Hue is now available, as promised, as the new free release on the Epic Games Store. This will be yours to keep if you add it to your library by next Thursday. At that time its place will be taken by no fewer than three new giveaways, as the delayed free copy of The Escapists 2 will come along with their other two freebies, which will be Killing Floor 2 and Lifeless Planet. But for now, here's the hue and cry about Hue:

Hue is a vibrant, award-winning puzzle-adventure, where you alter the world by changing its background color. Includes full colorblind support, using symbols as a color aid.

Change Starts Today on the Ubisoft Website shares an internal letter from Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot outlining plans to alter the culture of the company, which has been a focal point of recent criticism of harassment in the games industry. A post just yesterday discussed Ubisoft's problems, and this new post discusses solutions:

The situations that some of you have experienced or witnessed are absolutely not acceptable. No one should ever feel harassed or disrespected at work, and the types of inappropriate behavior we have recently learned about cannot and will not be tolerated. To those of you who have spoken up or have supported colleagues, I want to be clear: you are heard, and you are helping drive necessary change within the company.

We have significant work to do to improve the ways in which we operate and collaborate, and I am personally committed to ensuring we make these fundamental changes. They need to be profound, and we need to implement them quickly at all levels of the organization.

Specifically, I have decided to revise the composition of the Editorial Department, transform our human resource processes, and improve the accountability of all managers on these subjects.

Continue here to read the full story.

A tweet from Amazon Studios offers a brief teaser video for a series being created for Amazon Prime Video based on the Fallout games. A post on the Bethesda Website has first details, saying the show's executive producers include Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan, showrunners for HBO's Westworld series: "Fallout is from Amazon Studios and Kilter Films in association with Bethesda Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks, with executive producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, and Athena Wickham for Kilter Films, Todd Howard for Bethesda Game Studios, and James Altman for Bethesda Softworks." There's no word on when this will air, but they do say it is currently in production with a series commitment. Here's more:

"Fallout is one of the greatest game series of all time. Each chapter of this insanely imaginative story has cost us countless hours we could have spent with family and friends. So we're incredibly excited to partner with Todd Howard and the rest of the brilliant lunatics at Bethesda to bring this massive, subversive, and darkly funny universe to life with Amazon Studios,” said Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan, Kilter Films.

“Over the last decade, we looked at many ways to bring Fallout to the screen,” said Todd Howard, Executive Producer at Bethesda Game Studios. “But it was clear from the moment I first spoke with Jonah and Lisa a few years ago, that they and the team at Kilter were the ones to do it right. We’re enormous fans of their work and couldn’t be more excited to work with them and Amazon Studios.”

Continue here to read the full story.

Unknown Worlds now offers METRO, a new free map for Natural Selection 2 that they call their most ambitious yet. This is part of update 333 and they offer this post with patch notes that describe the map as well as other changes and tweaks to the multiplayer shooter. The new update is now live on Steam, where the game is also currently on sale for 80% off as part of the Summer Sale. Here's a METRO trailer and here are some details:

The team is excited to bring you our most ambitious map to date, METRO. This new and unique map truly brings us to the Human world and leaves behind the remote facilities of distant meteors and other planets. We owe a huge thank you to the many map testers and a very dedicated group of Community Developers including; Kash, Mephilles, pSyK, Shrimm, Loki, Zavaro, Paul Wolfe, Runestorm, Vlaad and Master G. They’ve all worked hard over the last few months (if not more) to take the inspiration from community map Jambi and re envision a whole new look and style for the NS2 universe. Be sure to enable the reflections graphics option in game to really see the map at its best.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Dead By Daylight Hotfix 4.0.2.

• F1 2020 - Features Trailer.
• Outriders: Journey and Structure.
• S.C.A.R - Ravaging Demons.
• Emergent Storytelling Techniques in The Sims. Thanks Ant.
• Stronghold: Warlords - Castle Defences.
• TF2 Classic Death & Taxes Update - Day 1 - Team Fortress 2 Classic is BACK.

• Crush Crushing stereotypes with adult games about everyday people - GamesIndustry.biz.

• Evo President Placed On Administration Leave Following Sexual Misconduct Allegations.
• 2020 MinecraftMasters Global Competition.

• Analysts believe publishers to raise prices of games for next-gen.
• 'NBA 2K21' comes with a next-gen upgrade... if you spend $100.
• Inside Xbox Series X Optimized: The Medium.
• NBA 2K21 Is Now Available For Digital Pre-order And Pre-download On Xbox One.
• How a decade-old Flash game became Neversong, launching July 16 on PS4.
• The Never-Ending Design Changes in Neversong, Coming to Xbox One July 16.
• The Otterman Empire Is Now Available For Xbox One.
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Alpha Skip-Ahead (2008.200701-0000).
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Beta, Delta and Omega (2007.200630-0000).

• Paradox Interactive Acquires Paris-based Playrion Game Studio.
• Samsung's UV sterilizer both disinfects and wirelessly charges your phone. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• The Call of Duty Endowment Freedom Pack is now available in Call of Duty: Mobile.

Thanks Phlegm.

• PlayStation withdraws adverts on Facebook and Instagram for #StopHateForProfit.
• Twitch smashes record for hours watched, hours streamed, and concurrent viewership.
• Facebook Says The Daily Wire, Mad World News Violated Rules.
• Google SmartReply Comes to YouTube Studio.
• Brie Larson starts YouTube channel; Will have video game content.

