Welcome to the first Patch Notes of 2024 for HITMAN World of Assassination. Alongside the return of the Undying, new challenges, and curated contracts, we bring you more than 200 hundred improvements, fixes, and additions to the different areas of the game. Enjoy and happy hunting! HITMAN World of Assassination is now updated to version 3.180 on all platforms; PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Switch.

The Undying mission is available in the Free Starter Pack for new players and as an Elusive Target for HITMAN World of Assassination players, for a limited time only. The DLC Undying Pack is also now available, including a suit, items, Freelancer mode decorations, and access to the Undying indefinitely through the Elusive Target Arcade. Players will be able to unleash their creativity against Mark Faba, with a wide variety of tools at their disposal to accomplish their mission and make sure the Undying does not reappear again. The mission takes place in the Miami map, where Agent 47 will have to stop Mark Faba before he can utilize his expert surveillance, infiltration, and demolition skills to complete a contract at the Global Innovation Race event.

Gears of Prosperity, the new free content update for The Settlers: New Allies, is out now. The update adds new buildings, gameplay features, and balancing updates to the real-time settlement building strategy game. True to its almost 30 years legacy, the latest entry in the series combines in-depth build-up experience with real-time strategic battles. Choose among 3 unique factions and explore this whole-new world powered by state-of-the-art graphics. Your settlement has never looked so lively.

The Settlers: New Allies is available now on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Amazon Luna, and PC through Ubisoft Connect. A Ubisoft+ Premium subscription includes access to the Deluxe Edition, which includes the Deluxe and Explorer packs as well as the main game. Read on for a full list of all the new features

NVIDIA is reported to have started distributing an email newsletter regarding "video sponsorship messages" for its GeForce NOW free-tier. Team Green's entry-level/no-payment-required cloud gaming service grants access to time limited sessions (1-hour) on their least powerful server hardware (AKA Basic Rigs). Free-tier members are required to queue up for online server availability, while paying customers get "Priority" access—starting at $9.99 per month. NVIDIA's latest newsletter outlines an upcoming deployment of video adverts (running up to two minutes in length) for queued free-tier customers. The Verge must have heard early rumors of said "modification"—yesterday's late night report opened with: "GeForce Now is about to be very slightly less of a deal—on Wednesday February 28th, users will start seeing ads."

Sean Hollister, a senior editor at The Verge, established contact with an NVIDIA representative and managed to get a comment on the free-tier adjustment. Company spokesperson Stephanie Ngo confirmed that: "free users will start to see up to two minutes of ads while waiting in queue to start a gaming session." Team Green proposed that advertising will "help pay for the free-tier of service." They also anticipate reduced average wait times "for free users over time," due to the implementation of sponsored video content. Naturally, the "Priority" and "Ultimate" GeForce NOW membership tiers are not affected.

CD Projekt Red outlined some of its ambitions for Cyberpunk 2077's upcoming Phantom Liberty expansion at Gamescom Opening Night Live, but there was a bit of confusion within the audience regarding how new feature sets will pan out alongside the release of Update 2.0 (for the base game). The free batch of improvements and content is scheduled to arrive just before the launch of Phantom Liberty on September 26, across PC and modern consoles. The Polish video game developer has sought to clarify these details with the publication of new information. They recommend that you: "check out this handy infographic (see below) about the main features coming to Cyberpunk 2077 together with the Phantom Liberty expansion—and the ones that will be added to the game in the free Update 2.0!"

The Gamescom Phantom Liberty presentation included a preview of a revised police behavior system, but this appears to count as an improvement bundled with Update 2.0: "Take a look at one of the new features coming to Cyberpunk 2077 in the free Update 2.0 for the base game, which will be available on current-gen consoles and PCs: a revamped Police system! We rebuilt the system on clear, simple rules: criminal activity is punished, runners are chased and cyberpsychos are flatlined, no questions asked. All features in the system are designed to support clarity and the simple but expanded prevention loop." CDPR's infographic lists a new location as well as additional storylines, characters/enemies, quests, weapons and enemies being reserved for their ($29.99 RRP) DLC campaign.

