Fatshark announces it is celebrating the fifth anniversary of the release of Warhammer: Vermintide 2 by offering the chance to play the game for free on Steam. This sample of the game's melee action will run through the weekend, giving everyone the chance to participate in an annual tradition, as A Quiet Drink is available for the next couple of weeks, allowing you to get your drink on. This post offers a 5 Year Anniversary Trailer to illustrate the news. Here's word on the festivities:

Not only is Vermintide 2 FREE for anyone to play this week, you can also avail of Triple XP until the event ends on March 19th. Never has there been a better time to recruit a friend in to your Skaven-smashing crew! And whilst you're at it, earn a fancy new portrait frame and join the Ubersreik Five on their quest to have a 'Quiet Drink' in the time limited event mission.

A Quiet Drink invites players to celebrate by drinking their fill in Helmgart's local tavern, only to find it overrun by ratmen. Players must traverse the town (with ale goggles on) to find their next drink while clearing Helmgart's infestation of Chaos along the way.

Continue here to read the full story.

Goblins of Elderstone has officially launched on Steam after five years of Early Access for this Windows city-builder for goblins. For the next week this comes with a 10% discount. You can see this in action in a new Launch Trailer. Here's the news:

Take charge of your very own goblin tribe, where you must nurture tribal dynamics while building structures in your town to help your goblins survive and thrive. Craft the culture of your town’s inhabitants to keep them happy and healthy. Treat your goblins well and they will (mostly) listen to you, but fail to meet their needs, and you can expect them to riot, steal and kill each other.

In addition to gathering resources and crafting structures, engage in diplomacy and navigate relationships with neighboring tribes, intrepid explorers, bandits, heroes and even gods. Your wits and skill at bartering negotiations, as well as the occasional pillaging, will help you transform Elderstone from a small village into an empire to be reckoned with.

Continue here to read the full story.

Contraband Police is now available for Windows on Steam, offering the chance to live the dream of being a border guard behind the iron curtain in the 1980s. This has you keep the peace, search for contraband, and make sure everyone's papers are in order in a game that draws comparisons to a 3D Papers, Please. The Release Trailer shows off some gameplay, but you can also experience this firsthand through the playable demo. Here's word from developer Crazy Rocks and publisher PlayWay:

Dutyfullness, bribes, car chases, searching for contraband and shootings. It all goes along and changes dynamically in Contraband Police. To find out what the game looks like, head over to our new release trailer:

The year is 1981, and as a young officer trainee, you are assigned to work at a border post in the mountainous region of Karikatka. The party strictly regulates entry into the Acarist People's Republic and monitors your every move! The situation at the border escalates when your comrade is killed during one of the interventions...

Continue here to read the full story.

• Humble Heroines: Warriors, Dreamers, and God Slayers (pay what you want and help charity).*
• Save 40% on Souldiers on Steam.
• Save 40% on Dead Cells on Steam.
• Save 55% on Ultimate Chicken Horse on Steam.
• Save 60% on Lawn Mowing Simulator on Steam.

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

• Sony Is Concerned Microsoft Would Sabotage The "Quality And Performance" Of Future Call Of Duty Titles On PlayStation, If Activision Merger Is Approved.
• GameStop Announces Release Date for Fourth Quarter and Full Year Fiscal 2022 Results.

Thanks Ant.

• Celebrating the Women of Assassin's Creed.
• Brawlhalla- Luck o’ the Brawl 2023 - Launch Trailer.
• For Honor: Warrior’s Den Y7S1 REVEAL LIVESTREAM March 9 2023.

↑ Official trailers. ↓ Content creator videos.

• What the Dead Space Remake Hides Off Camera in Chapter 1. Thanks The Flying Penguin.
• What if "Last of Us" Was a VIDEO GAME?! Somebody should totally do that!
• When the hero character abandons you - Viva La Dirt League (NSFW).
• When your shift ends #eldenring - Carbot.

