Ubisoft tweets that development is complete on Rainbow Six Extraction, and the next installment in the shooter series is set to arrive as expected next month:

We’re very proud to share that Rainbow Six Extraction has gone gold!

See you in the containment zone on January 20, 2022.

The latest celebration on the Ubisoft's 35th Birthday Page reveals a free weekend is underway to allow everyone the chance to try out Immortals Fenyx Rising. This page has the details on how this can be played into Monday morning for free on Ubisoft Connect:

Immortals Fenyx Rising™ brings grand mythological adventure to life.
Play as Fenyx, a new, winged demigod, on a quest to save the Greek gods. The fate of the world is at stake – you are the gods’ last hope.

Play the full version of Immortals Fenyx Rising for free from November 26th at 09:00 am to November 29th at 09:00 am (your local time)!

Start your download right now and be ready when servers open.

Once the free weekend is over your progression will be carried over if you purchase the game.

Early Access to World War 3 is once again available for Windows on Steam, offering what's now being called a closed beta test for the multiplayer shooter. This is all outlined in this post which announces new plans to ultimately launch the game with a free-to-play model. Access to the closed beta requires purchase of a supporter pack, but that will change for the open beta: "The CBT will be active and playable until the start of the Open Beta Test (OBT), which has a targeted launch date of March 2022. Starting with the OBT, World War 3 will become a free-to-play experience, giving players across the world the chance to hit the battlefield without limits." Unsurprisingly, a change like this coming years after the game's Early Access launch is not sitting well with some players, and there is no word yet on whether refunds will be offered to those who bought the game under different assumptions. Here's a Closed Beta Packs Trailer and here are details on testing:

THIS IS WORLD WAR 3
Join the CBT and discover World War 3, an online multiplayer tactical FPS where the world is your battleground. Team up to outgun and outflank the enemy in thrilling tactical skirmishes waged across real-world locations. Customize your perfect loadout from a huge weapons arsenal, then deploy vehicles, gadgets, and drones, and call in strikes to seize the advantage.

JOIN THE FIGHT
Hit the battlefield in two thrilling game modes: fight in teams to attack or defend capture points in fast-paced Tactical Ops (20 vs. 20), and work together to plan tactical strikes and full-scale assaults to score the highest kill count in the classic FPS mode Team Deathmatch (10 vs. 10). These modes are playable across four war-torn maps during the CBT. Battle through the streets of Berlin, fight for control of Warsaw, brave the bitter cold of Polyarny, and storm the heart of Moscow.

Continue here to read the full story.

A tweet from Big Ant Studios announces the release of Cricket 22 - The Official Game of the Ashes is being delayed (thanks Kotaku). Word is the game itself is complete, but the packaging and some game elements are being reworked after cover star Tim Paine became reembroiled in a sex scandal:

Unfortunately, factors beyond our control have meant that we need to update the game's cover art, other visuals and team lists. There was a critical day 1 patch that players will need to enjoy the full cricket 22 experience that has consequently needed to be revoked. The new patch won't be ready for release until December 2.

As a result, we have made the difficult decision to delay the game's release by a week for all platforms both physical and digital. This is the first time Big Ant Studios have ever had to delay a game release, but we find ourselves in an unprecedented position. Everyone at Big Ant Studios would like to thank our fans and supporters for understanding our need to do this, ensuring the game is as full and authentic a cricket experience as possible.

Continue here to read the full story.

Ego-driven developer EGOSOFT announces X4: Tides of Avarice, a new expansion that will come to X4: Foundations in Q1 of next year. You can see the add-on in action in a Reveal Teaser Trailer and it can already be wishlisted on GOG.com and Steam. The base game will also be updated when this arrives. Word is: "X4: Tides of Avarice is released at the same time as the extensive, free 5.00 update for X4: Foundations, which expands and improves the base game in several ways. The 5.00 update introduces a series of new capital ships. These ships have been re-imagined, and a new fleet of improved models will now be on sale in various shipyards. Several factions in the game will gradually start using these new and improved ships. The 5.00 update will also bring AMD FidelityFX™ Super Resolution (FSR) to X4: Foundations, using a collection of cutting-edge upscaling technologies to boost performance." This Steam News update has more on what to expect when you get the expansion in your greedy hands:

Encountering and interacting with previously unknown, lawless pirate and scavenger factions, will challenge your perception of social order and justice in the X universe. In new sectors and dangerous regions, you will not only discover new ships and stations, but also encounter stellar phenomena that will significantly influence your plans and actions. What is it all about, and who are the mysterious manipulators that have learned to master a rare and vital resource? Your journey will lead you towards the answers. Set out and discover a new chapter of X4: Foundations.

