The official launch of Hogwarts Legacy is not until Friday, but Warner Bros. Games announces the launch of the Early Access for those who pre-purchased the Digital Deluxe Edition of the Harry Potter prequel game. Those who made this advance commitment for the Windows edition can now play it on Steam. The previously released Official Launch Trailer accompanies the news. Here's word:

In Hogwarts Legacy, players join Hogwarts as a new fifth year student. At the onset of their adventure, players can customize their character’s appearance with a range of options to be the witch or wizard they want to be. They will join or be sorted into one of the four Hogwarts houses – Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin -- meet up with housemates in their common rooms and attend classes such as Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, and Potions where they will meet their professors, learn to cast spells, grow magical plants, brew potions and more.

In addition to classes and spells, players will have access to a deep set of upgrades, talents and skills to aid their progression as a witch or wizard. They can complete challenges throughout the world as one opportunity to earn experience and level up their abilities. In between classes, players will be able to explore a fully realized Hogwarts Castle where they will attend classes, discover dungeons, secret passageways, and challenging puzzles. They will grow their character’s abilities while mastering powerful spells and hone combat skills to help them face off against deadly enemies.

Continue here to read the full story.

Early Access has concluded for Gloria Victis. and this low-fantasy MMORPG has now officially launched (thanks Kapyong). The official website reflects the epic journey this represents, proudly displaying the game's 2012 IndieDB Player's Choice honor. The Windows game is available on Steam, and for the first week carries a whopping 50% discount. This post discusses the "new beginning" the news represents, illustrated by a new Launch Trailer. Here's the big picture:

Gloria Victis – A medieval MMORPG where Mount & Blade meets Planetside 2! Explore a breathtaking and atmospheric open world designed by lovers of the Witcher and Gothic series. Be part of a living society and become a soldier, knight, archer, assassin, swordmaster, berserker, huntsman, blacksmith, builder, merchant, farmer, healer, and more... the choice is yours!

Continue here to read the full story.

Early Access to Scorchlands is now underway on GOG.com* and Steam, offering the first chance to play this city building game for Windows and Linux where the goal is to colonize the moon. Or a moon, at least. This sciencey ambition is juxtaposed with fantasy, as the moon is called Helia, and magic is part of the process for the "birdfolk of Giwi." Check out the Launch Trailer for a look at some gameplay. There's also a playable demo you can take for a spin. Here's more:

The volcanic satellite, Helia, is filled with resources, so the daring explorers will not only discover new magical technologies but also harvest riches and establish colonies. Great discoveries aren’t easy to come by - the moon’s surface is full of dangerous creatures waiting to fight for their habitat. The Giwi will have to use magic not only to fend off any predators, but also to sustain their economy with arcane lasers allowing them to handle resource logistics by connecting all colonies into an industrial web.

*Blue's News may receive a commission on sales of this item. Continue here to read the full story.

Tower Tactics: Liberation is now out of Early Access, and is officially available for Windows on Steam, offering a game combining tower defense with elements of a roguelike deckbuilder (thanks JDreyer). Here's the Release Trailer and here's a post discussing everything that's changed for version 1.0. Read on for more:

Tower Tactics: Liberation fuses deck-building roguelikes and the tower defense genre like never before - deploy your towers, collect valuable trinkets and cast powerful spells to defend yourself against the Salkoth!

Features

• Roguelike essence: Every game is different! Make your way through procedurally generated maps, with changing layouts. Choose a riskier or safer path, build a different deck, fight in different environments and obtain different trinkets while keeping the experience always fresh.
• Deck creation: Choose your arsenal! Decide from a wide assortment of towers and spells that complement each other to maximize your chances of success.
• Valuable relics: Obtain powerful relics that will greatly improve your deck, giving you new possibilities or reinforcing existing interactions. How much will you sacrifice to get them?
• Ascend: Will you be able to succeed in the highest ascension? Sounds challenging, but maybe invoking the power of the Shrine will help you?

