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Dec 09, 13:00


Kotaku Thursday, December 9, 2021 10:15 AM
    

The ABK Worker Alliance, made up of employees at publishing giant Activision Blizzard, have called on supporters today to donate to a strike fund to support an ongoing work stoppage over recently announced layoffs. It's the latest move in an ongoing protest of their management's response to months of lawsuits and…

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Kotaku Thursday, December 9, 2021 7:00 AM
    

This was inevitable! Razer is teaming up with Sanrio for a whole bunch of Hello Kitty and Friends branded gaming gear, and it includes a gaming chair, and headphones. I am not surprised. No one is surprised. This is, after all, Hello Kitty we're talking about.

"Come along with Hello Kitty and Friends this holiday as…

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PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 12:42 PM
     Intel Alder Lake claws back CPU market share, but AMD is still top

Intel Alder Lake CPUs have been around for just over a month, but the 12th gen chips are already a hit with gaming PC and computing enthusiasts alike. As a result, sales figures belonging to Germany's biggest tech retailer, MindFactory, back up the Californian company's success, but AMD still occupies more space within the market.

According to Reddit post by Ingebor (via Wccftech), Intel's German market share now sits above 30%, largely thanks to the company's Alder Lake lineup launch and discounted 10th and 11th gen chips. While this means AMD still dominates with a 70% share, the blue team's increase in sales still counts as a success, especially since the company struggled to shift more than 5,000 units before its 12th gen product launch.

In terms of Intel specifically, Alder Lake contributed to 37% of overall sales, while Rocket Lake equates for 34%, and Rocket Lake tying things off with 28%. As for AMD, Vermeer Ryzen 5000 CPUs account for 68% of products sold, while its Cezanne and Matisse architectures contributed a modest 15 and 14%.

RELATED LINKS: Intel Core i9 9900K review, Intel Core i7 9700K review, Best CPU for gaming

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 12:15 PM
     Victoria 3 dev diary

So, you want to read up on the latest Victoria 3 dev diary? Paradox's newest grand strategy game doesn't have a release date at the moment, and probably won't for a while. In the meantime, we get treated to a weekly drop of new information as the development team reveals its intent for various aspects of the strategy game.

Initially the Victoria 3 team started looking at few foundational subjects, such the overall vision, pops, and goods, before switching to themed series of diaries that covered individual aspects of broader topics. Diaries 18 to 21 looked at international relations, for example, where-as 6 through 8 looked at internal politics.

It's worth bearing in mind that the topics talked about are still a work in progress, and so things are likely to change between the time the diary goes live and final release. Topics are likely to be revisited as well to explore things in great depth, or to highlight any such changes that have been brought in since the subject was originally brought up. Basically, don't take these diaries as gospel truth, although unless stated otherwise the underlying intent behind features and mechanics is likely going to stay the same. Also, all screenshots will be a work in progress, so please stop commenting on how off the numbers look.

RELATED LINKS: Victoria 3 release date, The best grand strategy games on PC, The best strategy games on PC

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 12:11 PM
     Call of Duty: Warzone still has a cross-play voice chat bug, here's how to fix it on PC

"So long Verdansk, our squad's dropping in Caldera! Wait, what? I can see you're talking in game, but I can't hear you. Is my gaming headset busted?" - If you've found yourself in a similar situation while playing Call of Duty: Warzone, you're not alone. Despite launching over a year and a half ago, players are still encountering problems getting voice chat to work with their cross-play comrades.

Thankfully, there's an easy way to fix this particular bug, so you won't be forced to adopt hand and arm signals in order to communicate with your teammates. Strangely, this fix was first identified by YouTuber Evil Nickel before Warzone came out, but this makes some sense given that the battle royale began as an additional mode in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

Before we jump into the fix, it's worth noting that you should first make sure that your Windows Sound Control Panel is properly configured and pointing to the right devices.

RELATED LINKS: Best SSD for gaming, How to build a gaming PC, Best gaming CPU

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 11:09 AM
     Halo Infinite's console cross-save feature isn't working on Steam

Halo Infinite has finally landed, and the latest entry to the Master Chief saga is the first game in the series to launch on console and gaming PCs simultaneously. While this is largely thanks to Microsoft's dedication to the PC platform and increased integration of Xbox services, it looks like Steam players could miss out on features like cross-save compatibility.

According to The Verge's Tom Warren, Halo Infinite's PC to console cross-save feature only works with the Windows Store version of the game. Naturally, this means if you're playing Halo Infinite using Steam, you won't be able to pick up where you left off on an Xbox Series X or S.

