Blizzard outlines their BlizzCon 2018 plans for Diablo, saying they will not be showing everything they're doing with their action/RPG franchise, revealing they "currently have multiple teams working on different Diablo projects." They say they won't be announcing everything, but say they will be sharing some sort of news about the series:

BlizzCon 2018 is almost here and we’ve seen a lot of rumors flying around about our plans for Diablo at the show. These are very exciting times—we currently have multiple teams working on different Diablo projects and we can’t wait to tell you all about them . . . when the time is right.

We know what many of you are hoping for and we can only say that “good things come to those who wait,” but evil things often take longer. We appreciate your patience as our teams work tirelessly to create nightmarish experiences worthy of the Lord of Terror.

While we won’t be ready to announce all of our projects, we do intend to share some Diablo-related news with you at the show.

November 2 will be an especially diabolical date—not only is it the first day of BlizzCon, it’s also when Diablo III arrives on the Nintendo Switch. If you’re planning to pick up the game (the digital download will be available starting at midnight on launch day) and are joining us in Anaheim, be sure to bring your console. We’d love to slay some demons with you on the show floor.

Again, we want to thank you for your patience and support. We are eternally grateful to you and the millions of other Diablo fans around the world whose passion for this franchise inspires us and keeps our fires burning.

We’ll see you in hell . . . and at BlizzCon!

Loot Crate announces a new addition to their roster of subscription crates called Loot Play which will deliver a monthly selection of independent PC games. They call this subscription "the first of its kind on the platform," which is not true, as the Humble folks have been running Humble Monthly for three years now. This is only available in the U.S. to start, and they say that games will be redeemed via Steam codes. "We want to solve two problems with Loot Play. We want to help subscribers find new games that are curated with a focus on creative new voices, and we want to help these independent studios reach new audiences through our large network of Looters," said Erik Reynolds, VP of Product Marketing and Communications, Loot Crate. "Loot Play will be Loot Crate's first digital subscription product and will open the door for the company to continue its growth through digital offerings, redefine collecting and explore the relationship fans have with content." Here's more:

Each digital crate month will have one featured title, a title that is the anchor of each month and fully revealed in our marketing assets. We'll dive into the stories of the development teams and their unique voices in the games industry through stories on The Daily Crate, we'll feature them on our Tuesday streams on Twitch and Mixer, and they will be the star of that month's marketing push. The other four games in each crate will be a mystery in keeping with Loot Crate tradition, but we will show those teams some love on unboxing day, near the end of each crate cycle. Our debut featured title for Loot Play is Crossing Souls, developed by Fourattic and published by Devolver Digital!

Steam News announces the official release RimWorld for Windows, macOS, and Linux. This follows a couple of years of Early Access for this strategy game that puts you in charge of a space colony, and this post has details on version 1.0, and what Early Access players should know about the transition. This launch trailer illustrates the news, and here are more details:

RimWorld is a sci-fi colony sim driven by an intelligent AI storyteller. Inspired by Dwarf Fortress, Firefly, and Dune.

• You begin with three survivors of a shipwreck on a distant world.
• Manage colonists' moods, needs, wounds, and illnesses.
• Build colonies in the forest, desert, jungle, tundra, and more.
• Watch colonists develop and break relationships with family members, lovers, and spouses.
• Replace wounded limbs and organs with prosthetics, bionics, or biological parts harvested from others.
• Fight pirates, tribes, mad animals, giant insects and ancient killing machines.
• Craft structures, weapons, and apparel from metal, wood, stone, cloth, and futuristic materials.
• Tame and train cute pets, productive farm animals, and deadly attack beasts.
• Trade with passing ships and caravans.
• Form caravans complete quests, trade, attack other factions, or migrate your whole colony.
• Dig through snow, weather storms, and fight fires.
• Capture refugees or prisoners and turn them to your side or sell them into slavery.
• Discover a new generated world each time you play.
• Explore hundreds of wild and interesting mods on the Steam Workshop.
• Learn to play easily with the help of an intelligent and unobtrusive AI tutor.

RimWorld is a story generator. It’s designed to co-author tragic, twisted, and triumphant stories about imprisoned pirates, desperate colonists, starvation and survival. It works by controlling the “random” events that the world throws at you. Every thunderstorm, pirate raid, and traveling salesman is a card dealt into your story by the AI Storyteller. There are several storytellers to choose from. Randy Random does crazy stuff, Cassandra Classic goes for rising tension, and Phoebe Chillax likes to relax.

Continue here to read the full story.

