This week on Spiffing Reads, we kick off with a cheeky move from Activision, followed by some stunning Zelda artwork…

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Activision’s patented method to drive microtransactions with matchmaking (Ars Technica)

Patents have recently leaked, revealing Activision’s plans to introduce weird microtransaction-pushing matchmaking mechanics to future multiplayer games. Other sources that claim to have read the patent documents in greater detail go on to reveal that the plans also include the creation of bots with fabricated profiles that would impersonate real players, as well as introducing entire clans of these impersonating bots. It’s unclear whether or not these bots are also intended for the purpose of microtransaction-pushing, but either way, these sure seem to be some pretty controversial plans for the future of online multiplayer games Baron Ritchenbaum Fotchenstein

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Zelda Propaganda Posters Are Fighting The Good Fight (Kotaku)

Kotaku highlighted the work of Fernando Reza, an artist from LA, who has created some absolutely stunning Zelda posters inspired by war propaganda. They’re all based on actual posters that were produced in the First and Second World Wars, but here we have Ganon standing in for the Hun/Nazis, and Navi encouraging good citizens to LISTEN to warnings of spies. Amazing stuff. Head this way to order prints. Lucius P. Merriweather

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If Nintendo put me in charge of a GameBoy Classic Edition, here are the 30 games it would include (The Gay Gamer)

Bryan Ochalla over at The Gay Gamer listed his picks for the GameBoy Mini, if such a thing were ever to be produced (and let’s hope it is). As well as the obvious choices (Super Mario Land, Tetris), he highlights some Japanese oddities (Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru) as well as some really interesting sounding games I’ve never heard of, like X, developed by Argonaut Software of Star Fox fame. I’ve asked Bryan for permission to copy his idea, so we’ll be producing an AMAP list of GB classics very soon! L.P.M.

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An Indie Game That Captures That Early 3D JRPG Charm (Power Bomb Attack)

Imtiaz at Power Bomb Attack discovered a fantastic-looking JRPG called Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds, which is being developed by the Indonesian studio Semisoft (which incidentally is one of the worst names for a developer I’ve ever heard, but hey ho). The hand-drawn backgrounds of the game look utterly stunning, and it promises some good old traditional JRPG gameplay. Definitely one to watch. L.P.M.

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Spiffing Reads is a regular feature where we pick out the best gaming articles of the week. If you’ve read anything interesting, please let us know in the comments.

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