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SpeakerChat for 05/15/20: Spaced Learning – Why It’s So Good & How to Get Started

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Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 11:10:03 +0000

We're bringing you something new: SpeakerChat. This event is both a way to revisit some great eLearning Guild content from a recorded session while also […]

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XR for Learning Weekly – April 29, 2020

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Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 11:11:03 +0000

Augmented, Virtual, and other mixed reality technologies are rapidly emerging and advancing, creating new and exciting opportunities for training and education. XR for Learning Weekly […]

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XR for Learning Weekly – April 22, 2020

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Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 11:13:03 +0000

Augmented, Virtual, and other mixed reality technologies are rapidly emerging and advancing, creating new and exciting opportunities for training and education. XR for Learning Weekly […]

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How to Measure Video Marketing Impact + KPIs for Every Team’s Video Program

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Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 14:50:03 +0000

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A Practical Guide to Personalized Video Strategy (+ 5 Interactivity Types For Your Brand’s Videos)

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Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 14:51:03 +0000

There’s the technical definition of personalized marketing: the collection and analysis of prospect data to implement an enterprise marketing strategy for custom segments And then […]

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Fundamentals for Creating a Shoppable Interactive Video for eCommerce

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Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 14:54:03 +0000

(function () { var vjs = videojs("hapyak-player-225918-6090"); vjs.one("loadedmetadata", function () { hapyak.viewer({ apiKey: "dd426e8a5f6c45db9ca6", projectId: 225918, plugins: { annotationSources: {"brightcove.cuepoints": true} }, resetVariables: true, player: […]

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Coronavirus in Delhi : 384 नए मामले आए सामने, चार की मौत, कुल संक्रमितों की संख्या 4122 हुई

By www.amarujala.com
Published On :: Sat, 02 May 2020 11:04:10 +0530

दिल्ली-एनसीआर समेत पूरे देश में लॉकडाउन का दूसरा चरण 3 मई को खत्म हो जाएगा और 4 मई से इसका तीसरा चरण शुरू हो जाएगा। लेकिन लॉकडाउन के लंबे दौर के बाद भी कोरोना संक्रमितों के आंकड़े लगातार बढ़ रहे हैंं, पढ़ें दिनभर के अपडेट्स...


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Coronavirus in Gurugram  : प्रशासन 6 और इलाकों को कंटेनमेंट जोन घोषित किया, कुल संख्या 24 हुई  

By www.amarujala.com
Published On :: Mon, 04 May 2020 10:44:35 +0530

गुरुग्राम जिला प्रशासन ने कोरोना वायरस के प्रसार को रोकने के लिए छह और इलाकों को कंटेनमेंट जोन घोषित कर दिया है।


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Coronavirus in Bihar Sharif: महताब ने जीती कोरोना से जंग, बीमारी का डटकर मुकाबला करने की अपील

By www.amarujala.com
Published On :: Wed, 22 Apr 2020 08:51:59 +0530

जानलेवा महामारी कोरोना वायरस से संक्रमित बिहार के बिहार शरीफ के रहने वाले महताब आलम संक्रमण से मुक्त हो गए हैं।


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Coronavirus in Bihar: बिहार में 536 कोरोना संक्रमित, सरकार का 350 डॉक्टरों को कारण बताओ नोटिस

By www.amarujala.com
Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 03:32:32 +0530

बिहार के पूर्णिया जिले में बुधवार को कोरोना संक्रमण का एक नया मामला प्रकाश में आने के साथ प्रदेश में कोविड-19 के मामले अब बढकर 536 हो गए हैं।


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Coronavirus in Bihar: बिहार में छह नए मामले, संक्रमितों की संख्या बढ़कर 556 हुई

By www.amarujala.com
Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 01:02:04 +0530

बिहार के समस्तीपुर जिले में शुक्रवार को कोरोना वायरस संक्रमण के छह नये मामले सामने आने के बाद प्रदेश में कोविड-19 से संक्रमित लोगों की संख्या बढ़कर 556 हो गई है।


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Coronavirus in Bihar: बिहार में मिलिट्री पुलिस के पांच कर्मी कोरोना पॉजिटिव, संक्रमितों की संख्या 579 हुई

By www.amarujala.com
Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 03:06:18 +0530

बिहार मिलिट्री पुलिस (बीएमपी) के पांच कर्मी कोरोना वायरस से संक्रमित पाए गए हैं जिसके बाद राज्य में संक्रमितों की कुल संख्या बढ़कर 579 हो गई है।


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Coronavirus in Uttarakhand : ठीक हुए छह और संक्रमित, अब रह गए 17 एक्टिव केस

By www.amarujala.com
Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 06:41:45 +0530

उत्तराखंड में छह और कोरोना पॉजिटिव मरीज ठीक हो चुके हैं। अब राज्य में 45 मरीज ठीक हो चुके हैं। वहीं राज्य में कुल पॉजिटिव मरीजों की संख्या 61 है।


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Coronavirus in Uttarakhand : ऊधमसिंह नगर में आज मिले चार नए संक्रमित, कुल मरीजों की संख्या 67

By www.amarujala.com
Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 06:31:58 +0530

उत्तराखंड के ऊधमसिंह नगर जिले में शनिवार को चार नए मामले सामने आए हैं। अब राज्य में कुछ मरीजों की संख्या 67 हो गई है।


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Parenting Tips: जिद्दी बच्चे को समझदार बनाने के लिए अपनाएं ये तरीके

By www.amarujala.com
Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 07:57:56 +0530

मां-बाप अपने बच्चों की खुशियों के लिए कई तरह के छोटे बड़े त्याग करते रहते हैं। बच्चों की हर जिद्द पूरी करते हैं। ऐसे में बच्चे ज्यादा जिद्दी होते जाते हैं।


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Coronavirus in India Live Updates: बीएसएफ में 35 और नए मामले, संक्रमितों की संख्या 250 के पार

By www.amarujala.com
Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 09:14:11 +0530

वैश्विक महामारी कोरोना वायरस से निपटने के लिए लगाया गया लॉकडाउन जारी है। आज लॉकडाउन 3.0 का छठा दिन है। वहीं, देशभर में संक्रमित मरीजों की संख्या में लगातार बढ़ोतरी हो रही है


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वीडियो: पिता की कार में Lamborghini खरीदने जा रहा था, पुलिस कार में यह देखकर चौंक गई

By www.amarujala.com
Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 09:17:07 +0530

अमेरिका के हाईवे पर सोमवार को संदिग्ध चाल वाली एक कार को रोका गया, तो ड्राइवर की सीट पर एक 5 वर्षीय लड़के को देखने पर पुलिसकर्मी चौंक गया। यूटा राजमार्ग गश्ती दल ने इस घटना के बारे में सोशल मीडिया पर जानकारी दी।


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इंटरनेट पर छा गई कस्टमाइज्ड Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, 'Tamraj' का लुक कर देगा दीवाना

By www.amarujala.com
Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 02:19:22 +0530

Royal Enfield (रॉयल एनफील्ड) मोटरसाइकिल बाइकर्स की पसंद होने के साथ साथ बाइक मॉडिफाई करने वालों में भी लोकप्रिय है। देशभर में ऐसी कई स्टार्ट-अप कंपनियां खुल गई हैं जिन्हें एनफील्ड को कस्टमाइज करने में महारथ हासिल हैं।


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Mahindra ऑनलाइन भी बेचेगी गाड़ियां, कंपनी का दावा- पिज्जा डिलीवरी होने से कम समय में ग्राहक खरीद सकेंगे वाहन

By www.amarujala.com
Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 08:00:44 +0530

