A new Game Update video for Vampire: the Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 discusses the status of the action/RPG sequel. Word right up front is the game is "done," before resetting expectations of what that means by announcing its release is being delayed to work out remaining bugs and stability/performance issues. Word is: "Paradox Interactive and The Chinese Room are committed to delivering this game, and we believe that ensuring great technical quality is more important than sticking to a specific date." So rather than launching by the end of Q2, the game is now expected in October. Here's more:

The game is currently in a late development stage, and feedback from the community has been taken into account during this time. TCR is working hard on quality assurance to ensure it is stable and free of bugs that could disrupt the player experience.

Bloodlines 2 will launch in October 2025 when the game meets the technical quality standards that you, our fans, rightfully expect and deserve. Please stay tuned for the game’s exact launch date.

Moonshot Games announces Wildgate, a crew-based, multiplayer first-person shooter set in space, where no one can hear you go wild. This promises "action-packed emergent gameplay with explosive spaceship combat" when it arrives on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S later this year. But the chance to take flight arrives sooner than that, as signups are underway on the Official Website for a playtest that will run from April 10-14. Here's the Reveal Trailer and a more detailed Deep Dive Trailer for looks at what to expect, and the game's Steam Listing is live. Here's more:

Blast off into high-stakes spaceship battles and intense first-person shootouts, where no two matches are ever the same. If you want to claim the ultimate prize — the mysterious and priceless Artifact — you'll need to improvise on the fly, whether it's chasing down rival crews and stealing their gear, repairing your damaged ship, or scanning for precious resources.

Your ship is your home and lifeline — for you, and your prospector crew. Keep it topped up with ice, fuel and ammo so you're ready for anyone or anything the Reach throws at you.

The Darkest Files is now available on GOG.com* and Steam, offering a detective/courtroom adventure for Windows and macOS from Paintbucket Games. This self-published spiritual successor to Through the Darkest of Times is set in 1956 Germany, putting you on the trail of Nazi war criminals in an effort to bring them to justice. The Launch Trailer for the historical investigation game take a look at the mix of gameplay and history this presents, and there's a playable demo to sample firsthand. Here's more:

The Darkest Files is a historical investigation and trial game. Players take on the role of Esther Katz, a young, ambitious prosecutor in post-war Germany, as she investigates unsolved crimes from the Nazi era based on true events. To do this, they interview witnesses, search for clues, and finally bring the perpetrators to justice, where they must try to prove their theory of how the crime was committed.

On her exciting and emotional journey into the 1950s, the protagonist Esther Katz becomes part of the team of the famous historical figure Fritz Bauer, who actually investigated such cases as a public prosecutor in Frankfurt at that time.

A post on Game Informer informs us that Game Informer is once again Game Informer, as the site and entire staff are back following a shutdown last August. There's also a video covering the news. Awkwardly, the games journalism site is now operated by game developer Gunzilla Games, the studio behind NFT battle royale Off The Grid. But the post states it will operate with complete editorial independence:

How did this all happen? After first touching base with our team and ensuring our interest, the team at Gunzilla Games secured the rights to Game Informer. From the start, the new owners insisted on the idea of Game Informer remaining an independent editorial outlet; they felt just as strongly as our team did that the only path forward was with an editorial group that made 100 percent of the decisions around what we cover and how we do so, without any influence from them or anyone else.

• Shadow of the Road on Steam (Windows). "Shadow of the Road is a story-driven, turn-based RPG where feudal Japan meets magic and machine. Assemble your team from a diverse set of characters and test your skills against yōkai and steampunk contraptions. Carve your own path through an immersive story and change the fate of the Empire."

• Soulslinger- Envoy of Death - Release Date Announcement. April 17th.
• Sunderfolk release date and more announced at Dreamhaven showcase hosted by The Game Awards - Eurogamer.net. April 23rd.

• After 23 years of making Dwarf Fortress, even its creator is still 'terrified' of drowning all his dwarves with aquifers- 'Part of the problem is we are just not good at videogames' - PC Gamer.

