If you haven't been keeping up with all of the latest Twitter news, Twitter is under new ownership. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk officially owns the bird app. Musk has made several announcements following the buyout, such as layoffs, plans to charge people for Twitter verification as part of Twitter Blue, and possibly reviving Vine, among other things. His choices have even lead to mass resignations that have left us wondering if Twitter will even survive.

Many users have expressed gripes with Musk acquiring Twitter and plan to leave rather than stay on the bird app and see what happens, with some users already departing following Musk's takeover of the social media app. If you have no desire to stay on Twitter and are looking for an alternative, you're probably wondering what your options are. Outside of Discord, Facebook, Instagram, Parler, TikTok, and Truth Social, there are a few other places to consider that could fill your void as a potential Twitter alternative.

Mastodon

A self-hosted social networking site initially launched in 2016, Mastodon is one of the closer alternatives with a concept akin to what you may be familiar with if you are an avid user of Twitter (and similar apps like Truth Social).

Important to note with Mastodon that you will need to join a specific server, kinda like Discord in a sense, where servers are run by one or more people (or even an organization) with moderation controlled by those that run the server. And like Discord, there is no limit to how many servers you can join. Mastodon also includes microblogging features like Twitter, where you can see people sharing updates on a feed in the server you joined.

Cohost

Cohost is a new social media network that is not in a full release but still a beta version. You can sign-up no invite code or anything is required. But the catch is that you need to wait at least a day before you can actually post there. Creating an account will allow you to examine the site and what it offers, but you won't be able to post just yet after verifying your account.

Cohost! is similiar to Twitter with the ability to see what people you follow are posting. Cohost's website also notes future features coming down the pipeline, including a virtual tip-jar and subscription-type feature where you can share posts exclusively with those that are subscribed to you (kinda like Patreon).

Reddit

Most people reading this are likely familiar with Reddit. While its functionality is nothing remotely close to Twitter, Reddit is a popular website for those that want to interact with people on a specific interest or topic. With subreddits for various things, from hobbies to fandoms and more. Like Mastodon, moderation is done by moderators. Each subreddit has its own rules you must follow or risk being kicked out of the subreddit.

Tumblr

Part microblogging and part social media site, Tumblr launched back in 2007. While it is more of a blog, and the concept is somewhat like MySpace (to a degree), Tumblr does offer a feed that allows you to see recent posts from people you follow. You can even add to posts by inserting your own text or adding a piece of media like a photo or GIF.

Clubhouse

Clubhouse is a bit more interesting than the others mentioned because this app is primarily audio-centric and it is only available on smartphones and tablets. Released around the height of COVID-19, Clubhouse's concept is similar to that of the Twitter Spaces feature.

The big feature of Clubhouse is "Rooms," where someone can start a virtual room to discuss a certain topic(s). The rooms offer different degrees of privacy, too: "Open" means that anyone on Clubhouse can join in, "Social Rooms" are exclusive to moderators, and "Closed" are invite-only, where users of the app need to be invited by a moderator into the room.

Clubhouse also has three sections — those speaking are on the "stage," while "followed by speakers" displays a bunch of users that may be followed by an individual(s) currently speaking in the room. While "others in the room" are individuals not following anyone in the room but are stopping by to listen.

Events and a Backchannel are also featured and available on the app. Events allow an individual to schedule an upcoming conversation/room so people can mark it on their calendars. While Backchannel is a messaging feature that allows you to send a message to one person or a group chat.

Outside of virtual rooms, you can join based on hobbies and interests, there is also a "Clubs" feature that allows you to join a Club based on a certain topic(s). Some clubs are open to anyone, while others require an invite-only or you have to "apply" to be accepted.

Bluesky

So, this is not an alternative you can use right now. But it is important to keep a close eye on Bluesky. Not only is it created by Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey, but Dorsey launched the project back in 2019 as a way to decentralize the bird app. It is also important to note that Twitter is funding the project; whether or not Musk will continue to fund it is up in the air. But if you are curious to see what Bluesky could be, you can sign up and join the waitlist for a chance to test a beta build of the app.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

If you haven't been keeping up with all of the latest Twitter news, Twitter is under new ownership. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk officially owns the bird app. Musk has made several announcements following the buyout, such as layoffs, plans to charge people for Twitter verification as part of Twitter Blue, and possibly reviving Vine, among other things. His choices have even lead to mass resignations that have left us wondering if Twitter will even survive.

