An official Steam Listing is now live for Deadlock, the multiplayer game in development at Valve that's quite publicly been in "secret" testing for a while now. There are few details, as word simply is "Deadlock is a multiplayer game in early development." There is a very short teaser video and that's about it. With this public reveal, The Verge notes this comes with a lifting of the rules against discussing the game, so we should be hearing a lot more about it from now on. Here's word from the Steam Listing on how people are getting in on testing:

EARLY DEVELOPMENT BUILD
Deadlock is still in early development stages with lots of temporary art and experimental gameplay.

LIMITED ACCESS
Access to Deadlock is currently limited to friend invites via our playtesters.

Concord is now officially live for PC and PlayStation 5, launching a new science fiction-themed 5v5 first-person shooter from Firewalk Studios and PlayStation Publishing. The Windows edition is available on the Epic Games Store and Steam, but each warns up front that a free PlayStation Network Account is required to play, pointing to the PSN Terms of Service and User Agreement for more details. This post on Steam discusses what to expect at first as well as how the developers plan to evolve the experience going forward, and the Launch Trailer takes a look. The basic description of this is quite straightforward:

Assemble your crew of Freegunner space outlaws and team up online with friends for thrilling 5v5 PVP modes across the galaxy in Concord.

Concord is a new team-based first-person shooter for PS5® and PC*. Handpick your personal roster of Freegunners from the crew of the Northstar – a group of outlaws and adventurers working as guns-for-hire.

Continue here to read the full story.

Game Science Xitters about the runaway success of Black Myth: Wukong, saying the action/RPG has sold a remarkable 10 million copies across all platforms just three days after its launch. The graphic also notes the game has surpassed three million concurrent users across all platforms. Here's word:

Black Myth: Wukong has sold 10 million copies across all platforms.
(Data as of 21:00 Beijing time, August 23, 2024)

Thanks to all players worldwide for your support and love.
Have a great gaming weekend!

ROCKFISH Games announces Titans will launch on September 16th, adding the first DLC to EVERSPACE 2, the single-player space shooter for Windows and macOS. This is teased in a cinematic Announcement Trailer, which shows what happens if you fail to recognize when "that's no moon." The pack promises two new storylines, repeatable encounters, and new loot. Here's more:

EVERSPACE 2: Titans introduces two new storylines for pilots to experience during the course of EVERSPACE 2—Dreadnought and Leviathan. These adventures offer unique, repeatable experiences, with two of the largest encounters the EVERSPACE series has to offer so far.

In Dreadnought, survivors of Outlaw raids speak of a ship unlike any they’ve ever seen before. Join a group of freelancers hired to track and defeat this titanic threat and prepare to engage in the biggest battles in the EVERSPACE series so far. Test your skills and ship loadout in gigantic, multi-stage boss battles designed to push pilots to their limits and grant massive rewards.

Continue here to read the full story.

TiMi Studio Group and Team Jade reveal a name change for Delta Force: Hawk Ops, saying the game is now known simply as Delta Force. This comes with the announcement the free-to-play shooter will enter PC Early Access under its new (old) moniker in Q4 of this year, as highlighted in the Official PC Early Access Reveal Trailer. A post on Steam from Game Director Shadow says the title change reflects "a commitment to our vision." Here's more:

Delta Force: Hawk Ops is now. simply, Delta Force!

We want to make this *the* Delta Force game — a title that bridges the gap between loyal veterans of this franchise and newcomers joining the fray. It's about uniting the community and creating an experience that honors the legacy of Delta Force while pushing the boundaries for the future.

Continue here to read the full story.

Blizzard announces that Early Access is underway for The War Within, the latest expansion for World of Warcraft, the endboss of MMORPGs. This is for owners of one of the fancier editions outlined on this page. The announcement also includes a schedule of when the expansion will launch for everyone else, which is August 26th at 6:00 pm EDT translated into various time zones. Here's a trailer and word:

Get back in the fight as you defend Azeroth from the shadows below. Journey through never-before-seen subterranean worlds filled with hidden wonders and lurking perils, down to the dark depths of the nerubian empire, where the malicious Harbinger of the Void is gathering arachnid forces to bring Azeroth to its knees.

World of Warcraft’s next expansion—The War Within—will launch in the Americas, Europe, Taiwan, Korea, and Australia/New Zealand at the same time globally. Wherever you live and whatever faction you represent, you can be part of one globally unified front as the way into the Khaz Algar opens.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Black Ops 6 multiplayer gameplay appears online - VGC.

• Warcraft VP on what Blizzard should've done differently over the last 20 years- 'We should have listened more' - PC Gamer.

• Humble Detectives Bundle (pay what you want and help charity).*

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

Unofficial games, patches, and mods.

• Fallout 4 gets a large-scale -zombie apocalypse- fan expansion, set in the State of Vermont - DSOGaming.

• Meta Cancels High-End Mixed Reality Headset After Apple Vision Pro Struggles - MacRumors. Thanks RedEye9.

