Vermintide 2: Versus is an entirely new way to play Vermintide 2 with this new asymmetric PvP+E game mode. Engage in thrilling 4v4 battles, alternating between the iconic Ubersreik Five Heroes and the devious Skaven specials, all set against the backdrop of the rich Warhammer Fantasy Universe.

Join Creative Director, Joel Bylos, as he takes us through an extended look at the player’s journey from scavenging survivor to powerful spice hunter. This is your Arrakis.

Dune: Awakening is an open world survival MMO set on the most dangerous planet in the universe. Survive the desert by learning the ways of the Fremen. Expand your potential through combat, spice, building, and trade. As guild intrigue and warfare rage, control the spice and cling to power.

Revenge of the Savage Planet will see you unceremoniously ousted from your mission to colonize space after the powers that be deemed space exploration far too costly and challenging, they ultimately made you redundant during your 80 years of cryosleep. So, stranded on an alien planet with nothing but your wits and whatever you can scavenge from the vibrant landscape, you’ll head out on an adventure to explore strange new lands, collecting and crafting new gear in an effort to make your way home.

Rogue Waters is a tactical, turn-based rogue-lite set in a pirate world overtaken by a terrible curse. Gather your ragtag crew of rogues and grow them into fierce pirates. Befriend and call upon legendary creatures of sailors' myths. Chart your course through an ever-changing game world, and turn the tides of battle on land or sea in a fresh take on tactical turn-based combat. The crew and the Kraken await your command–will ye heed the call?

Accidentally stranded in a mysterious retrofuturistic subway base, Hana uncovers the chilling secrets hidden within. Navigate through a ravaged world where survival is paramount, encountering relentless challenges and terrifying adversaries at every turn.

Experience gripping gameplay, immersive storytelling, and rich character development as you unravel the mysteries of Retrieval. With atmospheric and amazing visuals powered by NVIDIA and haunting sound design, immerse yourself in the chilling atmosphere of this captivating adventure.

Set among the stars, the game follows Doug, a high school student who's whisked away to Galaxyland – a seemingly idyllic, zoo-like collection of planets – moments before the destruction of planet Earth by a celestial destroyer of worlds known only as ‘The End’. As Doug embarks on an interplanetary quest, pinballing around a cluster of diverse planets and biomes – including neon-lit cities, a cybernetic casino, and a desert set within the dead husks of starships – he’s joined by a ragtag medley of companions in a valiant effort to discover the truth behind Galaxyland and somehow undo the apocalypse of Earth.

Awakening from a deep slumber, players find themselves the sole survivor in a city overrun by shambling corpses. Equipped with nothing but their wits and fists, they must fight for survival against hordes of relentless zombies. With a focus on realistic physics and character mechanics, God Save Birmingham promises a challenging and often humorous experience as players struggle to stay alive.

Originally known as Blackout Protocol during its Early Access phase, the game has undergone a significant transformation based on invaluable player feedback. Players are invited to head toward the game Steam page to try the brand new demo live today!

Once a co-op strategic roguelite shooter, Section 13 now delivers a thrilling solo experience with a compelling narrative at its core. Players step into the shoes of an S2P agent tasked with infiltrating the mysterious Section 13 research facility, overrun by deadly experiments. Armed with an arsenal of weapons and unique abilities, players must fight their way through hordes of enemies, uncover dark secrets, and ultimately escape the facility alive.

The trailer is packed with epic moments, showcasing the many creative ways you'll be able to explore the floating islands of Lost Skies. Whether you're paragliding through the clouds, swinging across vast chasms with a grapple hook, or piloting your very own skyship with friends, the game offers endless possibilities for exploration across a shattered world. Each step brings you closer to uncovering the hidden mysteries that lie within Lost Skies! We're looking forward to you sharing this thrilling glimpse of Lost Skies with your audience! If you have any questions or need more info, don't hesitate to reach out.

If you want to hear about a few advanced settings and options for the PC community, let’s go over that now. We support a suite of Ray Tracing features, as well as an “Ultra RT” mode for extremely high end rigs. We have several types of upscaling available: NVIDIA DLSS 3, FSR 2.2 which has been heavily modified, specifically for the game, and XeSS. We also support DLSS 3 with frame generation and NVIDIA Reflex. As we have more PC features to share, we’ll circle back on those before launch.

• Lost Eidolons: Veil of the Witch on Steam (Windows). "From the world of 'Lost Eidolons' comes an all-new roguelite tactical RPG! Stranded on a mysterious island with scattered memories, your only means of survival is to fight. Recruit allies, undertake a perilous journey, and battle to reclaim what you've lost... no matter how many deaths it takes."

• Next week’s free Epic Games Store title has leaked - VGC.

