Amid growing scrutiny of the corporate culture in the field of game development, GamesIndustry.biz has a translation of a story from Breakit on the troubling results of an employee survey at Paradox Interactive. The Swedish report on feedback from the staff of the developer/publisher claims that 44% of the 133 employees who responded have experienced "mistreatment" at the company. Just days ago it was announced that Ebba Ljungerud had resigned her post as CEO of Paradox. This was attributed to "differing views on the company's strategy going forward," and there are no visible indications that the leadership change is connected to these survey results. Word is the negative feedback is disproportionately concentrated among the company's female staff and its Swedish locales:

These reports were particularly high at Paradox's Swedish operations, which employ over 400 people.

Of that number, female employees make up 26% of the respondents (around 35 employees) and 69% said they had experienced abusive treatment, compared to 33% among the larger percentage of male staff.

The survey also described a "culture of silence" at the firm, with almost zero employees feeling as though their treatment had been handled appropriately.

"Offensive treatment is a systematic and far too common problem at Paradox," the report concluded.

This announcement reveals Focus Entertainment is the new name of the gaming giant formerly known as Focus Home Interactive. This seems like a logical move, as the old name sounded, well, old. Here's the news:

The acquisition of studios such as Deck13 Interactive, StreumOn Studio, and more recently, Dotemu and its label The Arcade Crew, demonstrate Focus' desire to integrate talents and studios with singular visions in our strong and ambitious Group, to promote value creation, anticipate new trends, and unique gameplay.

From now on, the Focus Entertainment brand covers all of Focus' activities, with the term Entertainment being representative of the desire to diversify its games, products, services and revenue streams. Entertainment also emphasizes the ambition to offer players around the world unique experiences, supported by an editorial policy that stands out thanks to innovative concepts, inventive gameplay and original worlds that transcend the boundaries of video games.

Super Arcade Football is now out of Early Access and officially launched on Steam. This Windows game based on association football/soccer comes with a 40% launch discount for the next week. The Steam Trailer shows how this game plays on a PC, since it was originally designed for mobile devices. Here's word:

OutOfTheBit is proud to announce that Super Arcade Football - their fast-paced, modern take on classic football games that has been warming up in Steam Early Access since 2016 - has now left Early Access and is available to play on Steam.

As well as classic matches against the computer, players can take Super Arcade Football online against other players, and play with four players locally via couch co-op. Match modifiers can also be introduced to keep things fresh and exciting, like changing the size of the goal, adding turbo objects, and adjusting the game speed, tailoring the experience to suit your style of play.

Continue here to read the full story.

A playable demo for Those who Came is now available on Steam, offering a Windows sample of this upcoming sci-fi RPG in the works at ROLLDBOX GAMES. This game emphasizes teamwork, but in an unusual twist, features no combat. But that does not mean it is without danger. Check out this previously released trailer for a fairly vague look at what to expect, and read on for more details:

This demo will give players a short experience of what “Those Who Came” is about. You can explore alone even though we recommend living it as a multiplayer experience!

“Those Who Came”is an immersive experience that will put your skills to the test and awaken your lateral thinking, where cooperation and teamwork are keys to evolving throughout the game.

Continue here to read the full story.

Freesphere Entertainment announces Necropolis Suite, with the independent developer saying their debut title is a cosmic horror game, though it is set in the Victorian era. This now has a listing on Steam with a to-be-confirmed release date. The Reveal Trailer is online, but this focuses on atmosphere, rather than gameplay. As for that, we're told the game embraces quite a wide variety of influences: "Necropolis Suite s a truly immersive horror adventure blending classic Lovecraftian narrative with German expressionism and Soulsborne sensibilities lovingly enveloped in the gaslight romanticism of Victorian England." Here's more:

You are JP Chambers, a Detective for the newly created Metropolitan Police Force based out of Whitechapel. When the mad Ulaevan turns himself in, raving about dark visions and unspeakable secrets, you must go to his estate and discover what has actually taken place within the impossible twists and loops of the architecture.

It is said that madness is repetition, and you must navigate a cycle of insanity as you acquire forbidden knowledge on your quest for the truth. The more you learn, however, the more you lose your grip on reality. Succumbing to madness will start your journey over, but you keep the knowledge you’ve gained, using it to get a little further, to learn a bit more before insanity inevitably overtakes you once more.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Weekly Sale: puzzling point & click games up to 90% off - GOG.com.
• Save 60% on DEATH STRANDING on Steam.

• Cyberpunk 2077 hotfix removes AVX instruction set to prevent crashes. No change in version number because information is overrated.
• No Man's Sky Frontiers Patch 3.63.

↑ Official patches. ↓ Unofficial patches and mods.

• Battlefield 1 Mod Adds the M16A3, See It in Action.
• This mod makes Doom into an RTS using Age of Empires 2.
• New mod allows you to play The Witcher 3 in first-person mode.

• Cold War players call for fixes to "broken" Strafe Run Scorestreak.

• The first ever Paralympics video game - GamesIndustry.biz.
• Stardew Valley creator doesn't know if there will be another update, focused on next game.

• Kickstarted game guides project shut down due to "legal trouble."

• Bloomberg - How Gaming Will Change Humanity as We Know It. Thanks Slashdot via Ant.
  "The self-contained nature of games also means they will be breaking down government regulation. Plenty of trading already takes place in games — involving currencies, markets, prices and contracts. Game creators and players set and enforce the rules, and it is harder for government regulators to play a central role.
  
