Subnautica: Below Zero has surfaced from Early Access on Steam, offering Unknown Worlds' sequel to the underwater adventuring of Subnautica. Word is: "Subnautica: Below Zero is a new chapter in the Subnautica universe that will drop players into a freezing underwater adventure, set after the events of the original Subnautica. Below Zero challenges players to survive the icy biomes of an alien planet by crafting tools and scavenging for supplies as players unravel its mysteries." Here's a thread from yesterday with some reviews you might want to check out. A new trailer comes up for air to show off some gameplay, and the announcement explains more:

Subnautica: Below Zero offers players a myriad of new challenges and tools to face them, including the Seatruck and Snowfox vehicles that offer new ways to traverse the frozen seascape. Alterra bases offer more variety than before with new room types and even jukeboxes. A stream of quality of life improvements have also been injected into the game for the official launch and throughout the early access period. New icy biomes above and below the surface encourage players to explore, improve their gear, and discover all corners of the map.

The Subnautica series has been critically acclaimed for its massive open world and immersive gameplay that tests how far players are willing to go in wonder of its ocean world. Subnautica: Below Zero features an all-new story, new land environments to explore, new technology to craft, and treacherous mysteries to uncover.

Continue here to read the full story.

In an interview on CNET BioWare's Mac Walters and Kevin Meek discuss hopes that the just-released Mass Effect Legendary Edition will change players' opinions about the game's *spoiler.* Walters also answers a question about multiplayer support, saying it's possible this will return, depending on the overall response to the re-release:

Is there any possibility of the Mass Effect 3 multiplayer mode (which isn't in the Legendary Edition) coming back in some form? I got super into it back then because you could try all the different abilities and just zip around as an Asari or one of the other races.
Walters: I would never say no to that -- we want to see what kind of reception the Legendary Edition gets and what the demand for the multiplayer is. And then we'll ask ourselves if we have the resources and time to bring it up to the quality level we and fans want.

EA Games invites us all to a Knockout City Block Party. This explains that the promised free trial of the upcoming dodgeball game is going to be a 10-day party starting on day one. The free trial part of this is actually nine days, as it gets underway on May 21st at 8:00 am EDT and ends on May 30 at 8:00 am EDT. Word is: "This isn’t some level-capped, red-tape teaser with gated access, either. You’ll have the full game at your disposal—which is good, because you’ll want to try out all the new Contracts, Playlists, and content we’re releasing at launch without worrying about hitting an invisible barrier." Here's a Block Party Trailer and here's more:

Remember back in the early days of Knockout City™, when we casually mentioned there’d be a free trial of Knockout City at launch? What we didn’t tell you back then is we’ve secretly been planning an entire PARTY. Come to KO City for the ultimate Block Party, and bring your friends, because everyone is invited!

This ain’t no ordinary shindig, either. This event is going to be ten straight days of nonstop party-till-you-drop as we turn the excitement up to 11 with a free trial that lasts the entire length of the party. Here’s what you need to know so you can start gearing up to throw down!

Continue here to read the full story.

Quoth the raven, "nevermore!" Raven tweets that it is kicking off the weekend with a little workout for the old Call of Duty banhammer. Word is over a half-million Warzone cheaters have now shared this ignominious fate:

Banned over 30,000 malicious accounts across Call of Duty yesterday... bringing us to over half a million accounts banned in #Warzone.

A post to the Frontier Forums from Frontier Community Manager Bruce G explaining that next week's launch of the new Odyssey expansion for Elite Dangerous will divide the community, as only owners of the expansion will be able to play the new Odyssey content (thanks Eurogamer). Odyssey players can also temporarily enter a Horizons mode to allow them to play with Elite Dangerous: Horizons owners (but not with Odyssey players). Here's word:

All Elite Dangerous: Odyssey players will gain access to the new features, including planetary improvements, enhanced lighting, and textures. The differences will mean that Elite Dangerous: Horizons players cannot share a gameplay session with those playing Odyssey. However, Odyssey owners will be able to share a session with and play with those in Horizons by launching the game in Horizons mode – though if they do this, they will temporarily not have access to the new Odyssey features.

Steam now offers cyberpunkdreams, an interactive fiction RPG for Windows and Linux from Late Night Games. Here's the recently released release trailer. For more, this post has details on a week of livestreams that are underway to celebrate the launch. Here's a bit to help decide if this is the cyberpunk of your dreams:

The city is spread before you, horizon to horizon, a vast sore squatting on the world. 24 million people, most of it lawless slum and favela. The last outpost of civilisation on the edge of the badlands. One of the most relevant, cosmopolitan cities in the world. Is it any wonder you ended up here?

cyberpunkdreams is an evolving text-based role-playing adventure with countless opportunities, and endless chances for destruction. Take on the role of a lone wanderer sent to the gates of 2090s Cincinnati. The dirt and grit from the badlands coats your clothes - with your memories torn from you, all you have is a weapon across your back and a mission to complete.

Continue here to read the full story.

