Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Reports Strong Results for Fiscal Year 2019. As is to be expected, this includes some really big numbers: "GAAP net revenue grew to $539.0 million, as compared to $450.3 million in last year’s fiscal fourth quarter. Recurrent consumer spending (virtual currency, add-on content and in-game purchases) increased and accounted for 54% of total GAAP net revenue. The largest contributors to GAAP net revenue in fiscal fourth quarter 2019 were NBA® 2K19, Grand Theft Auto® Online and Grand Theft Auto V, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Red Dead Online, Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI, Dragon City and Monster Legends, and WWE® SuperCard and WWE 2K19." Here some business and product highlights of interest:

Rockstar Games:

• Continued to update the Red Dead Online Beta with new content, gameplay balancing and bug fixes, including the following:
  • Showdown Modes, including Plunder, Up in Smoke and Spoils of War. These player-versus-player modes are tight, dramatic competitive matches that allow for quick structured gameplay sessions;
  • Target Races, where players shoot targets while on horseback to pass checkpoints while racing and be first to finish;
  • Fishing Challenge, a new Competitive Challenge to the Free Roam Event rotation, in which players compete to catch the most weight in fish;
  • Gun Rush, where players gather weapons and ammunition while the play area shrinks in this mode for up to 32 players. Available to play in Free-for-All and Team variations, where the last one standing wins;
  • Numerous new Weapons, Clothing, Emotes and more.
• Released new numerous new missions, vehicles, weapons and other content for Grand Theft Auto Online.

2K:

• Announced that Borderlands® 3, the next installment in the critically acclaimed shooter-looter series from Gearbox Software, will launch worldwide on September 13, 2019 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC. At launch, Borderlands 3 will be available for PC exclusively through the Epic Games store and will be available on additional PC digital storefronts in April 2020. The franchise, which combines the exhilarating action of a first-person shooter with the rich progression and loot systems of a role-playing game, has sold-in more than 43 million units worldwide, and Borderlands 2 still draws in more than one million unique monthly users more than six years after the game’s initial release in 2012.
• Launched the Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC. This brand new definitive version of the original game boasts ultra HD remastered graphics, significant quality-of-life content updates, and includes all add-on content. In addition, Gearbox and 2K released an Ultra HD Texture Pack that increases the visual fidelity of Borderlands: The Handsome Collection on consoles, and provides a visual upgrade for Borderlands 2, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, and all the game add-ons for both titles on PC.
• Launched Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm for Windows PC. Developed by Firaxis Games, Gathering Storm is the largest and most financially successful expansion pack ever created for a Civilization game, and the second pack for the critically-acclaimed and award-winning Sid Meier’s Civilization VI.
• Released NBA 2K Mobile as a free download for Android devices. Previously launched on iOS phones and tablets, NBA 2K Mobile enables players to experience console quality graphics on the go while they collect their favorite NBA players, build dream teams, and step onto the court in lifelike 5v5 match-ups.
• Announced that video game industry veteran Michael Condrey has joined 2K as President of the label’s new game development studio based in Silicon Valley. Condrey is best known for co-founding Sledgehammer Games and leading development for the renowned Call of Duty franchise, including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Condrey also served as Chief Operating Officer and Director at Visceral Games in establishing the popular Dead Space franchise. In his new role with 2K, Condrey will build and lead a new development team to work on an unannounced project.
• Announced, together with The National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), a significant, multiyear global partnership extension. The agreement expands upon the success of NBA 2K, the top-rated and top-selling NBA video game simulation series for the past 17 years* that has sold-in over 90 million units worldwide.

Private Division:

• Revealed that The Outer Worlds, a new intellectual property created by Obsidian Entertainment, and Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey, the debut title from Panache Digital Games, which are both planned for launch in calendar 2019 on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, will be available for PC exclusively through Epic Games store for 12-months. The Outer Worlds can also be purchased at the Microsoft Windows store.