Mahindra and Mahindra (महिंद्रा एंड महिंद्रा) ने देश में अपनी पैसेंजर गाड़ियों की बिक्री के लिए अपना ऑनलाइन प्लेटफॉर्म लॉन्च करने की घोषणा की है। कार खरीदने की प्रक्रिया शुरुआत से लेकर अंत तक इस ऑनलाइन प्लेटफॉर्म के जरिए पूरी होगी। 


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Justin Trudeau should lift Canada's economic sanctions now

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Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 00:09:19 +0000

Ken Stone

On March 23, UN Secretary-General António Guterres appealed to G20 leaders: "I am encouraging the waiving of (economic) sanctions imposed on countries to ensure access to food, essential health supplies, and COVID-19 medical support. This is the time for solidarity not exclusion ... Let us remember that we are only as strong as the weakest health system in our interconnected world." At the same time, AP News reported, ambassadors of eight countries currently affected by economic sanctions -- namely, Cuba, Iran, Venezuela, Syria, Nicaragua, China, Russia and North Korea -- petitioned the secretary-general for "the immediate and complete lifting of those measures to enable nations to respond to the coronavirus pandemic." 

Regrettably, so far the wealthy and powerful countries of the world haven't heeded the secretary-general's call to loosen the screws on the weaker and poorer ones. They also ignored a similar appeal by Pope Francis in his Easter address. On the contrary, President Trump actually weaponized the pandemic by instituting further sanctions on both Iran and Venezuela, countries already targeted for regime change. 

In Canada, however, two peace groups, the Hamilton Coalition to Stop the War and le Mouvement Québécois pour la paix, sent an open letter signed by 100 prominent Canadians to Trudeau asking him to lift all of Canada's economic sanctions now. 

Unknown to most Canadians, Trudeau's government maintains economic sanctions regimes against 20 countries of the world, including nine African countries. In fact, under the Harper government in Ottawa in June 2013, Canada co-ordinated economic sanctions for the U.S.-led coalition of countries participating in the regime change operation against Syria. Similarly, under the Trudeau government, Canada helped lead the Lima Group in organizing multilateral sanctions against Venezuela. 

Canada typically applies five types of sanctions: arms embargoes, asset freezes, import-export restrictions, financial prohibitions and technical assistance prohibitions. Not all sanctioned countries feel the full weight of all five. However, some countries do: Iran, Syria, North Korea and Libya. 

The effect on the targeted country is crippling. The first result is usually a drastic decline in its currency's value, which translates into ordinary people being unable to put food on the table for their children. Then follow other crises for working people: unemployment due to closing markets for the country's exports and the inability to get spare parts; inability to receive payments from relatives abroad because the international banking system excludes the targeted country; the closing down of whole industries, such as tourism, because access to credit cards or even air access to national airports, as in the case of Syria, is turned off by the sanctioners.

Supporters will point out that sanction regimes generally exclude food and medical supplies. However, international trade requires financing through banks which are subject to penalties in the U.S., for example for trading with Iran, even though the participating bank may be domiciled in a country that has lifted its sanctions on Iran. This practice by the U.S. is called extraterritoriality.

Some have likened economic sanctions to acts of war and compared them to sieges of medieval towns in which the besiegers hope to make life so difficult for the besieged that they rise up against their feudal lords and open the gates. The comparison isn't far off since the brunt of sanctions aren't felt so much by the targeted countries' ruling elites but rather their civilian populations. A monstrous example was the decade of UN sanctions against Iraq between the First and Second Gulf Wars. Between 1992 and 2000, 500,000 Iraqi children perished from lack of food and medicines. But Madeleine Albright, former U.S. secretary of state in the Clinton administration, famously quipped that it was "worth it."  It was worth it to Albright because sanctions were part of U.S. foreign policy to soften up Iraq in preparation for the Anglo-American invasion and occupation of 2003 which continues today.

Notably, coercive economic measures are not levelled against U.S. client states, no matter the enormity of their crimes. Israel, which turned Gaza into the world’s largest open air prison and is annexing the West Bank, and Saudi Arabia, which wages a bloody war on Yemen and murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, don't worry about sanctions.

Under international law, economic sanctions are acts of war. That's why the UN charter restricts the power to level sanctions exclusively to the UN Security Council. That also explains why Canada's unilateral sanctions against 19 countries are illegal. Only in the case of North Korea are Canada's regime of a full spectrum of coercive measures explicable under international law.

While Trudeau tries to play the competent caring leader in his daily COVID-19 press conferences, he cannot ignore the damage he is doing to the efforts to fight the novel coronavirus in 20 of the world's poorest countries, and indeed to the global effort.

Ken Stone is a longtime peace, social justice, labour, anti-racist and environmental activist-resident in Hamilton, Ontario. He is treasurer of the Hamilton Coalition To Stop The War and executive member of the Syria Solidarity Movement.

Image: CanadianPM/Video Screenshot/Twitter


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Donald Trump can't mask his message to Indian country: 'Live and let die'

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Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 01:09:29 +0000

Indigenous Rights
US Politics

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the Diné/Navajo people hard, inflicting the highest per capita infection rate in the country after New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts. The Navajo Nation is the largest reservation in the country, larger than West Virginia, straddling Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. Half of the over 300,000 enrolled members reside on the reservation. Navajo President Jonathan Nez has issued some of the strongest stay-at-home measures in the country, including a weekday evening curfew and a complete, stay-at-home curfew for the entire weekend. Nearby Gallup, New Mexico, with a large Diné population, has enacted a complete lockdown, with the National Guard prohibiting entry.

As of May 5, despite these efforts, there were 2,559 confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Navajo Nation and 79 deaths. Among the victims, 28-year-old Valentina Blackhorse, a beloved champion of Navajo culture and a community leader. She left behind her partner, Robby Jones, and their one-year-old daughter, Poet.

"She really loved her family -- her parents, her sisters, her nieces and nephews. She loved her elderly. She loved children," Jones said Tuesday on the Democracy Now! news hour. "She was a kind and hardworking lady, and she was warmhearted. She would do anything for her family."

Jones is a detention officer with the Navajo Department of Corrections, and contracted COVID-19 at work. "When she was taking care of me, I guess she contracted it," he said. "She started showing symptoms -- shortness of breath, body aches, loss of taste and smell. By the time I started feeling better … that's when she started feeling sick."

Valentina Blackhorse tested positive for COVID-19 on April 22. She died the next day. She had won numerous pageants, being named Miss Western Navajo and Miss Diné College, among others, and hoped to run for office in the Navajo Nation government one day.

Dr. Michelle Tom, a member of the Navajo Nation, is a family physician in Winslow, Arizona, just across the Navajo reservation line. She spoke about Valentina's death on Democracy Now!: "It's a reflection of what we're going through as a people, and it correlates with what this virus can do to our young and someone who was very motivated, loved our culture, spread our rich and strong culture, and our language. That's what we're trying to fight for," she said, adding, "She was going to lead our next generation. It was a hard loss for our community."

The Navajo Nation, along with the nearby Hopi, Pueblo, Zuni and Gila River Indigenous communities, have endured despite centuries of genocide, oppression and systemic racism and poverty. The novel coronavirus pandemic is afflicting them disproportionately, as it has African American and Latinx populations across the U.S. Access to water is challenging on the Navajo reservation.

"That's from a long state of histories with treaties and our relationship with the [federal] government," Dr. Michelle Tom explained. "Our infrastructure for water has never been at the capacity where we can provide water for everyone on the reservation. So, you're telling people to wash your hands for 20 seconds, and yet people are trying just to get water just to drink and to cook with."

