Ubisoft has announced that Rainbow Six Siege’s first charity bundle in the Sixth Guardian Program raised $171,183 for The AbleGamers Charity, an organization dedicated to improving accessibility in the video game industry.
The Sixth Guardian Program, a series of bundles dedicated to benefitting a variety of non-profit organizations, was announced back in November 2020. Focused on equitable and inclusive gaming for all players with disabilities, AbleGamers was the first advocacy group to partner with Ubisoft and the Rainbow Six Siege Sith Guardian Program. More non-profits partnering with the program will be announced later, Ubisoft said.
The AbleGamers charity bundle was available at the start of Rainbow Six Siege’s Year 5 Season 4. It included a uniform, weapon skin, charm, and headgear emblazoned with the orange, white, and grey AbleGamers colors.
Gaming inclusion activist and AbleGamers chief operations officer Steve Spohn said there’s hope that other companies will follow Ubisoft’s footsteps and “continue to support gamers with disabilities both in their games and beyond.”
“We love working with Ubisoft Montreal and the greater Ubisoft team to change the world. The community of Rainbow Six Siege supported gamers with disabilities in such a huge way,” Spohn said. “We’re grateful to both the players and developers for enabling us to further our mission of making it #SoEveryoneCanGame and be a part of awesome communities like Rainbow Six. We’re excited and hopeful that industry leaders like Ubisoft will continue to support gamers with disabilities both in their games and beyond.”
A new update for Xbox OS went live April 19 for Xbox Update Preview users, and it will soon add two small but important features to your favorite Xbox console. The update adds a new audio feature and makes a helpful addition to Quick Resume.
First, the update will add audio passthrough to the console, meaning that audio will “pass through” the console with minimal effect. While the specifics of digital audio can be complicated, in layman’s terms, this basically means that the Xbox will pass the audio on to a receiver with no processing or effects. This means that your Xbox can pass the signal onto your receiver, which will allow for a surround sound or similar setup with less cables than usual.
Second, the update will give users a new group that will show all games that are currently running in Quick Resume mode. The Guide will also indicate if the game you’re currently playing supports Quick Resume. This was a much-requested feature, so hopefully it means that you won’t be confused when a game spits you back into the middle of a heated fight that you don’t remember starting anymore.
The update also includes a few small fixes that reflect local languages across the console. The blog post accompanying the update states that Microsoft is still investigating several known issues, including disc titles not appearing in the dashboard and the audio mixer not being able to adjust in-game audio levels. A recent Xbox update made a change that should increase the console’s download speeds. Microsoft also recently announced that its cloud streaming service Xbox Cloud Gaming will go into limited beta this week. Additionally, if you’re still on the lookout for an Xbox Series X/S, check out our restock guide.
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It’s a big week for Call of Duty: Warzone, as the battle royale game’s much-anticipated Season 3 event is kicking off very soon. We’re expecting some major changes to the game, including a rumored nuke event that could destroy the map and re-launch it with an ’80s theme.
The specifics have yet to be divulged, but Activision has now provided some clues around what to expect from this week’s big Season 3 event.
What’s Happening In Warzone This Week
In a blog post, Activision said “Verdansk is about to heat up in a big way.” With zombies spreading across the map, it seems something big is brewing for Warzone.
“The situation in Verdansk has hit a critical level. It seems the combat zone has become too dangerous for even a Tier 1 Operator to survive in. Is a conflagration imminent? The answer is still unknown,” Activision said.
The publisher went on to say that it advises players to clear their schedules for this week and prepare for a “crescendo of utter chaos within Warzone.” The Season 3 event is apparently called “Operation Rapid Sunder,” and it begins very soon.
Operation Rapid Sunder Details
Whatever this is, Operation Rapid Sunder is slated to begin Wednesday, April 21, starting at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET. Activision didn’t provide any specifics, but the company said it will release more information through its blog in the time ahead. Whenever that information is shared, we’ll report back with more information about what to expect.