• SK Hynix- HBM2E Memory Now in Mass Production.
• LibreOffice version 6.4.5. Thanks DSLReports via Ant.
• HyperX and Champion Athleticwear Announce Second Apparel Drop – The Reflective Collection.

• Ransomware Gangs Don’t Need PR Help.
• Holy Guacamole! Researchers find Apache remote desktop software was silently pwnable for snooping on sessions.

• EARN IT Act Revamped, Passes Senate Judiciary Committee. Thanks Phlegm.
• Facebook manager sues company over racial bias.

• Action Video Game 'My Friend Pedro' Getting TV Adaptation…

Obituary: Twitch streamer Byron Bernstein, known as Reckful, dead at 31.
Obituary: Hugh Downs, anchor of '20/20' and 'Today,' dead at 99.

Following their teasing, Ubisoft officially announces Hyper Scape, a 100-player battle royale shooter in a vertical, sci-fi, urban setting. Word is this is designed with support for streamers in mind, and watching a Hyper Scape stream on Twitch with drops enabled is the way to get invited to the Technical Test. Here is a page with a Twitch Drops FAQ and the list of all 10 million (or so) streamers currently playing the game. Word is: "Hyper Scape will first be available through a limited-time closed technical test on PC today through July 7. The three-player squad Crown Rush mode is available now, and the limited-time Dark Haze solo mode will be available later during the test. The test will also feature a free 10-tier battle pass, and all progress and items will carry over through future live phases and into the full launch." The official website should be live soon. In the meantime, here's an Official World Premiere Trailer, a First Look & Dev Diary Trailer, a Gameplay Overview Trailer, and the announcement:

Today, Ubisoft® announced Hyper Scape™, a free-to-play fast-paced urban battle royale first-person shooter. Developed by Ubisoft Montreal, Hyper Scape takes place in the distant future of 2054, where up to 100 Contenders descend upon the virtual city of Neo-Arcadia to engage in action-packed and fast-paced matches to be crowned champion. Starting today, Hyper Scape is available in a limited-time PC technical test in many territories across North America and Europe. Interested players can try out the game during the technical test by tuning into one of the content creators currently broadcasting Hyper Scape on Twitch [Link] with Twitch Drops enabled. Access will be limited, but additional drops will be made available throughout the technical test.

Hyper Scape was designed from the ground up as an intense, vertical and fast-paced battle royale experience. Three-player squads and solo players can dive into the futuristic virtual city of Neo- Arcadia to engage in dynamic firefights, quickly transitioning from narrow streets to open rooftops and deadly interiors.

Continue here to read the full story.

The Hyper Scape Twitter announces a stream to officially reveal Hyper Scape starts on Twitch in about an hour at 2:00 pm EDT. In the meantime they show off a livestream of someone playing the Technical Test. A search for Hyper Scape on Twitch reveals several streamers are already playing this test version of the battle royale game with drops enabled. Word on the Ubisoft channel is there are two ways to take part in the Technical Test, either by collecting one of these drops by viewing a stream or through the official website after the official announcement. They do warn this is limited to a few regions.

After downplaying the recent launch of a Placeholder Twitter for Fable, Microsoft has renewed the Fable Trademark. And while such renewals are often just to protect a company's intellectual property, Neowin notes an interesting detail. There is a section labeled "Current Use" which Microsoft has marked "No," but the following section for "Intent To Use," they answer "Yes."

Publisher tinyBuild and developer Cradle Games announce a release date for Hellpoint, saying their dark sci-fi RPG will arrive on Windows and consoles on July 30th. They celebrate the news with a new trailer highlighting the game's co-op support. They say pre-orders will commence today on Steam which will include a 20% discount. Here's a description that gets right to the hellpoint:

Hellpoint is set in the aftermath of a massive quantum cataclysm called the Merge. You wake up on board the Irid Novo space station, a beacon of galactic cooperation and scientific exploration gone horribly wrong. What happens next will be solely determined by your choices.

Key Features:

• Souls-like gameplay in a unique setting: Explore the derelict space station of Irid Novo and face bizarre enemies with a tight and unforgiving combat system.
• Occult space story: Blending science and fantasy, the intensely atmospheric dark sci-fi setting will keep you searching for answers.
• Dynamic World: The Quantic System acts as a dungeon master, slightly transforming the game world every time you die and triggering events as the station revolves around the black hole.
• Jump-in co-op and PvP multiplayer: Ask a friend to press Start to join a couch co-op session or call for assistance online. Hellpoint offers a full, uninterrupted co-op story with shared loot drops.

Continue here to read the full story.

Urnique Studio shares a new Accolades Trailer for Timelie, their Windows and macOS puzzle game released on Steam about six weeks ago. This notes the game has met with terrific reviews which serves as an embarrassing reminder that we failed to mention the launch at the time, so this is our quite overdue post on the topic. On the bright side this allows us to highlight the macOS support added since the release and that the game is currently available for 15% off as part of the Steam Summer Sale. Here's the game's Launch Trailer and here's a description:

ABOUT THIS GAME
Every second matters in Timelie, a stealth puzzle game that puts the power of time in your very hands. Trapped in an abstract and surreal world, a girl and a mysterious cat must work together to escape their surroundings, pursued by a nameless enemy at every turn.

FORESEE AND REWIND
The Timeline ability gives players the power to control time just like a media player. Drag the Timeline left rewind time and undo your past mistakes. Drag it right to watch your future unfold and gain you valuable information to change your past.

