Latest news with #Quake
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Doom QA Workers Union Reaches Tentative Contract With Microsoft After Nearly Two Years
Today, over 300 unionized quality assurance workers at ZeniMax Media, who work on everything from The Elder Scrolls to Doom, have announced they have reached a tentative deal with parent company Microsoft on their first contract since forming their union two years ago. ZeniMax Workers United, which is unionized under Communications Workers of America (CWA), said the agreement includes "substantial across-the-board wage increases," minimum salaries, protections against arbitrary dismissal, grievance procedures, protections around use of artificial intelligence that could impact workers, and a crediting policy to ensure QA workers are appropriately credited in games they work on. ZeniMax Media owns publisher Bethesda Softworks and development studios Bethesda Game Studios (The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Starfield), id Software (Doom, Quake, and Rage), Arkane (Dishonored, Prey, and Redfall), MachineGames (Wolfenstein, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle), and ZeniMax Online Studios (The Elder Scrolls Online). Microsoft acquired ZeniMax Media for $8.1 billion in March 2021 and operates it under the Microsoft Gaming division. 'Video games have been the revenue titan of the entire entertainment industry for years, and the workers who develop these games are too often exploited for their passion and creativity," said Jessee Leese, a member of the bargaining committee. "Organizing unions, bargaining for a contract, and speaking with one collective voice has allowed workers to take back the autonomy we all deserve. Our first contract is an invitation for video game professionals everywhere to take action. We're the ones who make these games, and we'll be the ones to set new standards for fair treatment.' ZeniMax QA workers first unionized in January of 2023, following groups at Raven Software and Blizzard Albany, after Microsoft made a public commitment to labor neutrality. However, the road to a contract has been challenging. In November of last year, workers went on a one-day strike, citing a lack of progress at the bargaining table over remote work protections and allegations that Microsoft was outsourcing QA work without bargaining with the union. Then, in April, workers voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, again citing concerns over remote work and low compensation. The tentative contract is contingent on ratification by the union members in a vote which is expected to be concluded by June 20. Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @ Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Quake finally makes it into the World Videogame Hall of Fame
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. My first thought upon learning that Quake had been inducted into the World Videogame Hall of Fame was that it was very weird Quake wasn't already in the World Videogame Hall of Fame. I mean, you've had Halo in there since 2017, and not Quake? What? What are we even doing here? It's the sort of thing that has the potential to start fistfights in sketchy sports bars—or heated arguments on social media, at least. But never mind, it's all water under the bridge now, as Quake was one of four HoF inductees for 2025. "Quake was a first person shooter built with the mouse in mind," its newly-minted Hall of Fame page states, and it might seem weird now but that was actually kind of a big deal back in the days when a lot of us were still playing exclusively with the keyboard. Quake was indeed a huge technical leap over Doom, its groundbreaking predecessor (which, for the record, is already in the Hall), but it wasn't just the move to real-time 3D that made Quake such an influential game: Extensive mod support gave Quake life far beyond that of most videogames, its server-client architecture revolutionized online gaming, and it laid the foundation for esports as we know them today. "Not only this, but Quake's code is a literal legacy," the Hall of Fame wrote. "The Quake Engine Family Tree, as it is called, has dozens of branches interconnecting different IPs with Quake through its legacy code–franchises. Represented among these are Heretic, Hexen, Doom, Call of Duty, and many more. "Quake has been influential in nearly every category a game can be influential in, but of few games can it be said that its bones—its code—continues to be present in modern games, more than twenty-five years after its release." Quake co-creator John Romero was pretty happy about the whole thing, saying it was a "huge honor" to be inducted: Quake was joined in the World Videogame Hall of Fame class of 2025 by the 1981 arcade standup Defender (man, I pumped a lot of quarters into that one), the N64 shooter GoldenEye 007, and the virtual pet Tamagotchi. 2025 games: This year's upcoming releasesBest PC games: Our all-time favoritesFree PC games: Freebie festBest FPS games: Finest gunplayBest RPGs: Grand adventuresBest co-op games: Better together
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Who are Quakers? Faith group marching 300 miles against Trump's immigration crackdown
Ross Brubeck and other members of the Quake marches to Washington (Image: AP) A group of Quakers is marching more than 300 miles — from New York City to Washington, DC — to demonstrate against the Trump administration 's treatment of immigrants. Who are the Quakers? Quakers are members of the Religious Society of Friends , a Christian group founded in 1650 by George Fox. They believe in peace, fairness, and that everyone has a light from God inside them. They often protest peacefully to stand up for what they believe is right. Historically, Quakers have held peaceful protests to end war and slavery and to support women's voting rights. Recently, they have sued the Federal government for a new rule that allowed immigration agents to arrest people inside places of worship, like churches or temples. Operation Sindoor 'Common sense prevailed': Trump on India-Pak ceasefire on Truth Social 'Pakistan initiated call; both nations agreed to stop military action after direct talks', says India Ceasefire took effect at 5pm; top India, Pak military officials to talk again on May 12 The Quakers believe these places should be safe and protected, and that the government should not make arrests at houses of worship. The Quakers are marching to show solidarity with migrants and other groups that US President Donald Trump 's administration is targeting. They believe that immigrants are being unfairly targeted. Jess Hobbs Pifer, a 25-year-old Quaker and march organiser, said, 'It feels really daunting to be up against such critical and large and in some ways existential threats.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 10-Month-old is battling for his life and only you can save him! Give Hope India Donate Now Undo 'I just have to put one foot in front of the other to move towards something better, something more true to what Quakers before us saw for this country and what people saw for the American Experiment, the American dream," she added. Starting their walk at a Quaker meeting house in Flushing, New York, they are planning to walk through New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Pennsylvania to the US Capitol in Washington, DC. After their arrival, they will deliver a copy of the Flushing Remonstrance- a 17th-century document that called for religious freedom and opposed a ban on Quaker worship. Quakers and Trump's Policies: Earlier this year, five Quaker groups sued the Trump administration for allowing immigration officers to arrest people in churches. They were later joined by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and a Sikh temple. Following that, more than two-dozen Christian and Jewish groups filed a similar lawsuit, but a federal judge ruled against them. During the presidential campaign, Trump asserted that immigrants are an existential threat to America. Immigration, both legally and illegally, has surged during former US President Joe Biden 's administration. After returning to the White House, Trump started taking strict actions against immigrants. He used his presidential powers extensively. Despite efforts by federal judges to limit his authority, he has continued to push it forward. One of the marchers, Ross Brubeck, said, 'Immigrants are the ones experiencing the most acute persecution in the United States.' He wanted to send a message to Trump: 'The power is not his to make.'
