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PlayStation 5 1TB SSD Actually Only Has 664GB Storage Space

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As fans likely predicted but hoped against, the PlayStation 5’s actual SSD storage space has been confirmed to be smaller than most were probably expecting, with only 664GB of the 1TB that was promised. Storage space will be a huge problem in next-generation gaming especially for fans who love to download exclusive games.

Games like Grand Theft Auto, Destiny, and Call of Duty eat away storage spaces in humungous chunks, obliging players to move other games to the cloud in order to free up some room. Shuffling between game installations was already a problem in the age of Xbox One and PlayStation 4 but this issue is going to be more critical in the next generation.

This problem is because of the custom SSD drive that powers both of the console’s enhancements in loading times and game speed. As PC players have understood for quite a few years, SSD technology is a giant leap forward over the classic hard drive and such massive leaps need a massive financial investment.

Players can still connect traditional external storage but old drives will not provide the same hasty experience as what will be introduced this time around. This means players will have to divide their games to keep the best and biggest on the default SSD.

As spotted by some gaming enthusiasts in the ongoing PlayStation 5 previews in Japan, the PlayStation 5’s 825GB SSD will not be totally open to users when they get their hands on the next-gen console. Rather, only 664GB will be available for the installation of games and save data while the rest will be allotted to the console’s system software and important files.

Sony has already confirmed its launch titles’ storage requirements so players will have an idea of what they will need on release day. Simple games such as Sackboy: A Big Adventure will need 32GB of storage while Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition will require at least 105GB – almost one-sixth of the PlayStation 5’s accessible storage space.

Of course, even this seemingly massive size of Spider-Man: Miles Morales will be overshadowed by some third party game. On the PlayStation 4, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Destiny 2 usually go up to at least the 200GB ceiling and this number will only rise up thanks to enhanced 4K graphics on the PlayStation 5.

Xbox Series X users will also be on the same boat with these kinds of games but its SSD will be slightly bigger, providing players a notable 850GB storage space. With games taking up this much space, this could be sufficient to install one more big game before resorting to external storage.

Early buyers of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 is going to be in a bad position compared to those who come down the line because this is how technology has always worked. These consoles are cutting edge and bets don’t sometimes pay off.

The Xbox 360 originally needed an adapter to use the Wifi while the PlayStation 3’s release console featured controllers that had no rumble. A few generations later, games may be better but the new SSDs that power them might bring along more problems along the way.

Minecraft Earth Adds Pistons in Upcoming Update

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Great news await those players who enjoy blending together Minecraft and the real world via Minecraft Earth, as new features are making its way to the app. Recently, Mojang revealed to the fans that the ability to add pistons will be made available to Minecraft Earth, making your augmented reality experience even more interesting.

You can expect these pistons to be included in the upcoming update. The Minecraft Live 2020 stream took place recently, which was a must-see show for all the Minecraft fans out there because it announced the different content you can expect to see in the game’s future.

Pistons and sticky pistons were announced during the show, but Minecraft’s official Twitter account posted the announcement as well. As you may or may not know, pistons are a kind of block that is capable of pushing not only other blocks but players and mobs alike.

As such, we’re definitely interested to see how Mojang implements these in augmented reality.

The part that many were looking forward to, though, was the community vote, which was the part of the show where players could vote for which new content Mojang should add to the game.

Previously, the Minecraft team asked the players for help to decide which mob they should add: a Moobloom, the Iceologer, or a Glow Squid. Based on this voting, the results indicate that Mojang will be adding the Glow Squid. We don’t know yet when this new mob will be added to Minecraft, but we assume that they will be included in the new Caves & Cliffs update that was recently announced.

For this one, Mojang wants players to have new underground experiences. In other words, there will be all kinds of new content for you to enjoy, such as new biomes and blocks. One example of new blocks you’ll encounter in the game would be the Sculk blocks, which adds wireless Redstone to Minecraft.

The developers further explained this concept by saying that these new blocks function based on movement and sound vibrations. Once they’re charged, they start emitting a redstone signal. Without a doubt, this new feature will open brand-new avenues for wireless creations in Minecraft.

