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Blizzard Developers Open up on Philosophy Behind World of Warcraft's Massive Update

World of Warcraft's massive Undermine(d) update is due to release this week, featuring a brand-new zone, mount mechanics, and a massive number of changes to existing systems. The update's emphasis on goblin culture and urbanization reflects the game's hypercapitalist mad-cap scientists with a penchant for contraptions and industry. Blizzard's developers drew inspiration from real-world cities, asking themselves what makes a city a city, in order to create a densely packed urban zone that feels like a metropolis.

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The upcoming open-world PvPvE extraction shooter SAND promises a gritty dieselpunk experience with barren deserts, towering machines, and plenty of loot. Players will embark on a vast, procedurally generated world filled with ruined cities and deadly threats, fighting to survive and gather resources to upgrade their massive mechanical walkers, known as Tramplers. The game's Early Access launch on April 3 is just around the corner.

The leaked Battlefield Labs playtest footage has left fans excited about the potential return to classic gameplay mechanics. The new destruction system and map design have been praised for their improvement over previous titles. Electronic Arts (EA) is likely to crack down on the leaker, but the damage may already be done as the footage has spread widely online.

The bundle packages both open-world Middle-earth games with a flat 90% off on the total price. You get two critically acclaimed action-adventure titles based on The Lord of the Rings franchise with a unique story and the much loved Nemesis system. The game may seem like your average open-world title at first glance, but what sets it apart is the unique Nemesis system, a mechanic so good that Warner Bros. patented it. Both these games offer a unique storyline and a dynamic battle system that culminates in visually stunning large-scale assaults.

11 bit Studios has unveiled a new trailer for its forthcoming game, The Alters, which draws inspiration from the acclaimed title, This War of Mine. Players will assume the role of Jan, who must navigate survival on a doomed planet by forming a crew of alternative versions of himself, each with unique skills and emotional needs. While no release date has been announced, the game is set to launch on multiple platforms, including PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and PC.

The highly anticipated Zenless Zone Zero Version 1.6 update will allow players to finally play as Pulchra Fellini, a fan-favorite character who was previously only available as a non-playable agent in the game. The new version also introduces three new playable characters, including two new agents with unique abilities and backstories. The latest update promises to bring significant gameplay changes, new story content, and exciting new features.

Flashbulb Games is set to release the 2.0 update, Trailmakers: Pioneers, on March 6th, after nearly two years of development led by creative lead Christian Laumark. This update introduces a new survival crafting game mode, transforming the gameplay by incorporating resource gathering, missions, and combat elements, catering to both new players and long-time fans. Laumark emphasizes that the update represents the beginning of a new chapter for Trailmakers, with plans for ongoing content and player feedback integration.

Stardew Valley's creator Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone has been praised for addressing game-breaking bugs and delivering new updates despite the challenges of managing a small development team alone. The game's massive player base, which recently broke its all-time Steam peak in March 2024 at 236,000 gamers, has placed significant expectations on Barone to deliver content regularly. To maintain this player engagement, Barone prioritizes ongoing support and updates for the game across various platforms.

Colossal CEO Ben Lamm emphasized the need for humanity to invest in de-extinction technologies, citing the failure of modern conservation efforts and the potential benefits of bringing back extinct species. The company aims to use genetic editing techniques to revive the wooly mammoth, dodo bird, and Tasmanian tiger, among others. Lamm also expressed his optimism about the future, predicting significant advancements in synthetic biology and its applications.

Mistral CEO Arthur Mensch is urging European telcos to invest in building data center infrastructure and "becoming hyperscalers" to boost the regional AI ecosystem. The company's investment in its own data center in France aims to serve domestic customers, while also moving down the stack to provide services to data centers. Mench emphasizes the need for more actors in the field compared to the current cloud market dominated by a few giants.

Cities: Skylines will celebrate its 10th anniversary next week, but a new update from Paradox Interactive has left many fans of the metropolis building series unimpressed. Poor performance, shallow gameplay, and missing features have kept most players committed to its predecessor, Cities: Skylines. The console release of Cities: Skylines 2 is still uncertain, with no clear date in sight.

A recent leak indicates that Call of Duty 2026 is already under development for the next generation of Xbox, suggesting a potential earlier release for Microsoft’s new console. The game, which is reportedly not intended for current consoles, aims to address visual issues from previous titles and reintroduce a traditional user interface. This development aligns with Microsoft’s strategy to regain market share amidst stagnant Xbox sales, although skepticism remains within the gaming community regarding the feasibility of a 2026 launch.

The proposed 25% tariff on imported disc games could lead to a shift towards all-digital strategy in the gaming industry, with potential price increases for physical copies. Digital distribution is becoming increasingly popular, and recent changes have already led to more affordable pricing for AAA titles. The ongoing uncertainty surrounding the tariffs' fate means that the market's response will be closely watched.

