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Sams reacted to the Gearbox Software acquisition news by stating that he believes Microsoft “looked at” acquiring Gearbox, and that was indeed one of the companies that he was teasing. Considering the popularity of the Borderlands franchise, Microsoft acquiring Gearbox Software would have been huge news, and certainly would’ve lived up to the expectations set for Microsoft acquisitions by rumormongers as of late. Unfortunately, it’s unclear at this point why the potential Microsoft/Gearbox Software deal didn’t go through, so fans will have to standby for more details....

Protesters took part in a drive-in rally, dubbed “Operation Gridlock,” on Wednesday to show their opposition to the stay-at-home order issued by Whitmer due to the coronavirus pandemic. “Operation Gridlock” was listed on Facebook as an event hosted by the Michigan Conservative Coalition and the Michigan Freedom Fund. Many demonstrators got out of their vehicles by the state capitol building in Lansing and brandished signs bearing messages including “Michigan Against Gretchen’s Abuses” and “Stop The Fear, End The Lockdown....

The lift of the ban comes two weeks after it was first enforced. Governor Whitmer put the ruling in motion in late September, saying that teenager’s use of vaping and e-cigarettes constituted a public health emergency. The ban went into effect at the beginning of October. The court decision is a reaction to a lawsuit filed by two Michigan-centered vaping-based business, 906 Vapor and A Clean Cigarette. The ruling is a preliminary injunction, which means that the decision will remain suspended while complaints are litigated....

Some might feel Jim Harbaugh has a top-10 team entering his third season, and that was reflected in both the Coaches Poll and SN’s preseason rankings. Others would point out the Wolverines have lost 17 starters, and that it’s easy to question whether Michigan is overrated heading into 2017. MORE: Harbaugh expects more from Michigan — so should you It’s easy to see why that second narrative exists. Harbaugh is polarizing because of the social media phenomenon he has created since coming to Ann Arbor....

According to the latest data provided by Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Sunday’s figures bring the state’s overall death count to 5,656 confirmed since the pandemic’s onset, with an additional 239 deaths marked “probable” on its coronavirus dashboard. An additional infographic charting daily deaths recorded by MDHHS throughout the outbreak shows three fatalities reported on Saturday and one on Sunday. The last time Michigan confirmed a lower incidence of daily fatalities was on March 20, four days after its first virus-related death was reported....

On Tuesday, Michigan is dealing with an unexpected one. Fifth-year starting senior center Jack Miller is not returning to the team, TheWolverine.com reported. MORE: Multi-position threats | SN Top 50 players | Best QBs | RBs Miller started all 12 games last season and owned 16 career starts. He was give the team’s award for top offensive lineman last season. Miller participated in some spring practices in Jim Harbaugh’s first season....

The display was put up outside Quality Coatings on Carr Street in Fowlerville, Michigan, by its owner Dave Huff around three weeks ago, the Detroit Free Press reported. But it caused outrage after Kathy DeTroyer drew attention to the display in a post on Facebook last week. Her pictures show the display featured a blood-splattered Trump holding a black rope with an Obama mask attached to it. Trump also appears to be stepping on a Hillary Clinton mask in the display....

On Monday, Detroit Public School Community District (DPSCD) Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti put forth a mask mandate for students and staff. This decision comes as the Delta variant is spreading across Michigan. As of now, a vaccine isn’t available for children under 12 years of age. “The district is going to abide with the CDC recommendation for universal masking inside school buildings,” Vitti told local news station WWJ. Vitti stated that the mandate is required for all students and staff members, regardless of vaccination status....

Obviously, fans of the Spartans aren’t too happy with this. To make matters worse, Michigan drew a 2-seed in the West region against the weakest of the 1-seeds (Gonzaga). Selection Committee chair Bernard Muir explained after the selections were announced that Michigan State leapfrogged Kentucky by winning Sunday. SN’s MARCH MADNESS HQPrintable bracket | Predictor tool | Best bracket names | Tickets Kentucky fans are probably thankful because it means an easier draw in the Midwest region....

