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Shanghai Daily: District

• Jing’an in bloom
  The annual tulip festival returned to Jing’an this month.
• Blueprint to attract multinational business
  Jing’an, a preferred entry-point for overseas business to Shanghai, is looking to make itself more attractive to multinational companies.
• Spotlight on Jing’an’s high-end office buildings
  Jing’an Gaohe BuildingThis building looks a trifle out of place in the bustling Jing’ansi commercial zone, which is dotted with modern fancy buildings, due to its old-fashioned outlook.
• ‘Red’ drama opens CPC centenary birthday celebration
  Jing’an’s first original “red” drama, “Once Upon A Time in Fudeli,” will open this year’s Modern Drama Valley to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China.
• Tourism route mapped out for 100th anniversary
  Former residence of Liu ChangshengThis Spanish-style terrace house, built in 1916, was the home of Liu Changsheng, a leader in the underground Party and a secret base for its clandestine operations
• Moments in March
  Manuscripts of master painters Twenty manuscripts of Western master painters are on display in Jin Space Gallery.
• Family treasure: Memories are made of this
  EVERY household may have several old but valuable items, some inherited from older generations, having witnessed many changes throughout China’s history. Three Jiading residents share their collections
• Helping kids blossom like magnolia flowers
  WHEN he talks about the children in Kashgar Pre­fecture in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Zhou Fenglin always has a big smile on his face. When his wife sent him pictures of the magnolia flowers
• Output of new town estimated to reach 1 trillion yuan by 2025
  Jiading New Town’s total output is expected to reach 1 trillion yuan (US$154 billion) in the next five years, with advanced manufacturing generating 350 billion yuan and the rest from trade, commerce and
• Car culture focuses on attracting tourists
  Car culture is being made a major aspect in the development of Jiading New Town.
• This old street has something for everyone
  Visitors to Anting Town will be able to enjoy Kunqu Opera, one of the genres of traditional Chinese theater arts, following a renovation program.
• No driver, no problem at this center
  An experience center opened this month where people can experience 5G autonomous driving technology in electric sport-utility vehicles.
• A breakfast made easier as machine prepares it
  As one of its public welfare projects for 2021, Jiading District has cooperated with local enterprises to establish 60 “intelligent” breakfast outlets.
• Volunteer campaign to promote Lei Feng’s spirit
  Jiading District has launched a campaign to promote civilized practices in the spirit of Lei Feng, an icon of altruism.
• Renovated facility is first intelligent sports park
  The first phase of the renovation of Beishuiwan Sports Park in the north of Jiading has been completed.
• Sales soar as factories recover after virus
  The manufacturing sector in Jiading shows promising signs of recovery following the COVID-19 epidemic.
• New City forging ahead in education
  Shanghai Education Commission, Shanghai Normal University and Jiading District cooperated in the construction of a Shanghai Experimental School Jiading New City branch, working together to build a public,
• Factory’s latest production line is vegetables to feed its staff
  Vegetables are being cultivated on the roof of Shanghai Qiangjin Foundation Engineering’s factory to supply the canteen, with any excess distributed to employees.
• Directions to spring as flowers are blooming
  Why go far to enjoy flowers? Here is a flower map of Jiading.
• Wang’s creations welcome spring
  As one of the cultural exchange projects in the Yangtze River region, an exhibition celebrating spring by Jiading painter Wang Yuanchang is on show at the Huaqiao Culture and Art Exhibition Center through

Food Industry News

• USDA food box distribution to continue even as Farmers to Families program comes to an end
  … agricultural and food producers, and directing the food to distribution … a family is receiving food through the food bank, they… agricultural and food producers, and directing the food to distribution … a family is receiving food through the food bank, they…
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• Transforming Namibia's Approach to Urban Food Solutions
  … accelerate agricultural growth and food production that benefit … to mitigate urban food challenges.  The food system is, however … unemployment areas to address food insecurity through establishing … reduce emissions from food miles, reduce food prices and …
• Hundreds Benefit From Much-Needed Provisions At Miami Springs Food Distribution
  … Friday morning to organize a food drive. Hundreds of cars lined … than 100 million pounds of food throughout the state.
• U.S. retail and food sales grow 9.8% in March
  … nearly 3%, March retail and food sales in the U.S … retail up 26.9% and food sales up 36% from last …
• Fresh Food for All
  … disrupting an already fragile food system. Deeply rooted … their lives – unemployment and food insecurity. Small, community markets … bastions of the sustainable food system, quickly adapting … strengthening our local food system and food access. This program …
• KaTom Booming
  KaTom sets sales records, becomes 6th largest in the industry KNOXVILLE, TN, UNITED STATES, April 16, 2021 /⁨EINPresswire.com⁩/ -- KaTom Restaurant Supply came through the pandemic stronger than ever and continues to set sales records and grow. …
• Baby Food Makers Oppose Establishing Industry-Wide MDL For Lawsuits Over “Naturally-Ocurring” Heavy Metals in Popular Products
  … the judicial system. The baby food litigation has recently emerged, … appropriately labeled, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) … to centralize the baby food lawsuits before on judge … , 2021. Tags: Arsenic, Baby Food, Beech-Nut, Cadmium, Class Action …
• Students report illnesses after eating Jimmy John’s food; investigation ongoing
  … connection between the store, the food, or Illinois State University … lacrosse team who all ate food from the same restaurant. … the county health department, told Food Safety News. “We have … staff have reported symptoms of food poisoning, according to The …
• PACK THE PANTRIES: Tackling food insecurity one home delivery at a time
  … demand for food, but the problem of food insecurity in … hunger relief efforts, Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana began its … donations and delivering to other food pantries in Indianapolis. He … are requested, rather than food, because Gleaners and Midwest …
• Foodbank distributing food Wednesday at Ford Idaho Center in Nampa
  … is holding another drive-thru food distribution event Wednesday, April … line for the mass food distribution stretched around the … are projected to experience food insecurity due to the … didn’t previously envision needing food. To combat these challenges, …
• Food Coalition gains momentum
  … prevent a food crisis, according to the Food and Agriculture … briefing to promote the Food Coalition , a global alliance … pandemic. Sereni confirmed that food security would be featured … reduction of food loss and waste; and food systems transformation …
• Troy Howard Middle School Expands Food Pantry with Community Caring Cart
  … school nurses partnered with food services and transportation to … about starting or expanding food pantry programs at their … Area Ministerium Food Cupboard), GSFB (Good Shepard Food Bank), and … in their communities through food programs and other similar …
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• Friday Food Truck Tracker: Apr. 16-22
  … — Port City Daily publishes the Food Truck Tracker every Friday, so … Carolina-style barbecue and Southern food, now with three trucks in … SAI A new Asian-inspired food truck is rolling through … p.m. BILL’S BREW FOOD Food truck launched by the Wilmington …
• Japan provides further support to improve food security in Zimbabwe
  … provides further support to improve food security in Zimbabwe – The … the root causes of food insecurity and achieve Sustainable … to move out of food insecurity and towards sustainable … Japan has contributed to food assistance and community resilience-building …
• The lowdown on food delivery for residential students
  … Aaron Cabello, exclusively delivers food from small Black-owned businesses … “Whenever I want ‘real food’ I will DoorDash a healthier … UberEats delivers the prepared food from restaurants in your area … app delivery service to deliver food to their loyal patrons. …
• Just In New Reward Beauty Foodie Girls Tennis Championship Indian Wells Weekend
  Staffing agency Recruiting for Good works to fund meaningful program for girls and is rewarding referrals to companies hiring with luxury tennis weekend travel. SANTA MONICA, CA, UNITED STATES, April 16, 2021 /⁨EINPresswire.com⁩/ -- Recruiting for …
• Riverside Circus, La Traila BBQ Pop-Up, Dumpling Lady, and More Food Events in Miami This Weekend
  … -pass bracelet when ordering more food. Other food and drinks are pay … and peruse the offerings at food trucks such as Mrs. Balloo … those looking to take their food to-go; a pedestrian pick … incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on …
• COPA instructs Health Ministry to investigate into harmful substances in food
  … harmful substances in food including imported food items such as … that laboratory facilities for food testing should be improved … the laws pertaining to food security should be amended … of proper coordination among food testing laboratories. The Committee …
• Right Coast Taqueria launches food truck in Holbrook
  … Taqueria's new food truck in Holbrook follow suit … Coast is already planning another food truck. Zoob was mum on … might land. Right Coast Taqueria food truck, 950 Main St., Holbrook … Long Island native who covers food, drinks and restaurants for Newsday …
• Food is Gen Z's Top Spending Priority, Survey Finds
  … 24% of their spending to food. The report, which looked … spend more time thinking about food compared to other generations, teens … can pose a challenge for food and beverage manufacturers. Some brands … its plant-based Organic Super Food Bites snacks in its …
• Town Board ponders beach businesses; Seeks compromise on food truck
  … . Still in limbo is the food truck operated by Ashley Knight … . Knight got approval for the food truck last summer, she was … walk to the truck for food. A business previously on the … attendees, tables and chairs needed, food arrangements and issues of whether …
• Jackson State University, partners to give out 1,500 free food boxes Saturday
  … giving away 1,500 free food boxes to the community … Community Engagement will host the food box giveaway starting at 9 … which will include non-perishable food items, will be given out … a nonprofit aimed at harvesting food, reducing food waste and helping those …
• Bombay HC allows home delivery of food for devotees by Jain Trusts on Ayambil Oli
  … Nashik to home deliver special food to fasting devotees for Ayambil … premises for taking away pious food allowed by this order,” … permission for delivery of “pious food” in specific slots and batches … has permitted restaurants and other food joints to cater to …
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• Food distribution event comes to Huntingdon this weekend
  … Hometown Hearts is holding a food distribution event Saturday in Huntingdon … with the Central PA Food Bank, which operates a … to 5,000 pounds of food, according to Community Outreach … income, WHAT: Fresh Express Food Distribution for low-income community …
• Bikers who helped distribute food during pandemic get Feeding South Dakota patches
  … to help load boxes of food from Feeding South Dakota into … donates $3 million to area food banks, including Feeding South Dakota … -19 pandemic. Instead of having food set up on tables and … . Gauer said the pre-boxed food made it difficult for some …
• Armando Dawdy explores world's greatest wine regions
  Wine director Armando Dawdy offers an expert look at some of the world's top locations for wineries and vineyards RICHMOND, TX, USA, April 16, 2021 /⁨EINPresswire.com⁩/ -- From Argentina to Australia and from Spain to South Africa, wine is now …
• ZimmCast 668 – Business Success and Food Fear
  … talk about business success and food fear with a businessman, agriculturalist … a new book out called Food Fear and he’ll talk … 668 - Business Success and Food Fear (29:04) If you …
• 89% wheat procured in Ludhiana: District food and supply controller
  … ) Sukhwinder Singh Gill and district food and supply controller (east) Harveen … district. Both district heads of food supply department said the district …
• Bond for food show star's spouse accused in child's death
  … of the winner of a Food Network cooking competition show, who … August when she won the Food Network’s cooking show “Worst …
• PODCAST: Max’s Table #8: A conversation with Sac Bee food writer Benjy Egel
  … Max’s Table, Benjy Egel, food and drink writer for the … to talk about the Sacramento food scene, how it’s been …
• Sania Mirza shows the face she makes when food arrives
  … how she feels when her food arrives. The Indian celebrity shared … on Instagram. "When the food arrives," Mirza wrote on …
• Union sets strike dates for custodians, food service workers
  … , bus drivers, instructional aides and food service workers, announced on Thursday …
• Jacksonville strip club, food truck shut down for roaches
  … De Mi Terra, a Jacksonville food truck, was also shut down …
• Nectar's returns from winter break with food, drink, busy schedule of music
  … to 1975, returns Tuesday with food-and-drink service and a …
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• Local food banks face tough challenges, donation shortages
  “My food bank is responsible for seven …
• Why You Still Need to Think about Brick-and-Mortar Retail in the E-Commerce Boom
  Retail placement is a difficult game for CPG companies, but success can transform your business. HIGHLAND PARK, IL, USA, April 15, 2021 /⁨EINPresswire.com⁩/ -- COVID-19 made 2020 a huge year for e-commerce. Many consumer packaged goods (CPG) …
• Farm to Food Bank marks 10 years
  … Farms has sent food to multiple food pantries for more than … , Butch Langenfelder, Maryland Food Bank’s food sourcing manager, said the … had already been donating food to the food bank and Langenfelder said … do more for small food banks and churches that …
• Families In Need Missing Out On Cleaning Supplies During Pandemic, So Food Pantries Seek To Fill Gap Where Food Stamps Fall Short
  … ) — Happening this morning: a food pantry drive, but organizers are … not looking for food. Instead, they’re hoping … they’re not covered by food stamps. The Supplemental Nutrition … Congress.” “Unfortunately, it is food pantries that have to step …
• How the jar method can help preserve your food and also save you money
  … Jar Method. ABC spoke with food storage experts and minimalist influencers … glass jars, which makes the food last longer. For more tips … not only helps save your food and money, but it also …
• Revealed: Ireland’s real food heroes
  … of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild Food Awards for 2021. … basic foundations of Irish food,” said IFWG chairwoman Kristin … 2021 Irish Food Writers’ Guild Food Awards are: Food Awards Abernethy … Kildare Community Food Award The Green-Schools Food & Biodiversity …
• Woodlawn Beach students knock down mac & cheese boxes to raise food for the needy
• Watch as students knock down mac & cheese boxes to raise food for the needy
• Saudi mission launches Ramadan food programs in Thailand
  Wajdi Ali Sindi has been the director of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) communications and media department, and editor in chief of the OIC Journal, since December 2020. He has considerable experience in international diplomacy, coupled …
• San Carlos Middle School gifts food baskets to families in drive-through food bank

China Daily > Photo News

• Fashion queen Angelababy releases fashion photos
  Fashion queen Angelababy releases fashion photos
• Hong Kong actor Shawn Yue announces surprise wedding
  Hong Kong actor and singer Shawn Yue shared a photo from his wedding ceremony on the social media platform Instagram and officially tied the knot Dec 5, 2017.
• 2017 German Charity Christmas Bazaar delights Beijing
  2017 German Charity Christmas Bazaar delights Beijing
• Christmas decorations illuminate Beijing
  As our calendar is flipped close to the last page, we can catch the scent of the end of the year. But one mood booster is that Christmas is around the corner, and though it is originally a Western festival, its allure still ripples throughout the world.
• Eight stars dazzle in Vogue's last issue for 2017
  Eight stars dazzle in Vogue’s last issue for 2017
• Highlights of 2017 British Fashion Awards
  Highlights of 2017 British Fashion Awards
• 4th Silk Road International Film Festival concludes in Fujian
  Chinese actor Jacky Chan attends the closing ceremony of the 4th Silk Road International Film Festival in Fuzhou city, East China's Fujian province, Dec 3, 2017.
• Chinese stars delight the 2017 Tencent Video Star Awards
  Chinese stars delight the 2017 Tencent Video Star Awards
• Fashion icon Liu Yifei poses for fashion magazine
  Fashion icon Liu Yifei poses for fashion magazine
• Record number of Chinese models join Shanghai lingerie extravaganza Victoria's Secret fashion show
  A record number of seven Chinese models took to the runway during the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai on Nov 20.
• Night views of Harbin through the lens
  Yang Xiangming, 22, has taken more than 6,000 photos of the night scenes in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province in the past two months.
• Tibetans take train home after pilgrimage or travelling
  Tibetans from Qinghai and Gansu provinces took train home after their journey of pilgrimage or travelling.
• Chinese stars shine at the 2017 L'officiel Fashion Night
  Chinese actress Liu Yifei poses as she arrives at the red carpet for the L'officiel Fashion Night 2017 in Beijing, China, Nov 29, 2017.
• Yoga enthusiasts practice on frozen river in Heilongjiang
  The temperature recently dropped to as low as -35 C in Huma county, Daxinganling region of Heilongjiang province.
• Online celebrity animals of 2017
  This hilarious image shows red squirrels displaying their musical skills on mini musical instruments. The critters looked like they could be driving their woodland neighbors nuts with violins, guitars, saxophones and even a little drum kit.
• Wingsuit flyers fly into plane from Jungfrau Mountain
  French duo had 2.45 minutes and a free fall distance of 3200 meters to complete their project "Door In The Sky", coordinated by Yves Rossy know as the "Jetman".
• Actress Zhang Tianai poses for fashion magazine
  Actress Zhang Tianai poses for fashion magazine.
• World's largest shaftless Ferris wheel built in China
  World's largest Ferris wheel without center shaft is under construction in Weifang, East China's Shandong province.
• Fashion trend: Learn from female celebrities with bold red lips
  There's a saying going around fashion circles: “Everything can be solved by a lipstick; if it still doesn’t work well, then you should use two.”
• Li Yifeng and Ju Xiaowen pose for fashion magazine
  Li Yifeng and Ju Xiaowen pose for fashion magazine
• Four Victoria's Secret angels spotted in fashion party
  Four Victoria's Secret angels spotted in fashion party
• Ancient cities to be connected by Xi'an-Chengdu high-speed railway
  The Xi'an-Chengdu high-speed railway, China's first rail route to run through the Qinling Mountains, is scheduled to enter operation within the year. By then, several ancient cities and tourist attractions will be connected by the railway.
• Snow turns Harbin into winter wonderland
  The iconic Saint Sophia Cathedral in Harbin, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, is filled with visitors during a heavy snowfall, Nov 28, 2017.
• Fashion design in Mongolian style
  The 14th Mongolian Costume Arts Festival kicked off in Hohhot, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on Nov 27.
• Actress Ni Ni releases fashin photos
  Actress Ni Ni releases fashin photos
• Highest Paid Models of 2017 includes Chinese model Liu Wen
  In the latest release of the World’s Highest Paid Models of 2017 by Forbes, an American business magazine well-known for its lists and rankings, Chinese model Liu Wen remains at the No. 8 position with an amazing income of $6.5 million.
• Zhou Xun and Hu Ge pose for fashion magazine
  Zhou Xun and Hu Ge pose for fashion magazine.
• Reed Catkin Festival held in Wuhan
  The start of the Reed Catkin Festival in Wuhan, Hubei province, on Nov 26, 2017.
• Is it a building or a bookshelf?
  A building designed like a bookshelf is seen in Haining, Zhejiang province, on Nov 25, 2017.
• Actress Gulnezer Bextiyar poses for fashion magazine
  Actress Gulnezer Bextiyar poses for fashion magazine
• Actress Michelle Chen poses for fashion magazine
  Actress Michelle Chen poses for fashion magazine
• 54th Golden Horse Awards concludes in Taipei
  Chinese actor Tu Men kisses actress Kara Wai's hand with their awards for media for Best Leading Actor and Actress respectively at the 54th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei city, China, Nov 25, 2017. The Golden Horse awards are the Chinese-language film industry's biggest annual events.
• First flight
  Liu and other flight attendants from the island had just completed three months of training as part of an employment program for youth.
• Futurist library draws readers, and also visitors
  Tianjin Binhai New Area Library, which features terraced shelves and cascading ceiling-to-floor bookcases, is drawing many visitors as well as readers.
• 2017 Miss Chinese Toronto Pageant final in Toronto
  Tiffany Choi, 23 years old, was crowned the 2017 Miss Chinese Toronto on Friday.
• Scenery of Three Gorges in Central China
  Photo taken on Nov 25, 2017 shows scenery at Xiling Gorge of the Three Gorges in Central China's Hubei province.
• US man building mud house in rural China
  A 42-year-old man from US, whose Chinese name is Li Jie, is living an idyllic life in Yunqiu Mountain in Linfen of Shanxi province.
• Actors delight 2017 Esquire annual ceremony
  Actors delight 2017 Esquire annual ceremony
• 2017 Shanghai Haute Couture Week: Grace Chen
  A model displays a new creation at the fashion show of Grace Chen during the 2017 Shanghai Haute Couture Week in Shanghai, China, November 22, 2017.
• Pop star Dilraba Dilmurat poses for fashion magazine
  Pop star Dilraba Dilmurat poses for fashion magazine
• Traditional dragon dance appeals to students
  Zhejiang University in East China's Zhejiang province introduced dragon dance and lion dance, two traditional Chinese performances staged during festivals, as a physical education course in September.
• Iconic moments from Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
  The annual Victoria's Secret Fashion show has just concluded this month. As usual, it has generated animated discussions on social media platforms at home and abroad.
• Top actress Zhou Xun poses for fashion magazine
  Top actress Zhou Xun poses for fashion magazine
• Xi'an-Chengdu high-speed railway enters test run
  The first full-course test run was carried out Wednesday on a high-speed railway linking Xi'an with Chengdu, which is scheduled to enter operation within the year.
• Actress Jing Tian poses for fashion magazine
  Actress Jing Tian poses for fashion magazine
• Exercises to stay energetic in winter
  As it becomes increasingly colder, people can do various exercises to stay energetic. The variety of exercises students do during their class break may go beyond your imagination.
• Fashion queen Angelababy releases fashion photos
  Fashion queen Angelababy releases fashion photos
• Chinese FM calls for jointly building new type of Asia-Europe partnership
  Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday called for jointly building a new type of Asia-Europe partnership at the 13th foreign ministers' meeting of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in the Myanmar capital.
• World Children's Day marked in Geneva
  More than 200 children and young people on Monday "took over" the Palais des Nations in Geneva, the UN's Geneva Headquarters, to mark the World Children's Day which falls on Nov 20.
• Beautiful ice cubes seen in Harbin
  With the sudden drop in temperature in Harbin, the capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, people can appreciate a large ice floe by the riverside of the Songhua River.
• Comfortable chic in cold: White puffer coats
  A warm puffer coat is what everyone needs to ward off the chilly winds as temperatures drop to below zero. But the question is: how to keep warm but stay slender and chic at the same time in the gloomy winter days? The color of white is a solution.
• Model He Sui poses for fashion magazine
  Model He Sui poses for fashion magazine
• The world in photos: Nov 13-19

  Here, we present some of the most striking images around the world this past week.

• Scenery of terraced fields in South China's Guangxi
  Photo taken on Nov 17, 2017 shows terraced fields in Longji township of Longsheng county, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.
• Stefanie Sun releases new MV
  Stefanie Sun releases new MV
• Taiyuan Zoo sets up 'white tiger kindergarten'
  This year, Taiyuan Zoo in Shanxi province prepared for a white tiger breeding peak.
• All-apple feast
  A Chinese cooking master innovates dishes by steaming, boiling, frying apples in Dalian, NE China's Liaoning province. It is the harvest time of apples in the region.
• Fashion icon Yang Mi poses for fashion magazine
  Fashion icon Yang Mi poses for fashion magazine
• Pyeongchang Winter Olympics torch relay kicks off
  The Olympic flame arrived in Incheon, South Korea, on November 1 and the relay across South Korea will cover 2,018 kilometers before reaching the main venue for the opening ceremony of the Games after 100 days.
• Cute cats pose like Chinese kung fu fighters
  talented photographer Hisakata Hiroyuki has managed to snap a group of Mortal Tom cats in a variety of high-flying kung fu poses. Using his own rapid-fire reactions, Hiroyuki has captured the lovable cats flying through the air, their legs and paws outstretched like something out of an action movie.
• Exploring Sanjiangyuan National Park in wintertime
  Sanjiangyuan National Park is already coated in snow. The frozen lake lies at the foot of the mountain, glittering on the white plateau.
• Angelababy releases fashion photos
  Angelababy releases fashion photos
• Actress Song Qian poses for fashion magazine
  Actress Song Qian poses for fashion magazine
• Pop star Dilraba Dilmurat poses for fashion magazine
  Pop star Dilraba Dilmurat poses for fashion magazine
• Honrn's spring/summer collection released in Beijing
  Chinese fashion company Honrn released its 2018 spring/summer collection at a runway show during China Fashion Week in Beijing last week.
• A new 'Shangri-La' in Ma Yanli's runway show
  Model-turned designer Ma Yanli held a runway show last week in Beijing to release her latest haute couture collection for 2018 spring/summer.
• Scenery of snow-covered Yading Nature Reserve in SW China
  Photos show the scenery in Yading Nature Reserve in Daocheng county of Tibetan autonomous prefecture of Garze, Southwest China's Sichuan province.
• Hollywood and China see a future for co-productions
  In response to the agreement between China and the United States to encourage cross-cultural, people-to-people exchanges, U.S. and Chinese filmmakers are gearing up to jump into the fray.
• The world in photos: Nov 6-12
  Here, we present some of the most striking images around the world this past week.
• Actress Ni Ni poses for fashion magazine
  Actress Ni Ni poses for fashion magazine
• 2017 Fall/Winter fashion trend: Paolo Sebastian dressing style
  A model showcases a design on the runway at the fashion show of Paolo Sebastian during the 2017 Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week.
• Liu Yifei promotes new film
  Actress Liu Yifei arrives in Hangzhou, capital of North China's Zhejiang province, Nov 11, 2017, for the publicity of the new film Rescuing Flying Tiger.
• Pop singer Jolin Tsai poses for fashion magazine
  Pop singer Jolin Tsai poses for fashion magazine
• Actress Tang Wei poses for fashion magazine
  Actress Tang Wei poses for fashion magazine
• Kiss me little, kiss me long
  Like a lover, a lipstick should never leave you – until you decide to remove it.
• Highlights of 2018 Chanel resort collection fashion show
  A model displays a new creation during the 2018 Chanel resort collection fashion show in Chengdu city, Southwest China's Sichuan province, November 7, 2017.
• Rare jade and agate now on show
  A collection of rare jade and agate is on show at the 2017 International Jewelry Exhibition in Beijing through Nov 13.

China Daily > HK Edition News

• Jan 11 Frontpage
• Economists warn of US act eroding investor confidence
  Hong Kong economists have warned about the possible impacts the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act may have on investor confidence in the city as an international financial center, as well as its status as an independent tariff territory.
• Global leaders gather to promote multilateralism, sustainability

  Multilateralism and global partnership are critical to building a new world order that will ensure people reach the future they desire, agreed the attendees of a top-level international forum in Conghua district of Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province, Monday.

• 4th round relief to keep battered sectors afloat

  The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region announced on Tuesday it will soon unveil a new round of relief measures, one day after the city recorded its biggest plunge in retail sales.

• New thoughts needed to end violence
  With support from United States and United Kingdom politicians, the anti-China and anti-communist political forces in Hong Kong obtained an unprecedented victory in the sixth District Council elections. Just one week before polling day, riots kept escalating to a new high level, and three days before the election was held, peace suddenly returned to Hong Kong. There were clear indications that the six-month-long "black revolution" was the result of a rebellious plot orchestrated by its masterminds.
• Rioters can't gain what they want via violence

  I just spent a week in Hong Kong, and luckily, it was peaceful. Radical protesters had called off violence for the previous weekend in order to "ensure" that the District Council elections would not be canceled. As a result, things were normal on the ground. However, as has been typical for the past few months, in the following weekend, things quickly sparked up again.