Pretty shortly after reporting Entertainment Software Association Still Reeling After Head’s Exit, a follow-up article on Variety has the news that Stanley Pierre-Louis is the new President and CEO of the Entertainment Software Association. Lewis joined the ESA in 2015 as its general counsel, and was serving as acting President and CEO since last October. The story discusses the trade group's struggle to find a way forward, and their uncertainty that it makes sense to lobby on behalf of the industry while also operating the E3 trade show. "Stan’s strategic vision, years of entertainment industry experience, and policy expertise make him the ideal choice to lead our industry through this period of growth and opportunity," said Robert Altman, Chairman of the ESA Board, and Chairman and CEO of ZeniMax Media. "The Board and the industry look forward to his leadership of the ESA."

The Dauntless Blog announces that the open beta for Dauntless will end on May 21st with the official release of co-op action/RPG. The announcement also includes details on a new season pass and a last chance for beta players to pick up some goodies:

Hunt Pass Season 5: Hidden Blades, the Mastery system, a complete campaign rework, and more land simultaneously with PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Epic Games store launches

Phoenix Labs today announced the release date for its flagship game Dauntless. Launching May 21 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC through the Epic Games store, Dauntless is bringing its cooperative, Behemoth-hunting action to a new worldwide audience. With over 3 million Slayers to date, there’s never been a better time to Live For The Hunt.

To celebrate the launch, a new Hunt Pass season will arrive in the Shattered Isles. Hunt Pass Season 5: Hidden Blades transforms the world of Dauntless into a Moon Blossom Festival and offers Slayers a huge variety of thematic gear to flaunt their inner ninja. As with previous Hunt Pass seasons, Slayers can work through 50 levels of content across both the basic and Elite tracks, earning cosmetic rewards as well as premium currency along the way.

Dauntless will also launch with numerous new improvements and content updates that recently arrived in the PC Open Beta. The Mastery system offers a new way for Slayers to hone their skills, earn experience, unlock achievements, and acquire new rewards. Each Behemoth and weapon has its own unique Mastery card for players to delve into.

Slayers can also look forward to a massive campaign rework. Everything from questing and crafting to meeting other Slayers and pursuing Behemoths has received massive updates. The rework also introduces a brand new “End of Hunt” screen, providing Slayers with a wealth of information, including progress made in various Mastery cards, quest rewards, Behemoth break parts earned, and more.

New players who’ve yet to experience Dauntless can kickstart their Slayer journey with the new Arcslayer Pack, which introduces a brand new mech-inspired armor set and includes premium currency and a number of consumables. This also marks the last chance for current PC Open Beta players to pick up the Ramsguard set before it is locked away in the vault.

A Plague Tale: Innocence is set to plague gamers tomorrow, and so the launch trailer for this action/adventure game is online and ready to go viral. Read on for more details, view the clip, and tell us you don't smell a rat:

Asobo Studio’s debut new IP, A Plague Tale: Innocence, launches tomorrow for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on May 14. Watch the Launch Trailer now and embark on a dark adventure through a war-torn, medieval France, relentlessly pursued by the Inquisition and never-ending hordes of ravenous rats.

A Plague Tale: Innocence tells a grim and emotional story, with gameplay blending action and adventure. Follow Amicia and her little brother Hugo, as they attempt to survive a harsh, brutal world plagued by war and the Black Death. On the run from the Inquisition and surrounded by unnatural swarms of rats, the siblings’ rocky journey will not leave them unscathed.

Continue here to read the full story.

The launch trailer for Sniper Elite V2 Remastered is now online, as this sharpshooting remake has its sights set on a release tomorrow. This comes along with the following look at the video and the game itself:

Showcasing gripping gameplay, revamped visuals and new features, the trailer highlights the improvements fans old and new can look forward to when Sniper Elite V2 Remastered launches tomorrow on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.

Sniper Elite V2 Remastered takes players to Berlin, 1945, and the heart of World War 2. As veteran sharpshooter Karl Fairburne you must use skill, patience and cunning to prevent the unthinkable. Your mission is to go behind enemy lines and prevent the cataclysmic Nazi V2 rocket technology from falling into the hands of the Red Army. Deadly aim and a stealthy approach are vital as you find yourself trapped between two armies in a race against time.

Continue here to read the full story.

