Something that went unnoted in our story about Battlefield Labs from this morning is the accompanying video. It features discussion of the testing program from the developers, but it also includes some "pre-alpha" footage of the next Battlefield game. This comes near the very end of the clip where there are flashes of chaotic combat in a modern urban environment with widespread environmental destruction. Word is:

Four studios across the globe. One brand-new visionary team: Battlefield Studios. This global united front combining 20+ years of Battlefield experience with the best emerging talent in our industry is hard at work to shape the future of our franchise. Our ambitions are big, so we’re going bigger to deliver the best experience for our players.

Continue here to read the full story.

Don't just stand there, the Steam Idler Fest is now underway! Well, okay, just standing there is probably an appropriate way to approach these games that promise to pay off on minimal effort. There's a sale on featured games for the next week, along with presentations, and time-limited demos that practically play themselves. Here's the Official Trailer, which carries this description:

Steam Idler Fest is for all the games that you can play while not playing! Celebrating idle games of all types, this Fest is for games that can play themselves – mostly after a little nudge at the start.

Join us February 3rd - 10th at 10am Pacific for Steam Idler Fest!

Continue here to read the full story.

There's also an RPG Maker Festival 2025 on Steam, offering a third-party sale/fest from Gotcha Gotcha Games. This includes sales and demos for various games created using this creation kit. There's also the chance to participate in the next fest as a creator with the giveaway of RPG Maker VX Ace, the 2012 installment in the series. This is free to keep as long as you collect it during the next week while the fest is on. Here's a description of the giveaway:

Gotcha Gotcha Games is pleased to announce that RPG Maker VX Ace, which sold more than 500,000 copies, will be available free to download for a limited time.

RPG Maker VX Ace set the roadmap for the actors, items, database, and other functions that carry through to RPG Maker MZ. To this day, many fans still love the experience of using RPG Maker VX Ace and continue to use it regularly. We hope new users will take advantage of this limited opportunity!

As reported on Polygon, the Steam listings for OlliOlli World and Rollerdrome are no longer online, raising concerns that these skating games from developer Roll7 had ground to a halt. PCGamesN has a statement from 2K saying it is now publishing the games, and they will return to sale, providing no further explanation or timeline:

A spokesperson says in a statement provided to PCGamesN that “2K is now publishing these games, which will be added back to Steam.” The spokesperson didn’t give a time frame for when they’d return to Valve’s platform, but this is great news regardless.

• This month's PC Game Pass offering features sweet RPGs and brutal actioners from the Far East - PC Gamer.

• Save 20% on Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster on Steam.
• Save 80% on It Takes Two on Steam.
• Save 75% on Kiwi Clicker - Juiced Up on Steam.
• Save 40% on Alaloth: Champions of The Four Kingdoms on Steam.
• Humble Software Bundle: Infinite Echoes: The Ultimate Game Sound and Music Bundle (pay what you want and help charity) - Humble.*

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

• ESA warns of significant harm from video game tariffs - VentureBeat.
• Electronic Arts Agrees To Acquire TRACAB Technologies.

• 'The Last of Us' creators set the stage for 'dense episodes' in season 2 (exclusive) - Entertainment Weekly.

• Minecraft's latest public testing update adds new cow variants, shrubbery fireflies, and "bush" - Eurogamer.net. Bush a challenge to model with voxels.

• Double Dragon Revive - Developer's Diary Vol.1 - Steam News.

• Path Of Exile 2 Is Playable On Steam Deck, But Not Ideal - Kotaku.
• RTX 5090 gaming laptops listed overseas starting at $3,780 - Tom's Hardware.

• Nvidia 5090 launch just got worse with bricking GPUs, Windows support problems & PCIe issues - Neowin.
• Scientists Discover a Game-Changing Way to Etch 3D NAND Memory - SciTechDaily. Thanks Max.
• Microsoft blocks free Windows 11 24H2 system requirements bypass app as potential malware - Neowin.

• DeepSeek might not be as disruptive as claimed, firm reportedly has 50,000 Nvidia GPUs and spent $1.6 billion on buildouts - Tom's Hardware. Thanks brother19.

• Data brokers can keep selling your social security number, says new CFPB chief - The Verge.
• Intel receives $536 million payment from EU following antitrust fine reversal - Tom's Hardware.

Last Link of the Day: PREPARE 4️⃣ LAUNCH.

