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Zoom Partners With Sam Altman’s Iris-Scanning Company To Offer Callers Verifications of Humanness

Posted on April 20, 2026 by faz_business

Zoom “has partnered with World, Sam Altman’s iris-scanning identity company (previously known as Worldcoin), ” reports Digital Trends, “to add real-time human verification inside meetings.”

Zoom is now inviting organizations to join the beta version of the rollout, which Digital Trends says “lets hosts confirm that every face on the call belongs to a real person, not an AI-generated imposter. ”

For those wondering how World’s Deep Face technology works, it includes a three-step process. It cross-references a signed image from a user’s original Orb registration, a live face scan from the device, and the frame of the video that’s visible to the other participants in the meeting. Only when the three samples match does a “Verified Human” badge appear next to the user’s name…

Hosts can also make Deep Face verification mandatory for joining meetings, preventing unverified participants from joining entirely. Mid-call, on-the-spot checks are also possible…

Announced, Delayed, Disappeared: The Games Still In Limbo

Posted on April 20, 2026 by faz_business

The days of relatively short development cycles for big-budget AAA games feels like a distant memory, as it’s not uncommon for titles to spend many years in development. These days, a five-year production cycle isn’t uncommon at all, and some games take the better part of a decade to be released. Such lengthy waits aren’t intrinsically bad, as games like Crimson Desert and Doom 2016 were worth the wait.

But right now? Numerous studios have been toiling away on their respective projects, keeping out of the spotlight and offering little to no updates along the way. Some of them have undergone drastic overhauls behind the scenes, and others were announced way too early with slick teaser trailers that were designed to excite fans andrecruit people to the project. There’s a good chance that you might have forgotten about many of the games below, but if you’re looking to refresh your memory, you can check out our list below of the biggest games still trapped in development hell.

Beyond Good & Evil 2

First announced: 2008

We’re fast approaching the 20-year mark since Beyond Good & Evil 2 was first announced, and in the years since,, it has become the game industry’s Sasquatch–a creature of legend that we’re certain exists, but we have no real evidence to prove it. The game was re-announced, this time as an open-world prequel, in 2017, but we’ve only gotten occasional updates since then, and basically nothing of substance over the last several years.

So what’s the current state of this long-in-development project? Following the structural overhaul at Ubisoft, several games were outright canceled, but Beyond Good & Evil 2 has managed to survive that cull. Ubisoft creative director Fawzi Mesmar confirmed work is still proceeding on it, and as of late last year, Ubisoft was actually hiring for it.

The Wolf Among Us 2

First announced: 2017

In the years since The Wolf Among Us 2 was announced, the market for narrative-adventure games has changed substantially. Telltale Incorporated as we knew it folded in 2018 and was then relaunched as Telltale Games after LCG Entertainment acquired several key Telltale assets. The Wolf Among Us 2 was re-announced at the 2019 edition of The Game Awards, and since then, there have been sporadic updates on it. In late 2024, Telltale addressed rumors that the game was at risk of being shelved due to financial difficulties and internal pressure, following significant layoffs in September 2023 that affected most of the team working on it.

State of Decay 3

First announced: 2020

One of several Xbox projects that has been bubbling away for what feels like an eternity, State of Decay 3 is still in development. One of the more recent updates for the zombie-survival game came in January 2026, when Head of Xbox Game Studios Craig Duncan commented on its current state. “I have done several visits to that studio in the last six to eight months,” Duncan said. “I have sat and played the game with the team a bunch of times. It’s coming on really well. We’re very excited about the franchise and its potential. So I will certainly see a lot more of it in the coming year.”

With a busy 2026 ahead of it that includes games like Forza Horizon 6, Fable, Kiln, and Halo; Campaign Evolved, State of Decay 3 is likely being kept in reserve for 2027, but the good news is that we might be getting a new look at it soon. Undead Labs recently revealed that it’ll be holding playtests for State of Decay 3 throughout the year.

BioShock 4

First announced: 2019

The next BioShock game has been in development for a longtime, but it doesn’t look like it’s in danger of being canceled yet. Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick addressed the lengthy development cycle in November 2025, promising that it would eventually come out. Those comments came in the wake of BioShock 4 reportedly undergoing an overhaul and layoffs at developer Cloud Chamber that led to the departure of studio head Kelley Gilmore, with former Diablo boss Rod Fergusson taking over.

Star Wars: Eclipse

First announced: 2021

Star Wars: Eclipse was announced a long, long time ago, and since then, it has been nothing but radio silence from developer Quantic Dream. In 2025, Quantic Dream said the game was still on track, but recent reports suggest that its future might be uncertain. The future of the game might hinge on the studio’s upcoming free-to-play multiplayer title Spellcasters Chronicles, and progress has reportedly been slow on Eclipse. “Should Spellcasters fail commercially, NetEase is expected to reevaluate its commitment to the studio and could opt to discontinue further investment,” a source said to Insider Gaming recently.

