Scuf Gaming, the company best-known for customizing high-end gamepads, has announced its first two controllers with a design based on Microsoft's official Xbox Series X|S controller.

The Scuf Instinct and Instinct Pro are compatible with Xbox Series X|S, PC, and mobile devices. Both gamepads feature four paddles on the back of the controller. Unlike the other controllers released by Scuf, such as the Prestige Xbox One controller (which also works on Series X|S), or the Vantage PS4 controller, the paddles on the Instinct and Instinct Pro are smaller, with placement similar to the Xbox Elite and Elite Series 2 controllers.

Both controllers offer three different button remapping profiles, wired and wireless connection support, a 3.5mm audio jack, a removable D-pad, and interchangeable thumbsticks. Additionally, both controllers have a removable faceplate, meaning you can change the color of your controller by removing the controller's chassis.

Although both controllers look very similar, there are two differences between both controllers. Only the Instinct Pro offers adjustable instant triggers, which Scuf says are supposed to act as a "mouse click for faster shots." And a performance grip for a non-slip feel aimed at gamers who enjoy extended gameplay sessions.

Instinct and Instinct Pro are the Scuf's first Xbox Series X|S-designed controllers since the ninth-gen console switch over, though older controllers will still work with the latest console. While it is unknown when the company plans to release, let alone unveil a third-party DualSense controller, Corsair's CEO confirmed that Scuf is working on its own version of the PS5 controller during its Q1 earnings call in May.

The Instinct and Instinct Pro are available for purchase now, exclusively on Scuf's official website. The Instinct's retail price starts at $170, while the Instinct Pro starts at $200.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Ubisoft Singapore, the studio currently working on Skull & Bones, is being investigated by a national watchdog for fair and progressive employment practices over claims of sexual harassment and workplace discrimination.

Singapore's Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) told The Straits Times that on July 23 it had received anonymous feedback to media articles "about allegations of workplace harassment and unfair treatment" at Ubisoft's Singapore studio.

That feedback was received by TAFEP just days after an investigation by Kotaku was published, featuring interviews with over twenty current and former Ubisoft Singapore staff. Sources reported a broad range of issues affecting the studio in recent years, ranging from discriminatory racial pay disparities, sexual harassment, and bullying by managers. The majority of the toxic work conditions allegedly featured under the studio's previous Managing Director Hugues Ricour.

When questioned about the allegations at a press event on August 6, The Straits Times reports that recently appointed studio Managing Director, Darryl Long, said "It's very important that we can talk about these things and that we acknowledge what's going on in our industry right now [...] We need to start to change the way we are perceived and the way we act internally as well."

Per The Straits Times, Long said that Ubisoft Singapore does not accept discrimination, harassment, or misconduct of any kind. The studio has reportedly hired a third-party agency to look into complaints. "We have taken concrete action to formalize how misconduct is dealt with," said Long. He did acknowledged that the studio has seen "some challenges over the past decade" and that there is "still work to be done about [its] culture".

In Singapore, misconduct regarding workplace discrimination on the basis of characteristics such as age, gender, race, religion, and language can result in severe sanctions for a company. If found guilty, not only could TAFEP require the studio to implement new policies to prevent future incidents, but the Ministry of Manpower could also prohibit the company from applying for new work passes for foreign workers for up to a maximum of two years.

News of the harassment claims come at a tumultuous time for a number of studios within the games industry. Hundreds of Ubisoft employees from around the globe recently signed an open letter asserting solidarity with Activision Blizzard staff as employees from the latter company staged a walkout in protest of the response their company’s leadership had made to the lawsuit that highlighted harassment, inequality, and more within the company.

With the investigation surrounding Ubisoft Singapore still in its early stages, TAFEP has urged anyone with knowledge of workplace criminal conduct, be it assault, harassment, or otherwise, to report incidents to the police.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Update: Riot responded to IGN with the following statement.

"Notices are being sent to former employees to confirm that Riot’s severance agreements have never in any way prohibited speaking to government agencies. Riot has never and will never retaliate against anyone for talking to any government agency. In fact, our standard severance agreement has included the following language for many years (predating Kotaku's original reporting and any involvement from the DFEH)."

