Canada Demands Meta End News Ban Amid Wildfires

Meta Platforms Inc. and three entertainment industry groups are the latest to face a lawsuit alleging that a workplace diversity program intentionally discriminates against White men and women.

Prepare for another epic C.O.D.E. Bowl IV, taking place on Oct. 5, 2023! Following the Royal Air Force’s comeback victory last year, it’s time for a new champion to emerge as military esports teams from the U.S., U.K., and — for the first time ever — Canada join top Call of Duty® streamers to compete for the coveted trophy and bragging rights for the winning team’s military branch of service.

We're thrilled to announce the return of GamesBeat Next, hosted in San Francisco this October, where we will explore the theme of «Playing the Edge.» Apply to speak here and learn more about sponsorship opportunities here. At the event, we will also announce 25 top game startups as the 2024 Game Changers. Apply or nominate today!

After multiple delays, Payday 3 finally arrives this month, but if you just can’t wait to get your hands on the game, a free open beta is being held this weekend. The Payday 3 Technical Open Beta won’t require you to have pre-ordered the game – anybody on Steam or Xbox Series X/S can jump in (PS5 is excluded for whatever reason). Starbreeze does warn the beta build is from a few months back, so it doesn’t necessarily represent the final state of the game – the beta is more about testing the capacity of the Payday 3 servers.

It seems Meta is turning further and further away from its news ambitions. Between threatening to block news altogether in parts of the US (or all of it), Canada, and more, the company has had a rocky history with hosting news in general. Now, the company plans to remove the News tab in some of the largest European Markets.

Sega has announced Company of Heroes Collection for Nintendo Switch.

Typically, when you’re a gaming icon, you get plenty of titles to show you off and keep you “fresh” in the minds of gamers. But in the case of Rayman, his story is a bit more complicated. He was once Ubisoft’s mascot and had console and handheld games for fans to enjoy. Plus, his unique look and abilities made it so his games played slightly different from other competitors. But then, ironically, he created his “replacement” when Ubisoft put the character against the Rabbids. Their brand took off, and he took a back seat for many years.

By Tom Warren, a senior editor covering Microsoft, PC gaming, console, and tech. He founded WinRumors, a site dedicated to Microsoft news, before joining The Verge in 2012.

Ottawa on Friday spelled out how a new law requiring digital giants to pay publishers for news content will work in practice, including how much it could cost Meta and Google.

While Earth is abandoned in the far future of Starfield, it isn’t exactly empty. There are still several manmade landmarks to find on Earth, Luna and Mars — and there’s a snow globe at each one to remember them by. Snow globes are Easter egg collectibles that return from Bethesda’s previously published Fallout: New Vegas, a game that Starfield actually shares a surprising connection with. Both games use (most of) the same PC console commands. In addition to cheats, you’ll also want to check out these hidden locations. By reading rare books or checking uncommon plaques, you’ll be able to unlock landmarks that take you straight to these lost bits of human history. Here’s how it all works — and how to appreciate the ancient past. Yes, you can find the ruins of the Pyramids!

Happy Friday, Polygon readers!

Starfield’s Constellation Edition remains in stock in the United Kingdom, Europe and Canada, but it’s currently unavailable in the United States.