It’s also worth noting that story elements for the game may have been intentionally leaked back in 2022, reportedly as a way to gauge interest in the title.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake

First announced: 2021

The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake has had a rocky development path ever since it was first announced. Back in 2025, it was claimed that developer Aspyr had been removed from the project and that Mad Head Games–the studio currently working on Hellraiser: Revival–was put in charge. That same report also claimed that a remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 had been put in carbonite, but Saber’s chief creative officer Tim Willits recently offered a brief update on it. “Yes, it is still in development. That’s all I can say,” Willits said.

Beyond that, there hasn’t been a peep or even a leak of the game, as it remains more well-hidden than a Sith lord during the High Republic era.

Marvel’s Iron Man

First announced: 2022

EA once had several Marvel games in development, but last year saw one of them canceled. The Black Panther project came to a screeching halt following the closure of its developer, Cliffhanger Games, but what of EA Motive’s Iron Man game? Following EA’s announcement that it was selling itself for $55 billion to various investors and going private, many people were wondering if Iron Man and the mystery Marvel project were in jeopardy, but so far, there hasn’t been a peep from EA on their status.

The most recent update for the game came in April 2025, as a job listing revealed a few more details on the project. The listing called for a level-design expert with experience in single-player action-RPG games, and the project has reportedly made further development strides since then. Other than a teaser image for the game, not a single screenshot or teaser trailer for Iron Man has been released yet.

Marvel’s Blade

First announced: 2023

One of several Marvel games that were announced in the early 2020s, Marvel’s Blade was revealed with a flashy trailer in 2023. Since then, developer Arkane has kept quiet on the project, releasing the occasional screenshot that highlights how Blade will have to take on an army of Vampires that have invaded Paris. In December 2025, Arkane Lyon’s co-creative director said that the game is still in development and that the studio has high standards that it wants to reach for this release. Considering that Xbox’s new leadership has pushed forward with a gamer-centric direction, there’s still hope that Blade might finally see the light of day.

Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra

First announced: 2021

With a photorealistic presentation, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra looks like it’ll push current console and PC gaming hardware to the bleeding edge of what’s possible. Set during World War II in Nazi-occupied Paris, the game has been hit with several delays since it was first announced, and its current release window suggests that it won’t be out for quite some time.

“Our goal is to deliver unforgettable, premium games that honor the characters and worlds we’re fortunate to work with. Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra is an ambitious project, and we are committed to ensuring it meets the level of quality that our team, players, and fans expect,” Skydance Media said in 2025. “To fully realize our vision for Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, we’ve made the decision to shift our release window beyond early 2026.”

Ark 2

First announced: 2020

We don’t know when Ark 2 will be out exactly, but we do know that it’s making the wise choice to avoid being caught in the GTA 6 blast zone. Developer Studio Wildcard originally announced the sequel all the way back in 2020, and the new release date window for the game is a nebulous 2028. Ark 2 was originally scheduled to launch in 2023, but several delays saw Wildcard adopt a low profile as it continued to work on the project. The game blends the survival-crafting and dinosaur-taming action of the original with souls-like combat, and Vin Diesel is involved in the project as its president of creative convergence.

Splinter Cell remake

First announced: 2021

Five years have passed since the Splinter Cell remake was first announced, and since then, there have been some big organizational changes at Ubisoft. In January 2026, the company officially revealed how it had restructured into several different Creative Houses focused on certain franchises, with the Splinter Cell remake falling under Creative House 2 and developer Ubisoft Toronto, a division focused on competitive and cooperative shooter experiences that also led development on Splinter Cell Blacklist back in 2013. Worryingly, around 40 developers were laid off from the studio recently, but Ubisoft says that Splinter Cell hasn’t been canceled.

“The Toronto studio continues development on the Splinter Cell game and serves as a co-development partner on Rainbow Six, along with supporting additional co-development projects,” Ubisoft said.

Little Devil Inside

First announced: 2015

An action-adventure game that was successfully crowdfunded on Kickstarter over a decade ago, Little Devil Inside has been MIA for several years now. During the October 2021 PlayStation State of Play, a release date of 2022 was teased, but that launch window came and went. Recently, developer Neostream offered an apology to backers, explaining in a 2024 update that the team had undergone numerous changes over the years and that the studio is still aiming to finish Little Devil Inside. There’s no release date yet, but the studio did say at the time that it had “started discussions” regarding publishing.

Gang of Dragon

First announced: 2022

Things are looking dire for Nagoshi Studio and its debut game, Gang of Dragon. Yakuza and Like A Dragon veteran Toshihiro Nagoshi’s studio has been working on the game for several years now, but a recent report suggested that the future of both the game and the studio is at risk following NetEase’s decision to pull its funding. According to Bloomberg, the game still needs around $44 million in funding to be completed, and a deal with NetEase to cover the cost of the game assets already created has yet to be finalized.

The report also added that “NetEase is only open to negotiations if the studio can pay its way out,” and that it will be forced to pay “the corresponding costs if it wants to keep the assets or brand.”

Project Awakening

First announced: 2016

Whatever happened to Project Awakening? Originally announced in 2016 as a “high-end console game” in 2016 by Japanese studio Cygames, details on the project have slowly trickled out over the last decade. Following a short gameplay teaser seen behind closed doors at E3 2018, the game has been described as an open-world action-RPG set in a world of high fantasy and focused on combat, with some multiplayer elements thrown in for good measure.

