The publisher behind strategy games Endless Legend 2, Terra Invicta, and Against the Storm has officially banned the use of AI-generated assets in all its products. Hooded Horse has had a significant presence in the strategy game space over the last few years, thanks to hits like Manor Lords. Now, when many publishers and developers are evaluating (or touting) their relationship to generative AI, Hooded Horse is rebuking its use for art generation.

Hooded Horse CEO Tim Bender discussed the ban in an interview with Kotaku, emphasizing that restrictions on AI art are part of every contract Hooded Horse signs. He said, "It is now written into our contracts if we’re publishing the game, 'no f**king AI assets.'" He also expressed personal exasperation with how GenAI has made his job harder. He said, "If I sound frustrated, it’s because, like, honestly, all this thing has done is made our lives more difficult."

This frustration comes from the fact that GenAI usage can be difficult to catch. Even if the intention is to use a generated asset only as a placeholder, those assets can easily make their way to the final product. "We’ve gotten to the point where we also talk to developers and we recommend they don’t use any gen AI anywhere in the process," Bender elaborated.

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You will be able to play Divinity with your friends and family. Developer Larian Studios has confirmed co-op will be included for the RPG when it comes out, whenever that may be.

During a Reddit AMA, Larian technical director Bert van Semmertier gave the thumbs-up to co-op in Divinity, stating that the feature "will be available for release." What's intriguing, however, was how the developer discussed how many people might be able to team up in the game.

"The amount of players playing together will be depending on the final party size," van Semmertier responded. "But since modding is planned for this project as well, player[s] will be essentially free to extend this. There is no hard limit to the amount of co-op players."

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Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment seem to be feeling pretty good about the development of Tom Clancy's The Division 3. Julian Gerighty, who oversees the franchise as executive producer, says the game is "shaping up to be a monster."

In an interview at the New Game+ Showcase (via VGC), Gerighty opened up just a bit about the next major installment in the online action-RPG series. "The Division 3 is in production, right? This is not a secret; it's been announced," Gerighty said. "It’s shaping up to be a monster."

In 2023, Ubisoft officially announced that The Division 3 was in development, so of course Gerighty is correct that it's not a confidential matter at this point. "Within these walls at Massive, we are working extremely hard on something that I think will have as big an impact as Division 1 was," Gerighty added.

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Epic Games may have opened a can of worms by fully enabling developers in Fortnite Creative to implement in-game purchases into their experiences.

Developer tools for in-game transactions were available in Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) in a preview state since November, letting creators charge V-Bucks for digital items in their unpublished Fortnite Creative modes and games, or "islands." Epic Games has just flipped the switch, allowing for these islands to be published.

The implementation of these developer tools for monetization in Fortnite Creative has raised complaints and worries, with players comparing this development to Roblox's revenue model. Concerns about pay-to-win practices and predatory microtransactions have emerged in Fortnite communities since Epic Games first announced its plans to implement this approach.

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Fortnite and Roblox have been named in a new lawsuit filed in San Francisco by a Louisiana mother who's alleging her child may have experienced structural brain changes due to prolonged exposure to online games.

Descheca Jackson claims in the lawsuit brought to the US District Court for the Northern District of California on December 30 that her child, a minor only identified by the initials "MA," has developed symptoms consistent with internet gaming disorder (IGD) since playing video games at a young age. This includes behavioral challenges such as her loss of impulse control, withdrawal symptoms, irritability, anxiety, and difficulty disengaging from gameplay. The lawsuit also alleges that MA suffered addiction, social isolation, depression, loss of friends and relationships, and damage to her grades, leading to "an academic dismissal from school."

According to a February 2025 study reported on by About Lawsuits, IGD is described as a pattern in which gaming negatively impacts a person's daily activities, including school, work, relationships, and family life. The symptoms tend to include nonstop gaming, irritability when access to games is restricted, and continued use despite its negative consequences. The research suggests IGD affects one in 10 adolescent boys, with Minecraft and Roblox often the culprits of the disorder.

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Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke, as well as creative directors, recently participated in an AMA on Reddit to set expectations for the studio’s upcoming Divinity game, particularly about its stance on generative AI--a hot-button topic in the industry right now. Responding to a fan question about the role of generative AI in game development, Vincke was rather blunt: "There is not going to be any GenAI art in Divinity."

His comments arrive amid wider debate over how and whether AI should be used in creative processes, especially as some high-profile games have faced backlash for such use. One notable example is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the acclaimed RPG that had two Indie Game Awards (including Game of the Year and Debut Game) rescinded when it was revealed the title had included AI-generated assets during development, violating strict no-AI rules--even though those assets were patched out later.