With Days Gone set to launch on Tuesday, Steam is now offering preloads of this open-world action/adventure from developer Bend Studio and publisher PlayStation Mobile. This post has a PC Features Trailer and more on the launch:

We are only a few days away from the release of Days Gone on PC. If you Pre-Purchased Days Gone on Steam, you can pre-load it right now! Available to play on May 17 at 9:00 PM PDT/ May 18 at 12:00 AM EST.

If you missed any of our previous announcements, catch them here with our PC features trailer and the Days Gone PC - FAQ.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Steam’s “price parity rule” isn’t wreaking havoc on game prices. "Game publishers aren't 'passing on the savings' from 'cheaper' online storefronts." Thanks Verno.

• Weekend Sale: games that will lighten up your weekend up to 90% off - GOG.com.
• Team 17 Publisher Sale - Steam.
• Total War: Historic Savings - Steam.
• Save 52% on BloodRayne: Terminal Cut Bundle on Steam.
• Humble DeckBuild & Battle Bundle (pay what you want and help charity).*
• Save 90% on Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter on Steam.

*Blue's News may receive a commission on sales of this item.

• Biomutant - Gameplay Footage (PC).
• Kerbal Space Program 2: Episode 3 - Next Gen Astronauts.

• "Good Game Nice Try" Nolan North on his Uncharted Path.
• I’m Peter Hu, programmer/designer/founder on Diablo II/IIx, Hellgate: London, Torchlight I/II, Marvel Heroes, and, most recently, Mythgard. Ask me anything.

• Online voting is now open for the IGF and GDCA Audience Awards.
• Rogue Company kicks off Season Two with Double Rogue Mastery XP in-game until Monday, 5/17.

• Mass Effect Legendary Edition Now Available for Xbox One and Xbox Series X-S.
• Subnautica- Below Zero is Now Available for Xbox One and Xbox Series X-S.
• Wunderling (Demo) Is Now Available For Xbox One And Xbox Series X-S.
• Cosmic Top Secret Is Now Available For Digital Pre-order And Pre-download On Xbox One And Xbox Series X-S.
• This Week on Xbox- May 14, 2021.

• Waymo had to rescue an autonomous van that was confused by safety cones.

• This facial recognition website can turn anyone into a cop - or a stalker. Thanks A51Abductee.
• Facebook users bypass misinformation rules with anti-vaccine profile frames.

• AMD RX 6900XT Screams at 3.3 GHz, Breaking Another World Record.
• TSMC is considering a 3 nm foundry in Arizona.
• Robot gives insight into how cats walk.

• Linux and open-source communities rise to Biden's cybersecurity challenge.
• Could A Ban On Ransom Payments Have Stopped The Colonial Pipeline Attack? Thanks RedEye9.
• Thousands of public-facing VoIP devices identifiable worldwide.

• Fall Guys studio accidentally leaks the source code onto Steam…

Last Link of the Day: Bucketheads- S1E1 -Ground Zero- - Prologue (Star Wars Fan Series). Thanks Jake.

Obituary: Tor Thorsen, former Gamespot Senior Editor, has passed away.

As noted on the EA Website, the Mass Effect Legendary Edition is now available for Windows and consoles, offering the chance to once again shepard your crew through the epic space opera trilogy. The PC edition is available on Origin and Steam. There is no launch discount or break for owners of the original versions of these games. Steam does feature an ME3 Owner Offer which gives a 17% discount to owners of Mass Effect 3, though this also includes a Mass Effect 3 N7 Digital Deluxe Edition upgrade which pushes the price past that of the Legendary Edition alone. Here's yesterday's Community Tribute Trailer and here's more on the improvements in the new edition:

One person is all that stands between humanity and the greatest threat it’s ever faced. Relive the legend of Commander Shepard in the highly acclaimed Mass Effect trilogy with the Mass Effect™ Legendary Edition. Includes single-player base content and over 40 DLC from Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, and Mass Effect 3 games, including promo weapons, armors and
packs — remastered and optimized for 4K Ultra HD.

Experience an amazingly rich and detailed universe where your decisions have profound consequences on the action and the outcome.

Continue here to read the full story.

And here are the first reviews for Mass Effect Legendary Edition:

• Mass Effect Legendary Edition: Tests, thoughts, three hours of gameplay [Updated] - Ars Technica.
• Mass Effect Legendary Edition Review - Attack of the Fanboy.
• Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Review - GameGrin.
• Mass Effect Legendary Edition – Review In Progress - Game Informer.
• Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Review In Progress - GameSpot.
• This is my favorite game trilogy on the Citadel — Mass Effect Legendary Edition review in progress – GAMING TREND.
• Where's IGN's Mass Effect- Legendary Edition Review? - IGN.
• Mass Effect Legendary Edition is the new best way to play the trilogy - PCGamesN.
• Mass Effect Legendary Edition's PC settings are missing all but the most basic options - Rock Paper Shotgun.
• Mass Effect Legendary Edition Review in Progress – TheSixthAxis.
• Mass Effect Legendary Edition review - Tom's Guide.

