Monthly Archives: July 2021

From the archive: football’s relationship with gambling Football Weekly Extra – The Guardian

Posted: July 25, 2021 at 3:33 pm

A few weeks before this episode was recorded in October 2020, we discussed whether it was OK for someone in the media to accept work from a bookmaker. Lots of you got in touch including someone whos overcome a serious addiction and is still dealing with the consequences of it but is helping others who have found themselves in the same situation.

On this pod we speak to him, as well as the Guardians gambling expert and the chair of the Betting and Gaming Council to find out what each of them think is right, and wrong, with the industry.

We talk about the increasing gamblification of football and asked whose responsibility it is to regulate the industry and help people who have become addicted.

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this episode, the following resources are available:

Support The Guardian

The Guardian is editorially independent. And we want to keep our journalism open and accessible to all. But we increasingly need our readers to fund our work.

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From the archive: football's relationship with gambling Football Weekly Extra - The Guardian

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Blockchain And Cryptocurrency: The Future Of Online Gambling? – Technology – United States – Mondaq News Alerts

Posted: at 3:33 pm

Blockchain technology is emerging as a game-changer in a widevariety of markets. As we explained in our prior post, Understanding the Intellectual Property Value ofNFTs, blockchain technology is the basis for creatingnon-fungible tokens, or NFTs, which have experienced astoundinggrowth in areas ranging from art to music to video games. Thisarticle discusses how cryptocurrency and blockchain technology arepotentially disruptive technologies for the online gamblingindustry.

In its simplest terms, blockchain is a decentralized, digitalrecord of all the transactions that take place using digitalassets. It is a database that stores encrypted blocks of datachained together to form a single chronological ledger oftransactions. In many cases, the data is distributed to create animmutable record of the asset's history that is accessible tothe public. The overall purpose of blockchain is to "letpeople-in particular, people who don't trust one another-sharevaluable data in a secure, tamperproof way."1

Blockchain set the table for the emergence of cryptocurrencies,which are decentralized digital assets that leverage blockchaintechnology to ensure security and prohibit double-spending. Whilecryptocurrency first emerged years ago, the recent wide-spreadpublic adoption has driven its growth. Many industries havebenefitted from the convenience and access that cryptocurrenciesprovide through user-to-user payment systems. The $60 billiononline gambling industry is particularly well-suited to capitalizeon the trend.2

The gambling industry has already embraced digital paymentmethods.3 Blockchain and cryptocurrencies can greatlyexpand this trend. As we explain, this technology can advancemission-critical objectives of the online gambling industry,including the security, validity, anonymity, and cost-efficiency ofthe industry's core transactions.

Blockchain technology in online gambling provides an added layerof protection for users because the databases record alltransactions and store the information in a decentralized ledger.This technology prevents the prevents the illegal trading ofdigital assets and reduces the risk of both hacking and paymentduplication.

Data privacy is a concern for many online gambling users becausewebsites commonly require them to disclose personal information,which creates hesitation among individuals who worry about how andwhere their data will be stored. Cryptocurrencies provide anopportunity for websites to eschew requests for detailedinformation because transfers of cryptocurrency are immediatelyvalidated by the public blockchain. This protection of userinformation further reduces the risk that personal data will becompromised.4

Relatedly, crypto-accepting gambling websites can provide userswith a streamlined registration process because of their ability tooperate without unnecessary personal information.5 As aresult, these crypto-friendly websites may be better positionedthan their non-crypto-accepting competitors to attract potentialusers, who can begin playing immediately upon providing only anemail address and a username.

Blockchain technology and cryptocurrency in the gamblingindustry also provides efficiency through instantaneous transfers.When online gamblers deposit cryptocurrency into a gamblingplatform, they do not need to wait for a bank or third-partycompany to verify the decentralized transactions, which are notcurrently controlled by a central authority. Instead, theblockchain immediately verifies the transaction and the platformlearns instantly whether it is valid.6

The decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies also makes themmore cost-effective than other sources of payment like credit cardsor bank transfers. Many cryptocurrencies-including Bitcoin-have nohidden transaction fees. Utilizing this form of payment benefitsboth the user and the platform, who avoid incurring costsaccompanied by traditional payment methods.

