News:: Nintendo prez discusses Switch docks and left Joy-Con issues

Engadget editors have let you know how we feel after extended time with the Nintendo Switch, and in an interview with Time, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime gave us some updates from within the company. Through its first five days on sale, the Switch continued to be Nintendo's fastest-selling console ever in the US, but the biggest questions are about issues some owners are experiencing. When it comes to that occasionally-finicky left Joy-Con, Fils-Aime said "all I can tell you is that we are aware of and have seen some of the reports. We're asking consumers a lot of questions....we'll look and see what the next steps are."

Source: Time

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News:: 25% off Middle-earth: Shadow of War pre-order deal for PC

Middle-earth: Shadow of War is heading to the major gaming platforms at the end of this summer and deals are already cropping up. Two digital retailers have deals available as of writing, with Green Man Gaming and Games Planet offering the WB sequel at an attractive pre-order price.

At GMG, you can pick up the Standard Edition for as low as $45 (both the Silver and Gold Edition are only 20% off being $64 and $80, respectively). At GamesPlanet, it's priced at £38.24 (which converts to about $47 USD). GamesPlanet also has the Silver and Gold Edition of Shadow of War on tap, though the Gold Edition is offered at a slightly higher price than GMG.

As the game nears release, we suspect you'll see similar discounts cropping up from other digital retailers as Warner Bros. titles often receive deals galore to drum up sales.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War PC Digital Deals

GMG

• Middle-earth: Shadow of War (Steam) — $45  (list price $60)
• Middle-earth: Shadow of War - Silver Edition (Steam) — $63.99  (list price $80)
• Middle-earth: Shadow of War - Gold Edition (Steam) — $79.99  (list price $100)

GamesPlanet

• Middle-earth: Shadow of War GamesPlanet — £38.24  (list price $45)
• Middle-earth: Shadow of War - Silver Edition GamesPlanet — £50.99  (list price $60)
• Middle-earth: Shadow of War - Gold Edition GamesPlanet — £67.99  (list price $80)

Note: Don't see the price when you click through at GMG? Make sure you login or create an account.

What about deals for the console or physical versions? With WB offering up a $300 "Mithril Edition," we think you shouldn't hold your breath in terms of scooping up discount for the Xbox One or PS4 copy short of the usual Best Buy GCU or Amazon Prime route. 

As we near the August 22, 2017 release of Middle-earth: Shadow of War, you can be sure we'll be back with a full deals roundup for all platforms and myriad of silver, gold, and shiny purple versions that WB is tossing our way.

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News:: PSVR goes on safari with 'Virry VR' nature documentary

Slowly but surely, PlayStation is releasing more non-gaming offerings for the PSVR headset. Next up is Virry VR, an app that wants to put you within arm's reach of Kenyan wildlife. Among other things, you'll see rhinos bathing and lions eating according to the European PlayStation Blog. The entirety of the video was filmed at Lewa Downs, a UNESCO heritage site home to elephants, Grevy's zebras, hyenas and leopards.

Source: PlayStation Blog (Europe)

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News:: Steep is throwing a 'free weekend' on PC and consoles

As much as I just could not click with Steep enough to want to get drawn into another open-world setting and all that entails, I get the game's appeal. I also believe it's a particularly good match for the free-weekend treatment. You get in, you hopefully have a good time, and you get out. Done and done. If you think so too, know that the event is now live on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

From now through March 12 at 11:59pm Pacific on Xbox One and March 13 at 10:00am Pacific on PC and PS4, the "entire" game is playable at no extra cost. But -- why is there always a but? -- you will need a PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold subscription to take part in the console versions.

Size-wise, you're looking at around 17GB to 25GB, depending on the platform.

Play Steep for Free From March 10-12 [Ubisoft]

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News:: Review: Fast RMX

Look, this game is super fast racing and includes a big blue vehicle named "Fulcon Capital." You can stop asking for these guys to make the next F-Zero game. This is it.

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News:: The Great Retro Quiz Reboot: The Legend of Zelda

Merry Switchmas! Like many of you, I've spent the last couple of days exploring the various nooks and crannies of Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. I've really been enjoying how I can take the game with me into any room in the house, but then again, I was one of those weirdos who would play the Wii U in bed from time to time.

Anyway, the whole world is diving into a Zelda title right now, which makes this the perfect time to put up a retro quiz about the series! Now, Chad did cover The Legend of Zelda in a retro quiz back in 2007, but his quiz only covered the original game. This one will take a look at the entire 30 year history of the franchise. 