• Everyone must cherish our marvelous MTR
  Is the highly efficient MTR still beloved by the people of Hong Kong? The answer should be a resounding "yes". Yet the city this year has witnessed its horrific, willful destruction. Extremist protesters have vandalized the entire MTR system for months on end.
• SAR government must promote merits of 'one country, two systems'
  Too many people in Hong Kong do not understand "one country, two systems", why this is important for all of us, and what it takes to make it work.
• Deficit forecast a warning for all
  Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po warned on Monday that the special administrative region government faces a budget shortfall for the first time in 15 years because of the recession. This can be seen as a warning to local residents to prepare for some tough times ahead.
• US justifies Hong Kong violence with double standards
  All over the world, protest movements are on the march. In places as diverse as Chile, Haiti, Iraq, Ecuador, France and Bolivia, people are taking to the streets to make their voices heard. Their demands are varied, but all have come to the conclusion they must engage in direct action to get what they believe their governments won't provide.
• Retailers and hoteliers bear the brunt as protests cripple businesses in city
  Hong Kong's retail and hotel sectors have yet to recover if the latest sales figures are anything to go by, with the city continuing to be mired in nearly six months of violent protests.
• HKSAR may see its first deficit since '04
  The government is expected to record its first budget deficit in 15 years as the city's general economic environment has been impacted by social unrest as well as ongoing China-United States trade frictions.
• Election result a 'surprise' to Chung
  The overwhelming victory for the anti-establishment camp in the just-concluded 2019 District Council elections was a surprise, said Liberal Party leader Felix Chung Kwok-pan.
• Felix Chung dismisses HK act as 'unfair, unnecessary'
  Felix Chung Kwok-pan, leader of the pro-business Liberal Party, said it is "unfair and unnecessary" for the United States to pass the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act with the purpose of imposing sanctions on the SAR.
• Independent review on HK unrest a right step: Zeman

  The government's proposal to create an Independent Review Committee to find why and how the violent protests happened and what to do in their aftermath would be a step in the right direction if Hong Kong is to move on, Lan Kwai Fong Holdings Chairman Allan Zeman said.

• 2 arrested for alleged roles in SAR riots
  State security authorities in Guangdong province have arrested two men for alleged involvement in Hong Kong riots and endangering national security, Guangzhou Daily reported on Saturday.
• CUHK dominates China's top contest for fledgling journalists
  The Chinese University of Hong Kong was the big winner in the 2019 Campus Newspaper Awards, hosted by China Daily Hong Kong Edition on Sunday.
• Greater Bay Area lures an influx of talent
  The economic vitality and sound infrastructure of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is helping it attract more talent and become one of China's strongest talent banks.
• Dialogue rather than violence is the solution to impasse
  The tragic death of student Alex Chow Tsz-lok and 70-year-old cleaner Uncle Luo is a solemn reminder of the inevitable tragic consequences of civil unrest when carried too far, with uncontrollable rioters taking to the streets, causing unwarranted mass destruction to both public and private property, and requiring an equally forceful police action to stop it.
• Maintaining justice: Punishing rioters and compensating victims

  Although sentencing is an art and not a science, there are occasions when the duty of the courts is crystal clear. Public disorder is an obvious example of the type of criminality which invariably requires a firm response. As the Court of Final Appeal explained in its judgment in an unlawful assembly appeal in 2018, "public order must be maintained", and this requires the judges "to consider the factor of deterrence in sentencing" (FACC 8/2017).

• Peaceful HK election is a victory for 'one country, two systems'
  While not a few tendentious Western politicos and media - which for the past five months have been overtly supporting anti-government protesters and not condemning violent rioters - are feverishly crowing about the win of "pan-democrat" candidates in Hong Kong's District Council elections, I have a bigger-picture and sober perspective: The peaceful, efficient and high-turnout election is ultimately a clear victory for "one country, two systems" and a chance for the city's long-term social peace.
• US' HK law is farcical political grandstanding
  Like the ill-advised trade war initiated by US President Donald Trump, which has caused the world economy to slow down as well as led to vast lost opportunities for both the United States and China, the so-called "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act" superciliously passed by US lawmakers and signed by Trump, is another mistake of monumental stupidity that will disadvantage all.
• US meddling in HKSAR affairs serves its geopolitical interests
  The central government on Thursday issued a statement on behalf of the 1.4 billion Chinese people that strongly opposed the signing into law by US President Donald Trump of the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019.
• Community members must keep an eye on new district councilors
  It is fortunate that the sixth-term District Council elections were peacefully conducted. The results surprised many, with the opposition camp pocketing 392 of the 452 seats up for grabs. But the significance of the results goes beyond this.
• Homage to Peking Opera
  Director Jacob Cheung's latest venture, The Opera House, is part film and part social mission in its attempts to connect audiences with times long gone.
• What's the Buzz!
  Christmas lights
• Superheroes of the Ming era
  Film franchises usually enjoy a captive audience. Whether you are a Marvel fan or a Twilight obsessive, the pull of familiar characters and situations can be quite strong.
• Jamming with the Nordics
  There's an understandable but unnecessary affliction that haunts artists of all disciplines from smaller and, especially, non-Western nations: an institutionalized reverence for the pervading cultural hegemony, and a resulting inferiority complex nurtured in the homegrown.
• Partners in design
  At a time when technology drives the way we live to a large extent, some of today's leading British designers with a Hong Kong connection seem keen to reconnect with a part of their heritage that predates the technological invasion.
• Land resumption-is it the long-term answer?
  The HKSAR government is slated to start land resumption to resolve the city's housing woes. Some experts say it will be effective in meeting housing demand, but others argue the long time frame is a big hurdle. Oswald Chan reports.
• A camera that started it all ...
  The whole story started with a camera when Alan Lim was just 21 years old.
• Riot insurance demand may rise, but complications remain
  The demand for riot and civil unrest insurance policies should go up, but the market for this business insurance segment may not flourish, given the potential difficulties of creating an adequate financial pool to support it, industry experts said.
• E-commerce: Tacklingmarkets and cultures
  E-commerce professional Alan Lim knows the business well after more than 10 years in the game. He is focused on emerging markets and avoids those where the giants are. Edith Lu reports.
• New US law 'counterproductive'
  US businesses in Hong Kong and the Hong Kong business community reiterated their mounting concerns that the signing of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act into law will have a chilling effect on US commercial interests in the Asian financial center and send negative signals around the world about the city's long-cherished advantages.
• Battered retailer profits dented by acts of violence
  Hong Kong-listed retailer Best Mart 360 reported on Wednesday a 6 percent year-on-year decline in net profit for the six months ending on Sept 30, despite its HK$610 million ($78 million) revenue, up 14.7 percent compared with last year, during the same period.
• Former CE condemns misinformation on HK
  Leung slams foreign and local opposition politicians for spreading lies about SAR's 'high-degree autonomy', Beijing's legitimate role
• Police to lift PolyU siege by Friday at the earliest
  Hong Kong police said on Thursday officers would end the 12-day siege of the campus of Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Hong Hum as early as Friday (today) - but they did not provide a specific time frame.
• Signing HK bill into US law 'clear intervention'
  The United States' signing of a Hong Kong-related bill into law shows its clear intention to meddle in the city's local affairs and to use the city as a pawn to contain China, local politicians and experts said on Thursday.
• Public servants' illegal action will not be tolerated

  Civil servants convicted of criminal offenses will face not only the legal consequences but also disciplinary action from the government, Hong Kong's civil servant chief said on Wednesday.

• New district councilors urged to curb violence, focus on improving livelihoods in communities
  Newly elected district councilors must take a harsher stance against violence and dedicate themselves to the improvement of livelihoods in their communities, or they may lose the public's trust and also their seats, political observers said.
• HK police to enter PolyU before campus reopens under request of the university
  Police confirmed on Wednesday they will enter the Hong Kong Polytechnic University on Thursday (today) morning.
• Uncertainty has businesses delaying plans, European chamber's leader says
  Violence in Hong Kong in the past several months, including the occupation of streets and the damage to public transportation, has created a lot of uncertainty and fear among foreign companies. The chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said some of them are delaying their respective plans in the city.
• Dialogue is crucial to political reconciliation, district improvements
  It is time to get to work. The District Council elections have handed a landslide victory to a large group of new politicians who are young and energetic. They clearly wish to roll up their sleeves and get on with learning the ropes.
• US fear of fast-growing China motivates HK bill

  A United States senator from Florida, Marco Rubio, has pushed and prodded his colleagues with misleading information, gained bipartisan support, and finally managed to obtain unanimous Senate approval of his benignly named Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019.

• Peace must continue to prevail in city
  It is hoped that the lull in violence over the weekend during the District Council elections will translate into permanent calm and peace. The lawlessness and violence witnessed in the weeks before the Sunday election were extremely inimical to and recklessly defiled Hong Kong's proud, noble tradition of robust freedoms.
• Key lessons to be learned from DC election results

  The pro-establishment camp's defeat in the District Council Election is not entirely unexpected. Notwithstanding the common-sense presumption that most Hong Kong citizens are opposed to the street violence, property destruction and transportation disruption wreaked upon our once-safe and orderly society by the "blackshirts" in the past six months, there was a reliable opinion survey before the election showing that 40 percent of the citizens actually support their anarchy! With such deviant thinking, what can you expect!

• Orderly polling shows loathing of violence
  While the results of Sunday's District Council elections are still being analyzed, one message was crystal clear - the 2.9 million registered voters who cast their ballots in a peaceful and orderly fashion at 610 polling stations across the city told us they are sick of violence; and opinions, even differing ones, could be expressed in a lawful manner.
• Retaining HK's financial center critical to its rebirth
  As November arrived, the "black revolution" riots took a turn for the worse to become terrorism, with rioters setting a member of the public on fire and violently attacking the police. Meting out extra-judicial torture has become commonplace. The once-picturesque Chinese University of Hong Kong was turned into a scene of desolation overnight. Sharing the same fate with its counterpart, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the City University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Baptist University were occupied as bases for riots. The nine local universities were forced either to prematurely end the semester or switch the classes into online lectures. Students from the mainland were so threatened that they had to return to their hometowns, while their classmates from Taiwan and overseas fled Hong Kong. The SAR government conceded that Hong Kong was no longer a safe city.
• Woman gets 46 months in prison for role in 2016 riot
  A 24-year-old woman was sentenced to 46 months in prison on Tuesday on two charges of rioting in Mong Kok over three years ago.
• HK should take harder line on violence: Cross

  The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government should make no further concessions to violence, but must resist it with all the means at its disposal, the city's former director of public prosecutions said on Tuesday at a legal forum on the ongoing social unrest in Hong Kong.

• HKSAR courts cannot declare local legislation to be unconstitutional
  Many judges and lawyers believe that in judicial review cases, judges can invalidate and declare certain local legislation and sub-legislation to be unconstitutional by making reference to the Basic Law.
• People-to-people exchanges key to grasp what's happening in HK
  International educators will be deeply saddened by the events on campuses of Hong Kong's highly regarded universities, leading to early closure of the fall term and international students' returning home early.
• Let's make facts about promises straightforward
  Many people in Hong Kong take it as a fact that Beijing failed to honor what had been promised. They allege that Beijing has effectively taken away Hong Kong people's right to elect their chief executive, and that is the "institutional violence" that instigated their protests and then the violence.
• Amnesty, pardon and commutation of sentence: Are they viable?
  To whom it may concern,
• 'Protest vote' may hurt people's benefits: Analyst
  Most voters of the just-concluded District Council elections cast their votes out of dissatisfaction with the government, instead of making a rational decision, political analysts said on Monday, cautioning that voters may end up paying a price for that choice.
• Govt appeals court's ban on anti-mask law
  The Hong Kong SAR government on Monday submitted documents to the Court of Appeal to apply for an appeal against the court's ruling on the city's anti-mask law.
• Experts take aim at climate investment
  Experts have called for tailored reform to address the low profitability of climate-friendly investment, following the country's recent initiation of a think tank to tap the potential of financial instruments in the sector.
• Pro-establishment camp vows to continue serving community after stunning defeat
  Hong Kong's pro-establishment camp pledged to continue serving the community and to proactively improve people's livelihoods after suffering a massive setback in local elections.
• Turmoil dents city's attractiveness to expatriates
  Six months of progressively worsening turmoil is causing negative reverberations across the expatriate community.
• HK bill Trojan horse for US foreign policy goals

  On Wednesday, both houses of the United States Congress passed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act - a bill designed to implement sanctions on officials and rescind the city's "special status" if Washington deems certain requirements are not met. Sponsored and pushed by hawkish senators such as Marco Rubio, the bill is expected to be signed by President Donald Trump, despite his personal ambivalence and unwillingness to get involved on the issue. The legislation is expected to cause disruption to US-China relations, with Beijing condemning it as a violation of national sovereignty and intervention in its internal affairs.

• Hong Kong is victim of double binds and media manipulation
  At his meetings at the BRICS Summit earlier this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping suggested that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government get tough on rioters who continue to vandalize and destabilize Hong Kong. "Hong Kong's most pressing task remains bringing violence and chaos to an end and restoring order," he said, according to China's official Xinhua News Agency.
• An all-out effort
  It'll be a vote for peace and order in Hong Kong, and for someone who really cares about the welfare of the neighborhood and the community at large - that's how a wide sector of the registered electors in Hong Kong's 2019 district council elections summed up as they turned up in record numbers to cast their ballots in Sunday's crucial polls.
• Marriott International unveils new ride-hailing services for luxury hotels
  Marriott International recently unveiled its new ride-hailing service for luxury hotels under the group, aimed at improving the experience of an increasing number of high-net-worth customers in the Chinese market.
• High Court allows seven more days for mask ban
  The Hong Kong High Court on Friday ordered the anti-mask law to remain in force for the next seven days at the request of the government.
• A dangerous standoff
  On the night of Nov 16, battles between the police and anti-government protesters around the Hong Kong Polytechnic University were intense.
• Hong Kong mob protesters rule the streets
  On the streets and in the grounds of their university near the harbourfront on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong, masked students draw powerful bows and fire sharpened arrows at police and civilians with reckless abandon.
• Which came first - the riots or the US Senate's HK legislation?
  On Wednesday morning in Hong Kong, we received news that the so-called "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act" has obtained bipartisan support in the US Senate.
• End violence for peace, order and democracy
  Only two days left before the District Council elections on Sunday. In keeping with the principles and basic requirements for democratic elections, all parties concerned must stop any incompatible behavior for voting to be fair and valid.
• How qualified are our judges to interpret the Basic Law?
  One can witness a scene of mockery in the evening after two High Court judges, Anderson Chow Ka-ming and Godfrey Lam Wan-ho, ruled that the anti-mask law is unconstitutional and incompatible with the Basic Law.
• What's the Buzz!
  Seamless fabrics
• Women of substance
  Disney is everywhere. On Nov 12, Disney's streaming service launched in three territories, three more a week later, and will likely hit platforms in Asia in the near future.
• Tuned out
  This weekend should have been a celebration. For me and thousands of other Hong Kong-based music fans, Nov 22 was a date we'd been counting down to since the final spotlight flickered out at last year's Clockenflap Music and Arts Festival.
• Designing futures
  Last week, even as some of Hong Kong's university campuses had turned into scenes of pitched battles between radical protesters and the city's police forces, and the toxicity in the atmosphere had obliterated the space for debate, nearly 6,000 kilometers away in Dubai a graduate design project from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) was drawing attention.
• Forum to help graduate students eyeing prospects in Bay Area
  Young scholars and media communication students will be offered a platform that will be tap their talents for good stories about the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
• Steering rundown SMEs out of the storm
  Economic recession induced by prolonged unrest and the trade war have battered HK businesses. Are government stimulus measures effective? Oswald Chan reports.
• When the chips are down
  While the escalating unrest may force some of the biggest retail names to quit or downsize in the city, other brands may cash in on the low rents available to enter the local or Chinese mainland markets. Pamela Lin reports.
• 'HK bill just an election ploy by US politicians'
  Zeman says the bill is merely a gambit by US lawmakers who have little idea about what is really happening in the city

English headline news from SINA.com

• U.S. Treasury says no major trading partner manipulates currency
• China's digital reading market grows 21.8 pct in 2020
• Raul Castro announces retirement as head of Communist Party of Cuba
• World Insights: Russia-U.S. ties grow "extremely tense" amid diplomatic brawl
• Raul Castro calls for "jolt" to kick Cuban economy into high gear
• Argentina sees new record high of daily COVID-19 cases
• Italian PM speaks at news conference in Rome
• Canadian Medical Association calls for national approach to fighting COVID-19
• China's Yunnan reports 1 new COVID-19 case
• China sees fewer road accidents: ministry
• Chinese mainland reports 1 new locally transmitted COVID-19 case
• Portugal resumes flights to Brazil, Britain
• S.Korea reports 658 more COVID-19 cases, 113,444 in total
• 2 firefighters die in battling Beijing's power station fire
• Dukla Michalovce takes 2-0 lead in semifinal series against HK Poprad after shootout

时装-新浪时尚

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  　　导语：豹纹一直以来给人的形象都是俗、妖、low、难驾驭。可偏偏却在每个季度都被设计师们无限循环利用。明星们也对豹纹爱不释手，别说演出时的夸张造型，就连出街也都豹纹穿在身。（来源：瑞丽网） 　　左中右依次为 Chalayan、Tom Ford、Victoria Beckham 2018 Fall/Winter....
• 秋天如果只能买一双鞋 我会毫不犹豫的选择它
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• 时尚圈的心思你别猜 现在流行往身上打“补丁”
  　　导语：时尚圈的轮回我们已经见识过太多次了，你永远不知道下一波又要赶什么潮流。从前的乞丐专利补丁装如今摇身一变成为时髦精们的大爱，好好的衣服放着不穿，非要在上面贴块布，这样的“不伦不类”若是被奶奶看到了说不定又要把贴布硬拆下来补在破洞裤上。（来源：瑞丽网） ....
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French-Monde

• (COVID-19) L'Argentine assiste à une hausse record des cas d'infection journaliers
  L'Argentine a enregistré vendredi un nombre record de 29.472 infections journalières au nouveau coronavirus et 160 décès supplémentaires, ce qui porte les chiffres nationaux à 2.658.628 et 59.084 respectivement, a annoncé le ministère de la Santé.
• Le Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU renouvelle l'interdiction de toute exportation illicite de pétrole libyen
  Le Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies a adopté vendredi à l'unanimité une résolution prorogeant jusqu'au 30 juillet 2022 l'interdiction faite à la Libye d'exporter illicitement du pétrole, qu'il soit brut ou raffiné.
• (COVID-19) L'Ukraine reçoit un premier lot de vaccins de Pfizer via l'initiative COVAX
  Un premier lot constitué de 117.000 doses de vaccin Pfizer/BioNTech contre le nouveau coronavirus est arrivé vendredi en Ukraine dans le cadre de l'initiative mondiale COVAX, a annoncé vendredi le ministère de la Santé.
• Pérou : Pedro Castillo et Keiko Fujimori au second tour de la présidentielle
  Pedro Castillo et Keiko Fujimori s'affronteront au second tour de l'élection présidentielle au Pérou, a annoncé vendredi l'Office national des processus électoraux (ONPE).
• Libye : le Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU soutient le mécanisme de surveillance du cessez-le-feu
  Le Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU a adopté à l'unanimité vendredi une résolution approuvant la formation d'une équipe pour surveiller l'accord de cessez-le-feu libyen, sous l'égide de la Mission d'appui des Nations Unies en Libye (MANUL).
• Le secrétaire général de l'ONU demande aux grands maires du monde de prendre des mesures urgentes pour le climat
  Le secrétaire général des Nations Unies, Antonio Guterres, a appelé vendredi les grands maires du monde à prendre des mesures urgentes pour le climat.
• L'aide transfrontalière de l'ONU représente la moitié de toutes les livraisons humanitaires à destination du nord-ouest de la Syrie
  Les 920 camions envoyés par l'ONU qui ont livré de l'aide au nord-ouest de la Syrie depuis la Turquie le mois dernier représentent jusqu'à la moitié de toute l'aide humanitaire transfrontalière, a déclaré vendredi Stéphane Dujarric, porte-parole du secrétaire général de l'ONU Antonio Guterres.
• (COVID-19) La coopération et les vaccinations sont les seuls moyens de sortir de la pandémie, selon un responsable de l'OMS
  Le bout du tunnel de la pandémie de COVID-19 est maintenant proche et le monde en sortira grâce à la coopération et aux programmes de vaccination en cours, a affirmé le directeur régional de l'Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS) pour l'Europe, Hans Kluge, lors d'une visite à Athènes.
• (COVID-19) Le nombre hebdomadaire de nouveaux cas a doublé en deux mois dans le monde (OMS)
  Le nombre hebdomadaire de nouveaux cas de COVID-19 dans le monde a presque doublé au cours des deux derniers mois, a déclaré vendredi l'Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS).
• Le Portugal annonce un plan de relance post-pandémie de plusieurs milliards d'euros
  Le gouvernement portugais a annoncé vendredi un plan de relance et de résilience avec 16,64 milliards d'euros (19,94 milliards de dollars) de fonds de l'Union européenne pour réactiver l'économie après la crise de la COVID-19.
• La Russie interdit l'entrée sur son territoire à huit anciens et actuels hauts responsables américains
  Le ministère russe des Affaires étrangères a annoncé vendredi avoir interdit l'entrée sur son territoire à huit anciens et actuels hauts responsables des Etats-Unis.
• Etats-Unis : Biden signe un décret maintenant à 15.000 le plafond d'accueil de réfugiés fixé par Trump
  Le président américain Joe Biden a signé vendredi un décret maintenant les admissions de réfugiés du pays pour l'exercice budgétaire 2021 à 15.000, un plafond historiquement bas fixé par l'administration de son prédécesseur Donald Trump.
• (COVID-19) Merkel reçoit sa première dose du vaccin d'AstraZeneca
  La chancelière allemande Angela Merkel a reçu vendredi sa première dose du vaccin d'AstraZeneca contre la COVID-19, a-t-elle annoncé sur Twitter via le porte-parole du gouvernement Steffen Seibert.
• (COVID-19) France : le gouvernement se prépare à une réouverture des terrasses et musées (SYNTHESE)
  La France envisage une réouverture après plusieurs semaines de confinement généralisé. Le président Emmanuel Macron a donné des directives allant dans ce sens jeudi soir lors d'une réunion restreinte à l'Elysée, selon ses collaborateurs.
• (COVID-19) Israël détecte 7 cas d'un nouveau variant du coronavirus
  Sept cas d'un nouveau variant "doublement mutant" du coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 responsable de la COVID-19 ont été détectés en Israël, a déclaré vendredi le ministère de la Santé de ce pays.
• La Russie va expulser 10 diplomates américains en réponse aux récentes sanctions et expulsions ordonnées par Washington
  La Russie va expulser 10 diplomates américains dans le cadre d'une riposte aux récentes sanctions et expulsions américaines, a annoncé vendredi le ministre russe des Affaires étrangères Sergueï Lavrov.
• Entretien entre le président turc et le secrétaire général de l'OTAN sur les questions régionales
  Le président turc, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, et le secrétaire général de l'Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique Nord (OTAN), Jens Stoltenberg, ont discuté par téléphone d'une série de questions régionales, a fait savoir vendredi la présidence turque.
• (COVID-19) La vaccination porte ses fruits en Belgique
  La vaccination a eu un impact majeur chez les résidents des maisons de repos et de soins, où le taux d'infection du coronavirus est resté bas avec moins de deux cas pour 1.000 résidents par semaine, a expliqué vendredi, Yves Van Laethem, porte-parole interfédéral COVID-19.
• Google accepte de supprimer des contenus illégaux, selon un parlementaire russe
  Google a accepté de supprimer des contenus qui enfreignent les lois et le code du travail russes, a déclaré vendredi un législateur russe suite à des entretiens entre une commission parlementaire et des représentants du géant américain des technologies.
• Les JO de Tokyo ne seront pas annulés, selon leur présidente
  La présidente des Jeux Olympiques de Tokyo, Seiko Hashimoto, a déclaré vendredi que les Jeux ne seraient pas annulés en raison de la pandémie de coronavirus.
• (COVID-19) L'Iran rapporte 25.261 nouveaux cas, pour un total de 2.194.133
  Le ministère iranien de la Santé a signalé vendredi 25.261 nouvelles infections au nouveau coronavirus et 328 décès supplémentaires, portant le nombre de cas à l'échelle nationale à 2.194.133 et le nombre de décès à 66.008.
• (COVID-19) Le variant apparu en Inde pourrait être plus contagieux (responsable de l'OMS)
  Le variant du nouveau coronavirus apparu en Inde, le B.1.617, pourrait entraîner une "transmissibilité accrue" ou même une "neutralisation réduite" en raison des mutations spécifiques qu'il contient, a estimé vendredi un responsable de l'Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS).
• L'Iran ne s'engagera pas dans des négociations "d'attrition" (MAE)
  La délégation iranienne aux pourparlers nucléaires ne s'engagera pas dans des négociations "d'attrition" uniquement "pour le plaisir de négocier", a déclaré jeudi le ministre iranien des Affaires étrangères Mohammad Javad Zarif.
• Etats-Unis : une fusillade dans un centre FedEx de l'Indiana fait huit morts
  Huit personnes sont mortes et plusieurs autres ont été blessées par balles et ont dû être hospitalisées après une fusillade survenue jeudi soir dans un centre du groupe de transport de lettres et colis FedEx à Indianapolis, capitale de l'Indiana (centre-est des Etats-Unis).
• Iran : l'enrichissement d'uranium à 60% "en cours", selon le chef de l'OIEA
  L'Iran a commencé à produire de l'uranium enrichi à hauteur de 60%, a déclaré vendredi le chef de l'Organisation iranienne de l'énergie atomique (OIEA), Ali Akbar Salehi.
• (COVID-19) Fermeture des musées et sites historiques en Inde sur fond de hausse des infections
  Le gouvernement indien a annoncé vendredi que les monuments, sites et musées placés sous le contrôle du Service archéologique d'Inde (ASI) seront fermés jusqu'au 15 mai en raison d'une hausse des infections au nouveau coronavirus.
• Etats-Unis : fusillade sur un site FedEx à Indianapolis, le tireur présumé se donne la mort (médias)
  Un tireur présumé s'est donné la mort après avoir ouvert le feu sur plusieurs personnes jeudi soir sur un site de l'entreprise FedEx à Indianapolis, ont rapporté des médias américains.
• La RPDC qualifie la décision japonaise de rejet des eaux de Fukushima de "menace pour l'existence humaine"
  La République populaire démocratique de Corée (RPDC) a dénoncé jeudi soir la décision du Japon de rejeter en mer des eaux usées radioactives de la centrale de Fukushima, y voyant une "menace pour l'existence humaine", a rapporté l'agence de presse officielle KCNA.
• Des commissions du Parlement européen approuvent l'accord commercial post-Brexit
  Des eurodéputés ont approuvé jeudi en commission l'accord commercial conclu entre l'Union européenne et le Royaume-Uni, recommandant que le Parlement européen y donne son consentement en séance plénière.
• La Cour suprême du Brésil confirme l'annulation des condamnations de Lula
  Le Tribunal suprême fédéral du Brésil (STF) a confirmé jeudi l'annulation des condamnations de l'ex-président Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva pour corruption, lui permettant ainsi de se représenter aux élections de l'an prochain.
• (COVID-19) Italie : 40 milliards d'euros de plus pour aider les entreprises et les ménages touchés
  gouvernement italien a approuvé jeudi le déblocage de 40 milliards d'euros supplémentaires (47,8 milliards de dollars) pour financer un nouvel ensemble de mesures visant à aider les entreprises et les ménages touchés par la pandémie de nouveau coronavirus.
• Biden appelle à une désescalade avec Moscou après les nouvelles sanctions américaines
  Le président américain Joe Biden a appelé jeudi à s'engager une désescalade des tensions avec Moscou peu après avoir autorisé de multiples sanctions contre la Russie.
• La Turquie déclare que ses différends avec la Grèce peuvent être résolus par le dialogue
  La Turquie estime que ses différends avec la Grèce peuvent être résolus par le biais d'un dialogue constructif entre les deux voisins et alliés, a déclaré jeudi le ministre turc des Affaires étrangères, Mevlut Cavusoglu.
• La Pologne expulse trois diplomates russes
  La Pologne a expulsé trois diplomates russes, a annoncé jeudi le ministère polonais des Affaires étrangères.
• Etats-Unis : la confiance dans le vaccin Johnson & Johnson en chute libre après la "pause" décrétée dans son utilisation, selon un sondage
  La confiance des Américains en la sécurité du vaccin contre la COVID-19 développé par Johnson & Johnson a chuté de 15 points de pourcentage après que les agences fédérales de santé ont recommandé une "pause" dans son utilisation suite à des cas de formation de caillots sanguins, révèle un nouveau sondage.