Overall, while blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies arenot new, the gambling industry is in its infancy in terms of marketadoption and implementation. Market participants will continue todrive the wide-spread adoption of the crypto asset class, which inturn will result in a broader use of blockchain technology anddifferent methods of utilization that can advance the gamblingindustry considerably. Of course, these benefits do not comewithout challenges, both technical and regulatory. Stay tuned forour follow-up article regarding the regulatory challenges theonline gambling industry will face as it inevitably moves towardsblockchain and cryptocurrencies.

Footnotes

1 Mike Orcutt, How Secure is Blockchain Really?,MIT Technology Review (Apr. 25, 2018), available athttps://www.technologyreview.com/2018/04/25/143246/how-secure-is-blockchain-really/.

2 Online Gambling Market Size, Grand ViewResearch (Apr. 2020), available athttps://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/online-gambling-market.

3 Emerging companies like Cash2Go, for example,structured their business product behind the thesis that digitalpayment solutions would be a driver in the industry. Furtherinformation on Cash2Go is available athttps://cash2gocard.com/.

4 The Future of Blockchain Technology in the GamblingIndustry, Chipin, available athttps://www.chipin.com/future-blockchain-technology-gambling-industry/.

5 Anonymous Gambling in Bitcoin Casinos,CoinGambling, available athttps://coingambling.info/news/anonymous-gambling-in-bitcoin-casinos/

6 The Future of Cryptocurrency in OnlineGambling, BlockchainNews (June 11, 2021), available athttps://www.the-blockchain.com/2021/06/11/the-future-of-cryptocurrency-in-online-gambling/.

The content of this article is intended to provide a generalguide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be soughtabout your specific circumstances.

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Blockchain And Cryptocurrency: The Future Of Online Gambling? - Technology - United States - Mondaq News Alerts

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TBT Daily Odds and Picks July 24 – The Sports Gambling Podcast

Posted: at 3:33 pm

Its The Basketball Tournament (TBT) Saturday and there is a full slate of games to keep you thoroughly entertained. Saturdays action is headlined by popular teams like House of Paign and Boeheims Army. Lets look at the TBT picks for Saturday, July 24th, and some teams to watch.

Boeheims Army was the talk of the offseason after adding Overseas Elite players D.J. Kennedy and DeAndre Kane. This adds them to a roster with Syracuse legends Tyler Lydon and Chris McCullough, and former Boston College alum Tyrese Rice. This feels like this is the year that the Syracuse alumni team can finally reach the TBT mountaintop.

On the other hand, you have first-year TBT entrant Forces of Seoul. Comprised players that played South Korean ball, they have a lot of size and a number of guys with NBA and G-League experience. Vernon Macklin was the 52nd overall pick in the NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons. They also have former Arizona State guard Torian Graham who averaged 18 points with the Sun Devils.

This Forces of Seoul team has a lot of playmakers and could actually make this a sneaky good game. I still expect Boeheims Army to make a late run and pull away to get a nice cover.

The Pick: Boeheims Army -9.5

This should be an authentic game between two ACC rival alumni teams. Both are first-year entrants into the tournament and whichever team can gel the quickest is going to have the edge in this one.

Wolf Blood is led by former NBA player CJ Williams and NC State standout Trevor Lacey. Scott Wood, Desmond Lee, and Terry Henderson will supply some heavy-hitting offensive that can help this Wolf Blood team run up the score.

Category 5 has a former NBA player of their own in Davon Reed. Also led by TBT vet Rion Brown, the Miami alumni team has the pieces to be able to compete against Wolf Blood. I do not expect either team to give up much, however, I am still giving a slight edge to Wolf Blood.

The Pick: Wolf Blood -1.5

House of Paign made an electric entrance into the TBT last year after knocking off the previous years champion in Carmens Crew. Mike Daum absolutely looked the part as one of the best players in the whole tournament. There is not any reason that we should not expect a lot of the same.

However, in the first round, they are getting the Jackson TN Underdawgs who are not going to be an easy out. This is a veteran TBT team who made a quarterfinal run in 2019. They have a number of key playmakers in the backcourt that all have the experience of playing in this tournament. While I do not think they have anybody that will be able to contain Mike Daum, I do think that they can have enough scorers that they can keep up with House of Paigns offense. Jackson TN could provide one of the bigger surprise covers and stands out among the TBT picks for July 24.

