Duskers is now available for free on the Epic Games Store as its latest weekly giveaway. This is an unusual sci-fi game released by Misfits Attic in 2016. It's yours to keep if you make with the snagging by next Thursday. That's when the sun will set on the Duskers promotion, and will rise on the Rise of Industry giveaway. In the ultimate soft-sell, the store listing includes just 21 words about the game:

Pilot drones into derelict spaceships to find the means to survive and piece together how the universe became a giant graveyard.

Larian Studios offers a new Release Date Reveal Trailer for Baldur's Gate 3, announcing the RPG sequel will arrive on PC and PlayStation 5 on August 31st. The trailer also reveals the participation of acclaimed actor J.K. Simmons, who is voicing General Ketheric Thorm, a necromancer that's one of the game's antagonists. There's an update about this on the PlayStation.Blog where we're told to expect reveals of two more adversaries over the coming months. It also includes this blurb on the game:

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a next-generation cinematic RPG set in the Forgotten Realms. It’s a true Dungeons & Dragons experience in video game form, and the long-awaited third installment in the Baldur’s Gate series. Whether you’ve been waiting for this game for 20+ years or the previous sentence is a mystery to you, adventure awaits you in Baldur’s Gate 3’s tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power.

Create a character of your own or play as one of a dream-team of handcrafted Origin characters, each with their own unique traits, agenda, and outlook on the world. Their stories intersect with the entire narrative, and your choices will determine whether those stories end in redemption, salvation, domination, or many other outcomes.

Continue here to read the full story.

An article on Bloomberg (may require registration or subscription) shares details about this year's installment in the Call of Duty series. A few months ago Jason Schreier, the article's author, insisted the next full game in the series would not arrive until 2024 and this year's entry would be more of an expansion. The article explains how the plan has changed, and the 2023 release will indeed be a full game. Jason offers this tweet to summarize what's locked behind the paywall:

Here's what's up with this year's Call of Duty:

• It's more Modern Warfare — led by Sledgehammer, supervised by Infinity Ward
• Was originally "premium expansion" but morphed into full game
• Current plan is to continue MW2 story and carry over MW2 content

A new Out of Arkham Asylum Trailer and a new Official Co-Op Gameplay Trailer titled "No Matter the Cost" are now available to show off more of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, the upcoming shooter based on the DC bad-guy squad. There's also a new FAQ for the game with more on what to expect. Kotaku notes that one of the answers includes the puzzling news that the game will require a persistent internet connection, even to play the game's single-player campaign:

IS AN INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED TO PLAY SUICIDE SQUAD: KILL THE JUSTICE LEAGUE?

Yes, an internet connection is required to play Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League solo or via online co-op.

Continue here to read the full story.

The Game Developers Choice Awards announce that next month's award ceremony will include special honors for John Romero and the late Mabel Addis. Addis, considered to be the first female game developer, will receive the Pioneer Award posthumously, since she passed away in 2004. And The Romero will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work on defining games in the first-person shooter genre, including Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM, and Quake. Here's more on both honorees:

Mabel Addis is recognized as the first female game designer, but that title alone does not convey the breadth of her pioneering work. As the lead designer of 1964’s The Sumerian Game, she helped pave the way for game elements that wouldn’t become mainstream for decades. Among the innovations she helped conceive were game updates, in-game narrative experiences and early iterations of what would become known as cutscenes, which, in 1964, took the form of photo slideshows accompanied by synchronized audio. The Sumerian Game itself predates modern display technology and instead used a computer printer to express dialogue and prompts, which took the form of an in-game narrator/character who conveyed game information and asked questions of the player. Working as a grade school teacher and developing The Sumerian Game on the side, Addis turned to her degree in ancient history from Barnard College for inspiration, crafting an game narrative about ancient Mesopotamia and helping to create the genre that we now call edutainment games. The Pioneer Award will be given to Mabel Addis as a posthumous honor to recognize the innovation, creativity and dedication to education that she maintained through her professional life up until her passing on August 13, 2004.

Continue here to read the full story.

The Redemption DLC is now available for Marvel's Midnight Suns, adding fan-favorite reformed villain Venom to the superhero mix. The Windows DLC is available on the Epic Games Store and on Steam. Here's word on Eddie Brock's redemption:

In Redemption, Venom, the deadly amalgam of Eddie Brock and an alien symbiote, joins the Midnight Suns to right the wrongs he committed under Lilith's demonic influence. Blood-sucking vampyres have infested the sewers beneath New York City, but even they quake in fear at the sight of Venom's pitch-black claws and razor-sharp teeth. With help from the Midnight Suns, Venom is fighting to regain control of his actions and rid NYC of the undead scourge—but unshackling himself from one manipulative demon has attracted the attention of another.

