The Confederate Flag Is Now Banned From Forza Games

Turn 10 Studios, the stewards of the Forza racing series, have updated their enforcement guidelines to include a ban on “notorious iconography” including the Confederate flag.

The Forza games allow players to create custom content, but going forward, the developers will be more strict in their enforcement of what is allowed. The list of “notorious iconography” that is not allowed has been updated to include the Confederate flag, as well as the Swastika, SS-runes, Wolfsangel, Black Sun, Arrow Cross, Iron Cross (with contextual clues), and the Rising Sun.

Additionally, the studio will take action against user-generated content that uses phrases like “ACAB,” “FTP,” and “CIP.” Players are also advised against creating stuff that depicts “certain notorious individuals, organizations, or events.”

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The Last Of Us Part 2 Sound Designer Explains How They Made Breaking Glass Sound So Good

The Last of Us Part II is out now for PS4, and players who have been eager to dive into the continuing story of Joel and Ellie for years now are digging deep into every aspect of the game. The sequel, which has sold over 4 million copies, has impressed players with its technical achievements, one of which has now been detailed at length by one of the game’s designers.

Jesse James Garcia, a sound designer at developer Naughty Dog, has detailed how they made the sound of breaking glass in The Last of Us Part II. In a Twitter thread spanning 23 different tweets, Garcia dives deep into why the shattering, tinkling noise of glass being destroyed in the game is so satisfying.

The tweet below is the beginning of the thread, which breaks down as many details as possible.

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All The Games Coming Out In July 2020 On Xbox, PS4, Switch, PC

While July is known historically as a slower period for game releases, that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything noteworthy coming out. Quite a few exciting games are launching this month that you should keep on your radar.

Sony is continuing to hit summer hard with its latest first-party developed game, Ghost of Tsushima, while last year’s limited-time PS4-exclusive Death Stranding will finally be arriving to PC. On the other hand, Nintendo is releasing a couple of Switch-exclusives, which includes the sequel to the cult-classic Deadly Premonition and a new entry in the Paper Mario series. There’s even some notable remasters re-releases on the horizon with the Switch port of Catherine: Fully Body and THQ Nordic’s remaster of PS2-era sandbox favorite, Destroy All Humans!

To give you a look at what’s ahead for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch, we’ve rounded up all the biggest games of July 2020 below. For a wider look at the titles still to come this year, be sure to check out our list of game release dates in 2020. Otherwise, be sure to check this article often for the latest during this month, as we’ll be sure to update it with more new release dates that get announced.

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Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare/Warzone Patch Notes For June 29 Update Announced

The big Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone Season 4 Reloaded update is scheduled for 11 PM PT on June 29, but developer Infinity Ward has posted the patch notes ahead of time.

The update includes a new limited-time mode with 200-player Warzone Quads, while it also introduces new Supply Run Contracts. There is also a new Spotter Scope item that will help snipers move through the map without flashing the familiar “glint” that exposes their location.

This big new Modern Warfare/Warzone update also makes a series of weapon balance changes. The AX-50 sniper rifle now has an increased damage range, while the HDR sniper now delivers a guaranteed one-hit kill when you land a shot to the lower torso from any range. The Dragunov sniper rifle now has faster aim-down-sight (ADS) speed, while it fires faster as well.

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Xbox Live Boss Leaves Microsoft After 15 Years

Dan McCulloch, a 15-year Microsoft veteran who most recently worked at Xbox as the leader of Xbox Live, has left the company. McCulloch announced the news on Twitter, saying he “truly had a blast” during his run at Xbox.

He didn’t reveal what’s next, but McCulloch said he’s “extremely excited” about the next chapter of career and he looks forward to sharing details “very soon.” He might be staying in gaming, as he told his followers, “You will all be pumped” about what he’s doing next.

According to his LinkedIn page, McCulloch started at Microsoft in 2005 as a program manager on non-gaming projects. He moved to the Xbox team in 2007 when he became lead producer on Forza Motorsport 3 and 4.

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This Indie Game Will Be On Xbox Game Pass For “A Long Time” Because It’s Been Great For Sales

Descenders joined Xbox Game Pass in May 2019, and since then, according to Mike Rose (head of publisher No More Robots), the indie cycling game has seen greatly increased sales on Xbox. Although conventional wisdom would suggest that a game that was available at no additional cost on a popular subscription service might see lower direct sales, Rose says that, in fact, the opposite has been true.

Rose took to Twitter to explain why Xbox Game Pass has been so good for the game, saying that it has “elevated the game to heights we couldn’t have imagined.” Descenders, which is available in both the Xbox and PC catalogs of the subscription service, is currently the eighth most popular game on the service.

Rose said that a new deal has recently been struck to keep the game on Game Pass for “a looong time to come,” as since joining the service it is selling “around five times as many units each week” as it did previously.

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PGA Tour 2K21 Will Make Fun Of You When You Hit A Bad Shot

The first-ever PGA Tour 2K game launches in August, and among its new features is a beefed up broadcast package that includes Luke Elvy and Rich Beem calling the action.

Elvy has the most experience in the broadcast booth, as he has been featured over the years on Fox Sports and GameSpot sister company CBS Sports. Beem is a former player who has won three times on the PGA Tour, including a Major championship at the 2002 PGA Championship. He is also a commentator for Sky Sports.

A new trailer for PGA Tour 2K21 featuring Elvy and Beem as been released. They speak about bringing their unique expert insights to the game, and it seems the commentary in PGA Tour 2K21 won’t be very traditional. Elvy and Beem say some of their outtakes and bloopers from recording sessions will actually make it into the game, and this includes Beem describing an eagle as a “Super Chicken.”

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Jet Set Radio Designer Explains Why A Sequel Hasn’t Happened Yet, And Who Could Make One

Dreamcast classic Jet Set Radio and its Xbox sequel Jet Set Radio Future are beloved for their style and unique gameplay, but to this day there’s never been a third game in the series. The original game (initially called Jet Grind Radio in the US) released 20 years ago, and in a retrospective published by USGamer, the team behind the game has reflected on its legacy–and why there hasn’t been a follow-up.

Lead designer Kazuki Hosokawa, who still works at Sega, reflects on how the original Jet Set Radio was created by a young team, recalling how “non-photorealistic expressions began to garner more attention” at the time, which his team was able to leverage.

With this in mind, Hosokawa says that a new Jet Set Radio would need to come from a young, new team as well. He says that “more than 10 years ago,” the game’s producer told the team that they were “too old and experienced” to make a new game in the series, and he agrees. “I’ve gained enough experience that I can identify what works and how to present things… I can see the path to the end goal, whether I like it or not,” he says.

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Nintendo Releases Strange “Can You Guess The Game” Video, Prompting Speculation

Nintendo fans are always eagerly anticipating the next Nintendo Direct, but the YouTube account of the Japanese company delivered something offbeat today: a minute-long video challenging fans to “guess the game.” The games are introduced with blurry footage that slowly resolves to reveal a first-party Nintendo game.

Needless to say, some fans have expressed their confusion over this video, with many of the YouTube comments speculating that new content might be revealed soon for one or more of these games. The games listed were (spoiler warning) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8, and Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

As most Nintendo fans know, a sequel to Breath of the Wild was first teased in June 2019 at that year’s E3. Since that reveal trailer, we haven’t heard anything about it, which would seem to suggest a 2021 release at the earliest. We also haven’t heard anything about a hypothetical Mario Kart 9 or a sequel to Three Houses, though the latter did get new DLC this February. The latest Nintendo Direct introduced the newest fighter for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the Arms character Min Min.