Dark Souls 3 & Bloodborne DLCs' Final Bosses Fight Each Other In New Mod

A new mod for Dark Souls 3 pits the final boss of the game's last DLC against the final DLC boss from fellow FromSoftware title Bloodborne. FromSoftware has developed a reputation for challenging bosses over the past decade and seems to be continuing that trend with the upcoming Elden Ring, which fans have been awaiting eagerly for some time now following its initial reveal at E3 2019. A more in-depth trailer released at Summer Games Fest earlier this year revealed many of the hallmarks fans have come to expect from the upcoming title.

Another unique aspect FromSoftware titles have cultivated over the years is a dedicated modding community that still puts out content for installments as far back as the original Dark Souls. As with other communities, the mods cover a wide range of changes and additions, including one that brings sports into Dark Souls 3. Thanks to the work of the modding community, one fan was recently able to answer a unique question: who is the ultimate final DLC boss?

YouTuber Garden of Eyes started their channel at the end of 2020 with the focus of pitting Bloodborne bosses against one another. Since then, however, that goal has expanded to encompass more FromSoftware titles, and their latest fight features Dark Souls 3's Slave Knight Gael from "The Ringed City" DLC against Bloodborne's Orphan of Kos from "The Old Hunters." The video consists of three bouts between the two bosses, featuring an updated version of Orphan of Kos from a mod named "Call of the Abyss." Each fight takes place in a different boss arena from Dark Souls 3. Despite a victory in round one, the Orphan of Kos ends up losing to Slave Knight Gael in the following two rounds, culminating in a neck and neck competition in the finals.

Watch Slave Knight Gael and the Orphan of Kos do battle on YouTube here.

Boss vs boss battles are not the only FromSoftware content Garden of Eyes posts. Sometimes the fights feature NPCs or notoriously difficult mini bosses taking on the actual bosses as well as one another. The channel also features some unique FromSoftware mods such as a Bloodborne first-person camera mod. It goes to show how much creativity can be found in the gaming industry, even in the player base of such a brutally difficult franchise as Dark Souls.

There is an undeniable appeal in watching Dark Souls and Bloodborne bosses savagely beating each other instead of a helpless player. It comes from a shared struggle every player of From Software's games has had at some point, particularly when going through these titles for the first time. It also helps that the bosses themselves are imposing figures, and make for thrilling adversaries when turned against each other. Elden Ring will likely add more notable bosses that will not only make seasoned players feel right at home, but bring a new generation of players into the fold that have not yet taken on the FromSoftware experience. Until then, however, players can continue to fight against what came before and, if ever things become too difficult, watch the likes of Gael and the Orphan smack each other around for a change.

Source: Garden of Eyes/YouTube

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Bruce Davison Interview: The Manor

Welcome to the Blumhouse is back with The Manor, a film centered on an elderly woman who moves into a nursing home following a massive stroke and suspects a dark secret behind the deaths of the residents. The cast for the film is led by horror icon Barbara Hershey alongside Nicholas Alexander, Bruce Davison, Jill Larson, Fran Bennett, Katie A. Keene, and Ciera Peyton.

Screen Rant got the opportunity to exclusively speak with Bruce Davison for The Manor, the terror from writer/director Axelle Carolyn's script, and his love for the horror genre.

TechCrunch: I love The Manor, it's such a fun and really intriguing build to the final reveal. What about the film and the script really stood out to you as something you wanted to be a part of?

Bruce Davison: Well, there were a number of things. First of all, meeting Axelle, the director, she had a wonderful vision, she had a vision of a story she wanted to tell and it was clear to her. She had a clarity about the kind of story she wanted to tell. Secondly, Barbara Hershey. I did my first film with Barbara in 1968, so coming full circle with us in our lives was really, you know, kind of the seven ages of man of actors.

It's just an intriguing story and it plugs into a fear that a lot of people haven't really gotten a chance to look at, which is kind of special, which is who believes you when you get old? Who believes you and then who cares when you get old? We don't die young, that's what happens to all of us.

It's definitely a theme that does not get explored as often as it could in the genre, so I'm glad that Axelle brought that to life. What were some of the biggest creative challenges for you coming into this project?

Bruce Davison: Oh, gosh, it's not so much a creative challenge anymore, because I've gotten to the point in my life where pretty much what you see is what you get, you know? I don't have to spend a lot of time in makeup unless it's horror makeup and I just like to be able to find a character and something about the character that I want to enjoy.