A new teaser trailer from Oddworld: Soulstorm offers a first look at gameplay from the upcoming follow-up to Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty. Here's more on this second installment in what's planned as a pentalogy:

Oddworld Inhabitants Inc. proudly unveil the first look at gameplay from Oddworld: Soulstorm, which is the second game in a planned Oddworld pentalogy. Oddworld Soulstorm is the first true follow-up to the critically acclaimed, best-selling Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty, which was a ground-up remake of Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee.

Oddworld: Soulstorm picks up from where New ‘n’ Tasty ended. Abe has defeated Mollusk the Glukkon, his former boss and RuptureFarms’ meanest inhabitant, overthrown RuptureFarms and liberated workmates.

Now, Abe - along with 300 newly emancipated Mudokons – find themselves without food, water or a place to call home. Stranded alone in the desert, they find solace in a strange new brew - a delicious drink that has insidious ramifications for their newfound freedom.

Oddworld: Soulstorm will continue to chew up the themes of environmentalism, capitalism, consumerism and addiction that critics and fans found so engaging in the "AAA Indie" release of Oddworld’s last pensive platformer, New ’n’ Tasty.

Oddworld: Soulstorm will launch on PC & consoles in 2020.

Continue here to read the full story.

Every time we think we've seen it all, something like this comes along to humble us. There's now a listing on Steam for a game called Wanking Simulator, an action/adventure expected in Q3 of this year. As for the subject matter, the title sums it up, so this immature game carries the following mature content warning: "The only sexual content in the game is our main character masturbating. No sexual organs are visible." Here's the reveal trailer along with word on how this will allow players to take matters into their own hands:

You play as Winston Gay, a man whose house was taken away by the corrupt government after being called out for wanking too loud by his neighbours. Now, Winston is on a mission to make everyone in the town pay a price for taking away his home.

Wanking Simulator is a mix of destruction & wanking - you are thrown into a town called Gay Bay consisting of a church (God bless), a number of houses and a few other places, such as high school, a garage etc.
The main goal is to destroy as many things as possible before getting caught by the police and collect points by wanking to the chaos we caused.
You are free to go wherever you want, and destroy anything you want.
Our protagonist is given unlockable superpowers, such as making gravity weaker, spawning a rifle in your panties, teleport etc.

Continue here to read the full story.

• League of Legends Patch 9.10 notes.

• Fanatical May Madness Sale. Over 1,000 games on sale and Flash Deals every day.
• GOG.com Weekly Sale: Up to 80% on 2K games | -75% on Mafia III.
• Steam Daily Deal - Jagged Alliance- Rage!, 50% Off.
• Steam Daily Deal - Galactic Civilizations III, 85% Off.
• Steam Daily Deal - Men of War- Assault Squad 2, Up To 80% Off.
• Steam Daily Deal - Ravenfield, 50% Off.

• E3 2019's Press Conference Schedule: All Dates Announced So Far.
• Team Fortress 2 National Heavy Boxing League Season 8 Highlights.
• Rocket League on Twitter: Season 11 has officially begun, and Season 10 Rewards are being distributed to eligible players.

• Immersion and Sony Interactive Entertainment Enter into Licensing Agreement for Advanced Haptics.
• The Last Door – Complete Edition Is Now Available For Digital Pre-order And Pre-download On Xbox One.
• How to Come Out On Top in Slay the Spire, Out May 21 on PS4.

• Hands-on with Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 foldable Windows PC.
• Android pioneer HTC stages retreat from China.

• Ex-Google boss defends multiple controversies.
• Facebook increases pay for contractors and content moderators.
• Google Chrome copies the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge design.
• Discord surpasses 250 million registered users in four years.
• Amazon Prime Picks Up "Picard" Series.

• Epic Games acquires Twinmotion architecture software, then gives it away.
• AMD's next-gen Zen 2 CPUs will work on current AM4 boards.
• Biostar Unveils Its X570 Racing GT8 Motherboard- PCIe Gen 4, DDR4-4000 and Triple M.2.
• This RGB gaming desk doubles as a gigantic mouse pad, costs $1,200.

Thanks Ant.