It's worth noting that the Steam version of Halo Infinite isn't lacking when it comes to Xbox app integration, as players can team up with console players and invite Xbox account friends to fireteams. Yet, it seems like something is missing when it comes to game file integration, and it's potentially linked to the way Windows handles app-related save files.

RELATED LINKS: Halo Infinite release date, Halo Infinite system requirements, Halo Infinite ranks

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 11:00 AM
     The best Genshin Impact Yoimiya build

Yoimiya joins the roster of new Genshin Impact characters as part of the current Genshin Impact banner alongside the four-star Sayu. If you're looking for the best Yoimiya build in Genshin Impact, then here's how to create the ideal build based on Yoimiya's abilities.

The Genshin Impact Yoimiya banner, Tapestry of Golden Flames, has dropped. You now have a chance to play as the five-star firework shop owner, also known as the Queen of the Summer Festival, who lives in Inazuma City in Hanamizaka. She is a five-star Pyro bow user, and although players may be hesitant to try her out due to her lack of AoE damage, it is possible to build Yoimiya as a powerful DPS character.

Alongside Yoimiya's banner, Epitome Invocation also boosts the drop-rate for the event-exclusive Thundering Pulse bow, as well as the four-star weapons Sacrificial Sword, Rainslasher claymore, Dragon's Bane polearm, Sacrificial Fragments catalyst, and Favonius Warbow. There's also a chance to pull Diona and Xinyan, alongside Yoimiya and Sayu.

RELATED LINKS: Play Genshin Impact for free, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 10:57 AM
     Stellaris Dev Diary

Looking for the Stellaris dev diary? Like most grand strategy game teams, the Stellaris developers have a good habit of posting regular development updates looking at what is being worked on. Usually these drop weekly, but sometimes there can be extended breaks to account for things like holidays, with the Swedish summer break especially shutting down operations for nearly the whole period.

Stellaris dev diaries tend to focus on specific elements of upcoming free patches and premium expansions. Typically, the team isn't afraid of talking about premium features before an expansion is officially announced, but the bulk of dev diaries between major expansions tend to focus on free content and upcoming changes.

Once an expansion has been announced, dev diaries after that point do a better job of clarifying what is free, and what isn't, with new diaries clearly marking out whether the content in any given week is for a free or paid feature. Given that Stellaris is over five years old at this point, the nature of the diaries are a bit broader in scope as well. A part of the Custodians initiative is to take care of older expansions, so you'll also see diaries dedicated to new features coming for older DLC packs.

RELATED LINKS: Stellaris review, Stellaris mods, Stellaris DLC guide

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 11:55 AM
     How to fix the the Halo Infinite Xbox Gaming Services bug on PC

It may be hard to believe, but Halo Infinite marks the first time a game in the mainline series has launched simultaneously on both gaming PCs and Xbox consoles. Unfortunately, players attempting to launch the game via the Xbox app are finding themselves facing off against the Xbox Gaming Services page instead of The Banished.

Worry not – Reddit user IEatBlackBeans has identified a potential fix that should get you up and running in no time.  We've also reached out to Microsoft, asking for an estimation on when this bug should be ironed out. While this particular issue doesn't affect the Steam version of the game, reports indicate that players are unable to bring their campaign saves with them to their Xbox consoles.

Once you get in-game, you might also find there are problems with your frame rate. To make your adventure on Zeta Halo much smoother, you can easily boost fps once you know how to disable Halo Infinite high-res textures.

RELATED LINKS: Halo Infinite release date, Halo Infinite system requirements, Halo Infinite ranks

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 10:35 AM
     NVMe SSD speeds are slower on Windows 11 than Windows 10

Windows 11 is slowly but surely increasing in popularity among Steam users, but Microsoft still has some kinks to iron out before it's fully ready for gaming PCs. Several reports on Microsoft's support forums (via Neowin) show that the operating system is playing havoc with NVMe SSD speeds, as some storage slows to a crawl in comparison to Windows 10. Worse yet, the problem has existed for at least three months, as it was identified on Reddit before Windows 11 launched to the public.

The issue seems to affect people in different ways. Some report that their drive's random 4K write performance drags its feet by more than half of its rated speed in CrystalDiskMark and AS-SSD benchmarking tools, while the same device on Windows 10 chugs away as intended. In other instances, read speeds are also affected, and there are even lower input/output operations per second (IOPS).

Some of the biggest drops come from PCIe Gen 4 SSDs because of their higher speed ceiling, but that doesn't mean PCIe Gen 3 are safe from the issue, as both don't fare well under Windows 11.