Hunt For Adler Event
Activision is incorporating some narrative elements into the new Warzone Season 3 update, it seems. A new “Hunt for Adler” limited-time event will be available when Season 3 launches on April 22 for both Warzone and Black Ops Cold War. This comprises in-game challenges for both Warzone and Black Ops Cold War that will give players clues about where to find Adler. Players who complete the event will get things like weapon charms, calling cards, and a new operator skin, among other bonuses.
The Story So Far
For those just catching up, Russell Adler from the Black Ops Cold War campaign has gone missing, and Frank Woods and his CIA team have been looking for him. In Season 2, Woods and company went to Laos and found more clues that have led them to Verdansk.
Here is a description of the events thus far regarding Adler’s disappearance and the search to find him:
Naga’s forces kept Frank Woods and his CIA strike team busy searching for Russell Adler in the Golden Triangle, buying Stitch the vital time he needed to initiate the next phase of his grand plan. Naga’s distraction may yet turn out to be the pivotal action that determines the course of the Cold War. Meanwhile in Russia, two Perseus operatives travel to Mount Yamantau on a mission to recover top-secret files from a long-forgotten clandestine program for Stitch’s cause. Woods and his team gear up to follow the intel uncovered at Naga’s base of operations in Laos. All signs point to Verdansk, and Adler’s fate is in their hands…
The story description goes on to confirm that players who die in a Corruption Zone in Verdansk may respawn as a zombie.
“The zombies were only limited to this shipwreck during the initial weeks of the season, but as tracked by Armistice Central Command, the undead moved to different areas of Verdansk. At first, it seemed that the zombies only moved from area to area and that no spread was occurring… until, in the most recent Containment Protocol, it was found that contamination stayed within zones, triggering clouds of unknown gas. Fortunately, plenty of Gas Masks can be found within these Corruption Zones, but if an Operator dies within one, they perish and turn into one of the slavering undead.”
Season 3 File Size
Season 3 will represent yet another large update for the battle royale game, coming in at more than 25 GB for all platforms. You can see a rundown of the file size information below.
Warzone Update Sizes
PlayStation 5: 25.6 GB
PlayStation 4: 25.6 GB
Xbox Series X / Xbox Series S: 25.9 GB
Xbox One: 25.9 GB
PC: 25.2 GB
Season 3 Roadmap
Season 3 is expected to begin April 22 for both Warzone and Black Ops Cold War. In addition to all the big changes headed to Warzone that we’ll learn about later, Black Ops Cold War is adding new multiplayer maps and mode, among other things. Here’s a roadmap for what to expect:
It’s going to be a busy week for Warzone, so keep checking back with GameSpot to stay up to date with the latest developments.
A live-action Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots move is in the works by Mattel Films and Universal Pictures, with Fast & Furious mainstay Vin Diesel attached to star in and produce it through his One Race Films label, according to a Deadline report.
The film’s screenplay was written by Ryan Engel, who wrote the script for 2018’s Rampage and the action-thriller of the same year The Commuter. Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots will follow a father and son who develop some sort of relationship with an advanced war machine. It’s unclear what role Diesel will play in the film.
Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots is a two-player action toy and game that puts two boxers, the Blue Bomber and Red Rocker, in a ring to knock the other’s head off. When talking about the IP, Vin Diesel said it’s “truly exciting” to adapt it to a film.
“To take the classic Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em game, with Mattel as my partner, and align it with the kind of world building, franchise making success we have had with Universal, is truly exciting,” Diesel said.
A Kickstarter campaign for Monster Hunter World: The Board Game will launch later this week. First announced back in January, the Monster Hunter board game aims to bring the beast-slaying action of the beloved series to physical boards for the first time.
While details on how the game plays are thin on the ground, developer Steamforged Games has previously developed several other physical titles based on popular video games, including Resident Evil 2, Ni no Kuni 2, and Dark Souls. As you might expect, different versions of the Monster Hunter board game will feature different minis to represent each of the game’s fearsome foes, with higher Kickstarter pledges resulting in more monsters to fight.
