The Pawn Takes Pawn Website has a final tease in the Call of Duty ARG (thanks Charlie INTEL). Once solved this lead to a new trailer called Know Your History which officially confirms the next CoD game is called Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. The clip concludes saying the worldwide reveal of the game is coming on August 26th. Continue here to read the full story.

A post on Reddit points the way to a Guatemalan retailer listing apparently revealing plans for a Prince of Persia remake for PlayStation 4 and Switch. This has since been removed, but they have screenshots for posterity. This is unconfirmed, but a tweet Jason Schreier seems to suggest it's legit. Jason doesn't actually confirm it either, but the sleuthy reporter directly comments on a ResetEra thread about the leak, saying: "Video game retailers sure love leaking Ubisoft's surprise announcements."

An Update on the Bloodlines 2 Website announces "Lead Narrative Designer Brian Mitsoda and Creative Director Ka’ai Cluney are no longer part of the team at Hardsuit Labs." These seem to be the organizational changes alluded to last week when Hardsuit Labs and Paradox Interactive announced Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 is being delayed until next year. They say they value the contribution both of them made to the project, but do not explain their dismissal, which they characterize as "a joint decision made by the leadership of Hardsuit Labs and Paradox Interactive." They welcome aboard creative consultant Alexandre Mandryka to act as Creative Director role for Bloodlines 2. Rock Paper Shotgun has a statement from Mitsoda on this news, in which we learn he was actually fired over a month ago:

The pride in the work, the fan expectations, and the support from co-workers who started out as fans kept me going through this long five years. And I’m incredibly disappointed and frustrated to say that this is where it ends for me on the project.

I was not part of the conversations that led to the decision to delay production, and to my knowledge, there were no delays caused by the Bloodlines 2 narrative development. I am confident and proud of the work that I and my team put forward. When that work will be seen and what form it will take is unknown to me.

It was a pleasure to work on this game and with many people at Hardsuit Labs and Paradox and I’m sorry I won’t be able to see it to the end. I spent years on some of the best characters and dialogue that I ever wrote. It’s meant a lot to hear from the Bloodlines community and I do hope that what’s finally delivered is as satisfying as I intended it to be. Thanks to all of you who supported me throughout the project.”

Continue here to read the full story.

Electronic Arts follows up on the announcement that they are combining EA Access and Origin Access services under the title EA Play with more details on the plan, including word that EA Play will come to Steam on August 31st:

Today, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) has revealed that EA Access and Origin Access Basic have become EA Play*, and Origin Access Premier is now EA Play Pro, all with a fresh new look. All the great benefits players love (trials of new EA games, 10% savings on digital purchases including full games and a library of top titles) aren’t going anywhere. In fact, even more benefits are on the way over the coming months, starting with in-game challenges and monthly reward drops for members on select titles. In addition, on August 31st, EA Play will launch on its fourth platform, the most in the industry, with Steam for PC, and players can look for more exciting news on EA Play soon.

EA Play is a game subscription service that makes every game more rewarding with access to exclusive player challenges, in-game rewards, member-only content and a library of top titles including The Sims™ 4, Need for Speed™ Heat, Titanfall® 2 - and some of EA’s most fabled franchises like Battlefield™, Star Wars™ Battlefront and Plants vs Zombies™. EA Play is available on Xbox One, PlayStation®4 and on PC via Origin™ now, and launches on Steam for PC on August 31st.

Continue here to read the full story.

Rocksteady Studios tweets an "unsolicited letter" they received from seven of the eight women who remain with the company out of the ten signatories on the recently revealed 2018 letter about harassment at the company (thanks Wccftech). This offers their outlook on the situation, and here's the introduction from Rocksteady: "While working on our response to the recent news, we received the following unsolicited letter. 8 out of the 10 people that signed the original 2018 letter are still at Rocksteady. The following unedited letter below is from 7 of those people. Please note that all involved do not wish to have their identity disclosed publicly under any circumstances." Here's the letter:

When the letter was received by the studio, immediate action was taken which resulted in a series of meetings with the women of the studio to allow us a safe space to talk about any issues we were facing, figure out strategies to resolve these issues and what the studio could do going forward. Continued efforts have been made to ensure that we have a voice within our work and within the studio, ranging from involvement specifically with how our characters are represented to workshops to help build self-confidence within male dominated industries. Throughout all of this, a firm promise has been made that there is always an open forum for us to speak out and that issues would be addressed with seriousness.