The court went out of its way to say sending these notices in no way indicates any judgement against Riot on the DFEH allegations, and the judge recognized that Riot has always maintained that our agreements allow people to make government complaints.

Riot also included a screenshot of the whistle-blower protection section its says is in its standard severance agreement. It says:

"Nothing in this agreement prohibits you from reporting possibly violations of federal or state law or regulation to any governmental agency or entity, or making other disclosures that are authorized or protected by law or regulation. You do not need the prior authorization of the Company or its legal team to make any such reports or disclosures, and you are not required to notify the Company that you have made such reports or disclosures."

Riot added that clarification notices is specific to former employees who signed severance or settlement agreements. Riot says it will file a response through the courts today.

The original story continues below.

California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing - the agency behind a recent lawsuit against Activision Blizzard – has accused Riot Games of stalling over sending notice to its workers about their right to speak with the government. It follows a separate investigation into the results of a gender discrimination lawsuit at the League of Legends developer.

As reported by Axios, a government press release reports that the DFEH has asked the Los Angeles Superior Court to compel Riot Games to comply with a June 4 court order requiring the company to send notice to its workers about their rights to speak with the government agency. The notice from the company would detail workers' rights to speak with the government department and participate in any action against Riot Games without fear of retaliation.

The report states that, following a company-wide investigation of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and sex discrimination at Riot Games in 2019, the studio announced that it had reached settlement agreements with around 100 women who had waived their claims and rights without notice of the government's actions. Following an official request by the government in January 2021 to review the agreements, they were eventually received in April. The DFEH says that upon review, the documents suggested that employees at Riot Games who had signed the settlement could not voluntarily speak with the government about violations within the workplace - a factor that if found to be true would infringe upon anti-retaliation and anti-interference provisions in state legislation.

DFEH Director Kevin Kish recently spoke about the settlements. “Agreements that attempt to bar individuals from filing a complaint or assisting in a DFEH case run afoul of the anti-retaliation and anti-interference provisions of the Fair Employment and Housing Act," said Kish. “Employers cannot impose a penalty on people who engage in protected activity under statutes enforced by DFEH. The very existence of such agreements has a chilling effect on the willingness of individuals to come forward with information that may be of importance to the DFEH as it seeks to advance the public interest in the elimination of unlawful employment discrimination and harassment.”

The court reportedly ordered Riot Games to give its workers notice on June 4 that would detail their right to speak to the government. The notice informs workers that they are able to "freely cooperate, participate, and obtain potential relief, if awarded,” in the DFEH's pending action. It also states that “Riot Games cannot retaliate or take any adverse action against [them] for speaking with DFEH, participating in DFEH pending action, or obtaining potential relief in such action.” In addition, “Riot Games cannot require [any worker] to either notify the company or obtain permission before speaking with DFEH,” and that “[i]t is unlawful for [any] employer to retaliate against [workers] for speaking to the government or otherwise voluntarily participating or cooperating in government proceedings.”

The Verge reports that Riot denies the DFEH's claims, and says nothing in its documentation suggests that employees could not speak to the government.

The DFEH's pending action against Riot Games is separate from the current ongoing lawsuit that the department has against Activision Blizzard. The lawsuit was filed on July 20 alleging a toxic 'Frat Boy' work culture in which female employees were the subject of unequal pay and sexual harassment. A number of developments surrounding the landmark case have taken place, including a walkout by Activision Employees in protest at the response the company’s leadership made to the lawsuit, and the departure of Blizzard President J. Allen Brack, who was said to be “leaving the company to pursue new opportunities.”

We recently spoke to developers across Activision Blizzard in an in-depth report that details more about this time of reckoning for Activision Blizzard, and the many employees who work within its studios.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Ray Fisher has asserted that he will not be returning to the Cyborg role until he gets an apology from Warner Bros. and DC Films President Walter Hamada.

No Load Time posted a clip from a Q&A with Fisher at last weekend's MEGACON Orlando, where the actor spoke candidly about Justice League, the Snyder cut, Warner Bros. and more. During the session, Fisher answered numerous questions, including one from the podcast's host who asked what it would take for him to reprise the Cyborg role again in the DCEU.

