Building an in-person BlizzCon is an epic and complex affair that takes many months of preparation—not just for us, but also for the many talented production partners, esports pros, hosts, entertainers, artists, and other collaborators we team up with locally and globally to put all of the pieces together. The ongoing complexities and uncertainties of the pandemic have impacted our ability to properly move forward on many of these fronts, and ultimately we’re now past the point where we’d be able to develop the kind of event we’d want to create for you in November.

But we don’t want to let too long go by before we connect with everyone again. So in the meantime, we’re planning a global event for the early part of next year, combining an online show along the lines of our recent BlizzConline with smaller in-person gatherings, and we’ll share more as our plans come together.

We will continue to increase our efforts in the following areas:

• More resources to support detection and enforcement
• Additional monitoring and backend technology
• Scrubbing databases to bring systems up to current standards
• Consistent and fair review of enforcement policies
• Increased communication with the community

We know we have a long way to go to reach our goals. This is just the start. Addressing this is an ongoing commitment that we will not waiver from. We look forward to making progress on this front and coming together with you to share in the fun and joy of playing together.

Tear through eldritch terrors unleashed by heretical sects and demented sinners as a disgraced Priest of the Orthagonal Order. Unjustly exiled for attacking a fellow brother upon witnessing an evil act, the Priest now follows a mission ordained by The Creator: root out the evils corrupting not just the Order, but creation itself.

Steam Early Access begins the journey with the first of three planned regions: Cruxfirth, a rotting swamptown suffering from a plague that ends either in death or violent madness. Inspired by classic shooters, immersive sims, and action RPGs, GRAVEN encourages exploration and creativity with multiple ways to take on puzzles and combat alike.

We’ve temporarily disabled leaver penalties in Arenas due to the system sometimes issuing inappropriate punishments.

The fix for this is scheduled for later this week, so we’ll let you know when we’ve solved the problem and restored penalties.

Featuring 18 fun-fueled Olympic events, a robust Avatar Creator, and local and online play for up to 8 players, Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 offers aspiring Olympians of all ages a chance to pursue their own Olympic dreams at-home or online.

“The Olympic Games are a unifying symbol of sportsmanship and competition for athletes and fans throughout the world,” said Ian Curran, President & COO at SEGA of America. “Tokyo 2020 channels that positive spirit into a fun, arcade-style experience for friends and family to play together as we all look forward to the start of the Olympic Games this Summer.”

The Paris-based development studio has used all its expertise in sports games (Handball 21, Rugby 18 and Rugby 20) and is making many improvements to this latest simulation. This includes more realistic AI, improved difficulty that adapts better to each player's level, and more lifelike star-player faces – especially on the latest-generation consoles – thanks to the use of photogrammetry.

Benoît Clerc, Head of Publishing at NACON, explained the goal for this new edition: "Rugby 22 continues and builds upon the great work started by Eko Software on the previous two games. We want to offer rugby fans the most authentic and complete experience possible with updated gameplay that has incorporated many improvements based on player feedback on the previous titles and by including official teams and competitions never seen before in a rugby simulation."

Developed by Digiart Interactive and N-Fusion Interactive, Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards is a rip-roaring romp through Inca lore featuring mythological gods, beasts, and tales that formed the backbone of 16th century Colombian culture. Venture from the Sanctuary seaside cliffs through the massive jungles of the New World, all the way to Nagaric’s Temple in the Volcanic Canyons in this pulpy period adventure.

Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards follows the exploits of Aluna, the warrior daughter of a Spanish conquistador and South American nature goddess Pachamama. Raised in early 16th century Spain, Aluna escaped to the New World only to realize it was her true homeland. Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards sets our heroine on a quest through Inca mythology as she strives to restore the amulet her goddess mother entrusted to her... and fulfill her true destiny.

• 1C Publisher Sale 2021 on Steam.
• Save 50% on Chef: A Restaurant Tycoon Game on Steam.
• Killing Floor 2 on the Epic Games Store. Save 75%.
• Humble Guilty Gear Bundle (pay what you want and help charity).*
• Humble Rising Storm Bundle (pay what you want and help charity).*

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

• Experience Shadow and Sun in the Latest Paladins Update.
• Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem -- Hotfix 1.1.2.1.

• Enhancing Photorealism Enhancement. Thanks Simon.
• Huge Fortnite Settlement Might Mean $$$ For You (and What's a Class Action Anyway?). Thanks Ant.
• The reveal trailer for Battlefield 6 has leaked on /r/battlefield6. And, of course, immediately un-leaked.

• Geoff Keighley on Ramping Up Production Value for Summer Game Fest – The Hollywood Reporter.
• How Tencent gave Splash Damage the "cheat codes for game development" - GamesIndustry.biz.