After community outcry, a post to the World of Warcraft Forums has word from Blizzard of a significant price drop to clone players' characters for the Burning Crusade update for World of Warcraft Classic. While USD$15.00 may still seem steep, it's a significant discount off the original planned price of USD$35.00:

This service – providing a player with a second copy of a character in a different game – is new for us. Our original concept of the value of this service was largely based on how we price other optional items and services. We want players who choose Classic Era realms to feel as though their choice comes with the possibility that they’ll be able to build relationships and guilds with other players they can count on.

However, over the last week or so, we’ve gotten a very large amount of feedback from the community, and we’ve decided to lower the price. A lower price will likely still accomplish our goals with the new service, while allowing many more players to explore the option of playing characters on both Classic Era and Burning Crusade Classic realms.

After careful consideration, we’ve decided to lower the price of a cloned character in WoW Classic to $15.00 USD ($20.00 CAD, $20.00 AUD, $24.00 NZD). You’ll see the lower price in-game when the service becomes available next week.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Epic fights Apple in court by playing Candy Crush - The Verge.

Stock up on the cleaning supplies, as publisher 1C Entertainment announces Viscerafest, a single-player arena FPS from Acid Man Games and Fire Plant Games, will come to Early Access on Steam on May 20th. The previously released Announcement Trailer shows off the game's retro style and its colorful, fast-paced gameplay. Here are the visceral details:

The year is 3796, and you are Caroline. A bloodthirsty, psychopathic mercenary who wants nothing more than to marry her wonderful boyfriend Athens Fetter. Problem is money's tight, and rings aren't exactly cheap. But thankfully there may be hope for her yet, as a warlock named Cromune has acquired a rather hefty bounty on his head. He's being accompanied by a small fraction of the U.S.C. (The United Scientific Conglomerate) Lead by Dr Mortice. Which means he's got a small army defending him. But what's an army to someone who's taken on a legion? What're a few hundred soldiers to death incarnate? Nothing but a slaughter... Nay... A viscerafest.

Continue here to read the full story.

Deck13 announces Highrise City, an upcoming city-building/management game with lofty ambitions. Fueled by a megagrant from Epic, this is in the works at German indie developer FourExo Entertainment using the Unreal Engine 4. This is coming to GOG.com where it's "coming soon" and Steam, which lists a 2022 release date. The Announcement Trailer shows off a city, a bunch of highrises, and a first look at gameplay. Here's word on the massive scope of the game which suggests that all those skyscrapers will not forestall urban sprawl:

Highrise City is the next evolution of City Simulations. Experience a modern take on the genre enriched with a complex resource based economy system. Highrise City combines two genres in new and interesting ways: City Builders and traditional Economy & Resource Management Simulations. Highrise City offers you challenging gameplay and gives you all the possibilites and tools you need to create a living and breathing city. Take care of your city and make it grow and flourish into a giant Metropolis!

Continue here to read the full story.

Ziggurat Games announces the release of new "Ultimate Updates" for the enhanced "Terminal Cut" editions of BloodRayne and BloodRayne 2. These are free to owners of either game on GOG.com or Steam, offering some final enhancements for the updated vampiric action games. Here's more on the fresh blood these updates bring:

The Ultimate Update Features:

• (Steam) Trading Cards, badges, and emoticon support have all been added
• (GOG) Wallpapers in HD resolutions are available in the game extras folder
• BloodRayne: Terminal Cut
  • Textures on enemy models restored to their original console version aesthetic
  • Japanese voice-acting and subtitles added
  • Additional rendering improvements to water and other textures
  • Miscellaneous bugs fixed
• BloodRayne 2: Terminal Cut
  • Ephemera boss fight rebalanced
  • Restoration of missing music and audio tracks
  • Improved graphical fidelity for bonus materials
  • Russian language localization improvements
  • Miscellaneous bugs fixed

Kotaku Australia announces that the Australian Classification Review Board has reversed its ruling that Disco Elysium: A Final Cut be refused classification in Australia. The refusal meant that the updated version of the murder mystery game would not be available down under. Now it has an R18+ rating, meaning it can be purchased by adults:

In the Review Board’s opinion, while drug use linked to incentives and rewards cannot be accommodated at R 18+, this game does provide disincentives related to drug-taking behaviour, to the point where regular drug use leads to negative consequences for the player’s progression in the game. It was, specifically, the disincentives for drug use that influenced the Review Board in making their decision. Drug use is not explicitly depicted within the game. The game contains frequent strong coarse language, often used aggressively, which has a high impact. The themes within the game are related to a detective investigating a murder while also attempting to manage his own alcohol addiction, and getting his life back together after his substance abuse. The themes and drug references within the game are inextricably linked.

• Save 50% on Terraria on Steam.

• OpenTTD 1.11.2 - Open Source Transport Tycoon Deluxe gets a new build (Steam too).
• Project: X Insurrection, Total Conversion for Wolfenstein 3D, Final Version Released.

• Bizarre GTA Online glitch is trapping players in the casino. You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.

• Mass Effect: Legendary Edition - PC Graphics Comparison (Original | Modded | Legendary) (video). Thanks Simon.