Official trailers.

• Avowed - Demo Gameplay Deep Dive - gamescom 2024.
• Call of Duty- Black Ops 6 - Liberty Falls Cinematic.
• Rainbow Six Siege: Operation Twin Shells CGI Trailer.
• Skull and Bones- PC Features Trailer.
• Star Wars Outlaws: Building An Open World.

• gamescom 2024 Award Winners Revealed- Monster Hunter Wilds Wins Big - IGN.

• Xbox wades cautiously into a multiplatform future - Opinion - GamesIndustry.biz.
• Xbox Red Ring Of Death cause finally explained to us by Microsoft - Gaming Bible. Thanks Max.

• Why you should stop using your solar-powered power bank - ZDNET. Thanks Max.
• Anti-Heroes Take the Spotlight in Call of Duty: Mobile Season 8 — Shadow Operatives.

• Trump DJT stock could be sold within weeks - CNBC. Thanks Matthew.
• Elon Musk says X staff can get their stock — if they prove they deserve it - The Verge.
• Yemen weapons dealers selling machine guns on X - BBC.
• Tor Browser 13.5.2. Thanks Ant.
• Microsoft is discontinuing rounded tabs in Edge - Neowin.

Thanks Matthew.

• Crypto companies are pouring money into 2024 election- CNBC.
• High-tech industry legend leaves Intel board — Intel's stock dropped 6% since the announcement - Tom's Hardware.
• Leaked Microsoft salary data shows the pay gap between Microsoft AI and the rest of the company - MSN.
• NVIDIA to Present Innovations at Hot Chips That Boost Data Center Performance and Energy Efficiency - NVIDIA Blog.
• Microsoft formally deprecates the 39-year-old Windows Control Panel - Ars Technica.
• Samsung will provide seven years of free Tizen OS upgrades for its AI TVs - Neowin.

• Microsoft to host security summit after CrowdStrike disaster - Ars Technica.
• Should you have to pay for online privacy? - BBC.

• US sues Georgia Tech alleging litany of security failings • The Register.
• US sues RealPage, claims rental-pricing algorithm used by landlords is illegal - Ars Technica.

• After 20 years of patience and negotiations, RPG veteran Brian Fargo managed to buy back a lost haul of memorabilia from Fallout, Baldur's Gate, and more - PC Gamer…

Last Link of the Day: James Spader To Reprise Ultron Role In Marvel's Vision Series - Deadline.

A free weekend is underway on Steam for Diablo IV, providing a chance to sample the latest installment in Blizzard's action/RPG series. Everyone has the next four days to explore what the game has to offer, and it's on sale for 40% off if you decide to pick it up. It's not explicitly stated that progress from the free weekend will carry over in that case, but it's hard to imagine it won't. Here's a refresher:

Diablo® IV is the ultimate action-RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish dungeons, and legendary loot. Embark on the epic campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters through a gripping story in a beautifully dark world, or explore an expansive end game: battle for a top spot on the global Leaderboards in the Gauntlet, fight back the onslaught of Hell in Helltides, master the Forge to create your ultimate weapons and progress powerful characters, with cross-play and cross-progression on all available platforms.

Steam Deck Xs some new for Steam Deck players, saying that Steam's review system will now identify game reviews written by Steam Deck users. Here's word on this boon to vetting games for a more mobile platform:

Good morning! We’ve just shipped a new feature on Steam that shows when a customer review was written by someone who played primarily on Steam Deck. Keep an eye out for the Deck icon to see how these players reviewed the game, and let us know what you think!

A new QoL Showcase Video for The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria celebrates next week's arrival of the fantasy survival game on Steam and Xbox. As noted in this post, this will come with a big patch that Free Range Games calls "The Golden Update." Among the changes this brings will be the quality of life improvements mentioned in the video. Word is: "Game Director Jon-Paul Dumont showcases the Quality of Life improvements that are coming to all platforms. Not only as part of The Golden Update for new players - available Aug 27th - but to show off everything we've done since we first launched in 2023!" Here's a refresher on the game:

The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ follows the Dwarves as they embark on a new adventure to reclaim their legendary home of Moria beneath the Misty Mountains. Players will join forces to survive, craft, build and explore the iconic, sprawling mines. Courageous expeditioners will need to be vigilant as mysterious dangers await.

Summoned to the Misty Mountains by Lord Gimli Lockbearer, players take control of a company of Dwarves tasked to reclaim the lost spoils from the Dwarven homeland of Moria—known as Khazad-dûm or Dwarrowdelf—in the depths below their very feet. Their quest will require fortitude, delving deep into the Mines of Moria to recover its treasures.

Continue here to read the full story.

With tomorrow marking the Independence Day of Ukraine, a Ukrainian Games Festival 2024 on Steam is underway, offering presentations and sales of games created in the embattled nation. This is not one of those official Valve affairs, it's a third-party fest from Ukrainian Games and Indie Cup. Here's word on the festivities:

Explore over 450 games made in Ukraine over the past 25 years. Enjoy exclusive discounts on bestselling titles, discover critically-acclaimed indie hits, and fall in love with hidden gems hand-picked by our team.

