Twitch Introduces New Fundraiser Feature Twitch Charity

Twitch is introducing Twitch Charity Beta, a built-in fundraising feature that will allow streamers to set up a charity stream in a few clicks. Twitch Charity Beta will help streamers track donations, convert subs and bits, and manage multiple programs simultaneously so that they can focus on the stream.

Streamers will be able select a cause they’re passionate about and begin fundraising via the Creator Dashboard. All they need to do is find a charity, set a fundraising goal, and enable a charity campaign to go into “charity mode.” Once all those steps are completed, the “Donate to Charity” button will appear for viewers, allowing them to contribute to the campaign. All the donations made during the stream will be automatically tracked for the streamer via the activity feed towards the goal they set themselves.

All proceeds raised during the stream will go to the streamer’s PayPal Giving Fund, and Twitch will not receive any cuts from the donations or tax right-offs. The Paypal Giving Fund will also handle all of the logicists that go into setting up a charity stream and will accurately track all donations and funds to whatever cause the streamer decides to support.

Twitch is starting with a small number of charities but hopes to add more soon. Currently, the only way to set up a Twitch Charity stream is if Twitch has sent you an email allowing you to participate in the beta.

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Twitch Introduces New Fundraiser Feature Twitch Charity

Twitch is introducing Twitch Charity Beta, a built-in fundraising feature that will allow streamers to set up a charity stream in a few clicks. Twitch Charity Beta will help streamers track donations, convert subs and bits, and manage multiple programs simultaneously so that they can focus on the stream.

Streamers will be able select a cause they’re passionate about and begin fundraising via the Creator Dashboard. All they need to do is find a charity, set a fundraising goal, and enable a charity campaign to go into “charity mode.” Once all those steps are completed, the “Donate to Charity” button will appear for viewers, allowing them to contribute to the campaign. All the donations made during the stream will be automatically tracked for the streamer via the activity feed towards the goal they set themselves.

All proceeds raised during the stream will go to the streamer’s PayPal Giving Fund, and Twitch will not receive any cuts from the donations or tax right-offs. The Paypal Giving Fund will also handle all of the logicists that go into setting up a charity stream and will accurately track all donations and funds to whatever cause the streamer decides to support.

Twitch is starting with a small number of charities but hopes to add more soon. Currently, the only way to set up a Twitch Charity stream is if Twitch has sent you an email allowing you to participate in the beta.

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Halo Infinite Alpha Pack Event: All Cosmetics and Challenges

Halo Infinite is back with another free multiplayer narrative event, Alpha Pack. This is the second narrative event to come to Halo Infinite since Interference, which took place back in May. With the new event, you’ll be able to unlock 10 cosmetics for free, as long as you participate in the limited-time challenges. Here’s all you need to know about the Halo infinite Alpha Pack Event.

Alpha Pack challenges

The Alpha Pack Event is live in-game and will only be here until August 1. During the week and a half of this event, you’ll have 10 challenges to complete. To complete the challenges, you’ll need to play Last Spartan Standing. In this mode, you’re thrown into a Big Team Battle Map against 12 other players, and you have to be the last one alive to win.

Here are the 10 challenges you’ll need to complete to finish your event pass.

Vengeance For Vihar – Kill Enemy Spartans with a Headshot in Last Spartan Standing (3): 300 XPCutting Their Teeth – Earn Cumulative Player Score in Last Last Spartan Standing matches (2,500): 300 XPHunt From The Back – Kill Enemy Spartans from behind with a Melee Attack in Last Spartan Standing (1): 300 XPTo Irritate Iratus – Kill Enemy Spartans in Last Spartan Standing (10): 300 XPOpportunity To Improvise – Kill Enemy Spartans with a Melee Attack in Last Spartan Standing (3): 300 XPCutting Their Teeth – Earn Cumulative Player Score in Last Last Spartan Standing matches (10,000): 300 XPCamber Recon – Complete Last Last Spartan Standing matches (2): 300 XPCutting Their Teeth – Earn Cumulative Player Score in Last Last Spartan Standing matches (5,000): 300 XPVengeance For Vihar – Kill Enemy Spartans with a Headshot in Last Spartan Standing (5): 300 XPOpportunity To Improvise – Kill Enemy Spartans with a Melee Attack in Last Spartan Standing (10): 300 XP

Note that these appear to be displayed out of proper order in-game. So long as you complete them when they’re each active in your challenge log, you should have no issues collecting all of your free cosmetics.

