A pair of tweets from Pavel Djundik have word from the Steam Database developer to expect the Steam summer sale to run from June 25th to July 9th (thanks VG247). His first tweet attributes this to "generally trustworthy" Chinese sources. The second tweet says this is "confirmed," which expresses his confidence in the news, but it is obviously not an official confirmation. But he's not done there, as in another tweet he says he's ferreted out Valve's plans for a loyalty reward system on Steam. This is likewise still a rumor, but here's what he says about that:

Valve is working on loyalty awards/rewards. It has a point system, and a system to add reactions to user reviews.

Also includes reward items, redeeming points for badge levels, and possiblity game discounts.

2K games announces a new Frontier Pass Set for Sid Meier's Civilization VI, saying this will bring new bimonthly content to Firaxis' turn-based strategy sequel starting on May 21st. This will consist of six DLC packs that will be released between now and May 2021 and they promise updates between each release for the base game with new maps, scenarios, balance updates, and more. The Civilization Website has details on all six packs along with a video Developer Update on the news. Here's word:

The Civilization VI - New Frontier Pass will be available for $39.99 on Xbox One, PS4™, Nintendo Switch™, Windows PC, Mac and Linux, with mobile platforms arriving later this year. Each individual DLC pack will also be available for individual purchase; the first DLC offering, the Maya & Gran Colombia Pack, will add leaders from each respective civilization, a new Apocalypse game mode, new City-States, Resources and Natural Wonders, and will launch on May 21, 2020.

Anyone who purchases the Civilization VI - New Frontier Pass will receive exclusive bonuses - the Teddy Roosevelt and Catherine De Medici Persona Packs. Each Persona Pack contains a brand-new take on a favorite leader, with a new leader model and background, new gameplay bonuses and an updated agenda that reflects the changes to the leader’s personality. “Rough Rider Teddy” excels at keeping the peace on his home continent, while “Magnificence Catherine” can use Luxuries to overwhelm the world with Culture and Tourism. The Persona Packs will be available with the second DLC Pack in July.

Continue here to read the full story.

A Save the Date announcement from Ubisoft announces Ubisoft Forward, a gaming event scheduled for July 12th. With the cancellation of so many summer gaming shows, they will be offering their own showcase for their plans. Here's word for now:

With physical gaming shows around the world postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ubisoft will be hosting its first digital conference, called Ubisoft Forward, on July 12 at 12PM PDT/9PM CEST. Get ready for an E3-style showcase with plenty of exclusive game news, exciting reveals, and much more.

Also looking to fill the void left by the cancellation of E3 and other trade shows comes the announcement of Guerrilla Collective, a three day event that will air from June 6-8 on Twitch as part of both IGN's "Summer of Gaming" and GameSpot's "Play For All" events. Here's the plan:

The Guerrilla Collective will feature a number of game companies from around the world, including:

• 11 bit studios (credits include Frostpunk, This War of Mine)
• Another Indie (SIMULACRA 2, Yuppie Psycho)
• Coffee Stain Studios (Satisfactory, Deep Rock Galactic)
• Fellow Traveller (In Other Waters, Neo Cab)
• Funcom (Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden, Conan Exiles)
• Good Shepherd Entertainment (John Wick Hex, The Eternal Cylinder)
• Headup (Bridge Constructor Portal, Pumpkin Jack)
• Humble Publishing (Temtem, Forager)
• Larian Studios (Baldur’s Gate III, Divinity: Original Sin II)
• Modern Wolf (Necronator: Dead Wrong, Out There: Oceans of Time)
• Paradox Interactive (Cities: Skylines, Stellaris)
• Raw Fury (Kingdom Two Crowns, Atomicrops)
• Rebellion (Sniper Elite 4, Zombie Army 4: Dead War)
• Those Awesome Guys (Monster Prom, Move or Die, Floppy Knights)
• Thunderful (SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech, Lonely Mountains: Downhill)
• United Label (Eldest Souls, Röki)
• Versus Evil (The Banner Saga, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire)
• Whitethorn Games (Aground, StarCrossed)
• WINGS Interactive (Later Daters, Lord Winklebottom Investigates)
• Ysbryd Games (WORLD OF HORROR, VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action)
• ZA/UM (Disco Elysium)
• And more coming soon...