President Donald Trump made a rare trip Tuesday, visiting an Arizona N95 mask factory, where he ignored factory rules by not wearing a mask. Guns 'N Roses blared from a factory sound system, playing the song Live and Let Die. It's not clear if it was a coincidental music choice or not.

Trump also met with elected officials, including Navajo Nation Vice President Myron Lizer. The Navajo Nation joined a lawsuit filed by numerous native tribes against Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, for his abject failure in disbursing $8 billion promised to Native American tribes in the CARES Act.

"The amount of money that’s being sent to 'Indian country,' as we call it, is the largest amount in the history of the U.S. And you deserve it. And you've been through a lot," Trump said to VP Lizer. "The Navajo Nation will soon receive over $600 million. That's a lot. Should I renegotiate that? Can we renegotiate that?" (Laughter.)

There was no laughter back on the Navajo Nation. "Today, the federal government announced that they intend to release a portion of funds appropriated by Congress over one month ago to tribes to help fight COVID-19, but I'll believe it when I see it," President Jonathan Nez, who himself tested positive for the virus, replied. "We couldn't sit around and wait for those dollars, so we've had boots on the ground in nearly 20 communities giving out food, water, firewood, protective masks and other supplies … We lost many of our beloved relatives and family members to this virus, but our teachings also tell us to move forward. We will and we are."

Amy Goodman is the host of Democracy Now!, a daily international TV/radio news hour airing on more than 1,300 stations. She is the co-author, with Denis Moynihan, of The Silenced Majority, a New York Times bestseller. This column originally appeared on Democracy Now!

Image: Shealah Craighead/The White House/Flickr

COVID-19
Navajo Nation
Donald J. Trump
Amy Goodman
Denis Moynihan
May 7, 2020
Health Canada warns Canadians not to take Donald Trump's medical advice
Clinical trials are taking place right now to assess the effectiveness -- and potential side effects -- of chloroquine as treatment for COVID-19 patients. None of those trials are, as yet, conclusive.
Large-scale resource extraction exacerbates the threat of COVID-19 across the American hemisphere
The grave threat posed by COVID-19 across the American hemisphere, especially to Indigenous peoples, is exacerbated by extractivism.
Federal pandemic funds for First Nations woefully inadequate
The least Canada can do is step up and work with First Nations to implement a more fulsome response that is grounded in the human rights of First Nations.


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Jason Kenney calls Elizabeth May, Yves-François Blanchet 'un-Canadian,' accuses them of 'blaming the victim'

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Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 05:49:23 +0000

David J. Climenhaga

Now that Premier Jason Kenney has declared it "un-Canadian" to say oil is dead, I wonder if it's OK to admit Alberta's fossil fuel industry is on the ropes?

Probably. Kenney said as much himself in a remarkable rant yesterday directed at the parliamentary leader of the Bloc Québécois and the former leader of the Green Party of Canada.

But if you don't want to be accused of un-Canadian activities, you'd better make it clear none of these troubles are the fault of anything that's ever been done by any Alberta government, except perhaps the NDP's, and especially not by the United Conservative Party Kenney leads.

There is acceptable speech in Alberta, you see, and it doesn't include saying that oil is done like dinner, which is probably not true just yet, but is nevertheless a position that can be argued in respectable company almost anywhere else in the world, including a number of countries known for producing what Kenney rather sophomorically calls "dictator oil."

As has become his practice lately, Kenney took over Chief Medical Officer of Health Deena Hinshaw's daily COVID-19 briefing in Edmonton yesterday afternoon for the sustained blast of gaslighting he directed at Yves-François Blanchet and Elizabeth May.

Blanchet had dared to suggest at a news conference Wednesday that oil "is never coming back" (uttered en francais, bien sûr) and that Ottawa's bailout package should really be directed at "something which is more green." May, for her part, opined at the same event that "oil is dead."

Specifically, the MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands told the media: "My heart bleeds for people who believe the sector is going to come back. It's not. Oil is dead and for people in the sector, it's very important there be just transition funds." This may be wrong, but outside Alberta I doubt it sounds like a stab in the back or a curb-stomping.

Nevertheless, that is what sent Kenney over the edge, in a calculated sort of way, responding to a set-up question provided by Calgary Sun political columnist Rick Bell, who can be counted on to get the first question at one of Hinshaw's frequently hijacked news conferences.

"I just think it's deeply regrettable that we would see national political leaders piling on Albertans and energy workers at a time of great trial for us," Kenney said piously, opening what appeared to be a carefully rehearsed answer. "This is the opposite of leadership. Leaders should be seeking to bring us together, not to divide us."

This is a bit of an irony, of course, coming from a premier who has been ginning up an Alberta separatist threat for months while denying the oil industry had anywhere to go but up, but let's just take it as a lesson in gaslighting 101.

In his remarks, Kenney trotted out benefits he said have been conferred on Quebec by Alberta's oil industry, noted the province's equalization complaints, blamed "predatory actions" by OPEC countries that "want to dominate the world with dictator oil," reminded Quebeckers they like to drive cars and go on airplane trips, and totted up the medical equipment recently sent by Alberta to other provinces.

Having said it in English, he said it over again in French.

Tsk-tsking and shaking his head, Kenney declared, "I would say to Mr. Blanchet and Madam May: Please stop kickin' us while we're down!"

"These attacks on our natural resource industries are unwarranted, they are divisive, they're, I believe, in a way, un-Canadian at a time like this. It's like blaming the victim!" (Italics added for emphasis. And, yes, Kenney really said that.)

Premier Kenney also took particular umbrage at Blanchet's remark that Quebec receives a string of insults from Alberta -- although anyone who has paid attention to political discourse in this province for the last half century would have trouble refuting the claim.

After the news conference, backup was provided in columns filed by Bell and his Postmedia colleague Don Braid.

Bell pronounced Blanchet and May to be "the Bobbsey Twins of B.S." and the "deluded duo," and accused them of choosing "to kick Alberta when we're down" and indulging "in a little curb-stomping."

Braid, the Dinger's bookend of acceptable oilpatch opinion, charged them with "the foulest kind of cheap shot," to wit, saying "Alberta's oil and gas industry should be left prostrate in the dust with no help from the federal government."

Well, there you have it: the debased state of political discourse in Alberta in the plague year 2020. It's not reassuring.

David Climenhaga, author of the Alberta Diary blog, is a journalist, author, journalism teacher, poet and trade union communicator who has worked in senior writing and editing positions at The Globe and Mail and the Calgary Herald. This post also appears on his blog, AlbertaPolitics.ca.

Image: Screenshot of Government of Alberta video/YouTube


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Reclaiming Mother's Day as a day to oppose war and injustice

By feedproxy.google.com
Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 19:27:46 +0000

Brent Patterson

Mother's Day is this Sunday, May 10.

What is sometimes forgotten at this time of the year is that Mother's Day has its roots in the feminist struggle against militarism and war.

Slate reports, "The women who originally celebrated Mother's Day conceived of it as an occasion to use their status as mothers to protest injustice and war ... In 1870, after witnessing the bloody Civil War, Julia Ward Howe -- a Boston pacifist, poet, and suffragist who wrote the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" -- proclaimed a special day for mothers to oppose war."

Her original proclamation for the day states, "From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says, 'Disarm, disarm! The sword is not the balance of justice.' Blood does not wipe out dishonor nor violence indicate possession."

National Geographic adds, Howe "promoted a Mothers' Peace Day beginning in 1872. For Howe and other antiwar activists ... Mother's Day was a way to promote global unity after the horrors of the American Civil War and Europe's Franco-Prussian War."