Alpha Pack cosmetics

After finishing all those challenges, you’ll be rewarded with various cosmetics in Halo Infinite. Here’s what you can unlock for completing the challenges in Halo Infinite latest live event:

Util/Null Bag (Utility)Athena’s Mirror (Visor)Tacstar Model 2490 (Wrist)Morrigan (Helmet)Mod-P CBRN (Helmet Attachment)UA/CMA SN 5 Type 11 (Left Shoulder Pad)UA/CMA SN 5 Type 11 (Right Shoulder Pad)Sapphire Grey (Armor Coating)Fire Gunmetal (Weapon Coating)Trapmaster’s Map (Armor Effect)Halo Infinite Alpha Pack cosmetics won’t cost money.All Halo Infinite Alpha Pack Cosmetics

So as long as you’re playing Last Spartan Standing, you’ll be able to complete all of the challenges listed above. Make sure you complete them all before August 1 because afterward, they’ll be just like Sergeant Johnson: gone. Good luck out there, Spartan!

For more Halo Infinite news, check out our story on Halo Infinite testing out co-op play. In addition to co-op, missions replay features are also added in-game now. For now, however, it’s only available for players who are a part of the free Halo Insiders Program.

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Anthem Is Practically Free (At Least At One GameStop Location)

At least one GameStop location is practically giving away copies of BioWare’s abandoned looter shooter Anthem, as shown in a now-viral TikTok.

According to TikTok user clocklava, a recent visit to their local GameStop resulted in discovering a PlayStation 4 copy of Anthem for the low-low price of a single penny. Better yet, a GameStop employee “paid” that penny for this lucky customer, resulting in a free copy of Anthem.

BioWare’s exo-suit filled third-person shooter Anthem didn’t exactly catch on when it released back in 2019, which probably explains why the game is practically being given away at this particular GameStop. For a little context, I worked at GameStop for close to three years, and GameStop frequently “pennies out” items which are unlikely to sell in order to remove the products from inventory. This frequently happens to old strategy guides, t-shirts, and other products a store may have too many of but aren’t likely to ever get rid of. Those “pennied out” items are then frequently marked up and tossed in the garbage, or more commonly, taken home by GameStop employees.

In actuality, the GameStop employee who gifted clocklava was essentially giving away a game that was destined for the dumpster, and the sad reality is the employee could potentially get in trouble for giving away a game that wasn’t designated for sale. Thankfully, the location of this GameStop or the employee in question isn’t disclosed in clocklava’s video, so one can only hope there are no negative repercussions for anyone involved.

It’s worth mentioning that GameStop.com is currently selling digital codes for Anthem for up to $60. Notably, GameStop does not list any pre-owned copies of Anthem for sale on its website, which means all physical copies of Anthem could have already been pennied out at some point. If you really want a copy, perhaps your friendly local GameStop employee will have some on hand ready to be tossed in the trash. You can also just play Anthem via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or EA Play.

Around a year after Anthem’s launch, BioWare announced it would be looking to redesign and relaunch the game, which it billed as Anthem NEXT. BioWare and EA then pulled the plug on the project back in 2021, after spending over a year working on ideas for how to redesign the shooter, citing the impact of COVID-19 on production and the need to “laser focus” on new projects in the Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises. Though Anthem isn’t receiving any new updates, the game’s servers will remain online for the time being.