This time, the 11-seed Bruins beat 1-seed Michigan 51-49 to advance to the Final Four. The story of this UCLA team will be told for some time in Westwood, and Johnny Juzang (28 points, 11-of-19 shooting, two rebounds) will have a chapter or two to himself. He was clearly the most dominant player on the court, even after he suffered a twisted ankle early in the second half, allowing Michigan to close the gap....

He’ll still have his moments where photographers or television catch him shouting an instruction, or perhaps some friendly advice to a referee, and he’ll look a shade maniacal. After games, though, you almost never will see him celebrate a victory or grieve a defeat. You won’t find YouTubes of his press conferences that become instantly legendary through Twitter or Facebook sharing. MORE: Is Cronin a potential fit for N.C. State?...

RELATED: The Best LGBTQ Anime Even retail stores, such as GameStop - which is currently in a bit of a Wall Street battle over stock prices - have made it on the list. Unfortunately, non-US businesses and much smaller companies are not included in the report. While the overall list isn’t perfect, according to HRC, it highlights that good work is being done by large tech companies who are setting an example whereby employees from different backgrounds can earn a living “as their true selves....

Of special interest to Xbox fans will be Microsoft’s Gamescom opening live show. Airing on Sunday, August 20, at 9:00pm CEST / Noon PDT Xbox @ Gamescom Live is planned to feature Xbox’s “latest news and announcements” for Xbox One X. The event is planned to include developer interviews, gameplay demos for upcoming releases, and at least some “surprises and giveaways.” Just going off of the event’s description, any huge announcement seem unlikely....

Soon pre-orders will go up for the Xbox Series X, and this news about Microsoft’s Bethesda acquisition couldn’t have come at a better time. Bethesda games, despite in some cases having exclusivity deals with PlayStation, could become Xbox & PC exclusives in the future. While some may have doubted Xbox’s first-party offerings before, Bethesda games are a huge get for Microsoft. These games also help bolster the value of Game Pass immensely, as future first-party Bethesda games will come day-and-date to Xbox’s games subscription....

With its Windows operating system, Microsoft Office suite, and Xbox brand, Microsoft’s products have become a familiar sight in offices and game rooms worldwide. Even as Microsoft continues to grow its presence in the gaming industry, purchasing publisher Bethesda Softworks in 2021 and announcing plans to acquire Activision in early 2022, it and other companies in the gaming industry are looking for ways to cut costs as the global economy slows following the pandemic....

Recently, there have been murmurs that Microsoft is going to host a Bethesda event in March. This seems to be backed by the timing of the completion of the deal which should be done once the European Union is done reviewing the terms (provide it is not delayed due to a Fallout 4 lawsuit). Either way, such an event is a great opportunity to clear the air regarding the exclusivity of future Bethesda titles....

Penello made these comments in an interview with Eurogamer, stating that it will be an “interesting discussion” when the price for Xbox Scorpio is announced. PS4 Pro is launching at $399.99 in November, and Project Scorpio is not launching until the 2017 holiday season. Therefore, it is not completely out of the question that the Microsoft console will launch at around the same price as PS4 Pro, but even so, one has to imagine that it will be at least a little more expensive....

A report by Video Game Chronicle goes into greater detail about this. Citing “publishing sources with knowledge of Microsoft‘s next-gen policies,” it states that Microsoft has been encouraging third-party companies publishing cross-gen games to let players upgrade their Xbox One games to the XSX at no additional cost, either by Smart Delivery or through their own cross-gen upgrade schemes. RELATED: Sony Provides Frustrating Response on PS5 Smart Delivery That said, it’s likely that not everyone will be on board for this, and a Microsoft spokesperson who reached out to VGC acknowledged that “developers and publishers ultimately decide how they deliver their games, and we work with them to provide the best possible experience based on their needs....

The timing of the system is still unclear, but it is said that players can use the money to buy gear which enables the players to acquire the items. Assassin’s Creed Unity is the seventh major installment in the Assassin’s Creed series, and is set to be released on October, 28 this year. Retaining most of the game’s core-element, Assassins’s Creed Unity will see the introduction of cooperative multiplayer, a first in the series which will allow up to four players to play together....