Fire – Earlybirds Invest https://earlybirdsinvest.com Latest Crypto News Mon, 01 Sep 2025 22:40:23 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.10 https://i0.wp.com/earlybirdsinvest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/cropped-New-Project-2024-12-17T235703.455.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Fire – Earlybirds Invest https://earlybirdsinvest.com 32 32 240146708 OpenSats Grant Fuels Bitcoin-Safe Safe Multi-Sig Wallet Fire Hardware Focus https://earlybirdsinvest.com/opensats-grant-fuels-bitcoin-safe-safe-multi-sig-wallet-fire-hardware-focus/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/opensats-grant-fuels-bitcoin-safe-safe-multi-sig-wallet-fire-hardware-focus/#respond Mon, 01 Sep 2025 22:40:22 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/opensats-grant-fuels-bitcoin-safe-safe-multi-sig-wallet-fire-hardware-focus/

Bitcoin-Safe, an open source Bitcoin savings wallet, is now available for families, individuals and businesses looking for safe, long-term Bitcoin storage. It focuses on multi-sig security and distinguishes itself from other desktop wallets such as Electrum and Sparrow, as it requires a hardware wallet for mainnet operations. Supported by the one-year OpenSats Grant awarded in March 2025, Bitcoin-Safe is the latest version 1.5.0 released on September 1, 2025, combining robust security with a redesigned user interface.

Development and OpenSat Support

Developed by Andreas Griffin for over two and a half years, Bitcoin-Safe aims to simplify multi-sig setups and reduce reliance on Electrum servers. “I started with this wallet two and a half years ago, and I had two goals to make multisig easier and not have to resort to Electrum servers,” Griffin told Bitcoin Magazine. OpenSats Grant, which will be held from March 2025 to March 2026, supports these efforts. The open source code for wallets built into the Bitcoin Dev Kit (BDK) is auditable on GitHub, and installable clients are available for free at Bitcoin-safe.org/download.

Multisig, hardware wallet security, coin control

Bitcoin-Safe enforces hardware wallets for the mainnet and prohibits software seeds from mitigating security risks. “There’s no way around hardware wallets to save money,” Griffin said, highlighting compatibility with major hardware devices via QR, USB or SD cards. This allows Bitcoin Safe to allow software seeds, prioritize security for significant savings, and minimize “footguns.” This is a feature that users can easily hurt.

The Wallet Multisig Setup Wizard generates PDFs with wallet descriptors, such as send and receive tests for validation. “After this wizard is finished, you can make sure it’s set up correctly,” Griffin said. This ensures reliable configuration and allows for multisig access without compromising security.

Using the NOSTR protocol, Bitcoin-Safe synchronizes transactions and addresses the entire end-to-end encrypted device label. “We create protocols on top of Nostr to link these computers and synchronize labels seamlessly,” Griffin said. Multisig participants can share partially signed Bitcoin Transactions (PSBTs) with a single click, and the relay stores encrypted messages for asynchronous access.

The Coin category separates funds such as KYC exchange withdrawals and private coins to prevent unintended transaction connections. “You should not link it by mistake as you need to select the source of the fund,” Griffin supported the privacy of users.

User Interface and Experience

Version 1.5.0 introduces a new interface developed with @Design-R. “The designers who participated in the project are really very helpful,” Griffin said. Features include a sidebar for managing multiple wallets, an updated transaction view for sending and signing PSBTs, and a Mempool visualization showing block and fee data.

The wallet will add keyboard shortcuts, tooltips and clear error messages. Bug fixes improve functionality and ensure accessibility for beginners and advanced users.

Bitcoin-Safe supports real-time conversion of 123 Fiat currencies integrated into the interface. It also converts Bitcoin to gold or silver values ​​in ounces and grams. Real-time Mempool alerts notify users of transaction propagation. “This is an opt-in feature for existing users and opt-out of new installations,” Griffin said, noting in a customizable network setting.

Users can unlock multiple wallets with a single encryption password. “If multiple wallets share the same encryption password, users must enter it only once,” explained Griffin. Nostr’s Chat & Sync feature enables remote PSBT adjustments for multi-sig participants.

Community and Accessibility

Bitcoin-Safe supports languages ​​such as English, Chinese, and Spanish, as well as translation via Weblate. Users can test with TBTC, report bugs, or donate via Lightning or Onchain. Engagement is done through chorus.community and x accounts (@bitcoinsafe, @bitcoinsafecn) and documentation is available at bitcoin-safe.org.