China Daily > China News

• Sowing the seeds of success
  17 avril 2021
  Dedicated devotees of grassroots game confident their hard work will reap rewards
• Milestone victory for skate sensation Zagitova
  17 avril 2021
  World junior figure-skating champion Alina Zagitova on Saturday led a Russian one-two to capture her first Grand Prix Final crown, maintaining a superb performance in her senior debut season.
• Vonn shaken by injury scare
  17 avril 2021
  ST MORITZ, Switzerland - American Lindsey Vonn sustained an injury during the World Cup super-G race in St Moritz on Saturday as Switzerland's Lara Gut crashed halfway down the course.
• Vonn shaken by injury scare
  17 avril 2021
  ST MORITZ, Switzerland - American Lindsey Vonn sustained an injury during the World Cup super-G race in St Moritz on Saturday as Switzerland's Lara Gut crashed halfway down the course.
• Vonn shaken by injury scare
  17 avril 2021
  ST MORITZ, Switzerland - American Lindsey Vonn sustained an injury during the World Cup super-G race in St Moritz on Saturday as Switzerland's Lara Gut crashed halfway down the course.
• Top four all win in Spain's matchday 15
  17 avril 2021
  Luis Suarez and Leo Messi both scored as FC Barcelona won 2-0 away to Villarreal to maintain their 5-point lead at the top of the Liga Santander at the end of matchday 15 of the season, which was played over this weekend.
• Top four all win in Spain's matchday 15
  17 avril 2021
  Luis Suarez and Leo Messi both scored as FC Barcelona won 2-0 away to Villarreal to maintain their 5-point lead at the top of the Liga Santander at the end of matchday 15 of the season, which was played over this weekend.
• Top four all win in Spain's matchday 15
  17 avril 2021
  Luis Suarez and Leo Messi both scored as FC Barcelona won 2-0 away to Villarreal to maintain their 5-point lead at the top of the Liga Santander at the end of matchday 15 of the season, which was played over this weekend.
• Top four all win in Spain's matchday 15
  17 avril 2021
  Luis Suarez and Leo Messi both scored as FC Barcelona won 2-0 away to Villarreal to maintain their 5-point lead at the top of the Liga Santander at the end of matchday 15 of the season, which was played over this weekend.
• Top four all win in Spain's matchday 15
  17 avril 2021
  Luis Suarez and Leo Messi both scored as FC Barcelona won 2-0 away to Villarreal to maintain their 5-point lead at the top of the Liga Santander at the end of matchday 15 of the season, which was played over this weekend.
• Ronaldinho planning 2018 farewell tour
  17 avril 2021
  Ronaldinho is planning a series of testimonial matches with his former clubs before officially announcing his retirement from football.
• Ronaldinho planning 2018 farewell tour
  17 avril 2021
  Ronaldinho is planning a series of testimonial matches with his former clubs before officially announcing his retirement from football.
• Ronaldinho planning 2018 farewell tour
  17 avril 2021
  Ronaldinho is planning a series of testimonial matches with his former clubs before officially announcing his retirement from football.
• Ronaldinho planning 2018 farewell tour
  17 avril 2021
  Ronaldinho is planning a series of testimonial matches with his former clubs before officially announcing his retirement from football.
• O'Sullivan wins sixth UK Championship title
  17 avril 2021
  Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Shaun Murphy 10-5 in the final of the UK Championship to win a record-equalling sixth UK Championship title at York's Barbican Center on Sunday.
• O'Sullivan wins sixth UK Championship title
  17 avril 2021
  Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Shaun Murphy 10-5 in the final of the UK Championship to win a record-equalling sixth UK Championship title at York's Barbican Center on Sunday.
• O'Sullivan wins sixth UK Championship title
  17 avril 2021
  Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Shaun Murphy 10-5 in the final of the UK Championship to win a record-equalling sixth UK Championship title at York's Barbican Center on Sunday.
• O'Sullivan wins sixth UK Championship title
  17 avril 2021
  Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Shaun Murphy 10-5 in the final of the UK Championship to win a record-equalling sixth UK Championship title at York's Barbican Center on Sunday.
• Chinese women qualify for PyeongChang Olympic curling
  17 avril 2021
  The Chinese women's curling team became the first to gain a place at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games through a qualification event on Saturday.
• Chinese women qualify for PyeongChang Olympic curling
  17 avril 2021
  The Chinese women's curling team became the first to gain a place at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games through a qualification event on Saturday.
• Chinese women qualify for PyeongChang Olympic curling
  17 avril 2021
  The Chinese women's curling team became the first to gain a place at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games through a qualification event on Saturday.
• Chinese women qualify for PyeongChang Olympic curling
  17 avril 2021
  The Chinese women's curling team became the first to gain a place at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games through a qualification event on Saturday.
• Chinese women qualify for PyeongChang Olympic curling
  17 avril 2021
  The Chinese women's curling team became the first to gain a place at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games through a qualification event on Saturday.
• Chinese women qualify for PyeongChang Olympic curling
  17 avril 2021
  The Chinese women's curling team became the first to gain a place at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games through a qualification event on Saturday.
• Russian Yuskov sets world record in 1,500m speed skating
  17 avril 2021
• Russian Yuskov sets world record in 1,500m speed skating
  17 avril 2021
• Russian Yuskov sets world record in 1,500m speed skating
  17 avril 2021
• Lakers win over Hornets 110-99 at second stop of road trip
  17 avril 2021
• River win second straight Copa Argentina title
  17 avril 2021
  River Plate secured their second consecutive Copa Argentina title by defeating Atletico Tucuman 2-1 in the final here on Saturday.
• Colo-Colo win Chilean top flight title
  17 avril 2021
  Colo-Colo secured their 32nd Chilean first division title by defeating Huachipato 3-0 away from home in their last match of the season on Saturday.
• Wire to wire win for Renuka
  17 avril 2021
  Renuka Suksukont captured her first international title on Saturday when the Thai completed a wire-to-wire victory at the ICTSI Philippine Ladies Masters in Laguna province.
• Wire to wire win for Renuka
  17 avril 2021
  Renuka Suksukont captured her first international title on Saturday when the Thai completed a wire-to-wire victory at the ICTSI Philippine Ladies Masters in Laguna province.
• Easy win for Real Madrid over a disappointing Sevilla
  17 avril 2021
  Real Madrid enjoyed a surprisingly easy win at home on Saturday, beating Sevilla 5-0 in their last game of La Liga before flying out to the World Club Championships.
• Easy win for Real Madrid over a disappointing Sevilla
  17 avril 2021
  Real Madrid enjoyed a surprisingly easy win at home on Saturday, beating Sevilla 5-0 in their last game of La Liga before flying out to the World Club Championships.
• Easy win for Real Madrid over a disappointing Sevilla
  17 avril 2021
  Real Madrid enjoyed a surprisingly easy win at home on Saturday, beating Sevilla 5-0 in their last game of La Liga before flying out to the World Club Championships.
• Easy win for Real Madrid over a disappointing Sevilla
  17 avril 2021
  Real Madrid enjoyed a surprisingly easy win at home on Saturday, beating Sevilla 5-0 in their last game of La Liga before flying out to the World Club Championships.
• Kenyan athletic chiefs accuse minister of interfering with athletes
  17 avril 2021
  Athletics Kenya officials on Saturday protested against the cabinet secretary for sports over what they said was the minister's attempt to take over the running of athletics in the country.
• Kenyan athletic chiefs accuse minister of interfering with athletes
  17 avril 2021
  Athletics Kenya officials on Saturday protested against the cabinet secretary for sports over what they said was the minister's attempt to take over the running of athletics in the country.
• Peru U18 captain Saravia joins Brazil's Gremio on loan
  17 avril 2021
  Brazil's Gremio have signed Peru under-18 captain Marco Saravia on a 12-month loan as they bolster their squad for the 2019 season.
• Peru U18 captain Saravia joins Brazil's Gremio on loan
  17 avril 2021
  Brazil's Gremio have signed Peru under-18 captain Marco Saravia on a 12-month loan as they bolster their squad for the 2019 season.
• O'Sullivan, Murphy to fight for UK Championship title
  17 avril 2021
  Five-time titlist Ronnie O'Sullivan reached the final of the UK Snooker Championship afte beating Stephen Maguire 6-4 in the semifinals at York on Saturday.
• O'Sullivan, Murphy to fight for UK Championship title
  17 avril 2021
  Five-time titlist Ronnie O'Sullivan reached the final of the UK Snooker Championship afte beating Stephen Maguire 6-4 in the semifinals at York on Saturday.
• China ties South Korea 2-2 in EAFF E-1 Football Championship
  17 avril 2021
  Marcello Lippi, head coach of China, reacts during the men's football match between South Korea and China at the EAFF E-1 football championship in Tokyo, Japan, Dec 9, 2017.
• China ties South Korea 2-2 in EAFF E-1 Football Championship
  17 avril 2021
  Marcello Lippi, head coach of China, reacts during the men's football match between South Korea and China at the EAFF E-1 football championship in Tokyo, Japan, Dec 9, 2017.
• China ties South Korea 2-2 in EAFF E-1 Football Championship
  17 avril 2021
  Marcello Lippi, head coach of China, reacts during the men's football match between South Korea and China at the EAFF E-1 football championship in Tokyo, Japan, Dec 9, 2017.
• China ties South Korea 2-2 in EAFF E-1 Football Championship
  17 avril 2021
  Marcello Lippi, head coach of China, reacts during the men's football match between South Korea and China at the EAFF E-1 football championship in Tokyo, Japan, Dec 9, 2017.
• China ties South Korea 2-2 in EAFF E-1 Football Championship
  17 avril 2021
  Marcello Lippi, head coach of China, reacts during the men's football match between South Korea and China at the EAFF E-1 football championship in Tokyo, Japan, Dec 9, 2017.
• China ties South Korea 2-2 in EAFF E-1 Football Championship
  17 avril 2021
  China held South Korea to a 2-2 draw in the 2017 EAFF E-1 Football Championship on Saturday:
• China ties South Korea 2-2 in EAFF E-1 Football Championship
  17 avril 2021
  China held South Korea to a 2-2 draw in the 2017 EAFF E-1 Football Championship on Saturday:
• Guerrero to appeal against doping ban: lawyer
  17 avril 2021
• Guerrero to appeal against doping ban: lawyer
  17 avril 2021
• Ex-Brazill defender Juan renews Flamengo contract
  17 avril 2021
  Former Bayer Leverkusen and Roma center back Juan has signed a new one-year contract with Brazilian club Flamengo, extending his professional career to the 23rd season.
• Ex-Brazill defender Juan renews Flamengo contract
  17 avril 2021
  Former Bayer Leverkusen and Roma center back Juan has signed a new one-year contract with Brazilian club Flamengo, extending his professional career to the 23rd season.
• Shakhtar sign Brazil U20 defender Dodo
  17 avril 2021
  Brazil under-20 right back Dodo has joined Shakhtar Donetsk from Brazilian Serie A side Coritiba, the Ukrainian champions said on Friday.
• Shakhtar sign Brazil U20 defender Dodo
  17 avril 2021
  Brazil under-20 right back Dodo has joined Shakhtar Donetsk from Brazilian Serie A side Coritiba, the Ukrainian champions said on Friday.
• Germany FA honours former captain Lahm
  17 avril 2021
  The German Football Association (DFB) named Philipp Lahm as the honorary captain of the national team in Frankfurt on Friday.
• Zidane confident Ronaldo will remain at Real Madrid
  17 avril 2021
  Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said on Friday that he believed Cristiano Ronaldo would end his career at the club.
• Ronaldo's high-five celebration
  17 avril 2021
  PARIS - A decade of dominance by the world's two best soccer players has left Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi tied with five Ballon d'Or awards each.
• Streaking Rockets jump on Jazz
  17 avril 2021
  SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - James Harden and the Houston Rockets are defined by their explosive offense, and it got the best of the Utah Jazz on Thursday night.
• Buzzer-beater lifts Lakers over Sixers
  17 avril 2021
  PHILADELPHIA - When LaVar Ball started taunting Philly fans in the fourth quarter, it only turned up the volume on an already raucous atmosphere on Thursday night.
• Driving the game to a new era
  17 avril 2021
  Golf's revival in China has gained a major boost with a 300 million yuan ($45 million) investment to drive the once-suspended PGA Tour China series to new heights.
• Klopp cautions rampant Reds
  17 avril 2021
  Jurgen Klopp urged his Liverpool players not to succumb to the hype generated by their own scintillating performances after they crushed Spartak Moscow to reach the Champions League knockout rounds in emphatic fashion.
• Klopp cautions rampant Reds
  17 avril 2021
  Jurgen Klopp urged his Liverpool players not to succumb to the hype generated by their own scintillating performances after they crushed Spartak Moscow to reach the Champions League knockout rounds in emphatic fashion.
• Klopp cautions rampant Reds
  17 avril 2021
  Jurgen Klopp urged his Liverpool players not to succumb to the hype generated by their own scintillating performances after they crushed Spartak Moscow to reach the Champions League knockout rounds in emphatic fashion.
• Klopp cautions rampant Reds
  17 avril 2021
  Jurgen Klopp urged his Liverpool players not to succumb to the hype generated by their own scintillating performances after they crushed Spartak Moscow to reach the Champions League knockout rounds in emphatic fashion.
• US companies find chances to invest in Zhangjiakou
  17 avril 2021
  As this year's international skiing festival kicked off in Chongli district of Zhangjiakou, North China's Hebei province, many entrepreneurs from the Untied States have come here in groups to make business deals with local governments to develop the winter sports industry.
• Initiative signed to promote winter sports in China
  17 avril 2021
  A China youth ice hockey development initiative was launched Thursday in Beijing, calling for further popularity of the sport in China in response to the “300 million people on ice" national campaign in the run-up to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
• Initiative signed to promote winter sports in China
  17 avril 2021
  A China youth ice hockey development initiative was launched Thursday in Beijing, calling for further popularity of the sport in China in response to the “300 million people on ice" national campaign in the run-up to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
• Spurs saunter onwards in European adventure
  17 avril 2021
  LONDON - Washing away the pain of last year's botched Champions League campaign, Tottenham completed this group stage as Europe's leading team.
• Spurs saunter onwards in European adventure
  17 avril 2021
  LONDON - Washing away the pain of last year's botched Champions League campaign, Tottenham completed this group stage as Europe's leading team.
• Spurs saunter onwards in European adventure
  17 avril 2021
  LONDON - Washing away the pain of last year's botched Champions League campaign, Tottenham completed this group stage as Europe's leading team.
• Spurs saunter onwards in European adventure
  17 avril 2021
  LONDON - Washing away the pain of last year's botched Champions League campaign, Tottenham completed this group stage as Europe's leading team.
• Ronaldo racks up another milestone
  17 avril 2021

  MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo set yet another Champions League record on Wednesday, scoring in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund to become the first player to find the net in all six group-stage matches.

• Ronaldo racks up another milestone
  17 avril 2021

  MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo set yet another Champions League record on Wednesday, scoring in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund to become the first player to find the net in all six group-stage matches.

• Ronaldo racks up another milestone
  17 avril 2021

  MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo set yet another Champions League record on Wednesday, scoring in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund to become the first player to find the net in all six group-stage matches.

• Ronaldo racks up another milestone
  17 avril 2021

  MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo set yet another Champions League record on Wednesday, scoring in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund to become the first player to find the net in all six group-stage matches.

• Transfer binge gets red card
  17 avril 2021
  Chinese Super League clubs have been warned to tighten their purse strings or risk hamstringing the nation's soccer push.
• Transfer binge gets red card
  17 avril 2021
  Chinese Super League clubs have been warned to tighten their purse strings or risk hamstringing the nation's soccer push.
• Transfer binge gets red card
  17 avril 2021
  Chinese Super League clubs have been warned to tighten their purse strings or risk hamstringing the nation's soccer push.
• Transfer binge gets red card
  17 avril 2021
  Chinese Super League clubs have been warned to tighten their purse strings or risk hamstringing the nation's soccer push.
• Chinese skiers hit the slopes in Beijing
  17 avril 2021
  Chinese skiers practice at a ski resort in Beijing's Yanqing district on Dec 7. The skiing team, composed of 18 members from all walks of life, was set up in July to promote winter sports in the capital.
• Chinese skiers hit the slopes in Beijing
  17 avril 2021
  Chinese skiers practice at a ski resort in Beijing's Yanqing district on Dec 7. The skiing team, composed of 18 members from all walks of life, was set up in July to promote winter sports in the capital.
• Chinese skiers hit the slopes in Beijing
  17 avril 2021
  Chinese skiers practice at a ski resort in Beijing's Yanqing district on Dec 7. The skiing team, composed of 18 members from all walks of life, was set up in July to promote winter sports in the capital.
• Chinese skiers hit the slopes in Beijing
  17 avril 2021
  Chinese skiers practice at a ski resort in Beijing's Yanqing district on Dec 7. The skiing team, composed of 18 members from all walks of life, was set up in July to promote winter sports in the capital.
• Chinese skiers hit the slopes in Beijing
  17 avril 2021
  Chinese skiers practice at a ski resort in Beijing's Yanqing district on Dec 7. The skiing team, composed of 18 members from all walks of life, was set up in July to promote winter sports in the capital.
• Evergrande faces tricky test in ACL
  17 avril 2021
  KUALA LUMPUR - Two-time champion Guangzhou Evergrande has been handed a potentially bumpy ride to the knockout stages of the 2018 Asian Champions League after the draw for the group phase of next year's competition was made on Wednesday.
• Evergrande faces tricky test in ACL
  17 avril 2021
  KUALA LUMPUR - Two-time champion Guangzhou Evergrande has been handed a potentially bumpy ride to the knockout stages of the 2018 Asian Champions League after the draw for the group phase of next year's competition was made on Wednesday.
• Evergrande faces tricky test in ACL
  17 avril 2021
  KUALA LUMPUR - Two-time champion Guangzhou Evergrande has been handed a potentially bumpy ride to the knockout stages of the 2018 Asian Champions League after the draw for the group phase of next year's competition was made on Wednesday.
• Evergrande faces tricky test in ACL
  17 avril 2021
  KUALA LUMPUR - Two-time champion Guangzhou Evergrande has been handed a potentially bumpy ride to the knockout stages of the 2018 Asian Champions League after the draw for the group phase of next year's competition was made on Wednesday.
• Zorro-loving Shakhtar puts City to the sword
  17 avril 2021
  KHARKIV, Ukraine - Shakhtar Donetsk advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League with a 2-1 victory over Manchester City on Wednesday, prompting the Ukrainian club's coach to attend his media conference dressed as Zorro.
• Zorro-loving Shakhtar puts City to the sword
  17 avril 2021
  KHARKIV, Ukraine - Shakhtar Donetsk advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League with a 2-1 victory over Manchester City on Wednesday, prompting the Ukrainian club's coach to attend his media conference dressed as Zorro.
• Zorro-loving Shakhtar puts City to the sword
  17 avril 2021
  KHARKIV, Ukraine - Shakhtar Donetsk advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League with a 2-1 victory over Manchester City on Wednesday, prompting the Ukrainian club's coach to attend his media conference dressed as Zorro.
• IOC cuts funding for amateurs until problems solved
  17 avril 2021
  The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday said it will make no more payments to the International Amateur Boxing federation (AIBA) until that body's problems over governance and finances are sorted out.
• IOC cuts funding for amateurs until problems solved
  17 avril 2021
  The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday said it will make no more payments to the International Amateur Boxing federation (AIBA) until that body's problems over governance and finances are sorted out.
• IOC cuts funding for amateurs until problems solved
  17 avril 2021
  The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday said it will make no more payments to the International Amateur Boxing federation (AIBA) until that body's problems over governance and finances are sorted out.
• IOC cuts funding for amateurs until problems solved
  17 avril 2021
  The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday said it will make no more payments to the International Amateur Boxing federation (AIBA) until that body's problems over governance and finances are sorted out.
• Mailman, Sina Weibo join hands to tap sports digital market
  17 avril 2021
  Mailman, one of China's leading sports marketing platforms, and Sina Weibo, China's social media giant, on Wednesday announced strategic partnership to deliver the next generation of technology in China's sports digital market.
• Rival managers mocked in true Mourinho fashion
  17 avril 2021
  MANCHESTER, England - Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has aimed a subtle dig at Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger by declaring he would only tell "the truth" about the fitness of his players.
• Rival managers mocked in true Mourinho fashion
  17 avril 2021
  MANCHESTER, England - Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has aimed a subtle dig at Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger by declaring he would only tell "the truth" about the fitness of his players.
• Rival managers mocked in true Mourinho fashion
  17 avril 2021
  MANCHESTER, England - Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has aimed a subtle dig at Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger by declaring he would only tell "the truth" about the fitness of his players.

Policy papers and consultations

• Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill 2021: factsheets
  Factsheets giving details of the different measures contained in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill 2021.
• The Kalifa Review of UK FinTech
  Independent report on the UK Fintech sector by Ron Kalifa OBE.
• HS2 Phase One Compulsory Purchase: General Vesting Declarations for the City of Birmingham
  Information, deeds and plans relating to the compulsory purchase of properties in the city of Birmingham via the General Vesting Declarations.
• HS2 Phase One Compulsory Purchase: General Vesting Declarations for Statford-on-Avon
  Information, deeds and plans relating to the compulsory purchase of properties in the Stratford-on-Avon District via the General Vesting Declarations.
• HS2 Phase One Compulsory Purchase: General Vesting Declarations for Warwickshire
  Information, deeds and plans relating to the compulsory purchase of properties in Warwickshire via the General Vesting Declarations.
• The mortgage guarantee scheme
  Provides background on why the government has introduced a mortgage guarantee scheme, and how it works. The scheme is open to new 95% mortgages until 31 December 2022, with participating lenders offering 95% mortgages under…
• Finance Bill 2021: Committee of the Whole House
  Explanatory Notes for government amendments in Committee of the Whole House of Finance Bill 2021.
• Fisheries: allocating and managing quota in England and crown dependencies
  Seeking views on fishing quota management in England and crown dependencies.
• Fishing opportunities for British fishing boats in 2021
  This sets out fishing opportunities for British fishing boats for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks during 2021.
• Making vaccination a condition of deployment in older adult care homes
  We are seeking your views on a proposal to make COVID-19 vaccination a condition of deployment in older adult care homes.
• Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement 2019 to 2020
  We are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains or in any part of our business.
• Global Travel Taskforce: safe return of international travel
  Sets out the recommendations made by the government’s Global Travel Taskforce to support the safe return of international travel following the coronavirus pandemic.
• UK contingency plan for exotic notifiable diseases of animals
  The contingency plan provides an overview of the response to an outbreak of exotic notifiable disease at the UK level.
• Exmouth tidal defence scheme
  What the Environment Agency, working in partnership with East Devon District Council, is doing to reduce flood risk in Exmouth, East Devon.
• World Bank Spring Meetings 2021: UK Governor’s statement
  The UK Governor’s statement to the World Bank’s Spring Meetings Development Committee, from the Foreign Secretary and the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
• Separation Agreement Joint Committee: rules of procedure
  The Separation Agreement Joint Committee made a decision to agree its rules of procedure on 18 December 2020.
• Separation Agreement Joint Committee: social security coordination between the UK, EU and EFTA states
  Decision of the Separation Agreement Joint Committee on social security coordination between the UK, EU and European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA) countries on 18 December 2020.
• When and how the Charity Commission appoints Interim Managers
  The Charity Commission’s power to appoint an Interim Manager for a charity.
• Civil legal aid bills consultation
  Consultation on the proposed transfer of the assessment of all civil legal aid bills of costs to the Legal Aid Agency.
• Olive Oil (Marketing Standards) Regulation 2014: post implementation review
  Statutory post implementation review of the Olive Oil (Marketing Standards) Regulations 2014.