• "The community continues to blow our minds": Valve talk the Steam Deck, one year on - Rock Paper Shotgun.

• Diablo Immortal: Join the Sea Reavers through the Season 11 Battle Pass.

• Developer Insights: New Upgrade System in Embers of Neltharion — World of Warcraft.

Thanks Console General.

• Xbox Celebrates Women in Gaming this International Women’s Day.
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Beta (2303.230306-2200).
• Xbox Insider Release Notes - Alpha Skip-Ahead (2308.230305-2000).

• Data Caps Are Likely Coming to Spectrum Customers Soon. Thanks DSLReports via Ant.

Thanks Console General.

• The US Air Force Is Moving Fast on AI-Piloted Fighter Jets (may require registration or subscription). Having horrible Stealth flashbacks.
• The IBM PC-XT launched 40 years ago today but it got competition from the Compaq Portable.
• Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25314.
• Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23403.

• Vulnerability Summary for the Week of February 27, 2023 - CISA.
• New malware variant has “radio silence” mode to evade detection. Thanks DSLReports via Ant.

• The FBI Just Admitted It Bought US Location Data (may require registration or subscription).

Heads up, we have scheduled some maintenance for tomorrow morning. While the site itself will remain available, starting at 6:00 am EST the forums will close and stay offline until the work is complete. This is expected to take less than an hour, but as you know, you never know. Any patience for this disruption is appreciated.

Last Link of the Day: Bed Bugs: What You've Been Told is Totally False.

A tweet from Bethesda Game Studios features a trailer revealing September 6th as the official launch date for Starfield, the eagerly anticipated space-based action/RPG. This represents a delay, as the game was previously expected in the first half of this year. The new video is a hybrid. The first half is a game trailer, but the rest is game director Todd Howard discussing the news. This includes his announcement of a Starfield Direct event on June 11th, where the team will take everyone on a "deep dive" into Starfield, showing what makes it a "very" (ouch) "unique experience." Todd acknowledges that everyone (including Bethesda) has been waiting a long time "to play something new from us" and says the team can't wait for us all to play it. Here's word:

Hey everyone, from myself and everybody here at Bethesda, we are so excited to finally tell you when Starfield is coming out this year. We have poured ourselves into this game, and even I'm surprised how much we can pour. It is large. We're playing the game all the time. Shout out over here to lead producer Tim Lamb. Old-school fans, you may remember him from the Oblivion "making of" video, where he's sitting on a similar sofa doing similar things.

But also, this June, we're going to into the studio and give you a deep dive in the game in our Starfield Direct. There's so much that we still have to show you. The game has many of the hallmarks that you'd expect from us, but it's also a very unique experience.

And again, thank you all for all your excitement about the game, your support, your comments... we really do read it all. Look, we know you've waited a long time to play something new from us. Believe it or not, we're kinda the same. We miss it. And we really just can't wait for you all to play it. So thanks, and we'll see you soon.

Continue here to read the full story.

Developer GhostShark and publisher IndieGala announce that Blockstorm is now available for free on Steam (thanks Ant). This voxel-powered shooter has garnered thousands of "very positive" reviews since its launch in 2015, but now it is being set free in an effort to maintain a community for its players. Here's a trailer illustrating the news, and here are the details:

For the newcomers, Blockstorm is a fast-paced game that combines the classic elements of first-person shooters with the endless creativity of sandbox games. With an extensive collection of customizable weapons, maps, and game modes, Blockstorm offers endless hours of fun and excitement for both you and your friends.

From today onwards, players can download and play Blockstorm for free on Steam. This means that everyone can now experience the adrenaline rush of shooting and building their way through the game's dynamic levels without having to pay a penny.

Continue here to read the full story.

