Happy late summer days, and happy video game showcase o'clock as we prime ourselves for another Geoff Keighley special. Expect news, reveals and a side order of cringe live from 7pm BST (there's also a 30 minute pre-show starting at 6.30pm BST but let's not encourage such nonsense, ok?)
Gamescom: Opening Night Live 2021 (Official Livestream - TODAY with Saints Row, Call of Duty) Watch on YouTubeOur live coverage of this event has finished.
17:40 pm UTC Hi hello and how do you do?– Martin Robinson
17:40 pm UTC You're not watching already are you? I do not approve of this pre-show stuff.– Martin Robinson
17:41 pm UTC But I've just started watching and they're showing off The King of Fighters 15 which was one of the games I was looking forward to most tonight.– Martin Robinson
17:41 pm UTC Out next Feb, everyone's in it, it's looking great.– Martin Robinson
17:41 pm UTC We are currently having a few technical difficulties which we're sorting out, so please bear with us (also hello lovely to see you again!)– Martin Robinson
17:43 pm UTC Anyway one of those internet people that is very popular is doing some jokes.– Martin Robinson
17:46 pm UTCEMLvHeerebeek: very popular and making jokes generally means bad jokes that are trying too hard
tbh you've described most of these live reports.
– Martin Robinson
17:46 pm UTC Apart from the popular part, anyway.– Martin Robinson
17:46 pm UTCMiyamotosan: Always seems like a different set of regs that turn up for these things to those who post on the articles...
It's only the really cool kids here. And me!
– Martin Robinson
17:51 pm UTC With just under ten minutes to go, you now have my undivided attention Opening Night Live.– Martin Robinson
17:52 pm UTC Am I excited? Honestly it's hard to tell anymore.– Martin Robinson
17:52 pm UTC But I think I am!– Martin Robinson
17:54 pm UTC We know some of what's due up - the new Saints Row, the Halo bit that was mysteriously cut from yesterday's Xbox show (there was a reason there was no live report for that), an extended look at Death Stranding Director's Cut (Geoff likes Hideo, apparently?).– Martin Robinson
17:54 pm UTC It's the unknown unknowns that really excite, though - including something Geoff teased about an all-new football game? (I think he meant soccer too!)– Martin Robinson
17:55 pm UTC Just googled Lindsey Stirling so you don't have to - that's the kind of service we're always happy to provide at Eurogamer - and she's a famous violinist apparently.– Martin Robinson
17:56 pm UTC In the pre-show chat Geoff's just lowered the expectations a little - this won't be wall-to-wall reveals and will instead be mostly updates on games we already know of.– Martin Robinson
17:57 pm UTC I'm so out of touch... My taste in music is still stuck in 1974 somewhere.– Martin Robinson
17:57 pm UTC We were hoping for a Libero Grande revival here.– Martin Robinson
17:58 pm UTC I do sort of miss our jaunts to Cologne - it's a beautiful city, and while the show itself can get a bit *busy* it's always had a character of its own that helps distinguish it from E3.– Martin Robinson
17:58 pm UTC Plus I bloody love sausages.– Martin Robinson
17:59 pm UTC A quick drinks check all round - I'm on water until it gets to a more reasonable hour when I *might* have a bottle of Ghost Ship (they were three for a fiver in the local shop!)– Martin Robinson
17:59 pm UTC One last trailer before the big show - and it's a new thing from Galleon creator Toby Gard.– Martin Robinson
18:00 pm UTCKami: I have actual real freshly-ground COFFEE tonight!
Coffee after 4pm is bold! Unless it's decaf, of course.