The Pick: Jackson TN Underdawgs +9.5

Red Scare is definitely a strong team that has the potential to make another deep run into the tournament. This team is a mix of the 2013 Elite Eight Dayton team and the 2020 team that so many people were extremely high on pre-COVID. Veterans Darrell Davis and Devin Oliver are looking to usher this group into an opportunity to play in front of their home crowd in the TBT Championship rounds.

However, they have a tall task ahead of them in an upstart team filled will players from BC Vahakni Citys championship roster this past year. Darious Clark leads this new team into the tournament looking to continue the momentum from their play in the Armenian A-League.

I do not doubt that Red Scare can win this game, but 8.5 is a hard number to lay with the history that the players of this BC Vahakni City team. They have four members of that championship roster playing in the TBT and I expect them to keep it tight with Red Scare and give us a sneaky good game.

The Pick: BC Vahakni City +8.5

The Overlooked come in as a highly touted first-year entrant into the tournament. The Murray State alumni team is led by former NBA player Isaiah Canaan, who has the ability to pull up from anywhere on the court. They also have a former conference defensive player of the year in Shaq Buchanan that will be able to wreak havoc on the other side of the ball.

Team Heartfire returns to the tournament after an unsuccessful first experience in the TBT bubble. They have former NBA Draft pick Branden Dawson who looks to lead the charge after his former Michigan State teammate Brandon Wood had to step away after signing a professional contract. This team has a lot of size with three players that stand over 610 in height.

This should be a very gritty game as both teams have a defensive edge to them. I will take the points with Team Heartfire, but I will not be surprised if this game comes down to the last possession in the Elam Ending.

The Pick: Team Heartfire +3.5

This matchup will pit another pair of first-year entrants against each other. Blue Collar U is a Buffalo alumni team that was able to put together a couple of NCAA tournament runs. And the Nerd Team is comprised of players from high academic institutions that can also hoop.

The Nerd Team has a European standout in John DiBartolomeo that I fully expect to make a name for himself in this tournament. However, my concern for this new team is that they are just pieced together and have not yet built the chemistry that Blue Collar U should have. The Buffalo alumni team shares members from three years of MAC tournament championships. I give the edge to Blue Collar U to keep it larger than a possession. The UB alumni should pick up a big TBT win here and cover a narrow spread as far as picks go for July 24.

The Pick: Blue Collar U -2.5

Not only is this a game between two TBT veteran teams, but they also both have ties to the region. This should be an electric matchup with neither side wanting to give in front of the home crowd.

Chicago Hoopville Warriors have always been a tough, gritty team in the TBT that has not been easy to put down all the time. They were a late entry into this years field with the withdrawal of Tubby Time, but they still should have the same chip on their shoulders.

This will be Always a Brave first TBT in two years. Former NBA lottery pick Patrick OBryant will be a dominating force inside that the Hoopville Warriors do not have anybody that will be able to challenge him. OBryant also has the ability to step outside and shoot which should give this Chicago team problems. Always a Brave has a strong pedigree in the tournament and should be able to pull this out by two possessions.

The Pick: Always a Brave -4.5

The last game of the day should be a good one between another pair of alumni squads. Zip Em Up, the Xavier alumni team has a former NBA player in Trevon Bluiett. Blueitt is a sharpshooter from three and is a career 2,000-point scoring for Xavier. Joining him in the backcourt is another sharpshooter in J.P. Macura who also spent time in the NBA.

Ohio 1804 will hope to have some of the Columbus crowd on their side as they make their first entrance into the TBT. They bring back Stevie Taylor who was a part of the Bobcats 2012 Sweet 16 NCAA tournament run. They also recruited Jordan Barham who was a double-digit scorer for the Davidson Wildcats. And they will need all of it to keep up with this Xavier team.

Ultimately, I feel Zip Em Ups scoring will be too much for Ohio 1804 to handle. Zip Em Up should close out the July 24 slate by covering one of the larger TBT spreads among all these picks.

The Pick: Zip Em Up -7.5

By holding the Tokyo Olympics, Japans government is gambling with peoples lives – The Guardian

Posted: at 3:33 pm

The Olympic Games begins in Tokyo on Friday, just as Covid-19 blights the city for the fourth time and a year after the Games were originally scheduled to begin.

Despite the latest alarming spike in coronavirus infections and hospitalisations across the citys metropolitan area, Japans prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, has reiterated his resolve to go ahead with the Games, declaring at a session of the International Olympic Committee held on 20 July that the Games can be held successfully, with the efforts and wisdom of the people.