In any case, it has definitely been a week full of exciting things for Minecraft fans. As a matter of fact, new content for Minecraft has reached outside of the game itself and has made its way to a completely different franchise — Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

It has been recently announced that Steve from Minecraft will be making its way to the crossover fighting game as a DLC fighter. Not only that, but he will have four different skins included, featuring fan favorites such as Alex, Zombie, and Enderman.

As for the fighter’s move set, you will find the typical Minecraft actions such as crafting as well as placing blocks. It was definitely a shock to hear that Steve from Minecraft will be included in a game such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

However, it’s also great to see that even after all these years, Minecraft is still out there continuing to make a name for itself despite how popular it already is.

Players Can Make Their Own Vaults in Fallout 76

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Fallout 76 will be featuring new underground building chambers some time within the year, but if you want the biggest ones, it will come at a price. In an update post on Bethesda’s website, the studio further discussed shelters and how they work in Fallout 76, as these were scheduled to go live in the Public Test Server (PTS).

To provide you with a brief explanation, shelters are special areas within Fallout 76 that are set apart from the rest of the game. Each of these shelters has its very own budgets, as well, which means that you don’t have to fret over having to take from the C.A.M.P site situated above-ground.

These shelters have three different sizes, namely: Utility Room, Lobby, and Atrium. The Utility Room is pretty much the same as a janitor’s closet, as it is a free shelter that will be available to players once they finish a new questline.

The other two, on the other hand, will require you to use the game’s premium currency called Atoms.

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That being said, the studio will initially have the ‘Vault Lobby’ as one of its monthly free items for those players who are a member of Fallout 1st. After that, though, players will have to purchase the room with the use of Atoms via the Atomic Shop.

Last but not least, the biggest Shelter a.k.a the Vault Atrium can be purchased immediately using Atoms on the day of the patch. This doesn’t really come as a surprise to us, given the fact that updates for Fallout 76 are completely free and that the game is funded by the cosmetics and furniture that it sells via Atoms.

In turn, the game also assures players that those who have the most money and time to spare will have only the best.

That being said, subscribing to Fallout 1st costs $13 per month at the moment or $100 for one year. On the other hand, the starting price for Atoms is $5 for 500, but they can also be earned in-game by successfully doing the daily and weekly challenges.

Another way to earn Atoms is by increasing the game’s season pass level. For instance, if you reach rank 20 in the season pass, you will be rewarded with 150 Atoms.

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Bethesda has yet to reveal the price range for the Lobby and Atrium vaults, so we can’t really say for sure yet if it’s better to grind for the Atoms or just buy them outright with real-world money.

On another note, the way that the largest shelter is gated this way by Bethesda brings back the sense of class warfare that was a pressing issue when the studio initially announced the subscription service.

Grinding for Atoms can sometimes be an arduous ordeal, but being able to receive a lot of them with the help of the season pass can be extremely helpful too. On the other hand, players have been complaining about how difficult it is to earn the new S.C.O.R.E. points needed in order to rank up the season pass.

Fortunately, Bethesda has acknowledged the fans’ concerns and is already planning to address the problem.

Where to Get Dandelion Seeds in Genshin Impact

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Genshin Impact has just been released a few days ago but it seems gamers are loving what it has to offer right now. Genshin Impact is currently available for the PlayStation 4, PC and mobile devices. It will be getting a Switch port at a later date. The game requires players to level up, battle monsters and even gather items such as Dandelion Seeds in order to become more powerful in the game.

They may not seem like it but Dandelion Seeds are a really helpful item to collect in Genshin Impact. Despite its significance and use in various commissions and recipes, the game doesn’t tell how players can obtain this item or where they can find them. Fortunately, there are a few accessible farming spots where players can acquire dozens of Dandelion Seeds.

Dandelion Seeds have countless uses in Genshin Impact, but players will need to locate and gather them first. These seeds can be located all throughout the world in various specific places, but there are a few areas there they are guaranteed to appear every day.