Continue here to read the full story.

The Black Friday Sale on GOG.com is now underway. The DRM-free marketplace is currently offering over 3000 games on sale with discounts as high as 90% off. This includes a flash sale on Alba: A Wildlife Adventure in an effort to reach a tree-planting goal that's woven into the game's sales. Word is: "Starting today, we're putting the game on a 72H Flash Deal with an all-time high discount of -45%, and we will be doubling the base amount of trees planted for each copy sold on GOG during that period! Find more information about the number of trees already planted, where they are and their impact, right here." Here's more:

From Friday 26th to Monday 29th, you'll find more than 3000 deals, up to 90%, on GOG.COM! You'll be able to get discounts on:

Our Pre Black Friday Sale titles, with:

• 50% (all-time high) on Cyberpunk 2077
• 50% on Horizon Zero Dawn™ Complete Edition
• 50% on Disco Elysium - The Final Cut
• 60% on Divinity Original Sin 2 Definitive edition

some of our greatest releases of the year, with:

• 15% on Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
• 86% on Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain
• 50% on Biomutant

• Apple Black Friday Sale- Now Live With Gift Cards Up To $200. Thanks Ant.
• Save 50% on No Man's Sky on Steam.
• Save 33% on WRC 10 FIA World Rally Championship on Steam.
• Save 50% on Multiplicity on Steam.
• Save 20% on Ragnorium on Steam.
• Hunt: Showdown -- Autumn Steam Sale - Up to 62% off the base game and DLC bundles.

• No Man's Sky Expeditions Revisited 3.74.
• No Man's Sky Experimental Branch 26/11.
• Saint Kotar - Voice over revamp update.
• WRC 10 FIA World Rally Championship - November Update - Now available.

↑ Official patches. ↓ Unofficial games, patches, and mods.

• GTA: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition gets a 2GB HD Texture Pack.

• A DAY WITH THORN - HIGH CALIBRE - TOM CLANCY'S RAINBOW SIX SIEGE.

↑ Official trailers. ↓ Content creator videos.

• The horror of lag in PUBG - Viva La Dirt League. Thanks Ant.

• CD Projekt’s president insists the company is not for sale.
• Cyberpunk 2077 'Will Be Considered A Very Good Game In Long Run,' Says CDPR. So that's when it should have been released.
• The Game Awards Creator Talks 2021 Event: “There’s Not a Frontrunner” – The Hollywood Reporter.

• SPACE CHEF on Kickstarter has more than doubled its original target, and has blown past all its stretch goals but the final one.

• GamesIndustry.biz - Game remasters must respect creative history, not just make a fast buck.
  "The least we should do, however, is respect the medium's creative history enough to make it possible for players to access the original versions of games even after an updated version is released -- let's not get all George Lucas about this, in other words. Ideally, though, publishers with an eye on re-releases of their classic older titles should try to respect their back catalogue as part of a creative canon and treat it accordingly, rather than just looking for ways to make a quick buck from it -- not just because they have a duty to preserve their industry's creative history, but also for straightforward commercial reasons."

• Zotac has created the ultimate anti-RGB gaming PC range, and you could win it. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• AMIGA Game of The Year Award 2021 - VOTE NOW- Indie Retro News.

• Forza Horizon 5 tuning guide – how to master tuning.

• 13 challenges that come with autonomous vehicles.

• SVOD's Offering Big Black Friday Deals. Thanks Ant.
• Adult content found on the UK's Department for Transport (DfT) website before being deleted.
• Next WordPress release delayed after 'large red flags' identified.

