A Release Date Trailer for the System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster lives up to its title, revealing June 26th is when to expect the System Shock 2 Remaster. Nightdive is now accepting preorders for this updated version of the first-person shooter/RPG. This is not recommended, but if you must, you can preorder with a 10% discount on the Epic Games Store, GOG.com,* Humble Store,* or Steam. Here's a refresher on what's changed from the 1999 original:

System Shock® 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster Key Features:

• Unknowable Horrors, In High Definition: Completely remastered visuals, extending to cutscenes and character and weapons models, with up to 4K 144 FPS support on PC and up to 120FPS on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S
• Might As Well Make Your Death Comfortable: The game includes settings for an adjustable FOV, post-processing effects, and ultra-widescreen support
•  Armed Forces: Choose from an O.S.A., Marine, or Navy background to experiment with different playstyles
• Misery Loves Company: Drag your friends into the hell that is the Von Braun starship in cross-play co-op multiplayer
• Interface This: Play from the comfort of your couch with gamepad support, then celebrate with an ice-cold medical stim when you unlock 50 new Trophies/Achievements
• If You Want Something Done Right: Full mod support on PC and the ability to implement community-made missions at launch

3D Realms unveils details about the new Painkiller game that parent company Saber Interactive teased in 2021. This "modern reimagining" of the original first-person shooter released by People Can Fly in 2004 will come to PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S in Q3 of this year. A new Announcement Trailer shows off gameplay, and the Steam Listing is live. Here's word:

Experience fast-paced gameplay set to a powerful metal soundtrack with heart-pounding combat and brutal weapons in solo or co-op. Check out the game’s debut trailer for a first look at the gruesome terrors and gothic torment that await in this modern reimagining of the infamous franchise.

Welcome to Purgatory! You’ve been sentenced for your transgressions against Heaven, but the Voice of the Creator is giving you one chance to redeem yourself. Wield an arsenal of infernal weapons, including nods to the original Painkiller plus totally new creations to discover. Blast your way through hordes of demons and titanic terrors - solo or in online co-op for up to three players - across gruesomely detailed gothic environments to stop the fallen angel Azazel’s invasion of Earth and earn your salvation.

GOG.com announces new additions to the GOG Preservation Program,* which provides GOG's third-party support to help keep classic video games playable on modern Windows PCs. 24 new games are now part of the program, including F.E.A.R. Platinum,* as promised. The GOG Preservation Program News Update has some hard-hitting reporting from the heart of Warsaw, and you can read on for more:

The Preservation Program is only growing – with regular updates, continuous improvements, and our unrelenting commitment to making games live forever. For this month, we’ve prepared a galore of great franchises. Among them, you can expect icons such as Silent Hill 4: The Room (-35%), now with not only confirmed stability, but also missing content that was never available on PC before, or F.E.A.R. Platinum (-80%), according to our promise preserved in honor of Monolith Productions cultural heritage.

Speaking of GOG.com, its Spring Sale* kicked off yesterday, offering over 7500 deals on DRM-free PC games. The sale runs for two weeks, and while it hasn't yet revealed any free game giveaways, you never know (we don't know anything, they just love to give away games during these sales). Here's the sampling of deals the store is highlighting for the occasion:

Our Spring Sale treasure hunt has started – whether you are after freedom from DRM, your favorite title from childhood or just some good old quality assurance, we've got you covered with over 7500 deals to search from!

Here’s some of the discounts:
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty (-25%)
Heroes of Might and Magic® 3: Complete (-75%)
Baldur's Gate 3 (-20%)
Dragon Age™: Origins - Ultimate Edition (-70%)
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition (-80%)
Kingdom Come: Deliverance Royal Edition (-75%)
Legacy of Kain™ Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered (-25%)
…and more!

