Your JungleDrums host, AcuteJungle66, delves into this week’s latest tech and gaming news. GDPR emails, Atari’s all-new gaming console, Valve removes controversial game, the Empress of Fire returns, and more!
- The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was adopted on 14 April 2016, but has only been hitting the headlines (and our inboxes) in recent weeks. This is because the regulation only became enforceable on 25 May 2018. GDPR is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). It also addresses the export of personal data outside the EU and EEA. Whilst GDPR is an EU regulation, it affects the entire world; hence why your inbox has most likely been full of notifications about updated policies.
- The Atari VCS is now available for pre-order. Before you let out a sigh and brush this off as just ‘another retro money-grab’, I highly recommend checking out the IndieGoGo page here. Rather than just being a console packed with a finite number of old games, the Atari VCS is aiming to establish itself as a new platform with all-new games being available after launch. There will of course be re-imagined classics such as Tempest 4000, and for $299 (USD) you can even purchase a collector’s edition with wood front paneling.
- The controversial game, Active Shooter, has been removed from Steam. The game itself should clearly have never been on Steam in the first place, whilst supporting free-speech and creativity is admirable, any game that allows the player to shoot up a school was destined to be shut down. The interesting part of this story is that Valve did not remove the game due to the subject matter, but rather due to the actual developer and publisher. The individual had previously been removed from Steam due to a history of customer abuse, review manipulation, and publishing copyrighted material.
- E3 is just around the corner, and of course all eyes are on the latest and greatest upcoming games. But just before E3 is another convention that is a big deal, and that of course is Computex over in Taiwan. In the first week of June, Taipei plays host to PC makers and startups showing off what they think is the next big thing. Whilst full details of what is being revealed will not surface until next week, Engadget has a pretty good wish list here.
- Once again, Capcom has released a free update for Monster Hunter World. The version 4.0 update includes many changes and fixes, but also (re)introduces the Empress of Flame: Lunastra. Lunastra is an Elder Dragon, and unlike Kulve Taroth, which was recently introduced into Monster Hunter World, Lunastra is a returning Elder Dragon, who originally appeared in Monster Hunter 2. The introduction of a new Elder Dragon of course means new end-game armour and weapons, as well as a new set for your Palicoe. Monster Hunter World keeps getting bigger and better, and of course the PC release is hopefully only a few months away.
About JungleDrums:
JungleDrums is a weekly news show run by Scholarly Gamers’ Content Coordinator, AcuteJungle66. Topics discussed in the show focus heavily on gaming, highlights, streams, and tech, but will typically hover around hot-button topics of the week. Joining AcuteJungle66 are a rotating selection of guests, ranging from friends and those interested in the topic at hand, fellow Scholarly Gamers, or members of raiding parties from gaming staples of his such as Destiny 2, The Division, Rainbow Six Siege, or Monster Hunter: World