After locating a Dandelion, players will have to hit it with Anemo Magic – Genshin Impact’s version of the wind element. The main character will have a default wind spell but others including Venti can also carry out the task. Hitting the flower with any wind spell will make it drop seeds.

Dandelions can be found mostly sticking out in areas around Mondstadt. The best and easiest area to farm them is in the city gate exteriors where numerous dandelions spawn each day. Aside from this, players can also find them in the nearby temple outside of Mondstadt.

Anemo Slimes will show up if the player gets too close but defeating them is also another way of getting Dandelion Seeds. Finally, in a chunk of land located between the Stone Gate and the Dawn Winery, players should explore a ridge to find several Dandelions growing. They just have to make sure that they hit them with wind spells to get the seeds.

Although there is a mission that asks players to gather Dandelion Seeds, they can be used in various ways as well. Frequently, players will need to gather them to complete daily commissions which make them an excellent way to level up their character’s Adventure Rank in the game. They are also a key ingredient for the Ascension of Jean so players who will want to use her will have to farm for a few extra seeds.

Farming Dandelion Seeds are easy but players must know where to locate them and how they can harvest them. Knowing these facts should make it an easy challenge to gather at least 15 Dandelion Seeds per day which will be required for ascension since the character Jean needs a total of  168 Dandelion Seeds to reach her maximum Ascension.

Developers of Elder Scrolls Online Currently Working on New AAA Game

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Given the fact that Microsoft acquired ZeniMax Online Studios only last month, Bethesda Softworks and its upcoming projects are now under a much-bigger spotlight. With the advent of the shocking acquisition, many fans have already been wondering if games such as The Elder Scrolls, Wolfenstein, and Starfield will begin to be Xbox-exclusive.

Not only that, but fans have been keeping tabs on the publisher’s future plans, excited to see what they have in store. Now, it appears that Bethesda is planning on a brand-new game based on numerous job listings posted online.

As further proof, ZeniMax has also confirmed that it’s currently working on a new, unannounced AAA title that’s still in pre-production. This upcoming game would then be the first title that they will be working on since the release of The Elder Scrolls Online back in 2014.

That being said, there are several new roles available for those who are interested in being a part of the studio. If you check their website, there are job positions for the different departments such as art, engineering, design, and programming, and they’re looking for various roles ranging from gameplay camera designers to character artists.

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If you then individually check the positions, you’ll find that many of them say that those who apply for the job will be working with the studio in order to develop their “next AAA game.”

Without a doubt, the title is currently in its very early stages and there’s barely any information about it. Nevertheless, we’re just happy to know that the studio is working on something major again after developing the highly-acclaimed The Elder Scrolls.

Alex Tardif, ZeniMax Online Studios’ lead graphics engineer, took to Twitter to briefly discuss the project. He didn’t say much, but his simple tweet greatly hyped the community, especially since he mentioned that they’re “creating a brand new engine.”

This is very exciting news, indeed, as this indicates that this upcoming game would mean a technological step-up for the studio itself as well. Since they’re working on a new engine, Tardif and his team will be able to apply the latest improvements to the upcoming AAA title.

The Elder Scrolls Online, upon its release, had a pretty rough start. However, the title has really progressed and improved throughout the years, and now it has a dedicated fanbase of its own.

We’re not that surprised that the game really grew, though, since the developers worked really hard to release fun and exciting expansions that brought players to never-before-seen locations like Black Marsh, Elsweyr, and Summerset, among others.

That being said, some fans may be crossing their fingers for a new entry to The Elder Scrolls franchise, but personally, we’re glad to hear that this will be a new IP.

Whatever it is that ZeniMax is working on, it will surely have a huge fanbase supporting it even if it’s not a game centered around the world of The Elder Scrolls. We’re definitely keeping a lookout for this new IP, since it seems like a title that’s already destined for great things.

Supergiant Games’ Designer Explains Hades’ Level Design

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When playing video games that have randomized layouts, the amount of time and effort put into the level design probably doesn’t cross your mind. In fact, you might not even think that the level design for randomized layouts requires the same amount of effort and sense as other fully-linear games.