Publisher Ripstone Games breaks the news about Snooker 19, a simulation of the cue game in the works at Lab42 for release next year on Windows and consoles. They say this is the "first official snooker game in a generation," so they aren't trying to snooker us into remembering Snooker 18 or anything like that. Word is: "Snooker 19 will deliver the most authentic, realistic, and best-looking snooker game ever made with multiplayer modes, a single player career mode linked to real tournaments and compelling TV style presentation." The Snooker 19 website promises to help keep up with this project. Here's more:

Ripstone Games is proud to announce that it’s teamed up with developer Lab42 and World Snooker, to release the officially licensed ‘Snooker 19’ in 2019 on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

Developed by Leamington based Lab42, Snooker 19 will feature 128 of the world’s top players including Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump, Mark Selby and Ding Junhui as they take to the table at iconic venues including The Crucible and Alexandra Palace and in countries across the world including China and Germany. Players will be able to compete in every major tournament culminating with the World Championship in Sheffield. Snooker 19 will be the first officially licensed game to be published across all current generation consoles as well as PC.

Publisher The Arcade Crew and developer Hibernian Workshop offer a new video developer diary #1 from Dark Devotion. This features a behind-the-scenes look at this side-scrolling action/RPG they humorously describe as the "Dark Souls of 2D Dark Souls." The game is due early next year, the clip explores "the inspirations behind its world striving for incessant sacrifice driven by unwavering zealots." Here's more:

The new video weaves together the artists, locations and inspirations that would ultimately become the rich narrative tapestry for Dark Devotion. Artist Alexandre Magnat, programmer Louis Denizet and writer Arthur Dos Santos describe how they drew from Romantic era artists like Delacroix and 14th century French Gothic architecture from southeastern France to create the overall macabre tone and artistic design of the game. The trio also detail how H.P. Lovecraft’s short stories and concepts around ‘the anti-hero’ helped them fine tune Dark Devotion’s story arch and character development.

Continue here to read the full story.

WBIE and IO Interactive confirm the speculation that actor Sean Bean will be the first "elusive target" in HITMAN 2, the next episodic installment in their assassination series. Bean has rarely been a very elusive target in his acting career, as he is quite famous for his penchant for dying on screen, so lets just call this typecasting. This live-action trailer celebrates the news, showing that coping with being a target can be therapeutic. This also provides the chance to vote on the Elusive Target Website to pick a weapon that will unlock later in the game. Here's more:

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and IO Interactive today announced that international actor Sean Bean will star in the first Elusive Target mission for the HITMAN™ 2 video game. Bean will take on the role of Mark Faba, a former MI5 agent turned freelance assassin. Notoriously known as “The Undying”, Faba’s reputation as a master of faking his own death is second to none, ultimately causing the International Contract Agency (ICA) to put an imposing bounty on his head.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of the upcoming HITMAN™ 2 video game” said Bean, “It’s always exciting to take on a new role, and I look forward to seeing my character in action when the Elusive Target mission launches.”

“We are very proud to partner with the talented Sean Bean on the first Elusive Target mission in HITMAN™ 2,” said Hakan Abrak, Studio Head, IO Interactive. “Elusive Targets have become a distinguishing trait in Hitman™ games as part of the constant stream of free live content for all players to enjoy. This new mission starring Sean Bean is one of many updates, features, modes and franchise firsts coming to HITMAN™ 2, making the next chapter in our ever-expanding world of assassination a richer game for our passionate community and newcomers to the series.”

Continue here to read the full story.

• Battlerite Royale -- Battlerite Royale Patch 0.2 - Curse of the Night. Not BattleFright? Or BattleNight?

• Steam Daily Deal - Duck Game, 60% Off.

• Ubisoft Massive COO- -We don't want to take a stance in current politics- - GamesIndustry.biz.
• Panic Button and the search for "design fun" - GamesIndustry.biz.

• League of Legends All Star 2018 Voting.

• Quantum Replica on PC Invasion.

• Red Dead Redemption 2 preload begins this Friday.

• MoviePass’ parent company being investigated over fraud concerns.
• Apple Finally Lets You Download All Your Data.

• At Facebook, public funds join push to remove Zuckerberg as chairman.
• Cryptocurrencies -on the brink of an implosion- - Juniper.
• Why has Twitter banned 1500 accounts and what are NPCs?
• Twitter will now display a notice for 14 days when someone deletes a reported tweet.
• 'Orange Is the New Black' will end in 2019.
• Windows 10 users- Chrome 70 means you don't need Edge, Microsoft Store to run PWAs.

Thanks RedEye9.