Beyond that, a brief glimpse of Project Awakening was shown at a Cygames Tech Conference session in 2021, and it’s still listed as an in-development project according to financial documents from Cygames’ parent company, CyberAgent.

Plan 8

First announced: 2019

Yet another long-in-development game, Plan 8 was first revealed as an ambitious MMO shooter from Pearl Abyss. Development has continued over the years, but Plan 8’s sci-fi world of exosuits and mechanized threats has taken a backseat to other games, like that humble open-world action-RPG you might have heard about lately, called Crimson Desert.

Dokev

First announced: 2019

Speaking of Pearl Abyss games, Dokev was also one of the games announced during the G-Star 2019 conference in Busan, South Korea. Dokev was pitched as a collective MMORPG with colorful vibes, and with the release of Crimson Desert, Pearl Abyss has more developers available to work on the project. The studio estimates that “it will take about two to three years” for Dokev to finally see the light of day.

FairGame$

First announced: 2023

Sony’s grand plan to release several live-service games has hit multiple road bumps over the years. The company says it’s still committed to live-service games despite recent stumbles, but Fairgame$ was conspicuously absent from its Corporate Report for 2025. In production at Sony’s Haven Studios, the developer has lost key personnel like studio boss Jade Raymond and game director Daniel Drapeau over the years. As of September 2025, FairGame$ was said to be coming out in Spring 2026.

Mass Effect 5

First announced: 2020

Five years after a new Mass Effect game was first announced, BioWare is still staying mum on the project. The most recent update came during 2025’s N7 day–November 7–with executive producer Michael Gamble commenting that the next entry in the Mass Effect series remains in development. Gamble didn’t directly address recent rumors about BioWare potentially being shut down or sold off as part of EA’s $55 billion sale to an investor consortium led by Saudi Arabia.

“We have a lot of universe to cover, lots of features to build, and lots of romances to figure out. We’re excited by what we’re building, and we promise you: When we’re ready, it’ll be a lot of fun to show,” Gamble said.

Assassin’s Creed: Codename Hexe

First revealed: 2022

Four years on, Assassin’s Creed: Codename Hexe remains a mystery. Nothing about the game’s setting or characters has been officially revealed, and the project recently lost its creative director, Ubisoft veteran Clint Hocking. Described as “a very different” type of Assassin’s Creed, the game is reportedly focused on witchcraft and will allow players to possess a cat. In a 2026 update, Ubisoft said it was still committed to the project, and it teased fans with a “unique, darker, narrative-driven Assassin’s Creed experience,” set during a pivotal moment in history.

The Elder Scrolls 6

First announced: 2018

The Elder Scrolls 6 has become something of a meme at this point, as Bethesda isn’t in a rush to pump out a new chapter in its fantasy action-RPG series. Bethesda’s Todd Howard recently said that the company is focused on its current games and updates for them, and he jokingly said that fans should forget about that 2018 reveal entirely. Previously, Howard questioned if Bethesda should have announced The Elder Scrolls 6 so early, but he did tease that it could return to the classic roots of older Bethesda games.

The Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 1) smart glasses just scored a rare 25% discount at Amazon

Posted on April 19, 2026 by faz_business

Those in search of cheap smart glasses won’t find much, unless you’re cool waiting for a discount to hit or going last-generation. Luckily, Amazon is offering both by chopping 25% off the price of these first-gen Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. While the 25% discount is available across lens and Wayfarer colors, the lowest price points come with just a few of the model options.

To be clear, these aren’t AR or XR glasses, so they don’t feature the built-in HUD displays that can be found on some of those models. They do include tons of AI features and a lot of great hands-free functions, however, and the Meta Gen 1 glasses are fairly similar to the newer-generation versions, albeit with a cheaper price tag.

smart glasses but you want to save money; you want a pair of smart glasses with lots of storage for photos and videos; you’d rather save money going last-gen than purchase the new second-gen version of these glasses.

❌Skip this deal if: you’d prefer to go with the Gen 2 Meta smart glasses for slightly improved battery life, a lighter overall build, and higher-quality video; you’re looking for XR glasses more so than traditional AI smart glasses; you’d rather go with a modular competitor to Meta’s smart glasses such as the Solos AirGo V or XR-focused ones like the Xreal 1S or RayNeo Air 3S Pros.

The first-generation Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses still have a lot to offer, from crisp, on-the-go video- and photo-taking, and the option for most prescriptions in each clear, polarized, and transitional lenses. While their battery life is not quite as long lasting as the Gen 2s, they’ll still offer up to 4 hours of battery per charge, or 30 minutes of live streaming. They’ll also charge to 50% battery in just 20 minutes, which tends to offer plenty of capacity for most casual or new users.

Still, the second-gen pair boasts a lighter build and longer battery life, plus higher-quality video. With that comes a higher price tag and fewer discounts, however, so choose carefully.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra versus vivo X300 Ultra

Posted on April 19, 2026 by faz_business

vivo X300 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Hadlee Simons / Android Authority

Samsung was one of the first manufacturers to offer a 200MP camera when it launched the Galaxy S23 Ultra back in 2023. We’ve since seen many other brands adopt this tech for use on both primary and telephoto cameras.

