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Recommended Reading: How memes became political weapons
How memes got weaponized: A short history Joan Donovan, MIT Technology Review Memes are entertaining, but they've also become key weapons in politics and the spread of misinformation. This piece starts with just one of many insane stories: "In October 2016, a friend of mine learned that one of his wedding photos had made its way into a post on a right-wing message board," Donovan writes. "The picture had been doctored to look like an ad for Hillary Clinton's campaign, and appeared to endorse the idea of drafting women into the military."
‘Overwatch’ patch will rework nearly half of the game’s heroes
Ahead of the game's October 15th Nintendo Switch launch, Blizzard has detailed the latest Overwatch patch, 1.41. The studio describes 1.41 as a "remaster," and notes that it'll require a big download when it becomes available sometime in the next couple of weeks. While 1.41 doesn't include a new map or playable character, it is likely to alter the balance of power between the game's different heroes.
Nintendo confirms 'Overwatch' is coming to Switch October 15th
Nintendo has confirmed one of the biggest rumors in gaming over the last week or so is true: Overwatch will be available on Switch this fall. It revealed the news in its latest Direct, after a couple of leaks and a Kotaku report indicated Blizzard's FPS was making its way to the console. You'll be able to start pushing payloads on Switch October 15th.
Watch the latest Nintendo Direct here at 6PM ET
It seems Nintendo will have plenty to showcase in its latest Nintendo Direct stream. It's set to run for about 40 minutes, around the same length as the previous Direct from E3, with a focus on its Switch slate for the rest of the year.
'Overwatch' is reportedly coming to Nintendo Switch in October
It seems there's some truth to talk about Blizzard bringing Overwatch to Nintendo Switch over three years after the game's debut elsewhere. The rumor mill started churning in earnest when a listing for an Overwatch-themed Switch case popped up on Amazon last week. Meanwhile, a retail leak that's been doing the rounds hinted the team-based shooter is coming to the console October 18th in Europe.
Overwatch League's latest big change is great for viewers
Picture this: FIFA decides to bring in a rule that changes how every team, from World Cup squads to US Youth Soccer National League orgs, plays. They're forced to field two strikers, four midfielders and four defenders at all times, even though many top teams prefer to have more midfielders supporting one main attacker.
'Overwatch' Switch case raises hopes for a port
Blizzard might finally bring Overwatch to the Switch a year after the developer admitted that it's a possibility. Gaming tipster Wario64 has posted photos of a black and yellow carrying case for the Switch designed with the Overwatch logo. They came from a PowerA Amazon listing that was quickly taken down when it went viral after being posted on Resetera. While the item is no longer on Amazon, its description said the accessory was "Officially Licensed by Nintendo and Blizzard Entertainment."
A popular immigration bill is bad news for US esports
"What makes me nervous is the fact that it just sailed through the House." Genie Doi is an immigration lawyer with Electronic Sports and Gaming Law, an esports-specific law firm in Los Angeles. She's talking about S.386, or the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act, which passed the House in July by 300 votes. Representatives even waived some of the voting rules with a process reserved to pass noncontroversial bills.
'Overwatch' newcomer Sigma has abilities that defy gravity
Blizzard announced the latest Overwatch hero, Sigma, on Monday and now it's revealed more details about the newest addition to the tank roster. The 62-year-old's real name is Siebren de Kuiper, and he's a Dutch astrophysicist and professor.
The next 'Overwatch' hero is yet another evil scientist
Blizzard waited a little longer than fans expected, but it has at last revealed the identity of Overwatch's 31st playable character. Following a couple of mathematical-oriented teasers over the weekend, the developer confirmed rumors and leaks that Sigma is joining the ranks.
'Overwatch' test lets you pick and queue for a specific hero class
Players have been asking for it for years and finally, it's arrived: Blizzard is introducing Role Queue to Overwatch. From today, players in the PTR will be able to beta test a feature that allows them to choose the role they want to play -- tank, support or damage -- before a match begins. Usually this decision-making happens in a fairly fraught 40 seconds before a match starts, as everyone selects their heroes and responds to other players' role choices -- so it's not uncommon to feel bummed out as a team comes together.
Blizzard reveals Overwatch League details for 2020
Overwatch League fans who might have been hoping for a traditional home and away format similar to other sports, in which teams play half their games at their own venues, might be left disappointed at least for the 2020 season. Blizzard has revealed the league format for next year, in which regular-season matches will take place in teams' home bases.
Blizzard will shut down 'Overwatch' matches when it spots cheating
Blizzard thinks it has a straightforward way to prevent Overwatch cheaters from wrecking others' matches: bring those matches to a screeching halt. As part of a developer update, Game Director Jeff Kaplan has revealed that Blizzard will automatically shut down matches when it detects cheating. It's not certain how the studio will catch this behavior, but it's promising that only the cheater will face "very harsh actions." You won't lose the SR points from a competitive match just because a ne'er-do-well joined your team and forced an abrupt ending.
New 'Overwatch' Lego sets feature Wrecking Ball, Junkrat and Roadhog
The Overwatch buzz shows no sign of slowing down, and Blizzard is keen to cash in on the enthusiasm with a range of merchandise including action figures, monopoly, nerf guns and apparel. Now, even more Lego sets are being released so you can build tiny brick recreations of your favorite game moments.
Blizzard's global esports director quits amid turmoil
Blizzard's esports team just lost another major leader -- global esports director Kim Phan has left Blizzard to pursue a "new endeavor" in the gaming industry. The veteran didn't harbor ill will against Blizzard in her farewell post (she plans to attend BlizzCon as a fan), but the move came just under a month after Overwatch League Commissioner Nate Nanzer left for Epic Games. It's not clear who's filling Phan's old role.
Overwatch's advanced replay system goes live for everyone
The latest Overwatch patch is rolling out on PC, PS4 and Xbox One, and once it's installed, you'll have access to the new replay system. You'll be able to re-watch your ten most recent matches from any game type, except for the tutorial and Practice Range, from any angle or other players' perspectives while controlling the playback speed.
Overwatch League commissioner leaves to head competitive 'Fortnite'
If it wasn't already apparent that Epic Games is serious about competitive Fortnite, it is now. The company has confirmed that it hired Overwatch League commissioner Nate Nanzer (shown at middle) to oversee Fortnite esports at Epic. The chief of Activision Blizzard Esports Leagues, Pete Vlastelica, is filling Nanzer's shoes at Overwatch League "effective immediately."
'Overwatch' will let you rewatch your matches from any angle
Blizzard is on a bit of a relative tear when it comes to major Overwatch updates. Soon after adding the Workshop customization tool, it's offering players the chance to watch back their matches from any perspective with a handy replay feature. It's available through the PTR test server on PC now, and Blizzard says it's coming to consoles soon.
'Overwatch' Anniversary event brings custom Workshop games to all
Three years after its launch, Blizzard's team-based shooter Overwatch is still rolling along, and the latest Anniversary event has begun. A celebration of the game's history so far, it's rotating through many of the special minigames that come and go, and in the patch that was just released, finally giving all players the tools to make new modes of their own.
'Overwatch' third anniversary event kicks off May 21st
Blizzard is holding its third Overwatch anniversary event on May 21st, and this year the focus appears to be on welcoming in as many as people as possible. The occasion will revive many seasonal cosmetics, Arcade brawls, emotes and skins, but it'll also include a week-long free trial (until May 28th) to give you a better feel for the team shooter -- it's not just a weekend this time. You can also expect genuinely new legendary and epic skins as well as fresh dances for more recent characters like Ashe, Baptiste and Wrecking Ball.