New York Post
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
World Video Game Hall of Fame inducts 4 nostalgic classics: What do you think of their picks?
The World Video Game Hall of Fame on Thursday inducted four honorees, paying tribute to games that challenged players and changed the industry. Making up the Class of 2025 are: Defender, the 1981 arcade game that raised the bar on difficulty; Tamagotchi, the digital pets that bridged toys and video games; GoldenEye 007, whose four-person mode influenced multiplayer games that followed; and Quake, which debuted in 1996 with a 3D engine that became the new standard for the industry. The winners emerged from a field of 12 finalists that included Age of Empires, Angry Birds, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Frogger, Golden Tee, Harvest Moon, Mattel Football, and NBA 2K. Advertisement 7 The World Video Game Hall of Fame on Thursday inducted four honorees for 2025. AP 7 Class of 2025 included the arcade game Defender, Tamagotchi digital pets, GoldenEye 007 and Quake. AP 7 Defender, released by Williams Electronics, combined intense gameplay and a complicated control scheme with a horizontally scrolling shooter. Strong National Museum of Play / YouTube The Hall of Fame each year recognizes arcade, console, computer, handheld, and mobile games that have had staying power and influenced the video game industry or pop culture. Advertisement Id Software's 1996 Quake was recognized for its lasting influence, with a game code that 'is a literal legacy' and continues to be used in some games after nearly 30 years, electronic games curator Lindsey Kurano said. Quake co-creator John Romeo, on hand to see his game enshrined, said he and the other developers worked on the game for an exceptionally long time, a year and a half, playing it constantly. 'We knew that what we were building into the game was going to make people who had played our previous game, Doom, even happier with the addition of a programming language built into the game,' he said in remarks aired on Advertisement 'We're just really happy with the impact that Quake made on the world,' he said. The best-selling Defender, released by Williams Electronics, proved that players would embrace complex and challenging games in the arcade, the experts said. It combined intense gameplay and a complicated control scheme with a horizontally scrolling shooter. 7 According to electronic games curator Lindsey KuranoId, Id Software's 1996 'Quake' was recognized for its game code that 'is a literal legacy.' Strong National Museum of Play / YouTube 7 The handheld egg-shaped Tamagotchi is credited with sparking the popularity of pet simulation video games, where players care for their virtual pet. Strong National Museum of Play / YouTube Advertisement 'Defender's punishing gameplay raised the level of competition in arcades, and it was among the first games to truly separate dedicated players from more casual ones,' Jeremy Saucier, assistant vice president for interpretation and electronic games, said. The 1996 launch of Tamagotchi is credited with sparking the popularity of pet simulation video games. The handheld egg-shaped electronic game allowed owners to care for a virtual pet from birth through death, feeding, playing with and cleaning up after it by pressing buttons. Collections manager Kristy Hisert said Tamagotchi offered something different than the popular video game electronics of the time. 'It provided players with feelings of connection, caring, and customization, a respite from competition and fighting games,' she said. Neopets, Nintendogs and other social media and app-based versions of pet simulation games would follow. 7 GoldenEye 007 was based on the James Bond film 'GoldenEye.' Strong National Museum of Play / YouTube 7 GoldenEye 007 was a first-person shooter game, known for its four-person multiplayer mode. Strong National Museum of Play / YouTube GoldenEye 007 was based on the 1995 James Bond spy film 'GoldenEye' and was the third best-selling game for the Nintendo 64, behind Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64. The result of a 1997 partnership between Nintendo and Rare, the first-person shooter game was known for its four-person multiplayer mode, which Hall of Fame experts said influenced many multiplayer games that followed. The World Video Game Hall of Fame is inside The Strong National Museum of Play. Anyone can nominate a video game for consideration. Museum staff name 12 finalists each year and solicit votes from experts and fans before announcing the winners.
Engadget
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Engadget
GoldenEye 007 and Quake join the World Video Game Hall of Fame
Strong National Museum of Play The World Video Game Hall of Fame welcomed its 2025 inductees today. The Strong National Museum of Play announced that the newest entries are GoldenEye 007 from Rare, Quake by id Software, Defender from Williams Electronics and Tamagotchi by Bandai. The four games chosen "have significantly influenced popular culture and the video game industry," the museum said in its press release. The other impactful games nominated for inclusion this year are Age of Empires , Angry Birds , Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 , Frogger , Golden Tee , Harvest Moon , Mattel Football and NBA 2K . The selections may spark some serious nostalgia for those of us who grew up in the 90s. I remember being deeply envious of my classmates who had little Tamagotchi pets to care for, and I have fond memories of smack-talking my friends during late-night GoldenEye matches. Last year's inductees also highlighted favorites from that era like Myst , Resident Evil and SimCity .
