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Ubisoft put together a nicely varied press conference for this year’s E3, including a partnership with Nintendo, a weird VR game from Elijah Wood’s film studio, and more details about big tentpoles like Far Cry 5. There weren’t massive surprises, especially because Assassin’s Creed Origins, one of its biggest games at the show, was announced during Microsoft’s conference yesterday.
At the same time, we got one very exciting reveal: Beyond Good and Evil 2, a game tha

When Amazon introduced voice calling for its Echo devices, we criticized the company for seemingly rolling out the feature without really paying any mind to privacy. It was quickly discovered that users had no way of blocking calls and message to Echo products in their home, and Amazon promised to fix the oversight “in the coming weeks. Today it’s starting that effort. A just-released update to the Alexa app for iOS mentions “the ability to block contacts from calling and messa

The long-awaited sequel to Beyond Good & Evil is indeed real, and we have proof: Ubisoft just released a surprise cinematic trailer for the game at the publisher’s E3 keynote. The trailer kicks off with a long chase sequence featuring a monkey with a cybernetic hand and a human companion racing through a futuristic cityscape, before the pair blast off into space. There doesn’t appear to be any returning characters from the first game; story wise, it will actually be a prequel.
He

The new gameplay trailer for Far Cry 5 introduces us to the faces of the resistance, who are trying to liberate a small town from the clutches of murderous religious zealots. Over the course of the 3-minute demo we meet Grace Armstrong, a tough-talking sniper out of a 1970s blaxploitation film; Nick Rye, a flying ace who rains death from above in his small plane, and Boomer, an angry dog. In the demo, they team up to stop a group of gun-wielding thugs from murdering a couple of unlucky residents

Ubisoft has just announced Starlink: Battle for Atlas, a new space shooter that will feature the first ever modular and collectible Nintendo Switch controller add-ons. The game, unveiled at the publisher’s E3 press conference today, looks like a mix of Mass Effect and No Man’s Sky, putting players in the role of interstellar pilots fighting an malevolent artificial intelligence force.Of course, the plot is secondary compared to the real-life collectibles for the Switch-specific versi

Ubisoft has announced it will sell 200 special editions of Assassin’s Creed Origins, but the package won’t come with a real life hawk, so like, what’s even the point. For those still interested, the package includes Assassin’s Creed Origins Gold Edition, the season pass, a “Digital Deluxe Pack,” an additional mission, a 28.7-inch statue, a hand-drawn artistic representation of the game’s map, a collector’s case, a replica amulet, a steelbook, an ar

Ubisoft just showed off some bits and pieces of The Crew 2, the first full sequel to 2014’s The Crew. And judging from what we saw onstage and in the videos Ubisoft just uploaded to YouTube, The Crew 2 is all about taking the idea of an open-world racer to almost absolute limits.The Crew 2 isn’t about wowing you with lifelike physics, or overwhelming you with a collection of pixel-perfect, officially licensed cars (though it definitely includes a bunch). Instead, it’s all about

Ubisoft announced a new pirate game called Skull and Bones at its E3 keynote: a shared world where you can team up with friends to sail and loot your way to pirate supremacy.The game looks like in many ways an upgraded version of the piratical party of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, just with only the nautical bits (i.e., the best parts of that game.) Skull and Bones is set in the Golden Age of Piracy, with players able to build fleets, customize ships, and of course, plunder treasure from trad

Ubisoft Montreal and Elijah Wood’s film studio SpectreVision are working on a virtual reality “psychological thriller” called Transference. We don’t know much about the game, but its trailer combines modern VR imagery with shades of ‘80s techno-horror. It’s apparently about a world where human memories can be digitally recreated, and players navigate “the maze-like puzzle of an impossible home” in a branching narrative about a man and his troubled

President Trump’s twitter habit has been a force for chaos since the early days of the campaign — but now, Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) has a plan to make sure those tweets end up in a permanent archive. Named after one of Trump’s most bewildering tweets, the COVFEFE Act (short for Communications Over Various Feeds Electronically for Engagement) would amend the Presidential Records Act to include social media as a documentary material. The proposal has a long way to go, but if it p