But many Japanese either disbelieve him or take his words with a pinch of salt. For one, many people are tired of hearing Sugas overblown rhetoric stressing the Games significance. He has, for example, previously said more than once that the Olympics will be held as proof that humanity has defeated the novel coronavirus.

Despite the pronouncements, Sugas administration has had a hard time dealing with the coronavirus. The more infection cases rise, the more Sugas disapproval ratings rise also. A national Asahi-Shimbun poll found his disapproval rate climbed to 49% on 17 and 18 July, the highest since the formation of his cabinet in September 2020. Correspondingly, his approval rating dropped to 31% close to the 30% danger zone political observers see as an indicator of imminent government change.

One big question arises. Why has Suga pushed so hard for his plans to host the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics while the pandemic rages, and even as his approval ratings plummet? The short answer: this is a political gamble.

Suga is counting on the Tokyo Olympics to boost his approval rating ahead of the general election for the lower house and the Liberal Democratic partys election for presidential leader, both of which will be held this autumn. Suga hopes public enthusiasm for the Games will reach fever pitch as Japanese athletes start getting gold medals.

His optimism, however, is not shared by some in his cabinet. In terms of national security, I dont see any cause to hold the Olympics at all as we face a national crisis now, one of Sugas vice-ministers told me, adding that the real problem with the Games was the question of its finance and the egotistical desire of the Suga administration to be able to say we made the Games a success ahead of the elections.

Nobody is sure how successful the Tokyo Olympics can be, not least in the face of the virulent Delta variant. Tokyo 2021 could become a super-spreading event. Suga is taking a dangerous political gamble, and gambling, too, with the health and lives of the people of Tokyo and Japan, as well as the tens of thousands who will travel to the Games.

The gamble so far looks like it might not pay off. The great majority of Japanese people have a very cynical view of the Games. In another Asahi Shimbun survey, 55% were opposed to holding the Olympics with just 33% in support of it. In addition, 68% said they do not believe Sugas pledge that the Olympics will be safe and secure. Only 21% said they felt it could be.

This lack of enthusiasm is built on a series of Olympics scandals being brought to light. After Britains Zaha Hadid Architects won the competition to build Tokyos new National Stadium, her design was scrapped over ballooning costs in July 2015. The official logo for the Games was also scrapped in September 2015 after weeks of plagiarism allegations called the work of its designer Kenjiro Sano into disrepute. In 2019, Tsunekazu Takeda resigned as president of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), following bribery allegations linked to the successful bid for the Games. And Yoshiro Mori, a former prime minister and then-president of the Tokyo Olympics organising committee, resigned in February 2021, following backlash over sexist comments suggesting, among other things, that women talk too much in meetings. Most recently, Kentaro Kobayashi, the opening ceremony director, was dismissed the day before the ceremony due to a Holocaust joke he made during a comedy show in 1998. Both Japanese and foreign media have reported that the Tokyo Olympics are cursed.

The Games skyrocketing price tag has also diminished public support for the event, which has now reached more than 3tn yen (20bn) and will become the most expensive Summer Olympics in history. Japans government debt stands at 266% of GDP the highest in the world and twice that of the US. Many fear the cost of implementing coronavirus countermeasures to ensure the Games are safe will add to a growing national deficit. Over more than a decade, Japan has spent hundreds of trillions of yen to stimulate the economy and overcome three major national crises: the 2008 Lehman shock, the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Another big reason why many Japanese are against the Games is that Japan is lagging significantly behind numerous other countries in vaccinating its population, which is the oldest in the world. Many feel strongly that the Japanese government should put its efforts into the vaccine rollout, instead of the Olympics. As of 22 July, Japan ranks 69th in the world for those whove received two vaccines, with just 23.3% of the total population fully vaccinated.

The country has simply failed to strategically prepare for the Games in terms of vaccine rollout and infection control. Instead, over the past year, Suga has sung the Games praises while overlooking the imperative, taken more seriously in many other countries, to vaccinate the people hes charged with governing. Now, Japan must learn its lessons from the bitter experience of the Tokyo Olympics, and in doing so hopefully the nations body politic can heal.

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By holding the Tokyo Olympics, Japans government is gambling with peoples lives - The Guardian

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Skate tease shows that EA will keep gambling on showing games early – Gamesradar

Posted: at 3:33 pm

The new Skate teaser trailer arrived this week, giving us a glimpse at people reacting to the game off-screen alongside some impressive mo-cap work. This in and of itself is still exciting, proof that a new Skate is definitely happening, and self-aware enough to temper expectations by asking fans at the end to roll with us. But it also represents EA heading back to the roulette table, hedging their bets that showing a game early in development is better than letting fans get impatient.