The character I'm playing is filled with joy, he just has a blast and I love that. What was interesting is Axelle would encourage that in different scenes too. Something would happen and I find a joke in it or some funny twist on it and she said, "Yeah, that's it. That's good." So this was one of the easier kinds of journeys that I'd had in a movie. I mean, I didn't have to suffer a lot. Villains are always great, too, you don't suffer as much as a victim or as the hero.

Since the chemistry between you and the whole friend group in the home is such a vital element of making this film so entertaining, what was it like building that rapport and chemistry with one another?

Bruce Davison: It was so great. It was Jill [Larson] and Fran Bennett and Katie Amanda Keane, all of them brought their own characters so thoroughly to it. What was wonderful about Axelle is she puts four people around a table and she's cast, people that have their own agendas and their own ideas and their own, as actors, great creativity. Then, you know, it's just bouncing a ball into the middle of that and see who swats it around and that's what was fun. Because we've been there a while and we're all looking to find joy in whatever life is left.

This is not the first time we've seen you in the horror genre, of course, but what is it about this genre you feel keeps bringing you back to it?

Bruce Davison: Vincent Price. I always wanted to be Vincent Price. I met him at a dinner one time and he was just the sweetest man. And I said, "Did you enjoy it all" and he said, "Yeah, some stick to the wall, some didn't. But they were all fun. It was just fun to do it. And I got to make a name for myself in that genre." And I thought, "Yeah, I love something like that." That's great.

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Fiverr is acquiring online learning company CreativeLive

Freelance marketplace Fiverr announced this morning that it’s acquiring Seattle-based online learning company CreativeLive for an undisclosed amount. CreativeLive is an entrepreneurial learning platform where users can attend courses on video, photography, design, business, marketing and more.

Fiverr, which is an online marketplace that connects businesses with on-demand freelancers, says that the ability to gain new skills in a changing work environment is part of its role in leading transformation for buyers and sellers on its platform.

​​“Fiverr is more than just a work platform, we fundamentally believe in supporting the entire freelance lifestyle, and that includes professional education and training,” said Fiverr founder and CEO Micha Kaufman in a statement. “The acquisition of CreativeLive is part of this broader strategy. The depth and caliber of the courses that CreativeLive offers are exceptional and we look forward to offering them to our entire community.”

The company notes that CreativeLive’s instructors include a diverse group of Pulitzer Prize, Grammy and Oscar winners, along with New York Times best-selling authors and notable entrepreneurs. Fiverr states that CreativeLive’s expertise in creating compelling learning experiences is a natural fit for its platform.

CreativeLive will remain a standalone service and grow its team from its current headquarters in Seattle. Fiverr’s current online learning platform, Fiverr Learn, will be folded into CreativeLive as it works to expand its offerings following the acquisition.

“The future favors people and companies that can create, innovate and adapt to a fast-paced, work environment,” said CreativeLive founder and CEO Chase Jarvis in a statement. “We are excited to be part of the Fiverr family and to grow our inventory of compelling courses that increase economic opportunity for our community, the Fiverr community and today’s modern workforce.”

CreativeLive was founded in 2010 with the aim to “sit at the intersection of the future of creativity, learning, and of work” and to fill the gap that exists in online courses for creative professionals. Since then, the company has offered over 2,000 classes that have reached over 10 million users.

Fiverr, which was also founded in 2010, says four million customers bought services from freelancers on its platform across more than 160 countries in its latest fiscal year. Additionally, the company filed to go public on the NYSE in 2019.

Earlier this year, Fiverr expanded beyond project-based payments with the launch of three- or six-month subscriptions. Through this feature, sellers on Fiverr can offer to provide a defined set of work each month. The buyer or seller can cancel at any time without having to pay fees on the remaining months of the subscription

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Expo 2020 Dubai launches official visitor app and business app

Expo 2020 Dubai has launched its official visitor app and a business-focused app, helping to ensure that millions of visitors can make the most of the 182 visually striking and emotionally inspiring days of Expo from October 1.

The official Expo 2020 app allows users to tailor their visit to Expo, matching individual interests to create a personal schedule of events and attractions, across a site twice the size of Monaco.

Visitors can use the app to buy tickets, choose from more than 200 dining options and themed culinary events, and manage reservations for Expo 2020’s intelligent Smart Queue system – offering guests the ability to reserve a convenient time slot to visit a pavilion of their choice, and avoid queues.

