Thursday is traditionally a time to reflect on the past, but gamers have save games for that.  Instead of reminiscing about games gone by, let's instead focus on several awesome things happening in the present, and some rather confusing ones.

Get XCOM Enemy Unknown for Free.

For one day only you can get your hands on a copy of XCOM: Enemy Unknown for the low, low price of free.  All you have to do is vote in the Golden Joystick Awards presented by Green Man Gaming.  Head over to GoldenJoystick.com to vote for your favorite game, and get a free one in return.

Level 20 Players in the Heroes of the Storm Technical Alpha Might be Able to Invite All Their Friends.

Blizzard Entertainment has reopened their Technical Alpha, and to promote it will pit their players against eachother like children vying for their parents' affection.  If you're hardcore enough to level up to 20, you'll be entered into a drawing that could win you the adoration of all your friends -- if all your friends want in on the Alpha that is.  TL;DR: level 20 players could win invites to the alpha for everyone on their Battle.Net ID friends list.  You have between now and November 17th, 2014, so get laning. 

The Best Steam Weekend Yet Starts Today.

Ten games will be free this weekend on Valve's digital gaming platform, and they're good ones.  This weekend you can play the following: Awesomenauts, Blade Symphony, Company of Heroes 2, Don't Starve, Grid 2, Injustice: Gods Among Us, Killing Floor, Payday 2, Trine 2, and XCOM: Enemy Unknown.  Dance while you can friends, because when the clock strikes midnight your gaming session will turn back into a pumpkin, or in this case require payment to keep the dream alive.

Free Pokemon Available at Gamestop.

Do you have Pokemon X or Y?  Do you enjoy collecting rare Pokemon without having to pay for them?  Then now is the time to head to GameStop, where you can SpotPass your way to a free Shiny Mega Gengar.  All you need to do is bring your 3DS to your local GameStop, talk with an employee about the promotion, and you'll be on your way to ghost ownership in no time.  

Warner Bros. is Completely Botching the Minecraft Movie.

When I say Minecraft, do you automatically think of Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, and Hank Azaria?  No? I'm sorry to say now you will have to. Variety announced today that the Minecraft movie will be directed by Shawn Levy, best known for Night at the Museum 2.  Keeping in mind this is the sort of movie that should never be a thing anyway, this directing choice just makes me want to hug a creeper.

Our own Martin Brandt is Funding a Project on Kickstarter.

And finally, I wanted to take a moment to let our readers know that our own Martin Brandt has started a Kickstarter campaign for his adorably creepy kids comic Kidthulhu: Tales of Madness.  Please take a moment and support him in any way you can.  If you can spare some change to back him, everyone that donates on the first day will get a sketch card and a Cultist ID card.  You know, so you can get into all those secret cult meetings.