However, with games like Hades, the developers have thoroughly put together each area with great attention to detail, ensuring that whatever level they make will result in players having a great time.

Recently, Supergiant Games’ game designer Ed Gorinstein took to Twitter to share some behind-the-scenes content with fans, showcasing how they made Hades‘ level design.

The thread of tweets started with him explaining that each major area in the game e.g. Tartarus, Asphodel, Elysium, and Styx has its own unique design principles that not only challenge the player but teach them as well.

For instance, they wanted Tartarus to have medium-sized rooms that “are almost always completely walled in.” This is because the developers wanted the level to be merciful to those players who are still trying to familiarize the Cast all while having “extra Wall Slam damage.”

screenshot-pvplive-net-2020-10-05-12_36_48In line with that, the way they designed the level is also an indicator of the enemies’ design. Let’s take Asphodel, for example — most of the chambers in that area are composed of pieces of land floating on lava.

At first, Supergiant Games tried adding in “real-time strategy-inspired bridges” in order for enemies to cross through the terrain. In the end, though, the team decided to just give each enemy their own “dedicated way of getting over magma.” Some examples would be hopping, dashing, or floating around.

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As a result, the enemies in Asphodel are completely different from the ones you encounter in Tartarus because they’re more mobile creatures and would even use the lava to their benefit. As the player, you would then have to change up your tactics when fighting the enemies.

Gorinstein also added that they wanted Asphodel to feel “vast and horizontal,” which led to the addition of barges in the level. One barge, in particular, is called the Barge of Death and it’s a great place to get absolutely wrecked if your character build is lacking defense-wise.

The game designer also briefly discussed the “unique challenge” the team encountered during the creation of Hades. They initially struggled to “capture the feeling of exploration,” which is an important quality in roguelike games such as Hades.

They tried “hiding gold in random shiny walls,” among many other others, but they just didn’t feel right for the game. As such, they decided to adapt to the game instead by adding gold urns, fishing points, as well as Chaos / Erebus gates.

What Gorinstein shared with the fans barely scratches the surface when it comes to planning a game’s level design. It’s actually quite impressive how much thought and energy is required if you want to do something similar to what Hades was able to pull off.

If interested, you can play Hades on PC and Nintendo Switch.

Cheaters are Increasing in Among Us

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Since the start of quarantine this year, people have resorted to playing games either solo or with friends to pass the time. One of the games that the internet stumbled upon is Among Us, and it has been rising in popularity ever since.

Among Us has been out since 2018, but with the advent of major streamers playing it and social media gushing about it, the game unexpectedly blew up. Naturally, developer InnerSloth has been really pleased about this, but once a game gets too popular, a lot of issues start popping up in its wake as well.

You may or may not be surprised about this, but Among Us has a cheating problem right now and players are starting to complain. While some players haven’t resorted to hacking like the others, their dishonest techniques to ensure victory still takes away any enjoyment for the game.

The main issue that everyone has is against those who straight up just hack into the game to give themselves an advantage against the other players. Some would use client-side cheats in order to increase their speed or even to help them determine who the impostor is from the get-go.

One very good example of this case is posted by a Redditor called u/yosol, wherein a hacker killed all the players “within 3 seconds of the game.”

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This reminds us of how Fall Guys also experienced a pretty serious cheating problem, too. The Fall Guys developers tried to deal with these cheaters in a fun way by adding Cheater Island into the game, but this sadly didn’t work the way they planned.

As such, Mediatonic had to be remorseless about the situation and added Easy Anti Cheat to the title, which mostly fixed the issue. However, the number of developers working on Among Us can only be counted with one hand – three people to be exact – so it would understandably be difficult for InnerSloth to make a major move the way Mediatonic did.

If you’ve played Among Us with your friends or with random people online, you know that it’s one of the game’s implemented mechanics that you should only talk or discuss with other players during an emergency meeting or when a dead body is found.

This mechanic is further supported in the game itself, as players can only converse with each other through the built-in chatbox during these two specific instances. As such, many players resort to using third-party applications like Discord to voice chat with others, but this can be an underhanded way to win the game.

