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The PC gaming panorama has shifted lately, each when it comes to technological developments in graphics playing cards and gaming displays and within the make-up of IGN’s PC gaming employees and contributors. Consequently, exterior of some actual stalwarts, our record of one of the best fashionable PC video games is considerably completely different in comparison with years previous.
To be clear, this record doesn’t try to select the “finest” or “most influential” PC video games ever made. It’s additionally not a listing of the preferred video games on the market, or a listing that seeks to signify the highest video games of each style. No, this can be a record of 25 video games that we, the IGN editors and contributors, collectively advocate probably the most, primarily based on our tastes, and all from throughout the previous 10 years.
Most up-to-date sport updates had been made on July 6, 2022.
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25. Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020)
Microsoft Flight Simulator is the closest factor we have needed to a near-perfect recreation of the true world within the digital area, and new updates hold inching it even nearer. Utilizing real-time Bing information to permit you to fly to and from anyplace on the whole planet has raised the bar for simulations to heights by no means seen earlier than.
Accessible to anybody, or as reasonable as you need, that is open-world at its most literal. Free-flying across the globe, taking part in touchdown challenges at a few of the world’s most famously tough airports, or simply sightseeing, Microsoft Flight Simulator is an unparalleled achievement. Do not forget to seize among the finest PC joysticks to make this flight-sim expertise that extra immersive.
Microsoft Flight Simulator gamers can now fly the Antonov An-225 Mriya, the most recent addition to the Well-known Flyers sequence. The add-on for the An-225 could be bought from the in-game market for $19.99, and proceeds will go in direction of the Antonov Company to help their efforts in rebuilding the real-life plane that was destroyed throughout the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
24. Sid Meier’s Civilization VI
You may’t go too far incorrect with any of the principle video games from Sid Meier’s seminal Civilization sequence, however after updates and expansions, Civilization VI has taken a seat as one of many best. Like all 5 iterations earlier than it, Civ VI helps you to pave your individuals’s manner from nomadic tribes to sprawling near-future empire in competitors or cooperation with neighbors, this time guided by narration from the timeless Sean Bean himself.
However right here, a particular strategy to metropolis constructing during which main constructions like specialised districts and Wonders are positioned on their very own tiles offers it a recent taste, and the local weather change mechanics add new long-term environmental issues all through and hazards that manifest within the late sport. It’s additionally come as shut as any sport within the sequence to giving its AI leaders definitive and attention-grabbing personalities (which isn’t to say they’re excellent!).
Firaxis confirmed that Civilization 7 is within the works. This announcement comes after former head of studio Steve Martin and Marvel’s Midnight Suns and XCOM director Jake Solomon departed the studio, leaving former COO Heather Hazen to steer the corporate.
23. Dota 2
MOBAs have earned a fame for being dense and tough to study, however immensely strategic for individuals who put within the time. Spend some high quality time with Dota 2 and also you’ll perceive why. Although all matches happen on one map, and there’s just one goal, its 100+ characters and hundreds of merchandise mixtures make every spherical really feel distinctive.
As a result of each second issues, matches are at all times thrilling even after they appear sluggish. Are you farming gold? Are you scouting the enemy? Or crossing the map to assist out a teammate? Or heading again to base to heal? Its complexity can scare gamers off, however those that stick by way of it is going to be rewarded with a few of the most strategic gameplay round.
22. Prey (2017)
Few video games will make you worry in your life upon encountering probably the most mundane of inanimate objects the way in which Prey does – and fewer nonetheless will then provide the energy to change into these objects your self. It could seem like a normal first-person shooter/RPG set aboard a post-disaster area station on the floor, however this immersive sim is among the strangest of the lot.
To fight the ever-present menace of enemies that may seem like something till it’s too late, Prey fills your toolbox with a variety of bizarre, distinctive, and infrequently thrilling instruments after which lets you determine which of them you most wish to use. All of that mixed with a narrative that channels one of the best of each its clear BioShock and Dishonored inspirations makes Prey is a gem of a single-player PC sport that shouldn’t be missed.
Developer Arkane Austin’s subsequent sport is the co-op vampire shooter Redfall, due out on Could 2.