If you want all the content, the game’s “All-In Pledge” will run you $279–quite a sum to be sure, but not unheard of when it comes to mini-heavy board games. If you’re interested in learning more about Monster Hunter World: The Board Game, Steamforged has scribed many blog posts on the game’s core mechanics. Polygon’s Charlie Hall recently got some hands-on time with a prototype of the game, and he was fairly impressed by it, comparing it favorably to Kingdom Death: Monster, a highly-regarded Kickstarter success story.
The penultimate episode of Falcon and The Winter Soldier snuck a massive cameo into the mix: Emmy Award winning actor and TV icon Julia Louis-Dreyfus made her surprise MCU debut as Val, or, Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. And though she had only one very mysterious scene in the episode, according to Variety, Marvel’s got some big things lined up for her in the future.
Louis-Dreyfus was, apparently, originally intended to make her debut in the extensively delayed Black Widow solo film, which would have likely provided slightly more context for her Disney+ scene. In the episode, she waltzes up to a recently court martialed John Walker and introduces herself before praising Walker’s work and making him an ambiguous offer of support–complete with an ominously blank business card. We can’t be sure if Walker actually accepts this offer (or how he would contact her, given the lack of info on the card) but it certainly seems like Val is the sort of person with power and influence that could help Walker get an outlet for all his obvious anger issues.
In the comics, Contessa got her start as a sort of femme fatal secret agent in the pages of the ’60s Nick Fury solo series where she split her time jet-setting around and meddling in both Fury and his companion Dum Dum Dugan’s plans. In her earliest stories, she threaded the needle between villain and Bond Girl-style distraction where her biggest threat was what sort of sex appeal she could provide for the titular male heroes. However, eventually she was given something of a rework and evolved into Madame Hydra (or, more specifically, a Madame Hydra–multiple women have held the title.)
This flip came after it was revealed that SHIELD had, in fact, always been infiltrated by Hydra and Contessa had been a Russian mole within the organization all along. This probably all sounds vaguely like the plot of the Winter Soldier film–the same basic premise between SHIELD and Hydra was lifted from these stories for the movie.
Unfortunately, the reveal between SHIELD and Hydra has not been given much screen time in the MCU since Winter Soldier, so it’s not likely that Louis-Dreyfus is going to suddenly reveal herself to be the new face of Hydra in the future. More likely, she’ll represent some new organization that may or may not have cropped up or consolidated power during the Blip. Or, if the constant shuffling of Black Widow’s release date hasn’t forced Marvel to delete Louis-Dreyfus’s scene from the movie entirely, we may learn that a separate organization–perhaps one related to the Red Room–has been operating in the MCU secretly all along.
Alternatively, Falcon and the Winter Soldier has been doing a great job of keeping the details and identity of its Power Broker secret through the series. Sharon Carter is currently a strong contender for the proverbial mantle as she continues to manipulate the situation to unknown ends from Madripoor, but Val could just as easily be the one pulling the strings. Her interest in John Walker could be related to the serum he now has running through his veins.
Or, Louis-Dreyfus’s Val could be neither of these things and instead be a total reinvention of the character to totally undisclosed ends that won’t become apparent until the final episode of the show this week. Either way, it’s probably a good idea to keep your eyes peeled for anything strange or unexplained as we wrap up Falcon and the Winter Soldier and head into Loki, or as you settle in to stream Black Widow on Disney+ on July 9.
The Lord of the Rings Online celebrates its 14th anniversary this month, and developer Standing Stones Games is marking the occasion with a special event.
A new update, version 29.5, arrives today and adds new content called The Further Adventures of Bilbo Baggins. This is a collection of missions focused around one Hobbit in particular: Bilbo Baggins. These missions are free for VIP members and cost 495 LOTR Points for everyone else. Now through May 9, however, you can use the code SAVEBILBO to play them for free.
