Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is now available for Windows, macOS, and Linux on GOG.com* and Steam, as well as for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch. This DLC requires Dead Cells, as it brings some new metroidvania blood to Motion Twin's roguelite platformer. The news comes with a Launch Trailer in an attempt to suck you in. Here's word on the DLC and the trailer:

Today’s incredible launch trailer does not hold back: proudly showcasing the variety and attention to detail that the Evil Empire devs put into the stunning gothic environments of Dracula’s Castle. Each corridor, bridge and balcony from Castlevania has been painstakingly recreated in the gorgeous signature art style of Dead Cells. Play as 20 (...yes, 20!) iconic characters in Return to Castlevania, including Castlevania legends Richter Belmont and Alucard, and wield 14 brand-new weapons as you take on Dracula, Medusa and Death himself. Return to Castlevania is a massive love letter to the franchise that inspired Dead Cells, and hosts the most insane boss fight yet - catch a glimpse of what awaits when you finally meet Dracula Beast Form in a no-holds-barred, all-out, batshit boss fight. Best of luck.

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

Also from today's Paradox Announcement Show 2023 was the reveal of Europa Universalis IV: Domination, a new expansion for the grand strategy sequel. This will be offered through the Epic Games Store, GOG.com, Steam, and the Xbox Store. Here's an Announcement Trailer, and here are some dominating details:

Revisit some of the most powerful and popular nations in Domination, an expansion pack for Europa Universalis IV. Centered on the great empires of the Early Modern world, Domination offers new mission trees, new government reforms, new estate management and new events for several of the major powers in the game. These popular starting nations are now given new life and new balance, with greater historical depth, more promising rewards and branching mission trees so player choices can have a dramatic impact on the course of history.

Continue here to read the full story.

More news from Paradox today is the announcement of Crusader Kings III: Tours and Tournaments new Crusader Kings III DLC coming "soon" to the Xbox Store and Steam. There's a post on Steam with a detailed outline of the vision of this "brave, new medieval world of trials and tribulations, deeds and adventure, and refreshing storytelling." Here's the Announcement Trailer and more:

Life is a journey of chivalric adventure, so why don’t you embrace yours, ruler? Create your very own epic story with the major expansion, Crusader Kings III: Tours & Tournaments. Be awed by the sights and events that await you, from bold, mock combat in the jousting area to adventuring perilous wilds with your royal entourage.

Let wanderlust overtake your ruler’s desires during a monumental Tour, and seek out your subjects in a realm that can be both dangerous and richly entertaining. Prove yourself in one of the many forms of gallant Tournaments, either abroad or at home, or use the festivities to murder a quarrelsome rival. Be the host of new Grand Activities, be it grand weddings or stirring falconry hunts. But beware! Many celebrations are the perfect cover for the perfect scheme against foes… or family.

Continue here to read the full story.

Paradox also announces that March 14th is the launch date for Stellaris First Contact, the upcoming story pack of close encounters of the third kind. Here's a Release Date Announcement Trailer, and here's a bit of what to expect from this magic carpet ride:

You are not alone! The galaxy is vast and full of wonders, but it’s also full of alien empires you’re going to encounter, whether you’re ready or not. First Contact offers a set of new origins and mechanics that give players the chance to tell stories about their civilizations’ early encounters with visitors from the stars — ones that may not have come in peace!

Continue here to read the full story.

Blizzard announces the chance to have your image included on the walls of a French church walls in a promotion for Diablo IV. All you need to do is reach the maximum level of 25 in the open beta for the action/RPG sequel to qualify. PC Gamer has details on how the mural was installed in what's described as a "deconsecrated" church (so presumably no actual eternal damnation is involved). A Beta Sweepstakes Trailer accompanies the news. Here's more on this chance to become a Diablo immortal (not to be confused with a Diablo Immortal):

Hatred has returned. And now is your chance to cast your light and become legend. Sign up below and reach max level with any class in the Diablo IV Open Beta to enter for a chance to have your face painted into a colossal Diablo fresco inside the walls of the La chapelle des Jesuites in France, and to be glorified amongst the hallowed heroes of Sanctuary forever.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Nacon Publisher Sale 2023 on Steam.
• Save 40% on Dead Cells on Steam.
• Save 50% on Observer- System Redux on Steam.
• Save 65% on The Dungeon Of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet Of Chaos on Steam.
• Eldamar Photo Graphics Bundle (pay what you want and help charity).*

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

• G FUEL x Contra - Rapid Fire Collector's Box - Tub & Shaker Cup.