On Friday, Atari launched a website teasing a new product dubbed the Ataribox. Given the name and the teaser footage, it’s almost certainly a new Atari console, but we wouldn’t get too excited just yet. The website itself is super barebones, but the embedded video shows off some hardware in the vein of classic Atari consoles like the 2600 – including that classic wood grain and even what appear to be controller ports. But while E3 seems like the perfect venue for Ata

The Crew 2 takes Ubisoft's "race anyone, anywhere in the U.S.A." and somehow makes it bigger.
In the sequel, boats and planes also join the party, along with a wider range of wheeled vehicles (motorcycles! monster trucks!). The gameplay peek above gives you a sense of how the game plays and the trailer below is on some weird Inception trip. 
The Crew 2 is also the first sequel in this series, and Ubisoft has a good track record of delivering there (see also: Assassin's Creed II, Watch Dogs

Like many young moms, Robyn Hayward loves to share photos of her little tykes on Instagram. 
Unlike many young moms, Hayward's husband is one of the NBA's most sought-after free agents. 
Which made an adorable photo Robyn recently shared media a bit of a problem. 
SEE ALSO: Why the Finals aren't the most important story in the NBA this week
Robyn's husband is Gordon Hayward, who is a star for the Utah Jazz but set to test the free-agency market this summer. He's got plenty of suit

Pakistan sentenced a man to death Saturday morning for making disparaging remarks about the prophet Mohammed, and others, on Facebook. This is the first time a person has been tried in a court of law and sentenced to death for blasphemy that was committed on social-media. His name is Taimoor Raza, he is 30 years old, and the moment of his execution will mark the very second that we lose control of social-media forever, it becomes the property of lawyers and politicians. Facebook, twitter, all o

The Rabbids have teleported the Mushroom Kingdom in Mario + Rabbids: Battle Kingdom, officially revealed at Ubisoft's E3 press conference in Los Angeles today.
The turn-based tactical adventure game coming to the Nintendo Switch is a blend of exploration and strategic combat featuring classic Super Mario characters and Rabbids wearing Super Mario character outfits. Here's a deeper dive into the game that wasn't a part of the conference.The Rabbids' appearance has messed with the integrity of th

NASA will fill the skies with colorful, glowing clouds on Monday night as part of a rocket test.
Skywatchers on the mid-Atlantic coast can watch the artificial aurora with their own eyes, while everyone else can catch it via livestream — that is, so long as the conditions cooperate. Four previous attempts were called off in recent weeks due to high winds, clouds, and boats in the hazard area.
SEE ALSO: Watch mesmerizing footage of SpaceX's historic rocket landing
Monday's launch is slated

Couples and families are using the hashtag #LovingDay all over social media today to celebrate interracial relationships that would have been illegal in the U.S. before a landmark civil rights case 50 years ago.
SEE ALSO: The official 'Loving' trailer beautifully delivers an essential message of acceptance
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Loving v. Virginia on June 12, 1967 that interracial couple Mildred Loving and Richard Loving's marriage was not a crime. The decision went all the way to the S

The world's tropical regions might see far more rain than expected as the climate warms.
Most global climate models may be underestimating just how much rain will fall in the tropics as ocean and surface temperatures continue to rise because of human activities, NASA scientists said in a new study.
SEE ALSO: In the U.S., trees are on the move because of climate change
If that's the case, that could mean more dangerous deluges and damaging floods are on the way for countries and islands near the

Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system, and it might also be the oldest.
According to a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week, researchers have found evidence that Jupiter is the oldest of the planets thanks to an analysis of 19 meteorite samples on Earth.
The new analysis suggests that Jupiter formed only about 1 million years after the dawn of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago.
SEE ALSO: Jupiter is the gigantic, stormy hellscape we alw

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A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, it was acceptable to give dad a boring, unoriginal tie. That is no longer an option.
Show dad who the favorite kid is this year with ties and cufflinks that pay homage to his favorite franchise: Star Wars. From vintage ties to BB-8 cufflinks, this guide has everything a handsome fanatic may require.
Patch ‘em up, Resistance-styleImage:Lord AND Ta

A new photo and interview series called "Dear Orlando" is telling the stories of 25 survivors, family members, and first responders who were impacted by the deadly Pulse Nightclub shooting one year ago. 
In the portraits, harrowing messages are written on the skin of those featured, with statements like "I kissed you hello. I never kissed you goodbye," and "I wish they could have answered their phones."
SEE ALSO: There’s an epidemic of LGBTQ hate violence. Here's how you can curb it.