Ukrainian Games Festival 2024 is proudly brought to you by GTP Media, creators of the Ukrainian Games initiative and the Indie Cup digital festival. Celebrate Ukraine’s Independence Day with us!

• PSA: Star Wars Outlaws has been livestreamed, and spoilers are popping up everywhere - Eurogamer.net.

• Helldivers 2 PSN Review Bomb Cape MIA as Arrowhead Awaits Clarity on Game Being Sold in More Countries - IGN.

• National Film and Sound Archive raises alarm that older video games are at risk of completely disappearing - MSN. Thanks Console General.

Unofficial games, patches, and mods.

• Black Myth: Wukong Mods let you disable the oversharpening and enable UE5's Virtual Shadow Maps - DSOGaming.

Official trailers.

• Ale & Tale Tavern Final Trailer.
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2- Heart of Chornobyl — Scar Trailer.
• SWORD ART ONLINE Fractured Daydream — Sinon Trailer.

• Diablo IV — Gilded Grandeur Awaits—March of the Goblins Returns.

Thanks Console General.

• Avowed Runs at 30fps on Xbox Series X and S, Obsidian Confirms - IGN.
• Squirrel with a Gun for PS5, Xbox Series launches October 15 - Gematsu.
• Xbox Update Preview Release Notes Beta Ring (2408.240821-1830) - Xbox Support.
• Xbox Update Preview Release Notes Delta Ring (2408.240821-1830) - Xbox Support.
• Xbox Update Preview Release Notes Omega Ring (2408.240821-1830) - Xbox Support.

• Color ePaper display ditches batteries for wireless power.
• Calibre e-book manager 7.17. Thanks Console General.
• Motorola Razr V3- The iPhone of Yesteryear - TechSpot. Thanks The Flying Penguin.
• Top 9 Hacks to Keep Your Gaming Laptop COOL! ❄️💻 - Jarrod's Tech (video). Thanks RedEye9.

• Starlink has a pricey new plan to stop scalpers - The Verge.
• Kamala Harris’ Campaign Is Launching a Twitch Channel - WIRED (may require registration or subscription).

• Chinese entities use restricted GPUs on Amazon and Microsoft cloud services: Report - Tom's Hardware.
• LG says its new 'Dream OLED' tech cracks the pesky problems that prevent OLED gaming panels being brighter and lasting longer - PC Gamer.
• No one’s ready for this - The Verge. AI vs reality.
• Releasing Windows 10 Build 19045.4842 to Beta and Release Preview Channels - Windows Insider Blog. Thanks Console General.

• Latest Windows 11 update cripples PCs. What to do if you're affected - PCWorld.

• Court to decide who can see secret evidence U.S. has filed against TikTok - NPR. Thanks RedEye9.

• Black Myth Wukong: DLSS vs. FSR vs. XeSS Comparison Review - TechPowerUp.

• CPU/GPU/AIO/SSD Cooler: darkFlash Nebula DN-360 AIO Review - TechPowerUp.
• Game Controller: AQIRYS THEMIS Gamepad - Mad Shrimps.
• Laptop: Dell XPS 16 (2024) AI Laptop Experience- Premium Powerhouse, Gorgeous OLED - TweakTown.

Due to weather and other circumstances, this work on our deck is continuing into this morning and tomorrow, even though it's not that big of a job. This involves more leaving the doors open to the world and a possible re-invasion of houseflies. But I'm prepared after picking up one of those electric fly swatters I mentioned, and it almost seems the flies are aware of this, because they've steered clear so far. But this doesn't seem like it will help with our other intruders, as MrsBlue and I are both waking up every day with fresh bites. we don't see any mosquitoes, so my swatter is useless, but we must have a couple, if not a coven of the little vampires. I see ads for little UV nightlights that attract and trap the little parasites, and I think something like this is in our future, because getting eaten like this on a daily basis, well, sucks.

Tasty Round-up
Thanks Ant, Neutronbeam, and Max.

Breakfast Link

• Woman sparks fierce debate after naming the LEAST attractive hobby for men- 'It's weird that so many dudes don't understand this.'

Stories

• Amid shrinking U.S. media, the Onion and Minnesota Star Tribune revamp - The Washington Post.

Science

• Your Food Choices Can Fuel Anxiety And Depression. Here's How. - ScienceAlert. Thanks Max.
• The Moon was once covered by an ocean of molten rock, data from India’s space mission suggests - Space. Thanks Matthew.
• Mathematicians Prove Hawking Wrong About ‘Extremal’ Black Holes - Quanta Magazine.

Media

• If Michael Jackson was car. Thanks VideoSift.
• The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim - Official Trailer.

Follow-up

• FDA Approves and Authorizes Updated mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines to Better Protect Against Currently Circulating Variants - FDA.