We haven’t seen a major change in the sensor size of 200MP cameras, though. Until now, that is. The vivo X300 Ultra has just been released, and it offers a significantly larger 200MP main camera. But how does this fare in practice compared to the first-generation 200MP main camera on the Galaxy S23 Ultra? I put these two phones to the test in a 200MP camera shootout.

Have 200MP main cameras lived up to the hype?

102 votes

What to know about Samsung and vivo’s 200MP main cameras

Hadlee Simons / Android Authority

The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s main camera features a 200MP Samsung ISOCELL HP2 sensor, which was cutting-edge at the time. This is a large, 1/1.3-inch sensor with tiny 0.6-micron pixels. But it also featured tricks like 16-in-one pixel binning (equivalent to a 12.5MP, 2.4-micron pixel camera) or conventional four-in-one binning (equivalent to a 50MP, 1.2-micron pixel camera). Other notable tricks include Super Quad Phase Detection autofocus, as well as dual-slope gain and Smart ISO Pro for improved dynamic range.

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Meanwhile, the vivo X300 Ultra’s main camera uses the Sony LYT-901 camera sensor. This is Sony’s first 200MP camera sensor, and the 1/1.12-inch sensor size makes it notably larger than Samsung’s 200MP cameras. The Sony sensor also offers 0.7-micron pixels, which are still small by the standards of other camera sensors, but larger than those in previous 200MP sensors. Bigger pixels mean greater light capture, which should lead to brighter, cleaner photos with less blur. Sony adds that the sensor offers all-pixel autofocus, DCG-HDR tech for improved single-frame HDR, and Hybrid-Frame HDR.

I approached this shootout by sticking with the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s regular camera settings, save for enabling the Quick Tap Shutter option. I also mostly used the X300 Ultra’s default settings, though I switched from the default Vivid color profile to the Authentic option for more realistic colors.

Galaxy S23 Ultra vs vivo X300 Ultra: Pixel-binned shots

Early 200MP cameras often took full-resolution photos with minimal processing compared to the pixel-binned snap. This meant that there was often a stark difference between the 200MP and 12.5MP photos. Nevertheless, the latest sensors offer more advanced HDR tricks, while today’s flagship processors offer multi-frame processing at 200MP. So how do the two phones and their camera sensors fare in a demanding, backlit scenario?

The difference between full-resolution and pixel-binned shots seems to be narrowing in 2026. vivo’s 200MP and 12.5MP images look very similar, featuring a washed-out appearance that’s ostensibly due to the more realistic color profile. However, the lower-resolution shot offers slightly lifted shadows and a brighter face, likely due to better HDR capabilities at 12.5MP.

There’s a massive difference between Samsung’s 12.5MP and 200MP photos, though. The pixel-binned snap offers an aggressive HDR treatment with very saturated colors, while the full-resolution shot features plenty of blown-out highlights (particularly in the background and around the subject’s head). What’s more concerning is that the Samsung phone’s 200MP photo has grid artifacts when zooming in. Take a closer look at the image below.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra backlit photo 200MP grid crop

Hadlee Simons / Android Authority

It’s clear that vivo’s 200MP shot is the better full-resolution snap, owing to tamed highlights and a lack of grid artifacts. Neither 12.5MP shot was perfect, though, as I felt the ideal picture was somewhere in the middle. Nevertheless, both phones did a solid job of exposing the subject’s face.

I then switched to the standard 12.5MP mode and a more conventional scenario to see how the phone’s pixel-binning capabilities compare. It’s worth noting that the X300 Ultra’s main camera has a 35mm focal length, which is effectively equivalent to 1.5x of the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 24mm focal length, as seen on the vast majority of smartphone cameras. Colleague Rob Triggs previously noted that he preferred a 35mm camera as he felt the 24mm perspective was too wide, especially when he already has an ultrawide camera on tap for wide shots. So this perspective comes down to your own preference. Check out the gallery below.

The Samsung phone opts for a more saturated shot, while vivo’s authentic color profile understandably delivers a colder, more washed-out look. However, a closer peek also reveals that the vivo handset offers far more detail and less smearing than the S23 Ultra. The 35mm focal length ostensibly works to vivo’s advantage here, but that doesn’t fully explain the gulf in detail.

What about low-light photography, though? Shooting a moving subject after dark is a tough challenge, so how did the two phones handle my cat in the dimly lit backyard? Check out the pixel-binned samples below.

I kept automatic night mode processing enabled on both phones. Needless to say, this scene required a few snaps on both devices, as my cat kept moving her head. Nevertheless, the Samsung phone clearly struggled compared to the vivo handset. Note how the fur in the Samsung photo is basically a noisy smear. The X300 Ultra’s main camera also delivered good subject separation, presumably due to the focal length and larger sensor.

I disabled the automatic low-light processing on both phones for this early morning scene of some flowers. This should give us a rough idea of how well each phone’s camera performs in terms of autofocus, light capture, and more. Unfortunately, neither phone captured truly sharp flowers. However, the Samsung photo has significant splotchiness upon closer inspection compared to the vivo’s cleaner, slightly brighter presentation. The X300 Ultra also delivers a shallower depth of field, helping the flowers stand out from the background.