DIG - Deep In Galaxies is now available on Steam, offering a Windows action/platformer based on the concept of space mining that's become popular since the hard science of Armageddon proved it is a thing. Here's a Launch Trailer showing off the game's frenetic roguelite action. There's a lot to take in, so here's a further explanation:

In DIG - Deep In Galaxies you will chart your own course as a space rebel, set to liberate the galaxy from a tyrannical Overlord. Only rule is, no rules. Will you go fully armed into battle against an army of rats, or face the Overlord's minions using a traffic sign as your weapon? Or will you choose to randomize your gear and make every battle an absurd and unpredictable challenge?

No run will be the same! You might decide to excavate dangerous planets in search for relics left behind by ancient civilizations, or find yourself heroically carrying a potato sack to feed your fellow rebels. Or maybe you'll be gallivanting around the different sectors, looking for space stations to spend your well-earned ores and challenges to test your acrobatic, combat and digging skills.

Continue here to read the full story.

Bandai Namco announces October 6th as the official PC and console release date for SWORD ART ONLINE LAST RECOLLECTION. The new installment in the series is arriving in time to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the game series based on the anime. Here's the previously released Announcement Trailer, and here's a refresher on the game:

SWORD ART ONLINE LAST RECOLLECTION introduces new characters and features intense action moments with new battles, evolved high-speed combat, and cooperative gameplay for up to four players. As the adventure begins, our heroes’ journey to the Underworld, where rising tensions between the Human Realm and Dark Territory is brewing, threatening to plunge the virtual world of humans and AIs into war. Unbeknownst to them, these developments are the final stages of the “Alicization Project,” a secret experiment carried out by humans in the real world to instigate war in the virtual world and force the evolution of AI through brutal warfare.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Female Protagonist Sale and Women of GOG.*

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

• Core Keeper Anniversary Update is Live.
• No Man's Sky Fractal 4.13.
• PUBG- BATTLEGROUNDS -- PATCH NOTES - UPDATE 22.2.
• Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Update Details Ver. 1.03.
• Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Demo Update Details Ver. 2.03.
• World of Warcraft Hotfixes: March 7, 2023.

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

• This Fallout 2 Mod adds voices to over 40 NPCs, featuring over 1500 lines of dialog.

• Remnant 2: Gunslinger Class Revealed.
• Terminal Velocity: Boosted Edition Coming Soon. Next week.
• Wayfinder - Extended Gameplay Trailer.

↑ Official trailers. ↓ Content creator videos.

• PATIENT ZERO - A Half-Life Short. Thanks A.M.

• PC Gamer - The cinematic BioWare-style RPG is dead, it just doesn't know it yet. Thanks Neutronbeam.
  "In the face of all these alternatives, the cinematic RPG, once novel and exciting, now feels a bit old fashioned. Though still capable of telling riveting stories, they've become mechanically conservative, trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator. And as complex TTRPGs are thrust ever more into the mainstream thanks to everything from Stranger Things to the pandemic, more developers are being influenced by them, and the limitless potential they contain. They were once such a powerful source of inspiration for videogame RPGs, and that time is upon us again."

• 11 ways to power up your gaming on Steam. Thanks Neutronbeam.

• V Rising Dev Update #18: Secrets of Gloomrot « Stunlock Blog.

• PS5 system update brings Discord support, 1440p VRR, and more.

• The most interesting foldables, rollables and demos at MWC 2023.

• 5 Reasons You Should Unplug From Social Media. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• EU tells Elon Musk to hire more staff to moderate Twitter.
• Elon Musk apologises to sacked Twitter worker over online row. Thanks Matthew.
• Modem vs router: What's the difference?

Thanks Neutronbeam.

