Carzy Zarx’s PC Gaming Emporium - Catch Up on All the Latest PC Gaming Related News

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Thursday news, part two:

League Play is finally coming to Black Ops 4, but PS4 players will get it first
https://www.pcgamer.com/league-play-is-finally-coming-to-black-ops-4-but-ps4-players-will-get-it-first/
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has been out since October, and it’s finally close to introducing its competitive ranked mode, League Play. It was originally expected out in December. Unfortunately, the spectre of exclusivity has once again appeared, as it has been doing a lot recently, restricting it to PS4 when it launches in mid-February. Everyone else will need to wait, and specific dates will be announced closer to release.

The Division 2 private beta will include one endgame mission
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-division-2-beta-dates/
The private beta for The Division 2 will take place from February 7 through February 10 and will include two main missions, five side missions, one dark zone (there are three dark zones in the full release), plus open world play. Players will be able to advance to level seven during the beta, and explore the eastern section of Washington, D.C.. They will also get to try organized PvP in Skirmish mode.

Steel Division 2 gets a release date, and returning players get free divisions
https://www.pcgamer.com/steel-division-2-gets-a-release-date-and-returning-players-get-free-divisions/
Steel Division 2, Eugen Systems’ gargantuan RTS wargame, now has a release date. It’s due out on April 4 and can already be preordered on Steam. The developer has also revealed that owners of Steel Division: Normandy 44 will get exclusive divisions drawn from the original game. Check them out in action in the trailer below.

Learn how climate change works in a new Civilization 6: Gathering Storm video
https://www.pcgamer.com/learn-how-climate-change-works-in-a-new-civilization-6-gathering-storm-video/
Civilization 6 will get eight new Civilizations and nine new Leaders in the upcoming Gathering Storm expansion, along with some big changes to its core systems and a major late-game challenge to deal with in the form of man-made climate change. A new trailer released today showcases how it will all come together, from early-game difficulties with the environment to randomized 21st-century Technology and Civics trees in the new "Future Era."

Players protest Epic's Metro Exodus exclusive by review-bombing the series on Steam
https://www.pcgamer.com/metro-review-bomb-steam/
User reviews can't be posted to the Metro Exodus page on Steam, of course, and so gamers who feel wronged are turning their attention to where they can inflict pain: its Steam-based predecessors, Metro 2033 Redux and Metro: Last Light Redux. Both pages have been heavily review-bombed over the last couple of days, and are now showing "mostly negative" recent reviews—although their overall review ratings remains "very positive."

A new Overwatch Assault map set in Paris is live now on the PTR
https://www.pcgamer.com/a-new-overwatch-assault-map-set-in-paris-is-live-now-on-the-ptr/
Blizzard has dropped a surprise new Assault map on the Overwatch PTR set in Paris, the famed city of lights. Players will navigate the narrow streets and alleys running along the Seine, pop in for a visit at the Cabaret Luna, and pass by famed landmarks like the Pâtisserie Galand and the Maison Marat, "a grand palace hosting a gala in the heart of the city."
>> And, apparently, there's a piano that can be played.

Stalker-inspired battle royale game Fear the Wolves set for launch in February
https://www.pcgamer.com/stalker-inspired-battle-royale-game-fear-the-wolves-set-for-launch-in-february/
Fear the Wolves, a post-apocalyptic battle royale being developed by the ex-Stalker folks at Vostok Games, will go from Early Access to full release on February 6. The launch will be accompanied by a "massive update" featuring a new artifact system, a new Wolf Matriach mutant, "anomalous lockdown areas," two new anomalies, and more.

Pioneer, the sci-fi game teased in Watch Dogs 2, is apparently still in development
https://www.pcgamer.com/pioneer-the-sci-fi-game-teased-in-watch-dogs-2-is-apparently-still-in-development/
The saga of Pioneer, the fake sci-fi exploration game that appeared in Watch Dogs 2 that was reportedly real but ended up being cancelled before it was announced, has taken yet another twist. Kotaku reports that it has not actually been cancelled at all, but was merely rebooted into something very different from the original vision.

Subnautica: Below Zero and its adorable alien penguins are out in Early Access
https://www.pcgamer.com/subnautica-below-zero-and-its-adorable-alien-penguins-are-out-in-early-access/
Like pretty much everyone else, I presume, I have an abiding love for penguins, so I’m glad to see that the new Subnautica: Below Zero trailer—check it out above—contains an abundance of quality penguin antics. Alien penguins, too! The trailer announces the start of Early Access, so you can go for a swim in the standalone expansion right now.

All Dauntless accounts will be converted into Epic Games Store accounts soon
https://www.pcgamer.com/all-dauntless-accounts-will-be-converted-into-epic-games-store-accounts-soon/
Dauntless, the multiplayer behemoth basher, will be ditching its launcher soon and converting all player accounts into Epic accounts. Announced at the Game Awards, the free to play game will launch on the Epic Games Store and adopt a Fortnite-style structure, but that does mean beta players will need to download the store client before Dauntless’ launcher vanishes. Developer Phoenix Labs has posted an FAQ that covers the migration.

Former EA Sports boss is worried millennials are more interested in Fortnite than football
https://www.pcgamer.com/former-ea-sports-boss-is-worried-millennials-are-more-interested-in-fortnite-than-football/
Liverpool Football Club chairman and former EA Sports boss Peter Moore is a wee bit worried about all the videogames young people are playing when they could be watching football, instead. There’s a lot of pressure on people’s time now, he reckons, and competition from the likes of Fortnite.

Sea of Thieves cross-play will become optional ahead of the PvP update
https://www.pcgamer.com/sea-of-thieves-cross-play-will-become-optional-ahead-of-the-pvp-update/
Everyone plays together in Sea of Thieves, whether they’re on Xbox One or PC, but ahead of the launch of the PvP mode, Arena, console players will be able to opt out of sharing the world with mouse-wielding pirates.