• House Builder - Become a builder - PC game by PlayWay — Kickstarter. "Travel across time periods and around the world to build iconic designs!" Here's a Kickstarter Trailer and a Steam Listing.

• Olympic Committee Embraces Esports Before Tokyo Torch Is Lit.

• A Dolby Vision test for Xbox Series X|S is rolling out now.
• 20% of last year's Nintendo Switch sales were to households that already owned one.
• Mass Effect Legendary Edition Now Available for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – Wrath of the Druids Expansion Available Now - Xbox Wire.
• Subnautica- Below Zero Is Now Available For Xbox One And Xbox Series X|S.
• Quantum Replica Is Now Available For Xbox One And Xbox Series X|S.
• Two Suspense-Filled Famicom Detective Club Games Are Now Available on Nintendo Switch.
• Arrest Of A Stone Buddha Is Now Available For Xbox One And Xbox Series X|S.
• Rabisco+ Is Now Available For Xbox One And Xbox Series X|S.
• Karma. Incarnation 1 Is Now Available For Xbox One And Xbox Series X|S.
• Exodemon Is Now Available For Xbox One And Xbox Series X|S.
• Guards Is Now Available For Digital Pre-order And Pre-download On Xbox One And Xbox Series X|S.
• Next Week on Xbox- May 17 to 21.

• Samsung's Laptop OLED Certified for Gaming Performance.
• Framework’s repairable laptop is up for preorder, starting at $999. Thanks Slashdot.
• Maker of expensive Japanese toaster gets into smartphone business. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• PUBG owner Krafton has acquired mobile studio Dreamotion.

• Starlink review: dreams, not reality.
• 93-Year-Old YouTuber Loves Racing Games.

• IBM says chip shortage could last two years.
• AMD and GlobalFoundries Update Wafer Supply Agreement- Orders Through 2024, Now Non-Exclusive.
• AMD Goes Fishing for Navi 24, Catches a 'Beige Goby' - Tom's Hardware.
• How to watch Google I/O 2021.
• How to Create Multiple Folders at Once in Windows 10. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• AppleWin version 1.30.0. Thanks Ant.
• Plex Media Server version 1.22.3.4523. Thanks Console General.

• Cyber attack 'most significant on Irish state.'
• DarkSide Ransomware Gang Quits After Servers, Bitcoin Stash Seized.

• The Pentagon is tracking US citizens without a warrant, Senator says.
• Google leads court filing supporting U.S. visa-holders' ability to work.

• Hood: Outlaws and Legends review - PC Gamer.

• Flash Drive: Patriot Supersonic Rage Pro 512GB Review - APH Networks.
• Gaming Chair: Razer Iskur Review - IGN. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Headset: Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT Headset Review - Neoseeker.
• Headset: Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT Review- Expensive Excellence - Tom's Hardware.
• Headset: EarFun Air Pro TWS Earbuds Review - Nikk Tech.
• SSD: Lexar NM620 512GB - LanOC Reviews.
• SSD: Silicon Power XD80 2 TB Review - TechPowerUp.

• Tripwire Interactive implements "next gen work model"…

"All hail the burger!" That's the takeaway of a video entitled Americans Love Hamburgers from the NPD group, which occasionally analyzes market segments other than gaming. This celebrates the fact that May is apparently National Burger Month. I certainly do my part, as burgers are among my very favorite foods, and a mainstay in Manstovia. I try not to overdo anything, but I do make them two or three times a month over the summer. In fact, in a bit of a coincidence, I just made a couple yesterday. I'm also set to make good on a long-standing plan to take my burger game to the next level. I have a meat grinder that was purchased years ago to help prepare raw meals for Hudson the wonder dog and the Gunnar-Man. This can allow me to pick my own meat mix and grind the burgers myself. This is generally accepted as the easy way to get better ground beef. It is also the easy way to avoid the contamination concerns behind the recommendation that burgers be well-done for safety.

Well-Done Round-up
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.

Stories

• The Mysterious Origins of the Cerne Abbas Giant (may require registration or subscription).
• Even if You Think Discussing Aliens Is Ridiculous, Just Hear Me Out (may require registration or subscription). Thanks j.c.f.
• Woman says $26M California lottery ticket destroyed in wash.

Science

• NASA Asteroid Simulation Reveals We Need 5-10 Years' Warning. David Bowie proven correct.
• If Necessary, Mars Rover Curiosity Could Rip Its Own Wheels Off to Stay Mobile. Beast Mode! Thanks RedEye9.
• Freshly Made Plutonium From Outer Space Found On Ocean Floor.
• China's Tianwen-1 mission will attempt daring Mars rover landing Friday.

Media

• Perfect peel at the 11foot8+8 bridge. Thanks Boing Boing.
• Katy Perry’s new music video stars her BFF Pikachu.
• Husky Temper Tantrum.

Follow-ups

• New CDC Mask Guidance Leaves Travel Rules Mostly The Same. Thanks RedEye9.
• The Yankees Covid Outbreak May Be Bad News for Ditching Masks (may require registration or subscription).