Continue here to read the full story.

Developer OneGuyGames and publisher The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild announce #Funtime, saying this colorful bullet hell shooter will come to Steam and consoles on July 16th. There are some actual laughs to be had in the Announcement Trailer (#unexpected) and there are some actual details in their announcement:

The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild announces collaborative release with OneGuyGames publishing '#Funtime' a neon twin-stick action shooter to all available platforms. Bright lights and space fights! Blast your way through grids of multicolored madness while changing color to adapt to your environment and overcome the digital hordes. Persistent ship upgrades will keep you going further and longer into the great unknown.

OneGuyGames' singular employee Brandon Robinson describes #Funtime as "all about action. It's a high-score chasing twin-stick shooter with a color swapping mechanic thrown in to keep things fresh. Match the color of lasers or fire to avoid taking damage; color background tiles to destroy similarly colored enemies and receive triple the points. Take cover in safe zones of the same color. Each of these simple color interactions stack together to create a unique yet familiar arcade shooter experience."

Continue here to read the full story.

Early Access to Libtard: The Satire Game is now underway for Windows and macOS on Steam. The Teaser Trailer does not show much gameplay, but does seem to indicate this satirizes both sides of the political aisle, so it may not just be about a very stable genius pwning the libs. Here's word on this self-professed effort to Make America Game Again:

Libtard: The Satire Game is a spoof of the political picture in America. Follow the side-splitting stories of your favorite (and spiteful) political faces and charge into battle against the Libtards, Snowflakes and Fascists on a quest to obliviate all competition! Make America Game Again and get ready for some political fun! Currently scheduled for a full release in November featuring 8 storylines, the version available today has the first storyline included. The 8 stories planned are divided into 4 with emphasis on left-wing shenanigans and 4 on right-wing shenanigans. Each will include 3 acts and follow a new celebrity.

Libtard: The Satire Game is an action-packed title for real patriots just in time for the 4th of July Holiday celebration. Join the all-star cast of characters Donald Trump, Bernie, Hillary, Putin, Biden, Boris and Alex Jones through 120 fulfilled levels of political madness. Enjoy the compelling gameplay - witness the crazy stories and laugh-out-loud watching the cutscenes. A bonus is the world-famous impersonator John Di Domenico guest starring as the one and only Donald Trump. It’s pure genius!

Continue here to read the full story.

A post on the Download.hr forum outlines 32 games that are being offered for free on the Microsoft Store (thanks Ant). These are yours to keep if you pick them up before the offers expire. To be clear, there are no AAA titles on the list, but like the last MS store giveaway we mentioned most of them seem to carry ridiculous $80+ price tags when they aren't free.

• Celebrate Slitherine’s 20th birthday with this great completion bundle.

• Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs - Game Update: Level Builder Online Mode.

Thanks Ant.

• Destroy All Humans! - Dependence Day Trailer.
• King's Bounty II - Dev Diary #3: Battle System.
• The Revival of Half-Life - GVMERS.
• Some NPCs just ruin it for everyone - Bad Voice Acting.

• Eurogamer.net - Sexism and harassment in the games industry isn't just about big names- the entire culture must change.
  "The accounts are often shocking, but for many working in games - particularly women and non-binary people - the revelations come as little surprise. Sexism and harassment is rife in the industry, and the cases being publicly discussed are merely the tip of the iceberg. I've been awed by the bravery of survivors who have named their high-profile abusers, risking online harassment, friendships, or their entire careers to do so. Removing powerful abusers remains essential in making the industry safer, and it's important that this vital work continues. There is a tendency, however, for the media to focus on big-name predators while failing to address the underlying culture that enables them. These incidents are not a rarity: they are endemic. Every young woman in games has a story."

• Hellpoint Is Now Available For Digital Pre-order And Pre-download On Xbox One.
• Outbreak Co-Op Collection Is Now Available For Xbox One.
• Super Toy Cars 1 & 2 Bundle Is Now Available For Xbox One.
• Budget Cuts out September 25 on PS VR, first look at new Panopticon level.

Thanks Neutronbeam.

• The Smallest Gaming Laptop 2020 - Unboxing $1100 OneGx1 Mini PC.
• TuSimple is laying the groundwork for a coast-to-coast autonomous trucking network. Big Blue this here's the Robot Duck, and I'm about to put the hammer down.

Thanks Neutronbeam.

• There are more streaming choices than ever — why are prices going up?
• Uncovered: 1,000 phrases that incorrectly trigger Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant.
• Reddit owes its moderators more than an updated hate speech policy.
• The US Army is losing the war in Discord as users speedrun bans.

Thanks Neutronbeam.

• How technology literally changes our brains.
• The Intel Lakefield Deep Dive: Everything To Know About the First x86 Hybrid CPU.
• Vast majority of Windows 10 users are not running the latest build, survey says.
• MIT apologizes, permanently pulls offline huge dataset that taught AI systems to use racist, misogynistic slurs.
• ASRock Launches Radeon RX 5600 XT Challenger Pro 6G OC Graphics Card.
• Which motherboard should I buy for AMD Ryzen 9 3900X overclocking?
• U.S. Forces Intel to Pause Shipments to Leading Server Maker.
• Zynq UltraScale+ SBC sells for $259, offers Baidu AI tools.
• Here’s why tape will always surpass hard drives and SSDs in storage.
• Tesla overtakes Toyota to become world's most valuable carmaker.