"That's a complicated question," Fisher admitted, giving it some further consideration before delivering an answer (around the 13:55 mark in the video). "I think, ultimately, how people spend their money determines what happens and what does not happen in this business, and particularly in comic books, DC, and all of that."

"For me, there's a lot of stuff behind the scenes," he continued. "Obviously, I've not been shy about talking about all of the things that have occurred over the last year, the back and forth that I've had personally and publicly with Warner Bros. Pictures, Walter Hamada, and the rest of the crew over there.

"I think it all starts with an apology from Warner Bros. side of things," Fisher added. "There's a lot of really gnarly stuff that has gone down, especially publicly. What Walter Hamada and Warner Bros. Pictures attempted to do, professionally and personally, during one of the most crucial years for Black people in the history of really humanity, is just unacceptable."

Fisher went on to say that he would not be supporting any Walter Hamada production until an apology is issued. He acknowledged that it was a difficult situation to be in because he's a "DC fan through and through" who "loves the characters," though he recognized that "sometimes you've got to give up what you love to do what's right."

WarnerMedia confirmed last year that the Justice League investigation had concluded and that "remedial action" had been taken over Fisher's claims about his treatment on set and Joss Whedon's alleged behavior. It remains unclear what "remedial action" was taken, though Fisher observed on Twitter that it included "some we've seen, and some that is still to come."

Zack Snyder has gone on the record several times to speak about Fisher's importance to Justice League's story. This importance was eventually restored when DC released the Snyder cut of Justice League on HBO Max. This version uses no footage shot by Whedon and restores several original scenes and lines that were cut from the 2017 theatrical release.

Adele Ankers is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

Note: This article has been updated to credit the podcast responsible for posing the question to Ray Fisher at the MEGACON event.

Razer's Project Hazel RGB face mask is officially called Zephyr, and the company is now accepting community sign-ups that will give those interested a chance to test it out before its release.

Razer shared the news on Twitter, confirming that the Razer Zephyr is the latest evolution of its wearable air purifier.

Project Hazel is now officially Razer Zephyr – the latest evolution of our wearable air purifier. Designed to be safe, social and sustainable, Razer Zephyr sports 99% BFE, a secure silicon face seal and anti-fog coating. Join our community beta test: https://t.co/mlex2YSMpi pic.twitter.com/yLUj0lO2oJ

— R Λ Z Ξ R (@Razer) August 6, 2021

Zephyr is designed to be "safe, social and sustainable," and it also "sports 99% BFE, a secure silicon face seal and anti-fog coating." For those interested in signing up, all you have to do is go to the Community Beta Test page and enter your name, country, e-mail, social media, and a brief explainer of why you'd like to be part of the test.

Razer first unveiled this RGB face mask concept at CES 2021 in January, and it confirmed that it was becoming a real product in March 2021. Razer Zephyr is still slated to release this year, but Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan warned that there would be limited quantities of the mask "from the getgo."

Fortunately, Razer is planning on implementing a "sales by drops" strategy, meaning it will have a database of those interested in purchasing one and will let them know when units become available once again.

The Razer Zephyr is a "surgical N95 respirator" and has a high fluid resistance to protect against large droplets and splashes. It also features a clear and transparent design that will let others see you speak and pick up on facial cues easier. Its Voiceamp technology will also ensure your speech isn't muffled via its built-in mic and amplifier combo.

It also supports replaceable filters, has rechargeable ventilators, comes with a wireless charging case with UV sterilizer, is meant for daily use, and can take advantage of 16.8 million colors and a suite of effects thanks to Razer Chroma RGB.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Razer's Project Hazel RGB face mask is officially called Zephyr, and the company is now accepting community sign-ups that will give those interested a chance to test it out before its release.

Razer shared the news on Twitter, confirming that the Razer Zephyr is the latest evolution of its wearable air purifier.