None of the current female employees at the studio who were involved with the letter were contacted about this letter being released to the media until we were informed by the studio. At the time of working through the original letter with the studio, we were assured that this would be kept as a private matter as this was what we had collectively requested. We feel that our privacy and wishes have been disregarded, and a private matter has been made public. This has left us feeling that we have been violated by the source or sources as it was kept private for personal reasons to all involved, not due to industry secrecy.

Continue here to read the full story.

Destropolis is now available on Steam, offering a Windows top-down shooter set in a completely destructible environment. This also features hundreds of enemies and nuclear explosions, so there is more than enough mayhem to go around. This is demonstrated in this trailer. Here's more on the destruction of Destropolis:

Destropolis is a top-down shooter game, inspired by such classic games like “Crimsonland”, “Alien Shooter” or “Nuclear Throne”. It takes place in a futuristic city, filled with red, cube-like enemies. Tear them to pieces with bullets, lasers and nuclear explosions. Play alone or with friends in a local co-op mode. Destroy as many enemies as you can before they overwhelm you.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Humble Fantasy 3D Printable Models Bundle (pay what you want and help charity).*
• Humble Comics Bundle: Judge Dredd, 2000 AD, & more (pay what you want and help charity).*

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

• DEATH STRANDING -Exploring Photo Mode w/Pete Rowbottom-.
• When games become a job - The grind. Thanks Ant.

• Behind the HONK- An Untitled Goose Game Q&A - Gamasutra.
• Paradox Vector Interview - The Brain Behind the Game Mike Schmidt - MP1st.

• Preview Deep Rock Galactic Xbox Play Anywhere and Crossplay.
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Alpha (2008.200819-0000).

• DropLabs’ pulsating Bluetooth-enabled shoes are available in a new color. Thanks Neutronbeam.

• Facebook to crack down on violent rhetoric linked to QAnon and Antifa.

• Apple is now a $2 trillion company. Thanks RedEye9.
• NVIDIA Reports Q2 FY2021 Earnings- Datacenter Revenue Surpasses Gaming for the First Time.
• Intel’s new Core i9-10850K 10 Core Desktop CPU has been listed online for $550 on ‘Newegg’ retailer.
• Intel and Accenture Support Neuromorphic Research Project to Assist Wheelchair-Bound Pediatric Patients. Thanks Hypothermia.
• Windows 10 update will bring back one of Windows 7’s best features.
• Visual Studio 2019 version 16.7 Release Notes. Thanks ConsoleGenRL.

• WannaRen ransomware author contacts security firm to share decryption key.

• Ex-Riot devs launch multiplayer game studio Odyssey Interactive in Canada…
• Simon's Quest Rebitten - A seriously cool PC fan remake of Konami’s Castlevania 2…

Last Link of the Day: Small asteroid becomes closest ever seen passing Earth: NASA.

The Steam Listing for Baldur's Gate 3 now offers system requirements for Early Access to Larian's RPG sequel when it gets underway at the end of next month (thanks GameSpot). Here are the specs:

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

MINIMUM:
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10 64-bit
Processor: Intel i5-4690 / AMD FX 4350
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: Nvidia GTX 780 / AMD Radeon R9 280X
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 70 GB available space
Additional Notes: Default API is Vulkan 1.1. Directx11 API also provided. The minimum requirements might decrease over the course of Early Access, as performance improves.