• China's influence via WeChat is 'flying under the radar' of most Western democracies. Thanks Slashdot via Ant.
• Facebook flaw let 5,000 developers gather personal data.

• Hundreds arrested as crime chat network cracked.
• Google's Fitbit takeover probed by EU regulators.
• Loot boxes should be classed as gambling, says House of Lords.

Thanks Neutronbeam.

• Acer Predator Triton 500 Laptop Review- The Value King - Digital Trends.
• ASUS ROG Pugio II Mouse Review - TechPowerUp.
• ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 review- The first good dual-screen laptop - Engadget.
• HiFiMAN Deva Headphones with Bluemini Review - TechPowerUp
• Kioxia Exceria 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD review - Guru3D.

• Nemesis - An enhanced Gradius blasts its way onto the MSX2. Can also be played in a browser…

Going off this morning for what's hopefully my penultimate dentist visit for my new implants. I'm going in for impressions, which should lead to me getting my permanent teeth within a couple of weeks. This is very exciting news for me, as I've been living with a removable temporary dealie for an extended period now, as the pandemic lockdown kicked off right as this process was supposed to begin. The temps are uncomfortable and ugly, and besides an aesthetic improvement I'm very much looking forward to being able to speak and eat normally once again.

Temporary Links
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.

Breakfast Link

• Lego Art posters announced with Star Wars, Iron Man, and more.

Science

• Nuclear ‘Power Balls’ May Make Meltdowns a Thing of the Past.
• Core of a gas planet seen for the first time. Thanks RedEye9.
• World record lightning megaflash in South America confirmed. Thanks loony.

Media

• Home office fail underwear man hits the wall homen de cueca na reunião online.
• Skunk Family Using Crosswalks in Niagara Falls.
• Easy Way To Thread A Needle.

Follow-ups
Thanks RedEye9.

• COVID-19 false negative test results if used too early.
• The Reason Some Boeing 737 Cockpits Have Eyebrow Windows.

Trackmania is now available for Windows on the Epic Games Store, offering the newest installment in this hard-driving action series. This comes as a free Starter Edition or a premium Standard Edition as well as a couple of different subscription versions just to keep us on our toes. Here's a Launch Trailer along with word the different forms of access:

• Starter Access: Free for players to race solo or multiplayer on quarterly renewed official campaigns, including 25 tracks, allowing players to earn medals and record scores in the regional rankings. Players will be able to enjoy other player’s creations on the Arcade Channel, try various editors (tracks, replays and skins) and map review servers. The weekly Nations League is also available for casual competitions.
• Standard Access: In addition to the free content, Standard Access expands the content available with player creations, including the “Track of the Day” selection, and full access to replay, track editors and map review servers. Additionally, players can participate in daily competitions and keep every “Track of the Day” and “Official” campaign track. One year of standard access is available for $9.99.
• Club Access: Including the above, Club Access allows players to join their favorite clubs to access exclusive content and activities such as skin customization, special campaigns, online rooms, training tracks and competitions. They can also create their own club to share their creations and organize events. Players can participate in the Open Grand League, organized by Ubisoft Nadeo, and try to qualify for the Trackmania Grand League. One year of the Club Access is available for $29.99 or three years for $59.99.

Continue here to read the full story.

Team17 announces Worms Rumble, a new real-time installment in the long-wriggling series coming to PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 this year. Beta testing begins on July 15th, and if you are interested, you can worm your way in by signing up on this page. Here's an Announcement Trailer, and the Steam Listing offers this announcement:

Everyone at Team17 is incredibly excited to introduce our very first real-time Worms title, so check out the trailer below:

Worms Rumble is unlike anything we have ever done with a Worms game before, so get ready for:

• Real-time combat
• 32 Player online matches
• Battle Royale & Deathmatch modes
• The largest maps in a Worms game
• Solo & Squad based gameplay
• New customisation options
• Cross-play between PC, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5

We’ll also be fully supporting Worms Rumble with ongoing content updates following launch. These will include new arenas, new customisation items for your Worm and much more!

Continue here to read the full story.

Ubisoft has featured prominently in the recent flurry of stories of misconduct in the games industry, including a report earlier today about measures they are taking to repair their culture. There's an article on Gamasutra examining what lead to this point, as they look at "how the publisher enabled a culture of abuse and control." They cite some of the public reports from the past couple of weeks as well as conversations they've conducted with "multiple anonymous sources." This paints a disturbing picture:

These accusations don't only come from colleagues at a single Ubisoft studio, but from people based around the globe. Ubisoft Massive, Ubisoft Sofia, Ubisoft Toronto, Ubisoft Paris, and the Ubisoft North Carolina customer support center have all been named as the allegations continue, suggesting abuse and harassment are endemic at the Assassin’s Creed publisher.

Following those reports, multiple anonymous sources reached out to Gamasutra to provide further insight into the accusations and culture at Ubisoft, specifically calling out those at the top of Ubisoft's ranks for enabling misconduct by instilling a mob-like mentality that protects and even rewards abusers while "hushing" victims into silence.

An interview on PCGH reveals that Cyberpunk 2077 will not support Windows 8, as it has no fallback DirectX support besides DirectX 12 (thanks DSOGaming). Here's word:

➤ PCGH: You've opted to use Direct X 12 Ultimate. Will there be a fallback so gamers who are still running Win 7/8.x can also play? Was there a decision between the lower-level APIs DirectX 12 and Vulkan, and if so, why did you pick DX12?