Many users have expressed gripes with Musk acquiring Twitter and plan to leave rather than stay on the bird app and see what happens, with some users already departing following Musk's takeover of the social media app. If you have no desire to stay on Twitter and are looking for an alternative, you're probably wondering what your options are. Outside of Discord, Facebook, Instagram, Parler, TikTok, and Truth Social, there are a few other places to consider that could fill your void as a potential Twitter alternative.

Mastodon

A self-hosted social networking site initially launched in 2016, Mastodon is one of the closer alternatives with a concept akin to what you may be familiar with if you are an avid user of Twitter (and similar apps like Truth Social).

Important to note with Mastodon that you will need to join a specific server, kinda like Discord in a sense, where servers are run by one or more people (or even an organization) with moderation controlled by those that run the server. And like Discord, there is no limit to how many servers you can join. Mastodon also includes microblogging features like Twitter, where you can see people sharing updates on a feed in the server you joined.

Cohost

Cohost is a new social media network that is not in a full release but still a beta version. You can sign-up no invite code or anything is required. But the catch is that you need to wait at least a day before you can actually post there. Creating an account will allow you to examine the site and what it offers, but you won't be able to post just yet after verifying your account.

Cohost! is similiar to Twitter with the ability to see what people you follow are posting. Cohost's website also notes future features coming down the pipeline, including a virtual tip-jar and subscription-type feature where you can share posts exclusively with those that are subscribed to you (kinda like Patreon).

Reddit

Most people reading this are likely familiar with Reddit. While its functionality is nothing remotely close to Twitter, Reddit is a popular website for those that want to interact with people on a specific interest or topic. With subreddits for various things, from hobbies to fandoms and more. Like Mastodon, moderation is done by moderators. Each subreddit has its own rules you must follow or risk being kicked out of the subreddit.

Tumblr

Part microblogging and part social media site, Tumblr launched back in 2007. While it is more of a blog, and the concept is somewhat like MySpace (to a degree), Tumblr does offer a feed that allows you to see recent posts from people you follow. You can even add to posts by inserting your own text or adding a piece of media like a photo or GIF.

Clubhouse

Clubhouse is a bit more interesting than the others mentioned because this app is primarily audio-centric and it is only available on smartphones and tablets. Released around the height of COVID-19, Clubhouse's concept is similar to that of the Twitter Spaces feature.

The big feature of Clubhouse is "Rooms," where someone can start a virtual room to discuss a certain topic(s). The rooms offer different degrees of privacy, too: "Open" means that anyone on Clubhouse can join in, "Social Rooms" are exclusive to moderators, and "Closed" are invite-only, where users of the app need to be invited by a moderator into the room.

Clubhouse also has three sections — those speaking are on the "stage," while "followed by speakers" displays a bunch of users that may be followed by an individual(s) currently speaking in the room. While "others in the room" are individuals not following anyone in the room but are stopping by to listen.

Events and a Backchannel are also featured and available on the app. Events allow an individual to schedule an upcoming conversation/room so people can mark it on their calendars. While Backchannel is a messaging feature that allows you to send a message to one person or a group chat.

Outside of virtual rooms, you can join based on hobbies and interests, there is also a "Clubs" feature that allows you to join a Club based on a certain topic(s). Some clubs are open to anyone, while others require an invite-only or you have to "apply" to be accepted.

Bluesky

So, this is not an alternative you can use right now. But it is important to keep a close eye on Bluesky. Not only is it created by Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey, but Dorsey launched the project back in 2019 as a way to decentralize the bird app. It is also important to note that Twitter is funding the project; whether or not Musk will continue to fund it is up in the air. But if you are curious to see what Bluesky could be, you can sign up and join the waitlist for a chance to test a beta build of the app.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

While Lionsgate still has two more John Wick movies on their way, the studio is reportedly also considering a "big AAA game" based on the franchise.

During an earnings call today, Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer mentioned that the company has been discussing proposals for the game, though nothing is set in stone yet.

"I don’t want to get ahead of myself here, but we believe there is a big AAA game to be made out of ‘John Wick,'" Feltheimer said during the call, according to a report by IndieWire. "We have been fielding proposals. We certainly are interested in moving that forward, but I don’t want to say anything more about that at this time.”