Project Hazel is now officially Razer Zephyr – the latest evolution of our wearable air purifier. Designed to be safe, social and sustainable, Razer Zephyr sports 99% BFE, a secure silicon face seal and anti-fog coating. Join our community beta test: https://t.co/mlex2YSMpi pic.twitter.com/yLUj0lO2oJ

— R Λ Z Ξ R (@Razer) August 6, 2021

Zephyr is designed to be "safe, social and sustainable," and it also "sports 99% BFE, a secure silicon face seal and anti-fog coating." For those interested in signing up, all you have to do is go to the Community Beta Test page and enter your name, country, e-mail, social media, and a brief explainer of why you'd like to be part of the test.

Razer first unveiled this RGB face mask concept at CES 2021 in January, and it confirmed that it was becoming a real product in March 2021. Razer Zephyr is still slated to release this year, but Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan warned that there would be limited quantities of the mask "from the getgo."

Fortunately, Razer is planning on implementing a "sales by drops" strategy, meaning it will have a database of those interested in purchasing one and will let them know when units become available once again.

The Razer Zephyr is a "surgical N95 respirator" and has a high fluid resistance to protect against large droplets and splashes. It also features a clear and transparent design that will let others see you speak and pick up on facial cues easier. Its Voiceamp technology will also ensure your speech isn't muffled via its built-in mic and amplifier combo.

It also supports replaceable filters, has rechargeable ventilators, comes with a wireless charging case with UV sterilizer, is meant for daily use, and can take advantage of 16.8 million colors and a suite of effects thanks to Razer Chroma RGB.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

A new remote-controlled robot called the BeBot is helping keep Florida beaches clean, and if all goes well, the other 29 BeBots manufactured could help clean additional beaches, resorts, and more.

Florida's beaches are known as some of the best in the world thanks to our blue and green planet, but humanity has gotten in the way of that at times by leaving trash in the sand or water. This is especially problematic as many plastics don't break down, which means they eventually find their way into precious marine ecosystems.

"Walk any beach or coastline around the world, and you're bound to encounter some form of plastic pollution," 4ocean, the marine cleanup company that purchased BeBot, notes on its website. "Plastic waste isn't just an eyesore that impacts tourism and local economies; it's also an environmental hazard that can harm wildlife and degrade crucial coastal ecosystems."

BeBot is working its way around beaches in South Florida at the moment, but another BeBot will soon be deployed to Hawaii to "support local partners and existing cleanup initiatives on the island of Oahu." 4ocean says the sole purpose of BeBot is to clean and restore the world's coastlines while also preserving the natural beach environment.

It's not fully automatic like iRobot's Roomba, but is instead remote-controlled by someone. According to BeBot manufacturer Poralu Marine, this is for safety reasons, as the machine will likely often be in the vicinity of beachgoers. It can be controlled remotely from up to 300 meters away, so while it isn't automatic, it will look autonomous to those near it.

"The BeBot can silently and discreetly clean up to 3,000m2 of beach an hour depending on the topography," 4ocean says. That 3,000m2 is the equivalent of seven basketball courts.

The BeBot is 100% electric, so it does not require fuel and isn't as loud as a traditional engine, which is great for those trying to relax on the beach. It runs on a mix of solar and battery power, too, so there's no harmful gas, liquid emissions, or diesel fumes.

"To help keep beaches clean, many coastal properties utilize heavy-duty equipment like tractors to rake the sand or manual sifters that are labor intensive, less efficient, trigger beach erosion, and automatically crush fauna and flora present in the sand," 4ocean's website says. "Yet these devices leave a lot of plastic waste behind because it's either too small or too deep in the sand to capture."

That's not the case with the BeBot, though. It operates at depths of up to 10cm and collects plastic debris as small as 1cm2, according to 4ocean. It can pick up cigarette butts, food wrappers, bottle caps, and other plastic fragments that are easily concealed by sand. It can also sift through sand, rake algae, lift and carry larger items like beach chairs, and level otherwise unleveled sand patches and fields.

4ocean says the BeBot program is on track to remove 20 million pounds of trash by the year's end and there are 30 BeBots in total right now that could be deployed to beaches in other places.

BeBot is just one of many cleaning robots trying to make the world a cleaner place. There's also the Clearbot robot Razer helped create to clean ocean waste. For more about the ocean and the world's beaches, read about this new reef discovered in Australia that's taller than the Empire State Building, and then read about this bionic moon jellyfish created by scientists after that.

Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.