get a PlayStation handheld, which could leverage the power of the cloud similarly to the PlayStation Portal. In that sense, we could see a return to the PS4/PS Vita days, only with better synergy between both machines. Cloud gaming is all well and good, but I still want games I can play locally on a machine. Since it appears Sony wants to deliver that experience with PS6, I know I'll at least get that. However, for me to really get excited about PS6, I'll need to see a slimmer design, meaningful performance gains and a robust lineup of PS6 exclusives. If I have at least two of those wishes granted, then I'll be excited for the PS5's successor.
Tom's Guide
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I've played 8 Nintendo Switch 2 launch games — here's the best one you (probably) skipped but really should buy now
The Nintendo Switch 2 has been in the wild for more than two weeks, and after sampling more than half a dozen of the system's launch games, I'm having a blast with the new hybrid console (and said as much in my very positive Nintendo Switch 2 review). A VGC report this week suggests that third-party Switch 2 game sales are pretty slow off the bat, and while I'm a little disappointed at this news, I'm not entirely surprised. It's little wonder that Nintendo published software like Mario Kart World and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition are dominating the play time of early adopters. Cyberpunk 2077 is reportedly the exception that is bucking the trend and seeing strong sales. However, much as I love Cyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2 (I named it one of the launch games you need to play first), there's another third-party title that is quickly becoming one of my go-to Switch 2 games at this very early stage of the console's lifecycle: Hitman World of Assassination. I've seen it knock around the bottom of the best-selling charts on the Nintendo eShop, but otherwise, it's not a launch title that many Switch 2 players appear to be talking about. This could be because the majority of Switch 2 owners have already played it on other systems where it's been available for several years, but I think the Signature Edition on Switch 2 makes a compelling case for double-dipping. Here's why you shouldn't skip Hitman WoA on Nintendo Switch 2 (assuming you have access to a solid Wi-Fi connection). Hitman World of Assassination Signature Edition brings the complete IO Interactive trilogy to Nintendo Switch 2. In this action-stealth game, you play the world's most lethal killer, Agent 47, as they travel the globe eliminating high-value targets in a multitude of creative ways. Each mission is highly replayable, and this Signature Edition also comes with a wealth of extra content. The Hitman World of Assassination trilogy (which packages the three Hitman games developed by IO Interactive between 2016 and 2021) is a known quantity at this point, so I won't harp on about the basics of what the game actually is. There are plenty of reviews covering all three games in the series already, many of which successfully highlight why they represent not only a new high watermark for the long-running franchise, but also why Hitman in this current guise might just be the most polished stealth game ever. Instead, let's specifically talk about the Nintendo Switch 2 port, officially known as the Signature Edition. The first thing to note is you're getting a ridiculous amount of content here. For starters, you get the full campaign of 2016's Hitman, 2018's Hitman 2 and 2021's Hitman 3, alongside the two extra chapters released as DLC for Hitman 2. That's enough to last you dozens of hours, as it's 21 total locations (Hitman's name for individual open levels), and each is purposefully designed to be replayed several times over. Plus, they're all stitched together into a single seamless campaign that can be enjoyed from start to finish with no hitches. Alongside that, you get plenty of additional game modes like user-created Contracts, a rougelike offering called Freelancer and a fiendishly challenging Arcade mode. That's not all; you can also dive into side campaigns like Seven Deadly Sins and Patient Zero. There's also The Sarajevo Six, though this latter one does unfortunately require an additional purchase. These separate modes remix content from the base games in surprisingly inventive ways, changing levels you might have played dozens of times already in often substantial ways. There's also limited-time Elusive Targets, which right now include a tie-in event with James Bond, which features Mads Mikkelsen reprising his role as Le Chiffre from 2006's 'Casino Royale.' Plus, I haven't even touched on the Sniper Assassin mode, which is a totally different spin on Hitman. Here you find Agent 47 perched in a watch tower, and eliminating targets from afar using, you've guessed it, a powerful sniper rifle. None of this content is exclusive to the Signature Edition; it can also be found in Hitman World of Assassination on PlayStation, Xbox and PC, but I've found the Switch 2 platform ideally suited for the Hitman experience because of its portability. Hitman is a great game for shorter sessions. Because each level is highly replayable and designed to be mastered through repeat play, once you've got some knowledge of a location, you can hop in and complete a few challenges within just a matter of minutes. It's the perfect game for playing in shorter bursts, and that approach suits the Switch 2 hardware. The downside is that on a technical level, Hitman World of Assassination on Nintendo Switch 2 isn't up to the same graphical or performance standards as you'll get playing on beefier hardware like the PS5 Pro or a powerful gaming PC. But that's really to be expected with a Switch 2 port. Ultimately, this isn't a highly compromised port. The visual downgrades are well within my tolerance levels, and I suspect most players will feel the same. The unlocked frame rate does dip a little more than I'd like, but it's far from a major issue, and when played in handheld mode, Hitman: WoA showcases the increased graphical power of the Switch 2 pretty well. Like many Switch players, I'm okay making some visual sacrifices in the name of portability. Unfortunately, there is one major issue with Hitman World of Assassination on Switch 2, and it's severe enough that it could serve as a dealbreaker for a significant number of prospective players. The game is ostensibly an always-online title. Now, it's not technically always online, because you're not fully locked out of the game without an internet connection. However, the 'offline mode' places several major restrictions and prevents you from accessing certain modes, making it a highly undesirable way to play. When playing offline, you can't make proper progress as none of your unlocks carry across, and you don't even get a mission score upon completing a level (which is a fundamental part of the Hitman WoA experience). You also can't work through the location Challenges, which is another key pillar of the experience. You're limited to playing each campaign level in its most basic form. That's still pretty fun, but you're basically getting half the game. Making matters worse is that you can't even hop between offline and online, and just tolerate the restrictions. You cannot access online save data when offline, and any progress made won't transfer across. Offline mode is a completely separated and seriously less-than-ideal way to play. Basically, if you don't have a reliable connection, do not buy Hitman on Nintendo Switch 2. Considering that being able to play Hitman on the go is the biggest selling point of the Switch 2 edition, it is a pretty major flaw. And it means that as much as I enjoy Hitman World of Assassination on Nintendo's new platform, it won't be a game I turn to on flights or trains. However, I'm still glad the phenomenal sandbox stealth experience has been ported over to Nintendo Switch 2. And if IO Interactive could tweak the way offline play works, then it would be a game I recommend without any caveats. Sadly, that looks unlikely, so my recommendation comes with an asterisk.
