Daily Archives: November 26, 2023

SKM-CTU Call for Countrywide United Worker-Peasant Struggle for … – Communist Party of India (Marxist)

Posted: November 26, 2023 at 12:49 pm

In the first historic, nationwide, united worker-peasant convention in Independent India held at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium in Delhi on 24 August 2023, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and the Central Trade Unions (CTU) gave a clarion call to organise Mahapadavs or Sit-in Satyagrahas at the Raj Bhawans (Governors' Mansions) in the capitals of all states in the country for three days and nights, from 26 to 28 November 2023.

The day of the Delhi Convention, 24 August, coincidentally was also the Birth Anniversary of Martyr Shivram Hari Rajguru, who hailed from Pune district in Maharashtra, and who courageously faced the British gallows along with two more immortal Martyrs Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev Thapar on 23 March 1931.

Significant Struggle

This nationwide worker-peasant struggle will target the corporate-communal central government of the BJP-RSS led by Narendra Modi, and the whole gamut of its disastrous policies. The first day of this countrywide struggle, 26 November, will mark three historic events.

The first is the beginning of the unprecedented SKM-led farmers' struggle on the Delhi borders from 26 November 2020 against the three anti-farmer, anti-people and pro-corporate Farm Laws that were foisted in a most authoritarian manner by the Modi-led BJP central government. Lakhs of farmers took part in this massive struggle which spread all over the country, and continued unabated for one year and fifteen days, i.e. 380 days till it was suspended on 11 December 2021. It resulted in a magnificent victory. The Modi regime had to surrender and the three hated Farm Laws were repealed. However, nearly 750 farmers were martyred in this year-long struggle.

The second is the All India Strike called by the CTU on the same day as the farmers' struggle began, on 26 November 2020. Over 20 crore workers and employees, both organised and unorganised, took part in this huge strike action. This day thus truly marked worker-peasant unity in action.

The third is that it is Constitution Day. It was on 26 November 1949 that the Constituent Assembly, after intensive deliberations, adopted the Constitution of India, all the basic principles of which are today under grave threat.

28 November, the last day of this struggle, is the death anniversary of one of the foremost champions of the peasantry and of social justice in India, Mahatma Jotirao Phule. It was Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar who claimed that Mahatma Phule was one of his gurus.

Concerted Preparations

Concerted preparations have been in progress for months to make these Mahapadav actions from 26 to 28 November a great success in all states. Joint worker-peasant conventions and meetings have been held in all states, and even in many districts. Lakhs of leaflets have been distributed in innumerable public meetings, big and small. The SKM-CTU have prepared, and the Delhi Convention has adopted, a comprehensive 21-point Charter of Demands which has been popularised all over India. A massive social media campaign has also been conducted nationwide.

As a result of all this, lakhs of peasants and workers will be mobilised in these actions all over the country. They will be joined by lakhs of women, youth, and students. People of all religions, castes, languages and regions will take part in this massive united struggle.

Combating the Agrarian Crisis

For rural India, the SKM has concentrated on those demands which are the burning issues of the peasantry and which will directly help to ameliorate the deep and chronic agrarian crisis. This crisis has further intensified in the last three decades because of the neo-liberal policies followed by successive central governments. The present Modi government is by far the worst in this regard.

There are two glaring symptoms of the agrarian crisis in India today. The first is the shocking suicides of over 4 lakh farmers in the country in the last 30 years, mainly due to indebtedness. Of these over 1 lakh farmers were forced to commit suicide in the last 10 years of the Modi regime alone. Farming has become unremunerative and hazardous. Lakhs of farmers have been forced to sell off their land to reduce their debt, and have thus joined the ranks of the landless.

The second symptom is the rapidly growing hunger in the country. The Global Hunger Index is an accurate pointer to this. In 2014, when the Modi regime came to power, India ranked55 out of 120 countries in this index. Today in 2023, India has sharply slid down to 111 out of 125 countries. Which means that only 14 countries in the world, which are quite small in population, are hungrier than India. The deaths of thousands of Adivasi and Dalit children per year in some states due to starvation and malnutrition continue unabated.The big increase in anaemia, especially among women and children, is also a pointer to this malnutrition.

Burning Demands of the Peasantry

It is in this background that the SKM has highlighted certain burning demands of the peasantry in this struggle.

The first demand, which was also forcefully raised in the 2020-21 Delhi blockade, is for a legal guarantee of a Minimum Support Price (MSP) at one and a half times the comprehensive cost of production (C2 + 50%). This was one of the fundamental recommendations of the National Commission on Farmers (NCF) that was chaired by the renowned agro-scientist Dr M S Swaminathan. Without this principle being accepted and implemented, there can be no relief in the agrarian crisis.

Allied to this is the crucial issue of sharply bringing down the cost of production by reduction in the astronomical price of seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, diesel, power, and water. This can be done only by strict regulation and control over the domestic and foreign corporate lobby, increase in input subsidy, cutting the abominable central government excise duty on diesel, petrol, and gas, and other measures.