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You Might Be The Bad Guy In Poinpy According To Its Creator

Ojiro Fumoto found great success with 2015’s Downwell, a mobile game about falling down a well while collecting power-ups and combating enemies. Following Downwell’s various ports to other platforms, Fumoto joined Nintendo and worked on Ring Fit Adventure, but left to once again pursue his own games, and released Poinpy last month on Netflix’s mobile game platform. Ponipy is a game about climbing a well and collecting fruit to feed a ravenous blue monster.

Fumoto, unfortunately, avoided our questions about his time at Nintendo over an e-mail interview, but he did answer our questions about how Poinpy came to exist, how the partnership with Netflix came about, why Poinpy or the player might be the bad guy, and why traveling to [redacted] was the logical finale for the game.

Is Poinpy’s upward climbing gameplay a response to Downwell?

Ojiro Fumoto: Yes. While I’m happy with how Downwell turned out as a whole, I felt its high difficulty blocked out a lot of the players from discovering the most fun aspect of the game which I think is its hidden combo mechanic. With Poinpy I aimed to recreate a similar type of fun while making it a lot more accessible both in terms of difficulty and controls.

Were you happy to leave the world of pixels behind for this new art style?

Poinpy is a project that was started with me and my illustrator friend, Error403, whose art I’ve always been a fan of. It was great to be able to depend on him to handle all art related work in producing such charmful visuals for the game, while I could focus on game design and implementation.

How did the partnership with Netflix come about?

From the start of the project we were aiming to get the game onto a mobile subscription based platform rather than sell it as a premium app, as it made more sense to do so considering the mobile landscape today. Then our publisher Devolver Digital got us the offer from Netflix and, while I was surprised as anyone about their new games service, we’ve been very happy to work with them.

You must collect fruit in Poinpy to feed the big blue beast.

Can you explain the name? What is “Poinpy”? What does it mean?

Before we even had any concept for the game our artist suggested the title of the game be “Poinpy” and that was that.

When you steal fruit from the fruit carriers they cry. Is Poinpy the bad guy?

It’s the player who controls the game.

Would you consider raising the level cap or letting you equip more items in the future?

Currently no additional content is planned.

Going to space was a fun surprise at the end. How did that idea come about?

A game needs to have a bombastic end and we’ve been making the player go upwards so ending up in outer space was a natural choice.

Is there room in the modern mobile landscape for games that don’t have microtransactions?

I’d like to think so.

Poinpy is an expert jumper.

Why are there no leaderboards?

There is a mode with high score tracking after you’ve reached the ending, but as for leaderboards, we might add one in time.

Do you plan on issuing any patches or updates to the game?

Maybe for bug fixes yes, but I have no content updates planned.

Are you considering porting the game to other platforms?

The game is exclusive to Netflix for now, so there are no specific plans at the moment.

Spelunky’s Derek Yu is thanked in the game’s credits. Did he help with development?

He playtested the game and gave me some feedback. He breezed through the game in just one weekend and that had me worried the game was too easy (laughs).

For more you can get some Poinpy beginner tips here and read GameSpot’s Poinpy review.

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700 Xbox Games Are Discounted In The Ultimate Game Sale

Xbox is discounting hundreds of games right now, with hit titles such as Call of Duty: Vanguard, Destiny 2: The Witch Queen, The Quarry, and more available at great low prices. The event runs until July 31, so be sure to swing by and check out the savings while you can.

If you loved It Takes Two, you might be interested in A Way Out. Created by the same team, A Way Out is another cooperative adventure–but this time you’re trying to pull off a prison break. The content is a bit more mature (and a lot more violent), but it offers a well-crafted cooperative experience that originally launched in 2018. But now that it’s available for just $8, it’s a great time to check it out.

Battlefield 2042, Borderlands 3, Call of Duty: Vanguard, and more FPS games are also on sale. And if you happened to miss out on Fallout: New Vegas, you can scoop it up for just $5 through the rest of the month.

The Quarry may have just launched, but it’s down to one of its best prices, now listed for $40. The narrative driven horror game sees you jumping into the shoes of some summer camp counselors as they try to fend off terrifying monsters and make it through the night. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s one of the best horror games of 2022.

