A story on Bloomberg says that Electronic Arts has cancelled an unannounced Apex Legends/Titanfall single-player spin-off game called Titanfall Legends that was being developed by Respawn Entertainment. The unconfirmed report is said to be based on the accounts of three unnamed individuals familiar with the matter. Here's a bit:

Electronic Arts Inc. canceled a game based on the popular Apex Legends and Titanfall franchises, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The game, which hadn't been publicly announced, was in production at EA developer Respawn Entertainment. On Tuesday, EA, one of the world's biggest video game publishers, gave a disappointing outlook for revenue in the current quarter. The company said it was canceling the Apex Legends mobile game as well as a mobile version of Battlefield and shuttered Industrial Toys, the studio behind it. EA also delayed the highly anticipated Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, another title in development at Respawn.

Management informed the unnamed game's team of about 50 people that EA will try to find positions for them within the company. Anyone who can't be placed will be given severance packages and laid off, according to the people familiar with the matter, who asked to speak anonymously because they were not authorized to speak to the press. An EA spokesperson declined to comment.

Continue here to read the full story.

Frictional Games announces a delay to Amnesia: The Bunker for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. The game was expected in March when it was announced just two months ago. Now the release date for the World War I installment in the psychological horror series is May 16th on all platforms. This tweet explains:

Amnesia: The Bunker has been delayed and will be released on May 16th 2023.

The team here at Frictional has had a tough winter with a slew of illnesses that has affected the development. We are a small team and things like this heavily impacts production.

It is important to us to do the game justice, and in light of these halts in production we don't wish to rush the end product. The team is working hard to make The Bunker the best it can be, and a few more weeks will make the necessary difference.

Rhythm Sprout: Sick Beats & Bad Sweets has sprouted for Windows on Steam, offering an action adventure where you beat your foes to the beat. The launch trailer shows off how to play without beating you over the head with it. Here's word:

Every music track goes together with a unique and detailed 3D environment designed around its theme and story beat. Keep an eye out for little events and easter eggs throughout the levels!

All the music is crafted exclusively for the game with creative beatmaps in mind. It results in high sync between sound and gameplay – you'll feel it!
Music themes are inspired by different genres such as EDM, K-POP, Drum’n’Bass, Disco, Lo-fi hip-hop, even Metal, and much more.

Follow Sprout - the Chosen Onion - on his lightweight and self-aware adventure between music levels. Make funny dialogue interactions, full of silly jokes and pop culture references. Help the adorable inhabitants of the Vegetable Kingdom and face a charming cast of Sweet Villains.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Celebrating Black Creators and Characters (pay what you want and help charity).*
• Save 67% on Mars Horizon on Steam.
• Save 85% on Vampire: The Masquerade - The New York Bundle on Steam.

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

Official patches.

• Diablo III PTR 2.7.5 - Now Live.
• GTAV Title Update 1.66 Notes (PC).
• Velkhana Brings a Cold Snap to Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak in Free Title Update 4.
• StarCraft II 5.0.11 Hotfix Patch Notes.
• Steam Client Update - February 1st.
• Steam Deck Client Update - February 1st.

Content creator video.

• How does all the loot get there? - Viva La Dirt League. Thanks Ant.

• GOG Interview: learn more about Kholat from its creators on anniversary of The Dyatlov Pass Incident.

• A Deep Dive on Ashika Island, the New Resurgence Map in Season 02 of Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0.

Thanks Console General.

• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Alpha Skip-Ahead (2308.230129-2000).
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Alpha (2302.230130-2200).

• Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 in 10 minutes (video).
• The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra gets a 200-megapixel camera.
• Alienware's first NVIDIA GeForce 40-series laptops arrive next week.
• Samsung's Galaxy Book 3 Line Gets 120 Hz OLED Screens.

• ChatGPT firm trials $20 monthly subscription fee.
• Netflix's anti-password sharing will force you to sign in once a month – or get blocked.
• Musk locks his Twitter account to personally test reported malfunction.
• Meta earnings: Stock spikes after better-than-expected revenue, buyback announcement.

Thanks Console General.

• AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D launches February 28th, costs $699.
• AMD is 'undershipping' chips to keep CPU, GPU prices elevated. Thanks Simon.
• How the World's First Digital Circuit Breaker Could Completely Change Our Powered World. Thanks The Flying Penguin.
• Microsoft reportedly shows full-screen Windows 11 upgrade ads with two 'yes' buttons.
• NoScript..V.11.4.15. Thanks DSLReports via Ant.
• Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25290.
• SQL Server Management Studio v19.0.
• Azure Data Studio v1.41.1.
• ChatGPT detection tool thinks Macbeth was generated by AI. What happens now? Cancel Shakespeare?