The wreckfest continues on Steam with the Early Access launch of Wreckfest 2, Bugbear's full-contact automotive game, where rubbing is racing, as is sideswiping, t-boning, and using the PIT maneuver. For the next two weeks this comes with a 20% launch discount off the introductory price that will gradually increase as version 1.0 for PC and consoles nears. And this post has an Early Access roadmap to track progress toward that goal. Here's the Early Access Release Trailer and more on the game along with some Early Access caveats:

This is a chance for wreckers to drive an early (!) version of the game. For anybody who is expecting a fully-fledged, perfectly optimized game with several modes, dozens of tracks and vehicles, as well as an extensive career mode, please consider buying once we are releasing the 1.0 version of the game.

Ascend to the throne of full-contact racing by breaking the rules - and everything else - on your way to victory! Developer Bugbear went all out, rebuilding its true-to-life physics simulation engine to take full advantage of modern hardware. Wreckfest 2 features even higher crash fidelity, more intricate component damage simulation and many more improvements across the board!

Cataclismo is now officially available for Windows on the Epic Games Store, GOG.com,* and Steam, following about eight months of Early Access for this LEGO-inspired RTS game. This post on Steam has details on what's new in version 1.0 for those who've played it already. It also has the version 1.0 Launch Trailer highlighting the game's base-building RTS/siege defense gameplay. Here are the cataclysmic details:

Lead the last survivors in the aftermath of the Cataclismo as a corrupted world seeks to destroy all that remains of humanity. Build fortresses brick by brick, designing intricate, towering structures of wood and stone to fend off waves of Horrors as they attempt to overwhelm your band of survivors. Command powerful units in their stalwart defense, coordinating their varied capabilities as you race from breach to breach. Lead forays into the unknown to secure the vital resources needed to grow your military might and construction capabilities as you hold fast against the ever-growing onslaught – siege after siege, night after night.

Collapse is a new trailer for PIONER, an upcoming MMO shooter in a post-apocalyptic setting from Serbian developer GFA Games. A Steam Listing is live, saying this is coming to PC later this year, and word is console versions will follow. A PC closed beta test is planned before all that, and you can sign up right here to be considered for that. Here's more on the video and the game:

The video offers a glimpse into the game’s dark and immersive world, showcasing action-packed combat and atmospheric environments set on a mysterious Soviet-era island.

PIONER is a post-apocalyptic MMO shooter set on the mysterious Soviet-era island of Tartarus, offering a vast open world spanning over 50 square kilometers. Blending intense PvE and PvP action with player-driven storytelling, the game features faction missions, hidden dungeons, and dynamic environments. Realism takes center stage, replacing traditional health bars and levels with immersive mechanics. High-risk zones like the "Shadowlands" push PvP to the extreme, allowing for chaotic, high-reward battles where alliances are key — or optional!

Broken Mirror Games and Skybound Entertainment announce I Hate This Place, an open-world survival/horror game coming to PC and consoles this year. Broken Mirror is some sort of spinoff of Bloober Team, so this comes with horror bona fides. The PC edition has listings on the Epic Games Store and Steam. This is based on an Eisner award-nominated comic book series by Kyle Starks and Artyom Topilin, and this Teaser Trailer shows its comic flavor as it "plunges players deep into a supernatural world where the rules of reality come undone." Here's more:

In an all-new isometric survival horror experience, delivered in a striking visual style drenched in bold, vivid colours and retro ‘80s comic book aesthetics, each location is lovingly crafted to tell its own disturbing story through stylish visuals that blur the line between reality and nightmare in a world where everything wants you dead.

Players take on the role of Elena, whose fight for survival begins when she unwittingly awakens a malevolent force. Outmatched and hunted in a hostile world, players must think fast, manipulating their surroundings to even the odds against formidable foes.