• Leisure Suit Larry Complete Collection Bundle 2025 (pay what you want and help charity) - Humble.*
• EARTH DEFENSE FORCE COLLECTION (pay what you want and help charity) - Humble.*

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

• Behind Pokémon Go Deal, Video-Game Maker Scopely's Consolidation Strategy - Bloomberg (may require registration or subscription).
• Activision User Research Workers Overwhelmingly Vote to Form Union with CWA - Communications Workers of America.

• Game Developers Conference 2025 and GDC Nights Draw to a Successful Close With Nearly 30,000 Attendees, Including 6,000 Attendees for the Inaugural GDC Nights.

• A Minecraft Movie Live Event - Minecraft.

Official patches.

• DEATH NOTE Killer Within - Introducing Soichiro Yagami - NEW ROLES UPDATE + Patch Note V1.3.4.
• Marvel Rivals - Marvel Rivals Version 20250327 Patch Notes.
• Maximum Football - Welcome to Season 2: Vice Blitz.
• Warhammer 40,000: Darktide - Nightmares & Visions - OUT NOW.

Official trailers.

• Big Buck Hunter: Ultimate Trophy - Bonus Games Featurette.
• Call of Duty: Warzone - Stories of Verdansk - Swagg "TheRecord Breaker."
• Maximum Football - Season 2- Vice Blitz - Available Now.
• Warhammer 40,000: Darktide - Nightmares and Visions Update - Release Trailer.

• ‘It’s about power, control, and corruption’- Why actor Abubakar Salim is making a horror game about the entertainment industry - VGC.

• HIDALGO - A Co-op Cozy Adventure Game on Don Quixote's World by Infinite Thread Games — Kickstarter. "Hidalgo is a cozy and wholesome adventure of Don Quijote of La Mancha, with unique art that simulates a handmade tabletop model. It allows you to experience the story with innovative mechanics, awesome landscapes and interesting boss fights together with a family rediscovering themselves."

• New PlayStation 5 Update Is Available Now - GameRant.
• Neko Bakery - Date Announcement Trailer - Nintendo Switch April 3rd.

• Major League Baseball partners with renowned video game publisher KONAMI Digital Entertainment in global, multi-year sponsorship deal promoting the new game, eBaseball: MLB PRO SPIRIT.

• Napster Bought By Metaverse Company For $207 Million - Kotaku.

• Real-world GPU prices cost up to twice the MSRP — a look at current FPS per dollar values - Tom's Hardware.

• Experts doubt Oracle's breach denial as inside data emerges • The Register.
• The Pentagon warns government officials that Signal is being targeted by Russian hackers - Engadget.

Last Link of the Day: FOBBV CAM - Waddle Waddle… Whoops. I'm walkin' here!

NVIDIA announces Project G-Assist, a new AI Assistant for owners of NVIDIA RTX graphic cards. Rather than help you glue the cheese on your pizza and solve other IRL problems, it uses AI to help automate optimizing your system and game settings. This is extensible, and developers are invited to program plugins to enhance its capabilities. Word is: "G-Assist can provide real-time diagnostics and recommendations to alleviate system bottlenecks, improve power efficiency, optimize game settings, overclock your GPU, and much more." The good news is that it does not sound like the dystopian privacy nightmare that is the signature element of many AI assistants: "Unlike massive cloud-hosted AI models that require online access and paid subscriptions, G-Assist runs on your GeForce RTX GPU. This means it is responsive, free to use, and can run offline." This announcement has details on this and other new features that are now live in the NVIDIA App. If there's bad news, it's in the disclaimer which admits to the potential hazards of both AI models and software that stands at version 0.1:

G-Assist is an automated system powered by AI models and designed to facilitate configuration of your system’s hardware and software settings and to provide information regarding NVIDIA’s GeForce products for your personal, noncommercial use. G-Assist is a pre-release feature and may not be fully functional, may contain errors or design flaws, and may have reduced or different security, privacy, availability and reliability standards relative to commercial versions of NVIDIA offerings.

AI models generate responses and outputs based on complex algorithms and machine learning techniques, and those responses or outputs may be inaccurate, harmful, biased or indecent. By using G-Assist, you assume the risk of any harm caused by any response or output from it. NVIDIA will not be responsible for any actions, losses, or damages suffered as a result of use of G-Assist or its output. We recommend that you verify the information before relying on it.