In the AMA, Vincke acknowledged that previous discussions about experimenting with AI tools for concept-art had been confusing. To make its intentions clear, the studio has elected to avoid generative AI entirely in concept-art creation for Divinity. As Vincke put it, there should be no doubt about where the art came from.

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Ahead of the release of Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave later this year, Nintendo has added Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance to the Switch 2's library of GameCube classics. Regarded as one of the best entries in the entire franchise, Path of Radiance will be available for all Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers.

First released in 2005, Path of Radiance earned critical acclaim for its dark storyline, mature themes, and for being the first 3D Fire Emblem game. Set on the fictional continent of Tellius, the game follows the mercenary Ike and his companions as they set out to rescue a princess and save the kingdom of Crimea from the invading nation of Daein.

Like previous Fire Emblem games, Path of Radiance is a turn-based tactical RPG that features permadeath: Any character who falls in battle is permanently lost for the rest of the game. A sequel--Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn--was released for the Nintendo Wii in 2007.

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The extraction shooter Arc Raiders has proven to be one of the top hits of 2025, which has in turn attracted some unscrupulous players who aren't above cheating to win. After the rule-abiding Arc Raiders players became vocal about their displeasure, Embark Studios has announced that new anti-cheat measures are on their way to the game.

"We've seen the discussion around the topic of cheaters in Arc Raiders," reads the message shared on Arc Raiders' Discord server via PC Gamer. "Please know that we are taking this issue very seriously and are listening to, and acting on your feedback. Over the next few weeks, we are implementing significant changes to our rulesets and deploying new detection mechanisms to identify and remove cheaters. This includes updating our Anti-Cheat systems for improved detection and bans, as well as applying client-side fixes specifically addressing the 'out of map glitch.' Furthermore, we are introducing tools for streamers to help mitigate stream sniping."

A firm timetable for the anti-cheat measures wasn't disclosed. However, Embark Studios CEO Patrick Söderlund recently revealed that Arc Raiders has quietly introduced "aggression-based matchmaking." Söderlund went on to clarify that matchmaking is still skill-based, but it will also match players "based on how likely you are to engage in fights with fellow players."

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Nearly a year ago, Krafton launched the beta test for PUBG: Blindspot, the first-ever spin-off from PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (not counting PUBG Mobile). Now, Krafton has announced that Blindspot is getting an early-access release on February 5.

This title differs from its predecessor by embracing a top-down perspective and focusing on 5v5 battles in a tactical showdown. Attacking teams are tasked with making their way through a building in order to break into a vault and install a device called the Decrypter. Specific weapons like grenade launchers and explosive hammers can break down the walls standing between the players and their goal. Defending players can set up barricades to slow down their adversaries, but these are battles that ultimately come down to gunplay.

The newly released trailer shows off some of the improvements coming to the early-access build, including enhanced visuals and UI, as well as balance adjustments and control refinements. Krafton describes it as a "launch-ready level of quality" in support of ongoing development.

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Starfield has had a somewhat divisive response from players since it debuted in 2023, but there is a Star Wars mod that transforms it into a more rewarding experience. The Star Wars: Genesis mod was released in 2024, but this year, it's adding lightsabers and a more immersive experience for Starfield PC players who want to take the plunge.

Star Wars: Genesis was created by a modder who goes by DeityVengy, and it's available for free on Nexus Mods. The mod features an original story that's set between the prequel and original Star Wars trilogies. There is an update coming before the end of January that adds even more content to the mod, and DeityVengy showed off some of those new features in the video below.

In the video, DeityVengy notes that using a lightsaber forces players into a first-person perspective because Starfield's melee animations weren't up to the challenge of depicting lightsaber combat. The story featured in this clip also focuses on the player's character confronting one of the Nightsisters of Dathomir before letting them decide whether to spare or slay her.

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Donkey Kong Bananza Physical Edition

$63 (was $70)

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Turtle Beach Rematch Wireless Controller: Donkey Kong Edition

$41.61 (was $60) | $31.20 with coupon

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Donkey Kong Bananza's physical edition is on sale for $63 (was $70) at Amazon and Walmart. The 10% discount discount matches the all-time best price for the Switch 2 exclusive's physical edition. And the last time Amazon discounted Bananza to $63 was in August, one week after launch. That deal disappeared fast, and we wouldn't be surprised if this one expires before the end of today (January 9).