Future Development: Compact Block Filter

Bitcoin-Safe plans to replace the Electrum server in 2025 with integrated compact block filters. “My plan is to replace (Electrum Servers) with a compact block filter and retrieve blockchain data directly from the Bitcoin core node,” Griffin said, aiming to enhance privacy and server independence.

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What is Marinade Finance? Why is MNDE Crypto On Fire? https://earlybirdsinvest.com/what-is-marinade-finance-why-is-mnde-crypto-on-fire/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/what-is-marinade-finance-why-is-mnde-crypto-on-fire/#respond Sat, 09 Aug 2025 06:21:21 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/what-is-marinade-finance-why-is-mnde-crypto-on-fire/

Marinade Finance, the non-custodial staking protocol on Solana, is among the top performers in the past 24 hours. Although MNDE (No data)E crypto prices have cooled off, the uptrend remains. According to market data, MNDE crypto spiked 33% on August 6. At press time, prices are down, but the buyers are squarely in charge.

MNDE Crypto Rallying

From the daily chart, the August 5 bullish engulfing bar closed above local liquidation levels, reversing losses of late July 2025. If buyers push on today, rejecting lower lows and unwinding losses of earlier today, a break above $0.116 will be bullish for MNDE.

In that event, there is a high probability that the token will fly to $0.15 and back to Q2 2025 highs. At that pace, MNDE will easily outperform some of the top Solana meme coins.

However, the pace of this growth will depend on how fast Bitcoin, Solana, and other best cryptos to buy perform. If Solana breaks $200, its ecosystem tokens, including MNDE, will likely rise with the tide. On the flip side, if prices dump, MNDE bulls may find it hard to sustain the August 6 momentum.

DISCOVER: Best New Cryptocurrencies to Invest in 2025

Marinade Finance is a non-custodial staking protocol on Solana.

Like alternatives, including Jito Protocol, the platform allows users to trustlessly stake SOL and earn rewards without sacrificing liquidity or control. Stakers of SOL receive mSOL, the liquidity-staked token.

Liquidity-staked tokens from Marinade Finance can be moved to other DeFi protocols on Solana or other supported platforms to earn yield or act as collateral.

On the other hand, users can natively stake on Solana via Marinade Finance without smart contract intervention.

Behind the protocol is a DAO where MNDE token holders can vote and pass important governance decisions, including treasury management and validator selection.

DISCOVER: 20+ Next Crypto to Explode in 2025

What’s Driving MNDE Crypto Demand?

Confidence in MNDE follows the recent SEC guidance on liquid staking, issued on August 5. The regulator said liquid staking, under certain conditions, doesn’t constitute offering unregistered securities.

The guidance was a massive victory for proof-of-stake networks like Solana and liquid staking providers like Marinade Finance. Of importance, the guidance, though non-binding, will remove the regulatory uncertainty that has long loomed over staking protocols.

With mSOL seen as a secure, liquid yield-generating asset on Solana, institutions and retail investors will likely flock to Marinade Finance, boosting fee revenue.

DISCOVER: 9+ Best High-Risk, High-Reward Crypto to Buy in 2025

Marinade Finance also finalized MNDE buybacks and active staking rewards on August 6. If MIP-13 is approved by the community, the protocol will use 50% of its monthly revenue to buy back MNDE tokens and move them to the DAO treasury.

Marinade is committed to deepening alignment between the protocol and $MNDE.

In today’s Spaces, we covered active voter rewards, protocol-funded buybacks, and a new community-led idea to burn 10% of the supply.

Quick recap 👇

1/5 pic.twitter.com/fgNiMJObwA

— Marinade 🛡 (@MarinadeFinance) August 6, 2025

Under MIP-13, the community is also introducing active staking rewards (ASR). They plan to distribute 25 million MNDE tokens to active voters in 2025. The amount earned by a voter will depend on their voting frequency and size. This program encourages holders to continue HODLing while simultaneously directly incentivizing holders to participate in governance.

Another proposal, which is yet to be formally submitted on the governance forum, seeks to burn 10% of the total supply. If this proposal goes through, the total supply will reduce from 1 billion to 900 million.

