Helldivers 2 proved to be a surprising success, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the gaming industry. As per Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, it currently ranks as Sony’s seventh highest grossing game in the United States to date, trailing behind a trio of Spider-Man titles, a couple of God of War games, and Ghost of Tsushima. It’s only been on the market for less than three months and is not even being sold at full price.

According to Piscatella, a significant factor contributing to the game’s success is its release on PC. He mentioned that, based on Circana’s Player Engagement Tracker, the game has consistently ranked first in terms of active users on Steam in the US since its launch, including April. The release of Helldivers 2 on both PlayStation and PC has been an extraordinary triumph.

He stated that Helldivers 2 has already become the seventh highest-grossing Sony-published game in history. Without a PC, it would not currently be considered one of the top 20 games. While I’m emphasizing the success of the PC SKU, it’s important to note that I’m not disregarding the success of the PlayStation SKU. I just wanted to clarify that. This launch has proven to be incredibly successful.

Prior to the release of Helldivers 2, Sony made it clear that they would be launching their live service-style titles simultaneously on both the PS5 and PC. The success of this approach will undoubtedly strengthen their strategic vision. It will be intriguing to witness if the company reveals official sales figures in the near future, as the title appears to be one of the platform holder’s most successful sellers to date.

Shift Up, the Korean developer, seems to be reconsidering its contentious alterations to the Stellar Blade outfit. In a message to fans, they have urged everyone to stay tuned for updates and expressed gratitude for the passionate feedback from players. For those who may not be aware, a petition gained significant attention over the weekend when gamers discovered changes made to a few of the game’s costumes through a day-one patch.

The launch day update includes a fantastic New Game + mode, but some players were disappointed by the changes made to protagonist Eve’s outfit. These alterations sparked debates about censorship. Director Hyung-Tae Kim later clarified that this was the studio’s original vision, but he acknowledged that it may require further persuasion to win over users. Internal discussions were also underway to address any concerns.

Thanks to all our Stellar Blade fans for your passion & feedback. Stay tuned for updates🤍 pic.twitter.com/jCRzM4OQBS

— StellarBlade (@StellarBlade) May 1, 2024

There is no definitive confirmation regarding the reversal of the outfits, but considering the language used in the statement and the widespread controversy surrounding the alterations, it is highly likely that a future patch will restore the original costumes. If you want to get a sneak peek at all of Eve’s different outfits and learn how to unlock them, be sure to take a look at our comprehensive guide, All Outfits and How to Get Them.

Brains and computers may share some functions, such as calculation and organization, but they possess fundamental differences. And their differences are purely structural. Could computers ever be built to mimic the complexity of the human brain? This concept has been in circulation for some time, and scientists have recently made a significant advancement. They created a device that functions similarly to a synapse.

Just like a microbiologist, it’s important to note that the central nervous system is primarily composed of neurons, or nerve cells. They communicate with each other through synapses, which are connections between neurons where information is transmitted and processed. They play a crucial role in the functioning of the brain.

Synapses accomplish this by utilizing ions, which are electrically charged particles or molecules, dissolved in water. Recent research demonstrates the feasibility of developing a synthetic synapse that effectively interacts with water and salts. At the heart of this is a compact device known as an iontronic memristor, which is as narrow as two sheets of paper.

Despite its intricate name, the shape and behavior of this organism are easy to understand. The shape resembles that of a cone and contains a solution composed of water and salts. When an electrical impulse is received, the ions in the water undergo movement, resulting in a change in salt concentration. This is similar to how a genuine brain synapse functions.

“It is truly remarkable that we have been able to achieve the processing of complex information using water and salt, a breakthrough that was previously only possible with solid materials,” stated Tim Kamsma, a graduate researcher at Utrecht University. “We are successfully emulating neuronal behavior using a system that utilizes the same medium as the brain.”

Scientists from South Korea developed the ionotronic memristor, and a fortuitous meeting with Kamsma resulted in a fruitful collaboration. They both recognized the potential of utilizing the device as a computational synapse. It’s fascinating to see how this non-functional computer could potentially pave the way for the development of a device that closely mimics the behavior of our own synapses.

“This is a significant step forward in the development of computers that can not only imitate the communication patterns of the human brain but also utilize the same medium,” Kamsma stated. Maybe this will eventually lead to computing systems that can better mimic the incredible abilities of the human brain.

The study has been published in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.