For instance, there’s no way to stop players from snitching to their friends who the impostor is when they get killed. Fortunately, cases like these don’t come up as often, but cases of hackers in public matches have been increasing recently.

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Players cheating in video games definitely isn’t a new thing, but cheating in a game like Among Us is definitely confusing. For one thing, Among Us doesn’t have a progression system like other games, so we don’t understand what kind of satisfaction one gets out of cheating in the game.

That being said, InnerSloth is aware of this current issue and it’s looking for different ways to remedy it.

Microsoft Releases Bizarre Xbox Promotional Video

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With the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S scheduled to launch on November 10, it looks like Microsoft’s marketing team have been busy making one-of-a-kind promotional videos that will stick to fans’ minds. Recently, they have been releasing fun promotional content for the company’s next-gen console.

Not only did the major console producer poked fun of Sony’s problematic PlayStation 5 preorder disaster, but it also made jokes about the PlayStation 5’s confusing backward compatibility feature as well.

Microsoft’s latest Twitter post continued this style of light-hearted and funny promotional content as it released a strange ASMR mindfulness guide for all gaming enthusiasts. The short clip is actually a really funny parody of the relaxation centered YouTube genre while adding a few references from a gamer’s culture.

The Twitter post stated that it is a tutorial for doing calming breathing exercises, reminding the audience that finishing the introductory video will get them the “Calmness Perk”. It tells players to come and watch the promotional video if they are getting disappointed with a particular mission or forgot to save their game, requesting them to go to a secluded area, away from all NPCs and mobs they might provoke by accident.

What comes next is an absolutely funny monologue on calming, mindfulness video clip, complete with a relaxing flowing water background, deep breathing exercises, and a warning for gamers to take off their “powered exoskeletons” if they are equipped with one.

The last seconds of the video even come with a rare Xbox achievement reward, with the audience claiming the “Calm Mind” trophy for finishing the entire video. It’s yet another funny example of Microsoft’s informal style of marketing their next-gen consoles on social media, once again doubling down on its eagerness to promote a player-friendly gaming community for all its users.

When compared to Sony’s more formal marketing strategy, it will be intriguing to see how Microsoft will engage with its community and how it will affect the release of the Xbox Series X/S. There is no doubt that its popular tweets and better presence on social media sites have allowed Microsoft to win over fans in recent weeks.

It’s only a few weeks before the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S’ release, with both next-gen consoles launching on November 10. Even though the consoles’ launch has been somewhat plagued by the postponement of Halo Infinite which was one of the most awaited games of the year, Microsoft’s next-gen consoles are still expected to produce big numbers, with its jaw-dropping specs surprising millions of fans.

The Xbox Series S will have to meet a lot of expectations to prove to players that Microsoft is really serious about their player-friendly theme, with the less expensive next-gen console which will allow fans to go with the flow of the future of the gaming world for only $299.

Monster Hunter Movie Releases Teaser Trailer Featuring Diablos Monster

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A teaser trailer for the upcoming live-action Monster Hunter Movie has been released featuring Milla Jovovich fighting the monster Diablos using a minigun.

Fans of the Monster Hunter franchise are pretty happy now since there is previously an abundance of news regarding new games for the series as well as the upcoming film adaptation. Just a few weeks ago, fans were astonished by the reveal of two Switch exclusive games – Monster Hunter Rise and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. Now, the upcoming Monster Hunter movie receives its first official teaser trailer.

Although the movie has been delayed until next year, the newest trailer aims to keep fans talking about the movie until its launch. Actress Milla Jovovich is collaborating with director Paul W.S. Anderson, both well-known for their amazing work for the film adaptations of the Resident Evil games. Even though they aren’t accurate to the series, the Resident Evil films made a lot of profit and had a huge fan base, and the Monster Hunter movie looks to be taking the same approach based on the recent trailer.

The trailer confirms aspects from the controversial synopsis of Monster Hunter with the characters doing more surviving than hunting. The character of Milla Jovovich and several others are being attacked in a desert by a colossal monster which is familiar to fans who have played the series as it is none other than Diablos.