The Funnies

• Savage Chickens.

The Lion's Song is now available for free on the Epic Games Store as this week's promised giveaway. This will be a permanent addition to the library of anyone who claims their copy between now and next Thursday. Epic usually uses the release of each week's freebie to announce the next week's giveaway. Not so this time around, as the website just lists "mystery game" as the gratis game to follow. Here's the score on The Lion's Song:

The Lion’s Song is set against the backdrop of early 20th century Austria with every episode following a different character. Each character possesses an exceptional mind & the game draws players into a story of personal struggle for creativity, human connections & inspiration: a talented composer suffering from writer's block before her breakthrough concert, an up-and-coming painter growing through his challenges & a brilliant mathematician trying to make her voice heard in a men's world. The choices players make ultimately determine if the protagonists find the success they are working for

Subnautica: Below Zero is to surface from Early Access tomorrow, and here is a review roundup for Unknown Worlds' latest installment in the immersive Subnautica series:

• Review: Subnautica: Below Zero - Destructoid.
• Subnautica Below Zero: Everything Different From The Original - GameRant.
• Subnautica: Below Zero review — life begins at minus 30 - The Guardian.
• Subnautica: Below Zero Review - IGN.
• Subnautica: Below Zero Review - PC Gamer.
• Subnautica: Below Zero review -- Deep blue brilliance - PC Invasion.
• Subnautica: Below Zero review - Rock Paper Shotgun.

Wrath of the Druids is now available for Windows on the Epic Games Store, offering the new DLC for Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Ubisoft Montreal's Viking action/RPG. This is available as a separate purchase for owners of the game, and it is also part of a Season Pass that also includes the Siege of Paris expansions and the Legend of Beowulf bonus quest. Here's an official trailer and here are Valhalla lot of details:

Journey to 9th-century Ireland and unravel the secrets of a mystical cult: The Children of Danu. Fight your way through cursed forests and dazzling landscapes as you come to the aid of the High King of Ireland, Flann Sinna.

Expand your Assassin's Creed® Valhalla experience with Wrath of the Druids:

• Immerse yourself in the beauty of 9th-century Ireland.
• Take down a dark and mysterious druidic cult.
• Gain influence among Gaelic kings.
• Encounter legendary characters and mythical creatures.

Continue here to read the full story.

Call of Duty announces plans to call in poor old John Rambo for yet another tour of duty. The image shows off the Sylvester Stallone character, the Black Ops Cold War, Warzone, and CoD Mobile logos, and word to expect the influx of the 80s action heroes one week from today. The graphic doesn't feature John McClane, but the tweet indicates someone contacted the Bruce Willis character and said "Come out to the coast, we'll have a party!":

Some heroes Die Hard. Others draw First Blood.

The action begins May 20th.

• Judge in Epic vs. Apple Case Floats Potential Compromise.
• Epic v. Apple v. Banana #shorts (video). Thanks Ant.

505 Games announces Ghostrunner 2, revealing plans for the franchise it purchased just a few weeks ago. Polish studio One More Level is returning to handle development duties on the cyberpunk first-person action sequel. Word is this will come to PC, PlayStation 5. and Xbox Series X|S, but this does not yet carry a release window. Here's more, including word that the original Ghostrunner sold over 600K copies:

In the wake of the continuous success and the most recent acquisition of the video game’s intellectual property (IP), the Group doubles its investment for the creation of Ghostrunner 2, contributing with an initial budget of Euro 5 million. Ghostrunner is a brand with a great potential, capable of contributing for a long time to the 505 Games product portfolio.

For the production of Ghostrunner 2, 505 Games renews its collaboration with the Polish studio One More Level, the developers of the first version of the video game.

Ghostrunner is a first-person cyberpunk action video game set in a grim, dystopian future. Since its launch in October 2020, it has sold over 600,000 copies proving to be a very successful video game, appreciated by players all around the world. By the end of 2021, Ghostrunner will also be available on next-gen consoles.

This Week At Bungie looks at the big news of the week for the developer, as the Season of the Splicer is now live in Destiny 2. The post includes all the details on what this adds to the shooter sequel, a Season of the Splicer Season Pass Trailer, and word that issues that impacted the launch have been cleared up:

Season of the Splicer went live this week. Killer robots channeled their inner Mr. Burns and blotted out the Sun over the Last City. Now, Guardians are strapping on power gloves and teaming up with tech-master Eliksni to fight in the shade. It’s a tale as old as time.

We had some Honeydew errors early on, but our team of experts buckled down to commune with our servers and fix the issues so you could get back to playing. Our deepest apologies to anyone who had their gameplay delayed. Check out the Player Support Report below for the latest on any ongoing issues we are tracking.

Despite some hiccups, the Season is in full swing now! Here is a quick look at everything the new Season Pass has to offer.

Continue here to read the full story.