RELATED LINKS: Best SSD for gaming, How to build a gaming PC, Best gaming CPU

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 10:27 AM
     Halo Infinite skull locations

Want to know where to find the Halo Infinite skulls? As Halo veterans know, skulls have always been a real pain to find in every campaign in the series. However, when you find these skulls, you can use them in the campaign menu to add modifiers, such as doubling the explosion radius.

While you can find a few skulls on the map in the open-world game, there are also specific missions with skulls hidden throughout the campaign. Unfortunately, these skulls are easy to miss, and there's no way to replay missions without starting from the beginning.

Since the Halo Infinite campaign length is reasonably long, you should probably know where to find them first time around. So here are the Halo Infinite skulls locations, modifiers, and key details you need to know before setting off from the nearest fast travel location.

RELATED LINKS: Halo Infinite release date, Halo Infinite system requirements, Halo Infinite ranks

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 10:23 AM
     Halo Infinite collectibles guide

Want to know where the Halo Infinite collectibles are? There are plenty of hidden items waiting for you to discover them throughout Halo Infinite's missions and open world map. Some item locations will appear on your map whenever you take over FOBs in each region, but many other Halo Infinite collectibles are a little more elusive. To make things even trickier, it's possible to miss some of these items completely because you can't replay missions.

To help you complete your collection, we have detailed location guides for the Halo Infinite skulls, the Mjolnir armoury lockers that contain Halo Infinite multiplayer skins, and the Halo Infinite Spartan Cores that upgrade your abilities.

Below, we have a checklist of all Halo Infinite collectibles in the game, sorted by both missions and regions to help you narrow your search. We also have the Forerunner artifacts' locations - these are a little harder to find than the rest of the audio logs as they don't appear when you take over FOBs.

RELATED LINKS: Halo Infinite release date, Halo Infinite system requirements, Halo Infinite ranks

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 9:09 AM
     Minecraft glow squid – how to make glowing signs

Want to know where the glow squids are in Minecraft? One of the new Minecraft mobs in the Minecraft 1.17 update is the glow squid, a variant on the regular squid that, aside from its sparkly appearance, doesn't really do much except look pretty. They bimble along without a care in the world, well, that is until you accidentally hit them like the monster you are.

Alas, you're likely killing the glow squid for a good reason - these jazzy cephalopods drop glow ink sacs. Minecraft glow ink sacs only really have a couple of cosmetic uses, mostly illuminating text on signs. Nevertheless, the effect does make the text stand out, particularly useful if some hooligan mob somehow dislodges your torches. In any case, there's nothing wrong with a sparkly sign.

So if you really want to get your hands on the glow ink sacs, we'll tell you where to go to find the Minecraft glow squids, how you can use the glow ink sacs on your signs, and how to change them back to normal if you tire of their glowing effect.

RELATED LINKS: Minecraft console commands, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 9:00 AM
     Minecraft Lush Caves – everything we know

Digging underground in Minecraft can be a terrifying proposition for newer players. After all, there are all sorts of scary things that can appear within the dark depths. We're pretty sure you never forgot the first time an Enderman ambushed you as you were mining for precious diamonds.

Eventually, these caves and the underground areas just became samey. There's only so much time you can spend mining for gemstones before the call of the diverse surface biomes tempts you away from the resources below.

In the Minecraft 1.18 update, which is part two of the full Caves & Cliffs update, several new biomes will be introduced to the underground areas and perhaps the most intriguing one revealed so far has been the Lush Caves. Some of the blocks and mobs are already available as of the Minecraft 1.17 update. This rather bright biome is a welcome respite from the relentless monsters and vicious spiders that infest the rest of the underground areas. In addition to being a place to relax, it's also home to perhaps the cutest mob introduced to Minecraft in quite some time.

RELATED LINKS: Minecraft console commands, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 7:44 AM
     The best civilisations in Civilization 6

What are the best Civ 6 Civs? We've put together a guide that looks at which Civilization VI civs are best at which victory type. We don't list every civilisation, but we've showcased some 'best in style' picks for various end game strategies. This is based on the same principle as the best Civ 5 civs guide we also have.

Due to the way Civilization VI is designed you no longer have the highly specific, focused civs of the previous game. Most still tend to favour one area over others, but you'll often find various civs able to flex into a couple of different victory conditions (with one or two exceptions) which allows for some flexibility in how you play them.

This guide includes civilisations from the base game, as well as interesting new additions from the various Civ 6 DLC options that have been released to date, including the New Frontier Pass. These newer civs tend to have more exaggerated abilities targeting specific victory types. This list reflects the changes that Firaxis incorporated with Civilization 6's April 2021 balance patch, which included modifications to more than half of existing civs. Credit to boesthius for his post-patch tier list video and to peppermint_butler for his post-patch tier list spreadsheet, both of which provided helpful insights.

