The Weekly News Digest: Oh, Blizzard
Read all about it!
If you've not been following PC games goings-on across the week, catch up on some of the big stories quick in our noncomprehensive Weekly News Digest. I've slipped in a few things we haven't already posted about, and do also read The Updates Update for some of the week's notable patches and updates.
Blizzard on blast after banning player for supporting Hong Kong protests
On Sunday, Hearthstone pro Chung "Blitzchung" Ng Wai said "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our age!" in a livestreamed post-match interview. Blizzard banned him for one year and cancelled his winnings, pointing to a rule against committing an act that "brings you into public disrepute, offends a portion or group of the public, or otherwise damages Blizzard image." WELL!
Some Blizzard staff held a wee protest, a veteran commentator quit a future tournament, more casters followed, and Blizzard's latest statement only digs the hole deeper.
Red Dead Redemption 2 wants a big ol' hard drive
Seeing RDR 2 wants 150GB space to itself concerned me until I looked at how much larger and cheaper SSDs have become since I last bought one. Yeah, sure, give me those high-res horses.
NHS open Centre for Internet and Gaming Disorders
A specialist clinc for "children and young adults who are seriously addicted to computer games" has launched in London. HMM. Welcome to the waiting list for mental health care on the NHS, kiddywinkles.
Fortnite is too addictive, a planned lawsuit claims
The lawyer claims that Epic Games worked with psychologists to make a game that was "as addictive as possible" and aimed at kiddies - and didn't warn of the risks. The plan is to launch a class-action suit along similar lines to one against tobacco companies.
Steam will make local multiplayer games work online
If you don't have a pal next to you on the couch, you should be able to play local multiplayer games online. Tools already exist for this, but Steam adding built-in support should make it way easier and more common. Assuming it works well.
Freebie Corner: Surviving Mars free on Epic
Following the vague announcement of a post-apocalyptic follow-up, the Martian colony-builder is free for keepsies for one week.
Someone stole Gabe Newell's minigun
Police say someone repeatedly burgled Valve's offices for a whole load of games and hardware, casualling stuffing them into a recycling bin and wheeling it out.
Doom Eternal delayed
See you in hell, or "2020" as I believe it's officially named.
BBC Radio 3 are making a game music show
Oh la la, look at you, video games, busting into highfalutin corridors of culture. 'Sound Of Gaming' will be hosted by Jessica Curry, the composer of Dear Esther and Everybody's Gone To The Rapture.
LoL's new Worlds song has dropped
In an industry famed for frivilous marketing, the annual League Of Legends championship anthem is my favourite showy splurge. It can't beat 2014's Warriors though, of course.
GTA V modfolk already planning Red Dead 2 mod framework
The gang behind FiveM, which makes all those weird and wonderful GTA V roleplaying servers possible, expect to have something similar up and running for RDR 2 within about a month after launch.
Surprise! The Samorost folks released a new game
We didn't even know they were making this until it was out.