– Martin Robinson
18:01 pm UTC And here we go - Opening Night Live is.... LIVE!– Martin Robinson
18:01 pm UTC Geoff looks a lot narrower than before.– Martin Robinson
18:01 pm UTC Could be my screen. Or that sharp jacket.– Martin Robinson
18:01 pm UTC He looks genuinely happy to be there though. Bless you Geoff.– Martin Robinson
18:03 pm UTC (If you've never read Geoff's early gamz jurnlism - the Final Hours series, on the likes of Half-Life and Metal Gear Solid - they're really worth rooting out. He gets a bit of a bad rep, and these shows can be a bit awkward, but he's coming from a genuine place).– Martin Robinson
18:03 pm UTC And this'll be Saints Row.– Martin Robinson
18:04 pm UTC I'm embargoed on talking about this until 9pm. Because I guess they didn't know it was at the start of the show?– Martin Robinson
18:04 pm UTC So yeah no idea what this is. True Crime Resurrected?– Martin Robinson
18:06 pm UTC Oh look at that it's Saints Row.– Martin Robinson
18:07 pm UTC I couldn't possibly say...– Martin Robinson
18:08 pm UTC Right here with you pal. Right here with you.– Martin Robinson
18:09 pm UTC To the gameplay itself, which is slightly less subdued than the trailer.– Martin Robinson
18:09 pm UTC If I did see it recently, I might have seen a tiny bit more - but really not that much. Anyway, more at 9pm.– Martin Robinson
18:09 pm UTC And now, to Marvel.– Martin Robinson
18:09 pm UTC Wait for it....– Martin Robinson
18:10 pm UTC Because this might not be Avengers.– Martin Robinson
18:10 pm UTC It might be something a bit more exciting (yeah sorry this is something else we might have seen earlier!)– Martin Robinson
18:11 pm UTC That looks an awful lot like more of Marvel than you see in Avongers.– Martin Robinson
18:11 pm UTC So this is Midnight Suns - and it's the new game from the XCOM team at Firaxis.– Martin Robinson
18:12 pm UTC I'm not a Marvel fan, but I am a fan of that team - so consider me interested.– Martin Robinson
18:12 pm UTC (Also I am, of course, a fan of Jake Solomon - *swoooooooooon*)– Martin Robinson
18:13 pm UTC This is a tactics RPG - so a slight deviation from XCOM, though I'm not sure how much of a deviation.– Martin Robinson
18:13 pm UTC We're not going to get to see the game proper until September 1st. And it's out next March.– Martin Robinson
18:13 pm UTC Consider me very much interested.– Martin Robinson
18:13 pm UTC And now it's Call of Duty Vanguard!– Martin Robinson
18:14 pm UTC A look at the campaign, I believe.– Martin Robinson
18:17 pm UTC Apologies for the silence. It's partly because this is all hollow guff, but also because it's hard to muster any enthusiasm for Activision Blizzard products at present.– Martin Robinson
18:18 pm UTC Anyway, excuse the grinding gear change but here's some footage of a fairly generic looking first person shooter campaign.– Martin Robinson
18:19 pm UTC A neck has been stabbed.– Martin Robinson
18:20 pm UTCKami: So anyway, how's everyone's day been?
I'm going to be one of those awful people, but I've been playing something I can't talk about just yet (but I can tomorrow at 3pm) and it's just brilliant. The kind of game that doesn't come around that often, and that seems pretty special so far.
– Martin Robinson
18:20 pm UTC Also I had cheese and oatcakes for lunch.– Martin Robinson
18:20 pm UTC So it's been win-win really.– Martin Robinson
18:21 pm UTC Maybe it's because my own lack of enthusiasm for the series at the moment, but this looks very 2008 in terms of the action.– Martin Robinson
18:23 pm UTCtroymb: Martin Robinson multi or exclusive?
If I said that'd give the game away! Anyway, sorry for being a tease - just be reassured that not all games coming later this year will be as dull as this Call of Duty looks.
– Martin Robinson
18:24 pm UTCMalek86: I'm afraid 2008 just doesn't cut it. I wish it looked more like 1998.
I've been playing that lovely surprise Quake remaster this week and saying late 90s FPS is one of the best compliments you can give.
– Martin Robinson
18:24 pm UTC God it's still going on?– Martin Robinson
18:24 pm UTC And yet still Call of Duty will outsell Battlefield this year. Poor DICE.– Martin Robinson
18:26 pm UTCKami: Is it just me or did they skip Quake 4 with those re-releases?
I've always seen Quake 4 as sort of non-canon as it's by Raven Software. That's not to say it's not good though! I mean, it's not great either.