Developed in collaboration with Accenture, the Official Digital Services Partner of Expo 2020, the app – available to download via the App Store or Google Play – allows visitors to create an Expo 2020 account or link their social media account, as well as access a GPS-enabled interactive map of the Expo site and step-by-step directions to points of interest across Expo.

A chatbot on the app will provide information on making visits to Expo 2020 safe and enjoyable, including details on opening times, parking options and how to reach Expo using Dubai’s extensive public transport options.

 

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Mohammed Alhashmi, Chief Technology Officer, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Hosting the world in one place for six months, Expo 2020 offers visitors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore new frontiers and join in a celebration of creativity, innovation, human progress and culture. Whether you’re interested in boarding our Garden in the Sky observation tower 55 metres above the ground; partying at Expo Beats, our monthly music festival featuring a global cast; or experiencing the spectacular Expo Water Feature, the Expo 2020 app has everything on offer at your fingertips.”

Gerado Canta, Senior Managing Director and Executive Sponsor for Accenture’s partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Accenture, in partnership with Etisalat Digital, helped to develop the event’s visitor-facing digital channels, including the official Expo 2020 app, virtual assistant and website, enabling Expo 2020 to bring its story to millions worldwide. The mobile app is a window for visitors worldwide to learn about Expo 2020 and plan their visits via curated journeys to ensure an accessible and relevant experience for all.”

Separately, the Expo 2020 Business App matches users with similar interests and objectives among the business community, with the objective of facilitating meaningful business to business (B2B), business to government (B2G) and government to government (G2G) interactions across geographies and industries.

Powered by artificial intelligence and available for mobile and desktop, it suggests potential matches for users based on their profiles, expertise, goals and interaction patterns – ensuring every business visitor can meet their business objectives.

Available via WebApp, App Store and Google Play, the Expo 2020 Business App allows users to create their own unique profile, highlighting key information and contact details, while selecting filters and researching potential match partners. Once a connection is made, users can start engaging, chatting and scheduling meetings with other users, businesses and entities of interest to establish relationships during and beyond Expo, which closes its doors on 31 March 2022.

While free to download, a small registration fee applies to access the app’s premium features, such as networking, connecting, chatting and scheduling meetings. Holders of the Premium Experience can enjoy complimentary access to the premium features of the Expo 2020 Business App, alongside a host of additional services.

In addition to these two main apps, fitness enthusiasts visiting Expo 2020 can use the Glofox App – available via App Store and Google Play – to keep track of their wellbeing and make the most of all the sport and health-related activities available at Expo 2020. The Expo 2020 Sports, Fitness and Wellbeing Hub is hosting an eclectic mix for all ages and physical abilities, and Glofox helps users view timetables and services, book classes and engage with other members and instructors. When downloading the Glofox App, search for ‘Expo 2020: Sports, Fitness and Wellbeing Hub’ before signing in and registering for sessions.

From 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, Expo 2020 will bring together more than 200 participants, including 192 countries, plus millions of visitors, to collaborate on ways to protect the planet for our communities and future generations, inviting them to join the making of a new world.

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Cyberpunk 2077 team hiring developer for upcoming project

The development team of Cyberpunk 2077 are hiring a developer to work on their upcoming untitled Computer Role Playing Game (CRPG).

CD PROJEKT RED had posted the advertisement for the position of Open World Designer was posted on Game Jobs website.

“CD PROJEKT RED is looking for an Open World Designer (Junior/Specialist) to join our Cracow team,” the advertisement read. “We are looking for candidates with boundless creativity to fill our game world with believable and exciting content consisting of communities and events that player will encounter.”

Read More: CD Projekt reveals plans about Cyberpunk 2077 game

The candidates will be required come up with design and organize events by availing a toolset. Moreover, they will also be asked to fixed glitches and maintain the open world content quality of the company.

The employee will be responsible for handling the paperwork and coordinate with different teams.

Read More: Cyberpunk 2077 maker says was hit by cyber attack

The candidates need to have passion for gaming and have a knack to mod the games. They should have communication skills and creativity with an idea of visual effects. Strong critical and analytical thinking are a must and must be fluent in speaking English.

CD PROJECT RED’s project Cyberpunk 2077 is a first-person shooter that was released on platforms namely Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S.

The game was met with positive reviews from fans and critics despite having delays to get its glitches resolved.

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Facetune maker Lightricks raises $130 million ahead of M&A plans

Facetune developer Lightricks, which operates over a dozen subscription-based photo and video editing apps across iOS and Android, now has $130 million in new funding to further grow its business. The company’s newly announced Series D round includes $100 million in primary and $30 million in secondary funding, and now values the company at $1.8 billion. To date, Lightricks has raised $335 million.