Continue here to read the full story.

Industry veterans David Brevik and Bill Wang announce the formation of Skystone Games, a new global game developer and publisher. Wang's previous experience includes stints at Giant Games and Perfect World, while Brevik quite famously co-founded Blizzard North where he was integral in the creation of the Diablo series. More recently he was a co-founder of Flagship Games. This explains the connection to Wang, who also worked at Runic Games, which was formed by as Flagship escapees. Skystone reveals their first two projects as Undying, in development at Vanimals, and Spaceline Crew, which is in the works at Coffeenauts. Word is each is due to in the near future, and more details are expected in the coming weeks. Here's an Undying Announcement Trailer and a Spaceline Crew Teaser Trailer and the announcement has more details on both games:

Undying, the upcoming title from developer Vanimals tells the story of mother Anling and her son Cody. Infected by a zombie bite, Anling's days are numbered. She must now fight to survive, not for herself but her young son, Cody. Players will strive to ensure Cody's survival in this zombie infested world by protecting him, searching for safety, and teaching him valuable skills, at any cost. It will launch on PC, Xbox platforms, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation platforms, Android, and iOS.

Spaceline Crew, from Brazilian developer Coffeenauts, is a multiple Indie award-winning title custom made for co-op mayhem on PC and consoles alike. A rare example of a non-violent roguelike, Spaceline Crew asks players to cross the galaxy with their friends as flight attendants of commercial spaceships and try to handle asteroids, decompression, puking in zero G, and super demanding alien passengers. With procedural levels, tons of ships to unlock, and plenty of alien vomit to clean up - Spaceline Crew will be the ultimate in retro sci-fi couch co-op craziness.

Continue here to read the full story.

Quantum League will make the quantum leap onto Early Access on Steam on May 26th, offering the chance to check out this first-person shooter where everyone is Tracer, so time paradoxes abound. Here's the game's most recent Cinematic Trailer and here's the news:

Quantum League is a revolutionary Time-Paradox Shooter: a competitive online FPS where players battle within a time loop, tactically teaming up with their past and future selves in mind-blowing 1v1 and 2v2 matches. Nimble Giant’s innovative shooter takes place within an alternate universe where time travel has changed the face of professional sports as we know it.

Agility, speed, and strategic time-clone teamwork are essential in a dynamic and fast-moving arena where players must take into consideration where they were and where they want to be to make that final winning shot.

Continue here to read the full story.

Early Access to I, Dracula: Genesis will begin on May 22nd, offering first crack at this roguelike we're guessing will be a favorite of Casanova Frankenstein. Word is: "I, Dracula: Genesis is a hard-as-nails roguelike that isn't for the fainthearted! Offering five generically modified 'heroes' to wreak havoc with, four procedurally generated world to slash your way through and over 1000 customisable items to build your 'perfect run' with. I, Dracula: Genesis has a hefty offering of roguelike action, and that's just the Early Access release." You can see the game in action in the previously released Announcement Trailer and find all the details on the game's Steam Listing. Here's a bit:

If you enjoy your typical Roguelite/Roguelike experience, this is what you’re going to find here - times a dozen. Procedural generation, lots and lots of upgradeable weapons, spells, perks, alien artefacts, strange technological and magical devices, enemies, NPCs, traps, custom events and hidden shops. So many of those, you'll feel overpowered. On the surface it is a beautiful isometric twin-stick shooter, but inside there's a huge emphasis on depth, variety, replayability and discovering all those amazing synergies that make your eyes pop!

Continue here to read the full story.

Telltale's (and Skybound's) undead Walking Dead series has shambled onto GOG.com where they took Negan's Lucille to the game's DRM before putting them on sale. Word is: "Based on Robert Kirkman’s award-winning comic book franchise, the Telltale’s The Walking Dead series set a new benchmark for storytelling in games. To date, Telltale’s The Walking Dead has sold millions of episodes worldwide, earning more than 100 Game of the Year awards and receiving two BAFTA Video Game Awards for Best Story." Here's the lineup:

• The Walking Dead: Season 1.
• The Walking Dead: 400 Days.
• The Walking Dead: Season 2.
• The Walking Dead: A New Frontier.
• The Walking Dead: Michonne - A Telltale Miniseries.
• The Walking Dead: The Final Season.