– Martin Robinson
18:26 pm UTC Oh and also that makes a lot of sense.– Martin Robinson
18:26 pm UTC Criminally this is the first time I've ever played Quake. It's good isn't it?– Martin Robinson
18:27 pm UTC A friend said it's sort of like Mario 64, the game that invented 3D platforming while also perfecting so much of it. Quake just came along and perfected the FPS at the first ever crack.– Martin Robinson
18:27 pm UTC Anyway the Call of Duty bit is over now, thankfully.– Martin Robinson
18:27 pm UTC HERE'S HALO INFINITE!– Martin Robinson
18:28 pm UTC Oooh that's given me the jolt I needed - I'm so looking forward to this.– Martin Robinson
18:28 pm UTCMiyamotosan: I've been dipping in and out (mostly out), what's the biggest thing they've had so far?
Saints Row, I'd say.
– Martin Robinson
18:28 pm UTC Ah, this is a CG trailer and so my heart sinks once more.– Martin Robinson
18:29 pm UTC A CG trailer for multiplayer?– Martin Robinson
18:29 pm UTCBaritone: Martin, are you a Spartan?
we r all spartn now
– Martin Robinson
18:30 pm UTC Ah, remember that Halo 3 trailer? That was a banger.– Martin Robinson
18:30 pm UTC This one isn't.– Martin Robinson
18:30 pm UTC Still, looking forward to the game.– Martin Robinson
18:31 pm UTC So it's a tie-in with the first free-to-play season of Halo Infinite - I guess they're doing that whole Fortnite worldbuilding thing, which is fair enough.– Martin Robinson
18:31 pm UTC And there is the release date, which of course leaked earlier - it's December 8th.– Martin Robinson
18:32 pm UTC A little surprise to coincide with the 20th anniversary of both Halo and Xbox - it's a Halo Elite controller!– Martin Robinson
18:32 pm UTC Good god that thing is ugly.– Martin Robinson
18:34 pm UTC Having spoken about the 'Finish the Fight' trailer (thanks for reminding me what it's called Eratosthenes) I get some similar vibes from this ad.– Martin Robinson
18:34 pm UTC But this time it's an ad for a really ugly special edition Xbox Series X.– Martin Robinson
18:35 pm UTC Still looking forward to Halo Infinite, though. Despite Microsoft's best efforts to drag them down with fairly underwhelming showings like that.– Martin Robinson
18:36 pm UTC Here is something quirky and cute being published by Devolver - ....– Martin Robinson
18:36 pm UTC Er I wasn't paying attention when they put the name up.– Martin Robinson
18:36 pm UTC I'm such a pro.– Martin Robinson
18:37 pm UTC The 2D/3D artstyle looks lovely - it reminds me of Dakko Dakko's PSVR game Pop-Up Pilgrims.– Martin Robinson
18:37 pm UTC And that was Cult of the Lamb.– Martin Robinson
18:38 pm UTC An over-the-top isometric action game that looks like John Wicks by way of Crusader No Remorse.– Martin Robinson
18:39 pm UTC That is how I'd describe Midnight Fight Express. I would like to play that!– Martin Robinson
18:39 pm UTC Dotemu's Turtles game!– Martin Robinson
18:39 pm UTC I don't think I'm American enough to understand the Turtles.– Martin Robinson
18:40 pm UTC When the Turtles movie came out, there was a rumour going around my school that there was an X rated version that someone had on video where the Turtles cut peoples heads off and did swears and everything.– Martin Robinson
18:40 pm UTC Actually sounded alright.– Martin Robinson
18:41 pm UTC Anyway, that did look like a fine arcade action game.– Martin Robinson
18:41 pm UTC Here's a quick interlude which hands the mic over to the people at Gamescom.– Martin Robinson
18:43 pm UTC It's Monkey Ball time!– Martin Robinson
18:44 pm UTC I hate to say, though, Monkey Ball just isn't Monkey Ball without the GameCube's octopad. Luckily you can still use those on the Switch.– Martin Robinson
18:44 pm UTCweebleman: Gonna drop my traditional ‘how longs this on for?’ question during this section.
Two hours! So it wraps at 9pm BST.
– Martin Robinson
18:45 pm UTC MONKEY TARGET EVERYONE! And it looks just as I remembered and loved it.– Martin Robinson
18:45 pm UTC Monkey Fight can do one tho.– Martin Robinson
18:46 pm UTC And the special guest is Morgana from Persona.– Martin Robinson
18:46 pm UTC I still keep forgetting that Atlus and Sega are a thing.– Martin Robinson
18:46 pm UTCMalek86: @Martin the arcade banana joystick was the real thing, accept no substitute
Haha, that is a very fair point.