• Intel shakes up manufacturing group amid production delays.
• Apple could dump Intel processors in 2020.
• Samsung Starts Mass Production of Chips Using Its 7nm EUV Process Tech.
• Samsung Begins Sales of 65-Inch Q900R 8K UHDTV in the UK.

• Robotic Security Forces On Patrol Prompt Privacy Concerns For Some. Thanks [H]ardOCP.

• Grand Theft Auto 'cheats' homes raided.
• Equifax web engineer gets 8 months of house arrest for $75,000 in insider trading.

• Ubisoft elevates Frédérick Duguet to chief financial officer…
• Today Is The First Opportunity To Get The Stanley Parable's Toughest Achievement. Five years passes so fast…
• First Shadow of the Tomb Raider Nude Mod Released. This is my shocked face. Followed by my O face…
• Did you know there’s a ghost ship in The Witcher 3? Thanks RedEye9…

Link of the Day: Hula Hoop of 5.2 meters diameter. You know, for kids!

The Amorous Adventures of Bold Sir Hans Capon is now available on GOG.com and Steam, offering new content for Kingdom Come: Deliverance, the action/adventure from Warhorse Studios. Word is: "This DLC once again reunites players with Henry as he both aids an old lovesick friend and proves his combat skills in a fresh challenge." You can see Sir Hans work his medieval magnetism in the release trailer and read on for this throwback take on Super Seducer:

Warhorse Studios alongside Deep Silver today released a new DLC for the critically acclaimed medieval RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance for $9.99 USD. With the new content, players will enjoy The Amorous Adventures of Bold Sir Hans Capon and experience first-hand how brave young gentlemen try to win a woman’s heart. The DLC is available for PlayStation® 4, Xbox One as well PC at the respective digital stores and via Steam.

Amorous Adventures challenges players to help their friend Hans Capon. Hans is in love and he needs Henry’s guidance to conquer the heart of the beautiful Karolina. However, things turn out to be trickier than expected; a lost family jewel, a magic love potion and the most romantic poem of all time promise many new fun moments in Kingdom Come: Deliverance.

Players who prefer new chances to prove their fighting skills can join the freshly added Rattay Combat Tournament. The prize for players winning this iconic tournament are unique armor parts.

Continue here to read the full story.

Publisher Versus Evil and developer Mild Beast Games announce the release of At Sundown, offering a top-down shooter for Windows. This debuts as a First on Discord title, so for the first 90 days the only place to pick this up is through the Discord Store, which just entered open beta. The launch trailer shows off this BAFTA winning title, and the announcement has all the details:

Independent video game publisher Versus Evil, in partnership with independent developer Mild Beast Games, today announced that the BAFTA winning top down shoot ‘em up, At Sundown, is available today on PC and Mac through Discord’s new game store in a 90 day exclusivity deal on PC.

Discord, which now has over 150 million registered users, today launched the global beta of their new curated store and Nitro subscription service. The “First on Discord” program in the store will offer access to select high-quality indie games launching exclusively for PC on Discord for a limited time. Discord has also released their new universal library, which allows players to be able to find and launch any game they have previously played (regardless of where it was purchased) from one universal launcher within the Discord app.

At Sundown is a top down stealth-based arena shooter in which up to 4 players compete in online and local deathmatch games. Players are under the cover of complete darkness and can only see themselves and be seen by their opponents when they shoot, dash or walk into or trigger a light source.

Continue here to read the full story.

Duality Games announces Unholy, a first-person stealth/horror game coming to Steam late next year. As you may notice from this teaser trailer, this bears a resemblance to Agony, prompting an odd preemptive statement from the developer: "We have many questions about that, so I want to clear this: - it's completely different developer from Madmind Studio and its 'Agony'. I mean - we won't make same errors like with Agony. We know how to avoid them." Here are the details on the game:

Become Saidah, a mother in search of her abducted child. Venture through morbid streets of the last city on a dying planet. Challenge a repressive regime under which your whole life is determined by which social caste you belong to. Save your child and find out if escape is possible.

Unholy takes place on a desolate planet where last members of the human race live in the Last City. This sprawling metropolis is divided between castes, and every day is shrouded in fear. Fear of being noticed by higher castes. Fear of being killed by a mysterious Plague that is slowly consuming the city Fear of being caught by one of the maniacs or mysterious beast that are going through the streets at night.

Gameplay is a mix of horror and stealth game, where for each challenge can be overcome in several different ways. Will you sneak through the guards unnoticed or will you resort to murder, leaving behind you a trail of blood as you fall into madness? As an outcast and a wanted person you have a unique chance to exploit the caste system and impersonate different members of society. Your playstyle is your own, but each has its consequences.