The BJP election manifesto in 2014 had promised MSP as above, but like all its other promises, this too turned out to be a 'jumla'. On the contrary, the very next year, in February 2015, the BJP government shamelessly submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court, in which it said that implementing its own MSP promise was not possible because "it would distort the market."

The second key demand of the struggle is the complete liberation from debt of the peasantry and agricultural workers. This can only be done through a comprehensive loan waiver scheme by the central government. Two central governments had earlier granted a partial loan waiver to the peasantry - the V P Singh-led National Front government in 1990, and the Manmohan Singh-led UPA-1 government in 2008. The Modi government has point-blank refused to give a peasant loan waiver in the last 10 years. On the contrary, it has written off loans worth over Rs 15 lakh crore to its handful of crony corporates in this period.

The third major demand is for a comprehensive crop insurance scheme to fully protect the peasantry against natural calamities like drought, floods, hailstorms, unseasonal rains, and so on. These calamities are greatly intensifying due to climate change and global warming. But the present Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is worse than useless, because all available data proves that it helps the corporate insurance companies to amass massive profits, and harms the farmers in distress by denying them compensation for crop damages.

The fourth important issue that has been highlighted is that of a substantial monthly pension to both farmers and agricultural workers.

Other vital rural issues that are being raised in this struggle are the expansion of MGNREGA so as to double the days of work and triple the wages paid to agricultural workers; stringent implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) to vest forest land in the names of the Adivasis who have been cultivating it for generations; other issues concerning land rights and land acquisition; withdrawal of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill and the cancellation of the anti-farmer pre-paid smart meters scheme which will sharply raise electricity bills; key issues concerning expansion of irrigation; strengthening the public distribution system (PDS) to ensure food security to all; and so on.

Working Class and Peoples' Issues

Apart from peasant issues, this struggle will of course take up the burning issues of the working class like a National Minimum Wage of Rs 26,000 per month, abolition of the contract and casual system, repeal of the four Labour Codes, reversion to the old pension scheme, government employee status and resultant benefits to scheme workers, filling up of all government vacant posts, an end to privatisation and to the National Monetisation Pipeline, and so on.

This struggle will also take up issues of the common people, prominent among which are the back-breaking price rise and the escalating unemployment, along with important demands concerning education, health, housing and so on.

Vital Issues to be Flagged

One vital issue that will be flagged is the glaring disparities in the country. The alarming inequality in India is captured by the Oxfam 2023 Report, which says that 1 per cent of the richest Indians own 40 per cent of the wealth of the country, 10 per cent of the richest own 72 per cent of its wealth, and the poorest 50 per cent of the population (meaning 70 crore people) owns just 3 per cent of the wealth of the country. It is this entire trajectory that has to be thrown out lock, stock and barrel, by effecting both a regime change and also a policy change.

Above all, the 26-28 November nationwide united struggle of lakhs of workers and peasants will fight tooth and nail to defeat the Modi-led BJP-RSS government which is out to:

1. Sell the country at a pittance to domestic and foreign corporates like Adani, Ambani and others through its privatisation drive;

2. Break the country and the unity of its people using the divisive elements of religion, caste, region, and language;

3. Subvert the Constitution and dynamite its basic features of sovereignty, democracy, secularism, and federalism.

There is no doubt that the 26-28 November struggle by the workers and peasants of India will play a major role in saving India and then in changing India for the better. Let us all bend all our energies to make it a resounding success!

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How Vancouvers Little Mountain Could Be a Model for Affordable … – TheTyee.ca

Posted: at 12:49 pm

Located near 35th Avenue and Main Street in Vancouver, the Little Mountain housing community of 224 postwar housing units was originally built for veterans returning from the Second World War.

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For more than 60 years, Little Mountain was an affordable place to live for thousands of families. Those days are now long gone, but Little Mountain could be a model for affordable, sustainable housing in Vancouver. It's central, it's close to transit and shopping, and schools are within walking distance.

Little Mountain could be a model for family-friendly social housing that the city desperately needs. But to make it happen, we need political will that is obviously in short supply. The ABC councils recent deflection to Holborn Group, which now owns the land, is the latest in a long history of bungling that has had wide-ranging impacts for almost 17 years.

As a former MLA for Vancouver-Kensington and opposition critic for homelessness in the B.C. legislature, I have a long history with Little Mountain too. Its former residents asked me to advocate on their behalf. Its a role I took seriously and still do.

It all started on a sunny day in late March 2007, when residents of the Little Mountain social housing community were summoned to a meeting with BC Housing. So began a saga of corporate greed and bureaucratic bungling thats still unfolding today, almost 17 years later.

Residents were told their community of 224 homes was to be redeveloped. They would move back into their new houses by the Olympics in 2010. They were warned pushed to leave as soon as possible or BC Housing couldnt guarantee appropriate short-term replacement housing for them.

