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The PC gaming panorama has shifted in recent times, each by way of technological developments in graphics playing cards and gaming screens and within the make-up of IGN’s PC gaming workers and contributors. Consequently, outdoors of some actual stalwarts, our checklist of the most effective fashionable PC video games is considerably completely different in comparison with years previous.
To be clear, this checklist doesn’t try to pick the “greatest” or “most influential” PC video games ever made. It’s additionally not an inventory of the most well-liked video games on the market, or an inventory that seeks to symbolize the highest video games of each style. No, it is a checklist of 25 video games that we, the IGN editors and contributors, collectively suggest essentially 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 actual world within the digital house, and new updates hold inching it even nearer. Utilizing real-time Bing information to will let you fly to and from anywhere on your entire planet has raised the bar for simulations to heights by no means seen earlier than.
Accessible to anybody, or as life like 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 the most effective 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 collection. The add-on for the An-225 may be bought from the in-game market for $19.99, and proceeds will go in the direction of the Antonov Company to help their efforts in rebuilding the real-life plane that was destroyed through 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 collection, 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 approach 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 wherein main buildings 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 concerns all through and hazards that manifest within the late sport. It’s additionally come as shut as any sport within the collection to giving its AI leaders definitive and attention-grabbing personalities (which isn’t to say they’re good!).
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 guide the corporate.
23. Dota 2
MOBAs have earned a fame for being dense and tough to be taught, however immensely strategic for many 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 combos 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 will likely be rewarded with a few of the most strategic gameplay round.
22. Prey (2017)
Few video games will make you concern to your life upon encountering essentially the most mundane of inanimate objects the best way Prey does – and fewer nonetheless will then provide the energy to turn into these objects your self. It could seem like an ordinary first-person shooter/RPG set aboard a post-disaster house station on the floor, however this immersive sim is likely one of the strangest of the lot.
To fight the ever-present risk of enemies that may seem like something till it’s too late, Prey fills your toolbox with a variety of bizarre, distinctive, and sometimes thrilling instruments after which lets you determine which of them you most need to use. All of that mixed with a narrative that channels the most effective of each its clear BioShock and Dishonored inspirations makes Prey is a gem of a single-player PC sport that shouldn’t be ignored.
Developer Arkane Austin’s subsequent sport is the co-op vampire shooter Redfall, due out on Could 2.
21. Crimson Lifeless Redemption 2
Arthur Morgan’s sprawling story of loyalty, conviction, and the value of infamy is simply the start of Crimson Lifeless Redemption 2. The marvelous PC port overhauled and additional enhanced the beautiful wild western ambiance of Rockstar’s most up-to-date open-world journey and added much more actions, unlockables, and impossibly high quality particulars to its expansive map. It is presumably one of many greatest and greatest single-player PC video games ever and it has an in depth multiplayer mode too.
The potential for hijinks inside its huge sandbox of cities, outlaws, and wildlife was already almost limitless, however the PC model components in new missions, treasures, gear, and extra layered on high 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 Crimson Lifeless On-line, to say nothing of the power to increase and customise with mods. RDR2 on PC is handily a must-play for anybody with a rig beefy sufficient to run it.
Crimson Lifeless 2 cracked the highest 5 on our up to date checklist of the greatest open-world video games. In simply 4 years, it is also earned a spot on the checklist of best-selling video video games of all time.
20. Management
Management, in some ways, feels just like the end result of Treatment’s design concepts from its previous a number of video games distilled right down to their greatest variations and melded collectively for one trippy, enthralling journey. Jesse Faden’s story of infiltrating the Federal Bureau of Management’s workplaces comes full with a stellar set of talents befitting any good telepath, a propulsive, unusual story with a memorable forged and surprising twists, and an enchanting location that feels rooted in a way of historical past.