21. Pink Lifeless Redemption 2
Arthur Morgan’s sprawling story of loyalty, conviction, and the value of infamy is barely the start of Pink Lifeless Redemption 2. The marvelous PC port overhauled and additional enhanced the beautiful wild western environment of Rockstar’s most up-to-date open-world journey and added much more actions, unlockables, and impossibly fantastic particulars to its expansive map. It is presumably one of many largest and finest single-player PC video games ever and it has an intensive multiplayer mode too.
The potential for hijinks inside its huge sandbox of cities, outlaws, and wildlife was already almost limitless, however the PC model elements in new missions, treasures, gear, and extra layered on prime of the already 60+ hours of story content material within the base sport. That’s not even counting all of the multiplayer bells and whistles included in Pink Lifeless On-line, to say nothing of the power to broaden and customise with mods. RDR2 on PC is handily a must-play for anybody with a rig beefy sufficient to run it.
Pink Lifeless 2 cracked the highest 5 on our up to date record of the finest open-world video games. In simply 4 years, it is also earned a spot on the record of best-selling video video games of all time.
20. Management
Management, in some ways, feels just like the fruits of Treatment’s design concepts from its previous a number of video games distilled all the way down to their finest variations and melded collectively for one trippy, enthralling journey. Jesse Faden’s story of infiltrating the Federal Bureau of Management’s places of work comes full with a stellar set of skills befitting any good telepath, a propulsive, unusual story with a memorable solid and sudden twists, and a captivating location that feels rooted in a way of historical past.
Treatment has crammed Management’s world with little particulars that make its stranger concepts actually land, giving sudden life to each nook of its workplace constructing veneer. Identical to its predominant location, the Oldest Home, far more lies beneath the floor of Management, and its mysteries are value totally exploring. Additionally, the PC is at present the one place to play with ray tracing enabled, giving the world a extra reasonable and but extra otherworldly look. Possibly that’s why this implausible single-player PC sport received our 2019 Sport of the 12 months award?
Treatment is formally engaged on Management 2 for PS5, Xbox Collection X|S, and PC. The studio can also be growing a Management multiplayer sport, the long-awaited Alan Wake 2, a free-to-play co-op shooter codenamed Vanguard, and remakes of Max Payne 1 and a pair of.
19. Stardew Valley
Since Stardew Valley launched in 2016, it’s change into a mainstay in PC gaming and is maybe single handedly chargeable for reinvigorating the farming sim style altogether. In that point, no different sport has efficiently managed to duplicate its masterful mixture of RPG mechanics, a satisfying gameplay loop, superbly mellow music, and an ever-growing record of issues to do as you whereas away your time in pastoral paradise.
The most recent main replace is the sport’s largest but, including a very new space to discover, with new individuals to satisfy, duties to do, and tons extra content material to expertise. It’s principally a full-blown growth, if not for being a free replace to the sport. Whether or not you’re a brand new participant or returning to your 100+ hour farm, Stardew Valley stays among the finest video games you’ll be able to play on PC.
The creator of Stardew Valley is now engaged on a model new sim known as Haunted Chocolatier.
18. Genshin Affect
With 48 playable characters (and counting), three huge predominant areas to discover, and vital occasions and actions for mid- to late-game gamers month-to-month, Genshin Affect is among the most spectacular free-to-play video games on the market – each when it comes to actions and common high quality. Along with its story-based marketing campaign, there are many nice aspect quests, companion character occasions, and aspect tales that provide a pleasant probability to higher get to know characters, remedy puzzles, seek out collectibles, and take part in limited-time occasions.
Even while you’ve reached the top of what is obtainable of the ever-growing story, there are boss battles and world actions you’ll be able to play on-line with buddies, stats and weapon optimizations for leveling your acquired playable characters, and lots extra. Although the late-game does are typically extra of a grind as a consequence of a few of the randomness high-level character builds require and there are different sporadic steadiness points, Genshin Affect is usually a pleasure all through.
Fortunately, the gatcha (or system by which you randomly draw rewards with premium forex in hopes of getting a greater weapon or character) system is not too invasive and it isn’t tough to earn premium forex with out paying. Certain, it could possibly take some time to save lots of sufficient to get a assured 5-star character, but it surely’s completely potential to do and you may probably earn different characters alongside the way in which.
