Archived News:
Tuesday, Nov 21, 2023
Steam Autumn Sale & Awards Nominations [8:34 pm ET] – Share – 13 Comments
As promised, the Autumn Sale is now underway
on Steam, kicking off a week of
discounts on a wide variety of games. This also opens the Steam Awards season,
and you can go to
this page to nominate games for various honors across 11 categories. This
nomination window and the sale both run until November 28th, and the winners of
these Steam Awards will be announced on January 2nd.
This post has the announcement, including the
Official
Trailer. The sale part is self-explanatory, so here's more on the
surrounding activities:
Nominate a game in each category by visiting the Steam Awards Nomination page (via the Steam homepage) once the sale starts or via the event post from developers of the titles you like. Participating events can be found on the library details page for a specific game.Continue here to read the full story.
You can even earn a badge for participating in the Steam Awards: nominate at least one game, nominate a game in each category, play a game you've nominated, and/or review (or update a review for) a game you've nominated. Complete all tasks to earn 100 profile XP.
Play Diablo IV for Free [8:34 pm ET] – Share – 24 Comments
Diablo IV is currently free to try
on Steam,
where everyone has a week to check out the Windows edition of the action/RPG
sequel. It's pretty apparent Steam is not the game's native territory, as
there's no accompanying announcement, and here's the entirety of the low-effort
description on the store:
Join the fight for Sanctuary in Diablo IV, the ultimate action RPG adventure. Experience the critically acclaimed campaign and new seasonal content.
Modern Warfare III Season 1 Date and Engagement Kudos [8:34 pm ET] – Share – 1 Comment
Activision announces Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III Season 1 begins on
December 6th. This comes along with a thank you note to players thanking them
for helping to set unspecified records for engagement. Here is the oddly
number-free message:
Thank You for a historic launch. Just two weeks in, MWIII has already set records with the highest engagement in the new Modern Warfare Trilogy!Continue here to read the full story.
Thank you for inspiring us and for spending so much time in this game. Your feedback and passion continually make us better. And, thank you for playing with us – it’s been a blast, and there’s much more fun in store!
Congratulations to our talented colleagues at Treyarch for setting a new Modern Warfare record with MW Zombies – and another shoutout to players for making all of this possible!
To celebrate with us, look for a triple feed holiday weekend this week with Double XP, Double Weapon XP and Double Battle Pass XP coming your way.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II Delayed [8:34 pm ET] – Share – 8 Comments
Gematsu links to
an announcement from Focus Entertainment revealing a delay to Warhammer
40,000: Space Marine II, the third-person shooter sequel. A
trailer this summer said to
expect the game this winter, but now we're told to expect it in late 2024.
Undeterred by the setback, Focus plans to reveal a new release date in early
December, which probably means at The Game Awards:
Focus Entertainment will reveal the official launch date of the highly anticipated Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 - the iconic Games Workshop licence – in early December. The game is now poised to ship in the second half of 2024, to provide the time needed to properly polish the game and to ensure the best possible experience. Focus Entertainment is committed to releasing a game that is of the highest quality and that exceeds the expectations of the countless fans of the franchise. Space Marine 2 has already accumulated over a million wish lists to date
Trackmania Turns 20 [8:33 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
It's Trackmania's birthday today too, though the racing franchise is not
old enough to drink yet.
Ubisoft announces it's celebrating the 20th anniversary of the series with
new content, events, and more. Here's a
20th
Anniversary: Snow Update Trailer and here are some details:
The Trackmania franchise turns 20 today, and it’s celebrating with new content, events, and more. The festivities kick off today in Trackmania with the first of three episodes that will revisit the “Original Trilogy” from the first game: its Snow, Desert, and Rally environments. The first episode, Snow, is available now – and in addition to a new 15-track campaign, it transforms the Stadium car into the Snow car, which plays like its 2003 counterpart with modern twists. The episode also introduces a new kind of competitive road surface, wood, and adds 100 new 3D blocks and items for track creators.Continue here to read the full story.