The last seconds of the short teaser trailer features the lead actress shouting “fire” as she uses a minigun on the monster. While the trailer is a bit different from the games that it borrows a title with, Diablos looks like it is accurate from its source based on its design and the way it comes out of the ground.

Though the adaptation seems to feature an accurate visual for Diablos and several famous Monster Hunter weapons, the movie is unlikely to satisfy hardcore fans of the franchise based on the trailer’s dislikes on YouTube.

With modern vehicles and weapons being added to Jawblades and Hunter Bows, the movie will become a peculiar combination of an action movie and a video game that will most probably contain inconsistencies and plot holes. However, with the star power present and a wild setting that ensures abundance in fighting and explosions, the movie can still become successful at the box office next year.

As far as the Monster Hunter games are concerned, Monster Hunter World will be receiving a Halloween update soon. With the update set to contain the last free content for the game, most players will most likely be letting go of the famous coop game soon.

However, with Monster Hunter Stories 2 and Monster Hunter Rise set to be launched on the Nintendo Switch, fans of the franchise will still have new content to enjoy even though the Monster Hunter World updates are coming to an end and the upcoming film adaptation will not be faithful to the series.

For people who don’t like the teaser, the news that Milla Jovovich probably returning as Alice in the Resident Evil Netflix TV series should be interesting. For Monster Hunter fans who had their worst nightmares confirmed about the movie and left dislikes on the YouTube video, at least there is unity in the fact that Monster Hunter isn’t the only video game franchise to receive this kind of treatment.

Survey Shows 1 of 4 Ubisoft Employee Witnessed Harassment

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A company-wide survey conducted by Ubisoft reveals unbelievable toxic behavior including people who have seen or experienced grave misconducts.

Yesterday, Ubisoft head Yves Guillemot revealed the results of an internal survey that shows at least 1 of 4 or a quarter of the company’s employees have either witnessed or experienced unethical behavior inside the workplace.

Guillemot disclosed that sharing this information is part of his plans to give transparency on the ongoing investigation into claims made earlier this year. The letter also reveals a few action items that Ubisoft is planning to do in order to enhance its culture, an initiative that the CEO explained after accusations of abuse arose earlier this year.

During the summer, a few employees of Ubisoft started to come forward with accounts detailing atrocious stories of discrimination and abuse. The company then initiated a massive campaign in response to investigate its internal affairs and behavior of its employees.

A lot of high ranking employees began resigning from the company soon after, including Maxime Beland – Ubisoft’s editorial vice president – who was a renowned member of the editorial team.

A letter addressed directly by Ubisoft’s CEO contained the results of an internal survey provided to Ubisoft employees. Based on the results, at least 14,000 staff replied anonymously to the evaluation. He also added that there were also 2,000 employees who attended exclusive discussions, 1,200 spoke during the investigation, and another investigation team administered interviews and focus groups about internal problems at Ubisoft.

The results coming out of these assessments implied that the company needs to guarantee a courteous work environment, assign more resources when it comes to inclusion, put better HR practices, and hire more enabled team managers who can be accountable for their actions.

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The survey discovered that 25 percent of Ubisoft’s employees have witnessed or even experienced misbehavior themselves and 20 percent stated that they don’t feel safe inside the workplace. It also revealed that women are relatively 30 percent more likely to get involved in harassment compared to their male counterparts, and this number jumped up to more than 40 percent for binary people.

The remainder of the letter describes how Ubisoft’s management plans to fix these severe internal problems. They are planning to implement impartial report systems, carry out necessary anti-harassment training, hire a person to be the Head of Diversity and Inclusion, and reorganize the company.

While the letter from the CEO ends on a statement that huge changes don’t happen instantly, Guillemot guarantees everyone that Ubisoft is slowly but surely providing solutions to these issues and that they will consistently give updates on the company’s progress.

However, the previous feedbacks to harassment claims made by Ubisoft didn’t sit well among fans. Ubisoft failed to mention the current issues within its walls at the recently concluded Ubisoft Forward showcase which eventually raised some concerns about how serious the company is really taking its responsibilities to its staff.

 

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