Be sure to peruse the full catalog, but we’ve highlighted our favorite deals below.

Best deals on Xbox Store

A Way Out — $8 ($30) Battlefield 2042 — $30 ($60) Battletoads — $5 ($20) Borderlands 3 — $15 ($60) Control — $9 ($30) Call of Duty: Vanguard — $30 ($60) Dying Light 2: Stay Human — $40 ($60) Destiny 2: The Witch Queen — $24 ($40) Diablo 2: Resurrected — $24 ($40) Fallout: New Vegas — $5 ($15) Far Cry 6 Deluxe Edition — $32 ($80) FIFA 22 — $9 (60) Guardians of the Galaxy — $30 ($60) Halo Infinite — $40 ($60) Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga — $45 ($60) Madden NFL 22 — $15 ($60) NBA 2K22 — $18 ($70) The Quarry — $40 ($60) Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice GOTY Edition — $30 ($60) Vampire: The Masquerade Swansong — $30 ($60) Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands — $45 ($60) WWE 2K22 — $39 ($60)

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Best Madden 23 Defense Players: Top Edge Rushers By OVR Rating

The several defensive positions house some of the most talented players in all of Madden 23. From the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in T.J. Watt to the new crop of young studs, like Micah Parsons, the future of defense in the NFL is in good hands.

This week, EA is revealing a rating for every player in Madden 23 in addition to putting a spotlight on the top 10 players at each position. Unlike the offensive positions, like wide receivers and tight ends, we’ve decided to put the top 10 at each defensive position into one article so fans can easily browse all of them. We’ll be updating this article every time a new defensive position’s ratings are revealed. First up are the edge rushers, which actually include both defensive ends and linebackers.

Top Defensive Players In Madden 23

We’ll be listing the top 10 players at each defensive position as they are revealed throughout the week. These lists will solely be based on each player’s OVR rating, so even though one player might have a stronger single stat than another player, they still could be rated lower.

Edge Rushers

Straight power coming off the edge ⚡ #Madden23 pic.twitter.com/AEFbOcah8L

— Madden NFL 23 (@EAMaddenNFL) July 19, 2022

The edge rushers are the first defensive group that was revealed by EA. This position houses some of the most talented defensive players in football, including the likes of new 99 Club member Myles Garrett and incumbent top 10 member Von Miller. Fans can check out the rating for every single edge rusher in Madden 23 by going to EA’s website and view the top 10 players at the edge rusher position below.

Myles Garrett – 99 OVRT.J. Watt – 96 OVRFred Warner – 94 OVRNick Bosa – 94 OVRDemario Davis – 93 OVRKhalil Mack – 92 OVRLavonte David – 92 OVRVon Miller – 92 OVRBobby Wagner – 91 OVRCameron Jordan – 91 OVR

This was easily the most controversial ratings reveal yet. While few people can argue against Myles Garrett’s 99 OVR rating, many Madden fans are in an uproar over T.J. Watt’s 96 OVR rating. Watt is the reigning DPOY and totaled a league-high 22.5 sacks last season. It appears, at least to start the season, that EA is predicting a decline in production from Watt. The rest of the list features some veteran top 10 edge rushers, including Khalil Mack, Von Miller, Bobby Wagner, and Cameron Jordan. The San Francisco 49ers also have to be feeling good about the future of their defense with both Fred Warner and Nick Bosa sitting at 94 OVR. The New Orleans Saints also have two players in the top 10, Demario Davis and Cameron Jordan. Davis had an underrated season in 2021, and Madden rewarded the middle linebacker with the fifth highest edge rusher rating.

After Cameron Jordan’s 91 OVR, there are four others with a 90 OVR or above rating. This includes Joey Bosa, who is tied with Jordan at 91 OVR. Chandler Jones, Darius Leonard, and Demarcus Lawrence are the remaining players in the 90s. Some fans certainly feel there were some snubs with these ratings, which only started with T.J. Watt. The Las Vegas Raiders’ Maxx Crosby, who earned Second-Team All Pro and Pro Bowl honors last season, is only at 87 OVR to start the season, for example. However, EA will certainly continue to evaluate the players throughout training camp and the start of the season, so fans should expect some movement after Madden 23 releases in August.

