Dota 2 - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Matt Cox)

On this fine Friday afternoon, join me as I descend into the morality swamp. Around five days ago, the organisers of Dota 2 tournament WePlay Pushka sent a copyright strike against “Coldfox”, a YouTuber who broadcast the tournament on his personal channel. Coldfox recorded the tournament from in-game, separately to the organiser’s stream, and says he obeyed all of Valve’s rules. Valve have previously said only they are legally allowed to send DMCA takedown notices against such content. After at least 48 hours of the videos being taken down, WePlay rescinded the copyright notice.

On the one hand, this is a story about an individual YouTuber being jerked around by people who either don’t understand how the law works, or knew and went ahead anyway. On the other hand, it’s also reopened a whole can of worms about what streamers should be allowed to do with other people’s tournaments.

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Rock, Paper, Shotgun - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Colm Ahern)

Do you like PC role-playing games? Great. Now, do you like the soundtracks of PC role-playing games? You do!?! Brilliant. Go grab that Neverwinter Nights notebook and that Fallout: New Vegas pen, because it’s time to test your knowledge.

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Rock, Paper, Shotgun - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Alan Martin)

If you’re after an external SSD, the Samsung T5 series has always been a good bet, even if it has been superseded by the T7 Touch. Given that model costs a figurative arm and leg, however, you’re better off sticking with the T5 – especially if you’re in the United States and have access to Best Buy’s current offers.

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May 15, 2020
Rock, Paper, Shotgun - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Tim Stone)

The 25 pictures in a cluster foxer are arranged in 5 discretely/discreetly themed clusters. Pictures in a particular cluster must be cardinally contiguous to be valid. For example, a1, b1, c1, d1, d2 is a possible cluster, unlike a2, b2, c2, d2, e3. To fully defox today’s enlargeable puzzle identify the themes and constituent images of all five clusters. (more…)

Rock, Paper, Shotgun - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Katharine Castle)

Under the sea, under the sea! Darling, it's better, down where the deals are, take it from meeee!

I know we probably all went into lockdown with the best intentions of finally clearing our Steam backlogs, but I think I’ve probably only completed a single game in this entire two month stretch. Still, for those of you whose Steam libraries do (somehow) need topping up again, the good news is that there are still plenty of great PC gaming deals going on to remedy your situation. Indeed, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is half price this week, and there are loads of great deals to be had on the excellent Jackbox Party Pack games, too. Humble are also holding their massive Spring Sale at the moment, and are even giving Aegis Defenders away for free while stocks last. So let’s dispense with the chat and get right on down to the best PC gaming deals of the week.

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Fallout 76 - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Sin Vega)

Bethesda have released their remaining 2020 plans for scrap-hoarding MMO Fallout 76. Over the next 6 months they’ll follow up the success of the Wastelanders update and its influx of NPCs by introducing a seasonal system featuring new missions, daily events, and a “major rebalancing of combat and rewards”.

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Before We Leave - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (RPS)

Matt and Nate have been playing Before We Leave, an aesthetically pleasing, non-violent citybuilder which nobody can seem to mention without also mentioning space whales. It’s about little peglike people emerging onto the surface of a hexagon-covered sphere, after centuries living in a shelter underground. And it’s also, inevitably, about gathering resources.

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Rock, Paper, Shotgun - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Alan Martin)

If you’re looking to beef up your PC’s 1080p gaming grunt and aren’t too fussy about timescales, then this is a bit of a bargain. Amazon is selling the Asus GTX 1650 Super TUF Gaming card for £155, which is the cheapest we’ve ever seen it.

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Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Dave Irwin)

Mount And Blade 2 Bannerlord companion

Recruiting people to your cause in Mount And Blade 2 Bannerlord is key to achieving your goals, whatever they may be. The most valuable people in your army will be companions, who are people that can be assigned roles and who can be upgraded in similar ways to your player controlled character.

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Rock, Paper, Shotgun - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Alice O'Connor)

Not sure what to play next from your vast and frankly decadent collection of unplayed games? The Steam client now has a built-in helpful/patronising selection of recommendations waiting for you. Valve added the ‘Play Next’ shelf to the Steam Library in an update last night. Mine most recommends I play Dark Souls 3 next and god, I know, okay.

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