It's a move that brings no end of potential risks, but carries a potentially significant upside. While showing tease after tease may frustrate fans over a number of years, it does broaden the understanding of what actually goes into game development. Instead of players seeing a game announced and expecting to play it within 6 to 12 months, showcasing the development journey is arguably giving fans a better idea of just how demanding and challenging a game can be to make. Who knows, it may even give some players a great appreciation of the final product.

This is a gamble EA has been making for some time now. In fact, we've seen them show off Dragon Age 4 in a teaser trailer and concept art over the past 2 years, Battlefield 2042 was first revealed in EA Play last year with a look at one very expressive soldier, and we know that another Mass Effect is coming thanks to a Bioware blog post. As EA Play Live continues to grow as a showcase of the people behind EA's games as seen from the recent series of interviews in the run-up to their showcase it feels like EA are also trying to highlight what goes into creating a game too.

The caveat to all of this is simple: do players want that? Dragon Age fans are currently getting a constant drip-feed of animated trailers, CGI renders, and concept art teases to get them excited for the next game in the series, but at no point have they actually seen the thing. While this might mirror the fluid nature of game development where concepts and designs will be pitched, scrapped, reworked, and might not even make the final game it also means that players are left no closer to know what to expect from Dragon Age 4 than they were before it was first teased at the 2018 Game Awards.

There's also the fact that this approach is still marketing. Naturally, EA won't be keen on showing you the negatives of games development, which then risks creating a false impression of what it actually means to make a game. And, let's say a game does end up going in a different direction to the one that EA has spent months, or even years teasing, then players are left to fill in the blanks about what happened. It could lead to unnecessary confusion or becoming Twitter's focus for the day a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone.

Now, none of this isn't to say that Skate isn't going to absolutely shred. I can't wait to see what a new Skate game will look and play like when it's ready, and I was sold the second I saw a quick glimpse of Noah Lennox (aka Panda Bear from Animal Collective, whose Summertime Clothes is the best song on the Skate 3 soundtrack, no further questions) in the trailer. Still, the waiting game is one most people would rather not play, and with EA regularly drawing it out for its big hitters, it's long-term teasing could leave fans irritated rather than excited.

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Skate tease shows that EA will keep gambling on showing games early - Gamesradar

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Cyberpunk – Visual Studio Marketplace

Posted: at 3:33 pm

I know, it may look like a rainbow and even give the sensation of distraction.But fundamentally I chose the cyberpunk theme, because it allows me to use a very wide color palette, this helps each fragment of code to have practically a color, so our eye quickly detects color changes and our brain is processing and memorizing the information received. This can help unconsciously improve your productivity when programming, as we recognize quickly, for example: if it is an object, a class, a method, etc...

To install it, search for "Cyberpunk" in the extension marketplace or Click here

The transparencies on the floating elements are here. I know it's not the same as applying acrylic from the fluid design... but something is something

Click here to go to the Changelog

Remember if you are using VSCode 1.12+ versions you can customize the colors to your liking, overriding the ones provided by this theme. More info here.

Excuse me for not adding a few collaborators. At this moment I'm moving from the city, so I don't have the tools to create the cards, nor the time... as soon as I'm free, I'll be adding them. Thank you very much for your contributions.

More information coming soon, about the badges and how to get them. (Very very soon, I promise.)

Your comments and criticisms (constructive ) are most welcome.So you're invited to stop by the section Rating & ReviewRemember that this theme is for you so let's build it together.

In this version important changes were made in the colors, including the incorporation of a new mode. If there's anything you think was not a good idea to change, don't hesitate to let me know.

Don't forget to rate

Cyberpunk - Visual Studio Marketplace

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Cyberpunk 2077 Trainer | Cheat Happens PC Game Trainers

Posted: at 3:33 pm

Our Cyberpunk 2077 +53 trainer is now available for version 1.23 and supports STEAM, EPIC STORE, GOG. These Cyberpunk 2077 cheats are designed to enhance your experience with the game.