What about 200MP photos?

I also took plenty of full-resolution 200MP photos during the shootout. The gallery above shows the Camps Bay beachfront in Cape Town, and both phones understandably offer plenty of detail at this resolution. There’s enough headroom here to crop in on either snap. But look closer, and you’ll see that the vivo handset does a much better job of capturing fine detail, which is especially important when it comes to people. By contrast, the people in Samsung’s shot look splotchy and feature color banding.

The vivo device also offers greater definition and detail for the scenery and buildings. Go back to the full scene and take a look at the white houses at the foot of the mountain, as well as the small building on the beach. There’s still some minor fringing in this scene, such as white buildings, as you might expect in the late afternoon. I’m also not a fan of the excess sharpening in some parts of the scene, such as the roofs of some buildings.

Moving on to the next comparison, conventional wisdom says you should stick with the pixel-binned 12.5MP mode when shooting in low-light scenarios. But I decided to shoot a few full-resolution photos at night to see how the first-generation and new-generation sensors perform. Check out the gallery below, showing my gaming shelf in a dimly lit room.

A close look at these 200MP crops reveals that the vivo handset delivers a cleaner, less washed-out rendition of the scene. The X300 Ultra image also offers sharper text, although I think the AI-assisted processing makes some characters look overly sharp and janky.

A trip to the local indoor market after dark also gives us a good full-resolution workout. The Samsung phone’s wider perspective and vivo’s more realistic color profile presumably account for the differences in exposure and white balance. More specifically, the Galaxy S23 Ultra lifted the shadows compared to the vivo shot while offering a warmer scene. Neither phone accurately captures the “Mojo Bar” lighting, though. The vivo rendition is just too dull while the Samsung snap has notable fringing.

Take a closer look at this scene, and it’s clear that the X300 Ultra delivers more resolvable detail. Text is significantly more legible on the bottles and beer taps compared to the Galaxy S23 Ultra shot. The light sources are also kept in check by the vivo handset’s ZEISS lens coatings. You can view the image comparison below for a closer look.

Want to pixel-peep our full-resolution photos? You can view and download all these snaps via our Google Drive folder.

How far have 200MP cameras progressed?

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 camera app open showing new 200MP option

C. Scott Brown / Android Authority

I’m a big proponent of 200MP cameras for zoom, but I’ve otherwise been a 200MP skeptic for a few years now. The first 200MP cameras were capable of capturing decent detail at full resolution, but this was often undone by slow processing times, tiny pixels, and rudimentary processing. While these sensors could capture great pixel-binned snaps in most conditions, so could lower-resolution 50MP cameras with large sensors.

However, our comparison between the first 200MP cameras and the latest hardware suggests that these sensors are finally living up to the hype. Detail is far better, as is HDR and low-light performance, which really make high-resolution photography much more viable. I’m keen to see more phones with cutting-edge 200MP sensors like the Sony LYT-901. In fact, I’d love to see Samsung adopt a similarly large 200MP camera next year.

200MP photography is much more versatile on recent phones.

It’s also worth noting that other factors, such as chipsets and brand-specific camera tuning, can make a big difference. In fact, phones like the vivo X300 series and OPPO Find X9 series support multi-frame image processing at 200MP. This allows for full-resolution photos with improved noise and blur reduction, as well as 200MP portraits and night mode snaps. This was unthinkable just a couple of years ago. I’m therefore interested to see what else phone makers can do with these cameras in the future, thanks to these newfound processing capabilities.

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Architect vs. Draftsperson: Who Should You Hire for Your Construction Project?

Posted on April 19, 2026 by faz_business

Architect vs. draftsperson: who should you hire for your next construction project? The short answer is: it depends, on quite a lot of things really, but mostly it all comes down to how big or complex the project is and the range of skills necessary to get the job done. An architect is, of course, a licensed professional in the sense that nobody can randomly call themselves an “architect” unless they have at least a bachelor’s degree in architecture, completed a lengthy paid internship, and passed a qualifying exam. On the other hand, the requirement to be a draftsperson does not include any of the above.

An associate’s degree is often enough to become one. Some draftspersons also earn a diploma or certificate to tell everyone that they actually know what they’re doing. Before we delve deeper into answering the question, let us first make clear that we’re not in any way implying that an architect is in every case a “better” hire than an unlicensed architectural drafting professional for a construction project. There is indeed a pretty substantial gap in the educational and legal requirements between an architect and a draftsperson. In terms of general design talent and architectural knowledge, though, you’ll be pleased to know that many draftspersons are no slouches either.

An architect is more qualified, alright, but sometimes hiring one can only be a good waste of money when a draftsperson has what it takes to get the job done. At Cad Crowd, we have both licensed architects and professional draftspersons for a wide range of construction projects, from small-scale remodeling and renovations to brand-new construction. Here is another thing to make clear: an architect, having passed the qualifying exam and all, is likely capable of doing everything that a draftsperson can, but not the other way around.

This is why that colleague of yours, whose distant cousin happens to be an architect, always says that spending more to hire an architect is a safe bet, no matter the construction project. In this economy, however, sometimes you just want to spend exactly on what you need. To be certain that you hire the right professional for the right amount of money to handle the right kind of project, you need to get a grasp of the difference to begin with.