If you want to play the Switch 2 platformer with an appropriately themed controller, the Turtle Beach Rematch Donkey Kong-themed wireless controller is on sale for $41.61 (was $60), but you might be able to get it for only $31. Amazon is offering an extra 25% coupon discount to some customers. Released last fall, the officially licensed controller has lenticular artwork, two built-in back buttons, motion controls, and great ergonomics.

Donkey Kong Bananza Physical Edition $63 (was $70)

Developed by the team behind Super Mario Odyssey, Donkey Kong Bananza earned rave reviews, including a 9/10 from GameSpot. The 3D platformer has a 91 Metascore from critics and 9/10 from users on review aggregator Metacritic. It's currently the fourth highest-rated Switch 2 game based on Metascore. Only Hades II and Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom have higher ratings.

Almost everything you see in Donkey Kong Bananza can be smashed with DK's fists. Bananza's large, colorful zones look great whether you're playing on a 4K TV or the Switch 2's 7.9-inch screen. Performance sometimes drops to 30fps during frenzied terrain destruction sequences, but Bananza targets, and often maintains, 60fps in docked and handheld modes. It's probably Nintendo's most impressive Switch 2 game from a technical perspective.

The physical edition includes the full 8.9GB game file on the card, so you're saving a small chunk of storage space by opting for physical over digital. All Nintendo-published games available now have genuine physical editions. But this will change in March when Pokemon Pokopia launches with a Game-Key Card, meaning players will need to download Pokopia's 10GB data file from the eShop.

The $63 deal is only at Amazon and Walmart. DK Bananza is price at $70 at Best Buy, Target, and GameStop as well as on the Switch eShop.

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For reference: Bananza has been priced slightly lower than $63 before, but that discount applied to the digital edition. During Amazon's Game Awards Sale last month, the digital edition was $59.49 and the bundle with the Emerald Rush DLC was $76.49. Those deals are long gone, though. Amazon also offered a $10 discount on the Donkey Kong & Pauline Amiibo around the same time, but that deal expired, too.

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David Lynch's Dune: Special Edition (4K Blu-ray)

$21.80 (was $50)

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A Masterpiece in Disarray: David Lynch's Dune, An Oral History

$20.50 (was $30)

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If you're a big fan of Frank Herbert's Dune and/or movies made by legendary director David Lynch, check out Amazon's deal on the 4K UHD restoration of the late filmmaker's highly ambitious and divisive 1984 adaptation. Arrow Video's stellar 4K Blu-ray edition of David Lynch's Dune is up for grabs for only $21.80 (was $50). Dune is one of many 4K Blu-rays in Amazon's 50% off Arrow Video movies promotion; it's also not the only Dune adaptation on 4K Blu-ray for super cheap right now.

Save over 50% on Dune 4K Blu-rays:

• David Lynch's Dune -- $21.80 ($50)
• Dune: Prophecy Season 1 -- $17 ($40) with coupon
• Dune: Part One -- $14.49 ($30)
• Dune: Part Two -- $15 ($30)

The ultra-violent and often disorienting film was exceedingly unpopular with critics and fans, but it has garnered a cult following over the years. It's a fascinating adaptation that's worth revisiting, and Arrow Video's 4K Blu-ray edition is the best way to watch it today. If you're at all interested in Dune or David Lynch or the filmmaking process, I'd highly recommend pairing the 4K Blu-ray with the massive behind-the-scenes book titled A Masterpiece in Disarray: David Lynch's Dune, An Oral History. The 560-page, limited-edition book is thoroughly entertaining--and it doesn't hurt that it doubles as a stunning display piece.

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Avowed, Obsidian's 2025 RPG originally released on Xbox Series X/S and PC, is coming to PlayStation 5. The new version of Avowed, announced during the New Game+ Showcase, will be available on Sony's system on February 17, 2026--just a day short of the one-year anniversary of the game's original release. Microsoft remains the game's publisher, having purchased Obsidian in 2018.

The game, a first-person action RPG set in the world of Pillars of Eternity, tasks players with investigating a mysterious plague, fighting their way through a sprawling world with a mix of weapons and magic.

Alongside the PS5 version, Obsidian will also release an anniversary update for the game for all systems. This update will add a "New Game Plus" mode, which lets you carry over all of your equipable gear to a new character, reset to level 1, and fight modified enemies. It also adds a photo mode, three new playable races, the ability to change your appearance from the overworld, and a new weapon type. The PS5 version will also contain all post-release content and updates that the game has received thus far.