The new content is accompanied by a variety of live activities, beginning today at 7PM CEST/10AM PT with a new Track of the Day and Cup of the Day to accompany the Snow campaign. On November 30, Ubisoft News will livestream the Cup of the Day at 6:30PM CEST/9:30AM PT, joined by Trackmania Producer Augustin De Vita and Content Manager Ayrton Lemaire. Ten streamers – bren, Karlberg, Lars, Majijej, SBVille, Spam, TrilluXe, Wingobear, Wirtual and Yannex – will also begin crafting their own tracks, creating a streamers campaign that will also be featured in the Trackmania 20th anniversary competition on December 18, which will be open for public competition. Additionally, the studio held a car-skinning contest in honor of the 20th anniversary, and players can now head over to the in-game Ubisoft Nadeo club to check out the top 10 player-crafted skins, chosen by a jury of community members and Nadeo staff.
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous - Lord of Nothing Released [8:33 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Owlcat Games has released Lord of Nothing, the fifth DLC for
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, the PC and console RPG sequel. The
Windows and macOS edition is available
on Steam along with the
base game, which is
required. It's hard to imagine a help wanted ad more appealing than for the Lord
of Nothing, but in case you still need convincing, here's
a
new trailer along with a description:
The Lord of Nothing is a follow-up to the Through the Ashes DLC, continuing the story of Sendri and Rekarth as it marches towards its ultimate climax. The secrets that have long since evaded the reach of the main campaign will finally come to light, but only by digging deep into unforgiving lands and asking questions without good answers. Such lines of questioning could get so dire that even the Knight Commander themselves may need to intervene.Continue here to read the full story.
The Lord of Nothing can be played as a continuation of Through the Ashes or as a standalone campaign. Fresh characters shall await command as newly introduced archetypes and feats allow for characters ideally suited to take on mysterious areas and many unfamiliar enemies.
Construction Simulator Spaceport Expansion Launches [8:33 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
The Spaceport Expansion is now available
on Steam for
Construction Simulator, the Windows, well, construction simulator. The
add-on is also available for the game on Xbox One & Series X|S and PlayStation 4
& 5. As the title suggests, in this you pave over some land to help pave the way
to outer space. Here's the
Release Trailer and here's word on how this turns your construction gig into
rocket science:
This DLC takes you to a new map on a tropical peninsula where you have to build a spaceport from scratch. Two new campaigns with three missions each and an epic final campaign consisting of two missions allow you to construct a research center, a rocket launchpad, and many more facilities needed to successfully send a research satellite into outer space.Continue here to read the full story.
Together with further missions, these jobs will grant you about 40 to 50 hours additional playtime. Why not enjoy them in extensive multiplayer sessions with friends? The huge construction sites are waiting for you!
On Sale [8:33 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Evening Patches [8:33 pm ET] – Share – 1 Comment
Official patch.
Evening Multiplex [8:33 pm ET] – Share – 2 Comments
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure- All-Star Battle R - Season Pass 2 Final Character Reveal. Thanks Dan.
- Jusant - Accolades Trailer.
- NAKWON: LAST PARADISE Gameplay Footage.
- Noctuary - Gameplay Trailer.
↑ Official trailers. ↓ Content creator videos.
- What's New in The Half-Life 25th Anniversary Update. Thanks The Flying Penguin.
Evening Metaverse [8:33 pm ET] – Share – 10 Comments
Evening Tech Bits [8:33 pm ET] – Share – 3 Comments
- Nvidia earnings crush Wall Street estimates again, company tempers China outlook.
- Reports: Sam Altman in talks for OpenAI return; board members could be ousted.
- What is Binance, why is it in so much trouble, and what does it mean for crypto?
- Ubuntu runs 20% faster than Windows 11 on AMD's new 96-core Ryzen Threadripper Pro 7995WX, demonstrating once more that Linux loves high core count CPUs.
Into the Black [8:33 pm ET] – Share – 1 Comment
Last Link of the Day:
New Hampshire man died with a big secret, leaving his town millions. Thanks RedEye9.
Get Styx: Shards of Darkness for Free in GOG Black Friday Sale [12:59 pm ET] – Share – 5 Comments
The GOG.com Black Friday Sale* is now
underway on the DRM-free marketplace. This includes the newly added
UNCHARTED: Legacy of Thieves Collection*
for 40% off offering discounts of up to 90% off on thousands of games. There's
also one with a 100% discount, as the sale includes one of the store's signature
giveaways. Everyone is now entitled to pick up
Styx: Shards of Darkness for free. This
is for keeps, but you must act by Friday. The game includes a note about this
version: "This version on GOG does not include Co-op features. As a token of
apology, we offer the DLC 'Akenash set' as a part of every purchase." Here's a
refiresher on this stealthy action/adventure sequel:
Hired for a critical mission, explore and master huge open environments as Styx. Assassinate or sneak past enemies – Humans, Elves and Dwarves – but also much more fearsome, colossal creatures.*Blue's News may receive a commission on sales of this item
Experiment with the new array of lethal abilities and weapons in your goblin assassin's arsenal. Spend experience points in assassination, infiltration, magic, to learn new skills and improve abilities. Explore, recover valuable artifacts and ingredients to craft deadly traps and useful items, and create clones of yourself to deceive your enemies!