What’s what

Although data from the BLS or any statistics, for that matter, can be confusing at times, the site has done a pretty good job of making the distinction between architects and drafters. Here’s a quick summary of what it says about the two occupations.

Architects: people who plan and design buildings and other structures. A reasonably straightforward definition, until you get to the part where the BLS mentions what an architect typically does in a project. An architect’s duties and services include client consultations, cost estimates, construction schedules, structural specifications, contract documents, construction management, and scaled drawings, among others.

Draftsperson: Some architects refer to a draftsperson as a “CAD operator” because they like to use big words for everything. An architectural draftsperson serves a very specific purpose: to convert an architect’s design into a technical drawing. A draftsperson may work as an independent professional or under the supervision of an architect. Either way, the job of producing a technical drawing often involves enhancing an architectural plan with additional details such as utility systems layout, construction materials, timeframe, accurate measurements, assemblies, sections, and more.

Many types of construction projects require an architect because they call for all (or at least most) of the services only an architect can legally provide. That said, there are situations where hiring one is almost definitely overkill, and a draftsperson is plenty adequate.

Hiring who?

We’re sorry to disappoint, but there isn’t really any easy answer. As mentioned earlier, it depends on the type of construction project you have and the scope of work it entails. Still, to make an informed (and the right) decision, you have to see things from both legal and design viewpoints.

Legal perspective

Every state has its own rules and regulations about the matter. For example, the California Architects Board determines that only four professions are legally qualified to provide construction and design services. They include architects, civil engineers, and structural engineers. The fourth type is uninterestingly referred to as “unlicensed persons” for some reason.

Here is the important bit. Since drafters are not categorized under the first three professions, they must be in the “unlicensed persons” group, obviously. Any of these unlicensed persons, according to the board, are allowed to handle the following construction projects without worries that someone in uniform may stop by and ask them to produce a license:

A single-family dwelling, so long as it has no more than two stories and a basement. Also, the building can only be a wood-frame building.
Multiple dwellings that contain up to four units. It needs to be a wood-frame house with no more than two stories and a basement.
Garages of wood frame construction, with no more than two stories and a basement.
Ranches and agricultural buildings of wood frame construction, unless the local authorities say otherwise, because of potential risks to public health and safety.
Nonstructural interior modifications.

The design limitation for licensed architects is much simpler. The CAB grants them the legal right to design any type of building, except the structural portion of a hospital. Civil engineers cannot design public schools and hospitals, whereas structural engineers practically have no design limitations. There you have it. If your construction project fits into the above criteria, an unlicensed draftsperson is probably all you need. A draftsperson is also likely more affordable than an architect, so it’s a good way to save money without cutting corners.

Design perspective

This is going to be a much trickier viewpoint. If you look only at the educational differences between a licensed architect and a draftsperson, the former is always seen as the better option. To reiterate, an architect has to have at least a bachelor’s degree in architecture, followed by a paid internship. Say the degree takes five years, and the internship runs for three, for a total of eight years. As if that’s not enough, an architect has to pass a licensing exam, which consists of at least six divisions. All in, it typically takes anywhere from 9 to 12 years for someone to become a licensed architect.

Let’s not forget about the mandatory post-licensure education to maintain that licensure. When it comes to design qualification, the long journey that a licensed architect has to go through in the career should result in an accumulation of knowledge and skills in such subjects as space planning, construction methods and techniques, MEP systems, material specifications, site design, bidding evaluation, passive heating and cooling systems, sustainable architecture, building code, zoning laws, and possibly many other specialties. An architect is certainly qualified to handle just about any construction project, regardless of scale.

The problem is that a licensed architect can be overqualified for a small project, meaning you’ll be spending money on things you don’t really need. Meanwhile, a draftsperson isn’t even a designer. Professional CAD drafters are typically people who provide, as you’ve probably expected, drafting services. The job mainly involves translating or converting design sketches into technical drawings that a contractor can understand, and acquiring permits. They DO NOT usually offer design services, but draftspersons can definitely develop the skills to become a capable designer. They learn the trades by either taking design courses or working under an architect.

Drafters with years of experience working with clients on many different projects should have nurtured the ability to turn any simple design sketch into construction drawings. In some cases, the sketches aren’t even made by architects; the clients themselves make them. While your colleague is right about an architect being a safe bet, there’s a good chance that your project actually needs a much simpler approach that an experienced draftsperson can handle just fine. Just remember: if you decide to hire a draftsman instead of an architect for your construction project, be certain that nothing violates the “design limitations by unlicensed persons” regulations in your state.

Takeaway

Not every construction project needs a licensed architect. There are times when hiring a CAD draftsperson is the right choice, especially if you already have a clear idea of what the design will be. Always seek further information from the local authorities about the design limitations for architectural professionals. But manage your expectations. A draftsperson, even an experienced one, might not be able to offer suggestions beyond the basics of a design. These “basics” are usually much more in-depth than what the average client might think, yet still reasonably shallow compared to what an architect can come up with.