RELATED LINKS: The best Civ 6 mods, The best Civ 6 civs, Play Civilization VI

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 7:59 AM
     Intel's Alder Lake i3 CPU could pack a surprising budget gaming PC punch

Building the best gaming PC possible is an expensive endeavour, with graphics card prices reaching double their MSRP and new DDR5 RAM costs that are sure to make your credit score shiver. Yet, if you're holding out for a budget gaming hero, there may still be hope, as Intel's unannounced Alder Lake i3 chips could trump AMD's Zen 3 Ryzen CPUs.

According to benchmarks shared by Bilibili user Enthusiastic Citizen, Intel's Core i3-12300 boasts a single thread CPU-Z score of 702, and the i3-12100 wields a similar score of 687.5. Both chips also spent some time in Cinebench, resulting in respective scores of 665 and 649. By comparison, AMD's Ryzen 7 5800X musters a score of 652.8, meaning it could fail to keep up with the blue team's new budget duo.

It's important to note that Intel's Alder Lake i3 is still entry-level, which means both CPUs don't come out swinging in terms of multi-thread performance. However, when you consider both chips potential $100 and $150 price tags, it's easy to see why they could be more appealing than AMD's current lineup.

RELATED LINKS: Intel Core i9 9900K review, Intel Core i7 9700K review, Best CPU for gaming

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 7:58 AM
     Euro Truck Simulator 2 gets a revamped Lyon, new viewpoints, ownable dumpers, and more

The hefty 1.43 update for Euro Truck Simulator 2 has landed, with a big ol' batch of new content in tow. SCS Software has unveiled the full rundown of what's new in a blog post, which includes a revamp to the French city of Lyon, ownable - and "fully customisable" - dumpers, new viewpoints and special transport routes, and a lot more.

First up, that Lyon revamp. SCS explains that it's reworked a significant portion of the city to "make it more realistic and true to life", which includes the addition of three new important landmarks. The rework additionally replaces lots of the existing models for trees, wildflowers, and that kind of thing to give the city's natural beauty a new look, and roadsign and road textures have also been updated to look more realistic and detailed.

Appropriately for its presence in ETS2, the studio's "also updated these areas to include the routes that truckers actually use to enter and exit Lyon and its surrounding industrial areas". There's a blog post specifically detailing the Lyon changes if you're keen to brush up on these.

RELATED LINKS: Euro Truck Simulator 2 system requirements, Best VR games, How to set up your Oculus Rift

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 7:37 AM
     Intel could close the gap on AMD Ryzen CPUs after reports of 3nm delays at TSMC

Given that TSMC and Intel rank among the most advanced chipmakers in the world, it's understandable that the two companies would have something of a rivalry. While team blue has decidedly lagged behind its competitor's manufacturing capabilities for a while now, reports suggest that the Taiwanese company's 3nm process may have taken longer to begin production than previously thought, giving Intel a chance to close the gap.

According to Seeking Alpha (via PC Gamer), TSMC fired up its 3nm foundries in November, which indicates a delay of eight months. This contradicts previous indications from the company that put delays at just three months, meaning production should've started back in June.

Intel still has a ways to go to catch up with TSMC's matured 5nm process, let alone 3nm. The company previously struggled to move past 14nm, which it had used for all of its best gaming CPUs since its 5th generation Core processors. However, team blue was able to jump to 10nm with its new 12th generation Alder Lake chips, with 7nm Meteor Lake components expected to release in 2023.

RELATED LINKS: AMD Ryzen 9 3900X review, AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT review, Best CPU for gaming

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 7:14 AM
     Halo Infinite difficulty – how to change campaign difficulty

Want to change the Halo Infinite difficulty level? We've all been there at some stage - you opt for the hardest difficulty on your first playthrough only to find that you're not having any fun. Some FPS games force you to live with your decision, but Halo Infinite isn't one of those games. It's worth bearing in mind that changing your difficulty level on the fly does have some repercussions for achievement hunting, but we'll get into that later.

Halo Infinite's campaign can be tricky for newcomers to the series as the Banished feel relentless at first. Once you get to grips with the Grappleshot and you begin to upgrade your suit with Spartan Cores, the enemies start to feel like pushovers. When you take into consideration how long the Halo Infinite campaign is, you won't want to spend most of that time playing on a difficulty level that doesn't sufficiently challenge you.