DISCOVER: Best Meme Coin ICOs to Invest in 2025

What is Marinade Finance? Why is MNDE Crypto On Fire?

  • Marinade Finance is a non-custodial staking platform on Solana 
  • MNDE crypto is among the top performers 
  • SEC guidance on liquid staking is driving demand 
  • MIP-13 proposal introduces a buyback program 

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What is Marinade Finance? Why is MNDE Crypto On Fire?

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AI Search Under Fire? Google Says Traffic’s Holding Steady https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ai-search-under-fire-google-says-traffics-holding-steady/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ai-search-under-fire-google-says-traffics-holding-steady/#respond Thu, 07 Aug 2025 22:53:28 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ai-search-under-fire-google-says-traffics-holding-steady/

Google has pushed back against claims that its artificial intelligence (AI) search features are harming website traffic, according to a blog post published on August 6.

The company stated that the overall number of clicks from its search engine to external websites has remained consistent compared to last year. It also said that the quality of those clicks has slightly improved.

According to Liz Reid, Google’s Head of Search, recent reports suggesting declines in site traffic are misleading. She explained that many of these findings are based on weak data, isolated examples, or changes that took place before Google’s AI tools were fully launched.

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Reid acknowledged that online habits are changing, which has led to a shift in where users go. Some websites may be gaining more attention, while others are seeing less, though Google did not give any numbers to show how common either case is.

She noted that people seem more interested in sites that offer personal insights, such as forums, videos, podcasts, and blog posts that share firsthand experiences.

Reid also suggested that it is more helpful to look at how meaningful those clicks are. She stated that people who land on a site from an AI-generated response tend to engage more deeply.

Google pointed to its AI Overviews, which display several links on the results page. Reid wrote that this feature creates more chances for websites to appear and be visited.

Recently, Google tested AI in the US that estimates user age based on account activity like searches and YouTube views. How does the test work? Read the full story.


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Litecoin Is On Fire: $120–$125 Range In Bullish Crosshairs https://earlybirdsinvest.com/litecoin-is-on-fire-120-125-range-in-bullish-crosshairs/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/litecoin-is-on-fire-120-125-range-in-bullish-crosshairs/#respond Thu, 24 Jul 2025 00:56:06 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/litecoin-is-on-fire-120-125-range-in-bullish-crosshairs/

Litecoin (LTC) is picking up speed. The coin is now trading at $116 after rising 20% over the last seven days. Trade volume has also jumped by 1.30%, hitting $1.27 billion.

Related Reading

That’s a clear sign of growing activity. Over the past week, LTC has surged by 24%, reaching a high of $119.21. For many traders watching the charts, momentum is starting to build again.

Bulls Eye $125 As Momentum Builds

Crypto analyst Naveed said Litecoin has broken through a key resistance level. According to him, the price “filled the fair value gap” and moved higher just as predicted.

The next target now falls in the $120–$125 zone. That’s the level many traders are watching as a potential breakout point.

The growing optimism isn’t just about short-term moves. Some analysts have projected that LTC might reach as high as $262 sometime in 2025, even after a rough start to the year.

Their outlook includes a rise to $140, followed by a potential dip under $94 before making a comeback. The long-term picture includes a shot at the previous all-time high of $413, although that’s a steep climb from where it is now.

Naveed’s analysis on X.

Litecoin Sentiment Turns Bullish

Meanwhile, CoinCodex gave a more conservative outlook. They expect LTC to rise by 15% and hit $134 by August 22, 2025. Their technical indicators show that the overall sentiment is bullish. Also, the Fear & Greed Index is currently sitting at 74, which points to high confidence—or greed—among investors.

LTC price prediction. Source: CoinCodex

LTC has registered gains on 19 of the previous 30 trading days. That’s approximately 60% of the time, with price fluctuations of nearly 11%. It’s an indicator that Litecoin’s price is going up, but it’s not doing so in a linear motion. Investors are finding space for appreciation but are aware the market is still volatile.

Market Watching $140 After $125 Test

If LTC clears the $125 resistance, the path toward $140 could open up. A lot of traders agree this level is important, not just from a technical point of view but also because of growing market interest. Social chatter is increasing, and trading activity is starting to pick up across different crypto exchanges.