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition Next Month [12:58 pm ET] – Share – 13 Comments
An
update on the NVIDIA Website reveals CD PROJEKT RED's plans to launch the
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition on December 5th, discussing all that NVIDIA
hardware can do to enhance the experience. Here's the
official listing for the Ultimate Edition, which will bundle the action/RPG
and its Phantom Liberty expansion into the same package:
In the Ultimate Edition, experience the original Cyberpunk 2077 story as well as a new spy-thriller adventure in the Phantom Liberty expansion — a high-stakes tale of espionage set in the deadly district of Dogtown.Continue here to read the full story.
The release contains the base game with every update ever released, including the free Update 2.0, which overhauled many of the game’s systems such as dynamic skill trees, vehicle combat and enhanced enemy and police AI, and added various new weapons, vehicles, and clothes, as well as all free DLCs and the Phantom Liberty expansion.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Testing Signups [12:58 pm ET] – Share – 3 Comments
A post on
Xitter from industry analyst MauroNL shares an email offering signups for
testing of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. It says this is a
confidential closed alpha test which requires an NDA, but that you do not need
an invitation to sign up
on this page. Not all registrants will be invited to the test, which is
scheduled to begin on November 30th. Here are some details:
Sign-up is now open for a chance to participate in the Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League confidential Closed Alpha Tech Test. We need your help to test the game's online infrastructure. If you are able and interested in playing, please see below for more details.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a new third-person action-shooter in development by Rocksteady Studios, creators of the best-selling Batman: Arkham series. This genre-defying videogame combines Rocksteady's story-driven experience and ability to bring compelling characters to life, coupled with powerful traversal, shooter and melee gameplay. Play as Suicide Squad members Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark and embark on an impossible mission through Metropolis to save Earth and take out the world's greatest DC Super Heroes, the Justice League.
Please note, the game is still in development, and this test will only represent a smaller, specific section of the campaign and will not be representative of the full/final experience. We are excited to have you play the full game at launch.
Worldless Released [12:58 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Worldless is now available for Windows
on Steam,
serving up a new 2D platformer with an unusual turn-based combat system
that's also available for Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch. That combat and the
game's stylish graphics are on display in the appropriately wordless Worldless
Launch Trailer. The description of platforming, "turn-based action" combat,
and RPG-style upgrades sounds unusual, so it's fortunate that there's a playable
demo to sample. Here's more:
Worldless’ combat system requires the strategy typically associated with turn-based systems, but adds an element of real-time action thanks to timing-based elements that you need to master to be successful when defending and combining attacks. An intricate skill tree adds new layers to combat encounters, as well as opening up new avenues for you to explore.Continue here to read the full story.
Worldless is set in a newborn universe based on entities trapped in an eternal conflict by the polarising nature of their attractions. These interactions can result in an exchange of their polarities, but this process is very unstable, and who knows what new results can come from it…
Bask in an atmospheric, unforgettable setting with an inspiring score and connect to the deeper meanings of Worldless. Explore intricate areas filled with secrets, using finesse and fluid action to uncover them as you absorb enemies and upgrade to unlock new possibilities.
Fortnite "New Beginning" Next Month [12:58 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
The
Fortnite Website promises "a new beginning" for Fortnite on December
2nd, when The Big Bang event will kick off at 2:00 pm EST in the Battle Royale
shooter. This holds back on details, though there is a hint in the note that
"the event supports parties of up to four players." Here's a quick rundown so
you can formulate your own big bang theory:
Jump into The Big Bang — Fortnite’s next live event — on Saturday, December 2, 2023, at 2 PM ET! This event marks a new beginning for Fortnite.
HOW TO JOIN THE EVENT
- The Big Bang is a Fortnite event starting Saturday, December 2, 2023, at 2 PM ET. The experience will be available in the Battle Royale tile in Discover 30 minutes prior, so you can jump in before the event starts to gear up with any of your cosmetics.
