Latest news with #TombRaider
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Games group Embracer's profit misses market view amid catalogue softness
Swedish gaming company Embracer has today reported a first-quarter operating profit that was well below analysts' estimates, flagging catalogue softness for the business developing games for PCs and consoles. That softness was due to launches of competing games in the quarter that took players' time and attention, leading to a slowdown in gamer acquisition for Embracer's Kingdom Come Deliverance II, which was launched in February, it said. As the pandemic-era surge in gaming recedes, delayed game releases and rising PC and console prices, exacerbated by US import duties, are dampening the industry's growth. Worsening consumer sentiment is also forcing video game developers to rethink their business models and the production process for their titles. Embracer, the owner of the Tomb Raider franchise, last year decided to split into three listed companies after being hit by development delays, weak demand and the collapse of a planned strategic partnership. Last month, its French peer Ubisoft said it planned to split its business into "creative houses" based on specific genres, following a quarterly earnings miss. The gaming group reported an adjusted operating profit of 75 million Swedish crowns ($7.9m) for its fiscal first quarter, compared to analysts' consensus of 141 million crowns compiled by it.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Britain is a global gaming superpower
The arrival of 'Grand Theft Auto VI' in 2026 will be less a video-game release than a cultural moment. The game, which rewards players for stealing cars, selling drugs and killing cops, will have cost upwards of $2bn to build. Yet it will almost certainly turn a profit within its first week. With its glitzy cityscapes, radio soundtrack and trademark swagger, the series looks, sounds and feels like a warped parody of America. Yet this blockbuster began its life in the small Scottish city of Dundee and is still made by a team of tartan nerds in Edinburgh—a feat celebrated in the British government's strategy for the creative industries, released this June. Strip out the Cayman Islands (a British overseas territory) and Britain ranks as the third-largest exporter of video games—behind only America and Japan.(Illustration: Lea Dohle) Such recognition is overdue: gaming has long been a British superpower. The sector generates annual revenues of some $200bn globally. Strip out the Cayman Islands (a British overseas territory) and Britain ranks as the third-largest exporter of video games—behind only America and Japan. More understated and quirky than these rivals, it often plays the role of incubator. 'Tomb Raider', a billion-dollar franchise with its own Netflix series, began as a sketch in Derby. 'Fall Guys', a battle-royale obstacle course; 'LittleBigPlanet', a pioneer of the user-generated content craze; and 'Total War: Warhammer', based on the tabletop series, are recent successes. Video games generate more revenue (£4.3bn) than the film (ex streaming) and music industries combined (£3.4bn). Not everyone is convinced that Britain should be as supportive of its gaming industry as of, say, its life sciences. Outdated stereotypes that gaming turns youth into obese oddballs or school shooters still prevail in parts of Westminster. Others fret about the future: with investment slowing and artificial intelligence (AI) looming, the global gaming industry is in turmoil. Such pessimism is misguided. As in other creative industries—from film to fashion—British ingenuity makes it well-placed to thrive in an age of (sameish) AI. To understand Britain's unique role in the global gaming industry, go back to its origins. In the early 1980s cheap, programmable home computers gave rise to a generation of bedroom coders. This grassroots mix of creativity and code stood in contrast with America and Japan, where console-driven markets, not PC games, took off first. Britain's quirky scene spawned hits with cultish fanbases, such as 'Broken Sword', a mystery adventure starring an American puzzle-solver. This soon attracted the attention of industry giants. In 1997 Dundee's Abertay University launched the world's first computer-game degree. Britain is also good at making mobile games, which are more accessible and cheaper to make than console blockbusters. Golf Clash, the top-grossing sports-mobile game in America in 2021, was made in less than a year by around 20 people in a leafy town in Cheshire. Tripledot Studios, popular for its Solitaire game, is based in London. In June it bought the mobile-games arm of AppLovin, a Nasdaq-listed American tech firm, for $800m. As the industry has grown, with exports increasing from $3.4bn in 2016 to $8.8bn in 2021, its benefits have become more evident. It employs 30,000 or so developers, artists and composers and is unusually productive. The gross value-added per video-games worker is almost double the British