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Bayonetta 3: Everything We Know

Bayonetta 3 was first announced at The Game Awards in 2017, and since then, updates on its progress have been few and far between. That all changed recently with the announcement of a release date, which came alongside lots of details about the game. Platinum Games revealed a new playable character, a new mode that should make it a little more family-friendly, and a special edition. Here’s everything we know about Bayonetta 3.

Release date

Bayonetta 3 releases on October 28, 2022. That release date had been a long time coming, since the game went largely silent since its reveal in 2017. We had seen hints and teases for years afterward, and last year a trailer confirmed it was destined for release in 2022. Even then, fans were kept waiting for more details, prompting Nintendo to reconfirm it was still on track for this year. Given that this year has been rife with delays, eager Bayonetta fans were understandably apprehensive.

Platforms

Like its predecessor (and unlike the original Bayonetta), Bayonetta 3 will be published by Nintendo, thus making it an exclusive for Switch.

What is Bayonetta 3?

Bayonetta 3 is the next entry in the cult-favorite action game series developed by Platinum Games. Beyond that, we know basically nothing more about Bayonetta 3 regarding its premise or new gameplay mechanics. On the game’s official website, it’s described as “Climax Action,” which certainly sounds like the over-the-top gameplay we’ve come to expect from the series. You’ll also be able to play as a new character, Viola, who wields a sword alongside a little cat companion called Cheshire. Past games have been compared to Devil May Cry, a series created by original Bayonetta director Hideki Kamiya.

Naive Angel Mode

Bayonetta is a series known for being risque with its tongue-in-cheek heroine, whose form-fitting suit (made of her own hair) shapes to her body. The franchise tends to linger on close-ups of Bayonetta herself, and Platinum seems to have decided that this tendency could prove embarrassing or uncomfortable to play in front of others. With Bayonetta 3, it’s introducing a “Naive Angel” mode, which will strategically censor the almost-nude scenes. Rather than seeing her shapeshifting suit form around her almost-naked body, she’ll simply appear in her full apparel at all times. Platinum says it hopes this will help “more people [to] fully enjoy it.”

The trailer that debuted the new feature showed that it will also apply to secondary characters aside from Bayonetta, if they happen to be similarly scantily clad.

Development team

Bayonetta 3 is being directed by Yusuke Miyata, who previously served as a game designer on Astral Chain–despite that game releasing two years after Bayonetta 3’s original announcement. In a blog post explaining his approach to directing the game, Miyata said he aims to make Bayonetta control exactly how the player wants her to, creating “action connected directly to the brain.” It’s an important aspect of the first two titles, as well, particularly with how it rewards perfectly-timed dodges.

Hideki Kamiya, who directed the original game, is the executive producer on Bayonetta 3. He is still responsible for “overseeing the world and story” in the game. Prior to his time at Platinum Games, he worked at Capcom on games like Devil May Cry and Resident Evil 2.

Some elements are changing, however. JP Kellams, who worked on previous Bayonetta titles, is not working on this third game and published a lengthy Twitter thread criticizing certain aspects of its production, while still saying he’s excited to play it. One big change from Kellams’ time is that Hellena Taylor is no longer voicing the lead character of Bayonetta.

Trailers

Bayonetta 3’s debut trailer offers little details about what will be happening to its pistol-wielding witch protagonist this time around. The brief trailer alludes to Bayonetta taking on her strongest foe yet, potentially pushing her to the brink of death.

The latest trailer, which debuted the release date, showed off the new playable character Viola, the Naive Angel mode, and a special edition.

Special edition

In addition to the standard version of Bayonetta 3, Nintendo will release a Trinity Masquerade Edition. That version will include a 200-page art book and three reversible game cases. A price for the Trinity Masquerade Edition has not been announced.