Warner Bros. Games announces that controversy has not prevented Hogwarts Legacy from becoming the biggest global launch in the company's history. Word is the Harry Potter prequel is breaking all sorts of records:

Warner Bros. Games’ Hogwarts Legacy, the critically acclaimed, open-world, action role-playing game (RPG) has sold more than 12 million units and $850 million in sales globally in its first two weeks of launch on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, which surpasses all of the company’s previous game launches. The game has exceeded sales records across the three platforms it is currently available on and broke records for streaming by becoming the biggest single-player game ever on Twitch with 1.28 million peak concurrent viewers at launch.

Hogwarts Legacy is also breaking company records for player engagement with 280 million hours played to date. Additionally, there has been an increase of global franchise fan engagement overall with Wizarding World Digital garnering 300% higher traffic over the normal monthly unique visitor average for the first 10 days of February.

Out of the Park Productions announces Out of the Park Baseball 24, a new installment in the sports simulation series coming to Windows and macOS on March 24th. Word is the new edition "will raise the bar on a 24-year legacy like never before through overhauled visuals, deeper and improved analytics, a more expansive franchise mode, and much more." This new trailer shows off what to expect, and if this gets you all worked up, the official website is now accepting preorders. Here's a bit with more baseball puns than you can shake a Louisville Slugger at:

OOTP 24 shoots a bullet past first base with new crowd models and overhauled 3D animations for fielding, pitching, running, and batting. The lead runner advances to second thanks to powerful mid-game analytics, swing predictions, and the new action replay. With improved AI and challenging new choices in franchise mode, the bases are loaded. And the whole squad rounds home with the mega-popular Perfect Team mode’s biggest improvements ever.

“The sweeping upgrades to OOTP 24 are about empowering our fans with the fantasy of managing their own professional baseball team, complete with all its unique challenges,” said Richard Grisham, Director of Business Development at Com2uS. “Players will hold the team’s fate in their hands, from satisfying their owner’s ever-changing needs to facing the fiercest trade and contract negotiations ever. No two seasons, deals, or disputes should ever play out the same—just like real-life baseball.”

Continue here to read the full story.

Digital Extremes and Airship announce plans to test Wayfinder, an upcoming multiplayer action/RPG. A closed beta will begin on February 28th on Steam and PlayStation 5. If you're interested in participating, you should fill out this form. A new State of Play 2023 Trailer shows of the game. Word is: "the new video takes viewers on a journey through the fantastical fallen world of Evenor, clashing colorful sci-fi explosions with several elegant, sprawling environments." Here's a bit on the game:

The World of Evenor is shattered. You must harness the power of a Wayfinder to Control the Chaos that has overrun your world. Join forces with friends to strengthen your powers and control your adventures online with a vast selection of customization modifiers when exploring the immersive world, collecting valuable materials and crafting!

Customize every play experience by entering a doorway of adventures with the help of a mysterious device known as a Gloom Dagger. Each adventure has unique modifiers and challenges YOU conjure and control, customizing what beasts you hunt, bosses you encounter, materials you collect and even other Wayfinders.

Continue here to read the full story.

Here's another chance to get in on some testing, as Level Infinite and LightSpeed Studios are accepting sign ups to beta test Undawn the upcoming post-apocalyptic open-world survival RPG. The testing is will take place on PC and mobile, but at this point applications are only being accepted from those in North America. A new Closed Beta Test Announcement Trailer sets up the story with a cinematic. Here's a bit on the game:

In Undawn, players will explore a shattered world set four years after a global disaster. The game combines PvP and PvE experiences as players fend off dual threats of the infected hordes and opposing humans in a fight to survive in this bleak wasteland. Those taking part in the Closed Beta will be among the first to experience Undawn before its global launch later this year. Progress from the Closed Beta will be reset once the beta ends.

Built using the Unreal Engine, Undawn transports players to a huge world filled with distinct terrains such as plains, mines, deserts, swamps, and abandoned cities, each with diverse ecosystems and dangers. Players must brave rain, heat, snow, and storms while tracking their character’s survival indicators to stay alive against overwhelming odds. Using a robust base building system with more than 1,000 types and styles of furniture and structures, survivors will need to work together to rebuild their homesteads and establish a new civilization.