And Jacobin magazine's Branko Marcetic notes, "At its 1874 anniversary, participants sang songs and read papers, including one calling for the abolition of standing armies and war armaments and the creation of a system for universal peace arbitration."

While Mother's Day was recognized officially in the United States in 1914, the message behind the day appears to have been largely lost by 1917.

Time reports, "When the United States joined World War I in 1917, and the war propaganda machine revved up, the burst of patriotism came with a renewed appreciation for mothers. Women were hailed both for raising the soldiers who were on the front lines and for the work they were doing on the home front, such as running fundraisers for the Red Cross. Mother's Day was a way to thank these women for their service."

Over the past 100 years, the day has become increasingly commercialized and sentimentalized. It has been estimated that Canadians spend about $492 million on flowers, cards and gifts for Mother's Day each year. Imagine if even a fraction of that was spent on challenging patriarchy, militarism, weapons and war.

This Mother's Day, let us work to reclaim the radical origins of the day, challenge war and militarism, and strive to deepen our understanding of the intersectionality between feminism, social justice, care for Mother Earth and peace.

Brent Patterson is the Executive Director of Peace Brigades International-Canada. This article originally appeared on the PBI-Canada website. Follow @PBIcanada @CBrentPatterson on Twitter.

Image: bravenewfoundation/Video Screenshot/YouTube


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Ignoring plea from UN, Justin Trudeau refuses to lift sanctions on poor nations during pandemic

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Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 20:38:28 +0000

Politics in Canada

These days, any national leader not actively urging their citizens to drink disinfectant is managing to look (relatively) good on the world stage.

Certainly, compared to the neurotic leadership south of the border, Justin Trudeau has emerged as a steady hand on the tiller, quickly providing Canadians with a wide economic safety net and behaving like an adult in the crisis.

So it's all the more disappointing that, out of the limelight, he's doing a great deal to make the situation worse during this pandemic for some of the most vulnerable people on the planet.

I'm referring to the prime minister's decision to ignore a plea last month from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres -- and the Pope -- for nations to lift sanctions against other nations in order to help some of the weakest and poorest countries cope with the coronavirus crisis.

That sounds like a reasonable request, under the circumstances.

Indeed, even if we don't care about the world's vulnerable people, helping them deal with the crisis is in our interests too. As the UN leader noted: "Let us remember that we are only as strong as the weakest health system in our interconnected world."

Yet Canada, ignoring the plea from the UN's highest official, continues in the midst of the pandemic to impose sanctions on 20 nations, including Lebanon, Venezuela, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Nicaragua and Yemen.

While Canada's sanctions are typically aimed at punishing the regimes running these countries, the impact of the sanctions falls primarily on ordinary citizens, according to Atif Kubursi, professor emeritus of economics at McMaster University.

Kubursi, who also served as a UN under-secretary-general and has extensive UN experience in the Middle East and Asia, says the impact of Canada's sanctions on the people in these countries is devastating.

While the sanctions often appear to be directed exclusively at military items, they frequently end up being applied to virtually all goods -- including spare parts needed to operate machinery in hospitals and pharmaceutical companies, notes Kubursi, who signed a letter from prominent Canadians to Trudeau requesting the lifting of sanctions.

For instance, if a Syrian businessman wants to buy Canadian products, he has to open an account for the transaction. But Kubursi says the Canadian government instructs Canadian banks not to allow such accounts for the purposes of trade with Syria -- no matter how benign the Canadian product may be, or how urgently it might be needed in Syria.

For that matter, Ottawa's sanctions prevent Canadians from using our banks or financial services to transfer money to Syria -- for instance, to family members living in Syria.

The impact of sanctions, while always painful, is particularly deadly during the pandemic, when even advanced nations have struggled to obtain life-saving equipment.

While Canada's sanctions mostly date back to the Harper era or earlier, the Trudeau government has generally maintained them and even added new ones against Venezuela.

Ottawa's sanctions appear primarily aimed at appeasing the U.S., which ruthlessly enforces sanctions against regimes it wishes to destabilize or overthrow. Washington also punishes countries and companies that don't co-operate with its sanctions.

Ottawa's willingness to fall in line behind Washington is reflected in the fact it doesn't impose sanctions against U.S allies Saudi Arabia or Israel, despite Saudi Arabia's brutal murder of dissident Jamal Khashoggi and Israel's illegal occupation of the West Bank. Even Israel's announcement that it plans to annex the West Bank in July has produced no sanctions or criticism from Canada.

Trudeau's decision to continue sanctioning 20 nations seems quite out of sync with the spirit of the times, when it's hard to find a TV commercial that doesn't proclaim the sentiment that "we're all in this together."

That spirit of international togetherness has been amply demonstrated by Cuba, which sent Cuban doctors to Italy to help its overwhelmed health care system and has offered similar medical help to First Nations in Canada.

When 36 Cuban doctors arrived in Milan last month, a grateful Italy thanked them and Italians at the airport cheered.

Meanwhile, Canada, in the spirit of the international togetherness, rebuffs Cuban doctors, ignores the UN and imposes sanctions on some of the world's poorest nations.

Linda McQuaig is an author and journalist. This column, which appeared in The Toronto Star, is based on research from her new book The Sport & Prey of Capitalists.

Image: CanadianPM/Video Screenshot/Twitter

COVID-19
Justin Trudeau
Linda McQuaig
May 8, 2020
Justin Trudeau should lift Canada's economic sanctions now
Trudeau cannot ignore the damage he is doing to the efforts to fight the novel coronavirus in 20 of the world's poorest countries by maintaining sanctions.
The fury of the virus, the folly of war
"End the sickness of war and fight the disease that is ravaging our world. It starts by stopping the fighting everywhere. Now," United Nations Secretary General António Guterres said on March 23.
Pandemic prompts United Nations call for global ceasefire
Seventy countries have heeded the UN secretary-general's call to come together to fight COVID-19. If we can give up war during a pandemic, why can't we give it up permanently?


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PlayStation Now Adds Rainbow Six Siege, The Evil Within II And Get Even

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Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 17:17:40 GMT

Sony Interactive Entertainment announced Rainbow Six Siege, The Evil Within 2 and Get Even are now available for PlayStation Now subscribers. 

Rainbow Six Siege will only be available to download and stream until Monday, November 2. Downloads for the game are limited to the PlayStation 4 only. 

PlayStation Now features over 800 games on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2 available to stream and play on the PlayStation 4 and Windows PC. PS4 subscribers can download and install over 300 games to play locally. 

Here is an overview of the three games:

Rainbow Six Siege

It’s the perfect time to try out the deeply tactical, always tense multiplayer shooter that has become an esports phenomenon in the years since its 2015 debut. Strained matches are built around two competing teams of players using a variety of weapons, gadgets and sound strategies to triumph over the other. While you’ll need to adapt to its uncompromising gameplay, it only makes every well-earned victory all the sweeter. Please note: this is the base edition.

The Evil Within 2

Genre aficionados will have plenty to savour with this horror sequel as you enter the alternate reality town of Union in search of your long thought dead daughter. Sickeningly brilliant creature designs and jump scares await as you explore the town’s expansive areas filled with dangers and secrets. But armed as you are with an arsenal of monster-shredding weaponry, as well as having the option to keep things low-key with a more stealthy approach, you’re ready to take on every abomination that stands between you and your family reunion.