Whether you've picked a difficulty that's too easy or hard for you, we'll help you adjust the settings to suit your needs. Here's everything you need to change your Halo Infinite campaign difficulty.

RELATED LINKS: Halo Infinite release date, Halo Infinite system requirements, Halo Infinite ranks

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 7:14 AM
     Anno 1800 DLC guide

So, you want to know about Anno 1800 DLC? There's a surprising amount of it. Publisher Ubisoft has recently announced a fourth season pass, this despite the developers claiming expansion content would stop at the end of the second season.

But hey, this is one of our favourite city-building games so if Ubisoft wants to make more expansions, we're not going to say no. If only the Anno 1800 Steam version would come back, that would really make our day.

Anno 1800's expansion content is mainly grouped into yearly season passes, of which there have been three so far (and the fourth on the way). There are also cosmetic-based expansions that released seperately. Each season pass contains three expansions, and you can buy the entire pass or just individual packs as you desire. By the time the fourth season ends at the end of 2022, this means there will be 12 main expansions. This means unless you're happy just buying the pass and being done with it, you might need some help looking at what's worth buying and what's leaving for later.

RELATED LINKS: Anno 1800 review, Anno 1800 tips, Anno 1800 mods

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 7:07 AM
     Complete your RGB gaming setup with up to 41% off select RGB products on Amazon

Recently, gamers have really latched onto the idea of filling their gaming space with RGB lighting and it's easy to see why. Just as a moth sees the beauty of the sun in a bulb, RGB lighting setups look absolutely gorgeous and they give an aura of enchanting mystery wherever they are used - and where else could that be more appropriate than in the place where you spend hours losing yourself in fantastical virtual realities? Whether you want to enhance your own gaming space or want to give somebody the gift of RGB light this Christmas, you'll be happy to know that Amazon currently has up to 41% off some key RBG gaming products.

If you want to, you can have RGB lighting on everything in your game room, from your gaming keyboard to the walls. Then, once you've got them in place, you can synchronise the lighting effect, creating calming pulsing patterns or even have the lighting change in response to your actions or even in response to music. It's a wonderful way to create a space specifically for de-stressing and having fun.

For your convenience, we've gathered together four of the best RGB discounts currently available on Amazon. We hope this helps you to nab a bargain and to potentially make your Christmas shopping just a little easier.

RELATED LINKS: Best SSD for gaming, How to build a gaming PC, Best gaming CPU

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 12:24 PM
     FFXIV Sage guide – how to play Sage

Want to find out more about the Final Fantasy 14 Sage job? The FFXIV Endwalker expansion is here, adding new dungeons, raids, gear, and systems. Alongside the many new features, we've also got a new playable class - the Sage job. First introduced in Final Fantasy III and seen again in Final Fantasy Tactics, players have been long anticipating the arrival of the Sage class.

The Sage job in FFXIV is a vastly different take on the job we've seen in previous games; instead of using powerful white and black magic or inflicting status hindering attacks, the Sage is a barrier healer, similar to the Scholar. This is the fourth healer to be added to Final Fantasy 14, to sit alongside the White Mage, Scholar, and Astrologian.

It's one of two new jobs to be released with the Endwalker expansion, alongside the new Reaper class. So, let's take a look at how to unlock the stylish new healer, and how to use the FFXIV Sage abilities to protect and heal your allies using the Sage's crystal cannons.

RELATED LINKS: FFXIV Shadowbringers review, FFXIV Gunbreaker job guide, FFXIV Dancer job guide

PCGamesN Thursday, December 9, 2021 8:40 AM
     The best 1.18 Minecraft seeds

What are the best Minecraft seeds? Minecraft seeds are codes that the game uses to generate worlds for you - worlds full of interesting landscapes and key landmarks ripe for exploration. They cover everything from jaw-dropping vistas and landscapes to thrilling dungeons filled to bursting with loot.

Your job is simple: pick the one you want to play around in, whether that's a great spawn location or an idyllic landscape. To get a seed up and running, all you have to do is grab the digits and place them into the seed field when you're next creating a Minecraft world. The game will do all the heavy lifting, leaving you to explore and create beautiful Minecraft seeds to your heart's content.

Regardless of whether you're a professional miner or someone about to load up their first world, there's something you can't control in Minecraft: the terrain itself. While your mind may be brimming with possibilities, all too frequently you'll spawn in a bland, uninspiring world full of flat grassland and the odd chicken. Hardly the canvas for your masterpiece. Hence this article, a complete collection of the best Minecraft seeds, from the inspiring to the functional and everything in between.