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Cyberpunk 2077 Internal Bug Highlight Reel Leaks Online

Posted: at 3:33 pm

Since Cyberpunk 2077 released last fall, there has been a big spotlight on the game's bugs. The title wasn't released in the best state (particularly on consoles), and many consumers weren't happy with the final results. Following CD Projekt Red's recent data breach, videos have been released online of highlight reel footage of some of the game's bugs, which were shared internally. These bug reel videos were edited together by the development team for comedic effect. It's worth noting that this is apparently a common industry practice, though some have tried to use it as evidence that CDPR was aware of the game's problems when it shipped.

Proletariat senior QA Robbie Russell is one of several game developers online that have pointed out how common the practice is in the video game industry. Russell's Tweet regarding the situation can be found embedded below, while one of the highlight reels can be found at the top of this page.

A number of bugs can be seen in the video, including floating enemies, heads that twist around in an inhuman manner, and much more. As Russell points out, these highlight reels allow teams to laugh about a career that can be highly stressful.

Since launch, Cyberpunk 2077 has seen a number of patches intended to make the game run smoother. Despite these changes, perception surrounding Cyberpunk 2077 hasn't improved much over the last few months. Unfortunately, because of these issues and some of the credible accusations made against CD Projekt Red, some will look at these videos as proof of something nefarious when that isn't the case.

Cyberpunk 2077 is now available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC, and Google Stadia. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the game right here.

Were you disappointed with the bugs related to Cyberpunk 2077? What do you think of the bug highlight reel? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk about all things gaming!

[H/T: Video Games Chronicle]

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Cyberpunk 2077 Internal Bug Highlight Reel Leaks Online

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Cyberpunk 2077’s Retrofuturistic World Is Worth Exploring Beneath the Flaws – Gizmodo

Posted: at 3:33 pm

I had to work extra hard to look this cool. Photo: CD Projekt Red

When Cyberpunk 2077 came out last December, all eyes were on what I like to call the little game that couldnt. CD Projekt Reds long-anticipated dive into the cyberpunk genre was laden with bugs, glitches, and reports of horrible work conditions for the development team. Six months later, enough patches have come out to make the game (mostly) playable. But is it good cyberpunk?

I decided to finally dip my toe into Cyberpunk 2077, after waiting several months for the game mechanics to catch up with its own vision. Im still in the middle of my first playthrough but overall Im more satisfied than I thought I would be. Players tale on the role of V, a mercenary in the corporate-fueled world of Night City. Its a filthy, no-holds-barred dystopia where American and Japanese esthetics have intertwined, becoming a dark and grim San Fransokyo. The character of V is customizable in appearance, cybernetics, and originI chose the corporate backstory, because Opulence!although the look doesnt matter much because the video game is in first-person. (I played as a feminine-presenting character, so Ill be using she/her pronouns from here on).

Note: Below this paragraph will be minor spoilers for the main storyline. If youre not wanting to know anything, TLDR; its got its issues but is worth a play, especially because you can get it for pretty cheap. The PS4 edition, which is by far the buggiest, is discounted at many stores right now. Its available for $28 at Walmart and Best Buy (Xbox One copies are still around $40-$60). It recently returned to the Playstation Store for $50 tooalthough it comes with a disclaimer that playing on the PS4 is not recommended. I dont care about occasional bugs, so I shelled out for the cheaper version.

After botching a heist and witnessing a murder, V lands smack-dab in the middle of a massive conspiracy involving the head of Arakasa Corporation. She ends up on the run from Arasakas goons while also working with one of them to expose Arasakas corruption. She eventually finds herself with an unwanted guest sharing her brain: terrorist Johnny Silverhand, played by our favorite and yours, Keanu Reeves. Hes a ghost in the machine, a virtual dead man trapped inside her headand hell eventually destroy her mind unless they figure out how to remove him together, so they become a buddy cop duo thats both fun and frustrating. Its great to see him pop up and crack wise at whatever V is doing; the banter between them is entertaining but it can also feel like, from that point on, the game isnt about you anymore. Its the Keanu Reeves Show. Which, I mean, OK hes great. But hes not V. Hes not me.

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The main plot feels familiar, but its interesting enough to follow. V is a mercenary trying to remove a digital virus thats killing her and does so by teaming up with different factions (and romance-able NPCs) who all deliver a piece of the fix me puzzle. In the process, she learns the truth about Arasakas work on preserving the digital consciousnesssomething theyre employing to help people with the Relic... and also control them through its more accurate name, Soulkiller. Theres some spoiler stuff with artificial intelligence and the definition of the Self that I wont get into because it gets convoluted.