• Number of new Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) expected to increase in 2023. Thanks Ant.
• Paper- Stable Diffusion “memorizes” some images, sparking privacy concerns.
• Up to 29,000 unpatched QNAP storage devices are sitting ducks to ransomware.
• Microsoft: We are tracking these 100 active ransomware gangs using 50 types of malware.
• Google boosts bounties for open source fuzzing flaws.
• Microsoft fixes XPS doc display problems in .NET.

• Introducing the New Hearthstone Creator Program. So you want to be an influencer?…

Last Link of the Day: Honest Trailers - M3GAN. Thanks RedEye9.

One of the answers in a new Redfall FAQ on the official website reveals that playing Bethesda's upcoming vampire game will require a persistent internet connection, even in single-player mode (thanks Reddit). Here's the explanation of the game's online requirements:

Will playing Redfall require an online connection for single player as well as co-op?
A persistent online connection is required for single player and co-op.

Will playing Redfall require a Bethesda.net account?
A Bethesda.net account is required.

Will playing Redfall require account linking (to your Steam/Xbox User ID)?
Yes.

This tweet announces plans for Shadow Warrior 3: Definitive Edition, which will launch on February 16th. This will bring Flying Hog Studios' first-person shooter to Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. This includes performance and graphical improvements and new gameplay that will come to current owners as a free upgrade. Here's the Announcement Trailer with a look at what to expect. Word is: "The Definitive Edition of Shadow Warrior 3 is a reinvigorated, ultraviolent blend of fast-paced gunplay, razor-sharp melee combat, and spectacular free-running movement through a mythical Japanese realm. Test your skills against the all-new Survival Mode, New Game Plus, and Hardcore Mode, and WATCH OUT FOR THAT DRAGON!" Here's more:

Shadow Warrior 3: Definitive Edition launches on February 16 and adds new versions on PS5 and Xbox S/X!

• Survival & Hero Modes
• New Game Plus Mode
• Hardcore Difficulty
• 60 FPS Performance & 4K Visual Modes
• Free Upgrade for Existing Owners

Continue here to read the full story.

Never Games Limited announce Final Factory, a sci-fi factory simulation coming to Steam later this year. This is a new entry in an increasingly crowded subgenre, so we doubt the final part is accurate. The chance to try this out is already upon us already, as signing up for the game's Discord includes the opportunity to get "pre-alpha" access. Here's the Announcement Trailer with a look, and here's a Reddit post by the game's solo developer, who is now working on this full time to complete its five-year journey towards completion. Here's more:

In Final Factory, create a space-faring factory as vast as the cosmos. Design space stations and connect them through careful logistical planning. Use your infrastructure to advance through a sprawling tech tree. Automate the production of a massive fleet of ships that will grant you special abilities and help you defend your base against the local aliens. Explore and expand across space on an infinitely generating map, filled with stars, planets, black holes, the ruins of an ancient civilization, and random item drops that will help your factory.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Kawaii Sale: get ready for awesome and super cute titles discounted up to -90%! - GOG.com.*

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

• "The Last of Us" Ratings Continue To Rise.

• Forspoken Version Update Patch 1.02.
• Gray Zone - Regular update of the full version is out now.
• The Sims 4 Update 01-31-2023.
• Steam Deck Beta Client Update- January 31st.
• World of Warcraft Hotfixes: January 31, 2023.

↑ Official patches. ↓ Unofficial games, patches, and mods.

• Link To The Past Has Been Reverse-Engineered, Ported To The PC.

• NVIDIA DLSS 3 does not work correctly in Marvel's Midnight Suns, brings performance degradation.
• Ubisoft just broke their games on Linux desktop and Steam Deck.

• Atomic Heart - Gameplay Overview Trailer.
• ExeKiller - Gameplay Reveal.
• Hogwarts Legacy - Official Launch Trailer 4K.
• Your Time Is Now! - WWE 2K23 Official Gameplay Trailer.

↑ Official trailers. ↓ Content creator videos.

• How Dead Island 2's FLESH System Procedurally Breaks Skin And Bones.
• Doom's Most Mysterious Glitch Finally Solved After 30 Years. How to get the red key on DOOM II Level 2? Thanks harrsid.

• Platinum Games Reveals Metal Gear Rising 10th Anniversary Event.

• The Sims 5 Project Rene tests multiplayer tools, but “is not an MMO” - PCGamesN.

• Critics’ Choice promotion comes to PlayStation Store.

• Samsung Unpacked Is Today: How to Watch the Galaxy S23 Reveal Live.
• Wristwatch with living organism inside that must be fed for it to work. Flintstones technology finally arrives. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Apex Legends Mobile players slam EA for denying refunds.
• Tomb Raider Reloaded Is A Mobile Roguelike Starring Lara Croft And It's Out This Month.

