Blizzcon 23 is Coming

A week after the merger clears Microsoft decides to kill a good deal of that good will with it's latest policy update. Ragnar has had his hacker license revoked. Bungie and is the latest developer with financial issues The party of the year is set to take place in Anaheim and if you are going to play some of these older Ubisoft games you better get to it. http://www.joystickandmouse.com http://shop.joystickandmouse.com https://www.patreon.com/joystickandmouse Show Notes: In an apparent policy change, Microsoft has begun blocking “unauthorized” accessories, like controllers and adapters, from use with Xbox consoles. Users who connect an unlicensed third-party device to their Xbox are given two weeks to continue using it before it’s blocked from use completely. https://www.polygon.com/23938582/microsoft-xbox-unauthorized-accessories-0x82d60002 https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/30/23938206/microsoft-xbox-controller-block-unauthorized-accessory-error-0x82d60002 A hacker gang that breached various high-profile companies like computer component manufacturer ADATA and video game publisher Capcom within the last several years has been arrested by an international police force, according to law enforcement agency Europol. https://kotaku.com/ransomware-gang-ragnar-locker-capcom-2020-hack-1850953547 While the scope of the job cuts is currently unclear, Bloomberg’s reporter Jason Schreier claimed Bungie CEO Pete Parsons informed employees that a company-wide meeting would be held on Monday to discuss the situation. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/bungie-is-the-latest-playstation-studio-to-be-hit-with-layoffs/ Upcoming this week or just happened if you are listening to the published podcast, is the long awaited return of Blizzcon. So with the aquisition by Microsoft complete what can we expect to find out at this years fan love affair with the irvine, California company. https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/blizzcon/24021890/blizzcon-2023-broadcast-schedule-tune-in-live-november-3-4 Ubisoft has announced plans to shut down online services for nearly a dozen video games, including Assassin’s Creed 2 and Splinter Cell: Conviction. The games will lose online functionally on January 25, 2024. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-will-shut-down-online-services-for-10-games-in-2024-including-older-assassins-creed-titles/1100-6518764/ https://kotaku.com/ubisoft-assassin-s-creed-splinter-cell-servers-shutdown-1850974513 Video Game Review: Cities: Skylines 2 - Diddi