Oracle has been part of the Linux community for 25 years. Our goal has remained the same over all those years: help make Linux the best server operating system for everyone, freely available to all, with high-quality, low-cost support provided to those who need it. Our Linux engineering team makes significant contributions to the kernel, file systems, and tools. We push all that work back to mainline so that every Linux distribution can include it. We are proud those contributions are part of the reason Linux is now so very capable, benefiting not just Oracle customers, but all users.

In 2006, we launched what is now called Oracle Linux, a RHEL compatible distribution and support offering that is used widely, and powers Oracle's engineered systems and our cloud infrastructure. We chose to be RHEL compatible because we did not want to fragment the Linux community. Our effort to remain compatible has been enormously successful. In all the years since launch, we have had almost no compatibility bugs filed. Customers and ISVs can switch to Oracle Linux from RHEL without modifying their applications, and we certify Oracle software products on RHEL even though they are built and tested on Oracle Linux only, never on RHEL.

Elgato, a subsidiary of CORSAIR (NASDAQ: CRSR), and leading provider of hardware and software for content creators, today announced a major update to the digital version of its celebrated Stream Deck, Stream Deck Mobile. The Stream Deck Mobile app turns any smartphone into a handheld productivity interface. With today's update, Stream Deck Mobile becomes free to use for up to six keys, for anyone with an iPhone or iPad. Other core app changes introduce more ways for users to control their favorite apps and customize their setup.

Now with its "freemium" app model, Stream Deck Mobile is more accessible than ever for millions of customers worldwide. Users can get the best of Stream Deck on their iPhone or iPad for free - including six keys, unlimited actions, and hundreds of plugins for popular apps. An optional Pro subscription or purchase unlocks advanced features like custom layouts, backgrounds, and up to 64 keys - double that of Elgato's largest physical device, Stream Deck XL.

To celebrate 10 years of Metro: Last Light we are giving away the original 2013 Complete Edition of the game, totally free for you to keep on Steam! Dive into the thick, foreboding atmosphere of Metro: Last Light as you follow Artyom into the darkness. Experience a story of betrayal and redemption and join fellow metro-dwellers in a bid to survive the harsh and hunting place the world has become.

Claim yours before May 25 and you will receive the Metro: Last Light Complete Edition which includes all DLC for the game including:

• Ranger Mode and RPK
• Faction Pack
• Tower Pack
• Developer Pack
• Chronicles Pack

Plus, its a great time to dive into the dark, immersive tunnels of Metro as the entire franchise is also on sale at up to 80% off.

Cult of the Lamb's first major content update is OUT NOW! The Lamb must keep their Cult flourishing, their Followers faithful, and their power unchallenged as they crusade in this free content expansion, Relics of the Old Faith. It adds brand new ways to spread the gospel of the Cult of the Lamb with powerful new abilities, exciting new characters, and thrilling new challenges.

Relics of the Old Faith adds huge new content, replayability and many features. Relics of the Old Faith is an ENORMOUS free update to Cult of the Lamb. We've listened to many of your requests and have been working since launch to add everything we possibly could. There's so much that it can't fit into one News post, but we're going to try…

The PARADOX UNFOLDS BEFORE YOU. A Mad King, a mysterious Drifter, and a color-shifting unreality as sublime as it is deadly combine in the latest addition to Warframe's ever-expanding universe, The Duviri Paradox! A landscape out of time and space - whether you are just starting with Warframe or have been playing for years, The Duviri Paradox will be available to all players. From the very beginning of your journey, all Tenno can choose to begin at the ending and play The Duviri Paradox. Experience it for yourself this April on all platforms and play through a brand new Cinematic Quest, a whole new space in the Origin System and Endless Mission varieties, as well as loads of new Customizations to personalize your Operator, Drifter and Warframes!

Depending on the mood of its ruler, Dominus Thrax, the color-shifting world of Duviri will appear differently - painting the swirling skies a poisonous green shade for Envy, or unleashing a wrathful red firestorm in Anger. As The Drifter, you are suspended in a never-ending cycle of life, death and rebirth for Thrax's entertainment. Each Spiral will present you with its own set of unique challenges, and lead you across some of the most varied and beautiful landscapes ever seen in Warframe.