Publisher Perfect World Games and developer Glimmer Studio announce Lumione, a puzzle/platformer set under the sea, where it turns out there is no shortage of platforms. This will come first to PC via Steam, and a Switch edition is expected to follow. The announcement trailer shows things off and offers an odd description: "The beautiful horizontal platform jumping game 'Lumione' officially opened an appointment today." The description from the announcement makes a bit more sense:

Lumione is set in a deep-sea world that is shrouded in darkness. The people of the sea struggle in fear for all they have lost. A light appears in the darkness that sends the tiny elves in search of its source as they seek to bring light into the long night.

Game Features

• A gorgeously rendered game world built using the power of Unreal Engine 4.
• Technology is focused on portraying a dynamic, ever-changing deep-sea landscape.
• Players will encounter deadly traps and puzzles that must be overcome in the search for light.
• Four chapters and hundreds of levels
• Dozens of challenging mechanics
• Continued development will add new features and mechanics via DLC

Continue here to read the full story.

• Humble Games Publisher Sale on Steam. No corresponding Steam sale on Humble.
• Save 69% on SKYHILL Collection on Steam.
• Save 20% on Sam & Max Save the World on Steam.

• Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War May 13, 2021 Patch Notes.
• Crown Trick - Free Requiem of Elements DLC is now available.
• Goblins of Elderstone - Alpha 20- Nations of Elderstone.
• Hammerting - Update 6 - Overworld Update.
• Neon Abyss Content Patch 1.4.

• BATTLEFIELD 6 - A TIMELINE OF LEAKS & OFFICIAL NEWS.
• FOR HONOR - CONTENT OF THE WEEK - 13 MAY.
• Shadow Warrior 3 - Sneak Peek 'Motoko's Thunderdome'.
• Mass Effect Legendary Edition – Community Tribute (4K).

• Google says Stadia is "alive and well" - GamesIndustry.biz.

• Borderlands 3 - True Trials mini-events! Revenge of the Cartels returns June 24! Thanks Neutronbeam.

• Play At Home 2021 update: Free in-game content and more – PlayStation.Blog.

• SpaceX and Google Cloud join hands for Starlink internet connectivity.
• Netflix Developing New Ultraman Animated Feature.
• DVDFab Downloader version 3.2.0.3. Thanks Console General.

• Samsung to invest over $151 billion in its semiconductor businesses by 2030.
• Best Programs for Your Gaming PC- How to Check Thermals, Bottlenecks, & Use Command Prompt (video). Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Evernote version 10.13.4. Thanks Console General.

• Ransomware victim Colonial Pipeline paid $5m to get oil pumping again, restored from backups anyway – report.
• Colonial Pipeline reportedly paid millions for slow-ass decryption software.

Last Link of the Day: CDC mask guidance says people vaccinated against Covid-19 can go without masks indoors.

In a post to the Paradox Interactive Forums, Johan Andersson, Studio Manager of Paradox Tinto, apologizes for the recently released Leviathan expansion for Europa Universalis IV. Andersson takes responsibility for this and a deeper problem, admitting that Leviathan "follows a long trail of low quality releases starting back with Golden Century for EU4." Here's what Paradox plans to do about improving Leviathan and future content releases:

I should have delayed the start of the development of Leviathan until we had all the resources that were needed, and they had time to properly onboard on the project. We should have announced a break in the development of EU4 after the Emperor release, until we had a team ready to start designing and working early in 2021.

We are partially changing our plans for the rest of the year. We had originally planned to fix all legacy bugs before we stop developing further expansions for EU4. Now we are accelerating these plans, and also making sure that the community will be getting them frequently.

The 1.31.3 patch is planned to be out this week, and the next patch after that we aim to release either at the end of may or early june, and then we aim to release several more patches for the rest of the year.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Analysis: In Apple vs Epic Games, battle of the experts gets personal.
• Apple questions credibility of Xbox testimony - Updated.

This year's Indie Celebration is now underway, offering a digital celebration of independent games from all around the world. This colorful page on Steam is home to the project offering links to games and free demos to sample. There is a Community Vote Survey to honor the best entries from this list of finalists. Here's more on the festivities:

Indie Celebration is an international competition for independent developers. It’s a great opportunity to present their games to a wider audience and win prestigious awards. For many creators, competition may become a gateway to global media, investors, and publishers. Players will be able to check free demos of the most interesting and unique indie games nominated from over 250 submitted to Indie Celebration titles. Games will be available and featured on Steam.

The jury of the contest selects Best Indie Games – the top three productions from all the finalists, while gamers are able to test games on Steam and choose Community Vote Award. Voting is open until the 13th of May, 11:59 p.m. CEST for everyone. The winners of Digital Dragons will be announced on the 14th of May.

The prizes are provided by AMD, a leader in high-performing computing, graphics and visualization technologies, that has been working with Digital Dragons for several years on events supporting indie game developers.

The ESA unveils details on the online presentation of E3 2021, which was recently confirmed to be an all-virtual event. There will be a dedicated app and an online portal, which will begin accepting free signups later this month for the show, which will run from June 12-15. Here's more:

Registration for access to the online E3 portal will be free and begin later this month.