RELATED LINKS: Minecraft console commands, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, December 9, 2021 12:00 PM
    

This Is The President is a game that, partway through, had me worried it wouldn't really qualify as a strategy game. As you'd expect, it's about being the US President, and making lots of decisions about running the country and trying not to become too unpopular. But it's far closer to interactive fiction than a simulation, with a main plot whose demands, if failed, will instantly end the game.

It has, however, got me considering what exactly "political strategy game" means.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, December 9, 2021 11:56 AM
    

Halo Infinite is now out and playable in its entirety, following a weirdly chopped-up release process that culminated in me having to run three different downloads just to play the campaign. But anyway! Now seems like a good time to take a closer look at Infinite's PC system requirements, and which graphics settings you should tweak to get the best performance.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, December 9, 2021 11:00 AM
    

I'm not normally a fan of children in games because, as noted in this episode of the Electronic Wireless Show podcast, they get into the uncanny valley pretty quickly. But it's the season to be jolly, so we're talking about the times we thing kids in games are actually really good.

We do end up going on quite a lot of tangents, notably one on which Warhammer faction Matthew would play, and of course we ask Matthew for his thoughts on Mr. Beast's Squid Game. This week's Cavern Of Lies is in Nate's control, which means he takes us to Dwarf Fortress, with predictable results.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, December 9, 2021 8:22 AM
    

The third and final big free content update for Blasphemous launched this morning, introducing new levels, bosses, and more. Named 'Wounds Of Eventide' (love a few wounds with my Catholocism), the update brings the story to a point that the upcoming sequel will pick up. Here, come watch the trailer to meet some of the new monsters, including a giant snake. No room for subtlety here.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, December 9, 2021 8:00 AM
    

Arachnophobes may be hesitant to open this door on the Advent Calendar, but we promise it'll be safe, and there's even an arachnophobe mode. You know who could do whatever a spider could better than Spider-Man? An actual spider, that's who.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, December 9, 2021 7:31 AM
    

Yesterday, a lawyer representing an Activision Blizzard employee held a press conference outside of Blizzard Entertainment's California headquarters, demanding more compensation for workers affected by sexual harassment and discrimination. The employee, named Christine, spoke about her firsthand experiences of misconduct and retaliation while working at the company for the last four years, claiming she experienced inappropriate touching, unwanted sexual advances, and "a frat boy culture that's detrimental to women".

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, December 9, 2021 6:54 AM
    

We've added a few new entries to our selection of the best free PC games for 2021, and you'll find them all at the top of this (unordered) list. But don't worry, you'll still find plenty of older free games that are worth just as much of your time as they new-uns.

Our picks below include both free and free-to-play games. Anything with a mandatory cost is excluded, as are mods or anything dependent on another purchase. The result is a list of games that run the gamut, from ARPGs to management, 2D platformers to co-op first-person shooters.

If you'd prefer to consume a version of this list via the magic of moving pictures, you can do so with this handy video we've put together:

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, December 9, 2021 6:22 AM
    

The Great Battlefield 2042 Fix continues, with the final promised patch of this year having gone live today. While it's not as hefty as previous updates, it's still full of tweaks. And that's good, because this game could use them. Expect your bullets to find their targets a bit better, various audio improvements, and rooftop objective removals from the Breakthrough mode.

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Twinfinite Thursday, December 9, 2021 10:36 AM
    

Today Koei Tecmo released another new trailer of the upcoming JRPG Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream.

The post New Atelier Sophie 2 Trailer Introduces Olias Enders Voiced by Tomoaki Maeno appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Thursday, December 9, 2021 10:15 AM
    

A special Lapras-themed cafe will soon be opening for business for a limited time in Sendai, Japan. Lapras, a fan-favorite Water-type Pokemon, was chosen as the cafe's mascot because it's the ambassador Pokemon of Miyagi Prefecture, of which Sendai is the capital. The cafe will offer a variety of Pokemon-themed menu items, and Lapras won't […]

The post A Special Lapras-Themed Pokemon Cafe Is Opening in Japan for a Limited Time appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Thursday, December 9, 2021 9:47 AM
    

Today NIS America revealed the western release dates of the escape game/bullet hell shoot 'em up hybrid Yurukill: The Calumniation Games.

The post Yurukill: The Calumniation Games by Kakegurui Creator Gets Western Release Dates for PS5, PS4, & Switch appeared first on Twinfinite.


Siliconera Thursday, December 9, 2021 12:00 PM
    

The last two free Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles demon characters will be Enmu and Yushiro fighting with Tamayo.