美体瘦身-新浪女性

焦点新闻-新浪财经

French-CULTURE,ÉDUCATION

• Chine : exposition d'objets du Musée du palais à Hainan
• L'opéra "La princesse Wencheng" au Tibet
• Evolution importante de l'enseignement professionnel en Chine
  La Chine compte 30,88 millions d'étudiants qui acquièrent des compétences dans 11.300 institutions d'enseignement professionnel, selon les statistiques du ministère de l'Education.
• Chine : l'opéra en plein air "La princesse Wencheng" est mis en scène pour la 9e année au Tibet
  Un opéra basé sur la vie d'une princesse de la dynastie Tang (618-907) est mis en scène samedi pour la neuvième année dans la région autonome du Tibet, dans le sud-ouest de la Chine.
• La Chine durcit la réglementation de la protection des reliques culturelles
  La Chine a demandé aux autorités locales du patrimoine culturel de mieux réglementer la protection des reliques culturelles en conformité avec la loi, a indiqué vendredi l'Administration nationale du patrimoine culturel.
• Chine : des représentations théâtrales célébreront le centenaire du PCC
  Un total de 140 représentations théâtrales exceptionnelles auront lieu dans tout le pays pour marquer le 100e anniversaire de la fondation du Parti communiste chinois (PCC).
• Chine : foire du temple au Zhejiang (est)
• Chine : visite au musée de Sanxingdui au Sichuan (sud-ouest)
• Chine : découverte à Beijing d'une base de construction en terre battue vieille de 3.000 ans
  Des archéologues chinois ont découvert une base de construction en terre battue dotée d'une structure et de couches bien définies sur un site archéologique dans le sud-ouest de Beijing, selon l'administration du patrimoine culturel de la ville.
• Pratique du taïchi dans le centre de la Chine
• La Chine signale une forte croissance des recettes du box-office
  Les recettes du box-office chinois depuis le début de l'année ont dépassé mardi 18 milliards de yuans (2,74 milliards de dollars).
• Chine : des efforts vigoureux seront déployés pour un développement de haute qualité de l'éducation
  La Chine s'est engagée à assurer un développement de haute qualité à travers les différentes étapes et l'ensemble du processus de l'éducation au cours de la période du 14e Plan quinquennal (2021-2025), a annoncé mercredi un haut responsable.
• Un événement commémorant cent ans d'échanges universitaires sino-français à Beijing
  L'événement "Autour de l'Université franco-chinoise : 100 ans d'échanges universitaires" s'est tenu vendredi à Beijing, passant en revue l'histoire du mouvement Travail-Etudes et la fondation de l'Université franco-chinoise et de l'Institut franco-chinois de Lyon.
• Reprise de la consommation en Chine : expérience au cinéma de deux étudiantes françaises
  Anaïs et Marianne, deux étudiantes françaises en Chine, se sont rendues dans un cinéma de Chongqing, municipalité chinoise dans le sud-ouest du pays, pour se relaxer après une semaine d'études.
• Beijing continuera de financer le secteur de l'éducation du Xinjiang
  Le gouvernement municipal de Beijing projette d'investir cette année environ un milliard de yuans (quelque 153 millions de dollars) dans des fonds pour aider à améliorer l'éducation dans la région autonome ouïgoure du Xinjiang (nord-ouest de la Chine).
• Les autorités chinoises appellent à améliorer la qualité des services culturels publics
  Les autorités chinoises ont appelé à des efforts pour stimuler le développement de haute qualité des services culturels publics, selon un récent communiqué.
• Tenue de diverses activités en Chine pour célébrer le 200e anniversaire de la naissance de Baudelaire
  "Baudelaire a utilisé des symboles inédits et subversifs pour exprimer son observation de la vie, sa rage contre les inégalités de la société et ses préoccupations pour les êtres humains. Sous la couverture décadente, c'est en fait un cri silencieux", a déclaré Yang Zhen, professeur associé de l'Université Fudan, à l'occasion d'une interview avec Xinhua.
• Chine : émission de timbres représentant des boeufs d'une ancienne peinture sur rouleau
  La Poste de Chine a émis samedi une collection spéciale de timbres faisant revivre les Cinq Boeufs, un chef-d'oeuvre de la peinture sur rouleau de la dynastie Tang (618-907).
• Chine : nouvelles découvertes majeures dans les ruines de Sanxingdui
  Des archéologues chinois ont annoncé samedi que des nouvelles découvertes majeures ont été faites dans les ruines légendaires de Sanxingdui, dans le sud-ouest de la Chine, contribuant à éclairer les origines culturelles de la nation chinoise.
• La Chine publie un guide d'évaluation de l'enseignement obligatoire
  Les autorités chinoises ont publié un document sur le guide d'évaluation de la qualité de l'enseignement obligatoire du pays dans le but de promouvoir le développement équilibré des élèves, a annoncé jeudi un responsable de l'éducation.
• Exposition de 61 tableaux impressionnistes français à Shanghai
  Les échanges culturels sino-français se poursuivent malgré la pandémie de COVID-19. Une exposition de 61 tableaux impressionnistes français s'est ouverte mercredi à Shanghai, la deuxième de ce genre depuis l'épidémie.
• La Chine lancera une campagne nationale de lecture pour 2021
  La Chine lancera une campagne nationale de lecture pour 2021, selon une circulaire officielle.
• France: Spike Lee de retour pour présider le jury du 74ème Festival de Cannes
  Après l'annulation de l'évènement l'an dernier en raison de la pandémie, le réalisateur américain Spike Lee va de nouveau présider le jury du 74ème Festival de Cannes, a annoncé les organisateurs ce mardi.
• Taylor Swift remporte l'album de l'année à la 63e cérémonie des Grammy Awards
  L'auteure-compositrice-interprète américaine Taylor Swift a remporté le prix de l'Album de l'année pour "Folklore" à la 63e cérémonie des Grammy Awards qui s'est tenue dimanche à Los Angeles.
• "I Can't Breathe" remporte le prix de Chanson de l'année à la 63e cérémonie des Grammy Awards
  "I Can't Breathe" de l'auteur-compositrice-interprète américaine Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson, connue sous son nom de scène H.E.R., a remporté le prix de chanson de l'année lors de la 63e cérémonie des Grammy Awards qui s'est tenue dimanche à Los Angeles dimanche.
• La Chine alloue 931,6 milliards de yuans au développement équilibré de l'éducation de 2016 à 2020
  La Chine a alloué 931,6 milliards de yuans (environ 143,7 milliards de dollars américains) pour faire progresser le développement équilibré de l'éducation obligatoire au cours du 13e Plan quinquennal (2016-2020), a déclaré le ministère des Finances du pays.
• Le Salon du livre de Beijing mettra en lumière le centenaire du PCC
  Le 34e Salon du livre de Beijing, qui mettra en lumière les célébrations du centenaire de la fondation du Parti communiste chinois (PCC), s'ouvrira le 31 mars.
• Chine : exposition itinérante du château de Versailles à Shanghai
• Chine : ouverture d'une exposition sur les œuvres de Raphaël à Guangzhou
  Une exposition numérique sur les œuvres de Raffaello Sanzio, également surnommé le maître de la Renaissance, a été inaugurée jeudi à Guangzhou, capitale de la province du Guangdong, dans le sud de la Chine.
• Chine : les blockbusters de la fête du Printemps prolongent leur succès au box-office
  Les blockbusters chinois sortis au cinéma à l'occasion de la fête du Printemps, qui est tombée le 12 février de cette année, verront leur succès au box-office se prolonger d'environ un mois, jusqu'à fin mars ou mi-avril.
• Exposition de poteries dans le centre de la Chine
• Le box-office chinois dépasse 16 milliards de yuans en 2021
  Le box-office chinois en 2021 avait dépassé samedi matin 16 milliards de yuans (2,46 milliards de dollars).
• Un rendez-vous en ligne entre les folklores chinois et français de Suzhou et de Fontainebleau
  Un authentique dîner de famille français à Fontainebleau, en France, a été retransmis en direct devant les internautes à Suzhou, ville chinoise à environ dix mille kilomètres de là. Au même moment, dans un restaurant de nouilles de l'arrondissement de Gusu, à Suzhou, les coutumes et la cuisine locales ont également été présentées aux Français en direct.
• Album de la Chine : Le cadeau de la vie
  Qu'est-ce que sauver quelqu'un d'un danger ? Qu'est-ce que transmettre la chaleur de la vie ? Et qu'est-ce que pousser une foule d'inconnus à se lier par le sang ? Découvrez la réponse dans cet épisode d' « Album de la Chine ».
• Chine : le taux d'inscription dans l'enseignement préscolaire atteint 85,2%
  Le taux brut d'inscription dans l'enseignement préscolaire en Chine a atteint 85,2% l'année dernière, selon les données publiées par le ministère de l'Education.

Interpol News

• Fugitives Baroza, Bakaleke not on police’s wanted list -Interpol
  … , Jonathan Baroza and Siraje Bakaleke, Interpol –Uganda has disclosed that the … Birungi, who is the Acting Interpol Director, has told Uganda Radio … events having happened years back, Interpol has never received any communication …
• Do You Have News to Share? Get It Published.
  With EIN Presswire press release distribution services you will reach decision makers and journalists plus get valuable SEO benefits.
• IDEMIA and INTERPOL Further Their Partnership to Supply Brand New Multi-Biometric System
  … contract, IDEMIA will deliver INTERPOL’s new identification system … addition to police investigations, INTERPOL plans to enable its … forms of transnational crime. INTERPOL’s enhanced partnership with … ,” said Cyril Gout, INTERPOL Director of Operational Support …
• IDEMIA et INTERPOL consolident leur partenariat pour la mise en place d’un tout nouveau système multi-biométrique
  … existant, IDEMIA fournira à INTERPOL un nouveau système d’identification … police des États membres d’INTERPOL puissent effectuer autant de … spécifiques des équipes d’INTERPOL afin d’améliorer nos … partenariat de longue date avec INTERPOL, dont la mission est …
• Morocco Helped INTERPOL Arrest 195 People for Human Trafficking
  … 195 people getting arrested, the International Criminal Police Organization has announced. “Morocco played a … inflatable boats and lorries,” added INTERPOL. Read also: Bourita: Rise … -crime operations. In 2019, Interpol announced that its Operation Neptune …
• Interpol Cooperation: Morocco Arrests French-Algerian Man For Fraud
  … a red notice from Interpol. Morocco’s General Directorate … in France and Morocco. Interpol is an international organization … member of Interpol since June 17, 1957. Interpol also has … in Rabat. Under the interpol cooperation, Moroccan intelligence services …
• Bill Whitaker of “60 Minutes” and Anne Applebaum of The Atlantic to Receive Top Journalism Awards
  WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES, April 15, 2021 /⁨EINPresswire.com⁩/ -- The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) will award top honors this year to  Bill Whitaker, a longtime correspondent for CBS News and “60 Minutes,” and …
• Owerri jailbreak: Fed Govt enlists INTERPOL to track fleeing inmates
  … asked  the International Police (INTERPOL) organisation to be on the … leaving the country and INTERPOL to track those who … together, we would definitely seek INTERPOL and NIS’ assistance.” Asked … be uploaded to the (INTERPOL) platform.” Investigations by one …
• Interpol issues 'red notice' for MIT graduate accused of murdering Yale student
  … "red notice" through Interpol in the search for Qinxuan … United States." Interpol, formally known as the International Criminal Police Organization, enables police in … warrant, according to Interpol's website. "Interpol helps us with …
• Interpol warrant issued for suspect in death of Army vet attending Yale
  … also an Army veteran. The Interpol "red notice" asks …
• Interpol warrant issued for suspect in Yale student’s death
  … a Yale graduate student. The Interpol “red notice” asks member countries …
• Interpol issues 'red notice', expanding search for MIT graduate accused of murdering Yale student
  … -old Qinxuan Pan continues as Interpol recently issued a “red notice …
• UAE general unsuitable for role of Interpol chief, says UK report
  … a suitable candidate to head Interpol, the body responsible for … Based in Lyon France, Interpol is a relatively small information … Geneva-based organisation called Interpol Foundation for a Safer … UAE, making the foundation Interpol’s third largest external …
• Do You Have News to Share? Get It Published.
  With EIN Presswire press release distribution services you will reach decision makers and journalists plus get valuable SEO benefits.
• Former UK Chief Prosecutor Urges Interpol Members To Reject UAE Candidate For Presidency Over Human Rights Concerns
  … the next president of Interpol, the international policing body … s Commissioner Olushola Subair. (Interpol has previously defended its … Influence: the UAE and Interpol, Sir David Calvert-Smith … advocacy groups wrote to Interpol secretary-general Jurgen Stock …
• Bitcoin on rollercoaster ride amid government warnings
  … international organizations such as the International Criminal Police Organization to crack down on illegal …
• ‘It’s something I want to do’ – Tyreece Miller offers overview of U.S. Marshals at Old Country Store
  … said, “We also work with Interpol – the International Criminal Police Organization – so if someone is …
• Subaru Telescope Astronomer Dr. Yuko Kakazu Appointed Education Ambassador for the OIST Foundation
  The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Foundation appoints Dr. Yuko Kakazu as Education Ambassador to Inspire Next Generation Science Leaders IRVINGTON, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, April 10, 2021 /⁨EINPresswire.com⁩/ -- Astronomer & …
• Police say they found mafia fugitive on YouTube, posting cooking tutorials
  … the story were confirmed by Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, which helped in the … in a YouTube video," Interpol wrote on Twitter today. Advertisement …
• Italian Mob Fugitive Caught In Caribbean After Posting Cooking Videos Online
  … his tattoos on video, the International Criminal Police Organization, Interpol, said. They believe he is … pic.twitter.com/26ITHSZFW7— INTERPOL (@INTERPOL_HQ) March 30, 2021 The … rigging of public contracts," Interpol said. "These enormous illegal …
• Defence Chief urges closer collaboration on intelligence
  … land border frontiers, passport offices, INTERPOL platform and foreign missions where …
• Sandesaras claim agencies’ ‘dirty tricks’ prevent banks from realising dues
  … in the process of approaching Interpol seeking to review its refusal …
• 'Our son was executed': family pleads for capture of Windsor man, wanted for murder
  … thing.” says Inspector Karel DeGraff. Interpol is also looking for Rabee …
• Europe must tackle organised crime head-on, says EU commissioner
  … start a cooperation agreement with Interpol that would enforce information sharing …
• Israel Police looks to cast global net of cooperation in post-COVID world
  … agencies such as Europol or Interpol, these representatives are the eyes …
• Do You Have News to Share? Get It Published.
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• Reward for information on Windsor murder suspect increased to $50,000
  … -wide arrest warrant and an Interpol Red Notice. Along with “Rico …
• Defense team for Venezuelan H.E. Alex Saab urge Cape Verdean authorities to honour international obligations
  … international arrest warrant circulated by INTERPOL which had in turn been …
• GoodFirms Publishes List of Most Excellent Content , Email & SEO Copywriting Service Providers for Various Businesses
  GoodFirms features the best content, email, and SEO copywriters for varied business requirements. WASHINGTON DC, WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES, April 9, 2021 /⁨EINPresswire.com⁩/ -- In this digital era, copywriters are incredibly significant for …
• Kerala resident deported from UAE, arrested in rape case
  … Vattaparambil Umer, against whom an Interpol Red Notice was issued on … Police, the CBI alerted the Interpol which had issued a Red …
• Interpol too susceptible to abuse, report finds
  … from the UAE government into Interpol,” the report says. The … that “The machinery of Interpol is too susceptible to abuse … choice for president of Interpol.” In a statement, Interpol said: “Whilst … made very clear that Interpol’s independence and neutrality …
• Interpol issues ‘red notice’ for accused killer of Yale grad student Kevin Jiang
  Pan, 29, is the primary suspect in the Feb. 6 shooting of Jiang, 26, in New Haven near the Yale campus. Jiang, a former member of the Army National Guard, had recently gotten engaged to Zion Perry, 22, an MIT graduate who was also in grad school at Yale …
• Convicted Icelandic paedophile is arrested over eight sex assaults on children in Murcia region of Spain
  … several South American countries and Interpol are investigating whether the man …
• Offender DNA database will be strong deterrent
  … , and policymakers."According to Interpol, as many as 70 countries …
• Swedish citizen jailed for trafficking illegal immigrant into the State
  … , that he made inquiries with Interpol and with Western Union and …
• Greek man arrested at Larnaca airport after 27kg of cannabis found in luggage
  … be requested from Europol and Interpol in terms of finding the …
• Police seize 32kg of cannabis in two separate cases 
  … be requested from Europol and Interpol in terms of finding the …
• Do You Have News to Share? Get It Published.
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• Rome judge orders arrest of Vatican suspect in London deal
  … order before it passes onto Interpol and British police. They noted …
• Funnelting launched a new innovative Recruitment Platform to create Equal Business Opportunities
  THE NETHERLANDS, April 7, 2021 /⁨EINPresswire.com⁩/ -- The staffing business is since we know it an industry that barely innovates. Sure, technology made things easier, but it didn’t benefit hiring companies or job seekers. The large staffing …
• Patel Pretending Migrant Crisis Doesn't Exist, Says Farage as 49 Illegals Land Since Friday
  … as the international policing agency Interpol announced that it has … ”. One case highlighted by Interpol concerned a 15-year old … Tunisia. The Secretary-General of Interpol, Jürgen Stock, said: “These … endured. “This is why Interpol’s work does not stop …
• Gangs and guns: New police squad to crack down on illegal firearms
  … ;considerable effort" working with Interpol, and several months of inquiries …
• Nicaragua identifica a niño que fue encontrado solo en la frontera entre México y Estados Unidos
  … , México y hasta con la Interpol para dar con el paradero … solicitud de ubicación a la Interpol», dijo la vicepresidenta y vocera … México, Estados Unidos y la Interpol no se habían pronunciado públicamente …
• Scammers using online Steam gift cards prompts warning
  … be school principal targets schools * Interpol president reported missing during trip …
• Nigerian Owolabi Abdul extradited from Germany to U.S., faces trial in New York
  … December 11, 2020, on an Interpol Red Notice, and is the …
• How Cuba beat the pandemic: From developing new vaccines to sending doctors overseas to help others
  … ; homes. They took others to Interpol. They pointed guns at two …
• Robber Challenges Police Prosecutor Over AG’s Advice On Case Docket
  … August 21, last year, Nigerian Interpol extradited Edem to Ghana to …
• The growing threat of China's lawfare
  … its targets abroad. It used Interpol to label its targets criminals …

Game Informer

• Fortnite’s Aloy And Lara Croft Team-Up Delayed Until Next Week

  Fortnite fans rejoiced when Epic not only announced that Aloy of Horizon Zero Dawn fame would bejoining the game, but would also team up with Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft in a special mode. The straightforwardly named “Team Up! Aloy & Lara Limited Time Mode”, was supposed to go live today but some technical setbacks have forced Epic to push it back a few days.

  This team-up is a special duos mode where two players are outfitted in Aloy and Lara Croft skins and will only have the bow/dual pistols at their disposal. Unfortunately,  the Fortnite Status Twitter account sent a message acknowledging that the mode was not appearing in some versions of the game. The support page doesn’t cite a specific cause, but whatever the issue appears to be severe because Epic has disabled the mode and moved its launch to April 19. 

  The Team Up! Aloy & Lara LTM has been temporarily disabled until the mode is up on all platforms. This mode will now begin its run starting the week of April 19. Stay tuned for an update on when players can jump in. pic.twitter.com/3aFUrjTU9T

  — Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) April 16, 2021

  Although players won’t get to throw down as a tag-team of two of gaming’s most popular icons,PC Gamer reports that players can still purchase the Aloy bundle. It includes the Aloy outfit, Glinthawk Glider, the Aloy the Skywatcher loading screen, and other goodies (that can also be bought individually). So if nothing else, you’ll still get to run around the island as Aloy which is pretty cool in itself.

  All of this is a part ofFortnite Chapter 2, Season 6 which is themed around hunters. New additions have included the aforementioned Miss Croft as well as animal predators such asvelociraptorsbecause hey, why not? Fortnite has proven it can get away with doing anything it wants at this point, which, and least for me, makes it a very interesting game to keep an eye on even if I’m not actually playing it very much. 

  Have you enjoyed Fortnite Season 6 and are you bummed about the delay of Team Up! Aloy & Lara LTM? Let us know in the comments! 

  [Source:PC Gamer]

• New Update Causes Lego Mario To Call Out For Luigi

  Lego launched its Super Mario line of sets in 2020, delivering fun kits including Whomp, Toad, King Boo, Bowser, and more. While the full line features a wide range of characters from the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond, Mario's ever-present brother is conspicuously absent. However, a recent firmware update for the Lego Super Mario figure seems to drop a hint that more figures and sets, including Luigi are on the way. 

  According to a video posted by Twitter user Jay Phoenix, the Super Mario figure has a new voice line where he calls out to his missing brother. You can see the somewhat haunting video in the embedded tweet below.

  So, was fiddling about with LEGO Mario for the first time in ages cos of that new treasure hunt update and pic.twitter.com/Ztk44ZAY3G

  — Jay Phoenix (@AyliffeMakit) April 15, 2021

  While that video could be written off as a mod or some kind of hack, Lego seems to confirm the new voice line seemingly unprompted in a way to indicates that Luigi could very well be on the way. In response to a Facebook user talking about how her child has started resorting to putting Mario's pants on Bowser Jr. to create his own version of Luigi, Lego was rather coy in its response. "Now that's a very creative way to get his missing brother," Lego said in the Facebook comment thread. "We did notice that LEGO Mario has started calling for him, we're looking into it and hope to have clarity on why this is soon. Stay tuned! "

  The voice line was snuck in as a part of a new update that added a new treasure hunt challenge to the Super Mario set. Using the Super Mario Lego figure, players can search levels they've built for hidden rewards and collect as many coins as possible. The Lego Super Mario set launched on August 1, 2020. We don't currently know when Luigi and other sets are planned to be introduced, but with a tease like this, it can't be far off.

  [Source: Jay Phoenix on Twitter, Lego on Facebook via Eurogamer]

• Elder Scrolls Online Blackwood Preview – Companions, Adventure, And A Return To Oblivion

  When The Elder Scrolls Online first released, the MMORPG was met with a very lukewarm reception. The vanilla game seemingly took forever before the story kicked off, and even then, it struggled with pacing issues. Since then, numerous expansions have been released, effectively building a wildly enjoyable Elder Scrolls experience. That trend of engaging content continues in Oblivion with the Blackwood expansion, set 800 years before the events of its single-player counterpart. 

  As a massive RPG lover, one feature I enjoy is romance. The introduction of this type of feature in an RPG setting adds yet another layer of immersion to the story, especially for those like myself that thrive on building entire character sheets for their journeys. While The Elder Scrolls Online experience doesn't have that quite yet, Blackwood does introduce companions. Even better? Creative Director Rich Lambert confirmed to me earlier this year that the addition of companions is to lay the groundwork for possible romance ahead. "Down the line, romance is definitely somewhere we want to get to," he told Game Informer. "We just want to make sure when we add it that we do it right." 

  Knowing that, I was eager to learn more about the companions within Blackwood and I couldn't wait to get started on this new expansion. Returning to Tamriel for this new chapter, Blackwood has around 30 hours of new narrative content to explore. It also offers new dungeons, side quests, bosses, and other miscellaneous additions to the newly added zone. In true expansion format, the next step for The Elder Scrolls Online will release in waves, including new chapters, PvE instances, and more. For our hands-on preview, I was able to take on the new story and the new world events as well. These world events operate similarly to the Abyssal Geysers from the Summerset DLC and all previous additions throughout each expansion's release. They are pretty straightforward, acting as additional challenges to gain XP and earn loot. For Blackwood, these special events come in the form of Oblivion portals, which is fitting with the Deadlands being a major focus. 

  The new area that Blackwood opens into is the Leyawiin, an Imperial City. It wasn't really anything special, nothing like Summerset where the zone looked completely unlike anything else. However, it wasn't unenjoyable. The city's setup is pretty standard from what you'd expect from an Elder Scrolls game, but what did make it stand out was the NPCs. God, some of them were so annoying. Many of the NPCs encountered were haughty and frigid, meant to make you feel like you were beneath them. I'm not going to lie; there were times where I wanted to punch those types of characters in the face, but they weren't all bad. More than that, each character was voiced to perfection. Whether annoying or not, every NPC was fully realized, which made falling into this story feel more organic, and it drove me to want to talk to everyone that I could and scoop up every questline that I could spot. 

  So what about the companion system? Look, if you don't have an annoying follower that doesn't bug you incessantly, did you really play an Elder Scrolls game? Having a companion in this game is a major game-changer and one that I can't wait to see evolve. For now, there are two companions we get to meet with Blackwood: Bastian and Mirri. "Bastian is kind of this chivalrous Knight kind of personality," Lambert told me earlier this year. "And he was the son of a noble; there was a little bit of strife with his history that you'll learn more about while adventuring with him. He became a servant to another noble family and is essentially being the protector of this rich sniveling idiot. The questline that you go through to unlock him as a companion covers one of those adventures. And then once you unlock him, you find out a little bit more about who he is and what his personal tragedy is." 

  On the other hand, Mirri is a Dunmer thief who Lambert describes as having a "stab you in the back" kind of personality. Lambert mentioned that she has an interesting twist in her storyline, but wasn't willing to tell me more no matter how much I was intrigued to hear everything. 

  What's even better is that these aren't just pretty faces; they are fully upgradable. Additionally, their inclusion is a massive boon for those that like to play solo. With the new dungeons and PvE instances, running this game solo can be done, but it can also be incredibly frustrating. Companions can be specced out to the fighting style of your choice, which makes running solo a little easier to manage and more enjoyable to do. 

  To get these companions, you've got to complete their questlines for them to be classified as "allies." Mirri was hands down my favorite. There are parts in her writing that almost reminded me of Isabella from Dragon Age 2 with her sassy humor and take-no-s**t demeanor. When playing through what Blackwood has to offer, I genuinely found myself captivated by what both of these characters would have to bring to the RPG aspect of this MMORPG, though I definitely gravitated to her the most because of her strong personality and wit.

  But there is more to this expansion than just the NPCs and new companions. Upon leaving the city, the true beauty of the new zone shines. The area surrounding the inner city is beyond stunning, filled with greenery and playful wildlife that was genuinely fun to explore. There were many times when I would be making my way to a new quest area, only to stop and just mindlessly explore a little bit. Plus, you've gotta climb those mountains incorrectly; this IS an Elder Scrolls game, after all. 

  As beautiful as the surrounding area is, and as excited as I am to learn about how Mehrunes Dagon rose to power with his cult followers, there was one thought that followed me around during my entire progression: I've been here before. I loved the Elsywer, Greymoor, and Summerset expansions because each one felt vastly unique from one another. Every time I dove into a new DLC, it felt like I was both returning to an enjoyable game and enjoying a new one at the same time. The city of Leyawiin felt too similar to the base game to feel new, which - unfortunately - colored how I saw all of the interactions. With Greymoor, we had Vampire Bae Fennorian. With Morrowind, we had the Warden class and familiar areas from Skyrim. With Summerset, we had the Psijic order to learn from and explore. With Blackwood, I didn't feel that same impact. It felt like a much smaller update, and that's not something you want to feel when diving into a new storyline. 

  Click here to watch embedded media

  I'm interested in seeing where this new journey goes, especially with the promise that more companions will be coming later. Each step of this ongoing Elder Scrolls journey has shed a new perspective on the games we love, especially Skyrim and Morrowind. I'm eager to see Oblivion through a new lens as well, and Blackwood is poised to be that fresh perspective. My only concern is that the setting itself may not be enough on its own to separate itself from previous iterations. However, the companion addition does change the game feel in a positive way. Between that and future updates that will come in true expansion style for The Elder Scrolls Online, including new chapters and narrative branches, I feel like Blackwood could truly evolve into something special as more content rolls out. 

  For those interested in checking out the origins of Mehrunes Dagon and the history of Oblivion, Elder Scrolls Online Blackwood arrives on June 1 for PC and Stadia players, with a June 8 release on Xbox and PlayStation. For those with a PlayStation 5 or an Xbox Series X, June 8 is also slated for a free upgrade for next-gen systems. 

• MLB The Show 21 – Review In Progress

  MLB The Show 21's stadiums are at full capacity with fans basking in the summer sun and eating hot dogs as they cheer on the home team. It's a vision of a pandemic-free world, something we all desperately hope to return to. This ideal scenario vanishes when the final out is recorded and the players retreat to their dugouts. The socially-distanced reality many of us live in now comes roaring back into perspective, and is a big part of MLB's presentation, right down to video conferences being conducted in living rooms with some participants having audio issues.

  All of the post-game commentary is presented through podcast videos of former MLB superstars, MLB Network analysts, and The Show team members talking about your performance. As they deliver engaging conversations, you get a view into their homes and will see just how much they invested in their audio and video setups as they talk. It's a surreal experience to take in, but it's also successful. I have watched every one, and feel like these videos (that have differing levels of quality depending on who is speaking) do a nice job of carrying the narrative forward, especially for Road to the Show, which I am loving out of the gate. Note: I'm playing the game on PlayStation 5, but will also be looking at the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 4 versions over the course of my review.

  I'm only a month into my RttS season, but being able to be a two-way player (pitcher and position player) gives you the best of the entire sport. I play first base every four days and pitch on the fifth. As I try to make my way out of Double A to the Major Leagues, I'm using the new pinpoint pitching system, which, while delivering plenty of gameplay in its different analog movements and timing for each pitch, has been a struggle. I walked five batters in my first game, and four in the next, leading to a bloated ERA of over 6.00. While I like the challenge, I don't feel like I'm missing by much (given the 90-94 percent accuracy marks I'm often getting), yet my pitches float well out of the zone. I'm going to stick with it for a bit, and try it in other modes, but I may default back to the excellent (and proven) timing system.

  Road to the Show's challenges and clubhouse approach are mostly unchanged, sans faster loads and even cleaner menus. It's still a fun playthrough, especially knowing my Road the Show character can float over to Diamond Dynasty, another mode that I briefly checked out.

  The card collecting element is as prominent as ever in Diamond Dynasty, as are the number of avenue of plays. Before I even stepped on the field, my roster seemed more formidable than in the past, and the game threw a bunch of Cubs (the team I noted as my favorite) my way in the first packs I opened, one of which was tied to the Diamond Dynasty tutorial. Again, the interface for this mode is fantastic and the reduced load times on PS5 shuttle you along from challenge to challenge or game to game quickly.