Get Even

Puzzler, shooter, psychological thriller. Developer The Farm 51’s mashup of genres makes for an intriguing first-person adventure. Finding yourself trapped inside an insane asylum with a virtual reality device surgically grafted to your head, you’re forced to track down and ‘enter’ memories to gradually unravel the mystery behind your incarceration. As gripping as any murder mystery and with events shaped by your decisions, Get Even is a must play for those who love stories with plenty of twists.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/443391/playstation-now-adds-rainbow-six-siege-the-evil-within-ii-and-get-even/


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Cyberpunk 2077 News Coming June 11

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Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 17:20:44 GMT

The official Twitter account for Cyberpunk 2077 has teased new information on the game will be released on June 11 via "Night City Wire."

CD Projekt RED global community lead Marcin Momot in a followup tweet that "Stuff will be shown!"

GET READY!📺 pic.twitter.com/eqQ3hMCOmA

— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) May 5, 2020

Stuff will be shown! pic.twitter.com/XzgQLH0w9P

— Marcin Momot (@Marcin360) May 5, 2020

Here is an overview of the game:

In the most dangerous megacity of the future, the real you is not enough. Become V, a cyber-enhanced mercenary outlaw going after a one-of-a-kind implant — the key to immortality. Customize your cyberware and skillset, and explore a vast city of the future obsessed with power, glamour and body modification. The choices you make will determine the story and shape the world around you.

Cyberpunk 2077 will launch for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC on September 17.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/443392/cyberpunk-2077-news-coming-june-11/


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Xbox Series X News Planned for Every Month of 2020, Starts With Inside Xbox Gameplay Reveals on May 7

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Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 17:31:18 GMT

Microsoft has announced it will share new information on the Xbox Series X every month in 2020 starting with the May 7th episode of Inside Xbox, which will showcase gameplay from third-party partners. Microsoft is calling it "Xbox 20/20." The event starts at 8am PT / 11am ET. 

"These monthly moments will take place throughout the rest of the year and will be a way for us to engage, connect and celebrate with you about what’s in store for the next generation of gaming, including what’s next for Xbox Series X, Xbox Game Studios, Xbox Game Pass and Project xCloud," said Microsoft. "Every month will bring something different. Stay tuned to Xbox Wire for more details."

The company did reveal the July event will be focused on upcoming first-party games from Xbox Game Studios. 

"A number of our studio teams are looking forward to sharing first looks at new gameplay, insights from development teams being optimized for Xbox Series X, and brand-new game announcements," said Microsoft.  "We cannot wait to share this initial look at what some of those teams are working on."

A new teaser video of the May 7 Inside Xbox event has been posted online and the closed captions reveals it is the "New Xbox Sound." It is possible it is the new bootup screen for the Xbox Series X. View the video below:

The Inside Xbox event for May 7 can be watched from multiple streaming sites:

Read more information below:

This is a momentous year for Xbox, with our next-gen console paving the way for all our games and services to come together in even better ways. Here’s what 2020 looks like, just to start:

  • Our goal remains to launch Xbox Series X and Halo Infinite this Holiday
  • All 15 Xbox Game Studios teams are hard at work on next-generation games for Xbox Series X and Xbox Game Pass
  • The best development teams around the world are working hard to have their games ready to play on Xbox Series X this holiday
  • For PC players, we plan to support the community by making all our major releases at launch available with Xbox Game Pass for PC, including Halo Infinite, Wasteland 3, Minecraft Dungeons and of course, Microsoft Flight Simulator.
  • We have new updates and titles lined up for Xbox Game Pass for console and PC
  • We’re expanding Project xCloud into new countries and on new devices—and later this year Project xCloud and Xbox Game Pass will come together, enabling you and your friends to play together in more ways.

It’s a lot – and that’s saying something in 2020, a year which could be summed up as “a lot.” With all this in mind, we set out to create new touchpoints to celebrate gaming and share what’s next with our global community.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/443394/xbox-series-x-news-planned-for-every-month-of-2020-starts-with-inside-xbox-gameplay-reveals-on-may-7/


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AMD Ramping Up CPU Production for Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5

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Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 18:46:39 GMT

Microsoft and Sony are both hard at working preparing their next generation consoles, the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, for launch this holiday season. 

A key factor in getting as many consoles shipped for both companies will be from AMD, who will be providing the latest Zen 2-powered CPU and matching Navi GPU.

AMD is ramping up production as they expect semi-custom revenue to grow in the second quarter and have a big increase in the second half of 2020 as they provide parts for the Xbox Series X and PS5. 

"We expect semi-custom revenue to increase in the second quarter and be heavily weighted towards the second-half of the year, as we ramp production to support the holiday launches of the new PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles," said AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su. 

Thanks Tom's Hardware.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/443398/amd-ramping-up-cpu-production-for-xbox-series-x-and-playstation-5/


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Grand Theft Auto V Once Again Tops the EMEAA Charts

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Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 18:57:16 GMT

Grand Theft Auto V has once again taken the top spot on the EMEAA charts for week 17, 2020. XCOM: Chimera Squad is in second place, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is in third, Alien: Isolation is in fourth, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons rounds out the top five.

Here are the top 5 best-selling titles (combined physical and digital sales) in EMEAA:

  1. Grand Theft Auto V
  2. XCOM: Chimera Squad
  3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
  4. Alien: Isolation
  5. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
The physical charts includes all games in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
 
Digital data includes games sold in Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kuwait, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and UAE.
 
The GSD charts includes games from Activision Blizzard, Bandai Namco, Capcom, Codemasters, EA, Focus Home Interactive, Koch Media, Microsoft, Milestone, Paradox, Sega, Sony, Square Enix, Ubisoft and Warner Bros.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/443399/grand-theft-auto-v-once-again-tops-the-emeaa-charts/


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Assassin's Creed Valhalla to Feature Stonehenge

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Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 19:11:10 GMT

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla creative director Ashraf Ismail previously stated the game will feature a "large map" in terms of England. There will be four major English kingdoms: Wessex, Northumbria, East Anglia, and Mercia. There will also be three major cities: London, Winchester and Jórvík (now called York).

Since the game takes place in southern England Ismail was asked via Twitter if the game will feature Stonehenge and he replied "oh, can you ever!" with a GIF of a man nodding yes. 

oh, can you ever! pic.twitter.com/y4lJoayK9X

— Ashraf Ismail (@AshrafAIsmail) May 3, 2020

Here is an overview of the game:

In Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, you are Eivor, a fierce Viking warrior raised on tales of battle and glory. Explore a dynamic and beautiful open world set against the brutal backdrop of England’s Dark Ages. Raid your enemies, grow your settlement, and build your political power in your quest to earn your place among the gods in Valhalla.

Key Features:

  • Write Your Viking Saga – Advanced RPG mechanics allow you to shape the growth of your character and influence the world around you. With every choice you make, from political alliances and combat strategy to dialogue and gear progression, you will carve your own path to glory.
  • Visceral Combat System – Dual-wield powerful weapons such as axes, swords, and even shields to relive the ruthless fighting style of the Viking warriors. Brutally decapitate your foes, vanquish them from afar, or stealthily assassinate targets with your hidden blade. Challenge yourself with the most varied collection of deadly enemies ever found in an Assassin’s Creed game.
  • A Dark Age Open World – Sail from the harsh and mysterious shores of Norway to the beautiful but forbidding kingdoms of England and beyond. Immerse yourself in the Viking way of life through fishing, hunting, drinking games, and more.
  • Lead Epic Raids – Launch massive assaults against Saxon troops and fortresses throughout England. Lead your clan in surprise attacks from your longship and pillage enemy territories to bring riches and resources back to your people.
  • Grow Your Settlement – Construct and upgrade buildings that allow for deep customization, including a barracks, blacksmith, tattoo parlor, and more. Recruit new members to your clan and personalize your Viking experience.
  • Mercenary Vikings – Create and customize a unique Viking raider within your clan and share it online with friends to use during their own raids.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will launch for Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC, and Google Stadia in Holiday 2020. The game will support Smart Delivery on the Xbox. This means if you purchase the game on the Xbox One or Xbox Series X, you will automatically gain access to the other version of the game. 