The post Next Free Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles Characters Announced appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, December 9, 2021 11:30 AM
    

The Present Mic My Hero One's Justice 2 DLC is out now, and people can see how he uses his Voice Quirk to fight in the game in a new video.

The post Present Mic DLC Released for My Hero One's Justice 2 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, December 9, 2021 11:00 AM
    

NIS America shared a new Yurukill trailer that introduces its characters, shows off its gameplay, and the theme song "Black Innocence."

The post See Yurukill Gameplay and Characters Ahead of Its June Debut appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, December 9, 2021 10:30 AM
    

The Genshin Impact web event Let the Arataki Gang Show Begin stars Itto as he prepares for a show. Participating earns you Primogems.

The post Genshin Impact Itto Let the Arataki Gang Show Begin Event Starts appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, December 9, 2021 9:30 AM
    

Ryunosuke, Kazuma, and Susato will present notes about cannabis-related penalties in Japan's law.

The post The Great Ace Attorney Characters Help Osaka Police Reduce Drug Abuse appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, December 9, 2021 9:00 AM
    

People can choose between Choice Band and Choice Scarf to enhance Dracovish's Fishious Rend.

The post Pokemon Dracovish Plush Will Come With a Choice Held Item appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, December 9, 2021 8:30 AM
    

It will start airing from January 10, 2022.

The post Tribe Nine Anime Will Release in Early January 2022 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, December 9, 2021 8:00 AM
    

Shinya Arino will play one of GameCube's launch titles to mark the platform's debut in the show.

The post Game Center CX's First GameCube Episode Will Have Super Monkey Ball appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, December 9, 2021 7:30 AM
    

Executive Producer Kazumi Fujita encourages players to get ready for the world tournament.

The post Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX Launch Trailer Includes a Producer Message appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, December 9, 2021 7:00 AM
    

Chrissy and Francine will be available as well.

The post New Animal Crossing Plushes Include Raymond appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, December 9, 2021 6:30 AM
    

Two new minions and a festive furnishing item will be available to obtain.

The post Final Fantasy XIV Starlight Celebration to Include New Festive Minions appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, December 9, 2021 6:00 AM
    

Uemura is widely considered to be the father of the NES and SNES.

The post Creator of the NES and SNES Masayuki Uemura Has Died appeared first on Siliconera.


Destructoid Thursday, December 9, 2021 12:30 PM
    

Classic Homer You know that scene in Bart the Daredevil where Homer falls down a mountain in Looney Tunes fashion?...

The post This is easily one of the silliest Zelda: Breath of the Wild videos I've seen to date appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 9, 2021 12:00 PM
    

A modern classic returns in 2022 Sony has offered up more details pertaining to its anticipated PC port of one...

The post God of War reveals PC specs and spotlights visual enhancements appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 9, 2021 11:30 AM
    

They're still working on login woes This week, Square Enix and the Final Fantasy XIV team provided a detailed answer on...

The post If you can log in, the Final Fantasy XIV Starlight Celebration looks like a fun time appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 9, 2021 11:00 AM
    

Get it after the December 9 update [Update: It's live now! You just need to log into the game and you'll...

The post PSA: Pokemon Unite is getting Tsareena this week, and you can unlock it for free (Update) appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 9, 2021 10:00 AM
    

Famicom Frontiers Earlier this week, the world lost one of the single most important pioneers in Nintendo history. Masayuki Uemura,...

The post Masayuki Uemura, the pioneer behind the NES and SNES, passes away appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 9, 2021 8:00 AM
    

Year-long lawsuit approaches conclusion There appears to be a little light at the end of the tunnel, (at least for...