Continue here to read the full story.

Speaking of tower defense, Broken Universe - Tower Defense is now officially available on Steam, as Early Access has concluded for this Windows game that wears its genre on its sleeve (thanks JDreyer). The Official Release Announcement has detailed version 1.0 patch notes. Highlights of what's new include new chapters, an expanded Armory, new buildings and fusion towers, new skills, new skins, and more. Three-person developer Jinthree Studio expresses gratitude for the support they've received along the way, promising to "continue to do our best to make more fun games." The Official Release Trailer shows a madcap mix of invaders ranging from UFOs to whales. Here's more:

Try lots of different strategies, from blocking all paths and hiding safely behind your walls, to guiding monsters down a long line of fire. Use the unique towers and barriers to come up with your own original style of play. Try blasting monsters so hard they can't approach, mixing monsters up until they can't function properly, or focusing on defense and recovery to build an impenetrable fortress. You can even try backing a bunch of monsters into a corner and wiping them all out at once, or lining them up and taking them out one-by-one.

Continue here to read the full story.

Even more demos!

• Bleak Sword DX (Windows). "Discover and destroy increasingly horrifying creatures across an oppressive lofi world, wielding fierce weaponry and powerful magic in this pocket-sized action adventure."
• Fall of Porcupine (Windows). "FALL OF PORCUPINE is a unique story adventure. The collision of work and daily life – an exciting reflection of an unhealthy healthcare-system."
• I Am Future- Cozy Apocalypse Survival (Windows). "You're alone on a skyscraper roof in a flooded city. Welcome to the coziest post-apocalypse ever. Build, craft, farm, fish, cook -- with a view." Here's a trailer.
• Infection Free Zone (Windows). "Take charge of a group of survivors from your city. Choose your base of operations, then rebuild and readapt the buildings around you to create a self-sustaining settlement. And when the night falls - Defend the zone from the infected! Play on ANY CITY IN THE WORLD, using real geographical data!"
• King's Orders (Windows). "King's Orders is a simplified historical strategy game with an important innovation. You command thy armies by sending letters with orders. Messengers with letters travel the land and can be lost or intercepted. Generals execute orders once received and send you reports the same dangerous way."
• Madden NFL 23 (Windows). "Play your way into the history books. Control your impact with every decision in all-new ways. Call the shots in Franchise with free agency and trade logic updates, leave a legacy in Face of the Franchise: The League, and assemble the most powerful roster in all of Madden Ultimate Team™."
• REMEDIUM (Windows). "The fast-paced twin-stick shooter game in the grim post-apocalyptic Renaissance setting. It had been more than a hundred years since the terrible plague devoured the whole continent and turned almost everyone there in the maddened mutants."
• Suffer The Night (Windows). "The envelope is just the beginning. Burn it. Destroy it. Don't play his game. When you see the pale man, it’s already too late. SUFFER THE NIGHT is a first-person survival horror experience. Play chapter one now for FREE." Here's a trailer.

• World of Warcraft Wrath Classic: For a Limited Time Get Up to 30% Off on Paid Faction Changes.
• Save 33% on Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga on Steam.

• Activision CEO Bobby Kotick Says UK Will Become 'Death Valley.' Potential deal has entered the bluster stage.

• The Last of Us developers, HBO creators on building the world around Joel and Ellie.

Official patches.

• The Callisto Protocol - 2/7 Patch Update - Hardcore Mode is Live.
• League of Legends Patch 13.3 Notes.
• Teamfight Tactics patch 13.3 notes.

• Dead Island 2 – Meet the Slayers: Carla.

↑ Official trailers. ↓ Content creator videos.

• Hiding in the final circle in PUBG: Viva La Dirt League (NSFW).
• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor - 9 Minutes of Gameplay - IGN First.

• Hell’s Ink Tattoo Shop Takeover Tour Has Reignited — Diablo IV. For the extremely trusting.

Thanks Console General.