• Join Us Sunday, June 13 for the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase.

• Rekt! High Octane Stunts Now Available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X-S.
• PlayStation Plus games for June: Operation: Tango, Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown, Star Wars: Squadrons.
• Mutazione Is Now Available For Xbox One And Xbox Series X-S.
• New Games with Gold for June 2021.
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Alpha (2106.210525-0000).
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Alpha Skip-Ahead (2108.210524-2200).

• Inside IGN's Battle for Editorial Independence.
• Facebook is going after misinformation superspreaders. So we're talking an ouroboros situation?
• SUPERAntiSpyware version 10.0.1226. Thanks Ant.

• Nvidia teases GeForce RTX 3080 Ti announcement for May 31st. Reserve one for your grandkids.
• Western Digital Introduces WD Black D30 Game Drive External SSDs.
• Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21390.
• Plex Media Server version 1.23.1.4571.
• Irfanview 4.58. Thanks DSLReports via Ant.

• Sen. Amy Klobuchar calls on Justice Department to probe Amazon-MGM deal.

Try UE5 Early Access today
If you're a game developer who likes to live on the bleeding edge, you can begin testing UE5 today. While it is not production-ready yet, you can use the Early Access build to start prototyping your next games.

When Larry first joined EA as vice president of sales, the company had approximately 50 employees and according to him, “it was an entirely different environment.” He went on to become CEO, and the rest is history.

In many ways, Larry helped to establish the core DNA of Electronic Arts - the cultural drive that pushes us to lead and strive for greatness in everything we do. From the beginning, Larry held an unshakeable belief that games were going to be the most significant form of entertainment on the planet. He taught us to embrace and lead the platform transitions that would come, instilled a constant commitment to quality, and challenged us every day to make Electronic Arts an incredibly meaningful part of people’s lives.

• Judge digs into Apple app store policies as Epic Games trial ends.
• Apple and Epic Games spar in closing arguments over 'Fortnite.'

Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle is a third-person story-driven survival horror game prequel to the critically acclaimed Daymare: 1998. Step into the shoes of special agent Dalila Reyes, a former government spy now in the service of a unit called H.A.D.E.S. (Hexacore Advanced Division for Extraction and Search), and get ready to enter the most advanced experimental research center in the United States of America. Be careful though, because in the darkness of the desolate, labyrinthine depths of the military research center there is something terrifying and lethal awaiting you!

Lock and load one of the most innovative and technologically advanced weapons of all time and prepare to face never-before-seen creatures as you make your way through a series of evocative locations and unlock the secrets they contain.

Escape from Naraka puts you in a nightmarish, labyrinthine temple dominated by an evil demon called Rangda the Leyak Queen. Using 3D scan technology for world-building; most of the detailed environment assets in the game exist in real life.

To save your beloved one, you’re going to platform your way through diversely themed platforming sections, each one challenging you with new deadly trials as well as traps and terrifying enemies. Developing the arts of dodging and perfect placed jumping is just one part of your successful escape. You also need to collect essential abilities and find the fastest way through the courses.

Embark on an expedition to find Lennorien, the long-lost elven city to save the ones you lost, while fighting the goblin menace that spread terror across the continent! Lead your party of heroes, each one with distinct, special abilities and skills, allowing you to use multiple battle strategies to defeat your enemies. Discover a fantasy world featuring deep map and scenario exploration in an epic adventure, visual novel style! Craft new items and accessories from the treasures you collect and use them as tactical advantage every time you configure your characters.

Causa, Voices of the Dusk is an intriguing collectible card game in which your decisions will change the course of the game. Sacrifice cards to raise your Cause, and bring them back later to achieve the most strategic plays. Prove your abilities battling other players, and draft your way to Victory in extremely challenging campaigns.

Spacegirl 2038 is a fun to play, fast paced arcade shooter with high energy music and retro graphics.

You play as Lara, a newly qualified pilot in the fleet, whose sister has gone missing. You've been told not to launch a rescue mission as you're too inexperienced, but since when have you listened? You must explore the strange alien world to find your sister and her crew and bring them home safely. Whether you leave a trail of destruction in your wake is up to you....

• Midweek Sale: a mix of engaging games up to 80% off - GOG.com.
• Shrapnel Games Memorial Day Sale Event on Gamers Front.
• Save 25% on OUTRIDERS on Steam.
• Save 50% on Cloudpunk on Steam.

• Old School Runescape - Clans Full Launch.
• PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS -- Update 12.1 - Now on the Test Server.
• Steam Client Beta.
• World of Warcraft Hotfixes- May 25, 2021.
• Mass Effect Modders Are Using Official Audio To Restore Gay Romances For Jack, Thane, Tali, And More.

• Apex Legends players call for changes to "broken" SBMM.
• Apex Legends’ Valkyrie will be nerfed to avoid ALGS Championship “coffee breaks.”