average, according to government data. It is also a sector where Britain really is levelling up. Almost four-fifths of video-game developers work outside London (clusters tended to form around successful early studios and to reflect the sector's bedroom origins). Katie Goode, a burgundy-haired rocket scientist turned games designer, runs her virtual-reality (VR) studio from North Cornwall—one of the country's remotest corners. Hubs have emerged in places like Dundee, Leamington Spa, Slough and Teesside. Britain has also begun to recognise gaming's wider benefits. In the right hands, consoles encourage learning, not laziness. Take Demis Hassabis, known for starting DeepMind, an AI company bought by Google for $600m in 2014. He attributes much of his success to making a theme-park game as a teen in North London, and later founding a games studio. VR is changing how doctors rehearse surgery and how pilots train for take-off. The National Health Service now prescribes games to treat anxiety and depression. Yet the belated recognition comes at a tough time. Some issues are specific to Britain. Gaming suffers from the same woes as British tech more broadly: mainly a shortage of venture-capital funding. Smaller studios that struggle to attract investment are unable to scale up. Instead they are often snapped up by foreign buyers, such as Tencent, a Chinese tech conglomerate, which bought Sumo Group, a developer based in Sheffield, in 2022. 'We're incredibly good at creating games,' says Sir Ian Livingstone, the first Briton knighted for services to the industry. 'We're not so good at hanging onto them.' The second challenge is a global slowdown. The pandemic helped gaming boom. Investors piled in, hoping to profit from millions of house-bound players. British exports grew by 259% between 2016 and 2021. But the surge led to overproduction. In July Microsoft, maker of the Xbox, announced mass layoffs in its gaming division, leading to the cancellation of projects in Britain. Sony, a Japanese publisher, closed its London studio in 2024. At the industry's biggest annual conference in Britain, held in July in Brighton, the mood is subdued. Jobseekers wander the halls with lanyards reading 'seeking new opportunities' or 'looking for work'. Technological disruption adds to the unease. Gaming has long been at the bleeding edge of tech—Nvidia made its GPUs for gamers long before they were used on AI models. Alan Turing, a British computer pioneer, created the world's first algorithm capable of playing chess. But many developers are wary of being displaced by machines. 'A lot of us feel like Luddites…we just want to start burning the textile mills,' says one attendee in Brighton. One game on show lets players explore the abandoned server of a failed studio, its fictional founders' ideas drowned in a tide of generic content, or 'AI slop'. Creative destruction Yet as artists and disruptors have shown through the ages, in turmoil lies opportunity. And Britain is uniquely well-placed to reap the benefits. Some of the laid-off are starting their own studios, such as Yasmina Fadel, who co-founded a games company after being made redundant last year. There are also signs that Britain is beginning to better value its ideas. Licensing its distinctive IP to gaming developers helped turn Games Workshop, the creator of 'Warhammer', into a FTSE100 company in 2024 (it has focused on mid-size games). The government's new strategy includes a promise of funding through the British Business Bank to help plug the venture-capital gap, and a promise of a copyright scheme to protect firms' IP from AI. AI may end up increasing the value of British developers rather than deplete it. It can boost productivity. At one studio in Brighton, a level that once took 90 days to build now takes just ten, notes Nick Poole of UK Interactive Entertainment, an industry body. 'In a world of synthetic material and AI-generated content,' the government's creative-industry strategy correctly identifies that 'human endeavour and creativity will be more important than ever.' The only way to mitigate the threat of AI is to 'tell great stories that haven't been told before,' notes Charles Cecil, the creator of 'Broken Sword'. What is exciting, he says, is that it is 'playing to [British] strengths'. In Brighton that is clearly on display. One arcade-style game, made in Cornwall, stars a cat wielding a revolver and a samurai sword. In 'Atomfall', players explore a post-apocalyptic Lake District, complete with distinctive red British telephone boxes. 'Thank Goodness You're Here', a surreal indie hit, follows a travelling salesman through a Yorkshire village as he helps residents free themselves from drains, and bake oversize meat pies. 'It captures a bit of the British soul,' purred Le Monde. Only a human, arguably only a British human, could dream up ideas like this. Eccentricity may well be Britain's greatest asset. For more expert analysis of the biggest stories in Britain, sign up to Blighty, our weekly subscriber-only newsletter.