  The lesson is clear: If you wish to create a new economic institution, put it inside a game. Or how about an app that gamifies share trading? Do you wish to experiment with a new kind of stock exchange or security outside the purview of traditional government regulation? Try the world of gaming, perhaps combined with crypto, and eventually your “game” just might influence events in the real world."

• F.I.S.T.- Forged In Shadow Torch: 9 gameplay tips to help you explore (and survive) Torch City.

• Valheim’s Hearth and Home update reworks axes and bows - PCGamesN.
• Far Cry 6’s audio director drove 4,300 miles to capture the sounds of Yara. Will make such a difference.

• Current generation console shortage may last until 2023.
• God of War Ragnarok will not receive a free next-gen upgrade. Your prayers are not being answered.
• Observational thriller Conway- Disappearance at Dahlia View launches November 2 on PS5, PS4.

• Mercedes is showing off actual working in-car mind control.

• El Salvador becomes the first country to adopt Bitcoin as an official currency.
• TikTok overtakes YouTube for average watch time in US and UK. Clock's been ticking on this for a while.
• Facebook apology as AI labels black men 'primates.'
• Pokimane Is Taking A Twitch Break.

Thanks Neutronbeam.

• Standing on the shoulders of programmers: the power of free and open-source software.
• Should You Install Windows 10’s Optional Driver Updates?
• Do we need humans for that job? Automation booms after COVID. Thanks Slashdot.
• Automated hiring software is mistakenly rejecting millions of viable job candidates.
• MSI Windows 11 BIOS Updates Surface for AMD Motherboards.
• Sound & Vision: Does aptX Lossless herald new era for Bluetooth?
• I built a gaming PC using every crystal component I could find.
• Windows 11 dark mode has quieter, more soothing sounds - Listen now.
• Linus Torvalds is not much of a fan of GitHub's "absolutely useless garbage merges."

• Zero trust and cybersecurity: Here's what it means and why it matters.
• Cybersecurity is tough work, so beware of burnout.
• This is the perfect ransomware victim, according to cybercriminals.
• Norwegian student tracks Bluetooth headset wearers by wardriving around Oslo on a bicycle. Thanks DSLReports via Ant.

• Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow lawsuit may stop the Russo brothers directing another Marvel movie.

• This deserves more attention. There's NO shmup like it! - ExtraGalactica (Early Access) - Indie Showcase (video).
• F.I.S.T. Review - The Hare With an Iron Fist - MP1ST.
• Brief Impressions: F.I.S.T. is a metroidvania that struggles to land its punches - VG247.

Thanks Neutronbeam.

• Case: MSI Sekira 500P computer case from MSI! - Overclockersclub.
• CPU Cooler: MSI Coreliquid 360R! - Overclockersclub (video).
• Gaming Chair: Anda Seat T-Compact Premium Gaming Chair review- cool and comfortable - AppleInsider.
• Graphics Card: GeForce 471.96 Driver Performance Analysis – Using Ampere and Turing - BabelTechReviews.
• Graphics Card: Zotac GeForce RTX 3090 AMP Extreme Holo Graphics Card Review - ThinkComputers.org.
• Headset: Philips Fidelio X3 Open-Back Headphone Review - Who Is This For? - ThePCEnthusiast.
• Laptop: Dell Inspiron 13 5310 review: More graphics, more battery life - NotebookCheck.net Reviews.
• Misc: Ausdom AW651 Webcam Review- Easy On the Eyes and the Wallet - Tom's Hardware.
• PSU: MSI MPG A750GF Power Supply! - Overclockersclub (video).
• RAM: Lexar Hades RGB DDR4-3600 2x16GB Review - APH Networks.

• Porn games are ready for their big data money shot…
• Shipwright Studios cuts ties with Tripwire Interactive over president's anti-abortion views…
• Shenmue 2 turns 20 today. Hope you got it something nice…
• Steam Achievement names can be upsettingly long, Cookie Clicker discovers…

Happy Labor Day is probably something no one has ever said, but today is the annual commemoration of hard work here in the US, so yeah, happy Labor Day. As always, this is best celebrated by not working. It's another celebration for us, as today is a birthday party for the twins, our favorite littles. We first met them and their folks when the Gunnar-man and the she-twin (a true animal whisperer) became best friends through their fence during our walks. The kids were barely one year-old at the time. Exceedingly charming, but tiny and pre-verbal. It's hard to believe they are already turning eight, but that's how it seems to work with kids. They grow up so darned fast.

Obituary: French film great Jean-Paul Belmondo dies at 88.

Laborious Round-up
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.

Stories

• Newly discovered Napoleon hat with DNA previews in Hong Kong. Could go next to the blue dress in the DNA clothing museum.
• Huge bird of prey plucks 'shark' from ocean and soars over beach-goers. Thanks Acleacius.

Science

• Why is the color blue so rare in nature?
• Female octopuses throw shells at males annoying them. Thanks Max.

Media

• Incredible moment stunt pilot flies plane through 5,200ft long TUNNEL at more than 150mph. Thanks brother19.
• British Man Defrauds Iraq For Millions - Tales From the Bottle. Thanks TheFlyingPenguin.
• Radioactive Tubular Girls by LeeDM101. Thanks Boing Boing.

Follow-up

• This golden retriever is beating PCR tests at detecting COVID in a French nursing home. Thanks Acleacius.