Treatment has stuffed Management’s world with little particulars that make its stranger concepts actually land, giving surprising life to each nook of its workplace constructing veneer. Identical to its primary location, the Oldest Home, rather more lies beneath the floor of Management, and its mysteries are value totally exploring. Additionally, the PC is at the moment the one place to play with ray tracing enabled, giving the world a extra life like and but extra otherworldly look. Possibly that’s why this improbable single-player PC sport gained 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 creating 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 turn into a mainstay in PC gaming and is probably single handedly chargeable for reinvigorating the farming sim style altogether. In that point, no different sport has efficiently managed to copy its masterful mixture of RPG mechanics, a satisfying gameplay loop, superbly mellow music, and an ever-growing checklist of issues to do as you whereas away your time in pastoral paradise.
The most recent main replace is the sport’s greatest 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 the most effective video games you possibly can play on PC.
The creator of Stardew Valley is now engaged on a model new sim referred to as Haunted Chocolatier.
18. Genshin Impression
With 48 playable characters (and counting), three large primary areas to discover, and important occasions and actions for mid- to late-game gamers month-to-month, Genshin Impression is likely one of the most spectacular free-to-play video games on the market – each by way of actions and common high quality. Along with its story-based marketing campaign, there are many nice facet quests, companion character occasions, and facet tales that provide a pleasant probability to higher get to know characters, resolve puzzles, seek out collectibles, and take part in limited-time occasions.
Even while you’ve reached the tip of what is out there of the ever-growing story, there are boss battles and world actions you possibly can play on-line with associates, stats and weapon optimizations for leveling your acquired playable characters, and many extra. Although the late-game does are typically extra of a grind attributable to a few of the randomness high-level character builds require and there are different sporadic steadiness points, Genshin Impression is mostly a pleasure all through.
Fortunately, the gatcha (or system by which you randomly draw rewards with premium foreign money in hopes of getting a greater weapon or character) system is not too invasive and it is not tough to earn premium foreign money with out paying. Positive, it will probably take some time to avoid wasting sufficient to get a assured 5-star character, nevertheless it’s completely attainable to do and you will possible earn different characters alongside the best way.
Two characters have been added to Genshin Impression because the replace: Dehya and Mika.
17. Grand Theft Auto 5 / GTA On-line
Grand Theft Auto V’s sprawling, but meticulously detailed map continues to be the excessive bar to which most open-world video games aspire. Not solely is it enormous, it’s extremely dense with wonderful content material – not simply the driving and capturing and three-protagonist story that make up its marketing campaign, and never restricted to the quite a few facet actions, however all of the sights, sounds, and bustling exercise you’d look forward to 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 artistic instruments and mods, it’s really wonderful 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 artistic instruments and mods, it’s really wonderful 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 no signal of GTA V going to pasture anytime quickly.
Rockstar has formally confirmed GTA 6 is in improvement. It would reportedly function a return to Vice Metropolis and star the collection’ first feminine playable character in a Bonnie & Clyde-inspired journey — particulars that had been seemingly corroborated by an enormous GTA 6 leak.
16. Forza Horizon 5
Driving video games are a long-running, essential, and revered power within the story of video video games, nevertheless it 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 actually particular. A slick and speedy smorgasbord of whole driving freedom constructed on the again of what’s already been the open-world racing collection to beat for almost a decade, Forza Horizon 5 broke by way of in a approach not even its wonderful predecessors managed.
This large, 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 various kinds of gamers. Whether or not you need to agonise over automotive builds and carve away milliseconds out of your race occasions, or simply need to cruise round and crash right into a cactus or two (hundred), it has you lined.
Forza Horizon 5’s Rally Journey growth, which comes with a brand new rally profession mode, comes out on March 29. Additionally through the first-ever Xbox Developer Direct, Flip 10 Studios revealed the subsequent sport franchise is Forza Motorsport and it’ll function greater than 500 vehicles and 800 distinctive upgrades.
15. FTL: Sooner Than Gentle
No sport simulates the sensation of being answerable for a starship flying by the seat of your pants like FTL: Sooner Than Gentle. It is a sport you should not anticipate to outlive – extra possible, you will be blasted out of the sky by a vastly superior enemy ship or boarded by a demise squad of large killer bugs who bloodbath your crew. Possibly your life-support system might be hacked and everybody will suffocate.