As IndieWire pointed out, if Lionsgate goes through with the game, it would mark the first time the action-heavy franchise has been turned into an AAA title. Bithell Games already created John Wick Hex, a strategy game based on the John Wick movie series. However, the Lionsgate game would have a much larger budget.

IGN gave John Wick Hex a 6.8 in our review calling it a "simple, smart" strategy game that lacked polish.

Since the franchise began with the release of John Wick in 2014, its three movies have been box-office hits. We gave John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum an 8.5 in our review, calling it "chock full of inventive set-pieces and brutal kills." John Wick: Chapter 4 is also slated to release in 2023 after being delayed by nearly a year.

Amelia Zollner is a freelance writer at IGN who loves all things indie and Nintendo. Outside of IGN, they've contributed to sites like Polygon and Rock Paper Shotgun. Find them on Twitter: @ameliazollner.

While Lionsgate still has two more John Wick movies on their way, the studio is reportedly also considering a "big AAA game" based on the franchise.

During an earnings call today, Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer mentioned that the company has been discussing proposals for the game, though nothing is set in stone yet.

"I don’t want to get ahead of myself here, but we believe there is a big AAA game to be made out of ‘John Wick,'" Feltheimer said during the call, according to a report by IndieWire. "We have been fielding proposals. We certainly are interested in moving that forward, but I don’t want to say anything more about that at this time.”

As IndieWire pointed out, if Lionsgate goes through with the game, it would mark the first time the action-heavy franchise has been turned into an AAA title. Bithell Games already created John Wick Hex, a strategy game based on the John Wick movie series. However, the Lionsgate game would have a much larger budget.

IGN gave John Wick Hex a 6.8 in our review calling it a "simple, smart" strategy game that lacked polish.

Since the franchise began with the release of John Wick in 2014, its three movies have been box-office hits. We gave John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum an 8.5 in our review, calling it "chock full of inventive set-pieces and brutal kills." John Wick: Chapter 4 is also slated to release in 2023 after being delayed by nearly a year.

Amelia Zollner is a freelance writer at IGN who loves all things indie and Nintendo. Outside of IGN, they've contributed to sites like Polygon and Rock Paper Shotgun. Find them on Twitter: @ameliazollner.

HBO has canceled Westworld, the sci-fi drama centered around a robotic theme park.

The Hollywood Reporter calls it an "unexpected fate" for the series given it has been critically acclaimed for the network. Though the show's creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy have been ambiguous on whether Westworld would even return following the fourth season finale.

Nolan previously said that he and Joy are "in conversations with the network," and would "very much hope" to make the fifth — and supposedly final — season of the series.

Alas, the cancellation means that the fourth season finale will serve as the end of the series, leaving the fate of the oncoming human extinction up in the air.

Westworld premiered in 2016 and focused on a Wild West-themed amusement park inhabited by robots that parkgoers could interact and roleplay with. Later seasons saw the robots gain sentience and free themselves from the park and into the human world, building up to a conflict between the two sides.

The series starred Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, Jeffrey Wright, and Ed Harris with Tessa Thompson and Aaron Paul joining the cast in later seasons.

While the first two seasons generated millions of views, audience viewership declined in season three and season four according to Nielsen.

While IGN called season 4 a return to form the series in our review, it doesn't look like it was enough for HBO to commit to another season. Especially with new shows like The Last of Us on the horizon.

Jonathn Nolan and Lisa Joy meanwhile are busy with the live-action Fallout series for Prime Video which revealed its first look recently as part of the 25th anniversary for Fallout.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

HBO has canceled Westworld, the sci-fi drama centered around a robotic theme park.

The Hollywood Reporter calls it an "unexpected fate" for the series given it has been critically acclaimed for the network. Though the show's creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy have been ambiguous on whether Westworld would even return following the fourth season finale.

Nolan previously said that he and Joy are "in conversations with the network," and would "very much hope" to make the fifth — and supposedly final — season of the series.

Alas, the cancellation means that the fourth season finale will serve as the end of the series, leaving the fate of the oncoming human extinction up in the air.

Westworld premiered in 2016 and focused on a Wild West-themed amusement park inhabited by robots that parkgoers could interact and roleplay with. Later seasons saw the robots gain sentience and free themselves from the park and into the human world, building up to a conflict between the two sides.

The series starred Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, Jeffrey Wright, and Ed Harris with Tessa Thompson and Aaron Paul joining the cast in later seasons.