Preorder details

Bayonetta 3 is up for preorder at various retailers, including Best Buy, Walmart, and Newegg. For more details on how to secure yourself a copy, be sure to check out our Bayonetta 3 preorder guide.

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PlayStation Plus Adds A PSP Puzzle Classic To Its Library Today

It’s a big week for PlayStation Plus as the newly revamped games catalog is getting a library refresh. Stray, Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, and Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade are just some of the games being added for PS Extra and Premium subscribers, alongside the excellent puzzler Echoshift.

Originally released on the PSP in 2009, Echoshift tasks players with exploiting Time Bounces–small moments in time that are infinitely looping–to overcome various obstacles. Another novel gameplay mechanic are Echoes that players can interact with, slices of their actions in a previous time-loop that can help solve some of the more challenging puzzles encountered.

The rest of the July lineup includes a solid number of classic Assassin’s Creed games and Saints Row titles. Stray is the other big highlight here, and has been positively received by numerous outlets. “Stray expertly embodies the abilities of its feline protagonist to create a captivating puzzle adventure in an engrossing post-apocalyptic world,” Alessandro Barbosa wrote in GameSpot’s Stray review.

If you haven’t tried them, the available Assassin’s Creed games are also engrossing–and lengthy–sandboxes set across multiple historical periods. Black Flag is a thrilling pirate adventure, Rogue has players swap sides as they join up with the Templar order, and Unity has some very nice historical French landmarks.

The other notable title is Marvel’s Avengers, which has an impressive cinematic story and a disappointing endgame that not even the Mighty Thor can save.

PlayStation Plus games arriving on July 19 for Extra and Premium members

StrayStray (PS4 and PS5)Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (PS5)Marvel’s Avengers (PS4 and PS5)Assassin’s Creed Unity (PS4)Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag (PS4)Assassin’s Creed Rogue Remastered (PS4)Assassin’s Creed Freedom Cry (PS4)Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection (PS4)Saints Row IV: Re-Elected (PS4)Saints Row Gat out of Hell (PS4)Spirit of the North: Enhanced Edition (PS5)Ice Age: Scrat’s Nutty Adventure (PS4)Jumanji The Video Game (PS4)Paw Patrol on a Roll! (PS4)ReadySet Heroes (PS4)

Classics Catalog lineup for PlayStation Plus Premium members

EchoshiftEchoshift (PSP)No Heroes Allowed! (PSP)LocoRoco Midnight Carnival (PSP)

For more on the all-new Sony subscription service, you can check out every game in the PS Plus catalog, everything you need to know about PS Plus, and the best PS3 games to stream on it.

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Mario Strikers: Battle League Free Update Adds Daisy, Shy Guy, And New Gear

Nintendo has announced the first free update for Mario Strikers: Battle League, coming this week. It will add two new characters, Daisy and Shy Guy, along with a new Knight Gear set, and a Desert Ruin stadium. The software update will be available on July 22.

The spunky princess Daisy joins the soccer pitch, sporting a high technique stat. Shy Guy also joins the footie match, with evenly balanced stats to make them the perfect baseline for customizing with gear. The two new players have a Flower Spiral Hyper Strike and Propeller Dive Hyper Strike, respectively.

You can also outfit them with new Knight-themed Gear, which is prominently shown off in the update trailer. Knight Gear increases your Strength and Shooting stats at the expense of your other stats. Finally, a new Desert Ruin stadium will be available, which can also be set as your club stadium.

Nintendo promised free updates for Mario Strikers ahead of release, and according to the announcement, we can expect two more coming this year. Those updates will include even more characters, gear, and stadiums.

Our Mario Strikers: Battle League review concluded that the mechanics are very complex with a lot of depth and nuance, but it could stand to use more modes and activities: “Mario Strikers: Battle League is a thin package, without very much variety in terms of game modes and options. But it is a more technically complex game than many of the Mario sports titles, which may give it legs for dedicated players. Sports are all about proving your skill in head-to-head match-ups, and that will have to be enough, because there isn’t much else to it.”

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