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Vaping Politician Pleads Guilty To Stealing Campaign Funds For Video Games, Plane Tickets For Rabbits

United States congressman Duncan Hunter, a Republican representative from California known for vaping on the job, has pleaded guilty to charges of using campaign funds to pay for things like video games and plane tickets for his pet rabbits. The Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California announced that Hunter admitted to the fact that he “knowingly and wilfully stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign funds that he and his wife used to maintain their lifestyle.”

Along with his wife, Hunter is said to have used more than $150,000 in campaign funds between 2010 and 2016 on things that benefitted his family’s “personal use and enjoyment.” Hunter is said to have partaken in “30 or more illegal transactions” related to this money.

The Hunters are said to have spent the stolen money on things like video games, Lego sets, fast food, movie tickets, shoes, and groceries. Beyond that, the attorney’s office said the Hunters also used the funds on international vacations and even plane tickets for their pet rabbits, whose names are Eggburt and Cadbury.

In 2016, it was reported that Hunter spent more than $1,000 on Steam video games. At the time, Hunter said his son made the charges and that the politician was trying to reverse them.

“This was a deliberate, years-long violation of the law,” assistant US attorney David Leshner said. “Congressman Hunter used the power of his position to fund a lifestyle out of his reach, unwittingly financed by those who put him there. His guilty plea entered today acknowledges and accepts responsibility for his conduct.”

Hunter was officially charged with conspiracy to steal campaign funds, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing has been set for March 17, 2020.

Hunter is known popularly as the politician who vapes during congressional sessions.

Half-Life: Alyx And Dota Underlords Work Mean Firewatch Dev’s Next Game Is On Hold

Half-Life: Alyx, the recently announced Half-Life VR game, is being worked on by several former members of Firewatch developer Campo Santo. The developer became a part of Valve last year, bringing their newly announced project, In the Valley of Gods, with them. While the game was initially announced for a 2019 release, it’s been over two years since anything was shown off, and shortly before the next Half-Life was shown off, people started to notice that several developers were removing references to In the Valley of Gods from their Twitter profiles. Fans feared that the game has been cancelled outright.

Now, in a statement to Polygon, Campo Santo co-founder Jake Rodkin has confirmed that the game is “on hold” while the team works on other projects. While this means that the game could be returned to, it’s not currently in active development, and still might be cancelled in the future.

“Developers from the former Campo Santo team have joined other projects at Valve, including Half-Life: Alyx,” Rodkin’s statement reads. “You hear a lot about how at Valve you can work on what you want. It turns out that’s true, and there’s a lot of work available. As we integrated ourselves into Valve it became clear there was a lot of valuable work to be done on Half-Life: Alyx. Some of us starting lending a hand, and have since become full-time on the project as it approaches launch.”

It’s not just Half-Life that the team are working on: several have moved over to Dota Underlords, while others are working on Steam itself. “So to answer your question as of today,” Rodkin continues, “In the Valley of Gods development is on hold—but it certainly feels like a project people can and may return to.”

In the Valley of the Gods sounded ambitious. If it ever happens, it will cast players as Rashida, an explorer and filmmaker in 1920s Egypt, seeking to document the first unveiling of the tomb of Queen Nefertiti alongside their partner Zora. Half-Life: Alyx, meanwhile, will release in March 2020.

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Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Stars Shoot Down A Romance Between Their Characters

Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker releases in cinemas on December 20, and more information is coming out as the cast and crew give interviews about the upcoming sci-fi blockbuster. In a discussion with Variety, stars Oscar Issac (Poe Dameron) and John Boyega (Finn) have confirmed that, despite what many fans might want or expect, the two do not share an on-screen romance in the trilogy’s final film.

“Personally, I kind of hoped and wished that maybe that would’ve been taken further in the other films, but I don’t have control,”, Issac told the site during a press junket. “It seemed like a natural progression, but sadly enough it’s a time when people are too afraid, I think, of…I don’t know what.” He says that he enjoys the ambiguity of the characters, “but if they would’ve been boyfriends, that would have been fun.” Boyega said that the pair were “platonic,” but also that they “always had a quite loving and open relationship in which it wouldn’t be too weird if it went beyond it.”

Oscar Issac has a history of discussing the potential for romance between the two characters, but Disney has very few canonically queer characters across its slate of cinematic blockbuster franchises–the first gay character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a side-character in Avengers: Endgame, although Tessa Thompson has confirmed that Valkyrie will be pursuing a queen in Thor: Love & Thunder. The Star Wars film series is yet to feature an openly queer character, although Orka and Flix from Star Wars: Resistance have been confirmed as a gay couple.

However, this could still change with The Rise of Skywalker, with Abrams hinting that there would be some LGBTQ representation in the movie. “In the case of the LGBTQ community, it was important to me that people who go to see this movie feel that they’re being represented in the film,” Abrams told Variety. Asked to elaborate, he replied, “I’m giving away nothing about what happens in the movie…but I did just say what I just said.”