- Invite your friends: the event supports parties of up to four players!
- Won’t be near a dedicated gaming device during the event? The Xbox Cloud Gaming, NVIDIA GeForce NOW, and Amazon Luna services let you play Fortnite via cloud streaming on your computer or mobile device!
Morning Patches [12:58 pm ET] – Share – 4 Comments
- Lords of the Fallen - Ongoing Difficulty Balancing - A Recap.
- REMEDIUM - Major language update, Discount, and Second act release.
- Stellaris Dev Diary #323 - 3.10.1 "Pyxis" Beta and Next Steps.
- Sweet Transit - Rail Meets Road Update has arrived.
↑ Official patches. ↓ Unofficial games, patches, and mods.
Buffs, Nerfs, and Bugs [12:58 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Morning Multiplex [12:58 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
↑ Official trailers. ↓ Content creator videos.
- Samwise Didier: Why I Left Blizzard. Thanks Kxmode.
Morning Gatherings & Events [12:58 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
- Diablo IV - Mother’s Blessing Returns to Sanctuary. Now underway.
Morning Metaverse [12:58 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Thanks Frans and Ant.
- Bumble, Grindr, and Hinge Moderators Struggle to Keep Users—and Themselves—Safe (may require registration or subscription).
- Every state is about to dole out federal funding for broadband internet – not every state is ready for the task. Thanks DSLReports.
- Mozilla Firefox 120.0, See All New Features, Updates and Fixes.
- Mozilla Firefox ESR 115.5.0, See All New Features, Updates and Fixes.
Morning Tech Bits [12:58 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
- AMD's 96-Core Ryzen Threadripper Pro 7995WX Hits 6.0 GHz on All Cores with LN2.
- Meta scraps its Responsible AI team in latest reshuffle. New corner offices for the irresponsible AI team? Thanks DSLReports via Ant.
- Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang rakes in another $30 billion in personal wealth as stock skyrockets amid AI GPU frenzy.
- Microsoft offers to match pay of all OpenAI staff. Time to start photoshopping some pay stubs.
- Windows PCs can't sleep properly, and Microsoft wants it that way. Thanks Reddit via Ant.
- CHERRY introduces MX2A Switches.
Morning Legal Briefs [12:58 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
- Google ‘crooked’, a bully, CEO of Fortnite-maker Epic Games testifies in Play Store trial.
- X sues Media Matters over report about ads appearing next to Nazi posts. Thanks RedEye9.
- Secretive White House Surveillance Program Gives Cops Access to Trillions of US Phone Records (may require registration or subscription).
Hardware Reviews [12:58 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
- Motherboard: ASRock B650E Taichi Lite AMD AM5 Motherboard - OCinside.
- PSU: XPG Core Reactor II 1200w ATX 3.0 80 PLUS Gold PSU - TweakTown.
- Router: Zyxel NWA220AX-6E AXE5400 WiFi 6E Access Point - LanOC Reviews.
- Sound Card/DAC: TOPPING D70 Pro SABRE DAC + A70 Pro Amplifier Desktop Stack Review - TechPowerUp.
- SSD: 2TB Inland QN446 (2230) SSD Review- For When 1TB Just Isn’t Enough - Tom's Hardware.
Out of the Blue [12:58 pm ET] – Share – 25 Comments
Happy birthday to me! Having completed another orbit reasonably successfully, I
figure I'll stay on this ride for another spin. The timing of my birthday is
funny, it never falls on Thanksgiving, but is sometimes the day before, so
throughout my childhood, Thanksgiving tradition included birthday cake. We
handled this awkward timing by going out to a dinner celebration on Saturday.
This was lovely, and reinforced our affection for a very nearby Italian
restaurant as an excellent go-to for special occasions.
Orbital Round-up
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.Stories
- World on pace to blow past Paris climate targets, UN says.
- Free at home Covid tests available starting Monday.
- Your Rewards Card Is Actually Bad for You, and for Everyone Else. Thanks RedEye9.
- Thanksgiving-week storm ramping up across the East ahead of holiday travel rush.
Science
Thanks Max.
- World's richest 1% emit as much carbon as bottom two-thirds: report.
- ‘Electrocaloric’ heat pump could transform air conditioning.
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