RECOMMENDED:
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10 64-bit
Processor: Intel i7 4770k / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB / AMD RX580
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 70 GB available space
Additional Notes: Default API is Vulkan 1.1. Directx11 API also provided. The recommended requirements might decrease over the course of Early Access, as performance improves.

Xbox Wire shows off the "New Xbox Experience," describing how this will allow gamers to play across Xbox, PC, and mobile devices. Here's a video on the topic, and here's a bit:

At team Xbox, we’re building a unique set of experiences for the next generation of gaming – an ecosystem of hardware and software working to meet gamers wherever they choose to engage. From Xbox Series X, which will set a new bar for power, speed and compatibility; to the carefully curated game library included with Xbox Game Pass; to immersive and interactive games for gamers and their friends to play across Xbox, PC and mobile devices.

We Believe in Gamer Choice
A critical part of growing any ecosystem is ensuring that it works as players expect in every situation; on Xbox, that means the way you manage your hardware and games, the way you find what you want to play next, and the way you communicate and share with friends. Whichever device you use, we aspire to deliver an amazing Xbox experience – one that keeps you connected to games and friends throughout your day. Your feedback has been invaluable in pursuit of this vision, and today we’re sharing a glimpse of how everything will fit together this holiday. In addition to this blog, check out the video we created, which goes more in-depth on what’s to come.

Continue here to read the full story.

With 2020 turning out to be the year of the cyberpunk, developer Late Night Games announces the launch of a free beta for cyberpunkdreams, their upcoming free-to-play dystopian text-based adventure. You can get in on the beta on the cyberpunkdreams website. Word is participants can earn exclusive bonuses. Here's more on the game:

Take on the role of a lone wanderer sent to the gates of Cincinnati, in 2092. Dust from the desert badlands coats your clothes and skin – with your memories torn from you, all you have is a weapon on your hip, and a mission to complete.

Continue here to read the full story.

Publisher Thirdverse and developer inXile entertainment are holding closed beta testing next week for Frostpoint VR: Proving Grounds, their upcoming virtual reality multiplayer shooter. The test will run from August 24th until September 4th on Steam and those interested in taking part can request a beta key through this website. They promise participants who play a certain amount a free copy of the final version of the game when it's released later this year. Here's the previously released Announcement Trailer with a look at the game's frozen environment, and here's more on the game and its testing:

For this beta test, Thirdverse and inXile will be accepting a pool of testers, invited in waves throughout the Closed Beta period, to help achieve testing goals.

Frostpoint VR: Proving Grounds is a team-based multiplayer shooter that pits two sides against each other in high intensity PvP game modes. Set in a dilapidated military training base in Antarctica where strange biomechanical creatures now roam, each team will need to gear up and set out to dominate the opposing team. Over a dozen highly-detailed weapons can be brought into battle in a unique and beautiful sci-fi experience, where the other players aren’t the only enemies.

Continue here to read the full story.

Publisher Team17 and developer Aggro Crab Games announce a September 24th PC and console release date for Going Under, their "satirical roguelite." If you want to check out the Windows edition before that, there's a playable demo available on Steam. They describe a game that combines the cutthroat gameplay of a fantasy game with the cutthroat environment of the corporate world: "Set in the procedurally generated, dystopian dungeons underneath the disruptive drinks brand Fizzle, Going Under sees players follow the adventure of the corporation’s newest Gen Z marketing intern, Jackie Fiasco. Sent on a dangerous mission to rid Fizzle of the monstrous employees and former CEOs from the failed start-ups that came before, Fiasco must use anything that comes to hand – staplers, laptops, and even potted plants – to complete her adventure." Here's a new Date Trailer with a look, and here are more details:

Going Under key features:

• Fight the failures: Battle through the satirical dungeons of procedurally-generated remains of failed and cursed tech start-ups underneath the bowels of Fizzle
• Everything’s a weapon: Potted plants, giant pencils, laptops, and even body pillows are weapons for Jackie as she faces monsters created from the former employees of the failed start-ups
• Skill up and synergise: Combine skills bought from the company’s (subsidised) café for a selection of blue-sky thinking, monster-beating synergies!
• Learn from your mentors: Complete tasks for fellow employees, unlock them as mentors, and gain access to their powerful abilities
• Break the glass ceiling: Overcome the power-crazed CEOs of dungeons based on dating sites, gig economy recruiters, and cryptocurrency to help boost your employer’s bottom line.