How Cad Crowd can help

Regardless of what you decide at the end of the day, Cad Crowd is here to help you connect with the right professional for your project, be it a licensed architect or an experienced draftsperson. If you find yourself indecisive, as many other clients do, Cad Crowd can provide all the guidance you need and match the project with the most qualified professional based on the project requirements, including scale, schedule, and budget. Contact us for a quote today!

MacKenzie Brown is the founder and CEO of Cad Crowd. With over 18 years of experience in launching and scaling platforms specializing in CAD services, product design, manufacturing, hardware, and software development, MacKenzie is a recognized authority in the engineering industry. Under his leadership, Cad Crowd serves esteemed clients like NASA, JPL, the U.S. Navy, and Fortune 500 companies, empowering innovators with access to high-quality design and engineering talent.

Connect with me: LinkedIn ✦ X ✦ Cad Crowd

Windrose proves we don’t need Black Flag yet as Steam’s trending #1 game

Posted on April 19, 2026 by faz_business

Although there’s a lot of anticipation surrounding the upcoming remake of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, another pirate game is already taking Steam by storm. Kraken Express launched Windrose into Steam Early Access on April 14, and it has already attracted nearly 200,000 players this weekend.

At the time of publication, Windrose has hit an all-time concurrent player count peak of 200,162 and is trending upward, according to data from SteamDB. It’s currently the sixth most-played game on Steam, only behind heavy hitters like Counter-Strike 2, PUBG, Dota 2, Slay the Spire 2, and Apex Legends. The game sits at a Very Positive rating on Steam despite some server issues, so players really like it.

Windrose, which was featured in the Triple-i Initiative showcase earlier this month, is a survival-crafting game in the vein of Valheim. The game starts with the same stone-and-wood-gathering gameplay loop as many survival games, but eventually embraces its pirate fantasy setting to let players build their own pirate ships and sail the high seas. There’s no PvP support in the game currently, but it does support co-op for those who want to establish their own pirate crew on a private server.

I’ve been playing Windrose since launch have enjoyed my time with it. Although this is not the most innovative survival game, it shows just how much a unique setting and clear aesthetic can help a game stand out. Outside of Black Flag and Sea of Thieves, we don’t get many games that scratch that pirate itch, and Windrose does. Something about the rags-to-riches trajectory that the survival-crafting genre often puts players on is also a snug fit for a game about pirates. Its success bodes well for Black Flag’s remake, even though that game is a very different single-player-focused adventure.

Kraken Express expects Windrose to remain a Steam Early Access game for up to two-and-a-half years. It received an update on Sunday to address the server stability issues that have plagued the game since launch.

JAECOO 7’s finance positioning success story in the UK C-SUV segment

Posted on April 19, 2026 by faz_business

What you’ll learn

How JAECOO outperformed more established rivals in its opening months despite launching at a similar price point.

What the data shows about how monthly affordability has overtaken list price as the primary driver of perceived value.

How APR, discounting patterns and consistent monthly instalments enable strong price positioning.

Download the Insight Deck

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About JATO

JATO is the global leader in automotive data, analysis, and intelligence. With 40 years of experience tracking vehicle registrations, pricing, specifications, and market trends, JATO helps automotive manufacturers, suppliers, financial institutions, and industry stakeholders make informed strategic decisions. Their strategic intent is to help customers create significant competitive advantage by constantly leading in connected data, information, and knowledge provision, ultimately improving customers’ work processes, informed decision making and business results.

The post JAECOO 7’s finance positioning success story in the UK C-SUV segment appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Cracks are starting to form on fusion energy’s funding boom

Posted on April 19, 2026 by faz_business

It happens in every emerging industry: founders and investors push toward a common goal, until the money starts to roll in and that shared vision begins to diverge.

Cracks are emerging in the fusion power world, which I saw firsthand at The Economist’s Fusion Fest in London last week. It didn’t dampen the overall buoyant mood, lifted by fusion startups’ fundraising haul of $1.6 billion in the last 12 months. But people had differing opinions on two key questions: When should fusion startups go public? And are side businesses a distraction?

Going public was at the top of everyone’s minds. In the last four months, TAE Technologies and General Fusion have announced plans to merge with publicly traded companies. Both stand to receive hundreds of millions of dollars to keep their R&D efforts alive, and investors, some of whom have kept the faith for 20 years, finally see an opportunity to cash out.

Not everyone is in agreement. Most of those who I spoke to were worried these companies were going public far too early and that they hadn’t achieved key milestones that many view as vital in judging the progress of a fusion company.

First, a recap: TAE announced its merger with Trump Media & Technology Group in December. Though the deal isn’t yet completed, the fusion side of the business has already received $200 million of a potential $300 million in cash from the deal, giving it some runway to continue planning its power plant. (The remainder will reportedly land in its bank account once it files the S-4 form with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.)

General Fusion said in January that it would go public via a reverse merger with a special purpose acquisition company. The deal could net the company $335 million and value the combined entity at $1 billion.

Both companies could use the cash.

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Before the merger announcement, General Fusion was struggling to raise funds, and around this time last year it laid off 25% of its staff as CEO Greg Twinney posted a public letter pleading for investment. It received a brief reprieve in August when investors threw it a $22 million lifeline, but that sort of money doesn’t last long in the fusion world, where equipment, experiments, and employees don’t come cheap.