Two characters have been added to Genshin Affect for the reason that replace: Dehya and Mika.
17. Grand Theft Auto 5 / GTA On-line
Grand Theft Auto V’s sprawling, but meticulously detailed map remains to be the excessive bar to which most open-world video games aspire. Not solely is it large, it’s extremely dense with glorious content material – not simply the driving and taking pictures and three-protagonist story that make up its marketing campaign, and never restricted to the quite a few aspect actions, however all of the sights, sounds, and bustling exercise you’d anticipate finding in a metropolis teeming with people, seedy underbelly included. With a lot to do, discover, and play with, each as a single-player PC sport and Grand Theft Auto On-line, plus nice inventive instruments and mods, it’s really superb on a number of ranges.
With a lot to do, discover, and play with, each as a single-player PC sport and Grand Theft Auto On-line, plus nice inventive instruments and mods, it’s really superb on a number of ranges. Plus with the brand new Cayo Perico replace including a brand new solo heist and island to the map, not the point out the sport coming to PS5 and Xbox Collection X, there is not any signal of GTA V going to pasture anytime quickly.
Rockstar has formally confirmed GTA 6 is in growth. It’ll reportedly characteristic a return to Vice Metropolis and star the sequence’ first feminine playable character in a Bonnie & Clyde-inspired journey — particulars that had been seemingly corroborated by a large GTA 6 leak.
16. Forza Horizon 5
Driving video games are a long-running, vital, and revered drive within the story of video video games, but it surely takes a particular one to fully seize the imaginations of each the car-obsessed and the automotively illiterate so efficiently. By that measure, Forza Horizon 5 is really particular. A slick and speedy smorgasbord of complete driving freedom constructed on the again of what’s already been the open-world racing sequence to beat for almost a decade, Forza Horizon 5 broke by way of in a manner not even its glorious predecessors managed.
This huge, MMO-inspired racer is the prettiest, most assorted, most feature-filled, and most customisable Forza Horizon sport ever, and it’s one which’s appropriate for therefore many several types of gamers. Whether or not you wish to agonise over automobile builds and carve away milliseconds out of your race occasions, or simply wish to cruise round and crash right into a cactus or two (hundred), it has you coated.
Forza Horizon 5’s Rally Journey growth, which comes with a brand new rally profession mode, comes out on March 29. Additionally throughout the first-ever Xbox Developer Direct, Flip 10 Studios revealed the following sport franchise is Forza Motorsport and it’ll characteristic greater than 500 automobiles and 800 distinctive upgrades.
15. FTL: Quicker Than Mild
No sport simulates the sensation of being in control of a starship flying by the seat of your pants like FTL: Quicker Than Mild. It is a sport you should not count on to outlive – extra probably, you may be blasted out of the sky by a vastly superior enemy ship or boarded by a dying squad of large killer bugs who bloodbath your crew. Possibly your life-support system shall be hacked and everybody will suffocate.
However FTL’s not about successful – it is a story generator, the place you get to speak in regards to the time you bought a killer beam-weapon combo that cuts enemy ships to ribbons whereas your ship stays cloaked, or vented a boarding social gathering into area whereas your crew laughed behind strengthened bulkhead doorways. Its tactical fight by no means will get previous, tons of loot and random occasions hold each sport feeling unpredictable, and unlockable ships drive you to alter up your methods on subsequent runs. And occasionally, you would possibly even win.
We additionally named FTL among the finest roguelike video games.
14. Slay the Spire
In a roguelike, selection is king: Slay The Spire’s always altering decks of skill playing cards, highly effective relics, and the three drastically completely different playable characters retains these turn-based battles recent and fascinating for much longer than they’ve any proper to. Watching your character’s assaults, defenses, expertise, and powers evolve throughout its three chapters is a journey, and throwing your hand in on the finish of a run realizing it’s possible you’ll by no means see its like once more could be like saying goodbye to a good friend you had been solely simply attending to know.
In fact, the potential of getting a fair higher mixture the following time by way of makes it robust to withstand hitting the New Sport button, and the randomized Each day Climb runs give even veterans a brand new and attention-grabbing technique to play day by day.