• How to be Dastardly in Eville.
• Hunt: Showdown I Dark Sight Trailer.
• Picking a fight with the wrong NPC - Hostile. Thanks Ant.

• BIG Festival 2021 is Officially a Wrap with More Than 40 Million Views Across Digital Storefronts.

• REKT! High Octane Stunts Is Now Available For Windows 10, Xbox One, And Xbox Series X|S (Xbox Play Anywhere).
• Cris Tales Is Now Available For Digital Pre-order And Pre-download On Xbox One And Xbox Series X|S.
• Dreams Community convention DreamsCom returns for 2021 – PlayStation.Blog.
• Cyberpunk 2077 getting back on PlayStation is entirely Sony's decision, says CD Projekt.
• Xuan Yuan Sword 7 Trailer #2.
• Kemco Publisher Sale on the Xbox Store Features Many Games From Its Huge RPG Catalog.
• Days of Play comes to PlayStation Store.

• USB-C is about to go from 100W to 240W, enough to power beefier laptops. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3’s disappointing camera specs leaked in full.

• Microsoft Teams opens up to new collaborative apps that plug into meetings. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Instagram and Facebook let users hide like counts.
• Russia demands Facebook and Twitter store user data within its borders by July 1.
• When to Reply on Social Media—and When to Not.

• Intel Remains World's Largest Chipmaker as AMD Enters Top 15.
• "1 Million PCs Sold Every Day": Desktop PC Market Thriving Despite Tech Shortages.
• PCI Express 6.0 Status Update: Draft 0.71 Coming Soon, Final Release by End of Year.
• Satya Nadella teases major updates coming soon to Windows during Build 2021 keynote. Thanks Slashdot via Ant.
• Windows 10 KB5003214 Cumulative Update Preview Released.
• Mark Cuban invests in Indian Ethereum platform Polygon.
• Chia: Stop Farming with Consumer SSDs or Stop Complaining About Endurance.
• Visual Studio 2019 version 16.10.
• PowerShell version 7.1.3.
• Evernote version 10.14.6.

• As Chips Shrink, Rowhammer Attacks Get Harder to Stop (may require registration or subscription).
• Contract killer: Certified PDFs can be secretly tampered with during the signing process, boffins find.
• What to do about open source vulnerabilities? Move fast, says Linux Foundation expert.
• Updates to Firefox's Breach Alert Policy. Thanks Ant.
• Vulnerability in VMware product has severity rating of 9.8 out of 10.
• Ransomware: Dramatic increase in attacks is causing harm on a significant scale.
• Bluetooth bugs open the door for attackers to impersonate devices.
• DataDome raises $35M to defend ecommerce from bot attacks.

• DC attorney general opens antitrust probe into Amazon.
• Court finds GCHQ breached citizen's privacy with its bulk surveillance regime.
• Russian national jailed for running stolen data, hijacked account seller platform deer.io.
• WhatsApp sues Indian government over new Intermediary Guidelines.

• King of Seas review - PC Gamer.
• Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Review - GameSpot.
• Star Wars Pinball VR - Christ Centered Gamer.

• CPU: Intel Core i7-11800H Review- 11th-gen Tiger Lake H45 Put to the Test - TechSpot.
• Keyboard: Redragon K596 Vishnu Wireless Keyboard Review - TechPowerUp.
• Misc: EnGenius ECW260 WiFi 6 2x2 Outdoor Access Point - LanOC Reviews.
• Motherboard: ASUS ROG STRIX Z590-I Gaming WiFi Review - TechPowerUp.
• Motherboard: ASRock Z590 PG Velocita Review - Modders Inc.
• Motherboard: Gigabyte Z590 Vision G Motherboard Review - ThinkComputers.org.
• RAM: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro SL DDR4-3600 C18 2x8GB Review- Short On Height, High On AMD Performance - Tom's Hardware.

• He uses his tongue to play video games…
• Italy's game industry grows to 1,600 people and 160 game studios…

License to Round-up
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.

Story

• Daytime Emmy Awards Nominations Unveiled, Include Posthumous Noms For Alex Trebek, Larry King.

Science

• New study turns our understanding of ice upside down.
• Jupiter's Moon Europa May Have an Interior Hot Enough to Fuel Seafloor Volcanoes.

Image

• Blood Moon lunar eclipse enthralls viewers.

Media

• This is how you deploy an absolutely massive floating turbine.
• 11 Size Comparison Videos That Will Give You a New Sense of Scale.
• Watch: cop pulls over a driver for texting while driving and the driver tries everything she can to make the cop lose his cool (NSFW).

Follow-up

• White House Takes UFO ‘Incursions Into Our Airspace...Very Seriously’.