We will receive some sort of commission from the Humble sale:

• GOG.com Weekly Sale: post-apo games up to 90% off.
• GOG.com Zombie GOGAlypse.
• Humble Book Bundle: Fun with STEM by Adams Media (pay what you want and help charity).

• 4th Generation Warfare - Update 0.78 is on-line. Russian and Italian languages available.
• Grand Theft Auto 4 can look gorgeous in GTA5 Engine with Reshade Ray Tracing and mods.
• This hardcore Stardew Valley mod creates a more realistic farming experience. Thanks Neutronbeam.

• Meet Loba – Apex Legends Character Trailer.
• Race With Ryan Surprise Track Pack Out Now.
• Redneck Ed- Astro Monsters Show — Gameplay Trailer.

• Respawn leaders launch a AAA studio without an office - GamesIndustry.biz.
• Matt Chat 450: Winston Douglas Wood on Phantasie III, IV, and Star Command.

• Black Book - An RPG Rooted in Slavic Mythology by Morteshka — Kickstarter. Funded in under four days. Stretch goals announced.

• Allied Esports Entertainment Announces First Quarter 2020 Financial Results.

• 3 Years Later, Joy-Con Drift is Still a Huge Problem.
• How A Series Of Bad Decisions Led To The Sega Saturn Failure.
• Become a Vampire and Experience a Gothic Adventure in Elder Scrolls Online- Greymoor on Xbox One.
• Tour de France 2020 Is Now Available For Digital Pre-order And Pre-download On Xbox One.
• A Game That Makes Games: SuperMash is Available Now on Xbox One.
• Shred! 2 - ft Sam Pilgrim Lands on Xbox One.
• Indivisible Launches Razmi’s Challenges DLC on Xbox One.
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Alpha and Beta Ring (2005.200508-1900).
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Alpha Skip-Ahead Ring (2006.200509-0000).

• To compete with Gmail, Microsoft reveals plans for new Web-based Outlook features.
• Bitcoin undergoes third 'halving', falls vs U.S. dollar.

• Intel Works with University of Pennsylvania in Using Privacy-Preserving AI to Identify Brain Tumors. Thanks Hypothermia.
• Interns Dive into NVIDIA's Online Workplace. Thanks Hypothermia.
• AMD axes Zen 3 support on 400-series motherboards- Is AMD pulling an Intel?

• Ransomware Hit ATM Giant Diebold Nixdorf.

• Tesla's Musk says ready for arrest as he reopens California plant against local order.

• Speculation: New Content Coming for StarCraft: Remastered and Warcraft III: Reforged?…
• Borderlands Science players solve over 36 million puzzles in one month…

Last Link of the Day: Leeroy Jenkins, World of Warcraft's greatest meme, turns 15 today.

Pete Hines tweets a reply to a question about plans for The Elder Scrolls VI, the next installment in Bethesda's RPG series. Though the sequel was first teased at E3 2018, Pete indicates that information about this should not be expected until "years from now" (thanks VGC). Here's the exchange:

Quinton Meyers
Alright check it out @DCDeacon, let’s cut the sh$t, when can we expect some info on #TheElderScrollsVI ? We 👏 need 👏 this👏 #Bethesda #elderscrolls #XboxSeriesX

Pete Hines
It’s after Starfield, which you pretty much know nothing about. So if you’re coming at me for details now and not years from now, I’m failing to properly manage your expectations.

With the Windows release of Halo 2: Anniversary (including Halo 2) due tomorrow night, a blog post from 343 Industries outlines the issues you might encounter with the PC edition of the first-person shooter remake (thanks VG247). They also reveal that plans are already underway for beta testing of the PC edition of Halo 3, saying the first flights should take off "in the coming weeks." They take this opportunity to remind everyone what to do if they want to take part:

Halo 3 Flighting
Prep work is already well in progress with early testing beginning in the coming weeks with our Ring 1 folks. As it progresses and we work through our process we will make sure to keep folks apprised of when and where to expect the next series of PC flights to take off! But, before that happens, if you have registered, please make sure you have updated your Halo Insider profile. If you haven’t already registered, please check out the Halo Insider program for your chance to participate in future flights. So, take some time right now, head on over, and get involved!