• Bionic Bay on Steam (Windows). "A scientist uses a unique teleportation instrument to escape an ancient biomechanical world filled with imaginative technology, deadly traps, and hidden secrets."
• Crown Gambit on Steam (Windows, macOS). "Play as three intrepid paladins through a terrible war of succession to save a sinister medieval kingdom from political turmoil. Pick a side amongst noble families to choose the future monarch and crush those who stand in your way through board-shattering tactical card combat!"
• EXFIL on Steam (Windows). "EXFIL delivers raw tactical FPS intensity with no distractions. No loot grinding, no gimmicks—just pure realism. From the co-designer of 'Squad,' this milsim tests your strategy, comms and teamwork in high-stakes, single-life matches. Will your squad rise to the challenge?"
• Guards II: Prologue on Steam (Windows). "Assemble a team of four brave heroes and embark on a nightmarish journey through the circles of Hell, filled with demons and ancient horrors! The free tactical game Guards II: Prologue will immerse you in battles inspired by myths from various cultures. Are you ready to challenge the darkness?"
• Trident's Tale on Steam (Windows). "Uncover the secrets of the Storm Trident and rule the seas - Your legend awaits in Trident's Tale!"

• Bandit Trap on Steam. "Defend your home against a bandit invasion using inventive boobytraps as a Trapper, or join a team of three Bandits and try to get away with the loot! Introducing BANDIT TRAP—a fresh 3vs1, chaotically fun, physics-driven online multiplayer game for the whole family."
• Neon Abyss 2 on Steam. "Plunge into the multiplayer cybermyth roguelike chaos of Neon Abyss 2! With diverse combat styles and unlimited item synergies, every run delivers a dramatic and action-packed experience you won't forget."
• STAND-ALONE on Steam. "STAND-ALONE is an Action Roguelite with Fluid Pixel animation and Skill-Deck Building. Step into and be a sheep armed with a sci-fi greatsword, carving a path through wolves. Modify your skills within the desolate worlds of a sci-fi apocalypse to create a unique combat style that is all your own."

• Alcyone- The Last City - Official Launch Trailer. April 2nd.
• CHAINS OF FREEDOM - Official Date Reveal trailer. April 15th.
• City Tales - Early Access Release date trailer (FGS Show Live 2025). May 22nd.
• FRETLESS - REVEAL DATE TRAILER. May 22nd.
• Game of Thrones- Kingsroad - Founder's Pack. Early Access March 26th.
• Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days - Early Access Date Announcement Trailer. April 9th.
• Once Upon A Puppet - Release Date Trailer - Future Games Show 2025. April 23rd.
• SONOKUNI Release Date Trailer. March 31st.

• Locomoto - Nintendo Switch Announcement Trailer. Cozy conductor sim coming to Steam on April 8th.

• Become a 3D Artist - Mega Tutorial Bundle (pay what you want and help charity) - Humble.*
• Humble Software Bundle: Music for Dummies (pay what you want and help charity).*

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

• Monster Hunter Wilds is US' best-selling game of 2025 so far - US Monthly Charts - GamesIndustry.biz.

• Phil Spencer says more movies and TV shows based on Xbox games are on the way - VGC.
• The Nintendo Switch 2 logo will be featured on the Seattle Mariners' baseball jerseys this season - TechRadar.

Official patches.

• Warface: Clutch - Piranha League Seasonal Update.

• GeForce NOW Thursday- ‘Assassin’s Creed Shadows.’

• Entertainment Software Association Introduces the Accessible Games Initiative to Provide Players with Information About Accessibility Features in Video Games.

• Abyssus - Weapon Trailer.
• City Builder & Colony Sim Fest 2025- Official Trailer. Next week on Steam.
• Commandos: Origins - Interactive Trailer.
• INDUSTRIA 2 Story Trailer.
• LAN Party Adventures - Reveal Trailer.
• The Last Caretaker Reveal Trailer - Future Games Show Spring Showcase 2025.
• Mandragora- Whispers of the Witch Tree - Future Games Show Trailer.
• METAL EDEN: Gameplay Trailer. Public demo April 8th.
• Revenge of the Savage Planet - Cosmic Hoarder Edition Couch Co-Op Trailer.
• Section 13 - Future Games Show Spring Showcase 2025 Trailer.
• Sengoku Dynasty - New Features In Update 'Mono No Aware' Revelead.
• WILL: Follow The Light - First Gameplay Reveal Trailer - March 2025.

