Civilization VI will expand further on July 23 with the Ethiopia Pack, which is available as part of the New Frontier Pass or can be purchased separately for $5. This pack will introduce Ethiopia as a civilization, along with new buildings and a new district. It will also introduce a new mode, as long as you own the Rise and Fall or Gathering Storm expansions.

The new mode is called Secret Societies, and it--as you might expect--adds some secret societies to the game world. Discovering one of these societies will unlock a unique, extra-powerful Governor, whose bonuses do not need to be assigned to a specific city.

Once a society is uncovered, the player who found it becomes a member of that society for the rest of the game, and if you form an alliance with a player who is also a member your Alliance Points will accumulate faster, and you'll have better diplomacy options. Conversely, players in other societies are going to be your enemies.

Death Stranding is coming to PC on July 14, and at the time of writing a Steam/Epic Games Store release is just 12 hours away. The PC version is being published by 505 Games, and they've released a launch trailer to go over the improvements coming in the PC version, and to introduce some elements of the game to new players.

The trailer mixes together cutscenes and cinematic gameplay footage to capture the game's tone and some of its performances, and it shows off the game at 4K, presented in Ultrawide. It also shows off the game's new Very Hard difficulty setting and Half-Life collaborative items. It's also seems to be more-or-less spoiler free.

Today’s selection of articles from Kotaku’s reader-run community: Ten Songs That Prove K.K. Slider Is More Than “Bubblegum K.K.” and “K.K. Cruisin’” • Quick Review: Something Is Killing The Children • TAY Retro: Nintendo Entertainment System - Solar Jetman: Hunt for the Golden Warpship [TV Commercial, NA]

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Deadly Premonition 2 is out now for Switch, but some players of the long-anticipated game have found themselves disappointed over one particular aspect of the game--its treatment of a transgender character. Criticisms leveled against the game have pointed out that the game's characters, including the hero Francis, frequently misgender the character, or use their deadname (the name assigned at birth).

Because other dialog within the game positions Francis as an ally, and the game does not always explicitly frame these transphobic actions as wrong, many of the director's fans have been disappointed--especially after trans issues were explored with sensitivity in his previous game, The Missing.

Now, Swery has taken to Twitter to apologize and to promise that he will edit "that scene," although which scene he specifically means is unclear.

"I realized by pointed out from friends, I might have hurt transgender people in my scenario," he writes. "It wasn't intentional. I am really sorry for that."

In June, Microsoft made the surprise announcement that it was closing its streaming service Mixer, with high-profile streamers Ninja and Shroud leaving the platform to go elsewhere. Now, Spencer has spoken more about the decision to close Mixer, saying he has no regrets.

"It's obviously a disappointment when you try to grow something to the scale it needs to get to and you don't get there," Spencer told GI.biz. "I don't have regrets. You make decisions with the best information you have at the time, you apply your best effort, and we're in a creative industry. We are in a hits-driven industry."

Spencer said he's proud of Microsoft for being a company that is not afraid of trying new things, even when they don't work out. "That is just the art of making video games, and frankly game platforms," he said.

Microsoft has bold plans for its future in gaming. In addition to releasing the Xbox Series X this year, Microsoft is launching its game-streaming service, xCloud, to help reach a much bigger audience than the console market alone. In a new interview with GI.biz, Spencer spoke about this strategy and why it's essential to the company's plans to grow its gaming business in the future.

Spencer pointed out that Xbox Live is already in a good place with nearly 100 million monthly players across all platforms--including Xbox, PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. People who play Minecraft on Nintendo Switch must create an Xbox Live account to play the game on Nintendo's console. PS4 Minecraft players don't need an Xbox Live account, but they must have one to use cross-play. Microsoft is one of the biggest publishers on PS4 thanks to Minecraft.

Looking further out, Spencer said xCloud is critical to helping Microsoft reach a wider audience. Simply put, the console market has a ceiling--only so many people can or want to buy a console. With xCloud, Microsoft is bringing Xbox to the billions of mobile devices around the world.

Crysis Remastered is coming to Switch on July 23, and considering that the original 2007 game famously required a very powerful PC to run, many players are curious about how it will translate to Nintendo's hybrid console. Now, a new (very short) gameplay clip gives us some indication of how it will handle.

The three-second clip below, recorded directly from a Switch, shows off the Remastered edition's improved environment destruction and vegetation bending. There's a few other details to glean from it too--like the impressive draw distance--but three seconds isn't much to work with. Still, it confirms that the Switch iteration of the game seeks to improve on the 2007 powerhouse, when often Switch ports are more basic.