• Turns out Dying Light- The Beast started out as leaked Dying Light 2 DLC - Game Developer.

• Resident Evil- Decades of Horror - Village Gold (pay what you want and help charity).*
• Capcom Summer 2024 (pay what you want and help charity).*
• Save 25% on THE LONGING on Steam.
• Save 50% on Wilmot's Warehouse on Steam.
• Save 60% on Dying Light 2 Stay Human- Reloaded Edition on Steam.
• Huge Savings Now! — Explore the Mafia Franchise on Steam.

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

• Virtuos acquires co-developer Third Kind Studios - Game Developer.

• 2K Confirms Mafia: The Old Country Will Have Sicilian Voice Acting in Response to Fans' Concerns - IGN.
• Riot Games, Take-Two, ESA and more offer a blueprint for a diverse global video game community - VentureBeat.

• Max Mustard Official Trailer - PlayStation VR2.

• Call of Duty Modern Warfare III - Season 5 Reloaded Modern Warfare Zombies Final Story Mission.
• Dune: Awakening – Gamescom Gameplay Presentation.
• Faaast Penguin Reveal Trailer - Future Games Show Gamescom 2024.
• Flint: Treasure of Oblivion - ESRB Story Trailer.
• Monaco 2 Gameplay Trailer - Future Games Show Gamescom 2024.
• Phantom Line Gameplay Overview - Future Games Show Gamescom 2024.
• SPINE Gameplay Trailer - Bosses & Parkour Reveal.
• Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl - Gameplay Overview - gamescom 2024 - IGN.

• Apogee and Alienware at QuakeCon 2024 - Deep Dive Interview - Nightdive Studios (video). Thanks Ant.

• Floatopia is coming to PS5 in 2025 – PlayStation.Blog.

• Twitch subscription prices are increasing by $2 on iOS and Android - Engadget.

• Chick-fil-A plans to launch streaming service with original shows - Ars Technica.
• Mozilla Thunderbird version 128.1.1esr. Thanks Frans.

• Raptor Lake instability hits streamer Asmongold — Black Myth- Wukong shader compilation fails on stream - Tom's Hardware.
• Microsoft finally officially confirms it's killing Windows Control Panel sometime soon - Neowin.
• Microsoft PowerShell version 7.4.5. Thanks Console General.

• Federal judge in Texas strikes down FTC’s ban on noncompete agreements - Ars Technica.
• Google can’t defend shady Chrome data hoarding as “browser agnostic,” court says - Ars Technica.

The closed alpha consists of two thrilling modes - Hotzone and Team Deathmatch - across three different maps (Ozone, Zenith and Frontier) and grants players an early look at each of its three factions. There is no time or match limit during the alpha, and it is free to play.

Iterating on the initial game’s success, 1047 has rebuilt Splitgate 2 from scratch. Suit up and portal into the action as an elite Ace, choosing between three factions - each with their own distinct abilities tailored to a variety of playstyles. Mix and match to create the ultimate team and play together to master Splitgate 2’s fast-paced combat unlocking new capabilities along the way.

Today at gamescom Opening Night Live, NetEase Games and Marvel Games announced that Marvel Rivals, the new Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter that lets players assemble an ever-evolving all-star squad of Super Heroes and Super Villains battling with unique powers across a dynamic lineup of destructible maps from across the Marvel Multiverse, will officially launch on December 6th of this year. The highly-anticipated game will launch with all heroes free to play. Both Captain America and the Winter Soldier will also join the roster, bringing their unique skills and powers to Marvel Rivals. The newest map, the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, was also unveiled.

The day is near - today, THQ Nordic is thrilled to announce the Early Access start for Titan Quest II. In Winter 2024/2025, players will be able to dive into this epic odyssey and experience first hand what it means to rival the gods themselves!

Forged in the creative crucible of Grimlore Games in Germany, Titan Quest II is currently under development. This epic odyssey is destined for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S/X, eagerly anticipated to launch when the time comes.

Central to the dark mystery is the host of eccentric characters and cryptic organizations that inhabit the quarantine zone. These individuals have been cut off from the outside world for years and left to their own devices, and are anything but normal. Your interactions with them are important and will shape your journey. But be careful, not all survivors are friendly, and you will need to master an array of ranged and melee weapons if you are to survive.

Atomfall is a new single player survival-action game, launching in March 2025. The game is coming day one to Game Pass. It will also be available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. Atomfall will also release on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.

Key highlights:

• Tackles critical industry challenge: With 58.7% of gaming website traffic from bad bots (2023 Imperva Report), Unbotify Real Time Detection addresses a major threat.
• Protects fair play and revenue: AI-powered solution swiftly identifies and neutralizes bots, preserving game integrity and publisher profits.
• Real-time insights: Reduces manual effort in bot detection while ensuring GDPR and CCPA compliance.