A blog post from Grumpy Gamer (Ron Gilbert) explains what he's up to during the pandemic. The Maniac Mansion and Monkey Island designer reveals he's created a new Thimbleweed Park "mini-adventure" called Delores with a re-written version of the game engine. Calling this a "strange little game for the strange and stressful times we find ourselves in," he's offering it for free on the Epic Games Store and Steam. Here's a trailer and here's word:

As I write this on the 9th day of May in the year of 2020 the Pandemic is far from over. Different people deal with isolation, fear, social distancing and hoarding toilet paper differently. I built a game. It helped keep me sane.

As I mentioned back in March, I began rewriting the Thimbleweed Park engine with no real goal in mind, it just seemed like something to do and I had a few ideas about UI I wanted to explore.

What began as a way to waste time, turned into a fun little game prototype. A little over a month ago David Fox came on, then Robert, Katerina, and Octavi jumped on to help. The game was built almost entirely from existing art, sounds and music from Thimbleweed Park, more of a remixing into a new game that can be seen as an addendum to Thimbleweed Park. It is not a sequel.

Continue here to read the full story.

New Down Under DLC is now available for Railway Empire, the transportation mogul game for Windows and Linux. The DLC is available through the Kalypso Store or directly on Steam where it is actually cheaper at the moment. As the name implies, this takes you to Australia, the land down under, where women glow and men plunder. Here's a video showing off what to expect along with a complete description:

During the first half of the 19th Century, the colonial territories of Australia are sparsely populated and consist primarily of coastal cities and a few smaller farming settlements in the remote outback. However, a series of events is set to spark an industrial revolution, one that will usher in an era of change for Australia and secure a lucrative future for the fledgling nation. In Railway Empire Down Under DLC, it is up to you to tame the unforgiving outback and expand your railway network across its wild terrain and beyond. Your railway will ultimately be the key to laying the foundations for flourishing cities and connecting remote mining settlements to coastal metropolises. Are you ready to face the sun-scorched landscape of Australia's Red Centre?

Continue here to read the full story.

Fury Unleashed is now available on Steam, offering a "combo-driven roguelite action platformer" for Windows, macOS, and Linux (thanks PC Gamer). This post has all the details on what's changed since the conclusion of Early Access, including the addition of a new epilogue chapter. Here's a Launch Trailer and here's a bit on the game:

Fury Unleashed was created by combining inspiration from modern roguelite platformers, like Dead Cells and Rogue Legacy, with nostalgic memories of old-school platformer shooters, like Contra and Metal Slug. We have spent five years polishing our creation to make sure that your experience with the game will be as memorable as the aforementioned titles and we wholeheartedly believe that you won't be disappointed.

Continue here to read the full story.

Starena is coming to Windows via Steam on May 21st, offering "a boss rush arena game with RPG elements in 3D voxel-art." This takes the form of a reality TV show, and you can see it in action in this trailer. For an even closer look there's a playable demo that features three boss fights and a hidden challenge that includes the chance to experience the game's weapon customization system and fans system. Here's a description:

Welcome to the Starena Gladiator Tournament! Mecha Reaper J3, you are the newest fighter in the roster of the most popular sports competition in the universe. The universe might be peaceful now thanks to the advancements in science and technology, but that doesn’t mean that people stopped looking for excitement! You will have to fight robots and creatures from across the whole universe. All of them are bigger, stronger and meaner than you – but you can defeat them through skill, cunning and reflexes! Give the audience a good show to win their devotion, and you’ll become the most famous fighter in the universe!

Continue here to read the full story.

• Green Man Gaming Ten Year Birthday Sale.

• New 2.2GB AI-enhanced HD Texture Pack for The Witcher 3 overhauls over 700 clutter textures.
• The original Red Faction gets an improved AI-enhanced HD Texture Pack.

• Cyberpunk 2077 Fan Film: Phoenix Program - Official Teaser. Thanks GameSpot via Neutronbeam.