One of the surprises from Ubisoft Forward was the launch of an open beta on PC for Ubisoft's new battle royale game, Hyper Scape. However, fans in Oceania quickly noticed that the game offered a less-than-ideal experience--and that's because there apparently weren't many servers in the region.

In a bit of good news, Ubisoft has confirmed it's added a new data center in Australia to help players in the Oceania region have a smoother experience playing the game. The tweet also confirms that players don't need to do anything to access the Oceania servers--local players will be automatically added to them for matches.

Ubisoft has also confirmed that Hyper Scape has introduced new items, including the Javi Rebel skin and the matching Harpy and Pod skins. You can see these in the video below.

Swery issued a Deadly Premonition 2 apology in response to criticism over a trans character depiction and promised a rewrite.

The post Swery Issues Apology for Deadly Premonition 2’s Trans Character Depiction appeared first on Siliconera.

Ubisoft’s battle royale title Hyper Scape added new features and improvements to the game as it launched into open beta this past weekend.

The open beta offers a new mode called Crown Rush Solo, which is the regular Crown Rush mode but there are no teams. It is 100 players surviving until the end until one player grabs the crown in the final showdown phase and defends it alone.

Another new gameplay addition from the technical alpha test last week is the Harpy submachine gun. The new gun can cause a lot of damage at short range with a fast reload speed, no extra spread penalty for sprinting or jumping, but has a limited magazine.

Players can also find a new Hack called Shockwave, which sends other players flying back with a shockwave area of effect or can be used to travel when thrown.

The open beta also adds the new Haste in-game event that increases the speed of all players in a match. Meanwhile, the Low Gravity event had its duration reduced after it being a popular choice with viewers, but less so with streamers.

The Hyper Scape open beta is only available on PC, though console users will be able to earn Battle Pass points for the free 30-tier pass by watching Hyper Scape streams and having Uplay and Twitch accounts linked. Check out the full list of changes in the official patch notes.

Yen Press picked up the Kingdom Hearts 3 manga. The first volume will appear in English in November 2020.

The post Kingdom Hearts III Manga Volume 1 Will Appear in English in November appeared first on Siliconera.

The list of returning characters in Mary Skelter Finale continues to grow. This time, Mamoru, Hikari, Kaede, Itsuki, and Takumi were re-introduced.

The post Mary Skelter Finale Brings Back Mamoru, Hikari, Kaede, Itsuki, and Takumi appeared first on Siliconera.

He’s cake! He’s really cake!

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We're looking for a Graphics Engineer who's passionate about building extraordinary new experiences that inspire others. You'll play a crucial role in bringing our first title to life. ...

Social distancing simulator Death Stranding launches on PC tomorrow but Kojima Productions have delivered a launch trailer today. If you’ve been waiting to get your postman parkour on in full 4K resolutions, the time has nearly arrived. Bridge man Sam is all packed up and ready to cart that cargo all over post apocalyptic America starting tomorrow, July 14th.

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Designing a tool for browsing Steam games "Wikipedia binge" style. ...

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Now that its Super Mario line is completely revealed and ready to launch, Lego is teasing another Nintendo collaboration. Posted today on its Twitter page, the silhouette appears to be an NES console with a retro television ripped straight from the '80s.

Are you ready to play like never before? pic.twitter.com/XuNFD7rP0B

— LEGO (@LEGO_Group) July 13, 2020

Fortunately, we don't have to wait to see what the final product looks like, as VJGamer has posted images alleging to be a leaked unit of the construction kit. The set appears to allow you to build not only a to-scale NES, but also the controller and television set. The TV also appears to have some interactive elements thanks to the crank on the side. To see the full gallery of images, head to VJGamer's story.

Exploring the answers to questions like 'How much can I earn as an indie solo developer?' and 'How much does a typical indie game earn in its lifetime?' ...

Valve has shared a bit of a rapid fire micro-postmortem of Steam Labs' first-year experiments, offering devs a look at how certain creations evolved through feedback and which features were left on the cutting room floor. ...

Prophecy is a three-person mini-raid full of gorgeous skyboxes and fun puzzles, both of which are on full display in a recent speedrun in which players cleared the Destiny 2 dungeon in just over eight minutes.

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Today developer and publisher, GungHo Online Entertainment, announced that its free-to-play multiplayer arena brawler, Ninjala, has reached a major milestone by reaching over three million downloads on the Nintendo Switch eShop.

Late last month, GungHo Online gave away a free gift of 100 Jala to all Ninjala players to celebrate two million downloads. And just like the previous achievement, the company is giving away yet another 100 Jala as another thank you present.