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/443400/assassins-creed-valhalla-to-feature-stonehenge/


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Slayin 2 (NS)

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Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 16:12:23 GMT

Slayin 2 is a sequel done right. It takes the fast-paced, score-based 2D action of the iOS/Android original and inserts it into an RPG framework with multiple classes, upgrades, and secrets. Then it adds a layer of charming pixel art and plugs in some rocking tunes courtesy of Matt Creamer (Retro City Rampage). Not everything is perfect — a few difficulty spikes require a bit of grinding and the twitchy combat mechanics aren't especially deep — but overall Slayin 2 represents a smooth and successful transition from mobile to console.

There's a story in Slayin 2, but developers FDG Entertainment and Pixel Licker don't tell it with much urgency. Monsters have sacked the kingdom's castle... the royal family is missing... there's something about a coven of witches. It's all background noise, until after the final boss battle. Only then do we understand what was going on and the high stakes. It's a somewhat backward way of storytelling, but never mind; discovering new areas, finding secrets, and unlocking new gear will push you forward regardless.

Slayin 2 is divided into two modes: Story and Arcade. The latter is based on the endless rogue-like mobile game. You'll select from eight total heroes, then fight your way through waves of enemies and bosses, leveling up and collecting treasure — which a traveling shopkeeper will accept for new gear and other boons. If you die, the game records your high score and kicks you back to the very beginning. Had Slayin 2 included only this mode, it would be a passable experience.

Luckily, there's Story mode. While it employs the same level layouts and mechanics of Arcade mode, it adds a story, a town filled with shops and quest-giving NPCs, branching paths, and secret stages. Several of the town's residents provide riddles which may lead you to a hidden object or a secret exit. Others will join your crusade (and become playable characters) for a price. Still others will sell you charms, new weapons, or enhance your "spark" bar, which allows powerful special attacks. If you score well enough in the game's many stages, a local bard will even write a song in your honor. This RPG framework elevates the Slayin formula. It gives you purpose and direction, and things to ponder outside hacking and slashing.

This is essential to the success of Slayin 2, because its gameplay loop can be simple and grindy. As in the original iOS/Android game, here you'll take down enemies simply by running into them. By pushing left or right you'll extend your weapon — sword, mace, lance, magic orb, bow and arrow, etc. — and by making contact with a monster you'll do damage. It's an uncomplicated set-up that surely owes something to its mobile origins. FDG and Pixel Licker add plenty of enemy variety and special moves unique to each hero in order to keep things interesting, but the twitchy, left-right-left-right combat remains.

Slayin 2 isn't totally without strategy however. The development teams have mixed up the action with dual planes, so that players can jump from foreground to background by pressing the R button. This makes the momentary gameplay more dynamic and allows players to chain together combos and avoid enemy contact by bouncing back and forth between each plane. It's especially useful for boss fights (try facing a boss in Arcade mode with only one plane enabled and you'll see).

Speaking of bosses, they're all unique and present tricky-but-identifiable attack patterns. You'll start with a giant green slime and graduate to tree monsters, minotaurs, killer plants, and gargantuan crabs, among many others. You may see some more than others, as a handful of stages are unduly difficult. You'll need to replay easier levels multiple times to earn enough treasure to buy weapon upgrades and charms, which will allow you to survive in the more daunting levels. This irksome need to grind begins to evaporate towards the end of Slayin 2, as you amass a fortune and max out your weapons, but it does flavor the first third of the game.

If you do hit a wall, you can always invite a friend in couch co-op to share the burden. Local multiplayer is a great addition to the franchise, although it seems like Slayin 2 was balanced with a single player in mind.

Graphically, Slayin 2 represents a noticeable improvement over the premier mobile game. Its charming pixel art leaps off the screen and its detailed backgrounds grant each level its own personality. The driving soundtrack by Matt Creamer also stands out, thanks to heroic tunes and plenty of anachronistic electric guitar riffs that pair well with the game's non-stop action.

FDG and Pixel Licker could have replicated the original Slayin experience, slapped on a new coat of paint, published on Switch, and called it a day. Instead the studio transformed the rogue-like template into a more substantial role-playing adventure complete with story, side-quests, secrets, unlockable characters, and upgrades aplenty. The core combat mechanic still lacks nuance and a handful of difficulty spikes slow the game down, but in toto Slayin 2 is a solid sequel.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/443336/slayin-2-ns/


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PGA Tour 2K21 Announced, More Information Coming May 14

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Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 17:57:41 GMT

Publisher 2K Games and The Golf Club developer HB Studios have announced PGA Tour 2K21 and released a teaser trailer for the game. 

Platforms and a release date were not announced, however, more information on the game will be released on May 14. Visit the official website here.

View the teaser trailer below:

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/443403/pga-tour-2k21-announced-more-information-coming-may-14/


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Xbox Game Pass Adds DayZ, Final Fantasy IX And More in May

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Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 18:15:51 GMT

Microsoft has announced many new titles coming to Xbox Game Pass for console and Windows PC in May. The list of games includes DayZ, Final Fantasy IX, and Fractured Minds, Endless Legend and the previously announced Red Dead Redemption 2 for console and Halo 2: Anniversary for Halo: The Master Chief Collection for PC.

Here is the list of games coming soon to Xbox Game Pass for Console:

DayZ (ID@Xbox) – May 7
An unforgiving, authentic, open world game where each one of 60 players on a server follows a single goal: Survive as long as they can, by any means necessary. There are no superficial tips, waypoints, or help given to you. Every decision matters with no saves and no extra lives where mistakes can be lethal. Your choices and decisions will create a gameplay experience that’s completely unique.

Red Dead Redemption 2 – May 7
America, 1899. Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are outlaws on the run. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal, and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him. Includes access to Red Dead Online (Xbox Live Gold required).

Final Fantasy IX – May 14
Zidane and the Tantalus Theater Troupe have kidnapped Princess Garnet, the heir of Alexandria. To their surprise, however, the princess herself yearned to escape the castle. Through a series of unusual circumstances, she and her personal guard, Steiner, fall in with Zidane and set out on an incredible journey in this classic entry in the heralded Final Fantasy series.

Fractured Minds (ID@Xbox) – May 19
Fractured Minds is an immersive artistic short game, exploring anxiety and mental health issues. Embark on a journey through the human psyche to experience the everyday challenges associated with these conditions.

Here is the list of games coming soon to Xbox Game Pass for PC:

Endless Legend
Jump in to this 4X strategy game as you lead one of eight unique civilizations, each with their own unique gameplay and story. Food must be grown, industries built, science and magic advanced, and wealth collected. Your planet holds a history of unexplained apocalypse, and the winter you just survived was the worst on record. You have a city, a loyal populace, and a few troops; your power and magic should be sufficient to keep them alive. But beyond that, nothing is certain… Where will you go, what will you find, and how will you react?

Final Fantasy IX
Zidane and the Tantalus Theater Troupe have a plan to kidnap Princess Garnet, the heir of Alexandria. To their surprise, the princess herself beats them to the punch and orchestrates her own escape with their unwitting help, granting her the freedom she yearned for beyond the castle walls. Through a series of unusual circumstances, she and her personal guard, Steiner, fall in with Zidane and his crew, and set out on an incredible journey in this classic Final Fantasy adventure.