• Nintendo Switch Is Now The Third Best-Selling Console Of All Time.
• Prepare for Destiny 2: Lightfall with the Beyond Light expansion, available with PlayStation Plus.
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Omega (2302.230202-2200).
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Delta (2302.230202-2200).

• Pre-Order Starts Today: New Laptop Models Powered by GeForce RTX 40 Series - GeForce News.
• Google and Mozilla are working on iOS browsers that break current App Store rules.

• Microsoft announces AI-powered Bing search and Edge browser.
• Internet Explorer to be ‘permanently disabled’ on Windows 10 next week. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Zoom cuts 15% of staff in post-pandemic 'reset.'
• Musk says he saved Twitter from bankruptcy, but it still has big money problems.
• Mozilla Thunderbird — Release Notes (102.7.2). Thanks Frans.

• Nvidia Is Automatically Updating Systems to Fix the Discord Bug.
• Corsair's Bendable XENEON FLEX 45- OLED Gaming Monitor Hits Retail For $1999 US.
• Memtest86+ v6.10 released. Thanks DSLReports via Ant.

• What is doxxing and what can you do if you are doxxed?

• Scammer who targeted Optus hack victims avoids jail over ‘unsophisticated’ crime. Thanks Neutronbeam.

Last Link of the Day: Honest Trailers - Black Panther- Wakanda Forever. Thanks RedEye9.

As part of the Steam Next Fest mentioned below, Nightdive Studios is offering a new playable demo on Steam for System Shock, the upcoming remake of the classic action/RPG. Word is: "Join us during the Steam Next Fest, where you will experience the power of true artificial intelligence as you play the latest version of System Shock. But be warned, players: the game you are about to play at Steam Next Fest is just a glimpse into the world we’ve created for you." It's been a few decades, so here's a refresher so no one finds this a shock to their system:

System Shock is the fully fledged remake of the ground breaking original from 1994, combining cult gameplay with all-new HD visuals, updated controls, an overhauled interface and all-new sounds & music; it even has the original voice actor of SHODAN, one of gaming’s most iconic villains. Witness the rebirth of one of the greatest and most influential games ever created.

Continue here to read the full story.

Modus games announces a new edition of Maximum Football is on the way, continuing this American (and Canadian) football series that at times has carried the Doug Flutie brand. Besides dropping the diminutive quarterback's endorsement, another change (besides the addition of a PC edition) is the new version will be free-to-play. Word is this will launch into Early Access this (northern) spring on Steam. The new version will also feature spiffy Unreal Engine 5 graphics, as seen in the Announcement Trailer. Here's the playbook:

Maximum Football allows players to take control of their football destiny. Players will have the choice to take on the league with professional or college rule sets. This is your league now. Take charge of your team with Maximum Football’s endless levels of customization. From the roster to logos, jerseys and helmets and even individual pieces of equipment, craft your team exactly how you’d like, and then share it with the community.

Additionally, Maximum Football’s beloved Dynasty Mode is back, allowing players to step in as head coach of their team and build their ideal football program. Draft, recruit and manage the team of your dreams and lead them to greatness.

Continue here to read the full story.

More time-limited demos than you can shake a stick at. No stick-shaking demos yet. though:

• Broken Arrow (Windows). "Broken Arrow is a large-scale real-time modern warfare tactics game. A unique army building system and deep units customisation tools allow for endless replayability. With 200+ realistic military units and technologies, each battle is more immersive than ever before."
• Bunker Builder Simulator (Windows). "Plan your work, dig a hole and build a bunker, that will survive anything! Manage safety, needs and moods of your clients, so you can become the best architect and earn a fortune. Will you be able to meet the expectations?"
• Gestalt: Steam & Cinder (Windows). "Inspired by 16 and 32-bit classics, Gestalt: Steam & Cinder fuses tight 2D platforming and exhilarating combat with an engrossing, twist-laden narrative in a stunningly handcrafted steampunk world."
• Meet Your Maker (Windows). "Meet your Maker is a post-apocalyptic first-person building-and-raiding game where every level is designed by players. Play solo or with a friend as you mastermind devious maze-like Outposts full of traps and guards, then gear up for methodical fast-paced combat raiding other players’ creations."
• My Summer Adventure: Memories of Another Life (Windows, Linux). "A strange incident turns the life of an ordinary young man upside down when, having fallen asleep on a regular train commute, he wakes up in another country... in a body of a Japanese student! An unforgettable summer adventure awaits, promising many fateful meetings and momentous occasions."
• The Repair House: Simulator (Windows). "From the original creator of PC Building Simulator comes The Repair House! Discover and restore a range of objects in this relaxing restoration sim. Dismantle, clean, fix, customise and sell everything from musical instruments and antiques to games consoles, arcade cabinets and more!"
• Rusted Moss (Windows). "Rusted Moss is a twin-stick shooter metroidvania where you sling around the map with your grapple, blasting your way through witches and rusted machine monstrosities alike. This wasteland once harboring mankind has since fallen, and Fae long forgotten now knock on humanity's door..."
• Shadows of Doubt (Windows). "An immersive sandbox detective stealth game set in a fully simulated sci-fi noir city of crime and corruption. Think like a private investigator and take on jobs to earn cash on your path to catching a serial killer. If you don’t catch them - they will kill again…"
• Voodolls (Windows). "Voodolls is a co-op tower defence experience steeped in the dark & mysterious world of voodoo. Trapped in the jaws of hell, four souls are given the chance of freedom by a mysterious Puppet Master who distils their essence into Voodolls. Take up their offer and begin your break for freedom!"

• The Complete Creative Coding UI - UX Online Course (pay what you want and help charity).*

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

• Take-Two misses sales guidance, downgrades forecast again.
• Zordix launches Maximum Entertainment and restructures its studio organisation.
• WoW Dragonflight sold worse than Shadowlands, but Activision has plans.

• You Wouldn't Know - Portal Big Band Jazz Version ft. Benny Benack III (The 8-Bit Big Band) (video).

Official patches.

• Overwatch 2 Retail Patch Notes - February 7, 2023.
• Steam Beta Client Update- February 6th.
• Steam Deck Beta Client Update- February 6th.
• World of Warcraft Hotfixes: February 6, 2023.

Official trailers.

• Destiny 2: Lightfall - Strand Trailer.
• Scars Above – Gameplay Overview.

• EA's Iron Man game has officially started production.
• Ghost Story Games' Judas Is Currently Planned for Release By March 2025.

• Trackmania TMWT Stage 1 Weekly Recap #3. Thanks Frans.

• Atari XP 50th Anniversary: Limited Edition Set of 10. Fulfilling the dream of Atari 2600 carts at just $100 each.
• New Xbox Stellar Shift Controller Revealed, Out Now For $70.
• Horizon: Call of the Mountain Goes Gold Ahead of Feb. 22 Launch.
• This Week's Deals with Gold and Spotlight Sale - Xbox Wire.

• Samsung Galaxy S23 has useful charging bypass feature for gamers.
• Google's new Credential Manager brings us closer to a passwordless future.
• New battery seems to offer it all- Lithium-metal-lithium-air electrodes.
• Velan Studios and Mattel Reveal Hot Wheels™- Rift Rally, a Mixed Reality Racing Experience Coming to iOS and PlayStation on March 14.

Thanks Ant.

• Outlook down- Microsoft experiences widespread outage.
• It is possible to extract images used to train generative AI. Thanks DSLReports.
• Twitter reportedly had only 180,000 subscribers in the US last month.
• New Chrome Version Will Support Nvidia 4K Upscaling. Thanks Roddy.

• Nvidia's RTX 4070 Reportedly Launching in April.
• Philips' new OLED TVs might actually dethrone LG as the best gaming TV.
• How IBM’s new supercomputer is making AI foundation models more enterprise-budget friendly.

