At the tail-end of June, River, the real-life dog inspiration behind Fallout 4's Dogmeat, passed away. We wrote up our own tribute to the fallen puppers, but Xbox and Bethesda are taking celebrating River's life to a whole new level by raising money for the Humane Society.

We learned of River's passing through a post on Twitter shared by Fallout 4 senior designer Joel Burgess. Burgess offered a sweet, heartfelt thread that gave us a look into River's eventful life, a life filled with inspiring games, all the treats she could ever want, and the belly rubs that this good puppers deserved. River was loved and well cared for, but that's, unfortunately, not the case for all animals. Many are left abandoned in shelters, hoping to be picked up by a loving family to show them what being cared for means. Sometimes, these animals find their forever homes but others? Not so much. It's heartbreaking to think about, which is why Xbox and Bethesda teamed up to help by raising money for the Humane Society to give all animals a shot at the love that animals like River received. 

DOGMEAT FOREVER ?

In honor of River, Xbox and @BethesdaStudios are donating $10,000 to the Montgomery County Humane Society.

If you also would like to join us in donating, you can right here: https://t.co/LD6ZDk6dov https://t.co/TiiYZ7Lq1Q

— Xbox (@Xbox) July 7, 2021

Not only did the two companies donate $10,000 dollars to the Human Society in Montgomery County, but the dual studios also encouraged gamers around the world to do the same with this donation link. Not sure what the Humane Society is? It's an organization with the mission statement of "We fight for all animals." Crowd-supported, this organization doesn't just house and rehabilitate animals, they actively go out and try to stop abuse and cruelty before it even happens. "We're working to end puppy mills, factory farms, trophy hunts, animal testing, and other cruel industries so we can achieve the vision behind our name: a humane society," reads the official website. 

It's a phenomenal organization, one I've worked with on numerous occasions when looking to provide a safe haven for animals, especially those that can't defend themselves against the horrors that are possible in the real world. In the words of Preston, "Another settlement needs your help," but this time? It's the animals that just want to live and those that want to be loved and feel safe. 

Major kudos to both Xbox and Bethesda for taking on this initiative and I hope to see many more like this in the future. 

The release for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD on Nintendo Switch is just around the corner, and to celebrate, Nintendo just dropped a brand new trailer showing off what Zelda fans can expect. The latest trailer features Link front and center, as he takes on all of the various enemies that can be encountered. It also shows off even more of the updated visuals for the HD version of the game and what sort of changes players can experience in the world of Hyrule. 

The previous trailer we received for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD was a detailed video showcasing the various enhancements made to the game, specifically going into the most overt changes that will be seen. It also showed off more Quality of Life changes like skippable cutscenes, Fi support, and more. This new trailer is more of a "be excited; it's one week away" type of look, which is A-okay for those amped up to see what else looks different. 

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was loved by many, despite what comment sections like to say presently. At the time, players enjoyed the adventure that Link underwent, and there were many positive reviews reinstating that this was a strong entry in the Legend of Zelda franchise. 

With the HD version coming out just next week, players can look forward to optimized control options, additional help from Fi, better framerates for a smoother gameplay experience, a more streamlined means of inventory management, skippable cutscenes, fast-forwardable dialogue, and other tweaks made to the environment to make it a little bit more immersive. 

Back when the original was released, we gave Skyward Sword a perfect 10. "Nintendo has talked about Skyward Sword as the title that shows how Zelda can evolve, and as a lifelong fan of this franchise, I feel confident saying that the game does just that," reads our original review. "From a gameplay and story standpoint, this is the biggest shift the series has ever seen, grafting remarkably fresh additions onto the classic structure."

The adventure begins (again) on July 16 for Nintendo Switch. 

Are you excited to dive back into Zelda: Skyward Sword with the HD version? Will this be your first time with the game? Sound off with those Link-fueled thoughts in the comment section below; Fi would want you to.