Halo Master Chief Collection: Halo 2
Halo 2: Anniversary comes to PC as the next installment in Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Following the destruction of the first Halo ring, Master Chief returns to Earth to prevent the Covenant invasion, leading to a battle with long-hidden secrets that will dramatically alter the course of the Human-Covenant Conflict forever.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/443405/xbox-game-pass-adds-dayz-final-fantasy-ix-and-more-in-may/


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Disintegration Launches June 16 for PS4, Xbox One And Steam

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Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 15:18:24 GMT

Publisher Private Division and developer V1 Interactive announced Disintegration will launch for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC via Steam on June 16 for $49.99.

View the story trailer below:

Here is an overview of the game:

Disintegration is a sci-fi, first-person shooter that blends real-time tactical elements to create an entirely new experience. Set in a world ripped apart by famine, scarce resources, and the planet on the brink of destruction, humanity has developed a process to survive its harsh reality known as Integration, in which a human brain is transferred to a robotic armature. From the ensuing chaos, an aggressive, militaristic legion, known as the Rayonne, gain control and begins to impose the once optional process of Integration onto the rest of humanity to consolidate their power.

Players command Romer Shoal, an incredibly-skilled Gravcycle pilot, who leads a small band of outlaws to fight back against an overwhelming Rayonne force. Over the course of a thrilling single-player campaign, players will control a Gravcycle loaded with weaponry, leading Romer and his team across a series of diverse missions packed with action, explosions, and plot twists, to beat back the Rayonne forces and give the last vestiges of humanity hope to prevail.

In addition to the full single-player campaign, Disintegration features frenetic player-versus-player multiplayer where pilots and their crews compete in three game modes and six distinct maps. Players can select from nine highly-stylized “Crews” which lend themselves to different playstyles.

Multiplayer provides a host of cosmetic customizations that can be purchased or earned in-game, including pilot and crew skins, cosmetic Gravcycle customizations, and a variety of banners. In addition to the multiplayer content at release, the team at V1 will be supporting the game post-launch with seasonal content drops.

Key Features:

  • Tactical Gravcycle Combat – Pilot a heavily armed Gravcycle featuring a variety of firepower, maneuverability, and abilities.
  • Riveting Single-player Campaign – From Marcus Lehto, the co-creator of Halo and creative director of Halo: Reach, comes an all-new sci-fi saga. Play as Romer Shoal and confront the Rayonne, a rising global army set on eliminating what remains of humanity.
  • Frenetic Multiplayer Action – Battle across a variety of maps in three intense, team-based five-versus-five multiplayer modes. Choose your favorite Gravcycle and lead your crew alongside your teammates, competing against opposing pilots to win objective-based matches.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/443412/disintegration-launches-june-16-for-ps4-xbox-one-and-steam/


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Those Who Remain Delayed to May 28 for PS4, Xbox One And Steam

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Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 15:21:09 GMT

Publisher Wired Productions and developer Camel 101 have delayed psychological horror game, Those Who Remain, from May 15 to May 28 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC via Steam. 

View the official release date trailer below:

Here is an overview of the game:

As the lights go out, the embers of darkness are stoked in the sleepy town of Dormont.

Whispers of disappearances carry through the town as a burgeoning, uneasy and irrational fear begins to spread and darkness comes to be an unwelcome reflection to Those Who Remain.

Some mistakes should never happen, not when your life is complete – and yet they do. Edward had the good life, a beautiful wife and the perfect little girl, yet finds himself several whiskeys down and driving through the night of Dormont to end his secret affair – in a bid to fix his mistakes.

As Edward pulls into the Golden Oak Motel, he is unaware just how much this night will change his life…

Key Features:

The horrors and darkness that thrive in the corner of every eye are torn loose…

Those Who Remain places you in an up-close, psychological horror story set in the sleepy town of Dormont – a town in a spiralling split from the fabric of reality, warped by darkness and the deeds of the Citizens who reside.

Confront the uncomfortable horrors reflected by the darkness and survive the night of Dormont as Edward is confronted with a test of his sanity, morality and the shadows of evil that lurks below.

  • Darkness Has Eyes -Navigate and survive the encroaching darkness and stay in the protection of the light by any means[br]
  • Worlds Torn Asunder – Pave your way ahead by moving between Dormont and its dark otherworldly counterpart to further solve the mysteries held within the dark
  • Conscience of Choice – Choose to help any surviving citizens of Dormont you encounter or leave them to the darkness. Innocence cannot always be assumed, and the township of Dormont hides a cursed trove of secrets
  • Savor your Sanity – Keep your sanity in check as you delve deeper into the darkness of Dormont – expected rules of the real world have been torn apart
  • Follow your Path – Your decisions and choices will determine the fate of Edward, through multiple different branching outcomes

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/443413/those-who-remain-delayed-to-may-28-for-ps4-xbox-one-and-steam/


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Dirt 5 Announced, Coming to Xbox Series X, PS5, PS4, Xbox One

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Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 17:09:48 GMT

Codemasters during the latest Inside Xbox event announced Dirt 5 for the Xbox Series X. The game will also launch for the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Google Stadia. It will release in October 2020.

View the announcement trailer below:

Read an overview of the game via Xbox below:

Fresh out of the box from the latest Inside Xbox, myself and the whole Codemasters team are delighted to reveal Dirt 5 to the world (but especially you), launching this year on both Xbox One and Xbox Series X.

For a while now, our dedicated development team in Cheshire, UK has been under the hood of this machine, turning a concept into reality. Well, gaming reality. You get what I mean. That concept? To make the boldest, bravest, most stylish off-road racing game ever made, where intense, competitive action is just the beginning of what blows you away in Dirt 5.

To the uninitiated who may not be clued up on the legacy of Dirt, let’s go for a drive, all the way back to 1998, when Colin McRae Rally brought the world of off-road racing into gaming and into the mainstream. With the series morphing into Dirt in 2007, it’s delivered high-impact extreme racing ever since – most recently through the brutal, ultra-realistic Dirt Rally 2.0. This time around with Dirt 5, we’re doing things a little… differently.

Take a peek at our announce trailer, first revealed exclusively during Inside Xbox, and you’ll see what we mean – from the stunning locations, to the epic racing, to the variety of vehicles and surfaces. We’re putting you behind the wheel of incredible off-road machines, in iconic real-world settings, to race through dynamic routes and extreme conditions. But don’t forget the concept. All that racing action is only part of the story.

We wanted to go bigger, in all possible ways. Take Career, which hands you a deep story-based mode with a star-studded cast, led by the legendary Troy Baker and Nolan North. These legendary voices of gaming, and some familiar names from the car culture world, lay out a story with decision-based changes and a proper narrative to get your teeth into.

There’s the franchise’s deepest livery editor and in-race Photo Mode, where you can show off your creative side. Then you’ve got the 12-player multiplayer action with playful objective-based modes, the four-player split-screen for offline frolics with your pals, and even more brand new features we’ll be revealing more on soon… I’m basically listing stuff at this point, but there’s so much going on here!

And not to forget: Everything we’re laying out here is raised up a notch through the, quite frankly, intimidating power of Xbox Series X. The team here has made use of the tools to create an unprecedented level of graphical fidelity and optimized performance. What does that mean for you in Dirt 5? Constant action, greater potential in gameplay, and seeing every spec of mud kick up and splat onto your windscreen. Ah, bliss.