13. Apex: Legends
Apex Legends shock launched in February 2019 and it’s been elevating the bar for battle royales ever since. Impressed by the gunplay and motion from Respawn’s acclaimed Titanfall 2, Apex additionally applied Overwatch-style character skills, which made it really feel fully distinct from the opposite main gamers within the style. Whereas Apex is out on PlayStation, Xbox, and now Swap and cellular, on PC Apex feels probably the most fluid and pure because it offers us the liberty to completely capitalize on the vary of motion it gives.
It additionally has Apex Arenas as a everlasting mode that emulates round-based matches like these in Valorant, the place you should purchase your skills and weapons earlier than every spherical and options 3v3 matchups. So even when battle royales aren’t your velocity, there’s a manner so that you can get in and benefit from the motion. And with its constant tempo of updates each three to 4 months, Apex Legends stands out as among the finest free-to-play PC video games, 12 months after 12 months.
The Solar Squad Assortment Occasion, which brings a brand new battle royale mode known as Heatwave, is operating in Apex Legends till April 11.
12. God of Warfare
God of Warfare made a big impact when it launched as a PlayStation unique in 2018, even taking dwelling IGN’s Sport of the 12 months award. However its greatness didn’t hinge on its platform, and its arrival on Steam in early 2022 opened it as much as a complete new viewers – one that ought to completely take the chance to play it in the event that they haven’t earlier than.
This reinvention of the traditional sequence is really implausible, all the way in which from its glorious and difficult fight to the extremely touching story that weaves it collectively. It’s gorgeously offered and thorough in its element, benefiting from its roots whereas innovating on them in a manner that feels recent once more. It’s a real standout from the final decade, and it completely deserves to be counted amongst different PC greats now that it’s right here.
The extremely anticipated sequel, God of Warfare: Ragnarok, is now obtainable on PS5 and PS4. IGN awarded it a ten/10 evaluation rating and named it the Finest Motion-Journey Sport of 2022.
11. Divinity: Unique Sin 2 – Definitive Version
Divinity: Unique Sin 2 has cemented it as one of many biggest RPGs of all time. It masterfully mixes items of traditional cRPGs with extra fashionable mechanics and designs, feeling previous and new on the identical time. The sequel has improved upon its predecessor’s already unimaginable fight by deepening its methods whereas concurrently simplifying and smoothing out its clunkier bits – to not point out it launched some brutally good new AI.
There’s additionally an amazing quantity of sport right here to play. With six completely different origin characters, customized tags to make your personal, and over 74,000 strains of totally voiced dialogue, this huge RPG has greater than sufficient to maintain you coming again to it.
10. Last Fantasy XIV On-line
In brief, Last Fantasy XIV is not only one of the best MMO you’ll be able to play proper now, it’s a implausible Last Fantasy sport in its personal proper. By way of its relaunch and subsequent 4 expansions, FFXIV has slowly morphed from a comparatively generic good-versus-evil plot right into a sprawling, political, and fantastical thriller. The most recent growth, Endwalker, brings a satisfying conclusion to the sport’s now 8+ 12 months storyline, returning some acquainted faces, settling previous scores, and naturally saving the world from the best calamity but.
Don’t be scared away by the truth that it’s on-line. Regardless of being an MMO, Sq.-Enix has streamlined issues a lot that, in the event you don’t wish to, you actually don’t need to play with different individuals. Story missions are meant to be tackled solo, and even instanced dungeons now have an choice so that you can enter with computer-controlled social gathering members as a substitute of forcing you into a gaggle with strangers. In fact, it’s additionally a fully-fleshed MMO with end-game raiding that ranges from completely accessible to maddeningly punishing.
Sq. Enix introduced that the big Patch 64, dubbed The Darkish Throne, will hit FF14 in some unspecified time in the future in late Could.
9. Hades
Hades is the present gold customary of the roguelite style, and it isn’t even shut. From its exhilarating fight, to its unimaginable soundtrack, to its intelligent and effectively written narrative with characters that seemingly by no means run out of significant issues to say, all the way in which to its deep and revolutionary publish sport that retains you wanting to return again for extra even after beating the final boss.
Hades is extremely tough, but it surely by no means feels punishing in defeat. Dying is a part of the sport, and truly comes with its personal rewards within the type of new conversations with its fascinating solid of characters, new alternatives to buy sport altering upgrades, and a possibility for a model new run with a very new set of godly boons that dramatically alter the way you strategy fight. Hades is a masterclass of roguelite design, and simply one other instance of how Supergiant Video games simply doesn’t miss.