Additionally, a celebration event is planned for April 21-May 11. There will be an in-game festival featuring various activities, while players will earn rewards based on how long they have been playing LOTR.
On top of that, LOTRO’s VIP-exclusive legendary server is raising its level cap to 105. This means players can check out everything up to the Black Gates of Mordor.
The Lord of the Rings Online was released in 2007 and it has received steady support over the years with numerous paid expansions and free updates. The game switched from a subscription model to free-to-play in 2010 and development on the game shifted from Turbine to Standing Stone Games, which is the current developer of the MMO.
The publisher of the game is Daybreak Games, which was recently acquired by Enad Global 7. During a recent investor presentation, the publisher said The Lord of the Rings Online is planning significant updates in 2022 to piggyback on Amazon’s TV show, and this includes potentially bringing the MMO to PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Best Buy has kicked off its latest sale, marking down a wide assortment of gaming, tech, and entertainment products through Thursday, April 22. Games featured in the sale include hits from last year such as Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Watch Dogs Legion, and Star Wars Squadrons. You can also save on some great smart TVs, including a Sony 65-inch 4K TV. Laptops and tablets for work and school are prominently featured, with deals on Lenovo and Microsoft Surface products. And if you’re looking for a new pair of headphones, multiple Beats models are steeply discounted. We’ve rounded up the highlights of Best Buy’s new sale below, but make sure to take a look at site to see everything available. For more deals, check out our roundup of the best deals available today.
If you’re willing to throw $2,000 at a TV, Samsung’s 82-inch 4K QLED smart TV is a really great option. It’s normally $2,600, so yes, you are saving a nice chunk of cash on this massive TV right now. Thanks to its QLED display, this Samsung TV is capable of displaying more vivid colors and has better contrast than the average LED TV. It runs in true 4K and has a 120Hz refresh rate. As a smart TV, you’ll have access to all of the most popular streaming apps. This particular Samsung TV is featured in our best 4K TVs for PS5 and Xbox Series X roundup. It supports HDMI 2.1, which helps further optimize games on the new consoles to provide the best picture possible.
Although this Sony 65-inch 4K TV doesn’t have HDMI 2.1, it’s still a solid budget option for PS5 and Xbox Series X. It produces a stunning 4K picture thanks to its fast processor and supports HDR and Dolby Vision. It’s also a Google-based smart TV, so you have access to all of the popular streaming apps out of the box.
If you’re in the market for a laptop for work or school, the Lenovo Yoga 7i is a versatile option thanks to its 2-in-1 design. Fitted with a 14-inch touchscreen, the Yoga 7i can operate as a laptop or a spacious Windows tablet. It features an Intel Evo Core i5 processor, 12GB of RAM, and a 512GB solid-state drive.
The Lava Red and Spring Yellow models of the Powerbeats Pro wireless earbuds are on sale for $90 off. These earbuds feature active noise-canceling tech as well as a design that’s water and sweat resistant. Since the Powerbeats Pro also have bands that wrap around your ears, they may be more comfortable for some users than more compact options like Apple’s AirPods.
If you prefer on-ear headphones, the Beats Solo Pro matte collection is on sale, too. Regularly $300, you can get the dark blue, light blue, and red headphones for $170 each. Beats Solo Pro headphones include a pair of modes, including one with active noise cancellation. The Solo Pro headphones have excellent acoustics, a rich tone, and impactful bass. They can run for up to 22 hours on a full charge.
Microsoft’s Surface lineup has featured some of the best tablets on the market for years. The compact design of the Surface Pro makes it great for those on the go who want a smaller device that still has the juice for productivity. Best Buy has marked down the Surface Pro 7 to just $599. This particular model comes with a 12.3-inch touchscreen, Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD. You also get a type cover, which provides a sleek keyboard and protection when you’re not using the tablet. This is an excellent option for students as well thanks to its reasonable price and quality performance.