However FTL’s not about successful – it is a story generator, the place you get to speak concerning 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 house whereas your crew laughed behind bolstered 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 power you to alter up your methods on subsequent runs. And every now and then, you may even win.
We additionally named FTL the most effective roguelike video games.
14. Slay the Spire
In a roguelike, selection is king: Slay The Spire’s consistently altering decks of potential 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, abilities, and powers evolve throughout its three chapters is a journey, and throwing your hand in on the finish of a run figuring out it’s possible you’ll by no means see its like once more may be like saying goodbye to a good friend you had been solely simply attending to know.
In fact, the potential for getting a good higher mixture the subsequent time by way of makes it powerful to withstand hitting the New Sport button, and the randomized Day by day Climb runs give even veterans a brand new and attention-grabbing method to play on daily basis.
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 talents, 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 essentially the most fluid and pure because it offers us the liberty to completely capitalize on the vary of motion it presents.
It additionally has Apex Arenas as a everlasting mode that emulates round-based matches like these in Valorant, the place you should buy your talents and weapons earlier than every spherical and options 3v3 matchups. So even when battle royales aren’t your pace, there’s a approach 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 the most effective free-to-play PC video games, yr after yr.
The Solar Squad Assortment Occasion, which brings a brand new battle royale mode referred to as Heatwave, is operating in Apex Legends till April 11.
12. God of Conflict
God of Conflict made a huge effect when it launched as a PlayStation unique in 2018, even taking house 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 an entire 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 basic collection is actually improbable, all the best way from its wonderful and difficult fight to the extremely touching story that weaves it collectively. It’s gorgeously offered and thorough in its element, profiting from its roots whereas innovating on them in a approach 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 Conflict: Ragnarok, is now out there on PS5 and PS4. IGN awarded it a ten/10 evaluation rating and named it the Greatest Motion-Journey Sport of 2022.
11. Divinity: Authentic Sin 2 – Definitive Version
Divinity: Authentic Sin 2 has cemented it as one of many biggest RPGs of all time. It masterfully mixes items of basic cRPGs with extra fashionable mechanics and designs, feeling previous and new on the identical time. The sequel has improved upon its predecessor’s already unbelievable fight by deepening its methods whereas concurrently simplifying and smoothing out its clunkier bits – to not point out it launched some brutally sensible 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 individual, and over 74,000 traces of totally voiced dialogue, this large RPG has greater than sufficient to maintain you coming again to it.
10. Ultimate Fantasy XIV On-line
In brief, Ultimate Fantasy XIV is not only the most effective MMO you possibly can play proper now, it’s a improbable Ultimate Fantasy sport in its personal proper. By 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+ yr 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 case you don’t need to, you actually don’t should play with different individuals. Story missions are supposed 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 bunch 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 massive Patch 64, dubbed The Darkish Throne, will hit FF14 sooner or later in late Could.
9. Hades
Hades is the present gold normal of the roguelite style, and it isn’t even shut. From its exhilarating fight, to its unbelievable soundtrack, to its intelligent and properly written narrative with characters that seemingly by no means run out of significant issues to say, all the best way to its deep and modern put up sport that retains you wanting to return again for extra even after beating the final boss.
Hades is extremely tough, nevertheless it by no means feels punishing in defeat. Dying is a part of the sport, and really comes with its personal rewards within the type of new conversations with its fascinating forged 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, the whole lot 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 house break aside as soon as once more. In Outer Wilds, you reside by way of those self same 22 minutes till you possibly can efficiently resolve 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 house journey is likely one of the greatest 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 property planet and see what’s occurring there. Must you really feel misplaced or want a touch on what to do subsequent, your entire 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 brief growth’s puzzles are simply as pleasing as what you will discover in the remainder of Outer Wilds, however the pervasive, menacing rigidity in Echoes of the Eye makes every step ahead within the general thriller really feel much more rewarding.