Continue here to read the full story.

New Call of the Paragons DLC is now available on Steam, adding new content to Asterigos: Curse of the Stars, the mythology-inspired action/RPG. There's also a new version 1.06 patch for all owners of the game, even those who forego the new add-on. Here's a DLC Launch Trailer, and here's the pitch:

When the event of Trinity is near, the restless spirits of Aphes Paragons become disturbed and the rifts to Phantasma open across the whole city. Hilda must rise up to the challenge and prove to be the Heroine that determines the fate of Aphes.

Key Features

• New area to explore: Phantasma, an inter-dimension that holds the power of the ascended.
• 7 new boss encounters: The Paragons of Aphes, legendary heroes of the past.
• Weapon Mod System: Craft 12 new weapons exerting the power of the gods.
• New outfit: Paragon Armor
• Expansion of the epic stories of the myth of Aphes.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Total Performance, Protection and Privacy (pay what you want and help charity).*
• Atelier Franchise Sale on Steam.
• Save 75% on SYNTHETIK- Legion Rising on Steam.
• Save 30% on Arcade Paradise on Steam.

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

• What does a wave of closures mean for live service games?

Official patches.

• Moonshine Inc. - Explore the SANDBOX mode.

Official trailers.

• Company of Heroes 3 - Launch Trailer.
• Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania DLC - Final Teaser & Surprise Reveal.
• Destiny 2- Lightfall - Launch Trailer.
• For Honor: Content of the Week - 23 February.

• Dragon Age: Dreadwolf preview - BioWare Community Update.

Thanks Console General.

• Sony State of Play February 2023: Everything Announced.
• Rust Console Edition Gets a Major Update - Power Surge.
• Xbox Free Play Days gain Destiny 2: The Witch Queen, Dragon Ball- The Breakers, and more.
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Beta (2303.230220-2200).
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Alpha Skip-Ahead (2308.230221-2000).
• Free Play Days - Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Destiny 2: The Witch Queen, and Dragon Ball: The Breakers - Xbox Wire.

• You Can’t Trust App Developers’ Privacy Claims on Google Play (may require registration or subscription).

• After defending false data, Comcast admits another FCC broadband map mistake.
• Shocker: Netflix actually cuts subscription prices in over 30 countries. Thanks Console General.

Thanks Console General and Neutronbeam.

• Windows 11 PC gaming features make it easier to play.
• Unity’s earnings show just how hard it is to earn a 10x software multiple today.
• Intel Arc Graphics Performance Revisited- DX9 Steps Forward, DX12 Steps Back.
• Intel and Partners Showcase 'Green PC' That's 90% Recyclable.
• Stardock Start11 v1.39.1.
• StreamFab v6.1.1.0.
• PlayerFab v7.0.3.7.

• NSA says- Do these things to keep your home network safe from cyberattack.
• Trove of L.A. Students’ Mental Health Records Posted to Dark Web After Cyber Hack. Thanks DSLReports via Ant.
• Dole plants crippled by ransomware attack, stores run short.
• DOJ seeks court sanctions against Google over 'intentional destruction' of chat logs.

Last Link of the Day: Lord of the Rings: New Movies in the Works at New Line.

Bethesda tweets an announcement, confirming that famed designer Shinji Mikami is departing Tango Gameworks. This comes shortly after the hugely successful launch of Hi-Fi RUSH. Word is he will leave the company "in the coming months":

We can confirm that Shinji Mikami has decided to leave Tango Gameworks in the coming months. We thank him for his work as a creative leader and supportive mentor to young developers on The Evil Within franchise, Ghostwire: Tokyo, and, of course, Hi-Fi RUSH.

We wish Mikami-san well in the future and are excited by what lies ahead for the talented developers at Tango.

- Bethesda

The new Aurora Shores DLC is out for Way of the Hunter for Windows and consoles, bring the outdoor sports game to the wilds of Alaska. The PC edition is available on GOG.com*, the Epic Games Store, and Steam. A look at the new environments this brings can be found in the Release Trailer. Word is you are here to protect untouched nature by touching it with bullets:

As a fresh graduate of the Wildlife Trooper School, your job is to protect the natural resources of Aurora Shores. Explore untouched nature with rich populations of wild animals, such as Kodiak bears, Roosevelt elk, Wood bison, and many more. Use a broad selection of firearms and hunting equipment to get the top trophies and enjoy the open-world habitats ranging from green grasslands to lush rainforests, to sky-scraping mountain tops.