We’re starting to get some idea of what happens in The Rise of Skywalker, but so many details about the film are still a mystery to us. The return of Palpatine is intended to tie the whole series together, and viewers of The Mandalorian will get another sneak peek before the movie releases.

Arrow: Season 8, Episode 7 Review

Warning: this review contains full spoilers for Arrow: Season 8, Episode 7! If you need a refresher on where we left off, here’s our review for Season 8, Episode 6.

“Purgatory” probably shouldn’t work as well as it does. Arrow already made its grand return to Lian Yu once before. The Season 5 finale dragged Ollie and his friends back to the island for a final battle with Adrian Chase. The result was (and still is), Arrow’s single best episode. “Purgatory” doesn’t quite reach that level, but it’s close enough. And in the process, Arrow proves Oliver Queen can still go home again.

Nintendo Switch Launching In China Next Week, Get All The Details Here

Nintendo has officially announced plans to release the Switch in one of the world’s most populous and gamer-rich countries, China. The hybrid console is launching on December 10 in China through a partnership with Chinese internet giant Tencent. The console is officially called the Tencent Nintendo Switch in China, according to analyst Daniel Ahmad who attended the news briefing today.

The console will carry a cost of RMB 2,099 ($300 USD) when it launches, and it comes bundled with a trial/demo version of New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe and a one-year warranty. Individual games are priced around RMB 299 ($42 USD).

Nintendo and Tencent are working with Chinese indie developers to launch their games on the platform. Check out the image below to see a rundown of partners.

The Tencent Nintendo Switch (Official Mainland China Ver.) will launch on December 10th 2019 for RMB 2,099 ($300).
It will come bundled with New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe and a 1 year warranty. pic.twitter.com/lcpWNfPUPC

— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) December 4, 2019

China is a massive country. It has a population of more than 1.3 billion, and its audience for gamer is bigger than the entire United States population.

China’s 13-year ban on game consoles ended in 2013, after which Sony and Microsoft brought their current-generation consoles to the country.

While China is now allowing game consoles to be sold, the country still has stringent rules pertaining to game content. Every title released in the country must be approved by the Ministry of Culture. The country does not allow any content that promotes or incites obscenity, drug use, violence, or gambling; games also can’t harm public ethics or China’s culture and traditions.

In addition to games developed by Nintendo, third party titles developed by overseas studios are currently being localised for the China market. Pending approval.
The exclusive Rabbids Party game from Ubisoft is listed here. pic.twitter.com/lcetsuSSB6

— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) December 4, 2019

Overseas game developers and Chinese game developers are working to create official versions of their games to be localised for the China market. Pending approval. pic.twitter.com/H2PXdb8Arq

— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) December 4, 2019

China enacted the console ban in 2000, blocking the sale of systems over concerns about potential harm to the physical and mental development of children. Touch-enabled devices and smartphones, like the iPhone and iPad, were allowed because they are not deemed gaming devices.

Nintendo has sold 41.67 million units worldwide and 246 million games thus far without China, so it will be interesting to see how these figures grow once the console launches there.

Here is the official advert / trailer for the Tencent Nintendo Switch (Official Mainland China ver.)that is launching Dec 10th for RMB 2,099. pic.twitter.com/gObv4HweSW

— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) December 4, 2019

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare’s Microtransaction Store Launches, Here’s What You Can Buy

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare expanded in a big way with the new Season One update that added a lot of new things, including a new map, Crash, as well as the new mode called Reinforce. Also new for Modern Warfare today is a suite of microtransaction offerings.

The in-game Store has now opened, and it offers up a number of microtransactions. In the Store tab of the multiplayer menu you’ll find a variety of things to buy, including Operator skins, charms, calling cards, stickers, and finishing moves. There are also new Blueprints available to purchase. Similar to Fortnite, these items are only available for a limited time.

All of the extra content, which is cosmetic only, can be purchased with Call of Duty Points. These are available in allotments from 200 Points ($2 USD) to 13,000 Points ($100 USD). Check out the images below to get a closer look at Modern Warfare’s microtransaction offerings.

Another form of microtransaction now available in Modern Warfare is the first Battle Pass, which costs 1,000 Call of Duty Points ($10 USD). All 100 tiers in the Battle Pass can be earned through gameplay (it’s estimated to take about 1 hour for each tier) or you can buy the Pass outright to unlock all the content right away. The tiers include all manner of different cosmetics and extras, along with two weapons. There is also a brand-new Operator, Mara, who is unlocked at Tier 100.

Modern Warfare launched on October 25, and up until this point there was no in-game store or Battle Pass.

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Super Monkey Ball Director Says There Might Be More Games If Banana Blitz HD Does Well

Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz HD recently returned the long-dormant series to modern consoles, albeit with a remaster of a Wii launch title rather than a brand new game. In an interview with Crunchyroll, director and producer Masao Shirosaki has said that this was the best option for the “limited time and budget” that they had, but that he’s hoping it will do well enough to ensure a future for the series.