No one listened to residents from the start

Little Mountain residents argued at the time that if redevelopment was to go ahead, several principles should be followed.

At community forums, in kitchen meetings and informal discussions, residents shared the following principles for moving forward with any redevelopment.

Nobody listened.

As a result, the BC Liberal governments plan for the project alongside developer Holborn was dead wrong from the start. The last thing Vancouver needed in 2008, when the contract for the project was signed, was 1,500 more million-dollar condos. Thats even more true today.

From the beginning this was a plan to build expensive market housing. The replacement social housing was always just a means to an end profitable private development.

For years the site remained empty. Finally, in 2015, the first of the promised replacement social housing buildings was opened with just 53 units. But the site has largely remained a huge vacant lot since 2009. The community has dubbed it the Rich Coleman Vacant Lot. Coleman was the BC Liberal minister responsible for housing who famously predicted the Little Mountain project would be a win, win, win for everyone.

As soon as it was clear a deal had been done with Holborn back in 2008, residents and their supporters in the community started asking to see the contract. Finally, in August 2021, the contract was made public after a lengthy freedom of information process.

And what a sweetheart deal it was.

The selling price of the land was $334 million, but Holborn didnt pay anything until 2013 when it made a $40-million deposit. The deal includes $211 million in interest-free loans until 2026. The loans dont have to be repaid in full until 2031.

Interestingly, the original interest-free portion of the loan was until 2021 but Holborn got an extra five years of no interest when they agreed to build the first social housing building.

Holborn gets to deduct the cost of building the replacement social housing from the $334 million. And Holborn can discount their final bill by three per cent per year since 2013 something to do with the cost of waiting for building permits.

By 2021 the site was mostly still a gigantic vacant lot. With the publication of the contract details, pressure was mounting on the city, the province and the developer. Community members had begun to call on the provincial government to take back the Mountain.

The three parties signed a memorandum of understanding to work together to expedite the delivery of all housing units in the Little Mountain Development. The memo said that non-market housing units and associated community amenities were to be prioritized, so non-market housing would be ready for occupancy by a target date of Dec. 31, 2024.

No one who has followed this story for all these years believed then or believes now that the non-market housing would be ready for occupancy by the end of 2024. They're still working on the second social housing building. And that building has only about 60 units.

With ABC, another long delay

Most recently in October 2023, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and his ABC-dominated council gave up the only small leverage the city had. Previously, council had required Holborn to finish the replacement social housing before the company began work on the for-profit market condos. Holborn asked them to drop that provision and they quickly acquiesced.

The application, of course, was preposterous and just one more insult to the people who once lived at Little Mountain, and to their long-ago destroyed community. Holborn argued that they were having trouble financing a market development. Now people who desperately need social housing must wait even longer for their homes.

There was nothing in the application council approved that said how long Holborn will have to build the social housing. The council policy in itself was an incredibly weak requirement. After all, its been 17 years since BC Housing started pushing the residents of Little Mountain out of their homes. But at least Holborn had some small incentive to get the social housing built.

Now they can delay the social housing one more time with absolutely no guarantee of when it will be built.

Whats needed now, and how the province can help

Why was it up to the city to once again bail out Holborn, to make it even easier for them to build their profitable market development? They're a private development company. Is it because funding is hard to get? Sometimes thats what happens. Arent we told endlessly that profits are justifiable because corporations are willing to take risks? Why is it our responsibility to solve their problem for them by delaying, again, desperately needed social housing?

If it werent so tragic, the Little Mountain saga would be a joke. Nobody believes the social housing will be built soon. Nobody believes the new target dates Holborn has put forward are real. Nobody will be surprised the next time Holborn comes to the city with an urgent request for help to solve their next funding crisis. Nobody will be surprised when the ABC majority gives them what they ask for.

Its time for the province to step in. Instead of just replacing the units at Little Mountain, we need hundreds of additional social housing units, co-ops and affordable rentals. Make Little Mountain a model affordable and sustainable community.

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Hwy. 413 across GTA could expand to 10 lanes by 2041: documents – CollingwoodToday.ca

Posted: at 12:49 pm

Proposed59-kmroute wouldconnectHighway 400, north of Vaughan,to Highway 401/407 interchange at Mississauga's edge

Editor's note: This article originally appeared onThe Trillium, a Village Media website devoted exclusively to covering provincial politics at Queens Park.

The Ford government has so far pitched Highway 413 as a four- to six-lane highway, but documentsobtained byThe Trilliumshow the province is considering something much bigger.

Highway 413 was designed with four-lane sections and six-lane sections in mind.By 2041, it will be at or near capacity,"reads a statement from the Ministry of Transportation's project team, in notes from a meeting with Environmental Defence'sKeith Brooksand Tim Gray in November 2022."When we perform the environmental assessment, we protect the space necessary for 10 lanes in case expansion is needed in the future.