At the turn of the 1980s, most PC adventure games were played using only the keyboard. In those days, adventure games didn't use action menus like more modern games, but simply presented the player with a command line where they could freely input text to decide the actions that characters would take and proceed through the story. Free text input systems like these allowed players to feel a great deal of freedom. However, they did come with one common source of frustration: players knowing what action they wanted to perform but being unable to do so because they could not find the right wording. This problem was caused by the limitations of PC performance and NLP technology of the time.

40 years have passed since then, and PC performance has drastically improved, as have the capabilities of NLP technology. Using "The Portopia Serial Murder Case" as a test case, we'd like to show you the capabilities of modern NLP and the impact it can have on adventure games, as well as deepen your understanding of NLP technologies.

Late last week, several specialist Nintendo coverage websites cottoned onto an update on the company's UK support pages - the offer to repair faulty Joy-Con units, affected by the notorious drifting problem, for free. Customers who possess long out of warranty controllers will not be charged for fixes, as long as it is apparent that drifting is occurring. The blurb on the official website outlines a pattern of diagnosis: "Joy-Con Control Sticks Are Not Responding or Respond Incorrectly (responsiveness syndrome or so-called "drifting")."

Nintendo has already offered free lifetime repairs to its customers in North America, way back in 2019. Latin America and France received similar treatment shortly thereafter. According to its updated documentation the company is now extending the same service to folks spread across the European Union (and adjacent to): "Until further notice, Nintendo will not charge you in the European Economic Area (EEA), UK and Switzerland for the repair of the responsiveness syndrome irrespective of whether this is caused by a defect or by wear and tear."

With the x86 architecture, large hyperscale cloud providers have been experiencing all sorts of troubles, from high power consumption to the high pricing structure of these processors. Companies like Amazon Web Services (AWS) build their processors based on 3rd party instruction set architecture designs. Today, Alibaba, the Chinese giant, has announced the launch of two processors made in-house to serve everything from edge to central server processing. First in line is the RISC-V-based Xuantie series of processors, which can run anything from AliOS, FreeRTOS, RT-Thread, Linux, Android, etc., to other operating systems as well. These processors are open-source, capable of modest processing capabilities, and designed as IPs that anyone can use. You can check them out on T-Head GitHub repositories here.

The other thing that Alibaba announced is the development of a 128-core custom processor based on the Arm architecture. Called Yitian 710 server SoC, TSMC manufactures it on the company on 5 nm semiconductor node. So far, Alibaba didn't reveal any details about the SoC and what Arm cores are used. However, this signifies that the company seeks technology independence from outside sources and wants to take it all in-house. With custom RISC-V processors for lower-power tasks and custom Arm server CPUs, the whole infrastructure is covered. It is just a matter of time before Alibaba starts to replace x86 makers in full. However, given the significant number of chips that the company needs, it may not happen at any sooner date.

Ubisoft's Far Cry series has seen a lot of installments that were remembered as very good and enjoyable experiences. Today, Ubisoft decided to surprise new gamers and invite them over to the Far Cry series by offering PC gamers the ability to purchase Far Cry 3 free of charge. On Ubisoft's Connect PC platform, gamers can obtain their digital copy of Far Cry 3, and experience the open-world first-person shooter that the game represents. The offer, to obtain the game's digital copy, is already available and you should head over to Ubisoft's Connect platform here. It will expire on September 11th, just two days from now.

Yesterday, we reported the launch of Microsoft's next-generation Windows 11 operating system. Featuring a broad range of improvements that include the new and redesigned UI elements, 40% smaller updates, layouts, widgets, and a bunch of other stuff, existing Windows 10 users are wondering how and when they will be able to experience the new OS. The OS is coming later this year, with some preview beta builds supposed to arrive in the coming weeks. That means that a large portion of people is interested in trying out even the beta version. However, there is an important note about the new OS. When it officially comes out, all of the existing Windows 10 users can upgrade to Windows 11 for free, by just performing the software update.