FEATURES:

• Engaging First Person Horror / Stealth gameplay
• Explore a rich story behind Last City and Siadah’s desperate quest to save herself and her child
• Immerse yourself in a uniquely dark environment never seen before.
• Multiple ways to approach challenges through stealth, or through exploiting the city’s social order.
• Take good care about your physical and mental health. Fight the encroaching madness or deal with the consequences of going insane.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Building Duke Nukem, Prey, and Max Payne- An Hour With 3D Realms' Scott Miller – IGN Unfiltered #36.

• PS4 Update 6.02 Out Now, Here's What It Does.
• Midnight Deluxe Is Now Available For Digital Pre-order And Pre-download On Xbox One.
• The One We Found Is Now Available For Digital Pre-order And Pre-download On Xbox One.
• The Jackbox Party Pack 5 Is Now Available For Xbox One.
• Buy A Double Chalupa Box For A Chance To Win A Limited-Edition Xbox.
• Red Dead Redemption 2 comes on 2 discs, according to Japanese box art.

• Google's Chrome now lets you unlink your web and browser sign-ins.
• Helm is a personal, private email server that won’t share your data.
• I Ditched Google For Bing. Here's What I Found—And What I Didn't.
• Logan Paul’s YouTube Premium movie is back on, months after controversy.

• New Thin, Light VR Gloves Provide Haptic Feedback.
• MIT's AI can identify breast cancer risk as reliably as a radiologist.
• Oracle VM VirtualBox version 5.2.20. Thanks Ant.

Thanks Ant.

• Slack Doesn’t Have End-to-End Encryption Because Your Boss Doesn’t Want It. Thanks Slashdot.
• Apple ‘Deeply Apologetic’ Over Account Hacks in China. Thanks Slashdot.
• Trivial authentication bypass in libssh leaves servers wide open.
• These New Tricks Can Outsmart Deepfake Videos—for Now.

• Advertisers allege Facebook hid the fact that no one watches video ads.

• Deliver Us The Moon: Fortuna on Gaming Nexus.
• For Honor: Marching Fire on VG247.
• Kingdom Come- Deliverance – The Amorous Adventures of Bold Sir Hans Capon on Gaming Nexus.
• Yoku’s Island Express on Christ Centered Gamer.

• CORSAIR Force Series MP510 960GB NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD on Guru3D, Nikk Tech, and Tom's Hardware (thanks Hypothermia).
• Crucial P1 NVMe M.2 SSD 1 TB on TechPowerUp and Vortez.
• MSI GeForce RTX 2070 Armor OC Graphics Card on Neoseeker.
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Founder's Edition vs. EVGA RTX 2070 Graphics Card on BabelTech Reviews.
• RHA MA750 Wireless Headphones on TechPowerUp.
• Thermaltake Pacific W4 Plus CPU Water Block on Overclocked Inside. German.
• Thermaltake Toughpower Grand RGB 850W Power Supply on Play3r.

• Crayola Scoot is now available, in case you're finished with all your adult coloring books…

I tried to dawdle to draw out the experience, but I've finished the single-player campaign in Red Dead Redemption with time to spare in advance of the sequel. I found it very enjoyable, and will continue to pursue completing the various shooting and survival goals. This includes collecting loads of plants and flowers, which is something I don't actually recall featuring in a lot of western lore, but it is what it is. This plays into a recent real-life distraction for me that connects to the game, as I keep passing these flowers in our walkway. I think anyone who's played the game will agree that these bear enough resemblance to Wild Feverfew and Violet Snowdrop to make you reflexively hit the "Y" button to dismount your horse to collect them.

Links:	Thanks Ant.
Play:	Combo Pool.
Stories:	Canada becomes second country to legalise recreational marijuana.
Science:	Next Generation Telescopes Could Use "Teleportation" to Take Better Images. Thanks j.c.f. Ancient Viking Ship Found Buried Next to Busy Norwegian Freeway. Study documents paternal transmission of epigenetic memory via sperm. Earth Lost 2.5 Billion Years’ Worth of Evolutionary History in Just 130,000 Years.
Media:	STRANGER THINGS AFOOT! - Teens & College Kids Play Life is Strange 2. Bear Smashes Way Out Of Minivan. New Kool-Aid spokesperson discovered. Why Drag Racers Have Parachutes.
Follow-up:	NASA Astronaut Describes What It Was Like to Fall to Earth When Soyuz Launch Failed.
The Funnies:	Savage Chickens.