• Apple security updates.
• Tech giants 'failing' to protect children.
• When misinformation leads to death threats.
• Bluetooth harvester signals hacking group’s growing interest in mobile.
• Twitter says it accidentally stored and shared some iOS location data.
• It's 2019 so now security vulnerabilities are branded using emojis- Meet 😾😾😾, a Cisco router secure boot flaw.
• RBC customer out of pocket after fraud. Used "Who is your favorite Beatle" for a security question that allows four tries. Thanks DSLReports.

• San Francisco may ban use of facial recognition by police and city.
• Nvidia Sued for Patent Infringement. Thanks Hypothermia.
• Supreme Court rules against Apple, allowing lawsuit targeting App Store to proceed.
• Facebook sues app maker, says it made millions misusing Facebook user data.
• Facebook facing 20-year consent agreement after privacy lapses: source.

• Rage 2 is a fun game that makes me feel like garbage…
• Australian Labor party pledges to reinstate $25m Interactive Games Fund…
• Steam glitch gives away certain paid games for free…
• League of Legends New free champion rotation: Teemo, Master Yi, Sivir and more…

Link of the Day: Why at least 3,500 parents may be having regrets after last night’s ‘Game of Thrones.’ Spoilers.

With the game due tomorrow, the Rage 2 (aka RAGE 2) review embargo has passed. DSOGaming notes that review copies of the first-person shooter sequel show some good news and bad news as far as performance, the bad news being the use of Denuvo DRM, and the good news being the support for the Vulkan graphics API. Here's a first roundup of reviews:

• Rage 2 Review "Buy, Wait for Sale, Rent, Never Touch?" - Angry Centaur Gaming.
• Review: Rage 2 - Destructoid.
• Where is our Rage 2 review? • Eurogamer.net.
• Rage 2 Review - A Blunted Bloodbath - Game Informer.
• Rage 2 review: "Fluid combat but the open world isn’t worth investing your time into" - GamesRadar+.
• Rage 2 Review - Walker Wasteland Ranger - GameSpot.
• Quick Look: Rage 2 - Giant Bomb.
• Rage 2 Review - IGN.
• Not So MMO: RAGE 2 Review - Mad to the Max - MMORPG.com.
• Rage 2 review in progress: Incredibly good combat in an uninspiring world - PC Gamer.
• Rage 2 PC review- brainless blasting - PCGamesN.
• Rage 2 review: Do not resuscitate - Shacknews.
• Rage 2 Review - USgamer.
• Rage 2 impressions -- fun wins - VentureBeat.
• Rage 2 review: Avalanche’s best game is also one of the best-feeling shooters ever - VG247.
• Worthplaying - PC Review - 'Rage 2'.

Lesser Evil Games announces a July 17th launch date for the first chapter of The Executioner, the dark RPG they crowdfunded on Kickstarter a couple of years ago. This game places the player in the unenviable role of a torturer/executioner in a medieval kingdom, who must grapple with the toll such a job takes on one's sanity and conscience. The news is accompanied by this teaser trailer, which does not show much in the way of gameplay since this game is primarily text-based. There is a chance to see this in not-so-much action through a web-based demo offered as part of the Kickstarter. Here's more on this chance to get in touch with your inner Ser Ilyn Payne:

Fusing a unique blend of medieval storytelling, sanity management, and the brutal moral conundrums only an executioner could face -- this harrowing tale of a man who tortures people for a living will challenge you to face the monster that lives inside of all of us. The decisions are yours, and so are the consequences.

Continue here to read the full story.

• F.E.A.R. Complete Edition Mod improves multiplayer & AI, adds new weapons, animations, effects & more.

• Hegemone Pass by Meringue Entertainment — Kickstarter. "A Stealth RPG set deep in the Underworld, follow Queen Persephone on her mission to retrieve the throne of the Underworld!" They offer a playable demo.