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The middle of Overwatch 2 Season 20 has arrived, and the midcycle is bringing the chaos with new modes, new loot, and new in-game collectibles. One of the most notable new additions is Showdown Shuffle, which runs January 13-26. This mode is going to change which character you're controlling, often at random intervals.

Showdown Shuffle locks players into a role, but not a particular hero. Instead, hero swaps can occur when players reach certain milestones for kills or assists, or even when players are eliminated. According to Blizzard, this was done to encourage players to experiment with new characters and adapt on the fly. Showdown Shuffle will be a 5v5 battle available in Control, Hybrid, Escort, Push, and Flashpoint. Match modifiers will also change throughout the battle for more unpredictable outcomes.

Starting today through January 11, Assault will return during a Quick Play Hacked event that brings back classic Overwatch maps Temple of Anubis, Hanamura, and Volskaya Industries. It's a fitting start the year, considering that 2026 will mark the 10th anniversary of Overwatch.

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Predator: Badlands Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Blu-ray)

$45 | Releases February 17

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Predator: Badlands is finally available to preorder in physical formats at major retailers, including Amazon and Walmart. Blu-ray preorders for most big-budget movies open alongside the theatrical premiere these days, but it took two months for physical versions of Badlands to surface. Fans of the iconic sci-fi series won't have to wait much longer to complete their collection. The new standalone Predator movie releases February 17 on 4K Blu-ray, 1080p Blu-ray, and DVD. Predator: Badlands Limited Edition Steelbook is available to preorder for $45 at Amazon.

While you're locking in your preorder, make sure to check out Amazon's deals on Predator movie box sets and Prey on 4K Blu-ray. And if you want to revisit the Alien franchise, Amazon has Alien 4K Blu-rays for as low as $13 and a 6-Film Blu-ray Box Set for only $25.

Predator: Badlands Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Blu-ray) $45 | Releases February 17

The Steelbook Edition comes with 4K UHD and 1080p Blu-ray discs. You'll also find a voucher inside the case for the Movies Anywhere digital edition.

The steelbook case has incredible cover art featuring Dek, the movie's young Yautja (Predator), leaping straight toward Kalisk, the terrifying and ridiculously powerful creature who roams Genna, Dek's chosen hunting grounds and the deadliest planet known to the Yautja. One look at Kalisk and it's pretty easy to see why Genna has that reputation. The artwork wraps around to the back of the case. The interior case features Dek and his partner Thia.

Predator: Badlands displays in native 4K (2160p) resolution with support for Dolby Vision and HDR10. For audio, the 4K edition has Dolby Atmos and Dolby TrueHD 7.1 surround sound as well as Dolby Digital 2.0 Descriptive Audio. In addition to English, Badlands also has Spanish and French language audio tracks and optional subtitles for all three languages.

All 4K and 1080p Blu-ray editions include several behind-the-scenes featurettes, an optional audio commentary track featuring director Dan Trachtenberg, and deleted scenes with commentary.

Predator: Badlands Special Features:

• Embodying the Predator: Meet the artists who design the creatures in Badlands.
• Authentic Synthetics: Elle Fanning discusses playing two characters.
• Building the Badlands: Behind-the-scenes look at filming locations and how they are transformed.
• Dek of the Yautja: Insights into the development of the Predators in Badlands.
• Audio Commentary: director Dan Trachtenberg, producer Ben Rosenblatt, photography director Jeff Cutter, stunt coordinator Jacob Tomuri
• 6 Deleted & Pre-Visualization Scenes: Commentated by director and filmmakers.
  • Sand Trap
  • Squirt Canyon
  • Tessa vs. Abe
  • Razor Grass
  • The Outpost
  • Super Power Loader Extended

Predator: Badlands - All Editions:

• 4K Blu-ray Steelbook -- $45
• 4K Blu-ray -- $50
• Blu-ray -- $41
• DVD -- $20

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Predator Movie Series

Check out all six live-action movies on 4K Blu-ray.

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Alien Movie Series

Check out budget-friendly box sets and 4K Blu-ray editions.

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Predator: Badlands stars Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek and Elle Fanning, who plays twin sisters Thia and Tessa. Thia is a Weyland-Yutani Corporation synthetic who lost her legs in battle. She defies her programming and teams up with Dek, who builds a backpack-style wheelchair to carry her throughout the hunt. This unique setup leads to some inventive action sequences. Tessa, meanwhile, is the primary antagonist in Badlands. Fanning does a great job portraying both characters, and Koloamatangi's performance as the new Predator is superb.