LTC is now trading at $115. Chart: TradingView

Related Reading

However, not everything is certain. Global markets are still reactive to such things as interest rate changes, inflation reports, or policy changes. Crypto regulation is also something that might shift sentiment very rapidly. But Litecoin’s recent resilience has allowed it to outshine altcoins during this month.

With $134 in sight and a possible return to $262 in 2025, Litecoin is showing signs of life again. Whether it can sustain the rally will depend on what happens next—especially around that $125 line.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

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Does Ethereum fuel the fire? Cryptocurrency reached over $4 billion in a week https://earlybirdsinvest.com/does-ethereum-fuel-the-fire-cryptocurrency-reached-over-4-billion-in-a-week/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/does-ethereum-fuel-the-fire-cryptocurrency-reached-over-4-billion-in-a-week/#respond Tue, 22 Jul 2025 14:00:03 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/does-ethereum-fuel-the-fire-cryptocurrency-reached-over-4-billion-in-a-week/ They say that journalists never really kick out time. But for Christians, it’s not just a minor phor, it’s a lifestyle. Every day, he navigates the ever-changing tide of the cryptocurrency market, waving around words like a veteran editor, and writing articles deciphering jargon for the masses. However, when the PC goes into Hibernate mode, his pursuit gets a more mechanical (and sometimes philosophical) turn.

Christian journeys in written words began long before the Bitcoin era. In the sacred halls of academia, he hone his craft as a feature writer for university papers. This early love of storytelling paved the way for a successful stint as an editor at a data engineering company. His first month’s essay victory, a testament to his dedication to his furry companions, the victory of his first month’s essay funded the supply of treats for dogs and kittens (more on that);

Christian then roamed the world of journalism, working for Canadian and Korean newspapers. He eventually settled on the local news giant in his hometown of the Philippines for a decade and became a complete news addict. But then something new caught his eye: cryptocurrency. It was like a treasure hunt mixed with storytelling – just above his alley!

So he landed a killer gig at NewsBTC. There, he is one of the go-to people of everything in code. He breaks this confusing thing down into bite-sized pieces, making it easier for anyone to understand (he pays tribute to his management team to teach him this skill).

Do you think all Christians don’t have work and play? It’s not a chance! When he’s not at his computer, you’ll find him pampering his passion for the bike. A true gearhead, Christian loves to tinker with his bike and enjoy the joys of the road opened with the 320-cc Yamaha R3. Once a Speed Demon hit 120 mph (a feat that he swore not to repeat), he prefers to ride slowly along the coast, thinning his hair and enjoying the wind.

Speaking of cold, Christian has a crew of furry friends waiting for him at home. Two cats and a dog. He swears that cats are far smarter than dogs (sorry, grizzly), but he adores them all anyway. Apparently, seeing his pet just cold helps him write meticulously formatted articles even better.

This is what this guy means. He works a lot, but he’s fueled enough coffee to make it all day – and some seriously delicious (Filipino) food. He says tasty meals are the secret ingredient in killer articles. And after a long day of code crusades, he relaxes with some rum (mixed with milk) while watching a slapstick movie.

Looking ahead, Christian looks at a bright future with NewsBTC. He says that his expertise and passion are privileged to share with fellow editors and bosses, share what he respects deeply, and share his expertise and passion.

So next time you step into the world of cryptocurrency, remember the man behind the words that the Cryptocratic Crusades, Grease Monkeys, and the Cat Philosopher all rolled into one.

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Coinbase’s Pudgy Penguin Avatar changes, ETF hopes to set fire to 60% Pengu Rally https://earlybirdsinvest.com/coinbases-pudgy-penguin-avatar-changes-etf-hopes-to-set-fire-to-60-pengu-rally/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/coinbases-pudgy-penguin-avatar-changes-etf-hopes-to-set-fire-to-60-pengu-rally/#respond Sun, 13 Jul 2025 13:36:16 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/coinbases-pudgy-penguin-avatar-changes-etf-hopes-to-set-fire-to-60-pengu-rally/

Coinbase broke with the usual blue logo of X, posted Pudgy Penguins and posted it as a profile photo along with the QUIP “New PFP, Who Dis”.

A few minutes later, the pen, the native tokens of penguin-themed ecosystems, began to surge. Tokens rose more than 60% in the rally before enduring the fix, but still up over 35% that week.