– Martin Robinson
18:47 pm UTC The very popular Splitgate gets a moment now.– Martin Robinson
18:47 pm UTC See, this has 1998 FPS vibes, and is all the better for it.– Martin Robinson
18:48 pm UTC And an update on Riders Republic. I've played this!– Martin Robinson
18:48 pm UTC I really liked it too!– Martin Robinson
18:48 pm UTC (You can ignore all this zany annoying stuff and just dick around on mountains and across parks on a bike, and that bit is just brilliant).– Martin Robinson
18:50 pm UTC The beta's just opened up. I'd recommend having a quick look!– Martin Robinson
18:50 pm UTC Oh they're doing awards!– Martin Robinson
18:51 pm UTC I was a judge for the Gamescom awards a couple of times.– Martin Robinson
18:52 pm UTC It mostly meant having access to this incredibly detailed spreadsheet, getting access to a special room at the Koelnmesse which had some really nice biscuits in it and getting to jump and queue for console stations.– Martin Robinson
18:52 pm UTC We're only 50 minutes in somehow - it really feels like it might be December already.– Martin Robinson
18:52 pm UTCMiyamotosan: "I was a judge for the Gamescom awards a couple of times." [That picture of Harry Maguire leaning on the railings talking to those girls]
Hahaha
– Martin Robinson
18:53 pm UTC An advert for Game Pass which has me thinking 'cor Game Pass is so good' and also 'oh my god my backlog is going to become unbearable soon'– Martin Robinson
18:54 pm UTC There really are a lot of good video games out there.– Martin Robinson
18:54 pm UTC Like this one that lets you be a dragon!– Martin Robinson
18:54 pm UTC Dragons are great.– Martin Robinson
18:54 pm UTC Here's that football game Geoff teased, then.– Martin Robinson
18:55 pm UTC UFL?– Martin Robinson
18:55 pm UTC It's a free-to-play thing from devs I don't think I've heard of before.– Martin Robinson
18:56 pm UTC And we're not getting much by way of details - they say it's a 'football simulation', so I guess it will be aiming to go toe-to-toe with FIFA and whatever Konami's calling that fetid corpse of a series they've been dragging around these past few years.– Martin Robinson
18:57 pm UTC The Lego Skywalker Saga game now, looking like a very pretty Lego Star Wars game.– Martin Robinson
18:57 pm UTC I'll be there for the prequel stuff.– Martin Robinson
18:58 pm UTC Seriously, after Episode 9 all was forgiven for the prequels.– Martin Robinson
18:58 pm UTC Anyway, after quite the hiatus for Lego games the next one is due up next Spring.– Martin Robinson
18:59 pm UTCMiyamotosan: I watched The Last Jedi last night. It's actually worse than you remember.
I think in truth they're all a bit shit.
– Martin Robinson
19:00 pm UTC Apart from The Phantom Menace, obv.– Martin Robinson
19:00 pm UTC A new Outlast game being trailered for you all, that's what's happening right now.– Martin Robinson
19:01 pm UTC See? It's a great film.– Martin Robinson
19:02 pm UTC A south Korean Pokemon-a-like now called Dokev.– Martin Robinson
19:02 pm UTC I think I missed an accent in that title somewhere but I'm really bad at that stuff so sorry!– Martin Robinson
19:03 pm UTC This is quite pointed timing given the reaction to Pokemon's most recent trailers and gameplay demos.– Martin Robinson
19:04 pm UTC But, well - it does look kind of great and you do wonder what a real Pokemon game would be like with these kind of assets.– Martin Robinson
19:04 pm UTC (Then you remember that the real appeal of Pokemon is nowt to do with its visuals and more about the depth and character elsewhere which isn't so easily replicated).– Martin Robinson
19:04 pm UTC Also this framerate lol.– Martin Robinson
19:05 pm UTC How long has this trailer been going on for though?– Martin Robinson
19:05 pm UTC There was even time for a dubstep interlude.– Martin Robinson
19:06 pm UTC Jurassic World Evolution 2 is getting its gameplay reveal - and I'm off to the fridge for a beer.– Martin Robinson
19:06 pm UTC (no offence Jurassic World Evolution 2 - you look great but I'm really thirsty and it's just gone 8pm)– Martin Robinson
19:09 pm UTC What did I misssssss?– Martin Robinson
19:10 pm UTCkingmob: I've been playing video games since the ZX Spectrum and I've never known things to look so dire. Literally nothing of interest.