Microsoft has announced the addition of three new games to Xbox Game Pass, catering to diverse gaming preferences, including a roguelike deck-builder and a sci-fi farming simulator. Players can look forward to "Monster Train," where they defend a hellish train, "Galacticare," a quirky hospital management game set in space, and "One Lonely Outpost," which focuses on building a thriving colony on a barren planet. These titles not only offer engaging gameplay but also enhance the Game Pass library's appeal to a broader audience.

Gran Saga launched with a solid foundation, boasting cinematic production, cross-play support, and full voice acting, but ultimately struggled to establish a stable player base due to its automated gameplay, poor balancing, expensive microtransactions, and technical issues. The game's developer had invested $25 million in the project over four years, but despite its strengths, Gran Saga was unable to sustain engagement. As a result, the MMO was shut down just four months after its launch.

The new Compute Module 4 variants from Raspberry Pi have expanded its capabilities to tackle extreme environments. The latest updates are designed to meet the growing demand for industrial applications, where devices must operate in harsh conditions. With a wider temperature range, these modules will find their way into unique and interesting projects.

Key players in the financial markets are expected to be influenced by economic indicators and central bank decisions, with a focus on inflation rates and interest rate hikes, potentially leading to volatility in currency markets. Investors are also watching corporate earnings reports from major companies, as well as updates on government policy and regulatory changes. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine is also having an impact on global energy prices.

Goldman Sachs and Nomura have lifted their expectations for Germany's economic growth in 2025 due to increased military and infrastructure spending, which is expected to boost the country's economy and have spillover effects on its European neighbors. Goldman expects a 0.2% growth rate for Europe's largest economy, up from 0.8%, while Nomura predicts a pace of euro area economic growth could be lifted by 0.2 percentage points per quarter by the end of 2026. The fiscal news is also expected to lower pressure on the European Central Bank to reduce rates below neutral.

A recent series of re-releases has revitalized my interest in classic turn-based roleplaying games (RPGs), with titles like Dragon Quest 3 and Fantasian captivating me with their engaging storylines, memorable characters, and updated gameplay mechanics. The experience has highlighted the genre's potential for depth and emotional investment, making me appreciate the nuances of these old favorites even more after revisiting them. This resurgence in classic RPG fandom is a testament to the enduring appeal of these games, which continue to offer timeless entertainment despite their age.

Dotemu has announced its next game, Absolum, a fantasy beat 'em up with roguelike elements, being developed alongside Guard Crush Games and Supamonk. The new game is expected to launch later this year on the Switch, PlayStation, and PC, featuring branching pathways, questing, and challenging bosses. Absolum retains the core beat 'em up action known for Dotemu's previous titles like Shredder's Revenge and Streets of Rage 4.

The app version of SimCity has been reimagined to thrive on mobile devices, with an intuitive interface and addictive gameplay that's easy to pick up but challenging to master. The game's open-ended city-building mechanics are still intact, but now players can enjoy a seamless experience without the need for lengthy forms or online accounts. With regular updates and new features added, SimCity BuildIt continues to delight both nostalgic fans of the original game and newcomers alike.

The "Graveyard of Empires" country pack for Hearts of Iron IV has been released, priced at $14.99/Β£12.79/€14.99, and requires the base game. The expansion adds new music tracks, focus trees, 3D models, and voiceovers for four nations, including Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the British Raj, alongside various gameplay and balance changes.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is generating significant excitement among gamers, with insider billbil-kun suggesting that a release date announcement could be imminent alongside pre-order details. The sequel is anticipated to retain the unique storyline and gameplay mechanics of its predecessor while introducing new features, including asynchronous multiplayer elements. As fans eagerly await confirmation, the pricing for the Standard and Collector's Editions has also been leaked, sparking further interest in the upcoming title.

Broadcom has released patches for three critical vulnerabilities in its VMware products, which are already being exploited in the wild. The bugs were described as VM escape flaws and affect all supported versions of VMware ESX, vSphere, Cloud Foundation, and Telco Cloud Platform. These issues were deemed severe enough to warrant immediate attention from users, who are urged to apply the fixes as soon as possible.

At the Mobile World Congress trade show, two contrasting perspectives on the impact of artificial intelligence were presented, with Ray Kurzweil championing its transformative potential and Scott Galloway warning against its negative societal effects. Kurzweil posited that AI will enhance human longevity and capabilities, particularly in healthcare and renewable energy sectors, while Galloway highlighted the dangers of rage-fueled algorithms contributing to societal polarization and loneliness, especially among young men. The debate underscores the urgent need for a balanced discourse on AI's role in shaping the future of society.

President Donald Trump's tariffs on imports of foreign goods are already in effect and more are likely to be imposed, forcing businesses to raise prices. The European Union is also facing tariffs, which will have a significant impact on global trade and consumer prices. Walmart and other retailers are learning from Amazon's playbook by launching their own marketplaces.