↑ Official trailers. ↓ Content creator videos.

• When the loot is bad - Viva La Dirt League (NSFW). Thanks Ant.
• Recasting The Witcher - Viva La Dirt League.

• Remedy Entertainment reveals Altered Augments for FBC- Firebreak – PlayStation.Blog.

• RollerCoaster Tycoon 3- Complete Edition - PS5 & Xbox Launch Trailer.

• Call of Duty: Mobile - Season 3- Cyber Mirage Trailer.

• Nvidia to spend hundreds of billions on U.S.-made chips, confirms Blackwell system production in the U.S. - Tom's Hardware.
• Dutch parliament calls for end to dependence on US software companies - Reuters. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Nvidia CEO denies being approached for stake in Intel Foundry, casting doubt on consortium reports — Tom's Hardware.

• Mom horrified by Character.AI chatbots posing as son who died by suicide - Ars Technica. Thanks Burrito of Peace.

• Google sues alleged scammers over 10,000 fake Maps listings - The Verge.

Last Link of the Day: The Electric State Pitch Meeting.

Jurassic World Evolution 2 for Windows is now available completely free on the Epic Games Store as its latest regular Thursday giveaway. This theme park simulation is yours to keep if you stomp on over and collect a copy by next week. At that point we're told to expect two new giveaways, but each is listed as a "mystery game," so stay tuned. Here's a bit on today's freebie:

Jurassic World Evolution 2 is the much-anticipated sequel to Frontier’s ground-breaking 2018 management simulation, Jurassic World Evolution, offering an all new narrative campaign voiced by cast members from across the Jurassic World film franchise, exciting new features, four engaging game modes, and an expanded roster of awe-inspiring dinosaurs.

Learn what it takes to be a park management master in Campaign mode, a compelling, original narrative that puts you at the heart of the action following the earth-shattering events of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Work alongside iconic characters from the films, including Dr. Ian Malcolm (voiced by Jeff Goldblum) and Claire Dearing (voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard), and lead the efforts to control, conserve, and contain wild dinosaurs now rampaging across the USA.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is now available for PC and consoles, offering a new installment in Ubisoft's stealthy action/adventure series set in feudal Japan. The Windows edition is on Steam, and while there's no launch discount, there's the chance to spend extra on the Digital Deluxe Edition and/or a Premium Starter Pack. Reviews started pouring out on Tuesday, and we have a roundup of those. The official Steam Trailer shows off gameplay and enhancements specific to the PC version. Here's the description:

Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.

Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles. As Naoe, use stealth to avoid detection and agility to confound your enemies. As Yasuke, strike your foes with lethal precision and power.

Balatro won Game of the Year at last night's 25th annual Game Developers Choice Awards. The surprise hit roguelike deckbuilder also took home the awards for Best Debut, Innovation, and Best Design. This press release has details, including more on the Lifetime Achievement Award for Remedy's Sam Lake and the Pioneer Award for Papers, Please creator Lucas Pope. It also has a rundown on all the other winners:

Astro Bot, the 3D platforming adventure developed by PlayStation Studios Team ASOBI and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, also received two accolades during the GDCA ceremony: Best Audio and Best Technology. The title is a love letter to the many iconic characters and worlds from PlayStation’s wide roster of franchises, and has been widely praised for its unique and energetic level design, incredible soundtrack, smart integration with the PlayStation 5’s hardware and charming aesthetics.

Other winners of the night included Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science), which won Best Visual Art, Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero / ATLUS) which received Best Narrative, Life is Strange: Double Exposure (Deck Nine Games / Square Enix) which was honored with the Social Impact Award and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix) which received the Audience Award.