Tom's Guide
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
From Expedition 33 and Cyberpunk 2077 to F1 22 — these are the 5 games I always play to test gaming headsets
Looking to elevate your gaming experience by making it more immersive? Whether you're on a budget or need a console-specific set of cans, we've ranked the best gaming headsets! I've been a gamer for as long as I can remember, and that's about 15 years. I remember my dad's PC had a demo of the 1997 Tomb Raider with one level where you had to fight it out with a couple of tigers. I'd play it on repeat, thinking it was the greatest thing ever. Video games have come a long way since then, and 2025 has been an outstanding year for consoles and titles so far. Not just that, but we've seen gaming accessories, such as headsets, become better than ever this year. As a reviews writer at Tom's Guide, it's my job to test the best gaming headsets — that means I have an excuse to forego social obligations and play video games (I know, great, isn't it?). You'll usually find me sinking hours into RPGs on my PS5 Slim unless I'm out and about with my camera or at a concert. But how do I even begin testing a gaming headset? It's a long process where I wear a set of cans for hours to determine its comfort level and battery life, and look out for the finest details in sound. To determine whether a headset is a good value for your money, I need to feel like I'm the protagonist as much as possible — I need to be immersed in the game. But with so many games out there, I can't play all of them, but these five titles never let me down. When Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was announced, I knew I had to get the reactive turn-based game, and it took just the 30-minute-long prologue to make it my frontrunner for Game of the Year. In my opinion, it has the best soundtrack of any game I've ever played. Its orchestral power ballads elevate every cutscene, battle and free-roaming experience. You need a capable headset to ensure you appreciate the soundscapes as the developers intended. Because most battles are soundtracked by said power ballads, featuring a plethora of instruments, it's crucial for a good headset to ensure the OST doesn't overpower the battle sounds. There needs to be a perfect balance between the sound of your weapon slashing (or your fireballs burning the enemies, etc.) and the song playing in the background. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3 Wireless is an extremely comfortable gaming headset thanks to its memory foam ear cups, and it comes with a detailed companion app that offers 200+ game-tailored presets — most of which work excellently. The detachable mic is loud and clear too. Another set of sounds I look out for when playing Expedition 33 to test a set of cans? Audio cues in battles. Some attacks have a sharp ding that plays right before an enemy's attack lands, and this can help you time your parry perfectly to deal massive damage. I've tested a couple of headsets where the ding sounds muffled and muddled with the soundtrack, so if that's what it sounds like, I wouldn't consider it a good set of cans. Headset I recommend for RPG titles: SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3 Wireless (4.5 stars) Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. I'm not a huge fan of first-person shooters (as I prefer third-person POVs), but Cyberpunk 2077 (and its Phantom Liberty DLC) is the only exception to that rule. It's one of my favorite games, and I've thoroughly enjoyed exploring its various dialogue options and areas. It's also different from most of the RPGs I play, as it emphasizes and rewards stealthy gameplay. Therefore, I need a headset that can help me gauge enemy positions by pinpointing the source of their footsteps when I'm, say, hiding behind a door. Directional audio (where sound travels from one earcup to the other) in a headset is then crucial for this game. Some cans offer the ability to adjust the loudness of footsteps specifically, and these are usually designed for professional eSports players. Designed for professional gamers, the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro boasts fantastic sound with spatial audio support that gives you a competitive edge. It's extremely comfortable, features highly effective ANC, and comes with a detachable mic that makes you sound loud and clear. No compromises have been made, and you're getting your money's worth. For Cyberpunk 2077, you'd want a headset that's an all-rounder. The game is soundtracked by high-tempo techno music that can get very loud and make you feel like you're at a rave. The game's loud tracks can easily overwhelm headsets — in audio terms, imagine if you were listening to a Charli XCX track on a cheap pair of earbuds and it sounded hella tinny with booming bass. That's what you want to avoid, so that's what I look for when playing Cyberpunk 2077. Headset I recommend for FPS titles: Razer BlackShark V3 Pro (5 stars) Horror movies and video games, as is their nature, scare the living daylight out of me, but I can't deny their