What would a quiz be without prizes? I have some options for our eventual winner this time. Whoever gets the most questions correct will get a code for their choice of the following: Drive!Drive!Drive! (PS4), Nights of Azure (Steam) or Altelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book (Steam). You can leave your answers in the comments below, and we'll leave it open until 12:01 AM Pacific time on March 12. If there's a tie, whoever gets their answers posted first will be the winner. When you're writing your answers in the comments, be sure to mention which prize you'd like. Official rules follow the end of the quiz. Let's get started!

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News:: 'Mario Kart 8 Deluxe' gets new racers and revives old modes

Without any hint that a new version was in the works, it was pretty clear that Mario Kart 8, one of the best reasons to own a Wii U, would be ported to the Switch. This is good news for the record-breaking legions of folks who bought the new console and want a great first-party racing experience that's been retooled and expanded. The Switch version, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, includes all current DLC and several new characters to zoom around your favorite tracks. And Rainbow Road, if you're that person.

Via: Polygon

Source: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe trailer (YouTube)

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News:: EarthNight is a slightly different take on procedural platformers

Do you enjoy endless runners but can’t stand their procedural generation? Have you ever wanted to play Bit.Trip, but with the main character from Beasts of the Southern Wild? How about mixing those things with a dash of Shadow of the Colossus? That just about sums up with EarthNight is, even if it doesn’t do the game justice.

When I arrived at the Cleaversoft booth, I was taken back by the loud music booming from their guitar-amp-looking speaker. It sounds very reminiscent of Bit.Trip Runner, which is an apt comparison given the nature of the game. My first thought was that this was an endless runner, but that isn’t the case. This is more like a roguelike Super Mario Run with an emphasis on combos and high scores.

The whole premise is that two people, an old photographer named Stanley and a plucky 14-year-old girl named Sydney, are looking to return to EarthNight after some apocalyptic event annihilated all life on the planet. This event was caused by a bunch of dragons, so the stakes are suitably high.

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News:: This is a $200 collector's edition for Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age

I won't say that literally every collector's edition I've purchased ended in regret, but that has quite often been my experience once a few months pass after the game's release and those sky-high prices start to plummet. Something to keep in mind as we look over this $200 special-edition set for Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age with its cool-but-probably-not-that-cool Judge Magister busts.

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News:: Quake Champions will be free, but there's also the option to buy it

There's a certain degree of mystery surrounding Quake Champions. The allure here is that it's Quake, and that's a classic franchise that a lot of people cut their teeth on. But, it's also 2017 and that means publisher Bethesda might be susceptible to giving into modern day trends. The idea that this game might use loadouts is something that keeps coming up as particularly loathsome.

Another lingering question mark was cleared up today. We now broadly know what the payment model for Quake Champions will be. Speaking with Polygon, creative director Tim Willits explains that the game will be free-to-play, but there will also be the option to buy it.

What Willits means by that is everyone will be given unlimited access to the Ranger champion. Those who are content to play as the Ranger can do it forever and never spend a cent. However, anyone who wants the other champions can just pay a flat fee and unlock them forever. The amount it'll cost to do this wasn't discussed.

However, there's another option that'll add a bit of nuance. Quake Champions also features a currency called favor that's collected through gameplay. Using favor, players can temporarily use other champions for a set amount of time. Willits stopped short of saying you can "rent" them, though. Bethesda and developer id Software seemingly haven't worked out how long a favor-fueled champion can be played for.

Different champions exist as more than just cosmetic changes. Willits explained how they'll each have different skills, but none will necessarily be better than all others. It was likened to rock-paper-scissors in that a strength against one champion will probably be a weakness against another.

As for why Quake Champions is adopting this model, Willits claims it's in the interest of making it approachable for everyone. He said "We also understand that we want to get as many people into the game as possible, especially outside of North America and Western Europe, where we have a massive fan base. So we want to have the flexibility to have a free-to-play option for those people."

Quake Champions will be free, unless you want to buy it [Polygon]

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News:: Medieval melee game Mordhau shows promise

I like being able to check in on a Kickstarter for the first time only to find out that, hey, it's already doing quite well. That's the case with Mordhau, a "multiplayer medieval melee game" planned for release on PC next year. The campaign's initial funding goal of $80,000 was met within the first 24 hours.

We've starting to see more games like this in recent years and I definitely get the appeal of skill-driven hand-to-hand combat whether it's duels or large skirmishes or just messing around on horseback. Nothing here looks especially new to me, but that isn't necessarily a problem. One to watch, I'd say.