• The Overwatch League: Shock and Awe.
• Fortnite - Congrats to all players who qualified for the #FortniteWorldCup We will see you next weekend for the Week 6 Duos competition.
• Rocket League Esports: "CHAMPIONSHIP SECURED."
• Team Fortress 2 HLMixes's Highlander Showdown Season Two.
• MapleStory Fest Brings Sold Out Spectacle to Los Angeles.
• Sean Murray will open Develop-Brighton 2019 with a ‘candid’ keynote focused on No Man’s Sky.
• Devolver Digital plan another E3 anti-conference.
• Allied Esports Enters Latin American Market with TV Azteca for Debut of Live Original Event NATION VS NATION.

• Rebellion’s Jason Kingsley on Epic exclusives, Stadia and why it’s making Judge Dredd for TV – MCV.

• A new Google Play Store feature could save storage on your Android phone.
• Google Pixel 3a XL Preview - Thurrott.com. Thanks RedEye9.

• U.S. presidential contender Kamala Harris favors look at breaking up Facebook.
• TV networks emerge as obstacles on YouTube's hunt for ads.
• Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs.
• Bitcoin hodls above $7,000 after hitting nine-month high.
• Crypto exchange Binance says trading will resume tomorrow.
• Amazon to pay employees to start their own package delivery businesses.

• Intel Memory Plans: No New NAND Capacity, Wants to Move 3D XPoint Production to China.
• How CPUs are Designed and Built, Part 2: CPU Design Process - TechSpot.
• SK Telecom and Microsoft sign MOU for comprehensive cooperation in cutting-edge ICT. Thanks Hypothermia.
• Germany starts testing its 'electric highway'.
• They Were Promised Coding Jobs in Appalachia. Now They Say It Was a Fraud.

• Two years after WannaCry, a million computers remain at risk.
• Use of facial recognition tech 'dangerously irresponsible'.
• Photo 'memories' storage biz Ever uses family snaps to train facial recognition AI. Thanks DSLReports via Ant.
• Report: China now blocks Wikipedia in all languages.

• Sweden reopens rape case against Julian Assange.

• Pinball FX3 - Williams Pinball- Volume 2 on Christ Centered Gamer.
• Sniper Elite V2 Remastered on PC Invasion.

• Hori TAC Pro Type M2 Keypad and Mouse on IGN.
• Noblechairs Hero gaming chair on PCGamesN.
• Patriot Viper VPN100 256GB M.2 NVMe SSD on Nikk Tech.
• Roccat Renga Boost open-backed gaming headset on Rock Paper Shotgun.
• SilverStone UC03-PRO and UC04-PRO USB Station on APH Networks.
• Zhiyun Crane 3 LAB Camera Gimbal on TechPowerUp.

• Nexon reports a record-breaking Q1 2019…
• Release: Spec Ops: The Line - GOG.com…
• The Rage 2 Rules of Insanity – Tips & Tricks – PlayStation.Blog…
• Tencent's PUBG replacement 'Game for Peace' rakes in $14 million in 72 hours…
• Detective Pikachu beats Tomb Raider to claim best US opening weekend for video game film…

Last night was the airing of penultimate episodes for two HBO series I follow closely, the second to last episode of season two of Barry and the set-up for the series finale of Game of Thrones. I won't spoil anything, but I have to express my surprise at myself that I think between the two I'm actually more caught up in what happens in Barry, as GoT seems like a fait accompli at this point. On the other hand, I suppose it's about how the story is being told, and not just about thinking I know what's going to happen. Otherwise I would not feel such anticipation about tonight's episode two of Chernobyl, right?

R.I.P.: Doris Day Dead at 97.

Anticipatory Links:	Thanks Ant.
Links:	Ian McElhinney (Barristan Selmy) saying that GRRM has already finished book 6 and 7. Thanks GameSpot.
Stories:	Japan begins testing its 248 mph next-gen bullet train. Aaron Rodgers was in ‘Game of Thrones,’ but no one is really sure where.
Science:	There is more CO2 in the atmosphere today than any point since the evolution of humans. Biodiversity Has Intrinsic Value: A Response To The U.N. Extinction Report. Thanks RedEye9. Iowa has confirmed multiple cases of a disease that can be transmitted from dogs to humans.
Media:	Game of Thrones castmembers laughing, smirking or gritting their teeth when asked if they like the final season. Inside a scam call center. School Bus Driver Saves A Kid With Her Lightning-Quick Reflexes.