Continue here to read the full story.

• GOG.com Midweek Sale: games loved by YouTubers up to 90% off.

• GameMaker Studio 2 Version 2.3.0 Release.
• Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition for PC - Patch 1.02 is now available.
• PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS -- Update 8.2 - Now Live.

• ACE COMBAT 7 – 25th Anniversary Update - US Skin Series.
• THE DARK PICTURES: LITTLE HOPE – Will Poulter Interview Part 2.

• She Sees Red Interactive Movie Is Now Available For Xbox One And Windows 10 (Xbox Play Anywhere).
• Predator: Hunting Grounds August update – PlayStation.Blog.
• Beyond Enemy Lines 2 Is Now Available For Xbox One.
• Even The Ocean Is Now Available For Xbox One.
• FuzzBall Is Now Available For Xbox One.
• Stones Of The Revenant Is Now Available For Xbox One.
• Norman's Great Illusion Is Now Available For Xbox One.
• Batu Ta Batu Is Now Available For Digital Pre-order And Pre-download On Xbox One.
• Mask Of Mists Is Now Available For Digital Pre-order And Pre-download On Xbox One.
• Johnny Rocket Is Now Available For Digital Pre-order And Pre-download On Xbox One.
• Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix Is Now Available For Digital Pre-order And Pre-download On Xbox One.

• Trump gives nod to Oracle buyout of TikTok in US.

• ASUS confirms A520 motherboard chipset will support AMD’s Cezanne APUs, & future ZEN 3 processors.
• Unity acquires Codice Software to manage 3D workflows. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Recovering from ‘Unknown driver’ issues @ AskWoody. Thanks RedEye9.

Thanks Ant.

• Secret Service Bought Access to Babel Street's Locate X Spy Tool. Thanks Slashdot.
• Cities sue Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, claim they owe cable “franchise fees.”
• Facebook sued over fact-check messages on anti-vaccination posts.

• Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020): PC graphics performance benchmark review - Guru3D.
• Mortal Shell PC Performance Analysis - DSOGaming.
• Spiritfarer Review - IGN.
• Spiritfarer review - Rock Paper Shotgun.

• AMD Athlon 3000G Vega 3 APU Game Performance - The FPS Review.
• Sennheiser HD 450BT Wireless Review - RTINGS.com. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Sharkoon Mobile DAC, Mobile DAC PD & Gaming DAC Pro S Review - TechPowerUp.
• Silicon Power PC60 960GB USB 3.2 Gen 2 Portable SSD Review - Nikk Tech.
• Team Group 128GB SPARK RGB Flash Drive Review - BabelTechReviews.

• E3 Organizer Apologizes After Sharing Article About 'Games for Women'…
• Why Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 Isn't Available In China…
• Game refunds & the hidden costs of 'getting to net' on Steam…
• Fall Guys guide: The best Fall Guys route through its skill-based levels…

More than 30 fires burning in California amid heat wave outlines the severity of this year's return of the seemingly annual wildfire problem. Best of luck to everyone on the west coast, here's hoping you stay safe.

Round-up
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.

Play

• Supremacy 1- The Great War - The World War I real-time strategy browsergame.

Breakfast Link

• Subpar Parks. Thanks RedEye9.

Story

• China evacuates 100,000 as floods threaten heritage site.

Science

• NASA Is Tracking a Vast, Growing Anomaly in Earth's Magnetic Field. Thanks RedEye9.
• Study confirms that painting eyes on cow butts helps ward off predators.

Media

• What Actually Makes Water Roll Off a Duck's Back? Deep Look. Thanks Ant.
• How a submarine's torpedo launch tube works.