• Google's experimental ChatGPT rivals include a search bot and a tool called 'Apprentice Bard.'
• Elon Musk's Tesla lost $140m on Bitcoin in 2022.
• Mozilla Thunderbird — Release Notes (102.7.0). Thanks Frans.
• YouTube TV drops MLB Network after failing to renew deal.
• Google says it will definitely ditch cookies...by 2024.
• Peacock has removed its free membership tier for new customers.
• Netflix Adds New Audio Feature, But Only For Most Expensive Tier.

Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.

• AMD Posts Strong Results on Robust EPYC Sales As Consumer CPU Sales Disappoint.
• Intel just surprised employees with drastic pay cuts throughout the company. Thanks Slashdot.
• Intel to Cut Alder Lake CPU Pricing by 20%: Report.
• Intel drops the price of Arc A750 GPU to just $249, new driver gets performance improvements.
• Beginning of the end- Microsoft is not selling Windows 10 licenses anymore.
• Western Digital Unveils Dual Actuator Ultrastar DC HS760 20TB HDD.
• Tech layoffs: PayPal cuts 2,000 jobs as global economy weakens.
• Fact-Checkers Are Scrambling to Fight Disinformation With AI (may require registration or subscription).
• Linux Mint 21.2 is named 'Victoria.'
• Top tech tips to fool your boss into thinking you're working hard.
• Notepad++ Can Handle Your Huge Text Files Again.
• Layoffs Broke Big Tech’s Elite College Hiring Pipeline (may require registration or subscription).
• ChatGPT and artificial intelligence tools could replace workers in these jobs.

Thanks Ant.

• PoS malware can block contactless payments to steal credit cards. POS! Thanks DSLReports.
• Google Fi says hackers accessed customers’ information. Thanks Slashdot.
• Bean obsessed crypto-weeb community harvested for $2.74m in cryptocurrency & NFTs.
• DDoS attacks against financial firms and banks sees huge rise.
• Pig-butchering scam apps sneak into Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
• Microsoft warning: These phishing attackers used fake OAuth apps to steal email.

Thanks Ant.

• UK spy agency guilty of 'unlawful' data retention. Thanks DSLReports.
• Calif AG puts mobile app developers on notice over privacy. Thanks DSLReports.
• Amazon once again broke labor laws during New York unionization drive, judge rules.

‘Another 7, IGN?’ Why So Many Games Score 7 and Above. Thanks Neutronbeam.

• Stadia Escapee Hyper Gunsport is Cyberpunk Volleyball with GUNS! - Indie Ramble (video).

• Mouse: Razer Basilisk V3 Pro Review - TechPowerUp.
• NAS: Synology DS923+ SMB NAS Review - TweakTown.
• PSU: Asus TUF Gaming 550W Bronze Power Supply Review - Tom's Hardware.
• Speakers/Soundbar: Razer Leviathan V2 Pro review- This crazy tech creates cinema-grade sound for your gaming PC - Windows Central. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• SSD: Lexar Professional NM800 Pro 2TB - LanOC Reviews.

I've been contemplating getting a hardware key for added online account security. This seems like a question that can take advantage of the high level of technical proficiency here (flattery is always a good run-up to asking a favor). Anybody have any advice to share? I have USB C on both my PC and phone, so that's probably the only interface I would need. I'm basically hoping to maximize security while minimizing effort. The best of both worlds doesn't seem like too much to ask. So, should I just get a Yubikey and call it a day, or is there more to it than that? Any wisdom on the topic is welcome. Thanks!

Secure Round-up
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.

Breakfast Link

• "The Batman 2" Dated, DC Returnees Teased.

Stories

• Tom Brady says he is retiring from football 'for good.'
• Ozzy Osbourne Retires From Touring Amid Ongoing Health Issues. Thanks Acleacius.
• CDC: Eyedrops sold at Walmart, other stores linked to infections.

Science
Thanks Acleacius.

• Does this cause cancer? How scientists determine whether a chemical is carcinogenic – sometimes with controversial results.
• Microbes in your food can help or hinder your body's defenses against cancer – how diet influences the conflict between cells.
• Sitting in traffic for just 2 hours can lead to brain damage.

Media

• Poker Face (Lady Gaga) - 1940s Western Swing edition.
• True Facts: The Smartest Slime.
• Best Shirt Ever. Dad's gonna dad. Thanks VideoSift.
• RAW VIDEO - Boulder barrels through Palolo area home, narrowly missing woman. Damn! Thanks Acleacius.

Creature Features
Thanks Kxmode.

• Wild Tawny Owls Adopt 6 Orphaned Owlets 🦉🦉 The Full Story of Bomber & Luna. Thanks RedEye9.
• Long faced friend.
• Cow thinks he’s a showjumping horse. Bull!

Follow-up

• Keanu Reeves promises John Wick- Chapter 4 will have most action yet – including a huge 'car-fu' sequence. It goes to 11. Thanks Acleacius.

The Funnies

• You heard the brain.