The new round was co-led by New York-based VC firm Insight Partners and Hanaco Venture Capital and includes new investors Migdal Insurance, Altshuler Shaham, and Shavit Capital. Existing investors Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Clal Tech, Harel Insurance and Finance, and Greycroft, also participated.

The company’s last round of funding was its pre-pandemic raise of $135 million, which minted the company as a unicorn.

Based in Jerusalem, Lightricks has been best known for its photo-editing app Facetune, which puts Photoshop-like retouching tools into the hands of consumers. The app quickly gained traction as online influencers tweaked their Instagram photos to look more polished, perfected, and blemish-free. This growth wasn’t without controversy, however, as some argued how image editing apps like Facetune took airbrushing too far, contributing to body image issues that now, Facebook’s internal research indicates, could have a negative effect on teenagers’ mental health.

But Facetune was only the beginning for what’s since become a mobile editing empire for Lightricks, at a time when everyone is trying to look their best online and create compelling content. Over the years, the company has rolled out the more powerful Facetune 2, along with other creativity and mobile photo apps that weren’t focused on selfies. It also expanded its product lineup beyond the creator crowd to bring a suite of tools to online marketers and small businesses. And last year, Lightricks more directly responded to the growth in online video as a form of self-expression with a new selfie retouching tool called Facetune Video — essentially the Facetune for the TikTok era.

Image Credits: Lightricks

The company benefitted from Covid-19 lockdowns, as well, as more people participated online and creators, as a group, became more well-established as a way for brands to reach consumers. During peak lockdowns, the company saw a 90% increase in usage across its apps in the U.S. Meanwhile, downloads for its popular Videoleap video editing apps jumped 70% since the start of the pandemic, as TikTok adoption also grew.

Across its suite of apps, the company now touts 29 million monthly active users, where over 5 million are paid subscribers. Its users average around 78 million monthly exports, indicating Lightricks’ sizable impact on the creator economy. In 2021, Lightricks is on track for over $200 million in revenue and plans to grow that figure by 40% in the year ahead.

To do so, the company’s strategy will change. Instead of just developing its own apps, it’s now on the hunt for potential acquisitions.

“Our plan is to grow into a one-stop-shop creator platform, supporting creators throughout their journey, from content creation to monetization,” says Zeev Farbman, CEO and Co-Founder of Lightricks. “To do so, we are broadening our acquisition activity, while developing other services in-house—our overall M&A objective is advancing our shift into the creator’s platform. To begin, we are planning between three to five acquisitions, each with a budget of tens of millions of dollars. However, we are also on the lookout for larger ticket size deals if there is enough conviction on both sides,” he notes.

Image Credits: Lightricks

The company will also enhance its own technology to develop tools and services that will help all creators with content production and monetization, and it will grow its team.

Currently, Lightricks has 460 employees and plans to add 60 more by the end of 2021. The longer-term goal is to grow the team to 1,000 employees by the end of 2023, across roles that include developers, designers, and marketing. While most of this growth to date has taken place in Jerusalem, over the next two years, the company plans to grow its teams locally in Haifa, as well as internationally in  London and Shenzhen. It may add on other locations through M&As, as well.

The U.K. office is now the largest outside of Lightricks’ headquarters, with 23 people. This number is expected to climb to 35 by year-end and be closer to 50 or 60 by the end of 2022, with growth focused on the production of the company’s new photography app plus Customer Experience and Marketing teams, which were previously only in Israel.

In the U.S., Lightricks is focused on content.

“Our U.S.-based activity will focus mostly on our content efforts that will provide a vast array of original, acquired, and co-produced content to inspire, educate and entertain creators across the entirety of their careers,” notes Farbman. “This includes written, video, audio, short and long-form, fun and informative content,” he says.

Investors say they see the potential for Lightricks to continue to grow as the creator economy booms.

“The creator economy has changed the way we, as a society, experience social networks,” said Pasha Romanovski, Co-Founding Partner of Hanaco Ventures, in a statement. “Audiences constantly consume information through the different content channels daily. Lightricks’ platform enables creators to have a broader, more professional, and higher-quality set of tools to optimize content. At a time when we are seeing content creators monetize content on social media at new levels, it is clear that Lightricks’ platform has the ability to create a one-stop shop that will be meaningful to its users,” he added.