• Single Malt Strategy 53: Imperator Rome Interview with Peter Nicholson.

• Chroma: Bloom and Blight - Kickstarter. Virtual card game hits funding target and working on stretch goals. A playable demo is now offered.

• World of Warcraft: Take to the Skies for the Spring Balloon Festival- Micro Holiday May 10-12.
• Allied Esports to Produce NFL Alumni and ESTV Esports Celebrity Challenge to Raise Money for COVID-19 Relief.

• Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 vs. Real Life.

• Microsoft is waiting for Sony to reveal PS5 price to undercut it with Xbox Series X, say Michael Pachter and Peter Moore. Been a while since a good Pach Attack.
• Sony's PlayStation Store has been suspended in mainland China. Thanks Phlegm.
• Animal Crossing: New Horizons has already passed its lifetime sales predictions.

• Qualcomm Announces Snapdragon 768G: Higher-bin 765 up to 2.8GHz.
• You Can Now Play A Bunch Of Old Phone Games Legally, Easily And For Free. Thanks Phlegm.
• Origin's new 17-inch laptops pack RTX Super graphics in five-pound frames.

• Newton Mail has been saved (again) by two dedicated fans.
• Cliff Bleszinski may launch a Twitch channel.

• Eager for Manufacturing Independence, Feds Eye Bringing Chip Production Stateside: Report. Thanks Phlegm.
• Intel Accused by Workers of Prioritizing Chip Output Over Safety. Thanks Hypothermia.
• Synthspace recreates the physical presence of a modular synth in VR.
• You can still get Windows 10 for free on Windows 7, 8.1. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Benchmarking Your PC: A Guide to Best Practices.
• 12-year-old Bay Area boy manufactures 3-D printed device to limit spread of COVID-19. Thanks Neutronbeam.

• Thunderbolt Flaws Expose Millions of PCs to Hands-On Hacking. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• A hacker group is selling more than 73 million user records on the dark web. Thanks Hypothermia.

• ASRock Radeon RX 5600 XT Phantom Gaming D3 6G OC Graphics Card Review - ThinkComputers.org.
• Oculus Quest – VR done right - Bjorn3D.com.
• Razer DeathAdder V2 - STILL The Best Gaming Mouse After 14 Years? - Hardware Canucks. Video. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• SilverStone FARA R1 Case Review - APH Networks.

• Mafia games' Twitter reactivates to hint at something. Feel free to speculate, but remember, nobody likes a rat. Thanks Phlegm…
• Borderlands 3 Composer And Actor Is Moving To Obsidian…

I'm at the end of my rope with my crappy Fire TV adapter. I got this to replace my even crappier Fire TV Stick, so I guess this is a case of fool me twice, shame on me. The oddest thing about my dissatisfaction is that it centers on how poorly it handles Twitch streams, since both the adapter and Twitch are Amazon products. But I get constant lag and freeze-ups, and have to regularly reboot it to get it to work properly. That is when it doesn't occasionally reboot itself after crashing. I have a Shield in my living room which is fantastic, but is a little over-featured for my office, where I just want to watch some Twitch and YouTube. I could get by with my Xfinity service for YouTube, but they don't have a Twitch app. So I'll have to sort through some of the cheaper offerings to find a replacement for my Fire, which is decidedly not fire.

Obituary: Jerry Stiller, comedian and 'Seinfeld' actor, dies at 92.
Obituary: Betty Wright, Iconic Soul and R&B Singer, Dies at 66. Thanks Neutronbeam.

Firey Links
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.

Breakfast Links

• Grinding away: 11 ways to reuse leftover coffee grounds.
• The Movies and Shows to Rewatch When You Crave Normalcy.
• Reading: 15 epic books you've never had time for (until now).

Stories

• Hiker trapped in whirlpool, rescued by officer using cord from backpack.

Science

• Are We Seeing a New Ocean Starting to Form in Africa? Thanks Max.
• Scientists Find The First Animal That Doesn't Need Oxygen to Survive.

Media

• What My Mental Breakdown Sounds Like. Thanks Digg.
• Out Of Touch - Kevin James Short Film.
• Watch a Breathtaking Monarch Butterfly Swarm.