Fun fact about that name: "Mordhau," I've just learned, is an inverted sword-holding technique used in armored combat in which the assailant would whack their target with the pommel, not the blade itself. Knowing that piece of trivia makes this game all the more memorable in my mind.

Mordhau [Kickstarter -- Thanks, Sebastian]

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News:: Next week's FlatOut 4 looks crazier than ever

While Bugbear has moved on to Wreckfest, the physics and demolition focused FlatOut series they started with lives on. FlatOut 4 releases on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on March 17 and for PC in "April," 2017. After Bugbear, Team6 took over and perhaps took "demolition" too literally by driving the series into the ground with FlatOut 3. Despite the success of the first two entries, the third got 1's across the board. It was so bad Team6 doesn't even list it on its website.

Series fans will be glad to hear FlatOut 4 is in new hands. Kylotonn Racing Games will develop, while Bigben Interactive will publish. The new trailer teases the Chex Mix bag of game modes it has available.

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News:: Super Bomberman R will get a patch for 'control lag issues'

I wasn't holding out much hope that Super Bomberman R would see many updates, but it sounds like at least one important patch is on the way. Konami says it is "aware that some players are experiencing control lag issues" and that, better yet, it is "currently working to improve the situation."

"Our first priority is to adjust control response times which will improve both the online experience and control lag during offline battles," continues today's notice. "We will share more information about the update's release date very soon. Future updates are also planned as we work hard to continuously improve the experience for players, both online and offline."

I've only just dipped my toes in the game -- long enough to clear the first world after shedding a laughably high number of lives against the out-of-control boss -- so I can't personally comment on the online lag situation. Knowing that it should improve makes me want to hold off for now. Well that, and this no-frills Bomberman game can't easily compete against Zelda for my time.

Regarding the latency issues during Online Battles. (2) [Konami via Nintendo Everything]

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News:: Sundered was definitely a game I played at PAX East

Before my time with Sundered, I knew little to nothing about the company, Thunder Lotus Games, or its newest title. It had previously released Jotun on Steam and this new game is looking to tackle the well-worn metroidvania style of action games. Mix in a little bit of randomization and some skill trees reminiscent of Rogue Legacy, and Sundered starts to sound a bit more interesting.

My short session started with William Dube, the creative director at Thunder Lotus, explaining some of the details for Sundered. As he put it, the game is a "horrifying fight for survival" with a strong emphasis on replayability. Most of the map is procedurally generated, save for a few key rooms, and your skill tree can only be upgraded upon death.

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News:: Overwatch's newest comic is all about Bastion

Blizzard has managed to turn Overwatch into a cross-media project without it ever seeming obnoxious. From the short films that rival Pixar in quality to the comic book series rife with many talented artists with different styles, it all adds to the allure of the world, but is never in your face about it.

The same goes for this Bastion comic titled "Binary," which takes place before the events of the game, and after his short. It deals with his first meeting with Torbjörn (who also has a comic), and brings some much needed context into how Bastion slots into the Overwatch organization. While the story in this particular issue doesn't feel essential, I love the character interactions, and think of them frequently while I'm playing.

Hopefully this game is around for a long, long time and keeps up the plan of providing free content updates.

Binary [Battle.net]

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News:: Review: Ghost Blade HD

What's going on, I can't hold all these shmups!

With the rise of digital distribution, more and more developers are able to get their previously super niche bodies of work into the hands of more folks, which subsequently results in more shmups being developed -- it's lovely. Just take a look at Cave, who remained dormant for many years only to rise up and nearly put its entire catalog on mobile devices before moving to PC.

It's a great time to be a shmup fan, sure, but not all of them are created equal. Ghost Blade HD has the makings of a classic shoot-'em-up, but ends up coming off like a half-measure.

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News:: Action RPG 'The Caligula Effect' comes west in May

The Caligula Effect is a game I've kept my eye on for a while now. Despite lacking a AAA budget title like Persona, it seems like an engaging game among the likes of Tokyo Xanadu and Akiba's Trip. It finally comes to North America and Europe on May 2, 2017 via digital download for PlayStation Vita.

Previously known as just Caligula, this anime-style RPG is written by Tadashi Satomi, the writer for Persona, Persona 2: Innocent Sin and Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (which is written in the press release three time to make sure we got it. Well, I got it guys). Price is still unknown but it will be rated T in North America and features Japanese voices (no English dub).