charm and the rush of adrenaline they provide. Horror games are also great to play when I want to test if a gaming headset can replicate the atmospheric sound design to fully immerse me to the point I feel like I'm the one being terrorized by in-game demons. This is why I always play Alan Wake 2, because what good is a headset if the game doesn't have me at the edge of my seat and my hands shaking? Alan Wake 2 features detailed, intricate sound design, and it utilizes audio cues to build tension and guide the player. This means that if you're using just a flashlight to navigate through the woods at night, you'll hear leaves rustling to alert you of cultists' positions — especially if a headset has great spatial audio. With 50mm drivers and virtual surround sound, the Asus ROG Pelta is a fantastic gaming headset for horror, RPGs and FPS titles. It's extremely comfortable for long gaming sessions, and it's compatible with many devices. Offering a lot of customization potential, you can tailor the sound according to your preferences, too. It's not just subtle, easy-to-miss sounds that make Alan Wake 2 terrifying, but black-and-white jumpscares that pop up every now and then when you're roaming around the world. These are accompanied by screeches or other loud noises that make you flinch. For that reason, the ideal gaming headset needs a wide frequency response range to ensure you hear soft and loud sounds equally as clearly. Headset I recommend for horror games: Asus ROG Pelta (4.5 stars) Racing games can feel extremely immersive, especially if you're using a sim racing rig. If you don't have a sim wheel, you need a great gaming headset at the very least to make you feel like you're the driver behind the wheel. There are two racing games I always play to test a headset: Need for Speed Heat and F1 22. The latter is the better pick because it's extremely easy to slip up and let an opponent overtake you if you drop your guard (and it's what I play to test the best game controllers, too). F1 22 boasts a dynamic soundscape made up of crowds cheering or booing depending on your actions, the sound of the engine depending on your speed and gear, your engineer popping on the radio for advice and strategy, and so on. Sleek, lightweight, and premium-looking, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 is an excellent headset to use with an array of gaming devices. It's extremely comfortable, boasts great sound quality, and the companion app lets you customize your gaming experience further. In F1 22, if an opponent is slowly gaining on me and is in my DRS range, I hear it through my headset if the set of cans is capable. The headset should also be able to tell me exactly when I need to shift gears. To fully immerse myself in the game, I like to hear the roaring of the crowd if I'm leading the race while making my way through Eau Rouge at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. Headset I recommend for racing games: SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 (5 stars) It blows my mind that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild came out eight years ago. Its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, is just as good if not better, and is two years old, so why pick the old game? Well, not only has it aged beautifully, but it's still one of my go-to games when I'm testing a headset for the Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2, thanks to its wide variety of environmental sounds. The reason I chose Breath of the Wild over Tears of the Kingdom is that the former has one thing the latter doesn't: bone-chilling sounds of Guardians locking onto you when you're running through a field, indicated by high-pitched, panic-inducing music. A good gaming headset will ensure I'm feeling the calmest I've ever been while strolling leisurely, enjoying the sound of soft grass under Link's feet, and then have my heart racing as the music dramatically picks up. The Turtle Beach Airlite Fit is a fantastic headset for Nintendo Switch consoles. It elevates your gaming experience by creating immersive soundscapes, thanks to the 40mm drivers. It comes with a flip-to-mute mic that makes you sound loud and clear, and I really like its colorful design, which complements the Switch's playful nature. In line with that, I enjoy using either of the Zelda games when I want to relax and see whether a headset can make me feel at peace. Again, a wide frequency response range helps here as it ensures I hear the delicate sound of drizzling rain as well as the stream's water washing up against my horse's legs as I admire the landscape. Headset I recommend for Nintendo Switch games: Turtle Beach Airlite Fit (4.5 stars) And there you have it! The five games I always play to test sound quality are Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Cyberpunk 2077, Alan Wake 2, F1 22 and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. There are other games I sometimes play too, such as Baldur's Gate 3 (the G.O.A.T. by the way), but I've found the five I've talked about the most important in terms of soundscapes.