When most people think of Alaska, they think of short days and cold nights. Despite the rough winter climate, Aurora Shores is also a place of warmth.

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

Save 20% on Planet Cube: Edge is now available for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch, offering a run-and-gun platformer from Sunna Entertainment and Firestoke. The Windows and macOS edition is on Steam with a 20% launch discount, and word is this will also come to the Epic Games Store "soon." As the title sort of implies, you play this as a gun-wielding cube, somewhat ironically in 2D. And no, there's no indication that you will be provided with a companion human. The Launch Trailer shows this in action. Here are some details:

Planet Cube: Edge throws players into a peaceful, cube-shaped world disrupted by an unknown force. While most cubes run to the nearest exit, one square-headed lab technician named Edge finds it in himself to save the world with his abilities to shoot, jump, and dash. In this high-speed, high-skill platforming action, quick responses and unlimited respawns will see you battle through hordes of invading enemies. In a bid to save the world, players will find themselves navigating through an underwater science facility, packed full of enemies and perils aplenty.

Continue here to read the full story.

The Last Spell is been in Early Access on Steam for a spell, but Ishtar Games and The Arcade Crew announce March 9th as the official launch date for version 1.0. The release of the full Windows version will be come alongside the game's arrival on PlayStation and Switch as well. The Release Date Trailer is here to show off more of what to expect: "A new accompanying trailer delves into the unpredictable thrill of The Last Spell’s fiendish fights, spotlighting a trove of options available to players as they grapple with intense attacks from swarms of foes. Unlockable upgrades, advantage-dealing omens, and multiple difficulties let players tailor their own strategies and experience while leading a randomized party of warriors in defending humanity’s last stronghold, the Havens. Gather intel on the brutal battles and distinct stages ahead, and see how defeat is never the end from new gameplay in today’s trailer." This description spells out more details:

The Last Spell pairs turn-based combat, procedurally generated flanks of foes and stashes of gear, astonishingly large enemy armies reminiscent of Musou games, and roguelite elements to offer a distinct, highly replayable challenge. The Haven’s most promising defenders will learn to overcome disadvantages and the brute force of beastly hordes, gaining new skills and strategies through tense fights intensified by a pulse-spiking progressive metal soundtrack. Surviving The Last Spell’s brutal but fair onslaught will be nothing short of miraculous, but with wit to match the might of its defenders, humanity’s final Haven can still persevere.

Continue here to read the full story.

Systemic Reaction announces a release date for Ravenbound, saying this open-world action/roguelite will arrive on Steam on March 30th. A new Release Date Reveal Trailer celebrates the news with a look at the game's setting in a "Scandinavian fantasy land," along with "a glimpse of the treacherous journey that awaits!" This is bound to raise questions, so here's more:

Ravenbound is a fast-paced action game that combines the challenge of a roguelite with the choices of open world. Systemic Reaction, a creative division of Avalanche Studios Group, built on their expertise from creating vast open worlds and fast-paced action to merge it into the roguelite experience in a new fantasy world.

You are a Vessel to the Raven, an eternal weapon forged by imprisoned Gods. In order to free them and restore order to the island of Ávalt the Raven must rebuild its power - one vessel’s life at the time. Permadeath is a big part of Ravenbound. While each Vessel is lost forever once they fall in battle, the strength they bring to the Raven is not, allowing you to come back stronger each time.

Continue here to read the full story.

• How Bill Gates’ Minesweeper addiction helped lead to the Xbox.

• Puzzle and Point & Click sale – deals up to -90%, new release from legendary game designers, and a bunch of…cats! - GOG.com.*

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

• New "Super Mario" Poster & Trailer Date. Thanks Ant.
• A Hogwarts Legacy TV show is reportedly in development at HBO Max.

Official patches.

• Steam Beta Client Update- February 22nd.
• Steam Deck Beta Client Update- February 22nd.
• Tiny Tina's Wonderlands Notes- Version 1.0.6.0r.
• Warhammer 40,000: Darktide - Patch #4 - Blessings of the Omnissiah.
• World of Warcraft Hotfixes: February 22, 2023.

Official trailers.