Thanks to special glasses from a company called EnChroma, people with colorblindness can finally see the world in a whole new light by simply putting on a pair of sunglasses.
As you could imagine, seeing colors properly after living for 50 years will likely garner a memorable reaction. So, when Chris Smelcer popped on his new EnChroma glasses, his family decided to film his experience, and it's extremely heartwarming. 
"Oh my god," Smelcer says after dropping his jaw. 
When someone po

The e-cigarette business is booming. As smokers ditch the habit in record numbers, many look to the digital world to find a replacement for their favorite analog vice. And e-cigarettes are, for better or worse, what’s next. With the rise in popularity comes increased scrutiny. And with the scrutiny comes a gold rush of sorts to prove these are just as dangerous as their analog counterparts. “E-cigarettes ‘Potentially as Harmful as Tobacco Cigarettes” reads the headl

President Trump may not be celebrating LGBTQ pride this year, but at least these dogs will. 
Dogs were out in full rainbow force this weekend as cities across the country marched and twirled for Pride. And yes, they're dogs and therefore technically incapable of having a public position on same-sex marriage and trans-friendly bathrooms. Who cares?
Let's all take a break from reality anthropomorphize for a moment. It feels so great.
SEE ALSO: Powerful portrait series connects young LGBTQ act

Donald Trump's Walk of Fame star got into a sticky situation on Sunday. 
L.A. Pride Resist Marchers made a statement by covering his Hollywood star with a bunch of "resist" stickers, bearing the phrases "resist transphobia," "resist misogyny," "resist racism," and "dissent don't relent," among others. 
SEE ALSO: Los Angeles' LGBTQ pride will be replaced by a protest march
Attendees of the march tweeted out pictures of the new and improved star: Trumps Hollywood Star during today's

Former Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies loves a good drama — and he seems to have stirred one up with an offhand comment during an awards show interview.
"I do know who it is," Davies claimed to Andy West, a former Big Brother star, on the red carpet at the British LGBT awards. He was talking about the as-yet-unannounced next star of Doctor Who.
SEE ALSO: David Tennant and Billie Piper re-unite for 3 new 'Doctor Who' tales
Those awards took place in May, but West just posted this vid

In hopes of completing his very first race, a health-conscious bear joined a 10-mile run held Sunday in Colorado.
Per FOX31, the bear surprised runners as they made their way through the Garden of the Gods park in Colorado Springs. 
SEE ALSO: The mystery of panda's fur color is finally solved
Local runner Donald Sanborn stopped to snap photos, costing him "precious time in the middle of a race," but blessing the rest of us with photos from the event. There were no reported injuries.No word

The lower 48 states are split in more ways than just politics on Monday. A jet stream that is coiled like a snake is causing hot and humid air to surge northeast out of the Great Plains and South, with high temperatures of between 10 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit above average from Minnesota to Massachusetts and points south. 
Meanwhile, on the other side of that snake, a dip in the jet stream is bringing unusually cold and wet weather to the West, dumping June snows on the Sierra Nevada mountai

Justin Bieber (the cute one, the shy one, the funny one, and the smart one of the band Justin Bieber) has a big milestone to celebrate. 
Biebs just beat the Beatles' record for having two Top 3 Billboard songs for the most consecutive weeks after "Despacito" and "I'm the One" spent 13 weeks burning up the charts. 
SEE ALSO: In praise of Justin Bieber's eccentric Instagrams
"Despacito" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee is No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the fifth straight week. Bi

A bottlenose dolphin is healing nicely after suffering from a horrific sunburn, researchers say.
SEE ALSO: Man comes across massive injured great white in shallow waters
Spirtle the dolphin was stranded on a beach in Cromarty Firth, Scotland, in July 2016. She was believed to have been on the beach for 24 hours before rescuers floated her back out to water. As a result of being stranded, Spirtle suffered sunburn wounds that were quite serious, and, coupled with her dehydration, rescuers weren't