While the first two seasons generated millions of views, audience viewership declined in season three and season four according to Nielsen.

While IGN called season 4 a return to form the series in our review, it doesn't look like it was enough for HBO to commit to another season. Especially with new shows like The Last of Us on the horizon.

Jonathn Nolan and Lisa Joy meanwhile are busy with the live-action Fallout series for Prime Video which revealed its first look recently as part of the 25th anniversary for Fallout.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Debris from the January eruption of the Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano in the South Pacific was blasted into the air with such force that it actually reached the mesosphere, according to the results of a new scientific study.

On January 15 earlier this year, the underwater Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted with a cataclysmic force, roughly 65 km (40 miles) off the coast of the Kingdom of Tonga. The violence of the explosion blasted an enormous cloud of debris skyward and gave rise to a gigantic tsunami that tragically claimed the lives of six.

According to the results of a new scientific study published in the journal Science, the plume of ash and gas from this powerful explosion may be the tallest of its kind since records began.

Volcanic eruptions are known for spewing out vast clouds of debris that are capable of causing widespread disruption and damage, halting air travel, and, in extreme events, noticeably affecting the climate.

Whilst there have been numerous eruptions forceful enough to loft volcanic material high into the sky, very few were powerful enough to launch debris to an altitude 30 km (19 miles) above the Earth. According to the new research, the plume ejected from the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano was blasted much higher than this, and may have even reached up into the mesosphere.

Ordinarily, scientists are able to determine the height of a plume by taking measurements of its temperature and comparing it to the temperatures of pockets of air at various altitudes. This method works because the gas in Earth’s atmosphere is known to get increasingly colder at higher altitudes.

However, when material is pushed very high into the atmosphere, this method ceases to be effective, as the air temperature actually starts to increase with altitude.

In order to accurately measure the height of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai’s plume, the scientists behind the study instead turned to data collected by a trio of satellites in geosynchronous orbit.

Each of the weather satellites observed the eruption from a vantage point roughly 36,000 km above Earth’s surface. Despite sharing similar orbital heights, each spacecraft imaged the cloud from a different perspective. The images were captured in 10-minute intervals throughout the eruption.

By observing the cloud from multiple perspectives and combining the images with known quantities such as the distances between points on the planet’s surface, the team was able to determine the true height of the plume, thanks to a phenomenon known as the parallax effect.

The analysis revealed that the power of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai’s eruption sent volcanic material soaring an incredible 57 km (35 miles) above the planet’s surface. That means the debris was blasted well into the third layer of Earth’s atmosphere known as the mesosphere, where fast-moving meteorites end their lives in fiery displays as shooting stars.

Moving forward, the team hopes to discover why the underwater eruption created such a high-altitude plume, and to develop an automated system for determining the height of volcano plumes via the parallax effect.

Stay tuned to IGN for all the weirdest and most important developments from around the scientific world.

Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer.

Debris from the January eruption of the Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano in the South Pacific was blasted into the air with such force that it actually reached the mesosphere, according to the results of a new scientific study.

On January 15 earlier this year, the underwater Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted with a cataclysmic force, roughly 65 km (40 miles) off the coast of the Kingdom of Tonga. The violence of the explosion blasted an enormous cloud of debris skyward and gave rise to a gigantic tsunami that tragically claimed the lives of six.

According to the results of a new scientific study published in the journal Science, the plume of ash and gas from this powerful explosion may be the tallest of its kind since records began.

Volcanic eruptions are known for spewing out vast clouds of debris that are capable of causing widespread disruption and damage, halting air travel, and, in extreme events, noticeably affecting the climate.

Whilst there have been numerous eruptions forceful enough to loft volcanic material high into the sky, very few were powerful enough to launch debris to an altitude 30 km (19 miles) above the Earth. According to the new research, the plume ejected from the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano was blasted much higher than this, and may have even reached up into the mesosphere.

Ordinarily, scientists are able to determine the height of a plume by taking measurements of its temperature and comparing it to the temperatures of pockets of air at various altitudes. This method works because the gas in Earth’s atmosphere is known to get increasingly colder at higher altitudes.

However, when material is pushed very high into the atmosphere, this method ceases to be effective, as the air temperature actually starts to increase with altitude.

In order to accurately measure the height of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai’s plume, the scientists behind the study instead turned to data collected by a trio of satellites in geosynchronous orbit.