EA announces Battlefield Labs for its Battlefield military first-person shooter franchise, saying it is "the most ambitious community testing program in franchise history." The post on the Battlefield Website refines this message further, calling it a "community collaboration." This is set to launch in the coming weeks, giving testers access to the "pre-alpha" of the next installment in the series. A pre-alpha is technically unplayable by the strictest definition of the term, so we take this to mean things are still early yet. Word is after more than 20 years, EA is set to explore the series' potential. "I’ve been playing Battlefield long before I joined the team," says Vince Zampella, Head of Respawn & Group GM for EA Studios Organization. "This game has so much potential. To find that potential, with us being pre-alpha, now is the time to test the experiences our teams have been building for our upcoming launch. Battlefield Labs empowers our teams to do that." Word is this will be informative even for players who are not selected to participate, and that the process will play an important role in the game's development:

Players can stay up to date on the latest public testing information by keeping an eye on battlefield.com/labs. Our community will receive published updates from the team throughout testing, so that even those who are not selected for Battlefield Labs can still come along for the ride. All the feedback provided during Battlefield Labs tests will influence the development of the next Battlefield title and beyond.

Battlefield Labs plays a significant role in the development that Battlefield Studios is doing for the series. Battlefield Studios is comprised of DICE, creators of the Battlefield franchise; Ripple Effect, a studio led by franchise veterans working on an all-new experience for the series; Motive, the developers of the critically acclaimed Star Wars Squadrons and Dead Space; and Criterion, known for world-class racing franchises and playing a key role in several Battlefield entries.

There's still more than a week to go before the release of Sid Meier's Civilization VII, but the embargo on reviews ended today, giving potential customers a chance to sort through them in a civilized manner. Here's a round-up to see if the strategy sequel is worthy of the "one more turn" mantra:

• Civilization VII review- A major overhaul solves Civ’s oldest problems - Ars Technica.
• Sid Meier's Civilization VII – Destructoid.
• Sid Meier’s Civilization VII review- a new age for a classic series - Digital Trends.
• Civilization 7 review - Eurogamer.net.
• Sid Meier's Civilization 7 - GameRant.
• Sid Meier's Civilization VII Review - A Fine But Flawed Foundation - GameSpot.
• Civilization 7 review- -A revolutionary strategy game that cements the series' legendary status- - GamesRadar+.
• Civilization VII review – your empire strikes back in glorious new detail - Games - The Guardian.
• Civilization 7 Review - IGN.
• Civilization 7 Is a Brave New World - Newsweek.
• Civilization 7 review – even Firaxis can’t fully fix the problems with 4X games - PCGamesN.
• Civilization 7 review - PC Gamer.
• Civilization 7 embraces a new era - Polygon.
• Sid Meier's Civilization 7 Review- Rewriting History In Beautiful, Messy Strokes - ScreenRant.
• Sid Meier's Civilization 7 review- That's my river - Shacknews.
• Civilization VII Impresses Despite Its Awkward Direction - Siliconera.
• Sid Meier's Civilization 7 review- you’ve never played a Civ like this - TechRadar.
• Civilization 7 Is A Great Game, But Some Of You Might Hate It - TheGamer.
• Civilization 7 review- establishing your unique legacy - The Verge.
• Civilization 7 review - VG247.
• Civilization 7 Review - VGC.
• Civilization VII Review - Just One More Turn - Wccftech.
• Civilization VII review- The best stop for world domination - Windows Central.

Here's a more urgent roundup of reviews, as Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is launching tomorrow. Here's a collection of reviews to see if the action/RPG sequel delivers:

• Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Review - Fill in random words here Potlicker! - AGC (video).
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review – A perfect sequel in every way - Dexerto.
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review - Eurogamer.net.
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 - GameRant.
• Kingdom Come- Deliverance 2 Review - What's Old Is New Again - GameSpot.
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review - IGN.
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review - PC Gamer.
• Where is Polygon’s Kingdom Come- Deliverance 2 review? - Polygon.
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review- a bastard for all seasons - Rock Paper Shotgun.
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review- For king and country - Shacknews.
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review - History In The Making - TheGamer.
• Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 review - VG247.
• Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 review - old habits die hard - VideoGamer.
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Review - Just One More Day - Wccftech.
• Kingdom Come- Deliverance 2 review — The perfect RPG sequel - Windows Central.

Snowfall Games announces It Was You, a multiplayer social mystery game coming to PC via Steam with a TBA release window. Everyone knows you can't gather a dozen people together without one of them getting murdered, so this is just about figuring out whodunit (the title may be a hint). Grab your flashlight and check out the Teaser Trailer and read on for more clues:

A multiplayer murder mystery party for up to 12 players. Assume the role of Detective or Killer and use tools to uncover—or manipulate—evidence. Murder, investigate, discuss and deceive. Put your true-crime-solving skills to the test, or see if you are capable of cold-blooded murder.

Continue here to read the full story.

• Old Timer Transport on Steam (Windows). "Hop on your turbocharged mobility scooter as a grumpy old driver! Race through Bompidorm with friends, commit vehicular manslaughter, and deliver your victims to the hospital to dodge lawsuits!"
• Best Served Cold on Steam (Windows, macOS). "Can you mix a cocktail while eye-to-eye with a criminal? Find out in Best Served Cold, a murder mystery set in a bustling speakeasy where you serve customers, make friends and enemies, and solve crimes. At the Nightcap bar, prohibition is a killer… and so are some of your customers!"