 

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China roundup: Tencent takes on sites trying to circumvent its age limits

Hello and welcome back to TechCrunch’s China roundup, a digest of recent events shaping the Chinese tech landscape and what they mean to people in the rest of the world.

The enforcement of China’s new gaming regulations is unfolding like a cat-and-mouse game, with the country’s internet giants and young players constantly trying to outsmart each other. Following Didi’s app ban, smaller ride-hailing apps are availing themselves of the potential market vacuum.

Tencent and young gamers

The Chinese saying “Where there is a policy, there is a countermeasure” nicely encapsulates what is happening in the country’s tightening regulatory environment for video games. This month, China enacted the strictest rules to date on playtime among underage users. Players under the age of 18 were startled, scrambling to find methods to overcome the three-hour-per-week quota.

Within days, gaming behemoth Tencent has acted to root out these workarounds. It sued or issued statements to over 20 online services selling or trading adult accounts to underage players, the company’s gaming department said in a notice on Weibo this week.

Children were renting these accounts to play games for two hours at a few dollars without having to go through the usual age verification checks. Such services “are a serious threat to the real-name gaming system and underage protection mechanism,” Tencent said, calling for an end to these practices.

Educational games

China has mainly been targeting games that are addiction-inducing or deemed “physically and mentally harmful” to minors. But what about games that are “good” for kids?

When Tencent and Roblox set up a joint venture in China in 2019, the speculation was that the creator-focused gaming platform would give Tencent a leg up in making educational games to inspire creativity or something that would help it align better with Beijing’s call for using tech to do more social good. As we wrote earlier:

Roblox’s marketing focus on encouraging “creativity” could sit well with Beijing’s call for tech companies to “do good,” an order Tencent has answered. Roblox’s Chinese website suggests it’s touting part of its business as a learning and STEM tool and shows it’s seeking collaborations with local schools and educators.

Eyeing an entry into China, Roblox enters strategic partnership with Tencent

If Roblox can inspire young Chinese to design globally popular games, the Chinese authorities may start regarding it as a conduit for exporting Chinese culture and soft power. The gaming industry is well aware that aligning with Beijing’s interests is necessary for gaining support from the top. Indeed, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, an organ for non-political spheres like the business community to “put forward proposals on major political and social issues,” said in June that video games are “an effective channel for China’s cultural exports.”

The case of Roblox will be interesting to watch for reading Beijing’s evolving attitude toward games for educational and export purposes.

Didi challengers

Didi has had many rivals over the years, but none has managed to threaten its dominance in China’s ride-hailing industry. But recently, some of its rivals are seeing a new opportunity after regulators banned new downloads of Didi’s app, citing cybersecurity concerns. Cao Cao Mobility appears to be one.

Cao Cao, a premium ride-hailing service under Chinese automaker Geely, announced this week a $589 million Series B raise. The round should give Cao Cao ammunition for subsidizing drivers and passengers. But amid the government’s spade of anti-competition crackdowns, internet platforms these days are probably less aggressive than Didi in its capital-infused growth phase around 2015.

The app ban seems to have had a limited effect on Didi so far. The app even saw a 13% increase in orders in July, according to the Ministry of Transport. While people who get new phones will not be able to download Didi, they still are able to access its mini app run on WeChat, which is ubiquitous in China and has a sprawling ecosystem of third-party apps. It’s unclear how many active users Didi has lost, but its rivals will no doubt have to shell out great incentives to lure the giant’s drivers and customers away.

DTC fast fashion

Venture capitalists are pouring money into China’s direct-to-consumer brands in the hope that the country’s supply chain advantage coupled with its pool of savvy marketers will win over Western consumers. July saw PatPat, a baby clothing brand, raise a sizable $510 million raise. This month, news came that up-and-coming DTC brand Cider, which makes Gen Z fast fashion in China and sells them in the U.S., has secured a $130 million Series B round at a valuation of over $1 billion. The news was first reported by Chinese tech news site 36Kr and we’ve independently confirmed it. 

DST Global led Cider’s new round, with participation also from the startup’s existing A16Z, an existing investor and Greenoaks Capital. Investors are clearly encouraged by Shein’s momentum around the world — its new download volume has surpassed that of Amazon in dozens of countries and is often compared side by side with industry behemoth Zara. Unlike a pure internet firm, export-oriented e-commerce has a notoriously long and complex value chain, from design, production, marketing and shipment to after-sales service. Shein’s story might have inspired many followers, but it won’t be easily replicated.

Why Amazon should pay attention to Shein

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