• New TP-Link Router Reportedly Mines Crypto Faster Than RTX 4090.
• AMD fixes a driver timeout issue that led to BSOD, system freeze on Windows 10, Windows 11.
• Google’s PaLM-E is a generalist robot brain that takes commands. Thanks Slashdot via Ant.
• How I learned to stop worrying and love our slightly creepy new AI overlords. Thanks A.M.
• We Asked ChatGPT About Art Theory. It Led Us Down a Rabbit Hole So Perplexing We Had to Ask Hal Foster for a Reality Check. Thanks Max.
• The good news for long-term software growth.
• Meet the woman who invented a whole new subsection of tech set to be worth $1 trillion.
• How to Send and Receive Files via Bluetooth in Windows.
• Alienware AW2524H 500hz Gaming Monitor.
• Start11 1.41 is out with support for the Windows 11 February 2023 "Moment 2" update. Thanks Console General.

• The internet is about to get a lot safer. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Meta’s powerful AI language model has leaked online — what happens now?
• Acer confirms data breach after threat actor sells 160GB of its data online. In case the data weren't confirmation enough.

• Destiny 2: Lightfall Review - Deft Stranding - GameSpot.
• The Outer Worlds Spacer's Choice Edition — A disappointingly appropriate name - Windows Central. Thanks Acleacius.
• The Outer Worlds' new version is getting slammed on Steam—'Spacer's Choice Edition- now with 200% more performance issues!' - PC Gamer.
• Project Zero: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse PC Review - GameWatcher.

Thanks Neutronbeam.

• Case: Antec P20C Mid-Tower Chassis - TweakTown.
• CPU: Ryzen 7950X3D review- An expensive but incredibly efficient 16-core CPU - Ars Technica.
• Headset/Earbuds: Shanling MTW200 True Wireless Earphones - Nikk Tech.
• Headset/Earbuds: SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Headset review - Guru3D.
• Keyboard: Endorfy Thock TKL Wireless Keyboard Review - TechPowerUp.
• Misc: Anker 733 Power Bank (GaNPrime PowerCore 65W) - LanOC Reviews.
• Motherboard: ASRock Z790 PG Sonic Edition Review - TechPowerUp.
• Mouse: Asus ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition mouse review - Guru3D.
• PC: Alienware Aurora R15 review - TechRadar.
• RAM: Lexar ARES RGB 16GB DDR4-4000 Kit Review - Lexar ARES RGB 16GB DDR4-4000 Kit - Neoseeker.
• SSD: Testing The First PCIe Gen 5.0 NVMe SSD On Linux Has Been Disappointing - Phoronix.

"Barry" Sets Final Season Date & Trailer. The season starts April 16th, and that trailer is right here. I've seen recent articles saying we've already past the peak of this new golden age of television. That may be true, a case can certainly be made. But I think it's only in the past few years that we've seen a real pivot to ending a story when it's supposed to end, rather than hitting those middle years where it just does its thing for a while. This seems to apply perfectly to Barry. The stakes have been too high and the consequences have been too severe to just keep rolling. Like Better Call Saul and other shows of this ilk, it really helps keep things on the right track. I'll miss Barry when it's done, but I'm happy it's going out on its own terms.

Terminal Round-up
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.

Breakfast Links

• The States That Drink the Most Beer in America.
• Foreign Accent Syndrome- ‘I woke up with a different accent – doctors have no idea why,’ says woman.

Stories

• Hospital’s water purification system stripped out chlorine, killing 3 patients. Thanks Max.
• Kevin Feige, Patty Jenkins Star Wars movies are reportedly dead.

Science

• Sniffer dogs performance is stable over time in detecting COVID-19 positive samples. Thanks Reddit.
• NASA studying unexpected performance of Orion’s heat shield ahead of crew mission.
• Bumblebees Learn To Solve Puzzles by Watching Other Bees.

Media

• Coffee Pods Are Good For The Planet Now?! Thanks RedEye9.
• Amazing Blue Jet Over Texas !!! Like the climax of almost every superhero movie. Thanks VideoSift.
• IF GODZILLA WAS IN STAR WARS. Thanks A.M.

Creature Features

• Meet the animal lover who trained her pet skunk to do advanced tricks. Thanks Boing Boing.

Follow-up

• This 2,000-year-old Roman dildo is probably… not that.