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Good afternoon. The release of Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated new album The Tortured Poets Department included a surprise for all the Swifites, as it turned out to be a double album with 31 tracks, including a Grand Theft Auto shoutout on the track So High School.

— Derek

MAIN QUEST: CDL revamp

The Call of Duty League (CDL) has recently unveiled significant structural changes aimed at bolstering team revenues, fostering community support, and ensuring the league's longevity. These changes, outlined by CDL General Manager Daniel Tsay, include the elimination of all outstanding entry fees owed by franchises, with previous fees being fully refunded. Additionally, teams will now benefit from increased revenue generated from in-game merchandise sales, including team bundles and championship bundles. The CDL is also enhancing its subsidy support for teams hosting live in-person events, aiming to alleviate the financial burdens associated with organizing these competitions. Furthermore, teams will receive a two-year revenue guarantee, providing stable financial support as they compete in the league.

These adjustments signify a concerted effort by the CDL to fortify the competitive Call of Duty scene, acknowledging the growing importance of community engagement and financial sustainability. By eliminating entry fees, increasing revenue streams from in-game sales, boosting event subsidies, and providing revenue guarantees, the CDL aims to create a more supportive environment for participating teams while enhancing the overall experience for fans and stakeholders. These changes come amidst a shifting landscape in esports ecosystems and reflect the CDL's commitment to adapting and evolving to meet the needs of its stakeholders.

HUD

• Larian, who recently announced it would not be producing any DLC for Baldur’s Gate 3, or working on Baldur’s Gate 4, has confirmed it is currently working on two new projects, which CEO Swen Vincke believes will be the studio’s “best work ever.”

• Take-Two is laying off around 550 employees, which the company says is part of its ongoing restructuring plan. The layoffs come just weeks after CEO Strauss Zelnick said there were no plans for layoffs.

• Microsoft will start testing ads in the Windows 11 start menu. The recommended section of the start menu, which currently shows file recommendations, will begin to show apps from the Microsoft Store.

MAJOR W

• Keanu Reeves is reportedly joining the cast of the Sonic the Hedgehog movie franchise and will be voicing Shadow in the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3, set to release in late December.

• The Fallout TV series has been a hit, and Amazon has already renewed the show for a second season, less than one week after its release on Prime Video.

F IN THE CHAT

• Developer Void Interactive, the team behind Ready or Not, has had over 4TB of data stolen by a ransom group, including all of the source code for Ready or Not. It appears no personal information from players or employees was stolen.

• A website claims to have scraped billions of Discord messages from public servers, and is attempting to sell access to the messages with corresponding profiles and linked social media accounts.

CAREER CORNER

• Account Manager, Gaming and Esports — United Talent Agency (Los Angeles, CA)

• Coordinator, Brand Social & Gaming — Vans (Costa Mesa, CA)

• Convention Programming Manager — The Pokémon Company International (Bellevue, WA)

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