Beginning on June 12, the public version of the online portal will give access to:

• Exhibitor Booths – Featuring special events, VOD content and articles, exhibitor booths will act as hubs within the portal for key announcements and game information tied to each exhibitor
• Lounges – Online gathering spots for all E3 attendees
• Forums – Special boards for focused online discussion and sharing among attendees
• Leaderboards – Gamified show elements that can be collected and displayed, encouraging fans to interact in as many ways as possible
• Profile Creation - All attendees can create their own unique profiles within the portal and app, which can be customized

Continue here to read the full story.

Curved Space is now due on June 29th for Windows, Xbox, and PlayStation, with the Switch edition of this twin-stick shooter following on July 13th. The game was previously expected on June 18th, but this is not the first curve publisher Maximum Games and developer Only By Midnight have thrown us, as it was originally announced for release last (northern) autumn. No reason for the 11 day setback is provided, but understanding curved space does require understanding spacetime. Here's a refresher on the game:

Curved Space is an intense arcade-style twin-stick shooter that takes the classic formula and plunges it into the weirdest reaches of space. Battle cosmic space-invading spiders across curved landscapes where bullets hug the terrain while the horizon drops sharply out of sight. Take on battles of cosmic proportions in the Campaign Mode, become the best in the galaxy by rising to the top of the Leaderboards, or last as long as your ship can stand it in Endless Mode, and so much more.

Inspired by arcade classics, players will have to hunt for weapon power-ups and upgrades while dodging enemy fire, blasting interdimensional bugs, and wrangling some enormous boss monsters.

Breaker 1-9, breaker 1-9! SODESCO announces that the PC edition of Truck Driver is ready to roll out on May 27th on the Epic Games Store. Development stalled in late 2019, but just one week ago it was announced that the project was back on course. A brand-new Gameplay Trailer celebrates the news:

When you inherit a truck from your father, you decide to take your chance and move to a new city. Here, it’s up to you to make a name for yourself and earn the respect of the local community. Drive through a seamless open world, work with all kinds of people ranging from a constructor to a lumberjack and honor your father by making it as a Truck Driver!

Features

• Enjoy a trucking experience focused on your career as a truck driver
• Build stronger relationships with the local community with each job
• Customize your truck with tons of parts and tune it to your liking
• Navigate through diverse landscapes and interesting locations

Continue here to read the full story.

Hundred Days - Winemaking Simulator is now available on GOG.com and Steam, offering the chance to get your feet wet and make your own fino vino. You can see some gameplay in this trailer. So quit your whining and start wining. Just remember the wisdom of Orson Welles and sell no wine before its time. Here's more:

In Hundred Days you will have complete control of a new Winery. First choose which vines to grow, learn how to grow them and when to harvest. Then following the entire winemaking process deciding on the type of wine you want to produce or the market requires. You will also have to sell the wine produced to allow your company to expand.

As in reality, every choice made, from the vineyard to the sales, will be able to influence the wine produced both in quantity and quality . A quality wine will increase the reputation of your company worldwide, it may have come at a higher price and will allow you to grow better and faster.

Continue here to read the full story.

Publisher Neowiz and developer Round8 Studio are conducting a final round of beta testing for the PC edition of Bless Unleashed, the MMORPG that's already available for PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Testing will continue through the weekend, and those interested in participating can head over to the game's Steam Listing to request access. Here's the plan:

The in-game Lumena Shop is now working, and all playtesters will be given some “free in-game money” to use in order to make sure that making purchases and receiving items works properly. Skins, mounts, and all sorts of other beneficial items will be available during the test.

“It’s been a long road to get here,” said Jason Park, Round 8 Studio’s head of development. “But we truly believe that Bless Unleashed on PC is going to shine, and that our players will love the change we’ve made in response to their feedback.”

The many changes being made to the game are being detailed in regular blogs on the Bless Unleashed Steam Page, as well as other important testing announcements.

Of Bird and Cage is expected on May 20th, and between now and May 18th, Steam has a playable demo from publisher All in! Games and developer Capricia Productions. This metal music-driven narrative game for Windows really cries out for a demo, as it sounds pretty unusual. Here's a trailer introducing the protagonist, and here's the offbeat concept:

Of Bird and Cage is an intense music-driven narrative adventure. This new experience, a powerful symphonic metal album and game hybrid, conveys the power of music with a dark, twisted tale based on Beauty and the Beast. The game features artists from several renowned groups like (ex) Guns N’ Roses, Epica, Within Temptation, and many others.

You play as Gitta Barbot, a 25 year-old drug addict girl who tries to escape from the physical and mental prison of her captor — a man called Bres Lupus. Experiencing Gitta’s life from her childhood to the present day, you will have to make choices that will have dire consequences, and watch how your actions reveal new paths while struggling to keep your sanity.

Follow the twisted relationship between these two characters, portrayed in a gut-wrenching way. Happy endings don't come easily here. In this first-person hybrid of a concept album and a game, your choices and actions will shape the narrative.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Special Sale: games set in the World of Darkness up to 65% off - GOG.com.

• Borderlands 3 Hotfixes- May 13, 2021.