The official Pudgy Penguins account reflected the movement, gliding the feed with matching ice blue avatars leading to talk of a partnership between Coinbase and Igloo Inc. Various crypto-related companies, including Vaneck, MoonPay and Awakentax, have since changed their profile photos to Pudgy Penguins.

The stunt also raised floor prices for Pudgy Penguin NFTS, which was 9 ETH earlier this week, and quickly jumped to 11.58 ETH, according to data from NFTPricefloor. The project’s NFTS volume has increased by nearly 690% over the past 24 hours.

Coinbase changed its profile picture during a short account takeover from the unsuspecting Crypto Twitter personality who previously led the major Binance social media accounts of Crypto Currency Exchange for four years.

After the acquisition, Coinbase revealed that they are hiring Alexon Chine as their first full-time “CT lead.”

“The new focus is for Comms to be more social natives – direct, transparent, and attractive. That’s the path to building a great appreciation for everything they contributed to this space. (There are a lot of this)and to help you reconnect with CT,” Alex said in the post.

Penn’s price rise also comes as the US Securities and Exchange Commission (seconds) Canary Capital has confirmed that it has submitted it to Spot Pengu ETF.

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Pick up the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar at an all-time low price https://earlybirdsinvest.com/pick-up-the-amazon-fire-tv-soundbar-at-an-all-time-low-price/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/pick-up-the-amazon-fire-tv-soundbar-at-an-all-time-low-price/#respond Thu, 10 Jul 2025 02:31:16 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/pick-up-the-amazon-fire-tv-soundbar-at-an-all-time-low-price/
Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus Press Image

Amazon Prime Day is hitting its stride with incredible discounts on popular tech products. If you’re looking to enhance your home audio setup, this year’s deals include an enticing offer on the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar. It’s now available for $84.99, down from its standard price of $119.99. This offers you a 29% discount, and the best offer we’ve ever tracked on the home entertainment addition.

Amazon Fire TV Soundbar for $84.99 (29% off)

This soundbar is a 3.1-channel audio device featuring support for Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and DTS TruVolume. It provides an immersive listening experience with deep bass and clear dialogue. Measuring 37 inches, it includes a built-in subwoofer and comes with four preset listening modes — Movie, Music, Sports, and Night — catering to different audio preferences.

Connectivity offers a variety of options with HDMI eARC, optical input, USB port, and Bluetooth compatibility, making it easy to pair with different devices. It integrates smoothly with Fire TV devices, allowing control through a Fire TV remote.

Don’t miss the chance to grab this deal during Amazon Prime Day. Remember, Prime Day deals are exclusively available to Prime subscribers, so if you’re not yet a member, consider signing up for a free 30-day trial to take advantage of these offers.

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This 32-inch Insignia Fire TV is only $69.99! (Record-low price) https://earlybirdsinvest.com/this-32-inch-insignia-fire-tv-is-only-69-99-record-low-price/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/this-32-inch-insignia-fire-tv-is-only-69-99-record-low-price/#respond Sat, 21 Jun 2025 08:00:52 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/this-32-inch-insignia-fire-tv-is-only-69-99-record-low-price/
Insignia 32 Inch F20 Series Amazon Smart TV

We know this is not the most exciting TV around, but it isn’t supposed to be. Instead, it is meant to be a good screen for the kitchen, dining room, or a smaller bedroom. There’s also a reason why it’s Amazon’s top-selling TV! It is super cheap, especially right now that it’s on sale for a mere $69.99.

Buy the Insignia 32-Inch F20 Series Amazon Smart TV for just $69.99 ($60 off)

This offer is available from Amazon, but since Insignia is a Best Buy brand, it is shipped and sold by Best Buy. We’re referring to the 32-inch model, but the 24-inch version costs the same, so you can get a smaller screen if you prefer.

Insignia 32-Inch F20 Series Amazon Smart TV

Insignia 32-Inch F20 Series Amazon Smart TV

Insignia 32-Inch F20 Series Amazon Smart TV

A low-end TV for the kids or grandparents.

The Insignia F20 series delivers a meager 720p 32-inch panel. But at least you also get Fire TV support, AirPlay functionality, and a low price.

Again, this is meant to be a less fancy screen for a bedroom, or a smaller space like a kitchen. The display measures 32 inches, and it has a 720p HD resolution, along with a 60Hz refresh rate.