Marcin Gollent: Thanks to the introduction of DX12 support for Windows 7 SP1 that Microsoft introduced last year, the game will run on this system. We do, and will continue to, test Cyberpunk 2077 on Windows 7 in an attempt to iron out any edge-cases that might arise. Unfortunately, Windows 8 didn't receive its variant of DX12 libraries.

Regarding DX12 Ultimate, Cyberpunk 2077 will work absolutely fine with all DX12-compatible GPUs. What the "Ultimate" feature set does is it allows us to do more if the hardware allows for it. We opted to go with DX12 for two main reasons. Firstly, it is the standard API for the Xbox platforms, and with the game also coming to Xbox One, we naturally wanted to have it implemented as soon as possible. Secondly, it is the birthplace of DXR, and given we had plans to invest in DXR very early on, that made the choice to go with DX12 a pretty straightforward one.

Devolver Digital announces they will present D3: Devolver Digital Direct on Twitch and Steam on July 11th at 3:00 pm EDT. This will offer a look at some of their upcoming game projects with what they paradoxically call a live pre-recorded presentation. Read on for more details in their marvelously self-deprecating announcement:

Amid a groundbreaking new level of tedious digital showcases, Devolver Digital aims to raise the bar for overrated marketing videos with this year’s Devolver Direct on July 11 at 12:00PM Pacific Time. The seventh best indie game label will step up to the plate once more and whiff real hard with a live pre-recorded presentation on Twitch [http://twitch.tv/twitchgaming] and Steam.

This year’s showcase continues the tradition of overpromises with new game reveals, gameplay reveals, release date announcements, and special guests from the industry to help usher in these important marketing bullet points. And it’s nearly all gameplay because that’s what the youths of today demand.

The astonishing misuse of marketing budget will end with a few surprises and game demos available to play by the unwashed masses including Carrion, Disc Room, and an unannounced game. Maybe another game too, who can really tell where this is all leading.

Welcome to the Jungle! The Minecraft Website announces the new Jungle Awakens DLC is now available for Minecraft Dungeons. This even comes with something for those who don't pick it up, as they announce new free content for the base game, including a new map. Here's the Official Launch Trailer and here's word:

It only took one loud alarm, seven snooze reminders, and a stressed editor yelling “TODAY’S THE DAY, GET UP UPDATE!” Jungle Awakens, Minecraft Dungeons’ first DLC pack, is finally up and will be rolling out today on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One!

This update features everything you could wish for from an awakened jungle; from new missions and game mechanics, to never before seen mobs and items – as well as a… unique challenge.

Continue here to read the full story.

Publisher Dear Villagers and developer Artefacts Studio announce an August 27th release date for The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos, their "offbeat" tactical RPG for PC, saying it is coming to Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG.com. Here's their recent PC Gaming Show Extended Gameplay Trailer narrated by Felicia Day, and here's word on the game:

The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos is a turn-based tactical RPG chock-full of charm, humour and chaos! Leading a ragtag company of unlikely heroes, players will embark on an epic adventure through the dreadful dungeon of Naheulbeuk, utilising both “strength” and “smarts” to overcome the very worst that the evil lord Zangdar has to throw at them.

With a stellar voice cast lead by Felicia Day (The Guild, Geek & Sundry, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos combines the fun, creativity and chaos of an epic fantasy tabletop campaign with the challenge of the very best tactical RPG games, delivering an adventure unlike anything you’ve played before.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Humble Software Bundle- Learn Python Programming with PyCharm (pay what you want and help charity).*
• Humble Comic Bundle: Image Comics Showcase (pay what you want and help charity).*

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

• The Dark Mod 2.08 update now available.

• Death Stranding PC Hands-On- The Former PS4 Exclusive Runs Like A Dream - GameSpot.

• Summer Game Fest Demo Event Coming July 21 to an Xbox One Near You.
• Atari VCS Launches This Fall, Pre-Orders Now Open.
• Worms Rumble brings real-time multiplayer action to PS4 and PS5.
• Furi Creators Bringing Co-Op RPG Haven To PS5, PS4.
• Haven is a chill co-op adventure coming to PS4 and PS5.
• Introducing Carto, a charming, innovative puzzle adventure coming to PS4.
• Hacking-themed platformer Recompile is coming to PS5.
• Explore ambiguity in Creaks, coming to PS4 this summer.
• Heavenly Bodies is coming to PS5 and PS4.
• Where the Heart Is: A narrative adventure between truth and fiction, coming winter 2020 to PS4.
• Fuser Takes the Stage on Xbox One This Fall.
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Alpha (2007.200630-0000).
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Alpha Skip-Ahead (2008.200629-0000).

• Samsung Lets Note20+-Ultra Design Slip.
• Microsoft removes the Windows 10 2004 block on Surface devices. Thanks RedEye9.

• Kongregate shuts off game submissions and other features as Flash's final days approach.
• Microsoft announces a whole bunch of new features coming to OneDrive.
• Gmail's spam filter might be broken for some, according to user reports.

• Microsoft announces new Windows 10 Start menu design and updated Alt-Tab.
• ASUS ROG Maximus XII Apex Now Available.