Official patch.

• Join the beta test for the new Battle.net Home Page.

Official trailer.

• Diablo IV - Cathedral of Diablo - Beta Sweepstakes.

• One-Punch Man x Overwatch 2 Event.

• SimCity launched a decade ago, and it was so disastrous it killed the series.

Thanks Console General.

• Hogwarts Legacy last-gen versions delayed again for PS4 & Xbox One.
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Beta (2303.230302-2200).
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Alpha (2303.230302-2200).

• Samsung's ultra-premium Galaxy Tab S9 family will reportedly (and predictably) have three big models.

• Microsoft makes Outlook for Mac completely free to use. Thanks Console General.

Thanks Ant.

• ChatGPT's API Is Here. Let the AI Gold Rush Begin (may require registration or subscription).
• OK Computer: Romania debuts ‘world’s first’ AI government adviser. Thanks DSLReports.
• What’s coming for the Windows Insider Program in 2023. Thanks Console General.
• 5 free Windows power user tools we can't live without. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Notepad++ v8.5 is Released. Thanks DSLReports.
• Evernote v10.54.4. Thanks Console General.

Thanks Ant and DSLReports.

• Stealthy UEFI malware bypassing Secure Boot enabled by unpatchable Windows flaw.
• Two security flaws in the TPM 2.0 specs put cryptographic keys at risk.
• Cyberattack hits major hospital in Spanish city of Barcelona. Thyberattack!
• Critical Vulnerabilities Allow Hackers to Take Full Control of Wago PLCs.

• EA SPORTS Furthers Commitment to Women’s Football With National Women’s Soccer League and National Women’s Soccer League…

Last Link of the Day: These Stupid Trucks are Literally Killing Us. Thanks RedEye9.

Paradox Interactive and Colossal Order announce Cities: Skylines II, calling this upcoming city-simulation sequel "revolutionary." This is promised to be "the most realistic city simulation ever created" when it arrives later this year on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. A first look at the revolution can be found in the Announcement Trailer, which highlights what's called "the most open-ended city-building sandbox on the planet." Here's more:

A modern take on the city-building genre, Cities: Skylines II lets players create and maintain cities that come to life like never before, complete with fully-realized transport and economy systems, a wealth of construction and customization options, and advanced modding capabilities. Revealed during the Paradox Announcement Show 2023, Cities: Skylines II evolves the city-building genre further, letting players build the cities of their dreams with the most open-ended city-building sandbox on the planet.

Developed by the critically-acclaimed developer Colossal Order, Cities: Skylines launched in 2015 for PC. Over the past eight years, it has expanded to numerous platforms with dozens of DLCs and over 12 million copies sold. The accuracy and depth of its simulation has earned the respect of professional city planners, who use Cities: Skylines to solve real-world problems.

Continue here to read the full story.

Paradox Interactive announces The Lamplighters League and the Tower at the End of the World is in development at Harebrained Schemes. This is an adventure set in an alternate version of the pulp-style 1930s coming to PC and Xbox Series X|S in 2023. This will pit players against a global cult hell-bent on world domination. An Announcement Trailer sets up the story, and shows off some gameplay, which is said to involve squad management, real-time infiltration, and turn-based tactical combat. Here's the pitch:

In the alternate 1930s setting of The Lamplighters League, a tyrannical cult called the Banished Court stands on the cusp of world domination. For millennia, all that stood between this sinister cabal and their plans was a band of heroic scholars known as the Lamplighters League. Unfortunately, the best of the best are all gone, so now it's up to the best of the worst.

Continue here to read the full story.

One more new game revealed at the Paradox Announcement Show 2023 is Life By You, a new game in the works at Paradox Tectonic. There are no details yet, as this teases a more complete unveiling on YouTube on March 20th. But the teaser trailer has a distinct The Sims vibe, and the GM of Paradox Tectonic is Rod Humble, who worked on The Sims 2 and The Sims 3, so we don't need a house to fall on us to see where this is going. Here's the description of the clip:

Join us on March 20, 2023 at the Life By You Announcement Event right here on our YouTube channel!