I've never known such an abundance of riches! The only real problem is having enough time to play everything that's interesting.
– Martin Robinson
19:10 pm UTC Also I don't play Ubisoft games like this which might help.– Martin Robinson
19:10 pm UTC (sorry Far Cry just isn't my thing! This looks just fine if it is, though)– Martin Robinson
19:11 pm UTC This Ghost Ship beer is really nice!– Martin Robinson
19:11 pm UTC Three for a fiver, too. What a steal.– Martin Robinson
19:11 pm UTC Here's the Vampire The Masquerade battle royale Blood Hunt.– Martin Robinson
19:12 pm UTC (I think this is the battle royale? God I'm terrible at this)– Martin Robinson
19:14 pm UTC Here's a new park building game callled - Park Beyond?– Martin Robinson
19:15 pm UTC There was a very well modelled croissant I spotted just then.– Martin Robinson
19:15 pm UTC If this is gameplay - or at least in-engine - then that's very impressive indeed.– Martin Robinson
19:16 pm UTC It's by Limbic Entertainment, who previously made Tropico 6.– Martin Robinson
19:16 pm UTC And what I will say for it is that's one of the most Gamescom reveals ever.– Martin Robinson
19:16 pm UTC Jett: Far Shore now! It's from Superbrothers, it's quite likely to therefore be brilliant.– Martin Robinson
19:18 pm UTC Spoilers!– Martin Robinson
19:19 pm UTC Oh this is an update about Horizon: Forbidden West - which we understand is now coming out next year.– Martin Robinson
19:19 pm UTC But yes it also looks like Horizon Zero Dawn just got a 60fps patch.– Martin Robinson
19:20 pm UTC 18th February 2022 release date - for both the PS4 and PS5 versions.– Martin Robinson
19:20 pm UTC Confirmation there for the 60fps patch. Lovely stuff.– Martin Robinson
19:20 pm UTCLexkalin: Couldn’t play first horizon at all. Too repetitive and generic.
Shhhhh don't say that around these parts.
– Martin Robinson
19:22 pm UTC An extended trailer for Amazon's New World now.– Martin Robinson
19:24 pm UTC I might have dozed off for a second.– Martin Robinson
19:24 pm UTCKami: I really wouldn't mind a new MMORPG to get stuck into but New World just isn't striking a chord with me for some reason.
I don't know what to look for in an MMORPG, but Bertie does and seems if not massively excited then definitely interested.
– Martin Robinson
19:25 pm UTC Here's a new Marvel F2P game for mobile. Do you mind if I have another quick doze?– Martin Robinson
19:26 pm UTCAlkaline: Wake up Martin, you’re missing a zoom call from two middle aged men.
*sits bolt upright*
– Martin Robinson
19:27 pm UTC I do this when I play guitar in my shed too.– Martin Robinson
19:27 pm UTC I can't kick that high tho.– Martin Robinson
19:27 pm UTCweebleman: We’re getting 30 mins of death stranding to close the show aren’t we
I'd bet on it.
– Martin Robinson
19:30 pm UTC Here's another annoucement of a mobile game - this time a Tales of entry.– Martin Robinson
19:30 pm UTC Tales of Luminaria, fwiw.– Martin Robinson
19:31 pm UTC Tales of Arise does look great, mind.– Martin Robinson
19:32 pm UTC An award! Mario + Rabbids is the best Switch game of 2021!– Martin Robinson
19:33 pm UTCKami: Wait... isn't it coming out in 2022?!
It is! I did a typo!
– Martin Robinson
19:33 pm UTC Which I now can't fix because the limitations of our CMS so I'll have to leave that mistake there for posterity.– Martin Robinson
19:35 pm UTCKami: ... holy shit, this Lychee stuff must be opening my third eye or something...
Gissa shot of it plz.