• Developers Created AI to Generate Police Sketches. Experts Are Horrified.
• Hackers are mass infecting servers worldwide by exploiting a patched hole.

• Getty Images sues AI art generator Stable Diffusion in the US for copyright infringement.
• LOTR Rights Owners Take Action Against "Lord Of The Bins" Waste Removal Company.
• Huawei turns to patents for a lifeline — including those in the U.S.

• Deliver Us Mars PC Performance Analysis - DSOGaming.
• Deliver Us Mars Review - The Fate Of A Father - Wccftech. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• SpellForce: Conquest of Eo PC Review - GameWatcher.

• Flash Drive: Kingston IronKey Keypad 200 Hardware-Encrypted USB Flash Drive Review - ThinkComputers.org.
• Keyboard: ROCCAT Magma Mini RGB Gaming Keyboard - Christ Centered Gamer.
• Laptop: MSI Titan GT77 HX Review- Mighty and Colorful - Tom's Hardware.
• Laptop: MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI (2023) Gaming Laptop Review - TweakTown.
• Motherboard: ASRock X670E Taichi Carrara Motherboard - OCinside.
• RAM: G.SKILL Trident Z5 DDR5-7200 CL34 2x 16 GB Review - TechPowerUp.
• Sound Card/DAC: Razer Leviathan V2 Pro Review - IGN.

• The Day Before trainwreck continues with accusations it's copied other game trailers…

On June 15, 2021 I had an auto accident. I wrote a bit about it at the time, but was told to clam up. I promised to tell the story when I could, and that time is upon us. It's a long one, so I am going to serialize it over the next few days.

Part One: The Accident:
Here's my initial account if you want to catch up on what I wrote about this before being told to stop. The radio silence was because I ended up suing the guy who caused the accident, and was told to not discuss the pending case. I sued because my initial examination and discussion with the doctor left me pretty convinced I was on the road to surgery. But I'll also admit to being extremely angry at the guy who caused the accident. He just pulled out into the highway directly in front of me. The extreme level of carelessness stretched credulity, and I suspect the fact that the guy was an off-duty cop is why no sobriety checks were performed at the scene. The investigation eventually determined him to be 100% at fault.

My major injury was a partially displaced fracture of the radial head of my left arm (elbow), caused when I braced against the steering wheel for the collision. I spent several weeks in a splint, and I was told to only remove it to bathe. I was so concerned about the prospect of the fracture further displacing and requiring surgery, I didn't even remove it for that, settling instead for bird baths. The good news is the elbow stayed stable, and did not require surgery. The bad news is that it's hard to imagine how much mobility one loses in a joint that is out of use for that long. So that was a mistake that probably complicated my eventual rehab. This was the most difficulty period for me, as I was updating the site using one hand and voice recognition, and feeling pretty depressed about the accident, my totaled car, and, of course, my injury. I felt like this guy had ruined my life. Compounding this was my unhappiness at being told not to write about it. For better or worse, I've taken to being very straightforward with everyone here, and at times it's pretty therapeutic. Being forced to withhold discussing what was happening made me feel almost dishonest after years of over-sharing. So I'm happy to finally tell the tale. But that's enough for now. Tune in tomorrow for our next thrill-packed episode. Same bat-time, same bat-channel.

Tomorrow: Part Two: Rehab!

Accidental Round-up
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.

Breakfast Link

• McConaughey To Voice Elvis In "Agent Elvis."

Story

• AMC Theaters Plans Sightline Pricing.

Science

• Huge chunk of plants, animals in U.S. at risk of extinction -report.
• Children of Overprotective Parents Tend to Live Less. Less? Thanks Max.
• Here’s why Europe is abandoning plans to fly aboard China’s space station.

Media

• "2001: A Space Odyssey" directed by George Lucas?
• History of the World Part 2.

The Funnies

• Savage Chickens - Dog Movie.