Again, nothing fancy, but one thing I am surprised about is that it does come with Fire TV OS baked in. This means you get access to all your favorite streaming apps, including Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Apple TV, and more. You can even use Amazon Luna, so it can handle high-quality games on the cloud!

Insignia 32 Inch F20 Series Amazon Smart TV

Because it has direct access to Alexa, you can even use the TV to control your smart home devices. You can also ask it for information, request alarms, control skills, and more.

In terms of ports, you get three HDMI ports, which is actually quite surprising for such an affordable display. It also has a 3.5mm AUX port and an optical output.

At $69.99, it’s hard to beat this offer for the right customer. Again, keep in mind this is a record-low price. The last time we saw this TV at this low cost was back in December 2024. The offer may not stick around for long, so take advantage of this deal soon!

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Double-A shooter MindsEye goes from promising GTA killer to triple-A dumpster fire seconds after launch https://earlybirdsinvest.com/double-a-shooter-mindseye-goes-from-promising-gta-killer-to-triple-a-dumpster-fire-seconds-after-launch/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/double-a-shooter-mindseye-goes-from-promising-gta-killer-to-triple-a-dumpster-fire-seconds-after-launch/#respond Thu, 12 Jun 2025 04:15:04 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/double-a-shooter-mindseye-goes-from-promising-gta-killer-to-triple-a-dumpster-fire-seconds-after-launch/

In context: Developer Build A Rocket Boy and publisher IO Interactive positioned their genre-bending sci-fi shooter MindsEye as the next big blockbuster of 2025. Instead, it’s breaking blocks in ways no one expected. Mission-breaking bugs and crippling glitches made the game nearly unplayable.

MindsEye launched Tuesday with high hopes – and fell apart within seconds. The brainchild of former Grand Theft Auto producer Leslie Benzies, the third-person action-adventure follows Jacob Diaz, a soldier with a neural implant, uncovering forgotten secrets in the desert metropolis of Redrock based loosely on Las Vegas. While it flirts with open-world design, the experience is more like a “faux-pen” world – linear at its core, just dressed up to look expansive.

Early trailers promised polished gameplay and a sprawling cityscape, positioning MindsEye as a sleek, cinematic contender in the crime-action genre and potential GTA killer. With Benzies manning the director’s chair, expectations soared.

This is what we were promised (above). This video review and the clips that follow is what we got.

Reality hit hard. After launch, players flooded forums and social media with reports of glaring issues and meme-worthy clips: glitched facial animations, non-player characters acting erratically or freezing completely, game crashes, and poor optimization that tanked performance across all platforms. The official Discord even disabled emoji reactions to stem the rising tide of negativity.

Steam reviews are hovering around 60 percent negative. Many players have demanded refunds, frustrated that a $60-$80 game with such high-profile backing feels rushed and unfinished. In a rare public update, Build A Rocket Boy acknowledged the issues and promised that the upcoming “Update 3” would deliver performance improvements, especially on consoles. Some players – once enthusiastic – are now cautiously optimistic that patches might turn MindsEye around.

While the promise of patches might ease some backlash, the studio’s co-CEO Mark Gerhard deflected blame onto social media bots – allegedly hired by Rockstar Games – for the pre-launch wave of criticism. It’s a familiar dodge in an industry that has grown increasingly comfortable with shipping half-finished products and pointing fingers when things go wrong.

Build A Rocket Boy’s Chief Legal Officer Riley Graebner and Chief Financial Officer Paul Bland announced their departures on LinkedIn just days before the launch. While their parting words were kind, the timing suggests potential internal turmoil over the game’s readiness. Whether those exits were in protest or a preemptive move to distance themselves from the fallout remains unclear. Unsurprisingly, in hindsight, the studio also withheld advance review copies – a decision that fueled suspicion and left players blindsided when MindsEye launched in such a broken state.

Maybe Gerhard still has a chance to salvage his baby from the dumpster fire. No Man’s Sky and Cyberpunk 2077 managed full-scale rebounds. However, his vision of an ongoing episodic adventure or “Roblox-like” experience is likely off the table. Even if MindsEye gets fixed, players will likely think twice before investing in future episodes. Although, who knows? A Roblox-like community of modders could actually salvage the game.