– Martin Robinson
19:36 pm UTC A series of ads - yes I'm aware this whole thing is a series of ads but these are literally just ads - helps bring us through to the last half hour.– Martin Robinson
19:36 pm UTC Deadmaus is announcing his own presence in the metaverse now and fuck me I'm old.– Martin Robinson
19:37 pm UTC Literally no idea what's going on anymore.– Martin Robinson
19:37 pm UTC And I think I just pissed myself.– Martin Robinson
19:38 pm UTC You don't need a virtual concert. Just tape that shit and play it from the deck of a Citroen Saxo while you sit in the back a bit worse for wear and get driven around. That's when music is heard at its best.– Martin Robinson
19:38 pm UTC But yeah I have no idea what all that was just about.– Martin Robinson
19:41 pm UTCKami: I'll be honest, I'm starting to feel a bit lost at the tail end of this show.
Same here!
– Martin Robinson
19:42 pm UTC There's been some lovely stuff, but not enough to keep the momentum going for two whole hours.– Martin Robinson
19:43 pm UTC Age of Empires 4, anyway, which is something. Valheim now - I'm thinking that Death Stranding extended ending is actually going to happen.– Martin Robinson
19:43 pm UTC So get ready to collect your winnings if you took that particular bet.– Martin Robinson
19:44 pm UTCweebleman: Either that Martin or bluebox games announce silent hill….
!
– Martin Robinson
19:44 pm UTCKami: Waiting for the day Keighley rips off his shirt and throws himself at a completely befuddled Kojima.
To be honest that's the main reason I keep showing up for these. I think that's the same for a lot of us.
– Martin Robinson
19:45 pm UTCKami: Brevity is the soul of wit, I think the saying goes. So many of these shows could lose at least 30 minutes or so.
'Game shows are the most witless things in the world' goes the other adage.
– Martin Robinson
19:47 pm UTC God maybe video games are terrible after all.– Martin Robinson
19:47 pm UTC Here's a World of Tanks music video.– Martin Robinson
19:48 pm UTC They are a bit shit aren't they?– Martin Robinson
19:48 pm UTC Honestly what is going on.– Martin Robinson
19:49 pm UTC Aloy is on her way to Genshin Impact - I think we knew this already, but here she is in action.– Martin Robinson
19:49 pm UTC This is a very weak show.– Martin Robinson
19:49 pm UTC Like I'm thinking I need a new hobby.– Martin Robinson
19:50 pm UTC ....– Martin Robinson
19:51 pm UTC Right, something interesting! Sifu, the new game from the Absolver lot, that looks like a right good time.– Martin Robinson
19:52 pm UTC A release date too - it's coming 22nd February 2022.– Martin Robinson
19:52 pm UTC Next February is going to be busy.– Martin Robinson
19:53 pm UTC They're going to plant some trees which is nice.– Martin Robinson
19:54 pm UTC With five minutes to go, here's what we feared.– Martin Robinson
19:54 pm UTCweebleman: Called it
Damn you!
– Martin Robinson
19:56 pm UTC u can rkt jmp nw– Martin Robinson
19:56 pm UTC I actually love Death Stranding!– Martin Robinson
19:57 pm UTC But also I don't need five minutes to go through all these updates.– Martin Robinson
19:58 pm UTC Anyone got any nice plans for the long weekend?– Martin Robinson
19:58 pm UTC I mean probably not given *everything*, but still.– Martin Robinson
19:58 pm UTClintonfen: So Death Stranding is just Euro Truck Sim 2 but without the fun? Yaaayyyyy
Very much this.
– Martin Robinson
19:59 pm UTCKami: I'm probably going to just sleep for most of the weekend.
That sounds ideal!
– Martin Robinson
20:00 pm UTC And that's 9pm.– Martin Robinson
20:00 pm UTC Not that I'm getting paid by the hour, but - shouldn't this be done now?– Martin Robinson
20:01 pm UTC Apologies if your Wednesday evening has been ruined by this. I tried to help!– Martin Robinson
20:01 pm UTCweebleman: Is it me or is this just metal gear stranding now
I think that's the intention!
– Martin Robinson
20:02 pm UTC It seems a bit odd given the heavily rumoured Bluepoint remake of it, but there we are.– Martin Robinson
20:03 pm UTC I think that's it? I hope that's it.– Martin Robinson
20:04 pm UTC And that really is it. Ah, that familiar tinge of disappointment, and of having an evening robbed so that we might sit here and watch some overblown, overlong trailers.– Martin Robinson
20:04 pm UTC But it is over! Go! Be free!– Martin Robinson
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