Razer’s gaming peripherals are some of the best around, and the Razer Viper Ultimate Ultralight gaming mouse is no exception. With a 20K DPI optical sensor and a lightweight design, this Viper model is built for speed and precision. It has eight programmable buttons and an ambidextrous shape, so it’s great for all players across a wide variety of game genres. The Viper Ultimate Ultralight has a 70-hour battery life and comes with a charging dock that has rapid charging. The dock also has Razer’s Chroma RGB lighting to add a little flair to one of the more conventional Razer mouse designs.
If you’re looking to add a monitor to your setup, this LG monitor offers great performance without breaking the bank. Normally $200, you can snag this full HD monitor for $130 during the sale. It features a 24-inch LED display with FreeSync technology built in. Although this LG monitor would work well for gaming, if you’re looking for other options, check out our list of the best cheap gaming monitors.
Most TVs could use the help of a soundbar to provide a richer, fuller sound that immerses you in the action on screen. This stellar Samsung soundbar is on sale for $80 off during Best Buy’s sale. It’s a 2.1 channel soundbar with Dolby Audio and boasts an impactful 290W speaker and wireless subwoofer.
Celeste developer Extremely OK Games has revealed its next project. Titled Earthblade, the studio describes it as an exploration action game but says it’s still a while away from launch.
In a blog post, designer and director at Extremely OK Game, Maddy Thorson, explained that the studio had gone through three previous prototypes before eventually settling on what is now Earthblade. These prototypes weren’t bad but strayed too far into unknown territory for the studio to feel comfortable about finishing.
“Prototypes EXOK1–3 taught us a lot, but ultimately, we ventured way too far from our comfort zone for them to realistically ever get finished,” Thorson writes. “It took a while, but we feel like we’ve settled on the right compromise between the two with Earthblade.”
Thorson also says that the studio doesn’t want to take too long developing Earthblade, but cautioned that it will be sometime before more of the game is shown. With Celeste, the studio was liberal with sharing images and snippets of the game as it was developed. That won’t be the same for Earthblade.
Earthblade 🌷 Vibe reveal! (🔊sound on!) A 2D explor-action game in a seamless pixel art world. The next release from the Celeste team, coming 20XX. pic.twitter.com/ceAM80PEaG
“While making Celeste, we basically tweeted out whatever interesting-looking thing we were working on day-to-day, when we were in the mood for sharing,” Thorson continued. “But an air of mystery lends itself particularly well to this project, so we’ve opted to save it all up for a big reveal that will hopefully blow your socks off.”
For now, all that there is of Earthblade is what the studio calls a “vibe reveal”, with a single piece of concept art and a short riff of music from Celeste’s composer, Lena Raine.
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Actor and writer-director John Cameron Mitchell has been cast in the title role of NBC’s upcoming Joe Exotic series, according to Entertainment Weekly. Mitchell first came to mainstream prominence on the strength of his 2001 feature-length rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and has since been steadily proven himself capable of poignant turns as a director (GLOW) and a performer playing unhinged but principled jerks (Shrill, The Good Fight)–so there will likely be a lot of humanity, commitment, and strangeness he’ll bring to the role.
The NBC series was first announced last year, on the heels of the runaway popularity of Netflix’s Tiger King–also likely widely remembered as one of the first things people binged while in quarantine. Saturday Night Live’s Kate McKinnon was previously announced for this adaptation, in the Carole Baskin role, and the pair’s chemistry, respectively, as the infamous Oklahoma zoo owner and the self-described conservationist who exposed him, should be pretty fun to watch.
“I’m thrilled to take on the role of this modern folk antihero,” said Mitchell in a statement. “Joe and I are the same age, and like him, I grew up queer in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, so I feel like I know a little bit about this guy and his desperate attempt to conquer an inhospitable world.”
A premiere date has not yet been announced. The NBCUniversal show, whose working title is Joe Exotic, will be rolling out across three different NBCU platforms: NBC (a broadcast network), Peacock (a streaming service), and USA (a basic cable network). There’s currently also both a Joe Exotic documentary and an Amazon retelling of his story starring Nicolas Cage in the works.