The celebration will continue until Aug 26, so if you’ve yet to download Ninjala, make sure to check it out now.

I recently reviewed Ninjala for Twinfinite and scored it a 4/5, praising its charming art style, customization options, and combat system. You can also check out a guide on how to parry and how to get Jala fast.

Oh, and here’s a tips and tricks guide for newbies!

The post Free-to-Play Switch Exclusive, Ninjala, Hits 3 Million Downloads appeared first on Twinfinite.

You know the quote. It has various edits and permutations, but here’s one you’ve probably heard:

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Eagle Dynamics and third-party developer Ugra Media will soon launch an ambition add-on to the realistic combat flight simulator DCS World.

The add-on is simply called DCS: Syria Map and it does what it says on the tin, adding a really detailed rendition of Syria to the world of the game

The developers have started showing the map off in new videos, and it’s really impressive, especially the city of Damascus which was showcased in a video released today.

You can check out five videos below from both Eagle Dynamics’ and Ugra Media’s own channels. 

In all this talk about Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s viking blokes in boats, I’d almost forgotten about Ubisoft’s other boats game. Ships, pardon me. Skull & Bones is the pirate-themed naval combat game they announced yonks back in 2017. It’s not scuttled yet, apparently, but may be changing course to a live service game.

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In today's contest you can win a physical PS4 copy of Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack! Enter now--we've only got two!

The post Contest: Win a physical PS4 copy of Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack appeared first on Siliconera.

We may be on the precipice of a brand new console generation with the PlayStation 5 around the corner (and a new controller to boot), but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy your PlayStation 4. If you, like many of us, have a ridiculous backlog, you’re probably starting to work through it to prepare for the next…

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A new, limited-time pre-order window starts now

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Join in on this free webinar to learn about modern threats to multiplayer games and how Denuvo Anti-Cheat addresses those threats without requiring modification of the game's source code. ...

Good clues are hard to come by

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At first, you had to be signed in with your Uplay during Ubisoft Forward, then you didn’t. Then we found out that not everyone will be getting it right away. It’s a bit of a mess born out of a well-intentioned giveaway. But that’s why we’re here to help you figure out how to get Watch Dogs 2 for free on PC.

How to Get Watch Dogs 2 for Free on PC

If you missed out on Ubisoft Forward, then you’re still in luck. As was mentioned earlier, this was supposed to be a gift for those who watched the digital presentation on June 12.

But Uplay crashed due to an overwhelming response from PC gamers who were trying to get their hands on a free copy of Watch Dogs 2. Ubisoft then announced on Twitter that even those who couldn’t log in during the event would still get their game.

EA's explosive shooter Rocket Arena arrives tomorrow, July 14, on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. Rockets, abilities, and items combine to form a volatile environment in a multitude of game modes, with 3v3 action being the standard style of play.

In Knockout, you blow your opponents out of the arena in the form of a rocket-fueled "ring out". Rocketball is similar to a capture the flag experience with sporty goals that you have to blast the "flag" ball through. Mega Rocket tasks you with zone domination and capture mechanics, and treasure hunt makes the cash-carrier a big target as they rack up the score.

While rockets are the name of the game, each character also has a selection of signature abilities to help win the day. Grappling hooks, snow globes, artillery strikes, bouncing bombs, and even a bola snare are just some of the many skills you can use to help your rocket barrages win the day.

Watch the launch trailer below!

GungHo Online's free-to-play online brawler Ninjala has officially surpassed 3 million downloads worldwide.  ...

How are we feeling about Square Enix's mobile version of the SaGa series? Let's talk about our fav Romancing SaGa Re univerSe characters!

The post Singling Out Some Romancing SaGa Re;univerSe Characters With Potential appeared first on Siliconera.

Welcome to Ask Kotaku, a new weekly feature in which Kotaku’s rank and file weigh in on the burning questions of our time. Each query is a crucible on which nerds and giants clash, monumental contests of wit, that...well, OK. It’s just another excuse to talk vidya games. You down?

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While Death Stranding may be a divisive experience, it's coming to PC tomorrow, where players can tinker with settings and get Norman Reedus looking really spiffy in a strange, broken world. Ready to pack up and transport cargo? 

Death Stranding gets a whole new potential audience as it heads to PC, and one can only imagine what absurd mods that people will attempt to cobble together to make the experience wild and whimsical. Stuff like invincibility or unlimited inventory are inevitable, but I personally can't wait to see Thomas the Tank Engine, a giant duck, or Solaire make their way into the game via all that good PC mod meddling. Check out the trailer below!