In The News
Steam pushed out a privacy update “with a new range of control options for how users’ information is displayed,” PC Gamer’s Shaun Prescott reports. The update had the side effect of rending Steam Spy inert. “‘Valve just made a change to their privacy settings, making games owned by Steam users hidden by default,’ the Steam Spy Twitter account tweeted. ‘Steam Spy relied on this information being visible by default and won’t be able to operate anymore.’”
Ninja Theory will donate a maximum of $50,000 to Mental Health America depending on Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice sales for Xbox One, Gamasutra’s Alissa McAloon reports.
Personnel shuffles:
Senior vice president of communications and investor relations, Rauno Heinonen, is leaving Rovio after 7 months, Reuters reports.
The Esports Observer’s Trent Murray reports “Marco Niemann leaves ESL to join Freaks 4U Gaming as head of business and strategy.”
Oregon passed a bill “that requires internet service providers doing business with the state to adhere to the principles of net neutrality,” CNET’s Steven Musil reports.
Entering esports:
GREY’s German division “announced the addition of an esports unit,” The Esports Observer’s Thiemo Bräutigam writes. GREY is a marketing and ad agency.
Esports Insider’s Adam Fitch reports “Zalgiris Kaunus, a Lithuanian Basket club … [is] establishing teams in Hearthstone, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.”
Kings Guard Gaming and Unikrn are partnering, Fitch writes.
Team Kaliber signed Anthony “Methodz” Zinni and Maurice “Fero” Henriquez for Call of Duty. They’re replacing Martin Chino and Dylan “Theory” McGee.
CompLexity Gaming added Michael Hogman to their Fortnite roster.
Happy birthday to StarCraft player Suaybe “SpaceMarine” Köse!