Go west young man! EmpireCraft Studios and Toplitz Productions announce Wild West Pioneers, a city-builder that takes players to the American frontier to stake their claims. Promising a "fresh take" on the genre, this replaces modern highways and road systems with swanky dirt paths, and provides the chance to build soaring three-story skyscrapers. The Announcement Teaser takes a dusty look at the proceedings, revealing the game will come to Early Access this year via the Epic Games Store and Steam, where its listing is live. Here's more:

Wild West Pioneers is a classic city builder with a modern touch, putting you in control in developing the American frontier. Lay the groundwork for prosperous settlements, decide who will lead the city and establish production chains for food, wood etc., so the needs of each settler are fulfilled. Then send another trek on its way to expand your sphere of influence. Set up trade routes and prepare the land for the coming railroad network.

With a variety of quests, an intuitive interface and eye-catching visuals, the world of Wild West Pioneers evokes the spirit of the heyday of city builders and catapults it into the presence. No need to stress out, when you can just relax and watch the charming hustle and bustle of a busy settlement as well as dozens of buildings and production chains.

Snail Games announces ARK: Aquatica at GDC, revealing plans for an expansion of Ark: Survival Evolved. Confusingly, this is a modernized version of the original Ark: Survival Evolved, now a separate branch from ARK: Survival Ascended and ARK 2, which are still in development at original ARK developer Studio Wildcard. The announcement comes in the form of an Official GDC 2025 Trailer. While this includes what seems to be a glimpse of gameplay, it also seems to be mostly AI. PC Gamer discusses the AI wonkiness: "Everything's slightly off: The colours look weird, with featureless blacked-out fish next to dazzlingly bright coral formations. The animations are just not right, with an octopus emerging from the water and then seemingly hovering above the surface. And the transitions are terrible, particularly the trailer's end where a tentacle touches an ugly-ass coral-encrusted logo." Back to the original announcement, the ARK Aquatica Steam Listing is live saying this is coming in June and offering the following description:

Waking up on ‘Aquatica,’ a crash-landed ARK submerged within a vast underwater biome system, survivors are thrust into exotic challenges never before encountered: extreme environmental hazards, crushing pressures, rapid currents, and a host of extraordinary creatures await within the mysterious depths. On Aquatica, survivors will uncover the potential source of Element and catch a glimpse of what the future holds for those bold enough to endure. Aquatica is the first official DLC to tell a side story, expanding the ARK universe into new dimensions of survival.

• Cinemaster Cinema Simulator on Steam (Windows). "Run your own cinema! Set showtimes, print tickets, buy new films, pop popcorn, upgrade and clean theaters. Vending machines, staffs, upgrades, and much more are coming soon!"

• Deliver At All Costs - Release Date Trailer. May 22nd. Thanks Reddit.
• Phantom Brave- The Lost Hero - Steam Release Date Announcement Trailer. April 24th.

• Amid Japan Concern About Assassin's Creed Shadows, Ubisoft Confirms Day-One Patch That Makes Tables and Racks in Temples and Shrines Indestructible - IGN.

• Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land x Tekken 8 free collaboration DLC announced - Gematsu.

• McDonald's limited-edition £8 Minecraft Movie menu includes "amazing collectibles" for adults - Eurogamer.net.

Official patches.

• Disney Speedstorm Hotfix – Season 12.
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 PC – Patch 6 Release Notes.
• Old School RuneScape - Sailing Alpha Out Now.
• Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown - Season 3 Patch Notes.

• Step into the shadows. Discover Assassin’s Creed Shadows with Ubisoft+ Trailer.

• Windows 11 now lets you easily type with an Xbox controller - The Verge.

• Nvidia confirms 'open issue' with Varjo Aero VR headsets and RTX 50-series graphics cards after affected users ask for help - PC Gamer.

• LG’s NFT marketplace for TVs is shutting down - The Verge.

Official trailers.

• Atomfall - Pre-Launch Trailer.
• Disney Speedstorm - Snow White Joins the race.
• ENDLESS Legend 2 Kin of Sheredyn - Faction Spotlight.
• Monster Run: Downfall of the Empire - Epic Games Store Release Trailer.
• RAID: Shadow Legends - What’s Next in RAID? Episode 9.