Before I leave you, I wanted to give you a pro tip; a little pocket of knowledge to store away until Dirt 5 bursts onto the scene this Autumn. When you jump into this game, forget the norm. Forget expectations. Forget the ‘regular’ way of playing. Dirt 5 dares you – and rewards you – for being creative, stylish, and sometimes for being a straight-up lunatic.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/443421/dirt-5-announced-coming-to-xbox-series-x-ps5-ps4-xbox-one/


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FPS Second Extinction Announced for Xbox Series X, Xbox One and PC

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Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 17:09:59 GMT

Developer Systemic Reaction has announced three-player, online cooperative shooter, Second Extinction, for the Xbox Series X, Xbox One and Windows PC via Steam.

"I’m very proud of what our team has created," said Systemic Reaction managing director Tobias Andersson. "As a live game, we plan to support Second Extinction long-term, as we do with all our titles. We can’t wait for players to team up, start playing, and become part of our community."

Lead producer Brynley Gibson added, "Second Extinction is a real passion project for our tight-knit team, and we’re just getting started. It’s incredible how far we’ve come in this short time, and I’m super excited to reveal more details, including our live roadmap, in the coming months."

View the announcement trailer below:

Here is an overview of the game:

Second Extinction is an intense three-player cooperative shooter, where your goal is to wipe out the mutated dinosaurs that have taken over the planet. Teamwork is  vital as you adopt the role of one of the survivors, using a unique combination of  weapons, abilities and skills to take on the vast number of enemies. Fight through  a maelstrom of bullets, bombs, teeth, claws and gore, it’s up to you to reclaim  Earth!

Key Features:

  • Intense Three-Player Co-Op – Earth is overrun by mutated dinosaurs! Team up with up to two other resistance fighters to take it back in short but intense combat operations.
  • Battle Mutated Monstrosities – These dinos are nothing like the ones in your history books! From electric raptors  to behemoth T-Rexes that tower over the horizon, these deadly creatures have evolved into the ultimate killing machines.
  • Experience Spectacular Action – Combine your fireteam’s unique weapons and abilities for explosive results  against overwhelming opposition in challenging combat set pieces.
  • Take Part in a Joint Effort – Your actions, together with the rest of the community, will shape the course of  the war against the dinosaurs.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/443423/fps-second-extinction-announced-for-xbox-series-x-xbox-one-and-pc/


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Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 Confirmed for Xbox Series X

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Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 17:14:20 GMT

It was confirmed at the Inside Xbox event today Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 will be getting a next generation release on the Xbox Series X. It was already confirmed the game will release on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC.

View the latest trailer below:

Here is an overview of the game:

Enter the World of Darkness and rise through vampire society. Experience Seattle - a city full of alluring, dangerous, characters and factions. You are dead now but stronger, quicker, more alluring and with potential for so much more. Choose to be brutal and unflinching or cultured and seductive. Use charm, cunning, terror and sheer will to rise through vampire society. What monster will you be?

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/443424/vampire-the-masquerade-bloodlines-2-confirmed-for-xbox-series-x/


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Bright Memory: Infinite Headed to Xbox Series X

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Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 17:23:12 GMT

Publisher Playism and developer FYQD-Studio announced Bright Memory: Infinite will launch for Xbox Series X alongside the previously announced PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC versions.

View the Xbox Series X trailer below:

Here is an overview of the game:

A Rich Sci-fi Story

Bright Memory: Infinite is set in a sprawling, futuristic metropolis in the year 2036.

The player will take on the role of Shelia, a member of the Supernatural Science Research Organization (SRO), an organization in possession of more advanced science and technology than even the military. Bright Memory: Infinite is full of breathtaking fun and exciting action, such as navigating a spaceship that can travel through time, battling ancient samurai displaced from 1000 years ago to the present, and exploring a wormhole that has appeared on Earth.

High-Speed 3D Combat

By now I’m sure everyone has seen Bright Memory: Infinite‘s appearance on Inside Xbox. In addition to the deep and rich story, another main feature of the game is its adrenaline-pumping gameplay design. With the way I’ve designed the battle system, players can experience lightning-fast combat using a variety of skills to create their own personalized style of fighting. Basically, any skills can be combined and will generate different effects when utilized and it’s up to the player to figure out how to best use these skills both in and out of battle. Some skills can be used to overcome certain obstacles or solve certain puzzles, be it in combat or while exploring the futuristic world.

Stunning Visual Effects

The quality of the graphics of Bright Memory: Infinite for the Xbox Series X is the aspect I focused most on throughout the game’s development, in order to truly harness and show off the abilities of the next-gen system. This can particularly be seen in the wormholes appearing in the game. I’ve also made use of the dramatic visual effects made possible by the Xbox Series X, which can be seen in dynamic scenes in which wind, rain, leaves, and pebbles are visibly sucked toward a wormhole as the player explores their surroundings. These stunning visual effects are all possible thanks to DirectX Raytracing (DXR) on the Xbox Series X.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/443426/bright-memory-infinite-headed-to-xbox-series-x/


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Assassin�s Creed Valhalla Gets Xbox Series X First Look Gameplay Trailer

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Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 17:33:58 GMT

Ubisoft has released the first look gameplay trailer for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. The gameplay is "representative of Xbox Series X gameplay."

"As developers, we’re always excited to work with new hardware because it gives us a greater ability to express our creative vision," said Assassin’s Creed Valhalla creative director Ashraf Ismail. "Assassin’s Creed has always been committed to exploring new technologies and leveraging new consoles’ abilities to deliver the most immersive experience possible. We are excited to be collaborating closely with Microsoft to bring Assassin’s Creed Valhalla to the Xbox Series X."

View the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla gameplay trailer below:

Here is an overview of the game:

In Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, you are Eivor, a fierce Viking warrior raised on tales of battle and glory. Explore a dynamic and beautiful open world set against the brutal backdrop of England’s Dark Ages. Raid your enemies, grow your settlement, and build your political power in your quest to earn your place among the gods in Valhalla.

Key Features:

  • Write Your Viking Saga – Advanced RPG mechanics allow you to shape the growth of your character and influence the world around you. With every choice you make, from political alliances and combat strategy to dialogue and gear progression, you will carve your own path to glory.
  • Visceral Combat System – Dual-wield powerful weapons such as axes, swords, and even shields to relive the ruthless fighting style of the Viking warriors. Brutally decapitate your foes, vanquish them from afar, or stealthily assassinate targets with your hidden blade. Challenge yourself with the most varied collection of deadly enemies ever found in an Assassin’s Creed game.
  • A Dark Age Open World – Sail from the harsh and mysterious shores of Norway to the beautiful but forbidding kingdoms of England and beyond. Immerse yourself in the Viking way of life through fishing, hunting, drinking games, and more.
  • Lead Epic Raids – Launch massive assaults against Saxon troops and fortresses throughout England. Lead your clan in surprise attacks from your longship and pillage enemy territories to bring riches and resources back to your people.
  • Grow Your Settlement – Construct and upgrade buildings that allow for deep customization, including a barracks, blacksmith, tattoo parlor, and more. Recruit new members to your clan and personalize your Viking experience.
  • Mercenary Vikings – Create and customize a unique Viking raider within your clan and share it online with friends to use during their own raids.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will launch for Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC, and Google Stadia in Holiday 2020. The game will support Smart Delivery on the Xbox. This means if you purchase the game on the Xbox One or Xbox Series X, you will automatically gain access to the other version of the game. 

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/443428/assassins-creed-valhalla-gets-xbox-series-x-first-look-gameplay-trailer/


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