To run the new OS, Microsoft lists a few new requirements like 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, 1+ GHz dual-core processor, and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0. The TPM 2.0 needs to be physically present, however, it is often turned off in BIOS, so future users need to enable it in BIOS as well. For more details, please head over to Microsoft website to find greater details on the upgrade.

Every now and then, the Epic Games store gets a major discount on popular games. If you have been following the free game deals on the store, you may have seen that sometimes even the AAA-class of games get a free offer and you can purchase them without spending a dime. Today is one of those days where Epic Games store is offering the Control game for free. The offer expires on June 17th, when it again becomes paid offer. If you haven't heard of Control, you can read the the game information below. You can check out the deal here.

After a secretive agency in New York is invaded by an otherworldly threat, you become the new Director struggling to regain Control.
From developer Remedy Entertainment, this supernatural 3rd person action-adventure will challenge you to master the combination of supernatural abilities, modifiable loadouts and reactive environments while fighting through a deep and unpredictable world.
Control is Jesse Faden's story and her personal search for answers as she grows into the role of the Director. The world of Control has its own story, as do the allies Jesse meets along the way. Jesse works with other Bureau agents and discovers strange experiments and secrets.

The EPIC Games Store is planning on being your faithful companion throughout this Christmas season with a number of free games to tide you over. This isn't just a generous move from EPIC Games' heart; customers who enter the storefront to redeem a free game are more likely to purchase other entries than customers who don't even make it through the (metaphorical) entrance. The company will thusly offer 15 free games, one game per day, starting on December 17th. Customers will only have 24 hours to take advantage of the free game offer before it expires. There is no information on which games will actually be free, but the EPIC Games Store has already offered an insanely good amount of, well, insanely good games, so chances are high we're getting something worthwhile. And that is a bonus to the usual game discounts.

In the meantime, two of the aforementioned worthwhile games are now available through to December 17th, where the EPIC Christmas season begins proper. The company is now offering Obsidian Entertainment's Tyranny - Gold Edition - a story-driven RPG where you're destined to become the tirant, not bring him down. This doesn't even qualify as a try to hook gamers into buying available DLC and expansions for the game, as the Gold Edition already offers all additional content that was released to this - in this editor's opinion - excellent game. Not to be content, EPIC is also offering Pillars of Eternity Definitive Edition. You know, another game developed by Obsidian Entertainment, which also merrily includes all additional released content for the game. Say what you will about EPIC - their games store throws us gamers some definite delights.

Enter the Gungeon is a bullet hell roguelike video game developed by Dodge Roll and published by Devolver Digital. The game was released for Windows, macOS, Linux, and PlayStation 4 in 2016 where it received critical acclaim and went on to release for Xbox One and Nintendo Switch in 2017. The game retails for 14.99 USD on Steam at the time of writing. God's Trigger is a violent action game released by One More Level and published by Techland Publishing. The game was released for Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in 2018 to positive reviews. The two games are currently free to keep on the Epic Games Store for one week only.

The two games are now available to claim and will expire August 27th.

• Enter the Gungeon
• God's Trigger

(Update 13AUG2020: The game is now available for free on the EPIC Games Store platform, so make sure to go there and add it your basket STAT.)

Here's EPIC kicking up its free game offerings up several notches at once. Sega and Creative Assembly, developers of the user and critically-acclaimed Total War videogames, have announced that their latest release on that series, titled Total War Saga: Troy, will be available on launch day, August 13th, when it launches exclusively on EPIC Games Store. Based on Homers' Illiad, "A Total War Saga: TROY focuses on the historical flashpoint of the Trojan War, bringing the conflict to life as never before."

A caveat: the game will only be available for free in the first 24 hours following launch. Any claims after that will be met with the games' real price-tag. How's that for EPIC Games Store exclusivity deals? Check the games' trailer and confirmation of this promotion after the break.

Chromebook owners may be eligible to receive free copies of Doom, Doom II, and The Elder Scrolls: Legends Fall of the Dark Brotherhood expansion. These are android ports of the original Doom and Doom II, not the updated 2016 game however they are still great games and will run on anything including your old Chromebook given it has Android support. The games normally cost 4.99 USD and 19.99 USD for The Elder Scrolls: Legends Fall of the Dark Brotherhood expansion, so you're getting some good value. These perks are only available for a limited time and may not be available for all Chromebooks or regions.