• Rumor- New 2D Metroid Could Be in the Works - GameRant.

• MultiVersus Fans Lash Out At Dev Over Sudden Season 5 Shutdown - Kotaku.

• FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH - Version 1.001 Release Notice.
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 PC Hotfix v1.202.0.0.
• No Man's Sky - Worlds Part II - 5.52.

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

• New 4K Mod for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Overhauls 1300 Textures - DSOGaming.

• Xbox Game Pass Losing 7 Games on February 15 - GameRant.

• EA Puts Criterion’s Need for Speed Team on Battlefield, Confirms No More Content Coming to NFS Unbound - IGN.
• Mobidictum acquires Game Developers Network.biz to connect the games industry under one roof - Game Industry News.

• Albion Online - Rogue Frontier Trailer.
• Blood Bar Tycoon - Launch Trailer.

↑ Official trailers. ↓ Content creator videos.

• (4) When the trailer is made before the game - Viva La Dirt League (NSFW).

• Grammy Award for best game soundtrack won by indie RPG, beating Spider-Man 2 and God of War Ragnarök - Eurogamer.net.

• PlayStation State of Play set for next week - report - Eurogamer.net.
• Players’ Choice- Vote for January 2025’s best new game – PlayStation.Blog.

• Qi2 Wireless Charging- Everything You Need to Know (2025) - WIRED (may require registration or subscription).

• Microsoft 365’s VPN feature will be shut off at the end of the month - Ars Technica.
• Ontario is ‘ripping up’ Starlink contract in response to US tariffs - The Verge.

• The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk’s Government Takeover - WIRED (may require registration or subscription).
• These Robots Are Recovering Dumped Explosives From the Baltic Sea - WIRED (may require registration or subscription).
• Nvidia RTX 3090 sent in to repairer was missing the GPU and all its memory chips - Tom's Hardware. Tends to add to the cost of the fix. Thanks Max.

• Why Is This C.E.O. Bragging About Replacing Humans With A.I.? - The New York Times (free account required). Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Nvidia counters AMD DeepSeek AI benchmarks, claims RTX 4090 is nearly 50% faster than 7900 XTX - Tom's Hardware. Confirmed via AI.

• Vulnerability Summary for the Week of January 27, 2025 - CISA. Thanks Ant.

• The $20 million Apple Watch settlement could mean a payout for you - here's how to qualify - ZDNET. Thanks Ant.

• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Benchmarks & PC Performance Analysis - DSOGaming.

• Case: Corsair Frame 4000D Review - TechPowerUp.
• Headset/Earbuds: 1MORE Fit Open Earbuds S70 Review - APH Networks.
• Headset/Earbuds: Corsair Virtuoso Max Wireless Gaming Headset - Christ Centered Gamer.

Happy Groundhog Day, the annual celebration of Woodchuck weather reports as well as the repeated chance to punch Ned right in his needle-nose. I've gone on a lot lately about the cold and gloom surrounding the BlueTower, where the pond hasn't thawed since it froze a month ago. So I'm eager for good news in the very exact science of foretelling the end of winter. If Punxsutawney Phil is indeed the paper of record in this area, then it's bad news, because in seeing his shadow, he's dashing hopes spring will arrive early, and setting our expectations for six more weeks of nastiness. On the other hand, "In the 10 annual predictions from 2013 to 2022, Punxsutawney Phil was less accurate with his weather predications than flipping a coin would have been. He was right four times in that period -- 2020, 2016, 2014 and 2013 -- and was incorrect in the six other instances." If I'm looking for more optimism, far closer to here than Punxsutawney, PA is Staten Island, where Staten Island Chuck is calling for an early spring. And according to that article, Chuck (and/or his replacement) is much better at this than his better-publicized rival: "Chuck has an 85% accuracy rate, higher than his more famous counterpart Punxsutawney Phil who has a 39% accuracy rate."

Obituary: 'Squid Game' actress Lee Joo-sil dies aged 81 - NME.

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

Story

• How an iconic sub-$20 Casio watch was hydro-modified to survive deep-sea pressure - NotebookCheck.net News.

Science

• New Guidelines Say Teens Should Cut Caffeine Out Completely — Here's Why - Food & Wine. Now you tell me.
• Turning Off Anxiety: Scientists Discover the Brain’s Hidden Switch - SciTechDaily. Now you tell me.
• New MRI Study Reveals How Cannabis Alters Brain Activity and Weakens Memory - SciTechDaily. Now you tell me.

Images

• Winners of the 2024 Close-Up Photographer of the Year - The Atlantic (may require registration or subscription).

Creature Features

• My Dog FAILED an IQ test! Husky and Cats VS logic toy.

The Funnies

• Savage Chickens.