The post CDPR enters settlement negotiations with investors over Cyberpunk 2077 lawsuit appeared first on Destructoid.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, December 9, 2021 12:15 PM
     halo infinite cross-save steam xboxFor Steam PC and Xbox Series X|S owners, playing Halo Infinite up until this week has been nice and breezy. The online mode saves your progression between them, meaning you can swap a PC chair and couch at will and still pick up where you left off. However, that isn't the case with the campaign mode. Currently, there is no cross-save function with Halo Infinite's campaign between Steam and Xbox. So, keep that in mind if you were planning on moving from PC to console while enjoying the campaign. As spotted by The Verge's Tom Warren, your campaign save in Halo Infinite will be locked to Steam. That is, so long as you bought the game on Valve's storefront. Halo Infinite supports cross-save between the Microsoft Store/Xbox App and the Series consoles, but Steam players are out of luck.   I tested this myself with my own Xbox Series X. It's true, and a bit disheartening. I've been doing a second run of the game, looking for collectibles now that t...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, December 9, 2021 11:30 AM
     Warzone Pacific Ppsh 41 ClassWith the arrival of Season One of Vanguard, Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific and the brand new Caldera map have rolled out. There are new points of interest to explore, new vehicles, and more. Additionally, the integration with Warzone Pacific means that you can now use Vanguard weapons in the battle royale. Currently, the PPSH-41 is one of the best weapons in Warzone Pacific and, with the best attachments, you can build a powerful class. The PPSH-41 is a classic weapon that has appeared in numerous Call of Duty titles. Players have noticed its power as soon as the new Warzone Pacific experience went live. There is no doubt that the gun will cement itself into the close range meta. This class will focus on making the hard hitting submachine gun as accurate as possible.   Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific PPSH-41 class Muzzle: Mercury Silencer Barrel: ZAC 300mm Underbarrel: M1941 Hand Stop Stock: Empress Custom Magazine: 7.62mm Gorenko 71 Round Mags Ammo Type: Hollow Point Rear Grip: ...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, December 9, 2021 11:00 AM
     Warzone Pacific best Automaton ClassThe launch of Call of Duty: Vanguard Season One has seen the roll out of an array of new content. Also, the update saw the arrival of Warzone Pacific and the new Caldera map. You can explore the new point of interest, travel around the island in new vehicles, and more. The Automaton has proven that it is able to take over in Vanguard's multiplayer. Players have quickly noticed that it is just as lethal in Caldera. With the best attachments, you can build a strong Automaton class in Warzone Pacific. The Automaton is an assault rifle that can shred through the opposition at medium to long ranges. This class will focus on addressing the accuracy of the weapon in order to remove as much of the recoil as possible.   Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific Automaton class Muzzle: Mercury Silencer Barrel: Anastasia Sniper Stock: Anastasia Padded Underbarrel: Carver Foregrip Rear Grip: Stippled Grip Magazine: 6.5mm Sakura 75 Round Drums Ammo Type: Lengthened Perk 1: Frenzy Perk 2: Fully L...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, December 9, 2021 10:00 AM
     Farming Simulator 22 Pc Combine ChaffFarming Simulator 22 recently cropped up onto storefronts around the world, and the results have been nothing but green for Giants Software, the studio behind the franchise. This latest entry sold over 1 million copies in roughly a week, which is a new record for the series. Even prior to the release of FS22, the community behind Farming Simulator was already notably large. From an eSports league, to successful content creators who are dedicated entirely to the series, Farming Simulator is a juggernaut of a brand in the sim world. But, why? It doesn't have the richly-filled and long-standing heritage of Microsoft Flight Simulator, nor the flashiness and general attention-grabbing ability of something like Forza. Some folks chock it up to being one of the most mundane, repetitive, and vapid experiences you can have in a game. But, despite such qualms of some, they're clearly the outliers considering the sheer success of the series. Perhaps it simply has to do with the age...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Thursday, December 9, 2021 10:00 AM
     Annihilation Line Review 1I feel that critics were a bit too hard on Terminator: Resistance when it launched a couple of years ago. The visuals may be dated and much of its ideas were borrowed from other games, but it was a compelling story that delivered what it promised: a faithful, brutal rendition of the future depicted in some of the Terminator movies. Annihilation Line is an expansion campaign that operates as a standalone side story separate from the main game. It isn't all that different, but it's another four to five hours of satisfying Terminator-blasting with more characters and lore that fans will enjoy. Annihilation Line picks up right after the Hunting Grounds mission in the main game. Jacob Rivers has just defeated one of Skynet's new Infiltrator models and the Resistance has started studying it. None of what occurs in this expansion is mentioned in the main game, but that can't really be helped. It begins with Jacob dreaming of a childhood memory: he's tagging al...

Tabletop Gaming News Thursday, December 9, 2021 12:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Thursday, December 9, 2021 11:00 AM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Thursday, December 9, 2021 10:00 AM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Thursday, December 9, 2021 9:00 AM
    

Pivotal Gamers Thursday, December 9, 2021 11:16 AM
     What's up folks? Epic Games holds a new giveaway for Prison Architect. Their message follows. Get Prison Architect for FREE! A few words about Prison Architect Download and play Prison Architect at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and price! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games account, follow the on-screen instructions to add it to your library. So what are you ...

Pivotal Gamers Thursday, December 9, 2021 11:16 AM
     What's up all? Epic Games is giving you the opportunity to win on Godfall Challenger Edition. Let's hear them out. Get Godfall Challenger Edition for FREE! A few words about Godfall Challenger Edition Download and play Godfall Challenger Edition at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and price! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games account, follow the on-screen...