Paradox Tectonic GM Rod Humble will be unveiling the studio's new game, Life By You. We can't wait to share more, hope to see you there!

Continue here to read the full story.

Last week we reported the chance to get Figment for free on Steam. Now GOG.com is also offering the action/adventure for free in advance of this week's launch of Figment 2: Creed Valley. While you're there, it's hoped you'll check out the Break the Loop Sale* offering discounts on hundreds of metroidvania and roguelike games, the Neon Dreams Sale* on cyberpunk titles, or the Female Protagonist Sale* celebrating Women's History Month. Here's another refresher on Figment:

A musical action-adventure set in the recesses of the human mind... Welcome to the world of Figment. A strange and surreal world; a place filled with our deepest thoughts, urges and memories, populated by the many voices we hear in our heads.

This mind has been quiet and calm for many years. But something has changed. New thoughts have started to emerge - taking the shape of nightmarish creatures who spread fear wherever they go. The only hope is for the grumpy Dusty, the mind's former voice of courage, to get back to his old self and help the mind to face its fears.

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

Nachtvlam announces Verses of Enchantment a fantasy-themed deckbuilder for Windows, macOS, and Linux. This is expected later this year, but there's a playable demo to sample right now on Steam. This unusual game of versus verses allows you to defeat your opponents through the power of poetry. It's hard to convey such a lofty concept through mere prose, so we have an arty-fartsy Story Trailer to introduce what to expect. Here are more prosaic details:

Play as an aspiring wizard in an 18th century fantasy world. Become the ultimate sorcerer as you explore the realm and learn magic in the form of cards from a cast of unique and diverse characters. Study and learn the secrets of the five different schools of magic dictating the world and collect spells in the form of cards in order to build a library of skills and knowledge.

Face off against experienced wizards and put your spellcraft to the test through deck-building combat encounters in campaign, versus and gauntlet modes. Battle by influencing AI generated poetry, using spells springing forth from previously played cards. Strategically think ahead of your opponents to control the wordcraft and become a master in calculated prose. Become one of the greats as you weave together spells and poetry in Verses of Enchantment.

Continue here to read the full story.

NecroCity: Prologue is now available on Steam, providing a sample of the survival gameplay coming in NecroCity when that's released this (northern) spring on Steam. Here's a trailer with a first look at this first look. This post covers the launch, including links to discussion threads to help players along. Here's a bit:

NecroCity: Prologue is just part of the gameplay that awaits you in the full version of the game. Take on the role of the young Prince of Undead, trying to prove himself in the world of the Undead Kingdom. Push back the hordes of monsters and build your fortress! 🔥

Continue here to read the full story.

• Fortnite is reportedly getting a first-person mode next season.

• Dr Disrespect is excited for ‘$100k’ blockchain items in games. That doctorate in disrespect paying off.

• Diablo II: Resurrected 3xLP Deluxe Box Set.
• Crunchyroll Has Crowned Cyberpunk- Edgerunners Its Anime Of The Year.

• LONE RUIN - THE FOOLS ERRAND UPDATE. Here's a trailer.

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

• Star Wars Jedi Knight Remastered 3.0 is available for download.

• GREATER THAN ONE -- Gekko Agent Trailer - VALORANT.

↑ Official trailers. ↓ Content creator videos.

• Arcades - The Universal Language - 1970-1999 (Directors Cut). Thanks Ant.
• PlayStation just killed PC VR - Linus Tech Tips.

• Final Fantasy XVI Developer Confirms The Game Isn't Using Luminous Or Unreal Engine.

• The Olympics is putting on an esports event without any actual esports games.
• Fortnite Champion Series 2023 - Major 1 - Grand Finals - Europe - Day 2 (video).
• Fortnite Champion Series 2023 - Major 1 - Grand Finals - NA-East - Day 2 (video).

• Action RPG Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem coming to PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, and Xbox One on March 15 alongside ‘Act 4’ update.

• Samsung Has Assembled A Team To Develop Custom CPU Cores To Take On Apple And Eventually Qualcomm.
• Foxconn: iPhone maker sees revenue slump as demand weakens.
• Van Gogh, AMD’s Steam Deck APU.
• Meta's long-rumored smartwatch might just be a glorified remote for AR glasses.
• Apple To Order Around $80 Million Worth Of iPhone SE 4 Panels, As Low-Cost Model Expected To See A Decent Volume Run.
• Laptop manufacturers killed the internal disk drive, and it was a big mistake.