Thanks Neutronbeam, Console General, and Ant.

• TSMC "Apple-first" 3nm policy leads to AMD and Qualcomm mutiny. Thanks Simon.
• Windows 11 gets better looking with a nifty visual effect that won’t slow down your PC.
• One of the world's largest supercomputers lived for only 10 minutes. "A thing isn't beautiful because it lasts."
• The Best Tech Gifts That Aren’t Gadgets (may require registration or subscription).
• LibreOffice version 7.2.3 - Fresh Branch.
• 7-Zip version 21.06...Final. Thanks DSLReports.
• Visual Studio Code version 1.62.3.
• DVDFab version 12.0.5.4 and StreamFab version 5.0.0.6.
• This is NOT going Well… Linux Gaming Challenge Pt.2 - Linus Tech Tips (video). Thanks Simon.
• This $5000 Graphics Card Can’t Game - Linus Tech Tips (video).

Thanks Ant.

• Buggy Windows patch breaks Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. Thanks DSLReports.
• Malware found in Huawei gaming apps targeting children. Thanks DSLReports.
• How to identify (and avoid) security threats while shopping online.
• This stealthy malware hides behind an impossible date.
• Google- Half of compromised cloud instances have weak or no passwords.

• IoT security law has £10m fines for vuln reporting failures. Thanks DSLReports via Ant.
• Arrested Man Resold Video Game Consoles That Were For Delivery.
• Apple gets hit by its second fine by Italian regulators in a week.
• U.S. Blacklists Chinese Quantum Computing Groups.

New Cyberpunk 2077 Players Are Flooding the Game's Steam Page With Positive Reviews.

• Battlefield 2042 review – I don’t have it in me to stick with Battlefield through another terrible launch - VG247.

• Case: Fractal Design Torrent Black RGB TG review - Guru3D.
• Case: XPG Defender Review - TechPowerUp.
• Graphics Card: GeForce 496.98 Hotfix Driver Performance Analysis - BabelTechReviews.
• Headset: 1MORE ComfoBuds Z True Wireless Review - APH Networks.
• Headset: 7Hz Timeless In-Ear Monitors Review - All Aboard the Hype Train! - TechPowerUp.
• PSU: Gigabyte GP-P750GM Power Supply Review: Lacking the Explosive Character - Tom's Hardware.

• Amazon's New World Starts Accidentally Giving Out Free Gold…
• Battlefield 2042- Portal Mode Has Already Been Used to Make a Battle Royale…

Happy Black Friday, an "occasion" that's taken on less significance in the era of online shopping. But it's certainly still a thing. So if you are reading this from the middle of a mob fighting over the last sale TV in the store—well, enjoy! For those shopping at the widespread online sales today, here's hoping you can avoid a virtual trampling.

Obituary: Mr Goxx, the cryptocurrency-trading hamster, dies.

Black Friday Round-up
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.

Brunch Link

• Thanksgiving is Awesome. Thanks Max.
• Explore a nightmarish sci-fi landscape in Simon Stålenhag's new artbook 'The Labyrinth' (exclusive).
• A Scottish deerhound named Claire is best in show at the 2021 National Dog Show.

Stories

• As Turkeys Take Over Campus, Some Colleges Are More Thankful Than Others (may require registration or subscription).
• Canada taps into maple syrup reserves to deal with massive shortage.
• What I learned eating at 8,000 Chinese restaurants. Thanks Acleacius.

Science

• Rare Roman mosaic found on farm in 'remarkable' discovery.
• Too many antioxidants can give you cancer, and other facts about the misunderstood molecules. Thanks Max.

Images

• 80 Years of Holiday Shopping in New York (may require registration or subscription).

Media

• Happy Thanksgiving from SNL. Thanks Boing Boing.
• "DOONT" — A Bad Lip Reading of Dune.
• Angry Bird Problem- - GEICO Insurance.

Follow-up

• WHO meets amid global alarm over new Covid-19 variant found in southern Africa.
• 'Afghan girl' from famous cover evacuated to Italy. Thanks Max.