  I still have days of playing ahead of me, but I can already say that MLB The Show 21 is a hell of a game. The first impression it makes is strong, and it looks absolutely stunning. The lighting, fluidity of animations, sharpness of picture; it screams of quality. The Show is obviously the best baseball game out there each year, but it has also long been one of the best sports series, period. From what I've played thus far, this entry upholds that legacy in fun, inventive, and deep ways.

• PS5 Breaks US Sales Record, Call Of Duty Returns To The Top As Best-Selling Game

  The March U.S. NPD sales number are in and continues to trend with Nintendo Switch being the best-selling hardware platform both in units and dollars, Call of Duty's return to the top spot for games, and PS5 coming in shattering U.S. fastest-selling console records. 

  NPD analyst Mat Piscatella broke down March U.S. sales, going over spending trends across key areas of the market, including accessories, content, and hardware. The month of March saw a record of $5.6 billion across the board, which is an 18 percent increase from the year before. The ongoing pandemic and work-from-home orders are an attributing factor, as well as a new generation of systems becoming available in sporadic waves. 

  US NPD Spend Trend - Monthly sales are now comparable to year ago periods that were impacted by pandemic-driven consumer spending increases. March 2021 gains in hardware, accessory and content sales (particularly Mobile) pushed the market to growth despite the elevated comp. pic.twitter.com/qVBHSLByie

  — Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) April 16, 2021

  He notes that hardware dollar sales are also on the rise, seeing an increase of 47 percent over the last year with a record of $680 million. The year-to-date hardware sales revealed in the most recent NPD report shows a total of $1.4 billion, which is a hike of 81 percent when looking at the previous year. 

  Nintendo, once again, dominated sales with the Switch platform as the best-selling hardware platform both in terms of dollar and unit sales. That being said, the PS5 is the fastest-selling console in U.S. history, both in units and dollars. It's important to note that this does include scalpers that use bots to mass order units in bulk. 

  Despite a small reprieve, Call of Duty is once more the best-selling game in the U.S. with Black Ops Cold War, with Monster Hunter: Rise coming in at the number two spot (number one on Switch). Outriders follows up, ranking the number three spot on both Xbox and PlayStation. Outriders was also a day one addition to the Xbox Game Pass. 

  US NPD SW - March 2021 Top 20 Sellers pic.twitter.com/JC6AQdilpN

  — Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) April 16, 2021

  Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales also dethroned both The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima on the PlayStation side, with Mortal Kombat 11 rounding out the 10th spot. 

  To see the full list of sales data from NPD, including by platform and yearly comparisons, you can check out the full thread right here to learn more. 

  Are you surprised by the March NPD data regarding video game sales? Weigh in with those analytic thoughts in the comment section below. 

• Player Housing Comes To Genshin Impact With Beneath The Light Of Jadeite

  Player housing is always a hot topic in games, and it's finally coming to Genshin Impact on April 28th with the launch of the Beneath the Light of Jadeite update. Genshin Impact continues to push out content at a steady clip for the game as players continue to hungrily await news on Inazuma, the giant third region. Let's check out the trailer, as it contains a ton to look at.

  Click here to watch embedded media

  First, let's talk about player housing. Players get their own special item called the Serenitea Pot. Inside the magic teapot is your very own home realm, where you can decorate with numerous styles both indoors and outdoors. You can discover blueprints via various activities all over Teyvat. Out of all the updates (well, excluding any news on Inazuma) that could be coming to Genshin, this is the most exciting to me. Player housing can be a tricky beast to balance and make interesting for players, but the model of encouraging other gameplay activities to bring back special things to work on seems compelling. We'll have to see how it actually turns out once we get a chance to play around with it!

  This update also marks the PlayStation 5 version of the game, so if you've been lucky enough to obtain one of the new consoles, you can enjoy some serious enhancements on console. Big Genshin patches often come with new characters, and this one is no exception. Players can pick up Eula and Yanfei in this update. Eula is a five-star claymore wielding cryo element master of area-of-effect damage, able to slog through the most intense battles and chew through multiple enemies with ease. Yanfei as a four-star will likely be easier to accumulate some copies of, and is a catalyst wielding pyro user.

  However, there aren't just new friends to find and old friends to spend quality time with in the Light of Jadeite. A new Trounce Domain boss, Azhdaha, will confer weekly rewards to those that can beat him. Like other weekly bosses like the big wolf, these rewards are often quite substantial and worth battling for. Azhdaha can alter terrain during the fight, so it probably contains some interesting multi-phase mechanics! Cryo Hypostatis is also joining the standard boss lineup, and can be found in Dragonspine.

  Finally, Genshin Impact has also revealed some concept art for Inazuma, which fans have been craving since the game launched. I'll let you decide for yourself if this new region looks awesome. 

  Do you play Genshin Impact? Are you going to be pulling for the new five-star character? What do you think about player housing? Let us know in the comments!

• The Story Behind Supergiant Games’ Bastion

  Our latest issue contains a studio profile on Supergiant Games – a small independent group of developers that keeps surprising us with inventive ways to tell meaningful stories punctuated by stellar gameplay. To celebrate the studio, we’re going to be posting the stories behind the games as told to us by the team who created them. Today, we’re starting with Supergiant’s formation to create its debut game: Bastion.

  Bastion is approaching its 10-year anniversary this July, and it was the beginning of everything for Supergiant. The narrated action/RPG not only helped establish the studio, but set the standard for what we’d come to expect in terms of art, music, narrative, and gameplay – especially the way all these elements combine to create impact in Supergiant’s games. The journey to getting Bastion off the ground wasn't easy, and it took a team of talented individuals believing in themselves and each other to turn it into the success we know it as today. This is the story of how “the Kid” came to be and changed the lives of a young group of developers forever. 

  Assembling The Talent

  Sometimes the stars align, bringing us together with the right people at the right time. When Supergiant co-founder and studio director Amir Rao took a job at Electronic Arts, it led him to meeting two key players on the Supergiant Games roster: Gavin Simon and Greg Kasavin. The trio worked together on the Command & Conquer franchise, quickly forming close friendships and learning each other’s talents and how they complement one another. 

  Around 2008, they all were playing games like World of Goo, Braid, Castle Crashers, and Plants vs. Zombies. “It was really inspiring,” says creative director Greg Kasavin. “These games were made by just a handful of people, but they’re really well-crafted and just more interesting in a lot of ways than what was happening then in the big triple-A space. That’s when we started thinking, ‘What would we do if we could ever do something like this?’

  As ideas percolated, Rao turned to his dad for guidance. “My dad was encouraging me to start a company as well, because he felt I was young enough that if it didn’t work out, I could always try to find a job again,” he says. “And so, he let us work out of his house and we formed Supergiant Games in 2009.” 

  Their primary office? The living room, which is where they made the entirety of Bastion, Supergiant’s debut game. Both Rao and Simon quit their jobs at EA and got to work, officially becoming co-founders of Supergiant Games. “I didn’t really even sit down and think about or weigh the pros and cons about, ‘Is this a good idea or not?” says development director Gavin Simon. “It’s just like, ‘This is what’s going to happen and I’ve no idea how it will go.’ [Making my own game] is just what I always wanted to do.”

  The duo soon recruited their third member through another friend connection. Alex Ahad, best known for his work on Skullgirls, knew Rao’s best friend from high school. When Rao said they were looking for an artist,  Ahad thought of his co-worker who he happened to sit in the cubicle across from: Jen Zee  

  Zee, who knew she wanted to be an artist ever since seeing Tetsuya Nomura’s character art for Final Fantasy VII in a video game magazine, calls the timing “serendipitous” as she was starting to think more about where she could grow as an artist. Gaia Online was her professional gig and she was mostly focusing on environmental work. She was ready for a change of pace and more responsibility. 

  Before landing as Supergiant’s art director, Zee came on as a three-month contractor while she continued her day job. “The first thing she drew was the Bastion,” Rao recalls. “And it was so good that we immediately asked if she would quit her job and join us.” Zee knew it was a risk, but she was willing to take it. “We all know the statistics around the failures of startups,” Zee says. “I was young and didn’t have children. I remember calling my dad and he said, ‘You don’t really have a lot to lose right now.’” 

  From there, Rao’s connections only brought in more talent. He went back to Kasavin for the role of creative director. Kasavin was now at 2K Games, but was ready to quit his job there for his dream position – even if it meant asking his family for financial help for the first time since high school. “I'd never written a story for a game before … but I wanted to do it for so long,” Kasavin says. “It took Amir [Rao] and Gavin [Simon] knowing me and believing in me to fill that role on the team. But that's not a job I ever could have applied for and gotten at another studio; I just would have had nothing much to show for myself. And that's one of the catch 22s of the game industry. Every position requires having prior experience, so how do you get the prior experience until you have the job?”

  Rao continued to believe in his friends’ abilities to fill the essential roles. Next, he went to his former roommate Andrew Wang, who he interned with at EA Orlando, for the role of technical director. At the time, Wang was working at Infinity Ward on the Call of Duty franchise, but he was ready to move on. “I’ve always wanted to do something with some of the more autonomy and responsibility that comes with the smaller company,” he says. “That was one of the big things that drove me in that direction from the beginning. I always knew that my stay at Infinity Ward was going to be limited and I wasn't going to be like a lifer on the Call of Duty series.”

  Most of Supergiant’s team members came from Rao’s industry contacts, but the last two were his childhood friends; Darren Korb and Logan Cunningham do music and voice work, respectively. Rao met Cunningham in youth soccer, and Rao had been playing Dungeons & Dragons with Korb since elementary school. Fun fact: they still play together to this day.

  Neither Korb nor Cunningham had ever worked in games, but Rao wasn’t worried about their experience. “I would say, at the time, it did not seem like a leap of faith,” Rao says. “For me, it was a no-brainer to call Darren [Korb] when I needed music and sound on a game, partially because I actually worked on some projects in college and Darren and Logan provided voiceover and music. So, when I ran into the same problem again with music and sound, I called Darren.”

  There’s an old adage that you shouldn’t work with friends, but Rao says it’s part of what makes Supergiant work: “When things get hard, and they will get hard, having a friend there is really amazing, right?” 

  We All Got Stories Worth Tellin’

  These seven original members who helped bring Bastion to life are still with the studio today, and have worked together to shape all four of its games. But back when Bastion was in development, none of them knew if Supergiant would have the opportunity to make more games. “We gave Bastion everything we had,” Kasavin says. “We were able to make this personal experience and put ourselves into our work.” In Bastion, your journey as the Kid is narrated as you attempt to rebuild a world reeling from the apocalyptic Calamity. 

  The team recalls having an exciting energy around doing something new and on their own – even if they knew it was a risky venture. “Everything felt like it came together so fast,” Rao says.  “The game was made in less than two years, but the first year was just like, ‘What the hell are we even doing?’” adds Kasavin.

  Bastion started with Rao and Simon just passing ideas back and forth and taking scans out of D&D books to use as placeholders. Rao was a huge Diablo II fan and Simon loved The Legend of Zelda series, so the pair wanted to make something that was a cross between their favorite games. “We just talked about games and games we loved,” Simon says. “We just seemed to have a lot of the same thoughts and interests about everything and it rolled forward from there.”

  Things really picked up when Zee joined and got straight to producing assets. “There was no pre-production on Bastion,” Kasavin says. “It was ironic to us, because it was a game that was celebrated for its artwork, and people would be like, ‘Oh, do you have an art book? I’d love to see an early concept of all this stuff.’ But almost everything [Zee] did went straight into the game.” 

  After working at a company where she needed constant approvals, Zee welcomed the challenge. “The feeling that you have ownership and accountability over the entire process is super empowering,” she says. “It’s also very scary, but right off the bat, I was given so much ownership. It was just really nice, and it was very clear we just needed to get stuff done.”

  For composer and audio director Darren Korb, learning the process took some time. “For me, an effective way to learn something is to just jump in,” he says. “It quickly became apparent that what I thought might work [wouldn’t]. For instance, I was trying to do something ultra-realistic at first. It’s just like, ‘Well, what does it sound like when you hit a box with a hammer?’ And it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s not the thing you want it to sound like in a video game.’”

  When Korb finally got down to creating the music, one thing that Rao said really informed his direction. “Something that stuck with me early was when Amir mentioned what the tone of the game was going to be and said, ‘What if Cormac McCarthy made a fantasy video game?’”

  From there, details would trickle in about the atmosphere and the different areas the game would include, like ruined societies and frontiers, and Korb would go off those few details to create a soundtrack that pulled you into the world. Korb says he thinks it helped that from the beginning, Supergiant put equal emphasis on music as a vital component of the game and its role in driving the experience. “I don't believe a lot of studios have that same approach,” Korb says. “But it doesn't seem totally outlandish that all of the different aspects of [game development] are of equal importance to create the sum total of the thing. I think the fact we feel that [the soundtrack] is a critical part of the experience [helps].”

  After a fantastic unveiling at PAX 2010 (where the team literally only had 20 minutes of the game made), Bastion debuted on Xbox Live Arcade in July 2011. The action/RPG was met with good reviews and sold decently. Our own Matt Miller noted in this review how all the parts come together to create a memorable experience:  “As the well-written narration, excellent music, and bright visuals draw you in, the game feels like a storybook in which you control the outcome,” he wrote.

  While the game received plenty of praise, it took time to gain momentum. “I feel like people tend to forget Bastion was not a hit immediately,” says principal voice actor Logan Cunningham. “It took some time for people to take notice. But it was huge for me immediately, because it allowed me to leave my day job at a movie theater. I could just focus 100-percent on being an actor.”

  Bastion hit PC the following month, but Kasavin said its success “crept up” on the team and only became clear toward the end of the year. “We figured, it’s a single-player game,” he says. “It’ll maybe get talked about for a couple of weeks, and then it will just fall by the wayside. But people kept talking about it.”

  Successful sales and end-of-year award nominations brought Bastion to a new level of profitability. “It was really unexpected, and went against the common wisdom where you take your first month’s sales and multiply it by three and that’s how you estimate your lifetime sales,” Kasavin says. “Nevertheless, it did become fairly clear we’re going to be able to stick around with a small team and start paying ourselves livable wages.”

  It also allowed the team to move out of Rao’s living room. Bastion proved the team had a special creative synergy, and Supergiant wanted to see what else it could do with that. Their newfound success also brought unexpected challenges. The studio never planned beyond Bastion, and figuring out the next steps took time, especially with more at stake than ever before. “We had nothing to lose [with Bastion],” Rao says. “But suddenly we had a team that was worth keeping, a studio, and a lease.”

  ---

  Tune in Tuesday (April 20) for the story behind Transistorand how it challenged the team in more ways than they were expecting. 

• Netflix Reveals Castlevania Season 4 Teaser Trailer, Possible Spinoff Continuation

  The fourth and final season of Netflix's Castlevaniaarrives next month, and while we did get a poster earlier this week, fans have been clamoring for a trailer to see what's next. Netflix has obliged, and we've got our first look at what Castlevania season 4, the show's final season, has in store for vampire-loving fans. 

  The @NXOnNetflix account took to Twitter to share our first look. While just a teaser, the accompanying text bodes well for an explosive series finale. The video begins, saying, "The whole world's gone crazy. Targoviste, this is where it all started." Carmilla can be heard following the pleas for help to "save our souls," adding, "I am Carmilla of Styria. I am going to take everything from everybody." 

  This is where it all started. The final season of Castlevania arrives May 13. pic.twitter.com/sLqWjJxjoA

  — NX (@NXOnNetflix) April 16, 2021

  The teaser trailer teases major schemes for the 10-episode fourth and final season of the animated adaptation of the hit Konami franchise. The final step of this ongoing adventure is set to arrive on the streaming service on May 13. Also worth noting in a new report from Deadline, writer Nellie Andreeva also added that they have heard that Netflix is "eyeing a new series set in the same Castlevania universe with an entirely new cast of characters." 

  The Castlevania Netflix adaptation first made its debut back in 2017, and the reception was overwhelmingly positive. Fans loved the animated take so much that the second season was received in an even more positive light, netting a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 

  There have been some shakeups behind the scenes in the last year. Writer and executive producer Warren Ellis was accused of several instances of sexual misconduct allegations, which he denied. According to Deadline, Ellis has not been a part of any talk surrounding a continuation of the Castlevania series space with a possible spinoff. 

  What are your takes on the Netflix Castlevania series? Any particular hopes regarding the final season? Sound off with your vampire-hunting thoughts in the comment section below! 

• Wasteland 3's First Story Expansion Arrives This June

  Wasteland 3 is getting its first narrative expansion this June. The Battle of Steeltown sends players back to Colorado to take on a new threat while enjoying a suite of features designed to freshen up the experience. 

  The story centers on rangers being sent to the factory complex of Steeltown on behalf of the Patriarch. The town is responsible for manufacturing the technology and equipment that powers the region, but production has been disrupted. Upon your arrival to the factory you discover its mired in chaos such as constant bandit raids, worker strikes, and other problems. Your job: fix this mess before Steeltown collapses for good. Check out the announcement trailer below. 

  Click here to watch embedded media

  The expansion features new quests as well as fresh enemies to tackle either alone or with a friend in co-op. Added features like telegraphed attacks, stacking status effects, non-lethal weapons, and elemental shields add new wrinkles to combat, as does revamped arsenal of weapons and armor. The introduction of combat and gear scaling means enemies will now keep pace with players whether it's their first or fifth time taking on Steeltown. 

  Game director David Rodgers said in a press release “The Battle of Steeltown represents not just a fantastic new chapter in Wasteland 3’s story, full of choice, consequence, and Wasteland 3’s unique brand of humor, it’s also a culmination of all the hard work we’ve put into the game since launch For those playing Wasteland 3 for the first time they’ll be playing the best version of the game. For players coming back to visit Steeltown they're in for a treat with new story, characters, and combat mechanics that really change up tactics in challenging new ways. They’ll also see characters and stories they started in the base game make an appearance, with new interactions for everyone’s favorite foul-mouthed parrot, Santa’s Elves “Where Are They Now?” and more. All of this is complemented with incredible new post-apoc music.”

  If you’ve been itching to jump back into Wasteland 3, The Battle of Steeltown launches June 3 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC for $13.99. Xbox Game Pass subscribers get a 10% discount on the expansion as well. 

  For more on Wasteland 3, check out our review of the base gamehere. 

  Are you looking forward to hopping back into Wasteland 3? Let us know in the comments!

• Quantic Dream Issues New Statement Regarding 2018 Toxic Workplace Allegations

  Back in April 2018, Quantic Dream, the studio behind games like Detroit: Become Human and Heavy Rain, sued French newspaper Le Monde and the website Mediapart over a report that went public back in January 2018 regarding allegations about the work environment. These allegations put the studio under heavy fire given the nature of the report, including accusations of abuse, racism, homophobia, and sexism. A recent statement has been released to the public as part of a document that includes the "conclusion of court decisions" that arrived earlier this week. 

  In the blog post, the official statement includes a timestamp of April 7, 2021, where the Paris Court of Appeals issued the latest court decision, effectively dismissing the plaintiff's claims. While this does not dismiss the claims of those that came forward about their experience while with the studio in terms of their own dealings, it does dismiss said claims legally. 

  “These accusations, formally denied by the company, its managers, its Staff Representatives, and its employees, and contradicted by the reality of objectively verifiable facts, seriously damaged the honor and reputation of the studio,” Quantic Dream said.

  These objective, factual and verifiable elements, confirmed by the competent judicial or administrative institutions, show indisputably that the allegations contained in these articles were untrue and likely to damage the studio’s honor and reputation. Quantic Dream has chosen to make these elements public today in order to set the record straight.
  
  Quantic Dream reaffirms once again the values that the studio has always defended in its games and within the company, which are values of humanism, inclusiveness, and the right for individuals to express themselves uniquely. We will continue to defend them with the same passion and determination as always. Quantic Dream remains firmly committed to continuing to work with its employees to create a serene work environment conducive to the professional and personal development and fulfillment of everyone.

  In the statement, Quantic details that the latest decision comes on the heel of three previous rulings, all of which reportedly "invalidated" all previous claims against the studio. You can read the full statement regarding those proceedings here. 

  One aspect of previous rulings included over 600 digital images that were photoshopped, depicting various members of the staff wearing Nazi uniforms or in various sexually precarious situations. One former employee cited that the culture reflected in the photoshopped images was a primary reason for their departure.

  Upon further review, the Paris Court of Appeals issued the ruling that these images were not classified as "homophobic, racist, or degrading" towards the plaintiff in this case. The decision also cited that there was no reported correlation between the images that went public and the employee that has since left the studio. This judgment that followed ordered the employee to pay a total of €10,138 to the Quantic Dream for retribution. 

  When the media coverage of these events first began, David Cage pushed back, claiming that all allegations against the studio - especially regarding racism and homophobia - were "ridiculous, absurd, and grotesque."

  Despite the ruling, there is still a bigger conversationhappening regarding the past several years centering around Quantic Dream and what the heart of the work culture is truly like. It is also important to note that the most recent ruling did not address the larger picture of the reported toxic work culture at the studio. For now, Quantic Dream has issued its presumably final statement regarding the matter and has since been legally absolved of any responsibility regarding the various allegations against it. 

• Super Replay Is Back With Bloodborne

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  Are you ready for more Bloodborne? Of course you are! Today, we're getting started a little later than usual, by about an hour. We've got to sharpen our blades and get our silver bullets ready! So join us for part six of the Bloodborne Super Replay today at 3 PM CT!

  Are you ready for a chilling thrill ride through FromSoftware's masterpiece? Bloodborne is a dark horror action/RPG that tasks the player with navigating through haunted streets full of werewolves and shuffling, shambling ghouls – and that's just the first hour. Bloodborne showcases immaculate environments dripping with atmosphere, creative and cruel monster designs, and terrors ripped from the great beyond. And we're going to play through it! Super Replay, the legendary Game Informer series that pairs pro players with even more professional commentary, is back.

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  As the flagship revival title, Bloodborne is going to be live and uncut every Friday at 2 PM CST. So won't you come join us for a blood-tinged brawl? How many times will I choke during boss fights? Will I even remember how to use the parry guns? (Probably not).

  But I have faith that together, we will make it through, even if that includes farming up a mess of blood vials to get past a grotesque pig and other creatures of the night. This is a raw, organic playthrough at its finest, as I haven't really touched the game since my second playthrough of The Old Hunters shortly after it launched. In short, it's the perfect way to bring all the fun and intensity of the Super Replay directly into your eyeballs, shot live and beamed into reality via livestream. 

  "Bloodborne is a blood-drenched horror gem that has only the faintest of cracks in its façade. Bloodborne succeeds through sparse storytelling, lush atmospheres (conjuring up notions of the best of Lovecraft’s work), and tight combat that forces you to be aggressive," I said in my Game Informer review. "While this new IP doesn’t stray far from the established Souls franchise, it is a magical, wondrous work that admirably instills both terror and triumph in those brave enough to delve into it."

  Checkout the entire Replay series here and get started with the Bloodborne run in epic fashion here.

  Do you like Super Replay? Are you glad to see it back? What other games would you like to see featured in the future? Let us know in the comments!

• Square Enix Denies Recent Potential Buyout Rumors

  With Microsoft and Sony both making some wildly major power moves regarding acquisitions for a new generation of gaming, all studios are seemingly up for grabs when it comes to the rumor mill. Earlier this week, Bloomberg Japan published a report that Square Enix was in talks with "multiple potential buyers," and the company itself immediately turned around and shot it down. 

  Square Enix kicked today off with a firm statement against the rumors that spread fairly quickly, saying, "Bloomberg has reported today that there is interest from several buyers to acquire Square Enix. However, this report is not based on any announcement by Square Enix Holdings Co. LTD. We do no considering selling off the company or any part of its businesses, nor have we received any offers from any third party to acquire the company or any part of its businesses." 

  Some have picked apart this message, only focusing on the first half where it doesn't seem like an outright no. "Based on any announcement" could simply mean that nothing from behind closed doors has surfaced. But the message, as a whole, is quite clear: no offers have been made, and no outreach attempts are the goal. Could that change in the future? Absolutely, anything could happen, but the most recent reports are inaccurate, according to the company itself. 

  It's important to note that companies having potential investor/buyout conversations is nothing out of the ordinary; they happen all of the time. That being said, in no way do those conversations automatically mean something will come of it. Sometimes it's just gauging interest, sometimes that conversation comes naturally as part of other discussions, but oftentimes it doesn't mean what people assume it means. 

  The rumor mill was quick to pick this report up and run with it, with predictions that this could be the next Microsoft acquisition. This rumor was beefed up even more with Xbox's Phil Spencer's previous commentary about wanting a stronger working relationship with Japanese studios and more RPGs. While there are undoubtedly more acquisitions on the way from both Sony and Microsoft as the healthy competition between the two in the market space continues to heat up, Square Enix has officially left the chat. 

  What do you think about the recent rumors regarding Square Enix? Would you like to see the company acquired by a larger brand? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comment section below. 

  [Source: Square Enix]

• 10 Games To Play For Heavy Metal Fans

  Recently, I was struggling through my weeklies for Destiny 2, particularly with going up against cheaters in Iron Banner and slogging through Crucible when all I wanted to do was literally anything else. I love the game, don't get me wrong, but sometimes a break is needed. But I was so close to Legend and just needed a few more rounds, so I decided to blast Slayer's Reign in Blood album from 1986 and go ham. Immediately, my attitude changed and I just started slaughtering other Guardians. It was pretty epic, not going to lie, but it got me thinking: What are some good games to play for heavy metal fans? 

  There are the obvious choices that literally incorporate heavy metal into the experience, but there are others that just pair well when needing that additional boost of motivation when looking to pwn. Some of the games don't have actual metal in the title itself, so I've supplied a few band recommendations for those in particular. So, without further ado, here are my 10 games to play for heavy metal fans! 

  Top 10 games to play for heavy metal fans

  Doom

  Take your pick, literally any of the Doom games are perfect for metal heads.

  Raining blood, from the bowels of Hell? Honestly, I think it's pretty obvious that any of the Doom games are perfect for metalheads, and not just because of the ramped-up music that the games have. Doom, especially in later years, is a hodgepodge of fast-paced action, hand-banging music, and weapon mechanics that make you truly believe that you can conquer any foe. Listen to the organic game's soundtrack while ripping and tearing, or put on some Otep to provide some juxtaposition; one thing is for certain: This game was made for heavy metal fans. 

  Plus, could you imagine Doomguy in the pit with all of his armor? Talk about bringing the heat. 

  Coffee Crisis

  You listen drink coffee, shoot aliens, and listen to heavy metal; what more could you want?

  Coffee Crisis is one of my favorite games over the last decade. This indie title comes from Mega Cat Studios and honestly? It's bats--- bonkers regarding gameplay. So what is Coffee Crisis? It's a neo-rogue brawler that basically has players take on the role of the few remaining baristas left on Earth. Even better? They have enough heavy metal pumping through their veins to throw aliens into the mosh pit of annihilation. It's a fun game to play solo but infinitely more chaotic with its co-op, so I can't recommend this enough.

  Plus, coffee. That's just paradise. 

  Killing Floor 2

  Kill Zeds, cause mayhem.

  Killing Floor 2 is a 6-player co-op game that basically has players just slaughter through as many Zeds as possible. The addition of the 12-player Versus Survival mode too also ups the ante, actually letting players be the Zeds in an effort to claw their way through survival. 

  The combat in Killing Floor 2 makes the first game almost a distant memory. Much like Doom, this game is incredibly fast-paced and the combat relies heavily on building up a chaotic momentum. It's also incredibly gory, so if I could recommend a band to check out whilst murderin' some Zeds, might I suggest you check out 3 Inches of Blood? 