Atari announces Breakout Beyond is now available for PC and consoles, offering the latest new twist on a classic IP from the now-defunct first iteration the Atari brand. While the original arcade Breakout from 1976 reoriented the horizontal Pong concept into a vertical layout, the new game flips the script once again, returning gameplay to its original, not-upright position. This is on display in the Official Launch Trailer. The Windows edition is on Steam with no demo or launch discount. Here's more:

In this electrifying reimagining of the 1976 arcade classic, players smash their way through each puzzle by clearing bricks to reach the goal. In this iteration, players blast through the screen sideways, challenging them to break through barriers while chaining combos that amplify the intensity with dazzling effects. Special blocks provide powerful boosts, from explosive brick-clearing bursts and protective barriers to a laser cannon that carves a path forward—each unleashing stunning, dynamic visuals that take Breakout to an entirely new level.

With 72 challenging levels, players will put their brick-busting skills to the test—but they don’t have to go it alone. They can team up with a friend in local two-player co-op for double the action or use the new focus mode, which slows down time, trading high scores for enhanced precision.

A playable demo is live on Steam for The HELL - City Builder of the Dead, a strategy game that seems to ignore the three rules of real estate: location, location, location. If it seems like it was just yesterday we mentioned the seemingly endless appeal of mashing up overworld concerns with the underworld, it's because it was. Here's the little slice of life and death this offers: "Assume the role of the Hell Governor and embrace the challenge of welcoming souls who perished in major, historically accurate human catastrophes." The full release should be soon, as it's listed as due in Q1 of this year, which concludes in less than a week. Here's a Developer Play Video and a description:

In this city builder, you’ll craft an infernal hell city from the remnants of despair, balancing limited resources while harnessing the power of lost souls. Navigate the dark challenges inspired by the seven deadly sins and confront colossal titans that guard the underworld’s secrets. Each mission dives deep into lore and tests your strategic skills, as every failure paves the way for your resurgence.

Every cycle through the underworld teaches you something new: past mistakes become future strengths, and each new attempt brings you closer to building a legacy that defies eternal damnation. Focusing on immersive storytelling and dynamic gameplay, The HELL challenges you to reshape a realm where every structure tells a story of sin, suffering, and ultimate redemption.

On the same subject as above, The Deadly Path is now available for Windows on Steam, offering, yes, another management game set in hell. This one promises roguelike strategy where you gather resources to defend and/or expand the hellscape. For an over-the-top look as this trip to the underworld, the gameplay and live action Release Trailer is a batshit crazy affair where no scenery goes unchewed. Here's more on the game, which launches with a 20% discount:

Come to see what all this is about, have you? Right then, I'll fill you in. The Deadly Path is a thrilling building management and roguelike real-time strategy game. It's down to you to do some serious grovelling, gathering and building if you want to survive it. See, you're the Custodian, and you're in the bad books with the fearsome gods of the Dread Pantheon who you're trapped here with.

If you ever want to see the dim light of day again, you'll need to keep these Dread Deities sweet. And that means bringing about their rightful ascension...by whatever means necessary.

• theHunter- Call of the Wild - Rapid Hunt Rifle Pack on Steam (Windows). "Gear up for a new level of hunting with the Rapid Hunt Rifle Pack, featuring three semi automatic rifles known for their quick action and power. Be ready for anything the wild throws your way."
• Wave Defense: Trappist on Steam. "Gear up and get going! Defend your outposts from waves of alien enemies with your mech. Build and upgrade your base, protecting the extraction of the mysterious planetary system’s rich resources!"

• Monster Crown: Sin Eater on Steam (Windows). "Hand-craft your team of perfect Monsters and wage a one-man war against fate and the world in the Crown Nation! With a True Crossbreeding system, every Monster is entirely your own!" Here's a trailer and there's a Kickstarter mentioned below.

• Memoriapolis - Launch Date Reveal Trailer. April 30th.
• SWAT Commander: Prologue – Release Date Trailer. April 4th.
• Viscerafest - Full Release Date Announcement Trailer. April 14th.