TAE’s position wasn’t quite as dire, but it still required some funds. Pre-merger, the company raised nearly $2 billion, which sounds like a lot, but keep in mind the company is nearly 30 years old. What’s more, its valuation pre-merger was $2 billion, according to PitchBook. Investors were breaking even at best.

Neither company has hit scientific breakeven, a key milestone that shows a reactor design has power plant potential. Many observers doubt they’ll hit that mark before other privately held startups do. One executive told me, if they were in those shoes, they’re not sure how they would fill time on quarterly earnings calls if the companies didn’t hit scientific breakeven soon.

If TAE or General Fusion doesn’t deliver results, several people feared the public markets would sour on the entire fusion industry.

Now, not all may be lost. TAE has already started marketing other products, including power electronics and radiation therapy for cancer. That could give the company some near-term revenue to placate shareholders. General Fusion, though, hasn’t revealed any such plans.

And therein lies another divide: fusion companies remain split on whether they should pursue revenue now or wait until they have a working power plant.

Some companies are embracing the opportunity to make money along the way. Not a bad strategy! Fusion is a long game, so why not improve your odds? Both Commonwealth Fusion Systems and Tokamak Energy have said they’ll be selling magnets. TAE and Shine Technologies are both in nuclear medicine.

Other startups are worried that side hustles could become a distraction. Inertia Enterprises, for example, told me that they’re laser-focused on their power plant. That jibes with what another investor told me months ago: — they were worried that fusion startups could get distracted by profitable, but tangential businesses and fall off the lead.

There wasn’t consensus on the right time to go public either. I heard a few proposed milestones. Some believe startups should first reach that scientific breakeven milestone, in which a fusion reaction generates more energy than it needs to ignite. No startup has achieved that yet. The other possibilities are facility breakeven — when the reactor makes more energy than the entire site needs to operate — and commercial viability — when a reactor makes enough electrons to sell a meaningful amount to the grid.

We may have an answer to that question sooner than later. Commonwealth Fusion Systems expects it will hit scientific breakeven sometime next year, and some think the company might use that as an opportunity to go public.

Sintopia Free Download (v1.0.2.519) – WorldofPCGames

Posted on April 19, 2026 by faz_business

Sintopia Direct Download

Manage Hell. Manipulate the Overworld. Build the resurrection business of your dreams! In Sintopia, you’re tasked with managing the bureaucratic administration of Hell: “re-educate” the sinful, generate profit, play god and expand your hellish empire. All part of a day’s work at Hell Incorporated.

Hell is full. Bureaucracy is eternal. And you’re in charge. Sintopia is a darkly comedic strategy and management sim where you run the underworld’s most dysfunctional punishment facility. As a freshly promoted middle manager of Hell Incorporated, your job is simple: “re-educate” sinners, resurrect the worthy, and turn eternal damnation into an optimized business machine.

HELL YOUR WAY
Build a devilishly efficient underworld to process the endless stream of sinful souls arriving from above. Punish souls to turn a profit and expand your capabilities or divine influence. Hire eclectic imployees to keep the paperwork flowing… just make sure they’re paid on time.

SEVEN DEADLY SINS
Souls accumulate sins across their many lifetimes. Keep an eye on these levels and build specialized purification centres to stop corruption from spiralling out of control. Otherwise, you may have a monstrous demon on your hands or even worse, a devastating hit to your efficiency… truly diabolical. Pebble Knights

A DIABOLICAL CAREER
Office politics has never been so dangerous! Enact biblical-level corporate intrigues in the story-based campaign mode. Test your organizational mettle in Challenge Mode. Perfect the art of Hell building or slack-off for the day in the fully customizable Sandbox Mode.

Features and System Requirements:

Rule a chaotic underworld where you manage sinners, demons, and punishment systems.
Build and expand your infernal realm with management and city-building mechanics.
Balance resources while deciding how souls are processed and controlled.
Use dark humor in a world that mixes strategy with absurd supernatural themes.
Shape your underworld through choices that affect efficiency and chaos.

Screenshots

System Requirements

Minimum
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10 x64
Processor: i5 10400 (6 x 2.9GHz) / Ryzen 5 3600 (6 x 3.6GHz)
Memory: 12 GB RAM
Graphics: RTX 2060 SUPER (8 GB) / RX 5700 XT (8 GB)
Storage: 12 GB available space
Support the game developers by purchasing the game on Steam

Installation Guide

Turn Off Your Antivirus Before Installing Any Game

1 :: Download Game
2 :: Extract Game
3 :: Launch The Game
4 :: Have Fun 🙂

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 director “really proud” the gay romance he pushed for, which is somehow totally different to “woke” games’ representation, is up for awards

Posted on April 19, 2026 by faz_business

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is up for a couple of awards from Gayming Magazine for its portrayal of the LGBTQ+ relationship Henry and Hans can have, if you opt to pursue it. Daniel Vávra, the game’s creative director, current Kingdom Come movie maker, and also sayer of many GamerGatey things in the past, has done a tweet about these nominations.

Continue reading “Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 director “really proud” the gay romance he pushed for, which is somehow totally different to “woke” games’ representation, is up for awards”