  Iron Maiden: Ed Hunter

  Hear me out.

  Iron Maiden: Ed Hunter is an album and it's a game, but its primary function is to be an album. With that in mind, don't go expecting this to be a monumentally good game like the ones mentioned above (and the ones following this recommendation). It is comprised of just eight levels that can easily be seen as repetitive. I recommend this one because you're getting a sweet album with the added bonus of some light gameplay. It's a pretty bad setup, but it's bad in a way that almost makes it good. 

  If you're an Iron Maiden fan, this is a must, especially with the level 8 finale with The Evil That Men Do. Despite being metal, it's also surprisingly enough a solid game to fall asleep to. It's short, straight to the point, and has phenomenal music. The perfect calm before the storm that is the next day. Just... don't expect it to be Game of the Year material. 

  Post Void

  When you gotta go fast, but want to be metal while doing it.

  Post Void is great for the more, uh, 'seasoned' gamers like myself that remember the joys of old-school mechanics and graphics. Post Void reminds me of Doom and Wolfenstein from back in the day and this game has a very metal OST and absolutely brutal combat. More than that, this game values speed before anything else, so kill as fast as you can and let the power of the metal gods flow through you so you can kick every butt in your way as fast as possible. 

  This game, because of its pacing, arguably feels like a video game version of a mosh pit. One warning though! This game has some serious epileptic triggers, so if you're like me and have photosensitive epilepsy, it might be best to sit this one out. If you feel like braving it, please check out my Epileptic's Guide to Gaming tips here to do so safely. 

  Halo

  This franchise is less about the soundtrack and more so how metal provides the perfect compliment.

  The Halo franchise has one of the most amazing soundtracks in gaming history and a lot of those tracks are soothing and audibly beautiful. So why is this on a metal list? Because the combat music is pretty epic, but taking on PvP in multiplayer is ramped up to 11 if you blast your favorite band in the background. 

  I've been playing Halo since it first came out in 2001 and my favorite way to dive right in, to this day, is playing some of my favorite bands while teabagging my friends after ruining their Spartan lives. Some of my favorite band picks to listen to while taking to the world of Halo include Arch Enemy, Kitty, Pantera, Gorgoroth, Cradle of Filth, Fear Factory, and Mastodon. 

  Brutal Legend

  You didn't honestly expect me to leave this one out, did you?

  You can't have a games list centered around metal and not include Brutal Legend. Not only is it just a phenomenal title in its own right, but the literal purpose of it is to pay homage to heavy metal as a genre. Tim Schafer brought this vision to life in an big way and honestly? Saving the world through the power of heavy metal is about as metal as it gets. With Jack Black taking on the role of Eddie Riggs, everything about Brutal Legend just feels right. Let's be real, we all know metal has magic, even if some people aren't quite ready for that conversation yet. 

  It doesn't just have a stellar tracklist either. The game's story is incredible and the gameplay expertly blends action-adventure and real-time strategy. If you pick up only one game from this list, please let it be Brutal Legend. You won't regret it. 

  Splatterhouse

  Let's not mince words: Rick is a badass.

  The name Rick doesn't typically inspire fear and awe, but it definitely does with Splatterhouse. The hand-to-hand combat of this game alone makes it pretty metal, but what he can do with meat cleavers and other makeshift weapons? It's art, man. 

  He can also regrow his limbs back if they are severed, so that's something nifty. Collecting the blood of his enemies, Rick powers up and rolls out to cause mayhem, destruction, and an impressive killstreak that would make the devil himself jealous. 

  Splatterhouse is a pretty straightforward single-player experience that holds a deeper plot than one might think. Driven by the desire to save his kidnapped girlfriend, Splatterhouse is honestly made even better by jamming out to your favorite band. 

  Band recommendations for this treasure include Judas Priest, Motorhead (RIP Lemmy), Anthrax, Fear Factory, and Children of Bodom.

  Quake / Quake Champions

  Like Doom, Quake was made for metal fans.

  We've already gotten the Doom franchise out of the way, but you can't have that without a little Quake action too. Id Software knows a thing or two about crafting a perfected shooter experience and Quake's quick-action combat and high-pressure level design pairs perfectly with thrasher and black metal. I have so many memories of staying up late, playing this game with friends with Black Label Society, Black Sabbath, Dimmu Borgir, and Bathory playing in the background. It's a competitive experience, to be sure, but an easy one to tank hours into for no other reason than to just have a good time. 

  Bethesda tried to bring back the Quake name in its entirety with Quake Champions back in 2017, and while it has seen numerous updates since its release, it seems to have fallen into the abyss. There is a very devoted community, however, that appreciates Quake Champions for what it has to offer, and for good reason. This is an incredibly intuitive FPS experience with how it redefines the Deathmatch with its expert-level design, power-ups, and varying arenas. Quake Champions takes what made Quake so good and modernizes it without destroying the original experience's integrity. Honestly? That game deserved better. 

  Twisted Metal

  It literally has metal in the name. Enough said.

  With a game that literally has the world "metal" in the title, you must have known this was going to make the list. Twisted Metal is about as extreme as it gets when it comes to action-packed racing, brutally unforgiving recklessness when it comes to coming out on top, and top-tier weaponry attachments that make crashing through enemies so much fun. Pair that with the twisted humor that the Twisted Metal series is known for, and you're in for a hellish good time. 

  White Zombie, Absu, Deathspell Omega, Borknagar, and Sodom are all epic picks for headbanging your way to victory. This addition to the list is even better with the recent Twisted Metal TV series announcement. 

  As mentioned, playing Destiny 2: Iron Banner and Crucible is what inspired this list because metal helped boost me up when I needed it the most, so I want to include a few little honorable mentions: 

  
  
  • Call of Duty: Warzone
  
  
  • Apex Legends
  
  
  • Destiny 2: PvP
  
  
  • Rock Band 4
  
  
  • Guitar Hero: Metallica 
  
  
  • Animal Crossing: New Horizons (No, seriously, do it. You'll thank me)
  
  

  What did you think about our list of games for heavy metal fans? Any others you'd like to add? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below! In the meantime, see you in the pit! 

• The Last Of Us TV Series Casts Gabriel Luna As Joel's Younger Brother

  There are quite a few gaming adaptations in the works, including a show based on a hit franchise from Naughty Dog. While we are still quite a bit away from a trailer, we do have another face that is joining the fray. HBO's The Last of Us TV series has revealed another new cast member, this time with Gabriel Luna playing the role of Joel's younger brother. 

  As reported by Variety, Luna is the latest cast member to be joining the HBO adaptation as Tommy alongsidePedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) as Joel and Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones) as Ellie. Tommy is a former soldier that is a bright ray of sunshine in an otherwise bleak world, and honestly? He's a good fit, especially with Pascal as the lead character. 

  Luna has an impressive roster of roles under his belt already, having played Gabriel/REV-9 in Terminator: Dark Fate, Robbie Reyes in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, and Eddie Lunez in Rosewood. 

  In a new previous report from CBC Canada, the Director's Guild has confirmed the location and the time after months of rumors that this is where the show was headed. The Guild currently says that the HBO take is set to begin filming on July 5, 2021, in Calgary, with an expected wrap-up slated for June 8, 2022. 

  The upcoming TV series is under the umbrella of Sony Pictures Television, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog. The HBO adaptation is meant to be a new beginning for the franchise following The Last of Us Part II's release. The games themselves artfully intertwined combat and narrative cutscenes, so setting this franchise adapted in TV format isn't really a huge stretch. While the sequel was met with a very mixed reception, the first game is pretty universally loved. With reports that Sony is remaking The Last of Us for the PlayStation 5, it will be interesting to see a fresh lens on a universe that was a vital part of the last two generations. 

  What do you think about the latest casting decision regarding the upcoming The Last of Us TV series from HBO? How are you feeling about the franchise as a whole with so much news centered around it in the past year? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below and tell us what you think. Do it for Ellie. 

• New Resident Evil TV Series Trailer Revealed For Infinite Darkness

  Netflix has been going hard on gaming adaptations, and Resident Evil Infinite Darkness is looking to continue on that hot streak. We've previously seen small glimpses of the upcoming animated series on the streaming service, but Capcom shared a full new trailer during today's showcase. The company also shed some light on new details, as well. 

  The upcoming show takes place in 2006, two years after the events in Resident Evil 4. Ashley is back, and we'll actually get to meet her father, the US President, as he is forced to evacuate the White House during another takeover. 

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  The Resident Evil Infinite Darkness trailer, seen above, starts with Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield recognizing Racoon City from a child's drawing. The foreboding is intense and immediately leads viewers right into the action. This is an entirely new adventure with the main goal of protecting the President. We already protected his daughter, so why not make it a family thing, am I right, or am I right? 

  Animated also seems to be the way to go with an adaptation such as this, but only time will tell how this show fares when paired up against Netflix's many other projects. That being said, this is our first detailed look at what the show will have a lot to offer fans, and it might just be me, but it looks pretty spiffy. 

  Between this and the extensive gameplay trailer revealed earlier on in the show, it's a great time to be a Resident Evil fan. Even better? Capcom has promised that there are even more surprises that await in the coming months. 

  What do you hope gets revealed from the Resident Evil Village team next? Thoughts on the animated Resident Evil Infinite Darkness series from Netflix? Shout those hot takes out loud and proud in the comment section below! 

• New Resident Evil Village Gameplay Trailer Teases Betrayal, New Creatures, And More

  A new Resident Evil Village gameplay trailer is here and there is a lot to unpack. From Lady Dimitrescu's continued cat and mouse game with Ethan Winters to, what looks to be, a betrayal made by Chris Redfield, there is a lot going on to make fans excited for the next step of Capcom's epic horror franchise. 

  During the most recent Resident Evil Village showcase, Capcom showed off a hefty new trailer that explores both the castle in which Lady Dimitrescu and her daughters reside and the village that surrounds it. Shrouded in mystery and chaos, the latest look at the upcoming gaming holds a lot of information, namely that the story seems to be a lot more complicated than we first thought. 

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  The trailer starts off with the mysterious Mother Miranda being referenced in the creepiest way possible, a person fans have speculated is the mysterious masked figure from a Japan piece of promotional art previously spotted. 

  We already know that Ethan is on a quest to find his daughter and that Chris killed Ethan's wife, Mia. One question from this has been "Is Chris Redfield evil," and it looks like Village is set up to answer that once and for all. Whether he truly is evil or under the control of a more sinister power remains to be seen, especially since there are a billion and one different fan theories surrounding the character, especially given the events in Resident Evil 7. There is a lot of back and forth in the latest gameplay, including Winters imploring Chris, telling him "Do me and finish the job." Earlier in the trailer, he also cries out when Chris attacks him, pleading, "Ethan, no, why!?"

  I don't know, maybe it's just me, but this game seems to be like a Lycan battle royale. I'm not saying it's an actual battle royale game, that would be silly, but the Lycans are not messing around when it comes to protecting what's theirs. There is also a small flash of a waterfall that shows off a beastly-looking water creature. 

  The latest Resident Evil Village gameplay trailer shares a lot about what's in store for the road ahead. What part of our latest inside look has you the most excited? Sound off in the comment section below! 

• Mass Effect Legendary Edition Will Have A Photo Mode

  Game director Mac Walters has confirmed that Mass Effect Legendary Edition will have a Photo Mode. That's not us taking 5,000 screenshots of Garrus, that would be silly. 

  Walters took to his Twitter to confirm the Photo Mode addition in response to a question from an interested player. Given how strongly the community feels about a certain former C-SEC operative, he chose well, selecting an image of our favorite Turian in front of the Mako: 

  We were just calibrating, but #MassEffect Legendary Edition will have a photo mode. https://t.co/QghTqwS4Ah pic.twitter.com/tfNKcgyplu

  — Mac Walters (@macwalterslives) April 15, 2021

  Photo Modes in games have been becoming increasingly popular in recent years, and for good reason. With so many stunning adventures out there and open worlds to explore, being able to capture those moments for ourselves long after the end credits roll is incredible. The Mass Effect trilogy itself has some phenomenal planets, so being able to tinker with various photo options is going to be a real treat. 

  Personally, one of my favorite locations to take snapshots of during my time with the original trilogy was both on Omega (especially during a particular DLC with Aria in Mass Effect 3) and during the Shadowbroker DLC. To be able to not only capture those moments with an actual Photo Mode but to also be able to customize it has me incredibly excited. 

  As part of our cover story last month, we went all-in when learning about what went into the Mass Effect Legendary Edition. From Mako tweaks to character improvements, there is a lot to look forward to for returning players. For newcomers to the trilogy's adventures, the ability to play all three games as they are meant to be played (thanks to the included DLC) is an exciting first step into a fandom that continues to be passionate to this day.

  To learn more about Mass Effect Legendary Edition, check out our exclusive game hub here. From no multiplayer to lost code that can never be recovered, we asked it all. 

• Resident Evil 4 VR Announced For Oculus Quest 2
  We’ve already gotten so many reveals during the Resident Evil showcase that include a new gameplay trailer for Village as well as some new movie footage. In addition to these announcements, Capcom is now partnering with Oculus Studios and Armature Studio to bring the acclaimed and fan-favorite Resident Evil 4 to Oculus Quest 2. 

  Mike Verdu, the VP of Content at Facebook Reality Labs, made the exciting announcement towards the end of the showcase. While the game will arrive as a first-person experience as opposed to the third-person perspective that was on display back in the day, Verdu promises that the VR version will still have that classic RE4 feel and look. Verdu concludes, “You’ll be able to step into the game, for the first time.” 

  More information about Resident Evil 4 VR— how the title was optimized for VR and some more gameplay footage—will premiere during the Oculus Gaming Showcase on April 21. 

  We all know that this won’t be the first time that Resident Evil is getting a VR port. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard not only signified a visual and mechanical shift for the series, it was also playable using the PlayStation VR headset. Elise Favis declared that the seventh entry is best played on VR:

  “It may sound gimmicky, like 3D movies at the theater, but Resident Evil 7 in VR surpasses that ideology with intense scares and a strong sense of immersion I have yet to find elsewhere. Virtual reality still has its flaws and stumbling blocks, but in Resident Evil 7’s case, it doesn’t feel like an afterthought. Instead, it holds promise for future full-length VR games by showing that it is possible to not just make a good horror game, but a terrifying VR experience worth playing.”

  Hopefully this means that Resident Evil 4 VR will be just as good when it drops!

• Resident Evil Coming To Dead By Daylight In June

  Dead by Daylight has steadily introduced new properties and crossovers into its stable of killers, survivors, and more, but today, developer Behaviour Interactive announced it has secured a big one. The quintessential video game horror franchise, Resident Evil, is joining the long list of properties present in Dead by Daylight, the studio teased during today's Resident Evil Showcase.

  During today's stream, Behaviour Interactive's game director and head of partnerships Mathieu Cote gave us an initial tease, letting us know that the world of Resident Evil will be invading Dead by Daylight. While we didn't get much in way of hard details, a full reveal is currently slated for May 25, with a release date scheduled for June of this year. 

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  To this point, Dead by Daylight has featured a ton of wide-ranging horror properties. We've seen the likes of Michael Myers from Halloween, Ghostface from Scream, Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and plenty more from IPs like Stranger Things, Ash vs. Evil Dead, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Saw. While Resident Evil joining in on the fun is a huge boon to Dead by Daylight, Capcom's classic franchise isn't the first inclusion from the world of horror gaming, as last year saw the addition of characters from the beloved Silent Hill franchise. However, the Resident Evil franchise is certainly the bigger horror property in 2021, with several acclaimed titles in the last few years, as well as a new mainline game, a new movie series, and Netflix series on the way in the near future.

  For more on Dead by Daylight, check out our coverage of the March addition of a murderous K-Pop character. For more on what's next for Capcom's long-running series, head on over to our exclusive coverage hub for the highly anticipated Resident Evil Village. If you'd rather see Resident Evil Village in action, you can watch us play the Resident Evil Village PlayStation 5 demo that came out in January in this episode of New Gameplay Today.

• Resident Evil Movie Reboot On-Set Filming Has Wrapped, Full Trailer Coming Soon

  The upcoming Resident Evil movie reboot has officially wrapped on set, and now the team is focusing on CGI monsters! Capcom confirmed the good news during today's Resident Evil Village showcase. While we still don't have a trailer, we do at least know that there shouldn't be any delays before Resident Evi: Welcome to Racoon City's September release later this year. 

  Directed by Johannes Roberts, the upcoming live-action movie will be set during the first two games (whereas the Netflix animated show will take place two years after Resident Evil 4). Roberts has previously assuaged fan worries by confirming that the reboot will be completely rebuilt from the ground up and won't be like the Milla Jovovich takes. 

  The upcoming movie will tell the stories of key characters from this franchise like Claire and Chris Redfield, Leon Kennedy, Jill Valentine, and more. Also confirmed is that the array of characters is to pay homage to the feeling of the games where players typically can play as more than one protagonist. 

  Resident Evil: Welcome to Racoon City will have two major focuses, as well. Obviously, Racoon City is a big focus, something we saw for ourselves with previous on-set leaks, but the police station will also play a major role. 

  It will be interesting to see the characters we've known and love for so long get a new eye, especially with the director's name behind it. It also has an all-star team behind the film, including Robert Kulzer as producer (Paul W.S. Anderson's Resident Evil movies), James Harris (I Am Not A Serial Killer), Hartley Gorenstein (The Boys), and Martin Moszkowicz as executive producer. Alex Zhang (Greyhound) and Victor Hadida are slated to co-executive producer, with Colin Scully and Alex Westmore overseeing the entire reboot. 

  With so many Resident Evil experiences on the horizon, it will be interesting to see how this new movie reboot compares. The original Paul W.S. Anderson series was met with much fanfare when the film series began, but each new movie seemed to stray further and further away from what Resident Evil is. 

  We'll be able to see more for ourselves when Resident Evil: Welcome to Racoon City makes its theatrical debut on September 3. 

• Resident Evil Village Gets Classic “The Mercenaries” Game Mode

  The Resident Evil Showcase is already off to a great start. A new gameplay/narrative trailer gave some more background on Resident Evil Village’s two primary, explorable environments: the castle and the village. You’ll be able to explore those locations for a limited amount of time when the demo drops. But, in addition to the exciting base game, Director Morimasa Sato revealed a highly-requested, classic Resident Evil mode for fans to sink their teeth into: “The Mercenaries.”

  For newcomers (and potentially veterans of the series that may have forgotten about it), The Mercenaries is an arcade-style game mode that highlights speedy action over the more slow-paced, atmospheric pacing of the campaign. Players must reach the goal in a specific arena within the allotted time limit while surviving the onslaught of terrifying creatures. Of course in exchange for running this challenging gauntlet, you’ll get some cool rewards. 

  Click here to watch embedded media

  Sato also stated that there will be new features added to The Mercenaries that’ll shake up its age-old gameplay loop. Now players will be able to access the shop while playing The Mercenaries. You’ll collect money while mowing down the creatures you encounter. In between each area, you’ll be able to purchase weapons, consumables, and other equipment to help prepare for the following engagement(s). You’ll also be able to customize your weapons’ power, rate of fire, reload speed, and ammo capacity levels. 

  Perhaps the most exciting new feature (well, it is for me!) coming to The Mercenaries are the equippable power-ups/abilities that’ll be littered throughout the arenas you explore. Try increasing your handgun damage to wipe out enemies much faster or amplify your movement speed to prioritize clearing time checkpoints. Maybe you’d prefer playing the long-game by tanking damage instead; do whatever fits your style the best. 

  Resident Evil Village launches on May 7 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Earlier this week, we announced that Village is gracing the cover of our upcoming magazine. You can head here for all our exclusive coverage on the game. 

• New Resident Evil Village Demo Dates And Times Revealed, PlayStation Gets First Dibs

  The first Resident Evil Village demo was a PS5 exclusive. Given that many can't get their hands on the new generation of PlayStation, players were understandably feeling left out in the cold. Luckily, a new wave of Resident Evil Village demos are on the horizon; here's what you need to know. 

  Click here to watch embedded media

  Resident Evil Village demo date and times

  In the most recent Capcom showcase, the studio confirmed that PlayStation players will get early access both in the village and in the castle. Don't worry, though; demos will come to all platforms, including both generations of PlayStation and Xbox, Steam, and Google Stadia. The demo is slated to last one hour for the multiplatform early access, 30 minutes for the castle, and 30 minutes for the village demos on PlayStation. 

  All platforms demo dates (Village + Castle access)

  North America demo dates - One hour

  • May 1 - May 2 at 5 p.m. PT

  European demo dates

  • May 2 - May 3 at 2 a.m. CEST

  Asia demo dates

  • May 2 - May 3 at 8 a.m. HKT

  PlayStation Early Access demo dates 

  North America demo dates

  • April 17 - 5 p.m. PT (Village)
  • April 24 - 5 p.m. PT (Castle)

  European demo dates

  • April 18 - 7 p.m. CEST (Village)
  • April 25 - 7 p.m. CEST (Castle)

  Asia demo dates

  • April 18  - 1 a.m. HKT (Village)
  • April 25 - 1 a.m. KKT (Castle)

  PlayStation 5 and PS4 players can also preload the demo starting today for those interested. Capcom has also given the green light to stream and share gameplay to their heart's content for those that have garnered early access to the demo. So go ham and say hi to Lady D for us. 

  Are you excited to dive all-in on the upcoming Resident Evil Village demos? After watching the earlier gameplay trailer, what are you the most excited to see when taking to the latest horror game from Capcom? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below! 

• Cyberpunk 2077 DLC Quest Files Found By Dataminer In Recent Patch

  Cyberpunk 2077’s 1.2 patch was announced at the end of last month and vowed to help fix an ample amount of bugs that either affected immersion or outright broke the game. 1.2, however, ended up going above and beyond its original goals, boasting over 100 fixes that optimized quests, reintegrated missing assets, and introduced some more technical, backend remedies. But among all of those updates, a dataminer apparently found some unreleased quest information that could foreshadow potential DLC. 

  Eurogamer spoke to a modder named romulus_is_here who used “CP77 Tools” to unearth the quest data from the archives. According to romulus_is_here, Cyberpunk 2077 quest data is categorized by prologue, part one, and epilogue (or, q000 to q204). The extra quests that haven’t appeared in the game as of yet are listed as q301, which would put them outside of the numbering range for the three default categories. These quests have a “story-ep1” tag which contains “street stories,'' with their own interesting objectives and characters. You’ll meet some mysterious figures like “Wagner” and “Anthony Anderson.” Additionally, some mission objectives will have you disrupt a hostage situation, find a hidden den of netrunners, and disarm a bomb in a swimming pool (among a lot more info) — you know, normal Night City situations. 

  The kidder thinks that these episode 1 “street stories” will likely take place in Pacifica, because they predominantly feature that district’s fixer: Mr. Hands. While there has definitely been little to no information on whether or not these quests even exist or if they’re slated to be DLC, it’s still very easy to imagine episodic content being rolled out with future patches. 

  What do you think about the quest data that romulus_is_here found? Let us know what future content you’re imagining for Cyberpunk 2077 in the comments below. You can also learn more about the game’s tumultuous launch with our game hub right here.

  [Source: Eurogamer]

• Oddworld: Soulstorm Review – A Bad Batch Of Brew

  Publisher: Oddworld Inhabitants

  Developer: Oddworld Inhabitants

  Release: April 6, 2021

  Rating: Teen

  Reviewed on: PlayStation 5

  Also on: PlayStation 4, PC

  Playing Oddworld: Soulstorm is as arduous as Abe’s quest to liberate his Mudoken brethren from slavery. Each step is a supreme test of patience as you methodically guide your followers through challenging hazards, sweating over the fact that one slip-up could unravel all your effort. If you enjoy putting up with that old-school challenge, you might love this journey. However, if you’re a newcomer or a fan that believes this style of platformer hasn’t aged very well, turn back now. Soulstorm doesn’t do enough to modernize the series’ tedious gameplay, and a litany of severe technical hiccups spoil Abe’s attempted comeback. 

  A reimagining of Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus, Soulstorm’s gameplay remains largely the same: you recruit and guide followers through 2D platforming stages littered with dangers. As charming as the classic Oddworld games are, they can be frustratingly difficult and that hasn’t changed much in Soulstorm. Most Slig enemies and other hazards mow Abe down instantly, and I was infuriated by how little wiggle room I had to correct course when things went sideways. Abe drops so fast that it makes the health meter seem like a cruel tease. While playing Soulstorm, I often felt like I was walking on eggshells because of that high price of failure, retracing every step, re-recruiting every Mudokon, and carefully guiding them through a gauntlet of foes is soul-crushing when it all falls apart in seconds. Dying to unexpected perils, like being suddenly gunned down by off-screen enemies, feels cheap and happens way too often.

  Click here to watch embedded media

  A crafting system serves as Soulstorm’s biggest addition, but it doesn’t feel necessary. You must repeatedly gather the same ingredients every time you die (by searching lockers, trash cans, and fallen foes), which wore me down in a hurry after repeatedly replaying certain sections. The crafted tools themselves, like proximity mines, smoke screens, even a flamethrower, do add a welcomed element of flexibility and improvisation to gameplay. Dropping smoke screens to create hiding spots anywhere is nice, but I wished I didn’t have to make these items myself and grew tired of digging around the same spots over and over.  

  Even when Soulstorm’s difficulty eases up, the gameplay is bland. The action feels largely the same from previous games in the series, and that formula doesn’t evolve significantly beyond the first few hours. Even the more interesting sequences, like facing down a giant mech aboard a speeding train, are far too punishing to be fun. I’m glad that Abe controls better now (he even has a double jump), but inputs still have a mushy unresponsiveness that makes entertaining actions, like possessing Sligs, feel like a hassle. The controls also lead to additional deaths because Abe doesn’t act as swiftly as you need him to, especially during the ill-fitting, overly demanding combat arenas that pit you against waves of baddies while you try to protect fleeing Mudokens.

  Soulstorm would be a tough recommendation for anyone outside of diehard fans if it performed flawlessly, but I encountered several progress-sabotaging bugs (even after installing the big day-one patch) that should scare off even those players. When I died, Mudokens sometimes failed to respawn alongside me even though my tally indicated they were still alive and under my command. That meant I lost out on turning in followers that I’d spent ages trying to safely liberate, which negatively affected my overall quarma – a vital metric in determining which of the four endings you get. 

  Abe occasionally gets stuck in environmental geometry, forcing a restart. At one point, I fell into an infinite loop. One escape portal permanently vanished once I reached it, forcing me to abandon followers. A gun in a late-game turret sequence failed to shoot despite working fine in previous segments. After multiple restarts, I randomly discovered that clicking the right stick “fixed” the weapon for some reason, allowing it to fire. I spent over an hour trying to lead a large group of followers through a particularly challenging area, but once I opened the exit door an invisible wall prevented me from moving forward. I was forced to restart this entire, lengthy sequence twice before the exit worked properly. Soulstorm’s gameplay pushed my patience to its limits, but these bugs sent me over the edge and made me nervous every time I started a new level. “What on Earth is going to screw me over this time?” I regularly asked myself.

  Soulstorm’s faults are a shame because its narrative and presentation brought a smile to my face. Abe and his pals are goofy, delightful underdogs I couldn’t help but root for. The enjoyable story is packed with heart, and the cutscenes look great. I wanted to welcome Abe into a new generation of gaming with open arms, but Soulstorm fails to make a case for why its brand of cinematic platforming works today. In fact, Soulstorm only reaffirmed that Abe’s past adventures are best viewed with rose-colored glasses.