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News:: You won't have to pay to play 'Quake Champions'

The upcoming Quake Champions will be free-to-play. Or not. It depends on how you want to approach it. "At its core, it's a free-to-play game with the option to buy the Champion Pack and just get in and play with all the Champions," developer Bethesda Softworks' creative director Tim Willits recently told Polygon. The Champion Pack is basically the full-priced version of the game, giving access to everything you'd expect from a retail title right out of the gate. But, if games like League of Legends and Dota 2 have taught us anything, it's that dropping $60 up-front is a huge barrier to entry for people around the world.

Source: Polygon

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News:: A good old fashioned Nintendo Switch accessory review roundup/slobberknocker

Now that the shiny new Nintendo Switch is out, it's time to put a bunch of accessories to the test.

If you're curious how some third-party (sanctioned or non-sanctioned) peripherals measure up, check out the list below, which will be updated as my gear comes in.

Read more...

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News:: Twitch desktop app aims to make streaming more social

Twitch has long been more than just a video game streaming platform. In fact, it's starting to morph into a full-fledged, gamer-centric social network and marketplace. Just a few days ago, the company unveiled Pulse, which added a Facebook-like feed featuring posts from streamers and viewers. This spring, Twitch will also introduce the ability for users to buy and download the games being played by their favorite streamers directly on the page. Today, the gaming platform announced these and other features are also coming to the new Twitch Desktop App, which launches on March 16th.

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News:: Nintendo slashes price on over dozen 3DS and Wii U games

3DS or Wii U owner? You know how it is. These games hardly ever go on sale. So its nice when Nintendo decides to offer up some of the top picks in recent years at a reduced price. While on first appearance it looks like a sale - as far as we can tell this is more of a list price reduction - but in either case they are solid deals for excellent games. Popular titles on the price chop block are Bravely Default and Yokai Watch - and the best deal of the bunch is probably Captain Toad's Treasure Tracker + amiibo pack for the Wii U.

You can also pick these up at Nintendo's online store but you'll be faced with shipping charges - so our suggestion is to go with Nintendo's official eBay store for the free shipping. Among these titles are also four deals on 3DS Mario titles from Best Buy (also on eBay for free shipping or store pick-up) - these will expire later today.

Nintendo eBay Deals

• Wii U 32GB Console + Nintendo Land (Refurbished) — $200  (list price $300)
• Star Fox Zero + Star Fox Guard (Wii U) — $30  (list price $60)
• Mario Tennis Ultra Smash (Wii U) — $25  (list price $50)
• Captain Toad's Treasure Tracker + amiibo (Wii U) — $20  (list price $40)
• Yokai Watch (Nintendo 3DS) — $20  (list price $40)
• The Legend of Zelda Tri Force Heroes (Nintendo 3DS) — $20  (list price $40)
• Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (Nintendo 3DS) — $20  (list price $40)
• Bravely Second: End Layer (Nintendo 3DS) — $20  (list price $40)
• Chibi-Robo Zip Lash (Nintendo 3DS) — $15  (list price $30)
• LBX: Little Battlers eXperience (Nintendo 3DS) — $15  (list price $40)

Best Buy eBay Deals

• Super Mario Maker (Nintendo 3DS) — $34.99  (list price $40)
• Mario Party Star Rush (Nintendo 3DS) — $34.99  (list price $40)
• Super Mario 3D Land (Nintendo 3DS) — $24.99  (list price $30)
• Mario Kart 7 (Nintendo 3DS) — $24.99  (list price $30)

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News:: YouTube made VR gaming videos for Google Daydream and Cardboard

You might have come across a few 360-degree gaming videos on YouTube since last year. Chances are, those are some of the results of the platform's partnership with creators and publishers formed in an effort to experiment with the production of VR gaming videos. They transformed all kinds of content into 360-degree experiences, from trailers to Let's Play and even gaming-themed live action videos. YouTube has now collected all of them in a playlist aptly entitled "Step Into The Games." As you can see, they include familiar names like Minecraft, Super Mario Bros, Psychonauts, Need for Speed and Call of Duty.

Source: YouTube

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News:: Once you load more than 12 games on it, the Switch opens up its UI

I'm getting close (I have ten), but Reddit user Dacvak has discovered that once you load more than 12 Switch games onto your console, a new option on the UI appears. It's simply titled "All Software," and opens up on the right side to showcase all of your games in tile form. This seems perfect for Wii U/Vita folders down the line.