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World on Fire https://earlybirdsinvest.com/world-on-fire/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/world-on-fire/#respond Fri, 30 May 2025 21:33:37 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/world-on-fire/

I must confess that I am finding it harder than usual to focus on my work today. For those of you who don’t know, my home province of Manitoba is facing an unprecedented outbreak of hundreds of wildfires across its vast northern and eastern forests, leading to a human evacuation on a scale not seen since the Great Red River Flood of 1997.

An article from yesterday’s Globe and Mail newspaper summarizes the gravity of the situation:

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew has declared a state of emergency for at least 30 days, as multiple wildfires are spreading across vast parts of the entire province, forcing more than 17,000 people to evacuate their homes.

The province has called upon the Canadian Armed Forces to fly residents from several northern communities toward safer areas, Mr. Kinew said Wednesday evening, just hours after seeking the military assistance from Prime Minister Mark Carney. The majority of those people will be temporarily housed in Winnipeg, where soccer fields and arenas are being readied to become large-scale evacuation centres.

“This is the largest evacuation Manitoba will have seen in most people’s living memory,” Mr. Kinew told reporters at the provincial legislature, as cellphones chimed loudly with emergency alerts. “For the first time, it’s not a fire in one region. We have fires in every region.”

An evacuation order has been issued for the mining city of Flin Flon, more than 820 kilometres north of Winnipeg, where roughly 5,000 people live along the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border.

Slightly west, along the shores of the Nelson River, the Northern communities of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, Cross Lake, Norway House and Mathias Colomb First Nation in Pukatawagan near the Pas are also being mandated to vacate by Thursday.

Meanwhile, the province is advising residents in eastern Manitoba to remain prepared for further evacuations with emergency kits and car fuel, as a roughly 31,200-hectare fire remains out of control along the border with Ontario.

As of today, these spring wildfires spreading across eastern and northern Manitoba are among the most devastating my province has seen in decades. Over a hundred fires have consumed nearly 4,000 square kilometres of forest, an area approaching ten times the size of Winnipeg, where emergency shelters have been set up in several hockey arenas and an indoor soccer complex to house the evacuees.

It is hard for me, to go about my regular workday, when so many of my fellow Manitobans are hurriedly packing up their lives and families and flying or driving south to the safety of Winnipeg, not knowing when or if they are ever going to see their homes again. Coming so hard on the heels of the shocks imposed upon Canadians by the wrenching and worrying changes in its relationship with its largest trading partner, the United States, and I must confess that I am feeling, at times, stressed out and overwhelmed. Toss into the mix a recent home computer crash, plus a serious tax mistake made by my former financial planner for which I am, over one year later, still waiting for a favourable resolution from my bank. And so on and so forth. I know that I am still a very fortunate man compared to many people who live on this planet, but still, it’s been a lot to deal with. And, at times, I have failed to deal with it well.

One of the lessons I have taken from the stressful situations over the past year is that I need to more clearly differentiate between what I have control over and what I don’t, and focusing on the former rather than wasting time and energy on the latter. This also means that, at times, I have chosen to step away from the little social media that I still do consume (mostly Reddit, which I peruse anonymously), as well as to deliberately avoid reading the news media, in order to preserve my mental and emotional health.

For example, during the first few months of the absolute batshit craziness emanating from Donald Trump’s second term as president (over which I had zero control, except to change my shopping habits), I assiduously avoided the mainstream news media by spending my evenings and weekends intently focused on cleaning through and reorganizing the voluminous inventory of my main Second Life avatar, Vanity Fair. And I full well realize what I was doing: investing time and energy into something that I could control, rather than fall further into a depressive, anxious spiral over so many other things that I had little-to-no control over. Such is the benefit of an all-encompassing hobby!

Find your little niche, your little happy space, and build a safe haven there for when you need to do something to protect your mental state from the chaos, craziness, brutality, and heartbreak of the real world. Even if you can only get away to it for half an hour or a couple of hours at a time, the flow state you enter while pursuing your obsessive little hobby gives your brain a chance to escape the hamster-wheel of worry. Interestingly (well, at least, interesting to me) is that I also find I get into this state when I am composing a blog post such as this one!

Anyways, back to the original point of this blogpost: my world is currently on fire, both figuratively and literally. It’s going to be a long, hot summer. I still haven’t made any decisions about what I am going to do with this blog (no change there), but I probably will still post every so often, just to let you all know I’m still here. And—if you do believe—please say a prayer for us besieged Manitobans. Thanks.

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