  Score: 5

  Summary:Soulstorm retains the series' signature charm, but it's not enough to forgive its tedious and dated design as well its litany of swear-inducing technical issues.

  Concept:Help Abe liberate his fellow Mudokons from Glukkon tyranny while unraveling the truth behind his own destiny

  Graphics:The CG cutscenes look great, and I love seeing the camera pan out while dozens of Mudokons scurry in the background

  Sound:This voice-acting remains charming and humorous, but the soundtrack is unremarkable

  Playability:The platforming feels much better when compared to New ‘n’ Tasty, but these controls are still stiff and clunky and can cost you your life against the quick-drawing enemies

  Entertainment:Soulstorm has oodles of charm, but tedious design and annoying bugs make an experience that only the most hardcore and forgiving Oddworld fans might enjoy

  Replay:Moderately Low

  Click to Purchase

• Watch The April Resident Evil Showcase With Game Informer

  Click to watch embedded media

  While there have been a plethora of great titles through the first few months of 2021, we've seen a wide swath of the AAA experiences get pushed to later this year and beyond. Resident Evil Village has been an outlier though, and with its May 7 release date rapidly approaching, Capcom is once again lifting the curtain on one of the biggest titles of the year.

  But what can fans expect to see from this month's brand new digital showcase? The last time we heard from Capcom, fans of the series were inundated with new gameplay, a peek at the company's plan to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the series, and so much more. But will Lady Dimitrescu and her hauntingly beautiful band of vampires make another appearance? Will we finally find out more about Chris Redfield's turn to the dark side? I think you'll have to tune in to find out.

  And what better people to watch the Resident Evil showcase with than with your friends at Game Informer. Dan "The Jacket" Tack will be joining me as we watch along with you and provide the hottest takes and best insight you come to expect from GI.

  We're kicking off the fun at 4:45 p.m. CT, so be sure to join us in the chat and react live as Capcom unveils the future of the Resident Evil franchise. If you can't get enough of our live shows, remember to subscribe on YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, and Facebook to get notified when we go live each week!

  If you haven't heard yet, the Game Informer cover this month is Resident Evil Village! If you can't wait to hear more about Capcom's newest entry in its iconic horror series, be sure to check out our exclusive look at the game's upgrade systems and hunting mechanics, our cover announcement, and more!

• Destiny 2 Guardian Games 2021 Details Revealed

  Eyes up, Guardian, it's that time of year again. The Guardian Games are returning to Destiny 2 where the Vanguard ceases fire with the Cabal Empress Caiatle to get into the friendly competitive spirit. Friendly as that may be, we still want to crush those Titans. Kidding. Mostly. 

  Just like every year, this is a free event for all players and it kicks off next week on April 20. The games will run until May 9 with the banners for each class raised as the competition begins. 

  Last year, Titans absolutely creamed Hunters and Warlocks. Embarrassingly so, and as a Warlock main, I am personally asking to please get your act together so we can take home the W. 

  Just like last time, every week will give Guardians a chance to win gold, silver, or bronze auras that will last through the duration of the seven-day period. The class that wins at the end of the event will be recognized during the Guardian Games Closing Ceremonies taking place between May 7 - May 9. 

  But what about the rewards? The winners will earn the Heir Apparent Exotic Machine Gun (with its Catalyst), an Exotic Sparrow, Legendary class items, a pair of shaders, and two emblems.

  Click image thumbnails to view larger version

   

                                                                                                              

  Glowing is pretty too, so you can rep your class with more pride than you may feel with the special Guardian Games Universal ornament set, plus a new weapon ornament for Heir Apparent and new Exotic emotes. Take a look at all of the rewards with the slideshow below: 

  Click image thumbnails to view larger version

   

                                                                                                              

  Thoughts on the rewards for this year's Destiny 2 Guardian Games? Shout out that class pride in the comment section below. Even Titans. I'm not salty. 

• Ubisoft Forward Event Set For Day-One Of E3

  Ubisoft announced its next digital event, Ubisoft Forward, will kick off E3 2021 on Saturday, June 12. Although the publisher doesn’t give any details on what to expect, it’s the first step in clearing the fog in terms of who’s doing what and when during the biggest event in video games. 

  Announcing the next #UbiForward 🔥 Part of #E32021
  
  👉 https://t.co/wadfUzS9PM pic.twitter.com/YrE3o6NHyB

  — Ubisoft (@Ubisoft) April 15, 2021

  The show airs live at 12 p.m. PT. The previous Forward presentation took place last September, so it's been a good while since we've gotten one of these. In case you missed the other shows, Forward is basically Ubisoft’s equivalent of a Nintendo Direct or State of Play. That means it’s time to start speculating on what the company will do and, most importantly, what we as fans think they should do. 

  Far Cry 6 is arguably Ubisoft's biggest game it has waiting in the wings that we haven’t heard a peep from since it was delayed last October. The same goes for the unfortunately named Rainbow Six: Quarantine. There’s also Skull & Bones, the long-awaited multiplayer pirate that has been lost at sea for years at this point. Could that title finally pull into port? 

  We know there won’t be an Assassin’s Creed game this year since Valhalla will continue to receive expansions and updates going into 2022. Ubisoft could provide an update on Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake, which was delayed indefinitely in February. Remember the raucous-looking Riders Republic? That game’s launch also got pushed back. Did we mention that Ubisoft has a lot of games that have been delayed? To be fair, it’s far from alone on that front.

  E3 takes place June 12 to June 15 and will be an entirely online event that's free of charge for fans to enjoy. Companies like Nintendo, Microsoft, Capcom, and even Konami have been confirmed to participate while Sony, for now, seems to be sitting out once again. 

  What do you hope to see pop up during Ubisoft Forward? Let us know in the comments! 

• Call Of Duty Warzone Has Permabanned About Half A Million Cheaters

  Call of Duty: Warzone is notorious for its constant surge of cheaters. In addition to high-volume banwaves, the Call of Duty security and enforcement teams issue bans on a daily basis (yes, literally seven days a week) to take down repeat offenders or smaller, individual offenses. This past Monday marked the seventh massive banwave since Warzone launched over a year ago. And apparently, to date, a little under half a million cheaters (475,000 to be exact) have been hit with permabans!

  To thwart cheaters, a multitude of countermeasures have been put into effect, including 2-factor authentication, increased support and resources directed to the security and enforcement teams, more large-scale banwaves in general, and more community-focused updates to keep players in the loop. 45,000 black market accounts (accounts that are farmed and sold to repeat offenders) have also been banned, which prevents cheaters from simply using alternate accounts. Similarly, hardware bans have been pushed out at a frequent rate. 

  At the end of the most recent post on the Official Call of Duty Blog, the staff assured players that they’re working around the clock to mediate the constant cheating issues, “As the security and enforcement teams continue to tackle cheating through enforcement, prevention, research, and technology, we will continue to share constant updates on our progress. Again, there is no place for cheating. Delivering a fair and fun experience for all players is our top priority.”

  A Destiny 2: Season of the Chosen banwave went out towards the end of last month in other cheat-centric news. The Bungie tweet that was posted alongside the Destiny 2 banwave evoked similar sentiments as the Call of Duty blog post,“The Game Security team has taken a swing with the banhammer. Keeping the playing field level is important to us. Play fair; we're watching." 

  ---

  Have you run into an abundance of Call of Duty: Warzone or Destiny 2 cheaters? Go ahead and ring that bell of shame in the comment section below. 

• Pickle Rick Joins Rainbow Six Siege With Two New Rick And Morty Bundles

  It's Pickle Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick. In a random crossover we never saw coming, two Rick and Morty bundles are coming to Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege. The tribute to Pickle Rick and Gromflomites comes as a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. 

  The two bundles cost 2160 R6 credits each and include a character skin, a weapon skin, and a charm. The Pickle Rick Smoke and the Gromflomite Sledge bundle are both available now. Check out the trailer below to see them in action: 

  Click here to watch embedded media

  For those intrigued (and honestly, who wouldn't be), here is a quick breakdown of each bundle: 

  Gromflomite Sledge - Attacker

  • Gromflomite armor and headgear
  • M590A1 weapon skin
  • Seal Team Rick charm
  • Federation Defense attachment skin

  Smoke Pickle Rick - Defender

  • Pickle Rick rat suit and headgear 
  • Portal Gun weapon skin
  • Portal Gun attachment skin
  • Pickle Rick charm

  The 2160 R6 credits equal about $15 - $20 and will net both bundles as yours to keep. Ubisoft has been on a roll recently with the bundles, especially with the Resident Evil crossover back in March and the return of Rainbow is Magic. 

  Pickle Rick has been a cultural phenomenon, much like the show, and it's wild to see how much this series has taken over pop culture. That being said, this crossover is pretty hilarious. It's interesting that this mash-up didn't happen in a game like Fortnite, which continues to be the undisputed reigning king of weird mashups. 

  What do you think about Pickle Rick joining the fight in Rainbow Six Siege? If you could build your dream bundle crossover, what would it be? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below! 

• Pokémon Go Announces New Pokémon Snap In-Game Celebration

  Pokémon Go continues to roll out new content and timely events to coincide with things happening in the real world and the greater Pokémon universe. With New Pokémon Snap on the horizon (check out our final preview of that game here), Pokémon Go developer Niantic is encouraging players to whip out their in-game cameras in its hit mobile game.

  Beginning April 29, Pokémon Go is adding themed research, avatar items, and Pokémon that appear in New Pokémon Snap in the wild. A new type of research task that features the Pokémon Go Snapshot feature will give players a chance to encounter Smeargle (you'll even have a shot at a Shiny encounter), while Pokémon who are known to appear in New Pokémon Snap's Lental region (like Venusaur, Dodrio, and Skarmory) will be more common in the Pokémon Go wild. New avatar items themed around cameras and photography will also appear in the Pokémon Go Style Shop.

  Here's a picture of Metapod that The Pokémon Company has provided in support of this announcement:

  As you likely remember, Pokémon Go launched in 2016 and immediately became a worldwide phenomenon, with massive groups of players roaming from destination to destination in hopes of encountering a rare Pokémon, sometimes leading to awkward or even dangerous encounters of a different kind in real life. While it's no longer the massive, unavoidable hit it was five years ago, it remains one of the top games in both the iOS App Store and Google Play. Niantic also continues to host Pokémon Go Fest every summer, attracting thousands of players from around the globe. Unfortunately, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, last year's event, like nearly every in-person event, was turned into a virtual celebration. No announcement for Pokémon Go Fest has been made for 2021. 

  The New Pokémon Snap Celebration in Pokémon Go runs from April 29 to May 2. New Pokémon Snap comes to Switch on April 30.

  Do you still play Pokémon Go? Are you looking forward to New Pokémon Snap? Let us know what you think about this event in the comments below!

• GI Show – Resident Evil Village Cover Details And Sitting Down With Supergiant Games

  Click here to watch embedded media

  On this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, Supergiant Games' Greg Kasavin (@kasavin) joins us to talk about his work on games like Bastion, Transistor, Pyre, and Hades. Kasavin also shares his insight into how games are written and why making them is harder than it seems. 

  Then we discuss a handful of the games we've been digging recently, including Outriders, Pac-Man 99, Hades, Oddworld: Soulstorm, Monster Hunter Rise, and The House in Fata Morgana. Of course, we also discuss our recent Resident Evil Village cover story, talk about the game's crafting mechanics, and how Capcom designed the new werewolf-inspired Lycan enemies. Finally, Matthew Haag, A.K.A. Nadeshot (@Nadeshot), joins us to talk about his time playing Call of Duty professionally, his work at 100 Thieves, and his recent partnership with Excedrin helping gamers maintain good head health. 

  It's a full show, but we make time for another fantastic round of community emails. So please join Kimberley Wallace (@kstar1785), Alex Stadnik (@Studnik76), Blake Hester (@metallicaisrad), and Ben Reeves (@Benjaminreeves) for another wild and ever-entertaining episode!

  Thanks for listening! Please make sure to leave feedback below and share the episode if you enjoyed it. You can watch the video above, subscribe and listen to the audio on iTunes or Google Play, listen on SoundCloud, stream it on Spotify, or download the MP3 at the bottom of the page. Also, be sure to send your questions to podcast@gameinformer.com for a chance to have them answered on the show!

  Our thanks to The Rapture Twins for The Game Informer Show's intro song. You can hear more of their music on their website.

  ---

  To jump to a particular point in the discussion, check out the time stamps below.

  00:00:00 - Introduction
  00:00:49 - Greg Kasavin Introduction
  00:23:13 - Pac-Man 99
  00:33:19 - The House In Fata Morgana
  00:38:19 - Outriders
  00:49:28 - Oddworld: Soulstorm
  00:51:33 - Monster Hunter Rise
  00:59:24 - Resident Evil Village
  01:23:01 - Community Emails
  01:54:51 - March Mayhem Finale
  02:09:53 - Nadeshot Interview
   

• Outriders Inventory Wipe Bug Update Is Positive, Fix Deployed (UPDATE)

  Update: The patch went live immediately after this article went live, you can find that update at the bottom of the article. 

  The crossplay issues with Outriders have been resolved, but there's still that inventory wipe bug plaguing the game. With the servers much more stable than they were at launch, the team over at People Can Fly has done a phenomenal job at being 100% transparent with players about work being done behind-the-scenes for total optimization. Since the studio has implemented a few safeguards to push back the inventory wipe bug temporarily, the latest update is positive. It bodes well for a fix being in place very soon. 

  The studio took to the game's Twitter once more to provide a light at the end of the inventory-lacking tunnel: 

  https://t.co/DLjoidrjSD

  — Outriders (@Outriders) April 14, 2021

  The Twitter post above reads, "We're pleased to confirm that testing for our upcoming patch to address the inventory wipe issue is continuing to progress as planned. The situation continues to be our key focus, and we are aiming to share more news very soon." 

  In addition to fixing the issue, the team is also hard at work getting as much of the inventory lost back into player hands. While not a 100% guarantee, it's great to see the dev team looking to address the entire bug's impact versus just trying to sweep it under the rug. 

  The launch issues were honestly awful, and I almost feel bad for admitting that I was fortunate enough not to really experience any issues outside of the day one server shutdown. The server issues, which you can learn about here, were bad enough where the team had to pull them down completely to repair them. Fortunately, I didn't run into any bugs or glitches while in Enoch when playing the game for my review. Because I was one of the lucky ones, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment I spent in the looter shooter from the studio that gave us Gears of War: Judgement and Bulletstorm. For those that haven't dived in yet, or are maybe waiting until the bigger issues are patched, you can read our full review here, with a small excerpt below: 

  "Outriders isn’t revolutionary, and it’s not trying to be. Outriders is a well-thought-out shooter with expertly tailored RPG twists. It's an enjoyable ride that is made infinitely better by playing with friends but not inherently hurt by running solo either. This game takes the best parts from other looter-shooters and the best aspects of sci-fi RPGs and blends these elements into an experience worth diving into because of its high replayability, customizable play style, and fun story. I'm already strapping in for another run. "

  Whenever an anticipated game has severe launch issues, it is frustrating, and that frustration is understandable and justified. That being said, it is worth noting the above and beyond levels of communication and transparency from the folks at People Can Fly as they work hard to ensure players are aware of what's going on every step of the way. To drive this point home, the community lead didn't even log off until after 3 a.m. during Easter weekend, ensuring that players were as informed as possible. The dev team continues to work on optimization. That level of transparency is rare and sets a positive example for the industry. Sometimes, things happen. Sometimes, server demand is higher than anticipated. Sometimes, there are missteps. While every launch is a learning opportunity, the studio behind Outriders has done an exemplary job setting a standard of honesty with its player base. 

  UPDATE: 

  We have just released a new patch that addresses the bug that has been causing the inventories of certain players to be wiped.
  
  More information here:
  >> https://t.co/3eqThKAP3A
  
  1/4 pic.twitter.com/ImraGlrZQW

  — Outriders (@Outriders) April 15, 2021

   

• Ask Us Anything: Submit Your Questions For Our Next Issue

  Each month, Game Informer prints questions that are submitted by readers via email and standard mail. We'd like to give our website readers the chance to make the magazine as well.

  You'll need to log in to your GI account, and click "okay to print" for your letter or question to go through. We'd also love it if you included your location (city, state, or country will do). We'll look through the questions and pick a few to include in our next issue, which releases on April 13.

  In each issue, we ask readers a "Question of the Month." For the Resident Evil Village issue that should be hitting mailboxes now, we ask...

  "What game do you want to see get announced for next-generation machines?"

  You can answer this question and/or include any other feedback you want. Thank you again for all of your support throughout the years, and we hope many of you get the chance to have your letter printed in an upcoming issue!

• Core Arrives On The Epic Games Store Today. So, What Is Core?

  Core arrives as a free-to-play platform today (In early access) on the Epic Games Store. You’re probably wondering what Core is. If I distill it down to the base concept, it’s an online world where you can roam from game to game solo or with friends, using your core avatar and cosmetics as you move from experience to experience. Oh, and you can also make the games to play there too, with an incredibly robust and easy to use toolset that you can basically drag and drop assets out of the ether to construct a shooting arena, RPG farm zone, a dodgeball fight, a platformer, a MOBA, or whatever else you feel like making. 

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  The sky's the limit, and you can invite your friends along with the click of a button or the sharing of a link. Yep, you can have it just pop right open from a shared link in say, Twitch chat, and you can be playing in the same game in seconds. After diving in to the experience for a brief foray, I can say this is definitely a place that you’re going to be spending plenty of time in if you’re a fan of the map-making and modding that was a staple of the old StarCraft and Warcraft III days. Whatever you’re looking for, you can find it, and if you can’t, you can build it.

  In about an hour or so on the platform I played shooters, fantasy PVP games, platformers inspired by Ghosts’N’Goblins, mini-MOBAs with one lane and lower player counts, and more. Many of the games available are bite-sized in comparison to what we’d consider a “full game” these days, and maybe that’s okay. As part of the huge “world” of Core, you’re never forced to stick around if you’re not having a good time, as the next game to try is just a click away from either the select screen or by actually walking to a portal in the featured area. 

  While picking a game from a selection of boxes like you would from a digital storefront is fine, the aspect of being “in-world” comes in with Core and you can roam around, throwing out emotes and chatting while you look at flashy “billboard portals” trying to entice you to come on in and try out a new game. Some of the best stuff out there gets featured in this ever-changing area, so after you come back after a while new games might be calling your name as you ride around on your mount in the public area. It’s an interesting way to promote the browsing experience while still allowing for “instant transport” via a link or traditional menu searching.

  There are over 20,000 games on Core right now, with a few hundred being added daily. Obviously, there’s no way you’ll ever be able to play all of them and certainly, some are better than others, and plenty of unfinished pet projects litter the untraveled streets in the back alleys of Core. But with so much creating and playing going on, you can find all kinds of weird experiences that might surprise you.

  There’s a wild west style typing game. Yeah, where you mosey around town looking for misspelled words. There are farming games, there are deckbuilding games, there’s pretty much anything you could be looking for in some style and fashion. And while you may not gravitate to one and stick with it forever, or even for more than a few minutes, a lot of the journey is in exploring from game to game. Since your avatar is unified across all games in the core, you travel as your hero (and your associated cosmetics) to everything. Aspects like carrying over your avatar loadout give Core a meta, unified feel even though you’re engaging with many disparate experiences.

  Core is live today on the Epic Games Store, and it is free-to-play (cosmetics are available to purchase, of course, to make your avatar look like various things) so really there's not much else I can tell you that you can't go see for yourself with minimal time investment. Go forth, discover games, and play them!

• Days Gone Is Coming To PC Next Month, New Trailer Highlights Platform Features

  Hot on the heels of the Days Gone 2 cancellation reports, Sony has released a new trailer confirming Days Gone is coming to PC. More than that, it's launching on PC soon. 

  The trailer shows off PC-specific features added to the game for players to enjoy. Horizon Zero Dawn and Death Stranding are the two biggest titles that led the charge away from PlayStation exclusivity. Days Gone continues the trend of widening the player base. 

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  Days Gone on PC includes ultra-wide monitor support, improved visuals, and unlocked framerates. More unofficial features are surely on the way because now that it's on PC, it's open season for modders to take over and do what they do best: put Thomas the Tank Engine in it. 

  Days Gone was a pretty divisive title at launch. Some loved it and thought it was a masterpiece, while others thought it left little to be desired. We here at Game Informer fell between the two, scoring the previously exclusive PlayStation title a 7.75. 

  "Days Gone’s narrative is standard and sufficient, but it trips up when it leans on minor characters at multiple points for important and/or dramatic turns in the plot," said Matthew Kato in his review for Game Informer."This strains credulity, makes the world feel too small, and pads out the experience with filler missions using otherwise boring stealth gameplay mechanics. My least favorite was being asked to search for a guy’s MP3 player as the story was all coming to a head."

  He added, "Days Gone has good gameplay foundations. The scarcity of supplies and the ever-present threat of zombies put me on edge as much as it gave me options to escape by the skin of my teeth. But the inability to fully deliver on either the story or open-world fronts makes it a title of both possibilities and limitations."

  Days Gone is set to arrive on PC on May 18, 2021.

  What are your thoughts on Days Gone coming to PC? Do the recent revelations about a possible sequel make you happy to see the first game widen its reach, or does that sour the reveal for you? Sound off in the comment section below! 

• Skate City Gets Release Date For Console And PC

  Skate City, the skateboarding game from developer Agens and publisher Snowman, will be released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via the Epic Game Store and Steam on May 6. The game was originally released as an Apple Arcade exclusive in 2019, but wasannounced for consoles back in February. 

  Skate City takes place in famous skate spot cities around the world such as Oslo, Norway, Barcelona, Spain, and Los Angeles. Taking equal inspiration from the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and Skate series, the game features an easy-to-use-tough-to-master control scheme on a mobile touch screen. While Skate City felt intuitive on mobile and easy to pick up and play, it'll be interesting to see if and how the controls translate to a more traditional controller scheme. Skate City's port is being handled by developer Room 8, which also developed ports for Abzu and What Remains of Edith Finch. 

  On Switch and Epic Game Store, Skate City will be available to pre-order starting on April 29. During its pre-order period and launch week, April 29 to May 13, on Switch and Epic, the game will be on sale for $9.99. Aside from that, Skate City will cost $14.99. 
  
  Skate City is the third game in the Snowman catalogue that's been moved from mobile to console after a period of exclusivity. Back in August 2020, the publisher re-released Alto's Adventure and Alto's Odyssey together as The Alto Collection. Additionally, Where Cards Fall, developed by Blaseball developer The Game Band and published by Snowman, is expected to be re-released sometime this year on Switch and PC. You can read our exclusive interview with The Game Band and Snowman about Where Cards Fall's move to other platformshere at the link.

• Resident Evil Village: Exclusive Look At How Upgrades Work

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  Over the past 25 years, the upgrade systems in Resident Evil have taken a back seat to make players feel powerless against the horrors that go bump in the night. Resident Evil Village isn’t a seismic shift for the series, but Capcom has put a new emphasis on powering up its protagonist. Join us as we take a first look at the upgrade systems for both Ethan Winters and the weapons he carries.

  If you look past the terrifying creatures looking to maul your face, you’ll see some animals that you can hunt and butcher for meat. Some of the animals in the village won’t go down without a fight. Animals will clap back when you attempt to kill them, so be prepared to utilize some of your precious ammo for a quick kill.

  Knowing when to take your shot and when to conserve ammo has always been the key to survival in Resident Evil, but slaying animals in Village offers a bounty of riches that might be worth a few spent shells. Once you’ve secured the necessary poultry, fish, and other forms of meat, you can take these ingredients to The Duke’s Kitchen. Our fine friend offers an assortment of recipes that allow players to obtain powerful and permanent upgrades, which they’ll need when Lady D and her lovely group of vampires cross their path.

  Ethan can also upgrade his arsenal. The key to tricking out your weaponry and becoming the ultimate Lycan-hunting machine is lei, the game's currency. And how do you obtain lei, you might wonder? When players take down the game’s antagonists, they might drop precious coins and other valuables that can be sold for cash.

  Players can also find hidden treasures in the environment, which The Duke will happily take off your hands in exchange for more lei. Once you have enough lei, there’s plenty you’ll be able to purchase to assist you on your quest to find Ethan’s daughter. Sniper rifle swaying too much to be effective? Go buy a cheek rest for more accurate aiming. Not killing your foes quick enough with your pistol? Go upgrade its power, rate of fire, reload speed, and ammo capacity. You may feel uneasy using your ammo supply, but Village promises to make those kills more meaningful as Ethan’s arsenal become more deadly.

  The risk-reward balance of Resident Evil resources has always been a centerpiece of the series, and Village is no different. And while some may find it helpful to hoard their riches, some of the game’s enemies may need an extra special dose of firepower.

  If you enjoyed this video, be sure to check out our latest cover reveal along with our hub, where you'll find all the latest updates on Resident Evil Village!

• Nintendo's Indie World Round-Up

  Nintendo’s Indie World showcase may have only ran for 20 minutes, but the House of Mario packed it a ton of announcements within that time. We saw the reveals of Oxenfree II and OllieOllie World, got a new trailer for TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, learned that Konami has a new action game in the works, and were surprised to hear that the critically acclaimed Fez is arriving to Switch today. But if you missed the showcase, we've rounded up the remaining big announcements and trailers in one, convenient place to make sure you don't miss out on some promising titles launching to Switch (and, in some cases, other platforms) this year. 

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  Road 96

  This procedurally-generated, story-driven adventure game centers on a teenager who meets another youth as they embark on a roadtrip to the mountains while being pursued. Questions such as what your goal is, who’s chasing you, the people you meet and how they will help you depends on your choices and the road you decide to take; literally and figuratively. Look for Road 96 on Switch and PC later this year. 

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  Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield

  We featured this stylish auto-runner in our list ofupcoming games starring POC characters, and we learned it’s coming to Switch and PC on May 19. The game is set in a futuristic version of Detroit where players will run, jump, and slide to the beats of both homegrown and international hip hop artists in an effort to save the future. If you think it looks rad, you can try it out via a playable demo that will be available on the eShop later today. 

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  Last Stop

  This narrative adventure features three separate protagonists whose worlds collide thanks to a supernatural crisis unfolding in their home of London. Last Stop comes from Annapurna Interactive and is billed as an anthology drama with three stories in one. Uncover the mystery when it comes to Switch and PC later this July. 

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  Hindsight

  Another Annapurna joint, Hindsight appears to center on a woman’s memories as she grapples with which moments are worth remembering and what should be forgotten. Hindsight is coming to Switch later this year. 

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  The Longing

  The Longing is a dark and unique adventure game that launched on Steam last March. Players control a servant who must wait 400 real-life days for him to awaken. The in-game clock is ticking even when you’re not playing, and it's up to you to figure out what to do (or not to) in the meantime. The Longing will be available on Switch later today. 
   

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  There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension

  This bizarre title was a big hit when it came to PC last year, and now Switch owners have a chance to bask in its weirdness. What is this game, exactly? Let’s just say that the less you know going in, the more fun you’ll have. Or you can watch the trailer above to get an idea, I suppose. The best part is that There Is No Game is available on the eShop today! 

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  Cris Tales

  We’ve been looking forward to this gorgeous time-bending RPG for a long time, and now we finally know that it’s coming July 20 to Switch as well as PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Check out the new trailer above.