To do this before all of the SNK games released this week you basically had to be scouring the Japanese eShop, which was roughly twice as large as its western counterparts. Now there's basically parity outside of Puyo Puyo Tetris and Disgaea 5, which are launching later this year.

Is such a little thing that a lot of you won't care about, but I love stuff like this.

Nintendo Switch [Reddit]

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News:: Galio's League of Legends rework turns him into a badass

When Riot Games does a rework for a character in League of Legends, they don't screw around.

Usually they come up with some sort of lore reason for the alteration alongside of the industry standard new abilities. I remember playing Galio when he was new years ago (at this point, years and years ago!), but his anti-mage niche stopped being useful in most compositions. Riot has saved him from the dumpster, and now he's still retaining his tankiness, but with some extra abilities.

You can get a full rundown of his rework here, and check out a preview video below. I'm sure some of you might not dig it, but I'm down with his new Devil May Cry 4/Bayonetta angel design.

Galio [League of Legends]

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News:: Sonic Mania is still great, Tails continues to suck

Little Sibling Syndrome took over big time as I visited Sega's San Francisco office last week. I was there to see Sonic Mania, an upcoming throwback to the hedgehog's glory days. In an attempt to lead the demo, a Sega representative played as Sonic and I played as Tails. God, that was the worst.

We were moving through Green Hill Zone: Act 2, a level of Sonic Mania that had not been shown off yet. Helping was almost futile. Sonic would jump on enemies, collect rings, and buzz through secret passages. Tails would get lost, fly in at the last minute, try to grab a ring or something, and then be left in the dust again. Playing as Tails is terrible. No one should have to play as Tails.

As for how Sonic Mania's shaping up, this demo did a lot to make me think that Jordan and I were spot-on in our assessment late last summer (for those who are wondering, I did eventually get to play as Sonic):

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News:: 'Sonic Mania' finally gives its lead character a unique special move

When Sega invited me behind closed doors to get an early look of Sonic Mania at GDC last month, I wasn't expecting much. I'd seen the trailers and indeed, it looked like a grand homage to franchise, but I was surprised to find that the game is more than that. Mania doesn't just bring players back to the 16-bit era with classic graphics and gameplay -- it adds to it. This retro Sonic throwback gifts its mascot with new abilities, new levels and incredibly smooth pixel animation.

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News:: Check out what's new in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with this overview trailer

I'm not sure if Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is going to be a system seller (especially since The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild already had such a strong opening for the Switch), but this is from the perspective of someone who poured tons of hours into the Wii U version and released DLC. Then again, it's not like it has to move systems anyway. 

For those wary of what exactly makes Mario Kart 8 Deluxe a "deluxe" version, Nintendo has helpfully released a trailer detailing all of the new additions. There are a few new characters (the Splatoon Inklings are the major draw here), double item slots, Battle Mode, and an intriguing smart steering feature. 

I'm still not 100% sold, but this is definitely something to grab if you didn't play Mario Kart 8. It's a fun game, and I'm sure I'll even re-buy it again (and even nab a Switch myself) if enough of my Switch having friends want to play multiplayer. 

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News:: New Reservoir Dogs game is way better than I expected

The easiest time to ignore licensed games is when they're released in step with whatever (typically bad) movie or children's cartoon they're based on. Even when they're based on a good one. Did you know there's a John Wick game? Do you care?

Licensed games can raise an eyebrow, though, when they come from an unexpected source (hello, failed Apocaylpse Now video game Kickstarter) or come so divorced from their origin. Cue Reservoir Dogs: Bloody Days, 25 years after Quentin Tarantino's directorial debut, Reservoir Dogs.

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News:: Harmonix's next project is DropMix, a physical card game

The next title from Harmonix won't be anything similar to what we know the music-focused studio for. It's not another spin on Rock Band or anything else resembling note-matching perfection. It's not even really a video game. It's a physical card game that's pushed along with the help of an app on a tablet or smart phone.

DropMix has just been announced but it's not a true Harmonix joint. This effort is a collaboration between Harmonix and Hasbro -- the former taking responsibility for doing all the cool music stuff, and the latter tasked with creating the physical product that makes it all go. The partnership makes sense when you consider each's relative strength.

Here's how it works: Each card has an NFC chip in it that contains a part from a song. So one card might just have the bass line to Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass" or the "Ooh-wa-ah-ah-ahh" vocals to Disturbed's "Down with the Sickness" (this was a card I played as often as possible). The DropMix board has five slots for the five different card types. Players take turns dropping their cards and the game remixes them over the top of one another on the fly.

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