You can check if your Chromebook is eligible: here

Overcooked the chaotic couch co-op cooking game will replace Borderlands: The Handsome Collection as the weekly free game on the Epic Games Store. Overcooked launched in 2016 and was generally positively reviewed and considered to be one of the better co-op games released in recent years, the game has received a sequel Overcooked 2 in 2018 which offered a more polished and complete experience. This may come as a surprise to some as it was previously rumored that ARK: Survival Evolved would be this week's free game however, Epic seems unlikely to stop anytime soon so it will be interesting to see if ARK: Survival Evolved is offered some other time.

Get the game: here

Epic Games has just done something that's sure to garner a lot of attention: they're offering free copies of Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto V. Yes, you can stop reading now and go on and grab it; you know you want to, even if you've played it on console already. The game is the latest entry in one of the most legendary franchises in gaming, and as it stands, counts with a 96 Metascore and a 7.8 user score. Even though the game has been released over five years ago, it's still one of the greatest, featuring a live community on its online components.

Beginning today and ending on May 21, we will periodically require two-factor authentication prior to claiming free games on the Epic Games Store. We are making this change in an effort to encourage our players to take steps to strengthen their Epic account security. If you do not have two-factor authentication enabled on your account, you will see the following message when attempting to claim a free game:

"Two Factor Authentication Required, Claiming this free game requires you to have Two-Factor Authentication setup on your account. Two-Factor Authentication provides an additional level of security to your Epic Games account and will help prevent unauthorized access."

Within the #stayhome initiative, free games are one of the best ways for us techies to pass our time whilst giving our computers time to rest in-between Folding@Home calculations. If you're looking to get your PC to render beautiful 2D and 3D scenarios set in feudal Japan, one of the best entries in recent years in the Total War series of PC strategy games, SHOGUN 2, is now available for free until may 1st on Steam. Just navigate to the store page for the game to download it.

SHOGUN 2 has been very well received by the PC gaming community, sitting currently with a 90 Metascore based on critic reviews and a 8.4 average user score. It's widely considered to be the best entry in the series after the legendary Medieval Total War 2, and that's saying a lot for this genre of games. Have some hundred hours to spare? This is the free game to get. And if you're looking at other Total War entries, Creative Assembly is currently holding a sale on Steam that brings prices down for select titles in the franchise.

Another week, another interesting free game being driven upon us by the EPIC Games Store. This time, it's Ubisoft's 345th entry in the Assassin's Creed series: Assassin's Creed Syndicate. Set in 1868 London, smack in the middle of the Industrial Revolution, this is considered to be the title that straightened out the franchise after the ill-received Assassin's Creed Unity, with an overall 76 score in Metacritic.

Also available for free is Faeria, a collectible-card game from developers Abrakam, which has a very respectable 81 score in Metacritic and an average 7.6 user score, putting it ahead of Syndicate in both metrics. Gameplay is often compared to a mix of Catan (with its hex-based, living board) and Heartstone (due to the collectible 300+ cards the game has to offer). It has single-player and PVP modes to scratch your particular craving at the moment, so it might be an interesting (and free) addition to your library.

The EPIC Games Store has been a great source of free weekly games, with such offerings such as Observer, The Witness, and Surviving Mars all seeing their way into players' libraries without spending a penny. Now, a juggernaut of last year's releases comes our way as well in the form of Kingdom come: Deliverance, the immersive open-world sim from Warhorse Studios. If you'll remember, our own W1zzard has taken a look at this game, and even in its release state, found it to be hugely engrossing. Now, with months of active bug fixing behind it, it should be an even better, more polished experience.

The other title on offer, Aztez, is described as a hybrid beat-them-up and turn-based strategy game, with striking black, white and red visuals (and developed by Team Colorblind, so that might have something to do with the aesthetic choice). The game actually looks like a lot of fun, and the visuals are what they are already, so why not get yourself another game for your already endless waiting list?