• Comcast Just Used Its Virtualized 10G Network to Test a New Targeted FTTP Scheme. Thanks DSLReports via Ant.
• Twitter can’t protect you from trolls any more, insiders say. Not like in the good old days. Thanks RedEye9.

Thanks Roddy and Ant.

• Microsoft Unveils Its Own Version of Nvidia's RTX Super Resolution.
• NVIDIA acknowledges 10%+ CPU usage driver bug after exiting games.
• NVIDIA RTX 4080 and 4070 Ti are now listed on Steam GPU Charts, still no sign of Radeon RX 7900 series.
• Microsoft to detail the ‘future of work with AI’ during March 16th event.
• New Update 2 of AmigaOS 3.2 available for download NOW.
• Chocolate 3D Printer, Cocoa Press, to Ship this Fall for $1,499. Pre-Orders Start in April.
• McDonald's drive-thru robot made a mistake. Then it all got ridiculous. Thanks Slashdot.
• Amazon's cost-cutting take aim at cashierless Go stores. Thanks DSLReports.
• Why the Floppy Disk Just Won’t Die (may require registration or subscription).

• Tap ATM near me- Thieves use glue, debit card tap to pay function to drain accounts at Chase Bank.
• Indian startup Yes Madam exposed sensitive data of customers and gig workers. Thanks DSLReports via Ant.

• Akka Arrh - Christ Centered Gamer.
• Atomic Heart review - confusion and fear reflects the growing concerns of an industry - Eurogamer.net.
• Dead Cells: Return To Castlevania Review - Pay ME Tribute - GameSpot.

• Headset/Earbuds: Focal Bathys Review- The Ultimate - WIRED (may require registration or subscription).
• Keyboard: MSI Vigor GK71 Sonic Blue Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - TweakTown.
• RAM: Crucial CT2K16G56C46U5 DDR5-5600 2x16GB Review - APH Networks.

• Kerbal Space Program 2 player count has already dropped below first game. Houston, we have a problem…
• There's a Mirror's Edge Easter Egg in Battlefield 2042's new map…
• Resident Evil 4 Remake has a free prequel ARG you can solve right now…

On my recently set up new PC I've got all my games running on my D: drive. I've been compulsive about this, going so far as to install Steam on that drive because it insists on having a default game library on the install drive. So yesterday I tried installing the Amazon Games App that's used to deliver many Free with Prime games. The problem with this became quickly apparent after double-clicking, as the progress bar steadily moved along without any further interaction. A Google search confirmed what I suspected. This software automatically installs onto your C: drive, right where Amazon wants it. The worst part about this is that I learned this unfortunate truth in a thread from five years ago, so addressing this is clearly not a priority. I've come across a more recent thread suggesting this can be worked around, so I'll give that a shot later. But I have to complain that for a company that seems to be courting PC gamers, Amazon is not doing a well at understanding its audience with a situation like this. I'm pretty sure being able to choose an install location for your software is not some obscure concept that's difficult to implement.

Obituary: Gary Rossington, Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist, has died, the band announced.

Defaulty Round-up
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.

Breakfast Link

• Bad Projection Is Ruining the Movie Theater Experience. Distracts from people talking and checking their phones.

Stories
Thanks Max.

• Dow said it was recycling our shoes. We found them in Indonesia.
• Empty homes in Japan are going cheap. The secret’s getting out.
• Plan to bring bullet train from LA to Vegas is underway. Rushing headlong into the 20th century. Thanks Slashdot via Ant.

Science

• Why Your Best Thoughts Happen in the Shower or When Walking. Mine are when walking in the shower. Thanks Max.
• Don't Miss: Worm Moon AKA Death Moon.

Media

• Here's your first look at footage of Joker 2.
• If a soccer player robbed a house. Everything but the faked injury. Thanks VideoSift.
• Watching Food Rot Is Mesmerizing. They would have loved my first apartment. Thanks VidoSift.

Follow-up

• Reynolds: "Free Guy" Sequel Not A Sure Thing.

The Funnies

• Honk, Honk.