The Trilliumobtained the notesvia a freedom-of-information request seeking documents about "induced demand."

Ministry of Transportationspokesperson Tanya Blazina confirmed the highway will have "the potential for expansion to 10 lanes in the future, if warranted."

"This was shared during public information centre sessions in 2014," she said, pointing to a summary report from when the previous Liberal government studied the project.

A slide in that report describesit as a "four- to six-lane highway." It does not mention a potential 10-lane expansion only that the ministry is working to "confirm the number of lanes required."

The ministry used the same illustration In an online town hall last month, but said the highway will have "the potential for expansion to 10 lanes."

"I thinkthe troubling piece is thatthey're not being open about the plan here. They project that this highway is going to be bumper-to-bumper by 2041," Brooks, Environmental Defence'sprograms director, told The Trilliumon Thursday."They're selling the public that this is going to save you time, here's this road free of congestion, when their own models show it's gonna be bumper-to-bumper."

It's not the first time the Ford government has considered expanding a highway project.The Toronto Star and Narwhalreported last year that theBradford Bypass could also double from four to eight lanes.

More lanes mean more paved green space, more pollution and more greenhouse gas emissions, Brooks said.

"It's really more of the same, right?" he said.

Highway 413 is a planned59-kilometreroute that wouldconnectHighway 400 just north of Vaughanto the Highway 401/407 interchange at the edge of Mississauga. It wouldstretch acrossYork, Peel and Haltonregions, including dozens of water crossingsand 163 hectares of the Greenbelt.

Almost 30 per cent of the highway would cross agricultural or other environmentally designated land, the ministry said at the most recent town hall.

The project would also be a boon to developers with land nearby. Many of thosewho had their Greenbelt landrezonedfor development hadcited the Highway 413as a reason protections should be removed.

The government has not said how much it will cost. Some estimates have pegged it at$6 billion to $10billion.

Premier Doug Fordhas argueditwouldsave the average commuter half an hour every day. Theprevious government estimate peggedthe time at 30 seconds.

Onestudy, commissioned by Environmental Defence, found congestion could be easedby opening up the tolled Highway 407 to trucks. But the ministry has said the province's agreement with the privately run 407is to keep trafficin a "free flow" state.

"So we're supposed to build another public highway supposed to spend another, is it $10 billion now? We don't know, maybe more to build this other highway that will get congested," Brooks said.

Unfortunately for the Ford government, the project itself also appears to begridlocked.

The Trudeau government'sImpact Assessment Act letsthe feds step in if a provincial project overlaps with federal issues like Indigenous peoples, climate changeorspecies at risk.Ottawa launched an environmental assessment back in May 2021 afterthe Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and Ecojustice/Environmental Defenceraisedconcerns about thosetopics.

TheImpact Assessment Agency of Canada's reportdescribes it as a four- to six-lane highway, but Ontario's Ministry of Transportation said the agency is aware it could expand to 10 lanes.

The PC governmenthas argued the feds need to stay in their lane,and theSupreme Court evidently agrees, ruling the federalactunconstitutional last month. The Liberals will likely tweak the law to comply.

But while the law is still on the books, Ontario will haveto prove it can build the highway without disturbing protected species along the route. The ministryplansto submit those justificationsby the end of 2023.

Under the current law, the project could still be delayed for years. Its uncertain future is another blow to Doug Ford's picket-fence vision for the GTA, driven bysingle-family homes and cars. He recently walked back his plans to develop the Greenbeltand expand municipal boundaries after massive public pushback.Now,his new housing minister is telling municipalities to densify.

Environmental advocacy groups say the recent reversals have freed up more time to fight the highway.

"We've been working to try to stop Highway 413 since2012, or something like that," Brooks said. "So this isn't a new battle for us."

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Cyberpunk 2077 collides with GTA 6 in upcoming game you’ll want to keep an eye on – GAMINGbible

Posted: at 12:48 pm

Bright neon lights, the hum of a bustling city, and the danger of the unknown I could be describing either Cyberpunk 2077 or GTA VI, yet Im referring to neither. The title Im actually speaking about is a collision of these two franchises, resulting in a game with much potential.

Inspired by Blade Runner, Vigilancer 2099 is incredible to look at. Its still in its infancy as far as development goes thanks to its indie origins, but that doesnt mean whats been created thus far isnt worthy of much praise. In fact, Id wager there are AAA devs who wish their games looked as beautiful as this.

See the potential of Vigilancer 2099 for yourselves with the gameplay trailer

You may have already seen the game on Steam, despite it not being available to buy yet. Still, the fact that it has a store page is a good sign, though not a guarantee itll eventually be released. Its a worry that excited players have mentioned in response to Vigilancer 2099s gameplay footage.