“The Monkey Ball series is a very important IP for our studio,” Shirosaki says. He previously worked testing Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz for the PlayStation Vita, and has seen a lot of support for the series from fans since then. “Of course, I am aware that the most favored titles are the first two games,” he admits. “If there is enough support for Banana Blitz HD, this will open up doors for remaking the first two games or even a whole new title to the series. But for now, I’d be happy if everyone has fun playing Banana Blitz HD.” Super Monkey Ball and Super Monkey Ball 2 remain the pinnacle of the series for many players.

Shirosaki directly says that he hopes that next title he works on will be another Monkey Ball, once they’re done porting Banana Blitz HD to Steam. “As for my next project, I have many ideas in mind but my hope is to create a new Monkey Ball title,” he says. Shirosaki also worked on the Yakuza series, and when asked if those games could ever cross over into Monkey Ball, he says “if there’s an opportunity to create an all-new Monkey Ball title, I wouldn’t mind featuring Kiryu or Majima as guest characters.”

We gave Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz HD a 5/10 in our review, writing that “a glimmer of what made the series great remains, and it’s enough to make us hope that someday we get a new entry that properly returns the series to its roots.”

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Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker “Sneak Peek” Included With Upcoming Mandalorian Episode

One upcoming episode of the Star Wars TV show The Mandalorian will carry with it a special look at the next Star Wars movie. Collider has confirmed that the show’s upcoming seventh episode will feature a “sneak peek” at The Rise of Skywalker.

The episode is being released on Wednesday, December 18, instead of its usual Friday premiere. That’s because The Rise of Skywalker launches on a Friday–December 20. Disney has yet to confirm what time exactly Episode 7 of The Mandalorian will release.

Episode 7 was directed by Deborah Chow, who also directed Episode 3, “The Sin,” and the upcoming Obi-Wan TV show. This episode may introduce Breaking Bad actor Giancarlo Esposito’s character, as images of the actor were included in the press materials obtained by Collider.

Esposito plays the character Moff Gideon. The Episode 7 synopsis alludes to his arrival. “An old rival extends an invitation for The Mandalorian to make peace,” it says.

The Mandalorian Episode 5 premieres on December 6, with Episode 6 coming December 13.

The Rise of Skywalker premieres December 20, and it’s expected to be a box office juggernaut. The film also wraps up decades’ worth of storytelling, and some of the main cast recently discussed what to expect from the film.

Diablo 4 Designer Discusses How Itemization Will Work And Some Major Changes Being Made

Diablo IV is still a long way away, but Blizzard has been teasing details about the upcoming RPG, including specific information about how its systems will work together. Now, a new post on the Diablo blog from David Kim, lead systems designer at Blizzard, has dived deep into elements of system design we can expect from the sequel.

The post discusses the “easy to learn, difficult to master” approach that Blizzard is taking this time, noting that they believe that in Diablo IV, “itemization should be deep and rewarding.” They want the game to take the best elements of Diablo II and III, but also to add its own new systems, and to feel distinct from both games. To that end, some major changes are being planned for several Diablo systems. All of these changes are just in consideration for now.

When looking at affixes, Blizzard decided that they wanted item affixes to be “a meaningful part of character power,” and that they should make the decision of what items to equip interesting. While previously they’ve focused on gearing affixes towards builds, they want to give players more freedom to choice what they affix, regardless of build. Here are the changes Kim writes are currently being considered:

We’re increasing the total number of affixes on items, including Magic (Blue), Rare (Yellow), and Legendary (Orange). This should raise the overall importance of non-Legendary affixes on your character’s overall level of power.
We are also introducing three new stats:
- Angelic Power, which increases the duration of all beneficial effects (like self-buffs or healing)
- Demonic Power, which increases the duration of all negative effects (like debuffs or damage over time)
- Ancestral Power, which increases the chance of on-hit effects (aka increased proc chance)

Changes are also being made to how you bulk up your attack and defense. In Diablo IV, weapons will only boost attack, armor will only boost defense, and jewelry will no longer boost either. “The goal here is to better embrace the fantasy of each type of item,” Kim says. It simplifies things somewhat, but there will be many other systems dictating your stats, and it’s good to have a clear idea if a weapon is an upgrade or not right away. At the same time, picking weapons and armor based purely on strength or defense will not be optimum, as items will contain other powers.

The third major point is that Ancient Legendaries are being replaced. A new consumable item will be introduced, although Blizzard isn’t ready to talk about it, and ultimately Blizzard is hoping that rare items with good affixes will retain their use and value because of this.

Diablo IV will also bring back talent trees and rune words, which were absent from Diablo III, and is aiming to be more replayable than its predecessor. From February 2020, we will receive quarterly updates on changes being made for the fourth game in the series.