• One out of every 142 passwords is '123456.' That's the kind of thing an idiot would have on his luggage!
• Hacker ransoms 23k MongoDB databases and threatens to contact GDPR authorities.
• Android security: This fake message about a missed delivery leads to data-stealing malware.
• New Mac Ransomware Is Even More Sinister Than It Appears.

• EVE Online Player Stages Massive War To Honor His Fight Against Cancer…

Last Link of the Day: 'Beavis and Butt-Head' Returning With Two New Seasons (and Spinoffs) at Comedy Central. The show that amazingly predicted how desperately we would all need TP for our bungholes.

Many thought that the Crysis Remastered Trailer that leaked yesterday wasn't legitimate, as it wasn't up to expectations for the upcoming first-person shooter rework. Now a tweet from Crytek reveals that the trailer was real, and the negative reaction makes them recognize there is still work to be done to bring this up to snuff. They announce that they are delaying the game's release in order to work on it further. Here's their post on the topic:

As you know Crysis Remastered will be coming to the world this year - and at the same time Crisis IP will debut on Nintendo Switch!

Your passion for the Crysis franchise deserves an undeniably high-quality game, and we are committed to delivering just that. To ensure that we meet that commitment, we need to delay the launch date (all platforms) and trailer premiere by a few weeks. Because they already started, pre-orders for Switch will stay open, but pre-orders for all other platforms will be delayed as well.

The features you're looking forward to are already set, but we want to take the time on polishing the game. You might be aware of the leak yesterday, and we want you to know: we've seen all the reactions - the good and the bad - and we're listening! We're still working on a number of things in the game, as well as the storefront. Please keep the love coming, and rest assure, you'll have the game you love shortly!

This extra time until release will allow us to get Crysis Remastered up to the PC- and console-breaking standard you've come to expect from Crysis games. We hope you understand what we're up too - and that you stay with us while we take the time to make a few more improvements. Stay tuned, and we'll have that game, in your hands as soon as we possibly can.

We'll keep you updated on our progress, so please hang in there, and check back here for updates!

Motion Twin announces that Dead Cells has sold three million copies since entering Early Access on Steam. They celebrate the milestone with the release of the 19th major update for the Windows, macOS, and Linux editions of the metroidvania inspired, action-platformer. They call this The Update of Plenty, and discuss it in a new video blog while offering the full patch notes here. Here's word:

Motion Twin and Evil Empire announced that Dead Cells has sold 3 million copies over the course of its lifetime since hitting early access on Steam in 2017 and that the title has received its 19th major update today, which is available now for PC with console planned for release in the coming weeks.

Update 19 makes a lot (no, a lot) of smaller changes to the game, including sweeping changes to items and weapons - many of which were completely reworked, nerfed or boosted.

Continue here to read the full story.

In more sales figure bragging, developer Asobo Studio and publisher Focus Home Interactive announce that A Plague Tale: Innocence has sold over one million copies worldwide spanning PC and consoles. Looking to add to that tally, they note that the Windows edition is 66% off on Steam as part of the ongoing Summer Sale. They point out that the adventure game appeared on many "Best of 2019" lists and was nominated at The Game Awards for Best Narrative. "The entire team at Asobo Studio is extremely proud of the path A Plague Tale: Innocence has taken in one year with Focus Home Interactive by our side," said David Dedeine, Chief Creative Officer and co-founder of Asobo Studio. "Every day more and more players are discovering the story of Amicia and Hugo, which is for us the greatest source of motivation. We can't wait to bring other adventures and strong emotional experiences!"

PC Gamer reveals that Cyberpunk 2077 will be censored in Japan, hearing from CD PROJEKT RED that the sci-fi RPG will remove nudity and "genital shaped objects." Word is: "the changes have been made in order to comply with the Japanese rating agency CERO's requirements. Instances of nudity will be covered up with underwear in Japan, including on the protagonist." Another thing that's being cut from the game in all regions is wall-running. This was previously shown off, but a recent article on GameReactor says this is being ditched. Level designer Max Pears explains they are apparently done banging their heads against the wall getting this to work:

"Ah, the wall running" Pears exclaimed, "that is something that we removed due to design reasons, but there's still going to be a lot of flexibility in how you move, that's for sure".

Publisher 1C Entertainment and developer Team Fusion Simulations reveal IL-2 Sturmovik: Desert Wings, saying this expansion for IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover (musical interlude) will take off this summer on Steam. This will bring more than 40 new aircraft and variants to this air combat simulator along with new tanks, artillery, vehicles, and ships. It also features a 385 square km map of World War II Tobruk in precise detail. Here's an Announcement Trailer and here's the flight plan:

In this exciting new IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover - Blitz Desert War expansion, you can fly with over 40 aircraft and variants from the Royal Air Force, the Luftwaffe or the Regia Aeronautica. See combat in the legendary Spitfire, sturdy Hurricanes, stubby Martlets, and rugged Kittyhawks, or take wing in deadly Messerschmitts and Macchis. The game introduces a flyable Wellington bomber, as well as updated versions of the Ju-88 and Heinkel 111H. Desert Wings allows bomber and fighter jocks of all skill levels the opportunity to fully challenge themselves in this historically based campaign.

Continue here to read the full story.