I hope this game actually comes out! Seems like these days we see so many games they show a trailer to and then they just disappear into the many games they show us that never actually come out! said @jasonck9635 on YouTube.

Although some are cautiously optimistic, others are throwing their full support and optimism behind this Cyberpunk 2077-esque project, saying I am really excited for this project. I love 3rd person parkour and any game that is 1st person just takes away from melee/parkour/traversal mechanics. I hope there is a bunch of detective work, evidence finding, Blade Runner-inspired stuff. It's such a great theme to base games off of.

Although theres no launch date in sight for this postmodern GTA VI title as of yet, we want to leave you with hope that this game is coming, so well share its synopsis with you. Enjoy.

Days after taking down a notorious bounty target, your Megabuilding goes into lockdown. A lot of mystery and turmoil in the air as to what caused the lockdown. Before you know it, there's a bounty put on your head with no escape. Your only options are to pay off the huge debt or get collected.

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Cyberpunk 2077 collides with GTA 6 in upcoming game you'll want to keep an eye on - GAMINGbible

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Black Friday 2023: Grab Some of Our Favorite Cyberpunk and Witcher Merch – IGN

Posted: at 12:48 pm

Black Friday is here, and while that means big discounts from all your favorite online retailers, it also means people are grabbing gifts for others (or themselves). Whether from the broader internet or the IGN Store, now is the perfect time to get awesome clothes, apparel, and merch based on your favorite games, movies, and television.

Want the full rundown on everything Black Friday? Check out our Black Friday 2023 roundup.

Check out the IGN Store for our own big sale (which includes some of these items), but now I want to highlight some awesome officially licensed merch from CD Projekt Red, including Cyberpunk and The Witcher. Some of this stuff is discounted, but all of it is cool (I'm partial to the skateboards, personally).

CYBERPUNK 2077 PHANTOM LIBERTY REED AND SONGBIRD HOODIE

Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty Chimera Schematic Tee

The Art of Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk Edgerunners Neon Punk Tee

Cyberpunk Edgerunners Lucy In Your Eyes Hoodie

Cyberpunk Edgerunners Moon Date Tee

Cyberpunk Edgerunners Logo LED Wall Art

Cyberpunk Edgerunners Lucy and David Skate Deck

Cyberpunk Edgerunners Line Up Mug

Cyberpunk Edgerunners Sandevistan Mug

Studio Trigger is, for my money, maybe the best animation studio on the planet, so it's no surprise that Edgerunners is exceptional. With art-clad mugs, LED wall art, shirts, and even a skateboard deck, you can slake your thirst for animated excellence.

The Witcher X Doughnut Laptop Backpack

The Witcher Geralt Ronin Tee

The Witcher Wolf and Signs Hoodie

The Witcher Ronin Battle Tee

The Witcher RPG Griffin Tee

The Witcher Toxic Medallion Tee

The Witcher Northern Realms Map Lithograph

THe Witcher White Wolf LED Wall Art

The Witcher Ronin Teru Cover Skate Deck

The Witcher Liquid Meditation Mug

Brian Barnett writes reviews, guides, features, & more for IGN & GameSpot. You can get your fix of his antics on YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, Bluesky, & Backloggd, & check out his fantastic video game talk show, The Platformers, on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

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Black Friday 2023: Grab Some of Our Favorite Cyberpunk and Witcher Merch - IGN

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Cyberpunk 2077 Is the Cheapest It’s Ever Been – GameRant

Posted: at 12:48 pm

Highlights

Cyberpunk 2077 has been treated to deep discounts reaching up to 50% across a variety of storefronts, with the game now being the cheapest it has ever been on select platforms. Although this wave of price cuts on CD Projekt Red's hit RPG joins the already sizable list of attractive Black Friday 2023 video game deals, mostif not allof its discounts will actually be available until next week.

While its 2020 launch was mired in controversy over technical issues, the game eventually managed to turn things around, not least because CDPR spent over $125 million on fixing Cyberpunk 2077 in the years that followed. Following a series of absolutely massive updates and the release of its Phantom Liberty expansion, the game is about to celebrate its third release anniversary in a better state than ever.

While that would already be reason enough for anyone who hasn't yet played Cyberpunk 2077 to consider getting it now, a wave of recently launched deals has made the game an even more attractive proposition. The deepest discounts were reserved for the PC version of the RPG, which is currently available at half-off on both Steam and CDPR's own GOG. At just $29.99, Cyberpunk 2077 is now the cheapest it has ever been on either of these platforms.

Store

Price

Discount

Prior Lowest Price

Platforms

Offer End Date

Steam

$29.99

50%

$29.99

PC

November 28

GOG

$29.99

50%

$29.99

PC

November 29

Xbox

$35.99

40%

$29.99

Xbox One, Series X/S

November 30

PlayStation

$29.99

40%

$24.99

PS4, PS5

November 28

Best Buy

$12.99

56%

$4.99

PS4, PS5 (physical)

Unknown

Owners of the last two Sony consoles can also grab the game at that price point from the PlayStation Store. Alternatively, Best Buy is currently selling the physical PS4 edition of the RPG for just $12.99. Since the next-gen update for Cyberpunk 2077 is free, there is no difference between popping the game's PS4 disc(s) into the PS5 or buying it digitally on Sony's current-gen console. While the PlayStation Store sale ends on November 28, it's currently unclear how long the Best Buy offer will last.