• Karl-Anthony Towns scratches a historical itch with Assassin's Creed - ESPN.

• 8 Ways Assassin's Creed Shadows Breaks Free From Its Predecessors - Xbox Wire.

• Nintendo Download: Set Coordinates for Mira – Xenoblade Chronicles X- Definitive Edition Launches Today.

• Discord announces mobile ad format to broaden game ad opportunities - VentureBeat.
• ROME: Total War Mobile - Imperium Update.
• Huawei’s new flip phone is weirdly wide - The Verge.

• From sterilising baby bottles to charging laptops, some Australians powered through Cyclone Alfred using EV batteries - The Guardian. Thanks Reddit.

• YouTube is investigating a bug causing low-res videos - The Verge.

• Nvidia sells RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 from a 'food truck' at GTC - Tom's Hardware.
• AMD's Lisa Su has already beaten Intel. Now comes Nvidia - CNBC. Thanks Matthew.
• NVIDIA Rumored To Have Pushed Back The Launch Of RTX 5060 Ti And RTX 5060 GPUs By A Few Weeks - Wccftech.
• Nvidia CEO- Humanoid robot revolution is closer than you think - Reuters.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader DC version 2025.001.20435. Thanks Console General.

• ChatGPT falsely told man he killed his children - BBC.

• Amazing New Technology Can 'Bend' Sounds Into Your Ears Only - ScienceAlert. Thanks Max.

• Anti-Cheat Expert Showcases AI-Powered Anti-Cheat Innovations at GDC 2025 - Business Wire.
• Hundreds of Malicious Android Apps Infect Over 60 Million Devices - CyberInsider. Thanks Reddit.
• DOGE to Fired CISA Staff- Email Us Your Personal Data – Krebs on Security.
• Website called ‘Dogequest’ created to dox Tesla owners nationwide - The Independent. Thanks Matthew.

• Square Enix accuses Front Mission developer of stealing assets for its own game - Eurogamer.net.
• People Arrested for Illegal Sega Game In-Game Purchases Scam - Siloiconera.
• FCC to get Republican majority and plans to “delete” as many rules as possible - Ars Technica.

• Inzoi's attempt to do everything has left it a shallow imitation of The Sims - PC Gamer.

• Graphics Card: ASUS GeForce RTX 5070 TUF OC Review - TechPowerUp.
• Mouse: Zaopin Z2 Mini Review - TechPowerUp.
• SSD: Samsung 9100 Pro 2 TB NVMe SSD review - PC Gamer.

• Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Cultural Discovery Codex Brings Players Closer to History of Feudal Japan…

Happy spring to everyone in the Northern Hemisphere, and happy autumn to those south of the equator! Today marks the vernal or autumnal equinox, depending on your orientation, so we'll just call it the March equinox. The magic of the astrological change of seasons came at 5:01 am EDT, so the new season is practically old hat already. Especially around here, where milder weather settled in a couple of weeks ago.

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

Story

• Boston Celtics sold for $6.1 billion to Bill Chisholm, Sixth Street group - CNBC.

Science

• Could a Tattoo Raise Your Risk of Skin Cancer? Twin Studies Suggest a Link. - ScienceAlert.
• Why do plastic containers always come out wet from the dishwasher? Science has the answer - The Conversation. We don't use either in the BlueTower.
• Greco-Roman Statues Were Originally Scented, New Study Finds - AllThatsInteresting. The original AR.

Images

• New 'baby pictures' of the cosmos show the universe in its infancy - NPR.
• Never-Before-Seen- UCLA Physicists Discover Mysterious Spiral Patterns on Solid Surfaces - SciTechDaily.

Auction

• Golden Asus ROG RTX 5090 Astral with Jensen Huang's autograph shown off at GTC - Tom's Hardware.

Follow-up

• The Boeing Starliner astronauts have returned to Earth after nine long months stuck in space—but their $150,000 salary won’t come with overtime - Fortune.

The Funnies

• Intentional - Savage Chickens.