The repercussions of allegations of sexual misconduct continue at Ubisoft, as Gamasutra shares some internal email revealing how the company is dealing with the situation. Word is they are creating a "multidisciplinary working group" to find "better solutions and tools to detect, report and resolve any incident or serious problem without delay and in an impartial manner." This will include an "anonymous online reporting tool" they hope to have in place by the end of this month. Ubisoft was implicated in reports of harassment and other misconduct that surfaced last week that resulted in a leave of absence for Assassin's Creed creative director Ashraf Ismail and an internal investgation of their culture. They promised further steps, and the report on Gamasutra seems to outline some of them. Here's a bit:

Cornet, meanwhile, explained Ubisoft will also be launching an audit into its current processes and practices, along with several investigations that will be conducted by external partners including Rubin Thomlinson LLP and Reddock Law Group.

"These investigations can typically take two weeks to two months depending on the case. While an investigation is ongoing, we are not able to communicate on the details because we need to protect the confidentiality of all parties involved and avoid influencing the investigator’s work," wrote Cornet.

"Some of these investigations end in sanctions (warnings with required training, suspensions, dismissal), while others prove groundless. I hear the need for greater transparency, and one of the ways we will do that is by better tracking and sharing indicators on where we stand.

Continue here to read the full story.

NVIDIA announces details on their partnership with Kojima Productions to enhance the upcoming PC edition of Death Stranding, Hideo Kojima's action game. Showing things off in a Last Chance to Pre-Purchase trailer, they explain the game's support for DLSS 2.0 technology on NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards:

DEATH STRANDING is rendered by Guerrilla Games’ Decima Engine with beautiful, realistic photogrammetry textures, high definition models, and stunning landscapes. In addition, the PC edition of DEATH STRANDING is enhanced with a range of new features, headlined by NVIDIA DLSS 2.0. Powered by dedicated AI processors in GeForce RTX GPUs, called Tensor Cores, DLSS 2.0 is a deep learning neural network that boosts frame rates while generating beautiful, crisp game images. It gives gamers the performance headroom to maximize game settings and increase output resolutions, for a superior, higher-fidelity experience. To learn more, stay tuned to GeForce.com for our DEATH STRANDING DLSS article that’ll go live nearer to the game’s release.

“DEATH STRANDING already has the reputation of being a visual stunner, but NVIDIA DLSS 2.0 helps make the PC debut something special. The extra performance NVIDIA DLSS 2.0 delivers in DEATH STRANDING allows gamers to unlock the vast graphical potential of the PC platform by increasing the graphics settings and resolution, delivering on the vision we have for the game.” - Akio Sakamoto, CTO KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS.

Continue here to read the full story.

Solitaire 3D is now available for Windows, Linux, and macOS on Steam, adding a third dimension to the classic card game that's more or less 2D in its physical form. Here's a video showing off the game's madcap action, and here's the pitch:

Featuring over 100 different solitaire games in a single product, Solitaire 3D contains all your favorite games – Spider, Pyramid, Klondike, Freecell, Tri-Peaks – and many, many more.

With Solitaire 3D you can also create your own personalised card decks, and print them out to create real-life card decks. Compete with players across the world with online high scores for each game.

Continue here to read the full story.

Recreate Games announces Party Animals will come later this year to Windows and consoles, with the PC edition set to party on Steam. They claim that interest in this cutesy brawler was so great that demand for the demo crashed their server during the Steam Game Festival, Summer Edition, despite competing for attention with more than 900 other temporary demos. They offer a new trailer they call unofficial, so don't try and use this to get into any parties. Here's word:

Party Animals’ unique physics engine, developed in-house by Recreate Games, features completely physics-driven character movements, leading to seemingly haphazard, floppy encounters that are both unpredictable and hilarious. Will your punch land in that sweet spot and send your foe flying off the stage, or will it knock your own character completely off balance? Get tangled up in a rumble with your friends and frenemies, and all you can do is hope for the best!

Featuring a variety of game modes in local and online multiplayer, including free-for-all skirmishes and objective-based gameplay, Party Animals journeys through an eclectic mix of environments where anything can happen - such as all-out lollipop warfare between a cute dinosaur and a fluffy shark!

Continue here to read the full story.

• GOG.com Midweek Sale: games set in outer space up to 90% off.
• Death Stranding - PC - Steam Key pre-purchase.* Save 22%.
• Crusader Kings III: Royal Edition - PC - Steam Key pre-purchase.* Save 18%.
• Othercide Steam Key pre-purchase.* Save 28%.
• Necromunda: Underhive Wars Steam Key pre-purchase.* Save 33%.

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

• [RDR2] EXTREME Sled Riding. Thanks Ant.

• Cyberpunk 2077's wall running scrapped due to design reasons. Thanks PC Gamer via Neutronbeam.

• PC Gamer - Steam's new Point Shop makes you face the awful truth of how much money you spend on Steam. Thanks Phlegm.
  "For Valve, the Points Shop seems like yet another clever way to keep people absorbed in the Steam ecosystem, a little nudge towards spending more money. But I'm not sure the designers thought about what Points do if you never spend them. They'll just keep piling up with every purchase. For me, I think the Points Shop may actually do the opposite of what Valve wants. It'll make me hesitate, just a little guilty, every time I'm about to buy a game."

• FUSER - Harmonix Sets its Sights on Festival Lights - AusGamers.com.
• Death Stranding on PC is a great version of a very weird game - PC Gamer.