Meanwhile, the Microsoft Store is currently offering the Xbox console version of Cyberpunk 2077 for $35.99, or 40% off. Although this particular deal offers the lowest savings of all the newly introduced promotions, it's the only one that's confirmed to be available until the very end of the month.

The bundle containing both Cyberpunk 2077 and its Phantom Liberty DLC has also been treated to discounts ranging from 20% to 39% on the aforementioned storefronts. The package itself is identical to the recently announced Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, content-wise. Therefore, holding out for that version of the gamewhich launches December 5 and is still without an official price tagonly makes sense for those who want to own a physical copy of Cyberpunk 2077 for either PC or the current-generation consoles.

Cyberpunk 2077 is an RPG set in a future dystopian world. Players take up the role of V, who works as a mercenary in Night City in California. Gameplay involves branching dialogue, open-world exploration, character classes, and combat.

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Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition For Xbox And PlayStation Have One Huge Difference – Screen Rant

Posted: at 12:48 pm

Summary

The PS5, Xbox, and PC versions of Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition have one major, head-scratching difference. Ultimate Editions are a fairly common release strategy for AAA games: a few years after release, once they've completed a run of DLC, they'll bundle everything up into one convenient package. They'll usually boast some snazzy new packaging, a different cover, and from time to time, a banner if they've won a Game of the Year award. Cyberpunk, which recently saw an impressive 2.0 update followed by the electrifying Phantom Liberty DLC, seems to have finally found its footing, so the time is right for an Ultimate Edition of Cyberpunk.

These Ultimate Editions tend to be good deals, nice collectibles, and perfect starting points for players who might've missed a game's original release. However, the announcement of Cyberpunk's was marred by confusion and controversy, mostly caused by an inexplicable, seemingly avoidable release format decision. Here's what's going on, and an idea of why.

For whatever reason, the PS5 version of Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition won't include the Phantom Liberty DLC on a disc. The Xbox and PC versions have the DLC on a disc, while the PS5 version comes with a voucher code to digitally download it. This is confirmed by a series of online pre-order listings for the PS5 release, all of which display a small banner reading, "Includes PSN voucher code for Phantom Liberty." Digitally downloading the DLC takes up more hard drive space, and also destroys any resale value the Ultimate Edition might've had. On PS5, once that code is used, it's functionally identical to the base edition.

Cyberpunk 2077 not including its DLC on a disc seems baffling, but there may be a perfectly good explanation. According to an X (formerly Twitter) post by John Linneman of Digital Foundry, Sony uniquely requires developers who release DLC packed in on game discs to create a new Stock Keeping Unit, or SKU. In short, this requires recompiling the entire game and resubmitting it to Sony for licensing approval - both processes that require a great deal of time and money that CD Projekt Red may not have wanted to spend.

And this isn't the first PlayStation game to put out off-disc DLC codes in a special edition, either. Marvel's Spider-Man and Nier: Automata's Game of the Year Editions, Resident Evil Village's Gold Edition, and Star Wars Battlefront's Ultimate Edition all came with separate codes on the PS4. Mortal Kombat 11's Ultimate Edition included the DLC on disc for Xbox Series X/S players, but on a separate voucher for PS5 players.

So it's not totally unheard of to release an Ultimate Edition with DLC on a separate voucher, but it is a little disappointing. Either way, Cyberpunk's Ultimate Edition is still a good deal, including the base game and DLC for just the price of the former. It would've been nice to have the complete Cyberpunk 2077 package in physical form, but at this rate, that seems to be a privilege limited to Xbox and PC players.

Source: John Linneman/X

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Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition For Xbox And PlayStation Have One Huge Difference - Screen Rant

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The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 story lead casually reveals players haven’t found his favorite Easter eggs, so "I won … – Gamesradar

Posted: at 12:48 pm

Some of the best Easter eggs in The Witcher 3 and/or Cyberpunk 2077 apparently haven't been found yet, according to CDPR narrative lead Marcin Blacha.

Blacha discussed CDPR's approach to Easter eggs in a recent podcast featuring some fellow devs. He was story director on Cyberpunk 2077 and lead writer on The Witcher 3, and has been with CDPR in some sort of writing role since the original Witcher.

Game director Sebastian Kalemba, currently working on The Witcher 4 Polaris, asks Blacha about how Easter eggs come about in development (around 41 minutes in), and the story director explains that, "if we're talking about Easter eggs and all those tiny, funny things in the game, the thing is that you cannot really plan it. It's not like we have a list of Easter eggs and we make them.