• Black Ops Cold War Napalm Scorestreak broken again in Season 3.
• 15 Minutes of Days Gone PC Gameplay - 1440p 60fps.

• Trial By Fire Trailer - Total War: WARHAMMER III.

• Google says Stadia is "alive and well" - GamesIndustry.biz.

• Sources: Call of Duty League and Overwatch League Loosen Sponsorship Restrictions, Will Allow Betting and Liquor Sponsors.
• Enjoy Bonus XP, Gold, and More During the Return of the Explorer’s Celebration - The Elder Scrolls Online.
• Gaming Influencers Are the Future of Esports.

• Blackwood Preview—Oblivion Portals - The Elder Scrolls Online.

• Celebrating 20 Years of Xbox.
• Two new DualSense wireless controller colors hit shelves starting next month – PlayStation.Blog.
• Devs reveal their upcoming DualSense wireless controller implementations – PlayStation.Blog.
• Death Crown Is Now Available For Xbox One And Xbox Series X-S.

• Samsung Galaxy phones can now manage hardware crypto wallets.
• I Mailed an AirTag and Tracked Its Progress; Here's What Happened. Thanks Digg.
• Microsoft’s foldable Surface Duo is now the cost of a normal phone.
• The ZTE Axon 30 Ultra goes on sale in June for $749.

• Prime today, gone tomorrow: Chinese products get pulled from Amazon. Thanks Slashdot via Ant.
• Amazon's Lord Of The Rings TV Show Adds New Director Who Worked On The Witcher.
• Amazon will stream 16 WNBA games in 2021 as part of a multi-year deal.

Thanks Max and Neutronbeam.

• GPU-Z has leaked the specifications for AMD Radeon RX 6600XT and RX 6600.
• How Many CPU Cores Do You Need For Great PC Gaming? #academic
• MIT turns 'magic' material into versatile electronic devices.
• Harnessing the hum of fluorescent lights for more efficient computing.
• Better than holograms: 3D-animated starships can be viewed from any angle.
• Incredible Sound, Impeccable Clarity – CORSAIR Launches VIRTUOSO RGB Wireless XT Gaming Headset.

• Biden signs executive order to strengthen US cybersecurity.
• Microsoft warns: Watch out for this new malware that steals passwords, webcam and browser data.
• Fake Android, iOS apps promise lucrative investments while stealing your money.
• A fake MSI Afterburner download page is spreading malware.
• Colonial Pipeline was looking to hire cybersecurity manager before ransomware attack shut down operations.

• R-Type Final 2 - Christ Centered Gamer.

• Case: Cooler Master MasterBox 540 - OCinside (German).
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600H Review - TechSpot.
• CPU: Intel Core i7-11700K vs AMD Ryzen 7 3800X- 1080p, 1440p and 4K gaming - TweakTown.
• CPU: Intel Xeon Platinum 8380 Ice Lake Linux Performance vs. AMD EPYC Milan, Cascade Lake Review - Phoronix.
• Headset: SteelSeries Arctis 9 Wireless Review - TechPowerUp.
• Misc: Amazon Echo Buds review- Better value than Apple standard AirPods - CNBC.
• RAM: The Inland Performance Plus 2TB SSD Review- Phison's E18 NVMe Controller Tested - AnandTech.
• RAM: Predator Apollo RGB DDR4-3600 16GB Dual-Channel Memory Kit Review - TweakTown.
• Thermal Paste: Thermal Paste Roundup - Round 2 (2021) - Guru3D.

• Oregon Trail Gets A Makeover With More Accurate Native American Representation. Thanks RedEye9…
• Developing games for low-vision players…
• Mutants from the Deep - An awesome looking game for the MSX by Locomalito and team (Windows May 27th)…

With typical inexplicable fanfare, the NFL has unveiled the full schedule for the 2021/2022 football season. I heard one analyst make a very funny comment about this, apologies for not being sure I remember who said it (pretty sure it was either Peter Schrager or Kyle Brandt). This pointed out that there are a bunch of 10-6 fans who read the schedule every year and rationalize how their team will finish 10-6, regardless how bad they were the previous season. Now that the season is 17 games, will the 10-6 fans become 10-7, or 11-6? I'm guessing the latter. Anyway, I don't fall into that group, the Giants will end up at 17-0. Piece of cake.

Undefeated Round-up
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.

Stories

• Canadian Police Find Culprits Who Stole Wooden Posts. Thanks RedEye9.
• Target will stop selling Pokémon cards in stores.

Science
Thanks Max.

• The Teeny, Tiny Scientific Screwup That Helped Covid Kill (may require registration or subscription).
• The world's first 'infinite' plastic.
• Researchers use face and eye movement tracking to detect heightened symptoms of depression with 79% accuracy.

Media

• Shoplifting Seagull Raids Co-op To Nick Tuna Sandwich.
• Stone Cold Killer wins the 2012 Ear Pulling contest.
• Baby Got Bach.

Follow-up

• US Officials Think Russia May Be Behind Suspected Energy Attacks: Report. Thanks Acleacius.