Express Tribune
10-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Pregnant Phoebe Waller-Bridge spotted with notes amid Tomb Raider delay
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the award-winning creator of Fleabag and co-writer of the James Bond film No Time To Die, has sparked speculation about a possible new project after being spotted in north London carrying a folder of notes. The 40-year-old actress and writer, dressed casually in denim dungarees and a striped T-shirt, was photographed with the folder tucked under her arm — prompting speculation she may be developing a fresh script. Waller-Bridge signed a landmark $100 million five-year deal with Amazon Studios in 2019 after a bidding war between major Hollywood studios. However, her highly anticipated Tomb Raider TV reboot has reportedly stalled, with industry sources describing the project as 'dead.' Plans for filming in early 2025 have yet to materialize, and the recent departure of Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke — the executive who secured Waller-Bridge's deal — may have further complicated the show's future. Sophie Turner, previously rumored to be in talks for the role of Lara Croft, is committed to other projects this year. Beyond Tomb Raider, Waller-Bridge was originally attached to the Mr. & Mrs. Smith TV adaptation but departed in 2021, with her contributions removed from the final version. She has since taken on select acting roles, including Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and the upcoming fantasy film A Big Bold Beautiful Journey alongside Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell. Waller-Bridge has been in a relationship with playwright and filmmaker Martin McDonagh since 2017 and has described their creative partnership as mutually inspiring.
Scottish Sun
08-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
DAZN host Diletta Leotta shows off curves in marine blue bikini as adoring fans say ‘I can't find adjectives anymore'
DILETTA LEOTTA delighted fans with her latest Instagram post. The popular presenter, 33, has built a huge fanbase online. 26 Diletta Leotta enjoyed some sunshine on a boat Credit: INSTAGRAM @dilettaleotta 26 The popular TV host posed for several snaps Credit: INSTAGRAM @dilettaleotta 26 Leotta, 32, has more than nine million Instagram followers Credit: INSTAGRAM @dilettaleotta 26 The presenter's latest post received more than 200,000 likes Credit: INSTAGRAM @dilettaleotta Leotta works for DAZN in Italy on Serie A matches. She now has 9.2 million Instagram followers, and loves to keep them updated with what's going on in her life. For her latest selection of snaps, Leotta posed on a boat in glorious sunshine. The TV host wore a blue bikini and matching silk head scarf as she headed out onto the water. Leotta simply captioned the post: "Blue." Her upload swiftly received more than 200,000 likes. While plenty of fans rushed to leave a comment. One wrote: "I can't find adjectives anymore!" While a second gushed: "It's amazing how beautiful she is." Another added: "This costume is wonderful for its colours." DAZN host Diletta Leotta puts on a leggy display in bold Club World Cup outfit Leotta is married to former Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius. The couple welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Aria, in August 2023. Leotta and Karius recently hung out together in Cologne, posing for several snaps. Karius, 32, now plays for Schalke in the German second tier, and started their season opener against Hertha Berlin last weekend, with Leotta cheering him on from the stands. A glimpse inside Diletta's glamorous life with partner Loris Karius... 26 Leotta cheered on her man from the stands last weekend Credit: Getty 26 Diletta Leotta and boyfriend Loris Karius saw in the new year together Credit: 26 The footballer brought Diletta a cake to her hospital bed as she gave birth to their first child on her own birthday Credit: INSTAGRAM / dilettaleotta 26 The pair posed together in '2023' sunglasses 26 Diletta is one of the Serie A's best loved presenters Credit: Getty 26 Diletta stunned as she presented the Turin derby on Italian TV Credit: Instagram @dilettaleotta 26 The glamorous TV host put on a leggy display pitchside Credit: Instagram @dilettaleotta 26 And boasts 8.9million followers Credit: Getty 26 Diletta gave birth to her first child with Karius in August Credit: Instagram / @dilettaleotta 26 Diletta is no stranger to some extravagant outfits on her Instagram Credit: @dilettaleotta 26 Diletta and Karius in Milan Credit: The Mega Agency 26 The Italian beauty on holiday with Karius 26 She has flipped between blonde and brunette looks Credit: 26 She has previously worn an outfit similar to her Tomb Raider look Credit: @dilettaleotta 26 Diletta with a pared back look Credit: Instagram @dilettaleotta 26 Diletta Leotta is reportedly dating Loris Karius after he visited her in Milan Credit: Instagram @dilettaleotta 26 Leotta has 8.6million Instagram followers Credit: Getty 26 She is a presenter for Dazn Credit: Instagram @dilettaleotta 26 Leotta burst on to the scene with Sky Sports Credit: Instagram @dilettaleotta 26 She posts regularly updates on Instagram to the delight of her fans Credit: Instagram @dilettaleotta 26 Diletta has 8.5million followers on Instagram Credit: Instagram @dilettaleotta