"Let's say you're making a game and it's, like, the fourth year. You are really tired and then you have this idea and you cannot stop yourself from making it. That's how Easter eggs in our games start. Sometimes this idea is so good that some other people join you and something spectacular emerges.

"To be honest, my favorite of those tiny little funny things, those Easter eggs, are still a secret," he teases. "As far as I know, they are not discovered yet. They're really, really tough to discover, so I won't talk about them."

Even more tantalizingly, Blacha doesn't specify which franchise he's referring to here. Given his history with CDPR, these overlooked Easter eggs could be hiding in Cyberpunk 2077 or any of The Witcher games for all we know. I would wager it's either The Witcher 3 or Cyberpunk 2077, but even that is just an assumption.

Co-story director Tomasz Marchewka weighs in to say he can actually be bothered by Easter eggs as a player, and while he agrees there's a time and place for them, he reckons it's possible for them to get out of hand and immersion-breaking. This prompts Blacha to explain his reasoning. He reckons "it's a way for the developers to directly connect with the player, and not through the game, through the story in our case, but by something more personal.

"Let's say I like Doctor Who and I make a Doctor Who Easter egg in the game. It is something from my heart to the players. Some of them won't like it, that's obvious, but some of them will, and that's like a personal connection."

I'll tell you who's not gonna find these Easter eggs: The Witcher author Andreszj Sapkowski, who hasn't played the RPGs that cemented his fame.

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The Best Games To Play on Steam Deck OLED From ‘HiFi Rush’ and ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ to ‘Street Fighter 6’ and ‘Dave … – Touch Arcade

Posted: at 12:48 pm

More folks have been getting their Steam Deck OLED over the weekend, and now is a great time to remind everyone about some excellent games to take advantage of that gorgeous display. The games featured here are in no particular order, and are from a variety of genres. Ive played all of them on Steam Deck and consider them worth buying at full price, but many will be discounted since the new Steam sale will be live as of this writing. In fact, check out my best Steam Autumn Sale 2023 deals for Steam Deck owners here. In this feature, Im also going to cover games with good HDR support since the Steam Deck OLED display supports HDR, and you should take advantage of it. This list is in no particular order as usual.

Dave the Diver

When a good friend of mine recommended I play Dave the Diver by saying it is a mish mash of everything you love", I shouldve just listened to him. I didnt dig into it much until closer to the Switch versions launch, and Im glad I finally played it. Dave the Diver is superb in general, but it really is perfect for Steam Deck. The colors, gorgeous animations, and more from Dave the Diver definitely made me wish my Steam Deck had a better screen when I originally played it. Thankfully we now have an OLED option available, and Dave the Diver is worth your time and money. Dave the Diver is Steam Deck Verified.

Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 again? Can we go a single list without Street Fighter 6? No, we cannot. You see Street Fighter 6 isnt just the best fighting game Capcom has released since Third Strike, but it also is a fantastic modern fighter that I recommend everyone play. It also happens to have a superb aesthetic bursting with color through its many unique stages, particle effects, and animations. Im glad Street Fighter 6 saw Capcom try something unique because it is the freshest fighter weve had in ages. Street Fighter 6 has a demo you can check out as well, but it really is the complete package. I cant wait for the new costumes to be released in the near future. Street Fighter 6 is Steam Deck Verified.

Hi-Fi Rush

Just like Street Fighter 6, Hi-Fi Rush is a top tier game from 2023, and the perfect experience if you enjoy rhythm games and action games. This is easily Bethesdas best recent game, and it has a sublime visual style that carries over into its animations. Hi-Fi Rush felt like a game made with a laser focus on appealing to me, and I love everything about it. I played it all the way on Steam Deck, and it really is a great case for the OLED screen just because of how good it looks and runs on Steam Deck. Hi-Fi Rush is Steam Deck Verified.

Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 with its Phantom Liberty expansion finally sees the game reach its true potential. It was a technical mess at launch, but now is a game worthy of following up The Witcher 3. One of the most surprising things is how good it looks and runs on Steam Deck even with its newest update. When I booted up Cyberpunk 2077 2.0, I really wished the Steam Deck had a better screen, and now that wish is real if you just got a new OLED model or will buy one soon. Cyberpunk 2077 is Steam Deck Verified, and it also has native HDR support.

No Mans Sky

Whenever I think of a game that had a ton of potential, I think of No Mans Skys launch. I enjoyed it right from the start, but right now it feels like it has the quality of four or five full games put together with Hello Games going above and beyond constantly for the game and the community. Calling it a labor of love would be an understatement, but it really is an incredible experience on just about every platform. I adore playing it the most on Steam Deck and Switch. No Mans Sky also has native HDR support which will be a good showcase on the OLED screen. No Mans Sky is Steam Deck Verified.