Each of the weather satellites observed the eruption from a vantage point roughly 36,000 km above Earth’s surface. Despite sharing similar orbital heights, each spacecraft imaged the cloud from a different perspective. The images were captured in 10-minute intervals throughout the eruption.

By observing the cloud from multiple perspectives and combining the images with known quantities such as the distances between points on the planet’s surface, the team was able to determine the true height of the plume, thanks to a phenomenon known as the parallax effect.

The analysis revealed that the power of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai’s eruption sent volcanic material soaring an incredible 57 km (35 miles) above the planet’s surface. That means the debris was blasted well into the third layer of Earth’s atmosphere known as the mesosphere, where fast-moving meteorites end their lives in fiery displays as shooting stars.

Moving forward, the team hopes to discover why the underwater eruption created such a high-altitude plume, and to develop an automated system for determining the height of volcano plumes via the parallax effect.

Stay tuned to IGN for all the weirdest and most important developments from around the scientific world.

Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer.

Hideo Kojima says that he’s been approached with some ridiculous monetary offers from other companies to buy his studio, Kojima Productions. However, he’s been rejecting all of them.

On episode #10 on his Spotify podcast, Brain Structure, Kojima says, "We are indies, we have no affiliations whatsoever and are not backed by anyone, and are on good terms with everybody in the industry.”

He continues, “Every day I am approached by offers from all over the world to buy our studio. Some of those offers are ridiculously high prices but it's not that I want money. I want to make what I want to make. That's why I created this studio. So as long as I'm alive, I don't think I'll ever accept those offers.”

Video game studio consolidation and acquisitions have become increasingly popular over the past few years. Microsoft’s 68 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard is currently being put through scrutiny by regulators in regions like the UK and US. Sony has also bought out major studios like Bungie too.

Kojima also touched upon rumors that a Death Stranding follow-up was pitched to Google as an exclusive before Stadia shut down — rumors that he quickly refuted.

Right now, Kojima Productions is working on a project with Xbox that will leverage Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure. Even though Kojima denies the Stadia rumors, Norman Reedus suggested earlier this year that a sequel to Death Stranding is in fact coming.

Overdose, which is reported to be Kojima’s next game, was recently leaked and there's footage of actress Margaret Qualley’s character in dark corridors holding a flashlight. It’s unclear whether this project is for the Xbox one or for the rumored Death Stranding sequel, as Qualley played a character in the first Death Stranding game.

George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. He's been writing about the industry since 2019 and has worked with other publications such as Insider, Kotaku, NPR, and Variety.

When not writing about video games, George is playing video games. What a surprise! You can follow him on Twitter @Yinyangfooey

Hideo Kojima says that he’s been approached with some ridiculous monetary offers from other companies to buy his studio, Kojima Productions. However, he’s been rejecting all of them.

On episode #10 on his Spotify podcast, Brain Structure, Kojima says, "We are indies, we have no affiliations whatsoever and are not backed by anyone, and are on good terms with everybody in the industry.”

He continues, “Every day I am approached by offers from all over the world to buy our studio. Some of those offers are ridiculously high prices but it's not that I want money. I want to make what I want to make. That's why I created this studio. So as long as I'm alive, I don't think I'll ever accept those offers.”

Video game studio consolidation and acquisitions have become increasingly popular over the past few years. Microsoft’s 68 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard is currently being put through scrutiny by regulators in regions like the UK and US. Sony has also bought out major studios like Bungie too.

Kojima also touched upon rumors that a Death Stranding follow-up was pitched to Google as an exclusive before Stadia shut down — rumors that he quickly refuted.

Right now, Kojima Productions is working on a project with Xbox that will leverage Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure. Even though Kojima denies the Stadia rumors, Norman Reedus suggested earlier this year that a sequel to Death Stranding is in fact coming.

Overdose, which is reported to be Kojima’s next game, was recently leaked and there's footage of actress Margaret Qualley’s character in dark corridors holding a flashlight. It’s unclear whether this project is for the Xbox one or for the rumored Death Stranding sequel, as Qualley played a character in the first Death Stranding game.

George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. He's been writing about the industry since 2019 and has worked with other publications such as Insider, Kotaku, NPR, and Variety.

When not writing about video games, George is playing video games. What a surprise! You can follow him on Twitter @Yinyangfooey