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  Aztech Forgotten Gods 

  This unique action game features a futuristic version of Mesoamerica and stars Ashley, a warrior who sports a giant robotic fist. She’ll need such a heavy hand to battle gigantic gods. The fist can be upgraded and is also used to explore the large levels via parkour style traversal. The techno-flavored take on Aztec culture looks great and not something you see very often (if ever). We look forward to seeing how it pans out when it arrives this fall for Switch as well as PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

  Skul: The Hero Slayer

  After launching on PC back in January, this action-packed 2D rogue-lite sets its sights on a Switch release. Look for the game to arrive sometime this summer. 

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  The House of the Dead: Remake

  Revisit the 1996 arcade classic remade with polished up graphics and improved, modernized shooter gameplay. Up to two players can mow down hordes of zombies together when it arrives later this year. 

  What game were you most impressed with during today’s showcase? Let us know in the comments! 

• Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Wrath Of The Druids DLC Delayed Until May

  The first major expansion for Assassin's Creed Valhalla has been delayed, but the good news is that the pushback isn't very far. Ubisoft has confirmed that Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids DLC has been delayed, now set to release next month.

  The upcoming expansion was originally slated for April 29, 2021, but the team working on the title has shared with fans that they would like a little more time perfecting the experience. Also included in the studio's announcement is a promise for more information in the effort to "provide transparency and share insights on our dev process."

  To deliver a more refined experience, we’re sharing that:
  
  ⛰️Wrath of the Druids will now release on May 13
  📝We’re working on an article to provide transparency and share insights on our dev process
  
  Thanks for your patience. Keep an eye on our social channels for future news! pic.twitter.com/aQUPR8cWNV

  — Assassin's Creed (@assassinscreed) April 14, 2021

  Wrath of the Druids is the first expansion for the game, but not the last. This DLC will task players with exploring the haunted wilds of Ireland as they go head-to-head against a vicious druidic cult know as the Children of Danu. Players will be able to conquer forts, become the best smuggler in all of Ireland, and gain the Gaelic Kings' illustrious favor. 

  The next expansion after that will take players to Paris, though that will come much later. While any delay is disappointing, it's a smart move on their part to buy a little more time to ensure a flawless (or as flawless as possible) release. With many studios still under Work From Home orders due to COVID-19, the day-to-day has changed, so a little understanding goes a long way when these types of decisions are made. 

  What are your thoughts on the Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids arrival next month? What are you the most excited for to see next? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below. While we wait due to the delay, you can also check out where one Valhalla dev wants to see the franchise go next right here. 

• Chatting Teamfight Tactics, Reckoning, And Hyper Roll With Riot Games

  The auto battle genre lept into life, spurred on from the map modding scene like many explosive genres before it. Now, Riot Games looks to both the past and the future of this genre to determine the path ahead for Teamfight Tactics and itsnew expansions, lab modes, and more. If you’re not familiar with what makes this particular game style work, there’s a lot of strategy and decision making to engage with, but not a lot of micromanagement or twitch-reflexes to handle, making it an ideal candidate for chatting with viewers as a streamer, an on-the-go choice for mobile engagement, or something to kick back and watch some movies while you play. 

  The element of chance is also a pervasive factor, so there’s the excitement of seeing each new crop of characters pop up, something akin to peering down at pocket aces or kings in a game of Texas Hold’em. So what’s in store for the future of the auto battler? What can we expect to see in Teamfight Tactics? We caught up with Teamfight Tactics product lead TJ Bourus to talk everything about auto battlers.

  Game Informer: So Reckoning is the next expansion set. What’s different? What’s new?

  TJ Bourus: So Reckoning is going to be our fifth set of Teamfight Tactics. It's kind of positioned as good versus evil. There'll be forces of good fighting forces of evil and you'll be building a team comp that will allow for a mixture of the two to fight against the other players in TFT. We also have a new set mechanic we're dubbing the armory. The armory is a new system that allows you to choose items at certain phases in the game in your shop. So instead of having them randomly drop, you're presented with like one of three items you can choose from or one to five. In addition to that system, we're also adding new items that we're calling shadow items that are variants of existing components or items.

  Has there ever been any consideration toward giving players more information during the carousel phase? I always hear from new players that they have no idea what they’re picking.

  Yes, there is definitely consideration. We actually had a solve for this, we actually took it out of the game... I want to say when TFT first came out around set two actually so for the Rise of the elements, there were trade icons above the champion in the carousel. But we quickly removed that a few patches after because it was too noisy, especially as we were releasing mobile, it actually wasn’t the right solution. But we've talked many times about needing to get hover states or right click to inspect on the moving carousel. The reason it hasn't happened as quickly as it's a little tricky because they're moving targets. But that's kind of the solution we're thinking about right now.

  Where do we take this genre next to make it really breakout?

  Yeah, I think there are two two areas right now that are top of mind for us that we've talked about. New modes. So with the release of Reckoning we’re releasing our very first mode Hyper Roll. So these are alternate ways to enjoy the core strategic auto battler is what I'd say. You know, there's only been the one version that many folks have really played from TFT as well as the competitors. We want to kind of change up that formula and learn what else we can do within the genre very similar to how like TFT was created. It was created from within a MOBA and that was the same for the auto chess was created from within a MOBA. What can we do from now this new way to experience this like top down isometric character building game to make alternate experiences? I think that's where like the genre is going to find even more evolution is from its roots, evolving from a different type of gameplay. How can you now evolve that into many different ways to experience auto battle, like modes, and that's something we're super interested in. We'll start with things like Hyper Roll, which are just rule variants, but longer term we may consider even more dramatic changes.

  Additionally, I think eSports has like a lot of room to grow here. With TFT I compare it probably closer to poker, which there isn't really an eSports competitor that is very like that in this space, it is really on you versus the other eight players that you go into a game with. And you can then extrapolate that to a very large group of competitors playing against each other to then find the finalists to go to worlds and that's kind of what we're trying to shoot for. Lots and lots of people can go to qualifiers, can play, can sit down with a group of folks and climb up the ranks within an event to hopefully be eligible for that set’s finals. And I think that's something we want to invest more into and, and build out the scene around because it's unique within eSports.

  Alright, so who's the strongest unit in Reckoning?

  Vel’Koz. Vel’Koz. We've had him in the past and he shoots the laser, but this time when the laser is shot, it starts to widen the longer he casts. So a well-positioned Vel’Koz gets the right angle and spends enough time casting, there’s no one that’s not getting blasted by a ton of damage.

  So how do I get somebody into Teamfight Tactics today? How do I pitch them on it? Because in my experience, you're either already well versed in auto chess, and you like it and you play it or I can't get you into the genre at all.

  The way that I usually tell my friends, why this is such a fun game, is I reference it to games like Risk or games like Civilization or games where the strategy with decisions you make in the now are impacting things further down the line than you may be expecting. And that's kind of the fun of it. It's like you can make many decisions right now, but you need to think about how those will impact you later. And that's the fun of TFT. But also it’s a casual fun game. It's a game you can play while doing something else. I play a ton of games at the same time as Teamfight Tactics. And that's been like a pretty good selling point to me is like, hey, if you want to destress TFT is a great game for you. If you want to sweat and try hard. It's also a great game for that too, to be honest. And then I also highly recommend at least for now, the best way to get someone on board because it can be daunting at first, is to sit down in a game with them. There's no better way to teach someone than like just show them the ropes. I think once you play what we found is once you play about two or three games with Teamfight Tactics it really starts to click.

  You can play Teamfight Tactics on PC (Inside the League of Legends client), iOS, or Android.

• Final Fantasy XIV Is Now Available On PS5 In Open Beta

  Final Fantasy XIV for PS5 boasts improved framerates, beautiful 4K resolution, incredibly fast loading times, haptic feedback features, and 3D audio. For those looking to take to the online world of Final Fantasy XIV on this generation, the open beta is now available for all to enjoy! 

  Final Fantasy XIV had a rough launch when it was first released. Players were both overwhelmed and underwhelmed by the structure of the game. Since then, numerous tweaks and expansions have come out, effectively turning it into one of the most beloved MMORPGs on the market. With it now on PS5 with the open beta, newcomers can jump right into Eorzea and see what adventures await.

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  Square Enix director of community Matt Hilton took to the PlayStation Blog to update gamers on what they can expect from the open beta, an access period with "no limits." Hilton also promises that this move is great for those that maybe haven't tried out the MMORPG yet. Whether you've created your character and explored to your heart's content on the PS4 or just coming in for the first time, all can enjoy what the open beta has to offer. 

  “During the open beta period, players who own the PS4 version of FFXIV can experience all of the same content, but on PlayStation 5," said Final Fantasy XIV lead project manager Shoichi Matsuzawa. "The Worlds (or game servers) that you’ll connect to are the same ones that players on PS4 and other platforms play on, and there are no restrictions from a functionality perspective for open beta participants."

  He added, "We are launching into open beta as a precaution since there is a massive amount of existing content in FFXIV. If we do not see any critical issues, we plan to transition straight into official service.”

  For the newbies hopping in, the Free Trial version of the game is available during the open beta, which means you can play A Realm Reborn and Heavensward up to level 60. If you like it and you decide to put a ring on it, your character progress will carry over into the final game when purchased. 

  The full version of Final Fantasy XIV on PS5 will be available once the open beta closes, so it's a great time to hop in and see if this is the MMORPG for you. 

  From an updated UI to beautiful 4K, the game looks and feels amazing on PlayStation 5. For those who haven't been able to score one yet due to console shortages, the latest update also lives on other platforms. You can learn more about that here. 

• Oxenfree II: Lost Signals Announced For This Fall

  Nintendo’s Indie World showcase concluded with the surprise announcement for Oxenfree II: Lost Signals. The game is a follow-up to the 2016 original and sports a new cast, new story, but the same eerie weirdness. 

  Oxenfree II takes place five years after the events of the original. It stars Riley, an environmental researcher who returns to her hometown, Camena, to investigate the mysterious radio frequencies that are all too familiar to fans of the first game. We get a look at one of Riley’s companions and Edwards Island seems to make a return based on the premier trailer. The choice-driven dialogue that formed the core of Oxenfree will still play a big part in steering Oxenfree II’s narrative. Check out the spooky announcement video below. 

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  “Words cannot begin to express how happy I am to finally talk about Oxenfree II: Lost Signals,” said Sean Krankel, co-founder and studio director at Night School Studio in a press release. “Oxenfree is such a special game to us, and it has been an incredible experience to revisit this world. We’re eager to welcome our players back while inviting newcomers to embark on an adventure with an entirely new cast of characters that retains the weird, heartfelt, and personalized experience of the original.”

  Oxenfree II: Lost Signals launches this sometime this fall. We only know it’s coming to Switch and PC as other platforms have yet to be confirmed. For more on what to expect, you can read our review of the first gamehere. In between Oxenfree and Oxenfree II, Night School has released the supernatural comedyAfterparty as well asNext Stop Nowhere for Apple Arcade. 

  Did you enjoy the first Oxenfree and are you excited for the sequel? Let us know in the comments!

• OlliOlli World Grinds Onto The Scene This Winter

  The OlliOlli series has let players skate across several environments, ranging from humble, basic beginnings to some of the most over-the-top, seemingly impossible skateparks imaginable. Following sequel success in OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliwood, developer Roll7 is back six years later with OlliOlli World.

  Announced during today's Nintendo Indie World presentation, OlliOlli World hopes to capture the creativity and expression afforded by the art of skateboarding. OlliOlli World takes you on a journey across Radland to meet the legendary skate gods. "We're embracing the weird, wonderful, and diverse sides of skateboarding in a game that's all about going on a road trip with your friends, finding crazy spots, and, of course, skating everything in sight," creative director John Ribbins said in the Indie World presentation.

  Featuring a beautiful, hand-drawn art style, OlliOlli World tasks you with skating, grinding and wall-riding your way across the island on your quest for gnarvana. The smooth 2D gameplay of past games allows developer Roll7 to combine skateboarding action with elements from platforming, rhythm, and puzzle games to create a unique experience that appeals to far more than typical skateboarding or sports fans.

  The OlliOlli series presents players with a massive collection of tricks to master, and OlliOlli World appears no different. If you've played previous games, you know that much of the fun comes from finally landing that trick you've been struggling with, or learning how to best combo your way through a sequence within a stage.

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  With new elements like quarter-pipes introduced into the stages, OlliOlli World is said to feature an even greater emphasis on level design that encourages you to flow between tricks within combos. You can also enjoy branching paths within the same level, allowing you to directly choose how intense or chill your experience is. You can also meet a colorful cast of characters, take on side quests, and uncover the secrets of Radland.

  OlliOlli World is set to launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC this winter. For more on the OlliOlli series, check out our reviews of OlliOlli and OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliwood.

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge Confirmed For Nintendo Switch, New Gameplay Trailer

  Earlier this year, we got our first look at the throwback title Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge that brings fans back into simpler times filled with delicious pizza, a chorus of "Cowabunga," and pixelated glory. While the game looked incredible, we didn't have any platform information at that time. Luckily, Nintendo changed that when it confirmed that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is coming to Switch later this year. 

  During Nintendo's latest Indie World Showcase, the team gave us a new look at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge with a brand new trailer, showing off the bodacious blast from the past on the hybrid platform: 

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  Sure, the Tribute Games team could have gone a more modernized route, but the beauty of Shredder's Revenge is that it takes us back to the glory days of the arcade. “We wanted to bring back a game for the fans of the ‘87 animated series and also the old arcade games of the ‘90s,” said Tribute Games co-founder Jean-Francois Major to Game Informer when the game was first announced. “Because we felt that people missed it. And including us, because, personally, I played those games a lot as a kid and I missed them a lot. So that was the idea that started it.”

  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge reunites Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Leonardo once more in a nostalgia-filled new adventure in perfect 1987 style. The side-scrolling beat-em-up game pulls from a long legacy of adventures for one of the most passionate fandoms out there. Choose your fighter, play with friends, and kick butt with 4-player co-op and a totally radical new story mode. 

  As a long-time fan of TMNT, I'm stoked to see how this game plays out, even more so now that it's on Nintendo Switch. I have fond memories playing TMNT on my Game Boy Advance, so taking the next adventure on the go with the Switch feels natural and right. 

  We don't have a release date at this time, nor do we have what other platforms it will be available on other than PC, but that's OK. We have pizza until then. 

  Thoughts on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge and our latest gameplay look? Shout out those hot takes loud and proud in the comment section below!

• A New Konami Game, Getsufumaden: Undying Moon, Is Coming To Steam And Switch

  Are you ready for a new roguevania 2D action game? Then you just might want to keep an eye on Konami’s upcoming GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon, which is heading to the Steam Early Access program on May 13, with a full launch expected for PC and Switch in 2022. GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon is being developed by GuruGuru alongside Konami Digitial Entertainment. Check out the trailer below for a look at what to expect.

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  One thing you’ll immediately notice about GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon is the aesthetic, which is striking and based on traditional Japanese art. Players make their way through Ukiyo-e style underworld levels and master multiple weapons and tools that can come together to create varied playstyles. Beating back evil spirits and big bosses looks quite regal here as players engage in the artistic tapestry each attempted run.

  Interestingly enough, this is not the first game in the GetsuFumaDen world. The original Getsu Fuma Den released exclusively in Japan on the Famicom back in 1987, so there’s a good chance you had no idea it ever existed. Obviously, the new game is quite different, but the original title featured 2D side-scrolling platforming mixed with first-person exploration. Why is this especially relevant? Well, if you opt into the Early Access phase of GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon, you’ll get a port of the original game too, so you can go back for a quick history lesson before digging in to today’s offerings.

  Why Early Access anyway? “Having an Early Access period gives us a great opportunity to build a community for GetsuFumaDen and ensure the game is as strong as possible. Throughout this period, we want to utilise user feedback and foster an active discussion to increase the quality of the game,” says producer Shin Murato. “We will work very closely with our community to help bring this game to life through content review, bug fixes, and balancing. Our focus is on Early Access at the moment; we will share more details about Nintendo Switch in the future.”

  Does the art style attract you to this one? Are you into “roguevanias”? Let us know in the comments!

• Pirate Simulator King Of Seas Arrives This May

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  On May 25, you are invited to live a pirate's life in King of Seas, an action/role-playing experience developed by 3DClouds and published by Team17 Digital for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. Drawing clear inspiration from the amazing Sid Meier's Pirates! series of games, King of Seas puts you in command of your own pirate vessel to explore deadly procedurally generated waters for riches galore.

  While you are free to explore the world and set sail in any which direction you desire, developer 3D Clouds says a series of quests create a narrative path forward that will introduce a variety of characters. The goal is to become the king of the pirates. If you veer off of this path and conquer territories, the game will adapt to your ways, changing the naval routes to make a more challenging playthrough.

  Along with the randomly placed islands and threats, weather is also unpredictable, bringing storms and strong winds. The fog that blankets your path may also bring rival pirates that bring ship-to-ship combat and perhaps even the threat of a giant squid beneath the surface. The trailer above shows that a ghost element is also present in ships that glow and perhaps hold a crew of undead pirates.

  As you fill your cargo hold with gold, you'll be able to upgrade to one of five different vessel types and customize it to your liking. You can even put a giant shark on the front of it.

  If you want to take King of Seas for a test drive before its May release, a short demo is currently available on Steam. You can download it here.

• Destiny 2: Season of the Chosen Reset Brings Back Proving Grounds GM, Final Iron Banner

  It's a new week, which means a new reset in Destiny 2 Season of the Chosen. The latest update brings back the Proving Grounds Grandmaster Nightfall strike (and opens it up for all), the final Iron Banner for season 13, and a new set of raid challenges. Eyes up, Guardian, here's what's new in Destiny 2. 

  Destiny 2 Reset for April 13, 2021

  Lore update

  With the Guardian Games coming soon, this week is pretty light, but there is another lore drop for this week. This week's lore centers around learning more about Calus and his original plan to get super friendly with the Darkness via the Scorn. For those that enjoy the Presage quest, this is particularly neat (at least to me) because the lore reveals how the Darkness completely took control of the ship (which is evident during the new Exotic Scout Rifle questline) and how it manipulated the Scorn.

  For those interested in some lore backstory, some of the dev team went into detail about how they made this sci-fi horror adventure a reality right here.  

  Grandmaster Nightfall

  Bungie brought back the Proving Grounds once more for this week's Grandmaster Nightfall, an instance that requires Guardians to be at level 1325 or higher. A lot of players are confused by this move, because usually the rotation is more spaced out, and the player base is divided on its sooner-than-expected arrival. 

  Maybe I'm just a wimp, but the Proving Grounds Grandmaster Nightfall is the most difficult GM Nightfall to date. This rubberband has half of the community excited to dive back once more into an incredible challenge, whereas the other half are groaning in dread at having to run it again for their weeklies. This is one of those instances where I will run my Titan into the ground because my Warlock went smush more times than I'd like to admit. 

  What is good news about this particular rotation shift is that previously, players had to have either the Season of the Chosen Battle Pass or the Beyond Light expansion to enjoy this particular adventure. Bungie has confirmedthat it has removed that block and that anyone can hop into this Nightfall, should they choose. 

  As previously confirmed, this week's Iron Banner is the final Iron Banner before season 14 arrives. Bungie previously revealed two brand new weapons arriving next weekend and two returning weapons, which you can learn about here, so this is the last hurrah to get the current loot grabs. No new armor yet, but that's coming down the line in a few seasons. 

  Weekly Info

  Below are a few other tidbits from this week's reset to be aware of, for those looking to squeeze everything out of this update: 

  • This week's element is Void for Vanguard Strikes
  • Eclipsed Zone: Eventide Ruins
  • EXO Challenge / Simulator: Survival 
  • Legacy / Daily Weapon Rotation: Altars of Sorrow
  • Legacy / Ascendant Challenge: Agonarch Abyss
  • Crucible Playlist: Mayhem returns
    • Valor bonus
  • Nightmare Hunts / Legacy: Omnigul, Fanatic, Crota
  • Empire Hunt / Master: The Dark Priestess
  • Raid Challenges: 
    • Garden of Salvation: Zero to One Hundred Percent / 4th Encounter
      • Fully fill each conflux with x30 motes within ten seconds of initially banking the first set
    • Last Wish: Summoning Ritual / 1st Encounter
      • Activate and cleanse all nine plates, then kill all nine Knights and Ogres before damaging Kali
    • Deep Stone Crypt: Copies of Copies / 2nd Encounter
      • Do not send any "Atraks-1 Replication" debuts into space

  And that's it for this week's Destiny 2: Season of the Chosen update. Are you excited to see the reveal of Destiny 2: season 14? Sound off with your hopes and dreams in the comment section below, or just go ahead and make fun of me for how bad I am at GMs. It's okay, I can take it. 

• Animal Crossing: New Horizons Soundtrack Announced, Including A Spiffy Collector's Edition
  Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of the most calming AAA games out there, and a large part of that is due to the soothing sounds of its music. Nintendo has revealed the Animal Crossing: New Horizons soundtrack and the collector's version of it for those who want to take that island getaway with them even when out of the game. 

  Courtesy of Nintendo Everything, we've got our first look at the soundtrack, including the tracklist, a release date, and the artbook attached. The only caveat is that this seems to be a Japan-exclusive. However, it is available through the Amazon Japan storefront and Play-Asia, so getting it elsewhere isn't that difficult. 

  Animal Crossing: New Horizons tracklist 

  For those interested in the tracklist for the Animal Crossing: New Horizons tracklist: 

  According to the site, the release date has also been pushed back from its anticipated launch later this month and is now releasing on June 9 instead. 

  The Play-Asia storefront shows a few different options, including the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Original Soundtrack (which is the big box seen above) retailing at $101.99, the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Original Soundtrack BGM for $47.99, the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Original Soundtrack for $41.99, and the Animal Crossing: City Folk Original Soundtrack (Japan) for $29.99. For those interested in scooping up one of these editions, you can do so right here. 

• Xbox Game Pass Adds Alexa Support To Remotely Download Games

  Xbox Game Pass is a worthwhile service that allows members to have instant access to a plethora of games at no additional cost. The subscription service has grown immensely since its birth, even more so with the recent Bethesda acquisition and EA Play merge, but now it's taken a more futuristic turn: let AI technology download your games for you. That's right, Xbox Game Pass has added Alexa support to its list of features. 

  While Alexa is not a true AI (Artificial Intelligence), the Amazon machine does use AI technology. As it continues to evolve into a more versatile piece of tech, more and more companies are finding ways to use this piece of electronic equipment.

  Unlike certain features of Alexa, you won't have to download an additional skill in order for this to work the way it is intended on Game Pass. Instead, simply say, "Alexa, download [game name here] from Xbox Game Pass," and the download will commence immediately. Don't really have anything you want to download, or unsure of what you want to play next? You can also ask Alexa for any recommendations on what to play, what's new, and even what's leaving soon. 

  Before you start bossing your Alexa around, make sure you have the system linked up to your Xbox. You'll get this prompt when you first ask 'her' to download a game. If you already have it linked, then you won't need to do anything else, as mentioned above. If you don't have it linked, however, you will need to install the Xbox-specific skill in the Alexa mobile app. 

  This isn't the first time Alexa has integrated with Xbox and it won't be the last. There are also some games you can play with through this AI technology, including - you guessed it - Skyrim. 

  For those that may not have Xbox Game Pass yet, it's a deal that you've probably heard a lot about in the past year. It's grown impressively, and the value is undeniable. For those still on the fence, there are two options to choose from with the normal Xbox Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate. Xbox Game Pass is $9.99, whereas the Ultimate version includes Xbox Live for $14.99. 

  It's a solid investment, especially if you're a little pickier when it comes to games. Xbox Game Pass allows players access to over 100 titles at no additional cost outside of the membership, including first-party day one additions and acquired studio games (like Bethesda). 

  Thoughts on the latest Xbox Game Pass update with Alexa? What do you hope to see Microsoft do next with it? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below! Alexa would want you to. 

• Rovio’s Darkfire Heroes RPG Launches On April 15

  Rovio is well known for Angry Birdsgames, merch, and evenmovies. On April 15, their new team-oriented RPG, Darkfire Heroes, comes to iOs and Android. Like many other mobile releases, Darkfire Heroes did have a soft launch in some regions, but the global launch is scheduled for this Thursday. The game marks the first release from Rovio’s Copenhagen studio and is the first release under CEOAlex Pelletier-Normand. We caught up with Rune Vendler, head of Rovio Copenhagen, to ask a few questions about the upcoming game and the mobile environment.

  Game Informer: Outside of discoverability, what is the biggest challenge in mobile gaming today?

  Rune Vendler: One challenge the entire mobile games industry is now facing is the upcoming Apple Privacy Policy change. We don’t know how the policy changes will affect us; nobody in the industry has an answer to that yet. But we at Rovio are very well prepared for this change. We have a strong community base for the game that formed during the soft launch period, which will help us with discoverability and fan engagement.

  When we talk about game types, sometimes we hear the term “mid-core” when defining a game. What does this term mean?

  I'm not aware of any formal definitions. In my view, the mid-core market is defined by the RPG, strategy, and shooter genres - games that often exhibit more complexity in their mechanics, content, economies, or player-to-player interactions than the casual/puzzle titles.

  What makes Darkfire Heroes different from other games like it on the market?

  Darkfire Heroes does a really good job of offering both an engaging campaign (PvE), as well as an exciting arena (PvP). We've spent a long time designing some really exciting and varied heroes to collect, and both PvE and PvP play really well with the real-time battle mechanics in the game - there's a good balance of skill and power. These two sides also come together in the game's events, where players, either on their own or in clans, battle it out in a variety of special game modes.

  We work closely with the community to balance and evolve the game. It has been great to see how fans have engaged with Darkfire Heroes already during the soft launch period. Even though the game team is of course defining the roadmap, we pay a lot of attention to the community, and we also have a players' council, where we talk directly to key community members.

   Why the shift to Darkfire Heroes from other established studio IP?

  Rovio acquired Darkfire Games studio in 2020 to strengthen its genre mastery in RPGs, expand the games portfolio to new areas of the mobile gaming market, and to reach a different kind of target audience.  The team is really knowledgeable on building RPGs and they know how to do it well from working together for so many years. The studio had Darkfire Heroes in soft launch already at the time of acquisition. This game is our first entry into the team-based action RPG genre, which opens up new opportunities for us to utilize our genre mastery philosophy as part of our growth strategy. Part of our growth strategy is also to diversify the games portfolio with new IP's while Angry Birds remains a unique asset for Rovio and we keep on investing on Angry Birds brand in the future as well.

  The target audience for this game is 16-44 mid-core gamers who enjoy a game with the right amount of action, RPG and strategic depth which can be enjoyed on the go. So like all Rovio games, this game is developed and marketed to adults but might appeal to different types of gamers.

  What were some of the features that were tried and scrapped in the creation of Darkfire Heroes?

  Over the course of development, we've tried out a variety of game modes, heroes and enemies, level designs, and magic spells. Some made the cut, and some didn’t – though there is always a hope that some of the designs might resurface again later. I think we've managed to find a good selection of features for the game so far, but there are always opportunities to expand the game.

  Are there any plans to take Darkfire Heroes to other platforms?

  Currently no, we are launching the game on iOS and Android for now. 

  As mobile games continue to innovate strategies to keep players engaged and entertained, how has this intertwined with monetization? Have analytics and data come through to create new models and strategies to get players invested and active as DAUs and MAUs?

  We still start from the same principles as always: we have to create a game that is engaging and fun. That way, we earn the players' attention and time, and as they connect with the game, we strive to create enough value for them that they want to spend money in the game. Analytics help us understand what's working and what's not and can point us towards improvements and optimizations. The insights also help us personalize the experience and balance the game.

   

   

  Do you play mobile games? Are you interested in checking out this kind of experience? Let us know in the comments!