• Mark II Weapons - The Cycle: Frontier - Dev Update.
• Hotel Renovator - Interior Designer Renovates A Room - ft. Noz Nozawa.
• Slave Zero X - Ayesha Voiced By Anjali Kunapaneni.
• Slave Zero X - Hercules J. Thorman Voiced By SungWon Cho.

• New Battlefield Single-Player Campaign Adds DICE As A Co-Developer.

• Samsung's Galaxy S23+ is already $140 off.

Thanks Ant.

• ATSC 3.0 in 2023: Why NextGen TV still needs another year. And apparently always will.
• Pale Moon version 32.0.1. Thanks DSLReports.

• Chip Makers Turn Cutthroat in Fight for Share of Federal Money.
• Nvidia and AMD Gaming Revenues Are Closer Than You Think.
• ChatGPT Hardware a Look at 8x NVIDIA A100 Powering the Tool. Thanks Max.
• Google says it has made a breakthrough in reducing quantum computing errors.
• Apple starts laying off third-party contractors just weeks after assuring job security. Thanks Ant.
• Visual Studio 2022 version 17.6 (Preview 1). Thanks Console General.
• BurnAware 16.3. Thanks DSLReports via Ant.
• Windows 11 Watermark Showing Up On Unsupported Systems.

• App to block child abuse images gets £1.8m EU funding.
• European Commission bans TikTok on staff devices.
• The Push to Ban TikTok in the US Isn’t About Privacy (may require registration or subscription).

• Warzone cheat sellers to pay $3 million in damages to Activision.
• Google blocking some Canadian news content. Thanks Max.
• FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried Officially Charged With Conspiracy To Make Unlawful Political Contributions and Defraud the Federal Election Commission.

• Atomic Heart Review: False Utopia - BabelTechReviews.
• Atomic Heart PC Performance Analysis - DSOGaming.
• Hogwarts Legacy Review: A Magic and worthwhile Journey - BabelTechReviews.
• Atomic Heart Benchmark Test & Performance Analysis Review - TechPowerUp.

• CPU: Intel Core i9-13900KS -Raptor Lake- CPU Review - TweakTown.
• Graphics Card: ASUS TUF Radeon RX 7900 XTX OC Edition Review - TweakTown.
• Headset/Earbuds: Quick Look- Lypertek PurePlay Z7 Hybrid Driver TWS Earphones - TechPowerUp.
• Misc: EK Water Blocks Quantum Lumen LCD - Nikk Tech.
• Monitor: ASRock Phantom PG34WQ15R2B review - PC Gamer. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Mouse: Cooler Master MM310 Review - TechPowerUp.
• Webcam: AVerMedia Mingle Bar PA511D Review - TweakTown.

We've been spared the worst of the recent winter storms in these parts, but it certainly has gotten a lot colder again. This made me realize I've not made a batch of chili all season. I think I'll try to remedy this situation, though nowadays this requires a little power struggle with MrsBlue, who prefers the recipe I no longer make. I think I'll try and work on a hybrid of the two and see if I can make both camps happy, though compromises can often have the exact opposite result. Wish me luck!

Recipe Round-up
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.

Breakfast Links

• Restaurant subscription services rise as a path to steady revenue, repeat visits. Thanks RedEye9.
• Low Earth Orbit Visualization. Warning: Checking the "debris" box will kill George Clooney.

Stories

• Magnesium as the Metal of Dematerialization. Thanks Max.

Science

• Strange DNA found in the desert offers lessons in the hunt for Mars life. Thanks A.C.M.
• Toxic Forever Chemicals Found in More Than 330 Animal Species. Forever is a pretty straightforward concept. Thanks Acleacius.
• What's the 'weight set point', and why does it make it so hard to keep weight off? Thanks Max.

Images

• Webb telescope finds huge galaxies from not long after Big Bang. Thanks Acleacius.

Media

• John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) Special Feature 'New Challenges' – Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen.
• SISU Official Trailer (2023). Thanks The Flying Penguin.
• How Humans Became (Mostly) Right-Handed. Thanks RedEye9.

Creature Features

• Longest Tongue On A Dog - Guinness World Records. I rang the bell, didn't I?
• Dog saves little boy from falling in pond, then comes to the rescue again. Remarkable, even if it's staged. Thanks Video Sift.

Follow-up

• How frontotemporal dementia, the syndrome affecting Bruce Willis, changes the brain. Thanks Acleacius.