• Xbox Game Bar Update- New Widget Store, Features, and Widgets.
• Tannenberg I Console Release Announcement Trailer.
• FUSER Is Now Available For Digital Pre-order And Pre-download On Xbox One.
• Hunt: Showdown - Master Hunter Edition And The Bayou Edition Are Now Available For Xbox One.
• Marvel’s Iron Man VR is out Friday – PlayStation.Blog.
• Action platformer F.I.S.T- Forged in Shadow Torch coming to PS4.
• Introducing PlayStation Indies and a day of captivating new games.
• A spoiler-heavy interview with The Last of Us Part 2 director Neil Druckmann • Eurogamer.net.

Thanks Neutronbeam.

• The Evolution Of Handheld Games (video).
• 2020 laptop trends that must die.
• Opera for Android 59 advances online payments.

Thanks Frans.

• Lego pulls ads on Facebook over 'hate speech.'
• NVIDIA Puts More Tools in Hands of Artists, Designers and Data Scientists Working Remotely. Thanks Hypothermia.
• Mozilla Firefox 78.0.1, See All New Features, Updates and Fixes.
• Mozilla Firefox ESR 78.0.1esr, See All New Features, Updates and Fixes.
• Mozilla Thunderbird — Release Notes (68.10.0).
• Spotify launches Premium Duo, a plan for couples.

• Startup enables echocardiogram with AI to fight COVID. Thanks Hypothermia.
• Microsoft to help 25 million people worldwide acquire new digital skills needed for the COVID-19 economy. Thanks Hypothermia.
• Neon Noir Benchmarked: Crytek's Ray Tracing Benchmark Tool Tested.
• 9 simple ways to make your desk healthier and more comfortable. Thanks Phlegm.
• Linux Mint 20. Thanks Ant.
• CPU Cooler Cleaning Guide.
• Noctua Custom Tailors NH-L12 CPU Cooler for Louqe's Mini-ITX PC Case. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Visual Studio version 16.6.3. Thanks ConsoleGenRL.

• Roblox accounts hacked to support Donald Trump.
• Did China Steal Canada’s Edge in 5G From Nortel? Thanks Digg.
• Microsoft releases emergency security update to fix two bugs in Windows codecs.
• NEC insists its face-recog training dataset isn't biased, but refuses to share details of Neoface system with UK court.
• Malwarebytes 4.1.2.73. Thanks DSLReports via Ant.

• Student arrested over alleged Konami bomb threat.
• AT&T dragged to court, again, over SIM hijacking and cryptocurrency theft.
• UK court shuts down scam cryptocurrency platform GPay Ltd, £1.5 million in client funds lost.

• Death Stranding PC Preview - A Visually Stunning Odyssey by the Way of Oddity - AusGamers.com.
• Trackmania PC Review - GameWatcher.
• Trackmania Review - IGN.

• Accell Driver-Less USB-C 4K Dock Station Review - TweakTown.
• ASRock Radeon RX 5600 XT Phantom Gaming D3 GPU Review — Modders-Inc.
• ASUS TUF Gaming B550M-Plus (Wi-Fi) Motherboard Review - Vortez.
• HTC Vive Cosmos Review - AusGamers.com.
• Kingston A2000 1 TB M.2 NVMe SSD Review - 8% Faster Thanks to New Firmware - TechPowerUp.
• Samsung 870 QVO (1TB & 4TB) SSD Review- QLC Refreshed - AnandTech.
• Samsung 870 QVO SATA SSD Review- Taking baby steps with QLC - Tom's Hardware.
• SAMSUNG 870 QVO SSD Review - Vortez.
• Silicon Power Blast Plug BP82 TWS Earbuds Review - Nikk Tech.
• SteelSeries Stratus Duo Wireless Controller Review - AusGamers.com.
• Thermaltake V250 TG ARGB Case Review - TechPowerUp.

• CD Projekt Red confirms Cyberpunk 2077 will be censored in Japan. Thanks Phlegm…
• Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass for Console and PC- Fallout 76, Soulcalibur VI, and More…

So the wildlife dude came to check out the bird's nest in the vent in our home. Somewhere along the way I figured out this is actually the bathroom fan vent, rather than a dryer vent, so it wasn't likely to cause a fire, but it still seemed advisable to deal with it. He found no eggs, so he just removed the nest, rather than relocating it. So in the end this is something I could have done myself. But we no longer own a ladder tall enough, and there was nesting material that went way back there, suggesting more than one nest may have been involved over time. This required a lot of work to remove, so it was for the best that we got a professional. Especially considering how reasonable his rate turned out to be. After being used to pricing in the suburbs of New York City it's quite refreshing to experience how things are handled in our new more rural digs. The vent is now all cleaned out and has a much more critter-proof cover, so we can be pretty confident this is taken care of for the foreseeable future.

Nested Links
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.

Breakfast Links

• Meet the Japanese man who holds the world's only degree in ninja studies.
• 5 of the Funniest Science Fiction Books to Cheer You Up.
• Dungeons & Dragons next campaign comes as a $500 limited edition with jewelry.

Stories

• US astronaut at International Space Station loses mirror during spacewalk. Doing coke in 0G is hard enough to start with. Thanks RedEye9.

Science

• A Massive Star Has Disappeared Without a Trace. Thanks Phlegm.
• It happened in just zeptoseconds.

Media

• Car Design Trends That Need to Stop. Thanks Digg.
• Girl Can't Find Fuel Cap At Gas Station.
• BONUS: THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY. Thanks RedEye9.

Follow-up

• Most People With Coronavirus Won’t Spread It. Why Do a Few Infect Many? Thanks RedEye9.