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Near the end of October 2025, Rockstar fired over thirty devs in the United Kingdom and Canada over what it called "gross misconduct." The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain accused Rockstar of union busting for laying off workers who were organizing with the union. Both sides have held firm since the initial accusations, and now the battle has gone to court in the UK.

As reported by Video Games Chronicle, Rockstar and the IWGB went before the court earlier this week, where the latter requested that the fired workers be given "interim relief" while the legal drama plays out. If granted, that would place the affected workers back on Rockstar's payroll and allow some to keep their visas that were reliant on their jobs. The court will reportedly decide on the matter before the end of the week.

The IWGB pledged to continue fighting for the workers regardless of the court's decision, while Rockstar reiterated its position that the workers broke the company's policy.

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Nintendo has revealed its first set of new Joy-Con controllers for the Nintendo Switch 2 and I'll be honest, I'm a bit disappointed.

To be clear, I'm not disappointed (or surprised) by the $100 price tag, as the original Switch Joy-Cons are still $90, the standard Switch 2 Joy-Cons are $100, and all gaming hardware is pretty expensive right now. No, it's not the cost that bothers me, but rather how little these new Joy-Cons differentiate themselves from the pair that already exist.

Similar to the original Switch's Joy-Cons, it appears that the various colorways for the Switch 2 versions will feature two different colors; in the case of these newly announced Joy-Cons, those colors are a bright, pastel purple and a vibrant aqua that the company refers to as "Light Green." Despite not fully agreeing with Nintendo on what constitutes light green, I actually really like these new colors. It took a long time for me to care for any of the original Switch's Joy-Con colorways enough to purchase them, as the vast majority are extremely saturated and don't feature color combinations that I feel pair well together. I was so starved for options, in fact, that I purchased the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch largely because I thought it featured the best Joy-Con colors available. In that sense, these new Joy-Cons definitely feel like an improvement.

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Grand Theft Auto 6 is still a little over 10 months away, assuming its November 2026 release window holds. Earlier this week, GTA 6 watchers were unsettled when Bloomberg's Jason Schreier noted that the game might not be as "content complete" as Rockstar has said in the past, and he didn't rule out another delay. Some fans took that as if GTA 6 was already pushed back again, which is why Schreier has stepped forward to clarify his comments.

During a recent appearance on the Button Mash podcast, Schreier said, "The last I heard, [GTA 6] was still not content complete. That is to say people were still finishing things up, still finalizing levels, and missions, and seeing what is going to make it into the game." He added that he doesn't "think anyone at Rockstar can tell you, with 100% certainty, that they will make it out in November."

Schreier responded to reports based on his comments by reiterating that he "wouldn't be shocked if GTA 6 'does' come out this fall, following the same delay pattern as [Red Dead Redemption 2]." He also characterized some of the reports as, "a complete misunderstanding of what I said."

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons, originally released in March 2020, remains a beloved Nintendo classic today. With the Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0 update, the game has reclaimed the spotlight. Whether you're new to the game, coming back for the 3.0 update, or someone who has never stopped playing it, our New Horizons guides hub is a one-stop shop to help you beautify your island, complete all collections in the game, upgrade everything, and live the Animal Crossing life you've dreamed of.

We've split the guides into several categories, which you can browse below to find exactly what you need, whether it's helpful starter tips, details surrounding timed seasonal events, or knowing how to spot the Jolly Redd real or fake art pieces, and more.

Table of Contents [hide]

• Starter tips

Starter tips

These guides are designed to help you get up to speed with the early parts of the game, for both newcomers and long-timers who need a refresher. Included right at the top is a guide on how to move your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island to Switch 2.

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Near the end of 2024, CD Projekt Red put The Witcher 4 into full development with a release date potentially years away. Now, some outlets are putting forth theories that there may be a new Witcher 3 expansion to fill the gap between the present and the fourth game's release.

IGN Poland and Eurogamer separately released stories suggesting that The Witcher 3 will get its first expansion since Blood and Wine was released in 2016. Eurogamer's report suggests that the drive to release something new this year is because CD Projekt Red is behind sales goals that would trigger financial incentives for its employees.

That program has been mentioned by the company itself, which stated in a 2025 investor's call that, "There is a chance that new content hinted upon in recent calls and reports may see release in the coming year, having an impact on our results and increasing the likelihood of achieving the earnings condition for the first stage of the incentive program."

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