Persona 5 Royal

Atlus Persona 5 Royal is one of the highest rated games of all time, and it absolutely deserves that rating. It oozes style, has gorgeous visuals, menus that outshine most full games, and a brilliant soundtrack to keep you entertained for over a hundred hours. Persona 5 Royal is the showcase game to take advantage of the best screens, and now you have the option to play not only the best performing portable version, but also on the best looking portable device screen. It is a must play for any JRPG newcomer or veteran. Persona 5 Royal is Steam Deck Verified.

Octopath Traveler II

Square Enixs follow up to Octopath Traveler, Octopath Traveler II, is actually one of the best RPGs the publisher has released in decades. Yes, Octopath Traveler II is that damn good. While the first game debuted only on Nintendo Switch, this one released on multiple platforms, and was the most fun on Steam Deck thanks to delivering rock solid performance, fast loading, and crisp visuals. The day and night aesthetic in the game, particle effects during combat, and HD 2D visual style will absolutely pop on the OLED screen. It also happens to have one of the best soundtracks of the last few years in gaming right now. Octopath Traveler II is Steam Deck Verified.

Yakuza 0

Yakuza 0 is the best entry point into one of SEGAs best franchises, and while it is an older game, I love the aesthetic it has, especially during the night time portions of the game. Kamurochos neon soaked streets are a sight to behold. Not only is this game chock full of quality content, but it really feels like the pinnacle of brawlers and will have you thinking of the story for years to come. It also happens to have a ton of mini-games and side activities to keep you busy for dozens of hours. I spent over 60 hours on the disco mini-game since launch. Yakuza 0 is Steam Deck Verified.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Around launch, I played Ori and the Will of the Wisps on Xbox One X, and it wasnt a good experience. It did, however look incredible. Fast forward to today, Ive played Ori and the Will of the Wisps on Steam Deck and Switch, and it is another amazing showcase for great screens with HDR. I hope we see a third game in the Ori series, but we always have Microsofts Ori and the Will of the Wisps to replay until then. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is not Steam Deck Verified, but it plays like a dream on the handheld.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Insomniac Games Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was an amazing tech showcase for the PS5 when it came out in 2021 for its use of the SSD and its visuals. It has since been ported to PC, and while the launch was a bit rough on Steam Deck, it is in a very good place right now. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart also has superb native HDR support, and the gorgeous visuals are another fine way to show off your Steam Deck OLED screen. It also happens to be a really fun experience from start to finish. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is Steam Deck Verified.

Hopefully this feature introduced you to something you dont own or havent heard of yet, and it helps you get the most out of your new Steam Deck OLED with that superlative display. Keep up with all our Steam Deck coverage on our hub for all things Deck here. If youve been enjoying something else on Steam Deck and think more people should try it, let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading.

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The Best Games To Play on Steam Deck OLED From 'HiFi Rush' and 'Cyberpunk 2077' to 'Street Fighter 6' and 'Dave ... - Touch Arcade

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Cyberpunk 2077 and Witcher 3 story lead "won’t talk about" his favourite Easter eggs until players find them – VG247

Posted: at 12:48 pm

Despite both The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 both being out for a good few years now, it seems that there are some Easter eggs that haven't been found.

In the first episode of the official CDProjekt Red podcast AnsweRED, studio narrative lead Marcin Blacha spoke about how the studio handles Easter eggs (thanks, GamesRadar). The Witcher 4 director Sebastian Kalemba asked Blacha about how Easter eggs are made throughout development, with Blacha explaining "if we're talking about Easter eggs and all those tiny, funny things in the game, the thing is that you cannot really plan it. It's not like we have a list of Easter eggs and we make them.

"Let's say you're making a game and it's, like, the fourth year. You are really tired and then you have this idea and you cannot stop yourself from making it. That's how Easter eggs in our games start. Sometimes this idea is so good that some other people join you and something spectacular emerges.

"To be honest, my favourite of those tiny little funny things, those Easter eggs, are still a secret. As far as I know, they are not discovered yet. They're really, really tough to discover, so I won't talk about them."

It isn't actually clear whether Blacha is talking about just Cyberpunk, The Witcher 3, or both here, but in any case it sounds like there might be some more exploring to do in both games. Interestingly, co-story director Tomasz Marchewka isn't actually that much of a fan of Easter eggs from a player perspective, as he feels that they can sometimes be immersion-breaking. For Blacha, it's something of a personal touch, as he responded to Marchewka saying, "Let's say I like Doctor Who and I make a Doctor Who Easter egg in the game. It is something from my heart to the players. Some of them won't like it, that's obvious, but some of them will, and that's like a personal connection."

Earlier this week, CDProjekt Red announced Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition, which if you haven't played the game yet and are a keen Easter egg hunter, this sounds like the best place to jump on.

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Cyberpunk 2077 and Witcher 3 story lead "won't talk about" his favourite Easter eggs until players find them - VG247

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