You are Emperor Hong, the esteemed Emperor of the Crimson Empire, and you have experienced profound loss. Following the passing of your mother, the former ruler, you tragically lost your beloved Empress as well.

Faced with no other options, you are compelled to summon and seek the aid of the Yaoguai, forbidden but powerful creatures of the north with a taste for human souls, to assist you in resolving imperial challenges, enforcing your will, and supporting the welfare of your citizens.

• HEART ABYSS on Steam (Windows). "Heart Abyss is a brutal action-platformer inspired by Japan during the 17th and 18th centuries. Wake up your inner beast and take vengeance on those who put a collar around your neck. Find your sister and uncover the mystery behind the disappearance of all jinkos."

• ‘Albion can’t be copyrighted’ - Peter Molyneux explains how his new game is set in the same world as Fable - VGC.

• Firaxis preserves the 33-year-old, $10,000 386 PC Sid Meier used to develop Civilization – and it still works - TechSpot.

• Secret Level - Teaser Trailer - Prime Video.

• PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS Weekly Bans Notice (08/12~08/18).

• Disney Dreamlight Valley – Dapper Delights Update Trailer.
• MechWarrior 5: Clans - Gamescom Trailer.
• Sengoku Dynasty - gamescom 2024 Trailer.
• Star Wars Outlaws: Bringing Nix & ND-5 To Life.

• The Game Awards 2024 date confirmed for December - VGC.

• A new age begins- Civilization 7 captures the chaos of human history in manageable doses - Games - The Guardian.

• Digital-only Xbox Series X release date announced - VGC.
• Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Explains Decision to Launch Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PS5 - IGN.
• Starfield Adds 60FPS On Xbox Series S Along With Other Performance Updates - GameSpot.
• Xbox Update Preview Release Notes Delta Ring (2408.240815-2000) - Xbox Support.
• Xbox Update Preview Release Notes Omega Ring (2408.240815-2000) - Xbox Support.

• Trump's Truth Social stock is circling the drain - Yahoo! Finance.
• Elon Musk’s Twitter deal may be the worst leveraged buyout deal for banks since Lehman, raising risks to Tesla - Yahoo! Finance.
• NFL Fans Irate After Apple Releases Bonkers Sunday Ticket Price. That is eye-watering. Thanks DSLReports via Ant.

• Colleges Still Don’t Have a Plan for AI Cheating - The Atlantic (may require registration or subscription).
• Breakthrough AI Predicts Early Autism With Surprising Accuracy - Sci Tech Daily. Thanks Max.
• Windows 11 will soon let you use your webcam in multiple apps simultaneously - Neowin.
• Samsung's glasses-free 3D gaming monitor isn't vaporware, apparently - Engadget.
• Ryzen 9 9950X runs 16% faster on an Intel-optimized Linux distro - Tom's Hardware.
• Evernote 10.102.4.
• Stardock Start 11 v2.21.
• DVDFab 13.0.2.5.

• Critical Windows Exploit- What You Need to Know, Explained by a Windows Developer - Dave's Garage (video). Thanks RedEye9.
• McAfee unleashes AI deepfake audio detector - but how reliable can it be? - ZDNET.
• Chipmaker Microchip reveals cyber attack • The Register.

• Deadbeat dad faked his own death by hacking government sites • The Register.

• Case: Corsair 2000D ITX Build Report - Corsair Build 2024 - Storage, Memory, Cooling - Neoseeker.
• Headset/Earbuds: 1MORE Fit SE Open Earbuds S31 - Christ Centered Gamer.
• Laptop: Gigabyte Aorus 16X Review- Mid-range value for the money - Tom's Hardware.
• SSD: Team Group GE Pro 2 TB Review - The new Innogrit Gen 5 Controller - TechPowerUp.

Well-timed Round-up
Thanks Ant, Neutronbeam, and Max.

Stories

• Halle Berry- Pierce Brosnan 'Restored My Faith in Men' on Bond Set - Variety.
• Target may have solved one of retail's biggest problems- Theft - Yahoo! Finance.

Science

• SpaceX Polaris Dawn private spacewalk mission - Live updates - Space.

Image

• Supermoon Blue Moon 2024 — Top photos from around the world - Space.
• Supercomputer simulations offer explanation for X-ray radiation from black holes - Phys.org.

Media

• MEGALOPOLIS (2024) Official Trailer - Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel.
• These workers are truly talented.
• Don’t take your eyes off the laundry 👀 🧺.

Follow-up

• Mike Lynch yacht sinking live- Four bodies found inside Bayesian boat sunken off coast of Sicily - The Independent.

The Funnies

• Savage Chickens.