Apparently so...Screenshot: CD Projekt Red

Several missions in the game feel like echoes of other stories, although its likely unintentional. The bioengineer you seek out in the wilderness reminds me of The Glowing Sea mission from Fallout 4. The sex Dollhouse filled with humans whose minds are programmable is straight outta, well, Dollhouse. And lets not forget how most facets of the cyberpunk genre, including this iteration, owe much to classic anime (like Akira) and Blade Runner. None of these things make it badJ.R.R. Tolkien carries a huge presence in modern fantasy, including in CD Projekt Reds The Witcher seriesbut if youre looking for original storytelling, youre not going to find it here. Id be hesitant to even call this pure science fiction, to be honest; its not speculative of a world that could be, at least not anymore. Id call this more of a retrofuturistic piece, a tribute to the best of 1980s sci-fi.

Where Cyberpunk 2077 shines is in the little details. Night City is gorgeous, at least when its not buggy. The eye line is filled with towering skyscrapers, creepy alleyways with side quests, digital display overlays, and passersby wearing all sorts of cybernetic enhancements. I often found myself avoiding Fast Travel (a service I usually employ liberally) because I didnt want to miss anything. I also appreciate a video game with combat-free missionsespecially sci-fi games, given how much they rely on gunplay. Its why I enjoy playing Detroit: Become Human way, way, way more than the game deserves.

One of the things I didnt like about Watch Dogs: Legion was how all of the missions were the same: talk to a person, shoot some people, hack all the things. Cyberpunk 2077 gives players ample opportunity to interact with characters and the world in ways that dont involve shootouts. Most missions have plenty of stealth options; several of them can be accomplished with no fighting at all. Plus, there are a lot of main and side quests where its just you and people. No fighting. No fleeing. Just being. Meeting a contact at the docks, and talking. Helping a former cop with his PTSD. Investigating a crime scene using someones virtual memory.

One that really stood out to me happened pretty early in the game. V is asked to attend the funeral of a friend who was killed during the failed heist. She spends her time searching for the right item to put on his ofrendagoing through his garage and reminiscingand working to make amends between his mother and his girlfriend. Shes then given the option to make a speech, which you as the player customize depending on how you choose to remember him, and then she goes around the bar drinking shots in his honor. Once again, just being. It wasnt as exciting as the Citadel party in Mass Effect 3, or as emotional as the epilogue in The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, but it was still appreciated. As a gamer, I like a little ebb with my flow. Not only does it give me a chance to breathe, but it plays better into the genre as a whole. Cyberpunk isnt just sci-fi, its film noir.

Hey, hey buddy. How are you eating that?Screenshot: CD Projekt Red

Am I enjoying the game? Yes. But Id be remiss if I didnt say its impossible to separate the art from the artistby which I mean the game company, CD Projekt Red, and the messy product they produced. Even with months of patches and bug fixes, there are still a lot of goofs in this thing. Examples include: missing art on billboards, delayed rendering on buildings and characters, character designs repeating in the same locations, cars getting stuck all the time. My favorite bug has to be when I have V sip some alcohol and shell stay drunk (with blurry, shifting vision) until I quit and reload the game. You heard it here first, kids, dont drink and game. Your face will freeze like that.

You still cant customize your characters look beyond cybernetics after theyre createdeven something as simple as changing your hairstyle seems beyond Cyberpunk 2077's reach. The edgelord contentwith its emphasis on sex jokes, body horror, and exploitation of womenborders on cringe, when its not outright racist or transphobic. And lets not forget the months of grueling crunch and other awful work conditions, much of which has been reported by our sister site, Kotaku. I dont mention these things to shame folks for playing Cyberpunk 2077Im still playing it right nowI bring them up because its important to understand the full story behind the media we consume and to call out the things that dont work, even if some things do.

Ive just entered act threeof Cyberpunk 2077, which means Im probably getting ready for my five days until retirement moment. And even though Ive already written this piece, Im going to keep playing. Not only to see what happens, but also because its a world Im genuinely having fun in. If youve been clamoring to see yourself in the world of Blade Runner, Cowboy Bebop, Ergo Proxy, or (the non-Scarlett Johansson) Ghost in the Shell, Cyberpunk 2077 might be one of the best things out there. Its not perfect, and maybe something else will come along someday that addresses the games many misfires. But for now, its a fun time. I like putting on some stupid shades, hopping on my buddys motorcycle, and riding off into the chrome-lined sunsetat least until I crash into an invisible wall because it hasnt rendered yet.

