Gaming

5 Years Later, One Game’s Blood Sacrifice Mechanic Still Haunts Me

• *Inscryption* turns card costs into unsettling sacrifices.
• Squirrels provide blood to play stronger creatures.
• Harder fights can push players to sacrifice their own teeth.

In *Inscryption*, a 2021 horror deckbuilding game, players face a card game hosted by the shadowy Leshy in a cabin. Its blood sacrifice mechanic makes each move feel unsettling: players must sacrifice creatures to play stronger cards, and the article recalls how the game gradually makes that cost…

Ukraine-linked drone disruption strands Moscow travellers as microplastics raise concerns

Researchers warn water may make microplastics chemically active, while AI still cannot explain the human genome. A 1989 Garfield strip and Hall and Oates’ hit also feature in the bulletin.

Qualcomm wins $2 legal decision against fellow tech giant Arm, and that’s not a typo

• Qualcomm won a symbolic $2 jury award against Arm.
• The case centred on licences for Nuvia CPU designs.
• The verdict supports continued Snapdragon X production.

A US jury has awarded Qualcomm $2 in its legal dispute with fellow chip designer Arm, a nominal sum that marks a win for Qualcomm on a key licensing claim. The verdict matters because the dispute threatened the future of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X laptop processors and could have…

Guide: These 35+ PS5 and PS Plus Games Are Coming Out Next Week (19th-25th October)

• More than 35 PS5 and PS Plus games are due next week.
• BeamNG.drive arrives in Early Access on 19 October.
• Final Fantasy Resonance is listed for 22 October.

More than 35 games are due to arrive on PS5 or through PS Plus during the week of 19 to 25 October, including several high-profile releases. The schedule highlights the breadth of upcoming titles, from major franchises to smaller independent games. Among the named releases are BeamNG.drive, arriving…

The Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake Sounds Meaningfully Better Than the Original

• Previews describe the remake as smoother and more responsive.
• The N64 original ran at about 20 frames per second.
• Nintendo plans to put its full games on physical cards.

Previewers say Nintendo’s new version of *The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time* feels more responsive and polished than the original, suggesting the remake is designed to improve how the classic plays as well as how it looks. The article argues that Nintendo’s investment reflects the importance it…

Deadlock cracks 300,000 concurrent players following new hero release even though the game remains invite-only

• Deadlock peaked at 303,347 concurrent Steam players.
• The invite-only game ranked fourth on Steam.
• Its latest update is adding six heroes.

Deadlock has reached 303,347 concurrent players on Steam after the release of its newest hero, Violet. The milestone is notable because the game is still in a closed alpha and can only be accessed by invitation, yet it has become one of Steam’s most-played games. The figure puts…

Surprising no-one, Wizards of the Coast ‘doesn’t intend to voluntarily recognize’ union efforts for the second time this year

• Wizards will not voluntarily recognise the D&D and Studio X union units.
• Employees are seeking votes to decide on union representation.
• The union cites pay, job security and workload among its priorities.

Wizards of the Coast has told a union representing staff in its Dungeons & Dragons and Studio X units that it will not voluntarily recognise them before a vote. The decision extends a dispute over unionisation at the company and leaves recognition to the outcome of the upcoming…

Modern Warfare 4 revitalizes Call of Duty thanks to its stellar campaign

• No new developments appear in the supplied article.
• Modern Warfare 4 exceeded 108,000 Steam players in early access.
• The campaign received 86 per cent positive Steam reviews.

There is no new reporting in the supplied article beyond the early-access figures and reception already covered in the previous summary. It says Modern Warfare 4’s campaign has attracted players and strong reviews before the game’s full release, suggesting renewed interest in Call of Duty. Within a few…

Anbernic’s RG DDS is almost double the price of the original Nintendo 3DS

• Anbernic’s RG DDS costs $299.99.
• Two memory and storage configurations are planned.
• Gradual shipping is due to start on 10 December 2026.

Anbernic has priced its RG DDS dual-screen handheld at $299.99, nearly twice the original Nintendo 3DS’s launch price, positioning it as a premium device rather than one of the company’s usual budget handhelds. It is designed as a modern callback to the 3DS, with stronger hardware and support…

D&D’s Arcana Unleashed Officially Fixes One of the Game’s Most Frustrating Problems

• Magic items can gain power as characters reach milestones.
• The system helps heirlooms stay useful.
• Arcana Unleashed makes evolving items broadly adaptable.

Dungeons & Dragons’ new book, *Arcana Unleashed*, introduces a system that lets magic items grow in power as their owners reach milestones. It aims to prevent characters from abandoning story-rich heirlooms simply because they find equipment with stronger bonuses, giving those items room to remain relevant to both…