Among other things, Game of Thrones exists to remind us that even when you're constantly in danger of being murdered, you shouldn't compromise your commitment to fashion. There's rarely a death on the show that doesn't ruin designer duds that are the envy of everyone from Braavos to Winterfell, and Season 7 is no exception. 
As new photos surface from Season 7, it's evident that Game of Thrones keeps upping the ante in the costume design department. Let's take a closer look.
SEE ALSO: New

Israeli government hackers were recently able to do something few others have been able to manage: They hacked the Islamic State. 
The nation's cyber sleuths were — according to The New York Times — a significant force behind a recent hack that laid bare the secrets of ISIS bomb builders.
SEE ALSO: The leaked NSA report shows 2-factor authentication has a critical weakness: You
Israeli hackers learned that bomb designers were focused on constructing explosives that look a hell o

There is an open secret in the book world: Booksellers give the best book recommendations. 
I can trace my favorite New York City bookstores by the book recommendations I've been given at various bookstores—Delicate Edible Birds by Lauren Groff (one of my favorites that I read in 2016), recommended at Three Lives and Company; Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit, recommended at Community Bookstore in Brooklyn; rediscovering Harry Potter and The Lord of The Rings at Books of Wond

Anyone who has watched even isolated clips from The Bachelor or The Bachelorette can glean that it is an environment that makes otherwise normal people behave very strangely. The more savvy, dedicated viewer can identify week six as the usual tipping point where contestants go from having fun to crying at the slightest provocation, or threatening to punch someone at the slightest provocation, or doing bad karaoke, or getting naked, or trying to choke out the Bachelor at the slightest provocation

LawBreakers, the competitive sci-fi shooter from Gears of War designer Cliff Bleszinski, will be released on August 15th, developer Boss Key Productions announced today at E3 during the PC Gaming Show. The game will come out on both PC, via Steam, and on PS4, where it will play with improved graphics and smoother performance if you have a PS4 Pro. At one point, LawBreakers was going to be a free-to-play release, but Bleszinski announced last year that the game would switch to a paid model, but w

Herman Miller, the furniture brand behind iconic designs like the Aeron chair, has teamed up with designer Yves Béhar for a new suite of smart office furniture launching today at NeoCon in Chicago. Named Live OS (yawn), the system uses sensors that can come preinstalled with Herman Miller desks, or retrofitted to any existing work surface. The sensors collect on-the-fly anonymized data which is then accessed through a dashboard, giving companies insight into how spaces are being utilized.

If you use a mouse with your computer, you probably use a scroll wheel. Except, you’re probably using it wrong. At least, that’s what possible scroll wheel ‘inventor’ and Oculus Co-Founder Jack McCauley says in an interview with IGN: It’s not used in the way that I intended it to be used…. I intended it to move forward into an application. So you can go X and Y with a cursor, but I wanted to go into it. I say “possible” creator because

Ooblets is an upcoming game that was announced earlier this year at GDC 2017, and at the PC Gaming Show at E3, it debuted a new trailer for the absolutely adorable RPG.If you missed the original Ooblets announcement, the game is basically a three-way cross between Pokémon, Harvest Moon, and Animal Crossing. As the trailer shows, instead of going out into the world and capturing Ooblets in battle, you’ll nurture and grow them in your garden. Your Ooblets can then battle other Ooblets

It's been one year since a single gunman took the lives of 49 people at an LGBTQ nightclub in Florida, and the queer community is marking the solemn anniversary with a powerful call to action. 
Orlando's LGBTQ community created a campaign called #HonorThemWithAction in recognition of the one year mark of the Pulse massacre. Through the campaign, the LGBTQ community is mobilizing to complete 49 days of action, with each day of activism commemorating a victim of the shooting. 
SEE ALSO:

Tonight, NASA will attempt again to launch a small rocket from the coast of Virginia — one aimed at creating multicolored clouds high in the sky. Just a few minutes after launch, the rocket will release canisters filled with various chemicals, forming green and red artificial clouds that may be seen along the US East Coast. It’s all part of a plan to study how particles move in the upper atmosphere, which could help us better study the aurorae and the parts of our atmosphere that are