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Excerpt from:

Cyberpunk 2077's Retrofuturistic World Is Worth Exploring Beneath the Flaws - Gizmodo

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Is Cyberpunk 2077 Fixed On PS4, PS5? All Cyberpunk 2077 Patch Notes So Far – PlayStation Universe

Posted: at 3:33 pm

After its restoration to the PlayStation Store back in June 2021 and with the sheer wealth of Cyberpunk 2077 PS4 and PS5 patches that have been released to date, many players are asking the question is Cyberpunk 2077 fixed on PS4 and PS5?

With Cyberpunk 2077 proving to be a massively ambitious game that pushes the PS4 and PS4 Pro past their limits, its still fair to say that unless youre playing the PS4 version of Cyberpunk 2077 on PS5, then youre still getting a tarnished and somewhat unoptimized experience. However, developer CDProjekt RED has been steadfast in its determination to patch and improve Cyberpunk 2077, and the game has certainly come a long way since its release in late 2020.

As of July 2021, Cyberpunk 2077 is still not fully fixed on PS4 and PS5.

While we wait for the soon to be released native PS5 version of Cyberpunk 2077 in addition to the next big patch update, you can check out every single set of Cyberpunk 2077 PS4 and PS5 patch notes below:

Every Cyberpunk 2077 PS4, PS5 Patch Update So Far In July 2021:

Quests & Open World

Space Oddity

Gig: Family Matters

The Heist

The Nomad

The Hunt

The Beast in Me

Queen of the Highway

Down on the Street

Forward to Death

Gig: Goodbye, Night City

Path of Glory

Gig: No Fixers

Gig: Getting Warmer

Gig: Many Ways to Skin a Cat

Cyberpsycho Sighting: Where the Bodies Hit the Floor

Cyberpsycho Sighting: On Deaf Ears

I Fought the Law

Gameplay

Visual

The Pickup

Stability and performance

Quests & Open World

Visual

Stability and performance

Console-specific

Quests & Open World

Gameplay

Visual

Stability and performance

Console-specific

Gameplay

Quests

Open World

Cinematic Design

Environment and levels

Graphics, audio, animation

Stability and performance

This section discusses changes that enter all the platforms but many of them make a bigger difference on last generation consoles and lower performance machines.

Miscellaneous

Console-specific

The save/load loot exploit will be investigated further.

Stability

Various stability improvements including:

Quests/Open World

Visual

Achievements

Miscellaneous

PlayStation-specific

Quests

Dum Dum will no longer go missing from Totentanz entrance during Second Conflict.

Console-specific

Improved memory management and stability, resulting in fewer crashes.

Quests

Gameplay

Visual

Performance & Stability

Miscellaneous

Console-specific

Quests

Gameplay

Visual

Performance & Stability

Miscellaneous

Console-specific

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Is Cyberpunk 2077 Fixed On PS4, PS5? All Cyberpunk 2077 Patch Notes So Far - PlayStation Universe

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Monthly Archives: July 2021

From the archive: football’s relationship with gambling Football Weekly Extra – The Guardian

Blockchain And Cryptocurrency: The Future Of Online Gambling? – Technology – United States – Mondaq News Alerts

TBT Daily Odds and Picks July 24 – The Sports Gambling Podcast

By holding the Tokyo Olympics, Japans government is gambling with peoples lives – The Guardian

Skate tease shows that EA will keep gambling on showing games early – Gamesradar

Cyberpunk – Visual Studio Marketplace

Cyberpunk 2077 Trainer | Cheat Happens PC Game Trainers

Cyberpunk 2077 Internal Bug Highlight Reel Leaks Online

Cyberpunk 2077’s Retrofuturistic World Is Worth Exploring Beneath the Flaws – Gizmodo

Is Cyberpunk 2077 Fixed On PS4, PS5? All Cyberpunk 2077 Patch Notes So Far – PlayStation Universe

The Prometheus League

Breaking News and Updates

Prometheism

Forbidden Fruit

The Evolutionary Perspective

Transtopia Menu

Library Updates

Library Books

Future Euvolution

Lucid Dreams from Childhood

Genetic Revolution

Speciation + Self-Directed Evolution