A sequel, Hades 2, was introduced at The Sport Awards.
8. Outer Wilds
Each 22 minutes, every part ends – and restarts once more. The sands that had handed between twin planets return to their authentic place, a planet that had fallen aside turns into entire, and also you awaken to see a mysterious object in area break aside as soon as once more. In Outer Wilds, you reside by way of those self same 22 minutes till you’ll be able to efficiently remedy the puzzle of why you are caught within the time loop, amongst different mysteries, by exploring ruins left by a long-dead civilization throughout a number of planets.
This beautiful, heartfelt area journey is among the finest examples of online game exploration and discovery. Outer Wilds encourages you to hop into your spaceship and go wherever you need – or simply keep on your own home planet and see what’s occurring there. Do you have to really feel misplaced or want a touch on what to do subsequent, your whole actions and progress are saved to your ship’s log, which helpfully tells you when there’s nonetheless extra to find in an space.
The one factor limiting your curiosity is time, however even that may typically be your ally. The quick growth’s puzzles are simply as pleasurable as what you may discover in the remainder of Outer Wilds, however the pervasive, menacing rigidity in Echoes of the Eye makes every step ahead within the total thriller really feel much more rewarding.
7. Hole Knight
Hole Knight is among the finest fashionable Metroidvania’s round. It’s stunning, expansive, and stuffed with pleasant secrets and techniques to find that may hold you enjoying for dozens of hours. The dominion of Hallownest is a brutal one, and Hole Knight doesn’t ease you into it, inflicting lots of people to bounce off of it initially – however when it lastly will get its hooks in you it’s irresistibly arduous to place down.
Its sprawling caves open up and provide a number of paths to you at any given time, however regardless of which manner you go there are thrilling bosses to struggle and vital power-ups to make you stronger. And regardless that it was already a large sport, Hole Knight has solely gotten greater since its launch in early 2017. Developer Workforce Cherry launched a number of free updates with new areas and managers, every more durable than the final. However whether or not you simply wish to get to the credit, discover the true ending, or push even farther than that, Hallownest is a world value exploring.
A sequel, Hole Knight: Silksong, will seemingly be launched someday earlier than June 2023.
6. Crusader Kings 3
Whereas historic technique video games are maybe most recognized for his or her maddeningly complicated methods so dense they’re close to impenetrable, they’re additionally in regards to the human tales that emerge when nice figures collide. Crusader Kings 3 offers you some ways to inform these tales, be it overwhelming army would possibly, the diplomacy of a well-placed betrothal, or ending your enemies with a cloak-and-dagger plot.
CK3 additionally manages to make these dense methods as accessible as they’ve ever been, with a sturdy nested tooltip system that helps enable even technique newcomers benefit from the sport’s complexity. The most recent growth, Royal Court docket, provides a zoomed-in bodily area the place your ruler can look their topics within the eye, passing down particular person judgements along with making realm-wide decrees. The growth additionally weaves an intricate overhauled tradition system all through the sport, supplying you with extra alternatives to make your empire really feel distinctive, with all the advantages and penalties that entails.
We additionally named Crusader Kings 3 among the finest PC Sport Cross video games.
5. Elden Ring
In simply the few quick months since its launch, Elden Ring’s fame has solely grown, which is insane to even take into consideration contemplating that its fame proper when it got here out was one of many highest reviewed video games of all time. It’s all deserved reward, as a result of Elden Ring really is a monumental achievement within the open world style.
Its world is a marvel to discover, with memorable experiences, priceless rewards, and imposing boss fights masking almost each sq. inch of its completely huge map. The one factor that holds it again on this record is the truth that it nonetheless struggles a bit performance-wise on the PC. However that doesn’t cease it from being a straightforward decide for our prime 5 finest PC video games of all time.
Elden Ring is among the best-reviewed video games in fashionable historical past. It was topped Sport of the 12 months by IGN and The Sport Awards.
4. Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium took age-old CRPG mechanics and created one thing fully fashionable with them. In addition to transplanting the dice-rolls and deep dialogue choices from Dungeons and Dragons right into a lesser-seen noir-detective setting, it gives fully authentic methods to play, reminiscent of reminiscent of debating in opposition to 24 completely different sections of your personal mind, every consultant of a special ability or trait.
Your down-and-out detective is thrust into circumstances the place you should remedy a homicide, however with all nice tales its not the conclusion that’s solely gratifying, however the journey you took to get there as its ludicrously detailed world and solid of characters drive it alongside, supported by a few of the finest writing seen in a sport. Enjoying Disco Elysium feels fully recent and just about in contrast to the rest you’ll have skilled on PC in any period, not to mention this one.
Key members of the Disco Elysium growth group are now not with ZA/UM, making a Disco Elysium sequel unlikely. The fallout between these builders and ZA/UM has gotten fairly messy.
3. XCOM 2
XCOM 2 builds on the good, high-stakes tactical fight of XCOM: Enemy Unknown, and its Warfare of the Chosen growth made it even higher. It has the identical rigidity of going from a technologically inferior underdog to highly effective battle machine, with the fixed menace of the everlasting dying of your personalized troopers looming over each choice.
Nevertheless, it turns the formulation of defending Earth from alien invaders on its head by boldly recasting XCOM as a guerrilla drive making an attempt to liberate the planet from alien occupation, making the scenario really feel much more determined than ever. This greater, deeper sequel provides not simply complexity within the type of new and extra highly effective soldier courses, gear, and aliens, but additionally an enormous give attention to replayability. Procedurally generated maps hold you from falling right into a repeatable sample in tactical missions, frequent random occasions on the strategic map shake up your construct and analysis orders, and naturally mods galore.
2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Deep, prolonged RPGs are a staple of PC gaming, and only a few have put a bigger chunk of subtle content material ahead than The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has. Its huge sandbox open-world areas impress, each when it comes to scope and density; they’re generously dotted with nice monsters to slay, tantalizing mysteries to resolve, and private tales to unfurl.
It’s additionally some of the spectacular total productions in gaming historical past, with reams of excellently written dialogue carried out by a stellar voice solid, an unimaginable authentic soundtrack, and graphics that qualify as each a technical and creative achievement.
CD Projekt Pink is engaged on a new Witcher trilogy, in addition to an Unreal Engine 5 remake of The Witcher 1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt just lately received the 4.02 patch, including refraction to ray-traced water reflections and restoring horizon-based ambient occlusion, amongst different quality-of-life modifications.
1. Half-Life: Alyx
Valve’s first Half-Life sport in 13 years reminded us of the signature innovation that’s made this sequence so particular, and why its return was so anticipated. Simply as the primary Half-Life proved you would inform a compelling story in a first-person sport with out taking management of the digicam away, and Half-Life 2 pioneered physics-based puzzles and fight, Half-Life: Alyx set a brand new customary for polish in digital actuality shooters and is a really distinctive expertise. It is so spectacular, in actual fact, that we consider totally justifies investing in a VR headset in your PC if you have not already (particularly now {that a} Meta Quest 2 could be had for $300 and connects to your PC wirelessly by way of Air Hyperlink).
Alyx’s full-length marketing campaign pulls out all of the stops for a tremendous and horrifying battle in opposition to aliens and zombies the place the easy act of reloading your weapon turns into a determined life-or-death battle as headcrabs leap towards your precise face. Different VR video games have nice taking pictures, however much more than a 12 months later nothing has but matched Valve’s degree of element. Intelligent three-dimensional puzzles and glorious and infrequently humorous performances from its solid break up the motion, and it is all capped off with a implausible ending that made the decade-plus we needed to look forward to the third coming of Half-Life virtually really feel value it.
Upcoming PC Video games
Meet Your Maker and Highway 96: Mile 0 come out on April 4, adopted by Sherlock Holmes: The Woke up, which mixes Lovecraftian horror and Victorian-era crime-solving, on April 11.
These are our picks for the 25 finest fashionable PC video games! Clearly there are dozens of unimaginable video games we could not embody, however that’s what occurs while you solely have 25 spots. Tell us within the feedback what’s in your record that did not make ours, and you’ll want to try our different finest video games lists — we replace them every time new, nice video games are made:
With contributions from Cristina Alexander.
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