7. Hole Knight
Hole Knight is likely one of the greatest fashionable Metroidvania’s round. It’s lovely, expansive, and stuffed with pleasant secrets and techniques to find that can 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 exhausting to place down.
Its sprawling caves open up and supply a number of paths to you at any given time, however irrespective of which approach you go there are thrilling bosses to combat and important power-ups to make you stronger. And although it was already an enormous sport, Hole Knight has solely gotten larger since its launch in early 2017. Developer Workforce Cherry launched a number of free updates with new areas and managers, every tougher than the final. However whether or not you simply need 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 identified for his or her maddeningly complicated methods so dense they’re close to impenetrable, they’re additionally concerning the human tales that emerge when nice figures collide. Crusader Kings 3 offers you some ways to inform these tales, be it overwhelming army may, 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 strong nested tooltip system that helps permit even technique newcomers benefit from the sport’s complexity. The most recent growth, Royal Courtroom, provides a zoomed-in bodily house 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, providing 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 the most effective PC Sport Move video games.
5. Elden Ring
In simply the few brief 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 overlaying almost each sq. inch of its completely huge map. The one factor that holds it again on this checklist 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 high 5 greatest PC video games of all time.
Elden Ring is likely one of 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 solely 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 presents solely authentic methods to play, corresponding to corresponding to debating towards 24 completely different sections of your individual mind, every consultant of a special talent or trait.
Your down-and-out detective is thrust into circumstances the place you could resolve 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 forged of characters drive it alongside, supported by a few of the greatest writing seen in a sport. Enjoying Disco Elysium feels solely recent and just about in contrast to anything you’ll have skilled on PC in any period, not to mention this one.
Key members of the Disco Elysium improvement workforce are 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 sensible, high-stakes tactical fight of XCOM: Enemy Unknown, and its Conflict 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 risk of the everlasting demise of your custom-made troopers looming over each choice.
Nonetheless, it turns the components of defending Earth from alien invaders on its head by boldly recasting XCOM as a guerrilla power trying to liberate the planet from alien occupation, making the scenario really feel much more determined than ever. This larger, deeper sequel provides not simply complexity within the type of new and extra highly effective soldier courses, tools, and aliens, but in addition an enormous deal with 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 refined content material ahead than The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has. Its large sandbox open-world areas impress, each by way of scope and density; they’re generously dotted with nice monsters to slay, tantalizing mysteries to resolve, and private tales to unfurl.
It’s additionally one of the crucial spectacular general productions in gaming historical past, with reams of excellently written dialogue carried out by a stellar voice forged, an unbelievable authentic soundtrack, and graphics that qualify as each a technical and inventive achievement.
CD Projekt Crimson is engaged on a new Witcher trilogy, in addition to an Unreal Engine 5 remake of The Witcher 1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt lately obtained the 4.02 patch, including refraction to ray-traced water reflections and restoring horizon-based ambient occlusion, amongst different quality-of-life adjustments.
1. Half-Life: Alyx
Valve’s first Half-Life sport in 13 years reminded us of the signature innovation that’s made this collection so particular, and why its return was so anticipated. Simply as the primary Half-Life proved you possibly can 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 normal for polish in digital actuality shooters and is a really distinctive expertise. It is so spectacular, actually, that we consider totally justifies investing in a VR headset to your PC if you have not already (particularly now {that a} Meta Quest 2 may 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 towards aliens and zombies the place the straightforward 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 capturing, however much more than a yr later nothing has but matched Valve’s degree of element. Intelligent three-dimensional puzzles and wonderful and sometimes humorous performances from its forged break up the motion, and it is all capped off with a improbable ending that made the decade-plus we needed to watch for 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 greatest fashionable PC video games! Clearly there are dozens of unbelievable video games we could not embrace, however that’s what occurs while you solely have 25 spots. Tell us within the feedback what’s in your checklist that did not make ours, and make sure you try our different greatest video games lists — we replace them every time new, nice video games are made:
With contributions from Cristina Alexander.
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