• Half-Life 3 May Be Getting Close to Release, as the Game Is Reportedly in the Optimization Phase - Rumor - Wccftech.

• Former Valve exec says the company struggled to sell Half-Life until coming up with the ultimate 'one simple trick' of marketing manoeuvres: slapping a 'Game of the Year' sticker on the box - PC Gamer. Which is why we now have a dozen games of each year.

• Assassin's Creed Shadows is a hit and Steam played a 'significant role' in that- 27% of activations were on PC and it's the 2nd-biggest AC launch of all time - PC Gamer.

• Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Japanese reviews praise the historical action - Polygon.

• The Walking Dead Universe Lurches into UEFN and Fortnite Creative - Trailer.
• That new Street Fighter movie has reportedly been pulled from Sony's upcoming release calendar, so it looks to be back in the release date-less void - VG247.

• HELLDIVERS 2 - PATCH 01.002.201.
• Rise of the Ronin Steam-Ver. 1.09.0.2 (03/25/2025).

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

• The Witcher 3 Next-Gen Mod adds self-shadows to all characters - DSOGaming.

• VividQ Unveils World-First 3D Holographic Gaming Experience With Call of Duty - Business Wire.
• Hindenburg - LZ129 Trailer - TimeLab VR.

• Assassin's Creed Shadows fans have a list of features Ubisoft should add next - Eurogamer.net.
• Here's how you can remove the 30FPS cap from the cut-scenes of Assassin's Creed Shadows - DSOGaming.

• Havok reduces licensing fee for studios with game budgets under $20M - VentureBeat.

Official trailers.

• Fortnite OG Season 3! - 50v50 LTM RETURNS.
• Garden of the Witch - Official Event Trailer - Hunt- Showdown 1896.
• Rapid Hunt Rifle Pack - Launch Trailer.
• Sigilfarer - Unique Dice-Rolling System Gameplay Trailer.
• Town to City - Gameplay Trailer.

• Rise Of The Triad: Ludicrous Edition - Deep Dive Interview with Daniel Albano - Nightdive (video).

• Monster Crown- Sin Eater - Monster Taming RPG by Studio Aurum — Kickstarter. "Studio Aurum is a devoted group absolutely in love with Monster Taming games. The passion we share for these adventures that lit up our childhoods is what drives us as a team, as well as the burning to desire to take Monster Crown to incredible heights."

Thanks Console General.

• Xbox Series X-S is testing a new Game Hub feature where launching a game shows an info screen first - VGC.
• Palworld developer being sued by Nintendo says Switch 2 port still possible - Eurogamer.net.
• Xbox Alpha Ring (2504.250320-2200) Update Preview Release Notes - Xbox Support.
• Xbox Alpha Skip-Ahead Ring (2504.250320-2200) Update Preview Release Notes - Xbox Support.

• Waymo plans robotaxi launch in Washington, DC in 2026 - The Verge.
• How Polestar engineers EVs that can handle brutal winters - Ars Technica.
• China's electric carmaker BYD sales beat Elon Musk's Tesla - BBC.

• Turkey's social media ban has been lifted, but VPN usage is still high - TechRadar.
• Mozilla Firefox 136.0.3, See All New Features, Updates and Fixes. Thanks Frans.

• DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation Available In 5 New Games, Including Half-Life 2 RTX Demo - GeForce News.
• Disasters spur investment in flood and fire risk tech - BBC.
• GIMP 3.0.2 Released. Thanks Reddit via Ant.
• Evernote version 10.132.4. Thanks Console General.

• A new, challenging AGI test stumps most AI models - TechCrunch. Thanks Max.
• NIM Microservices Now Available on RTX AI PCs - NVIDIA Blog.
• Generative AI browser extensions not great for privacy • The Register.
• Some ChatGPT users are addicted and will suffer withdrawal symptoms if cut off, say researchers - Tom's Hardware. Like those people who went to see Avatar in the theater over and over.

• Infosec pro Troy Hunt HasBeenPwned in Mailchimp phish • The Register.
• VanHelsing ransomware emerges to put a stake through Windows • The Register.

• 'It's a bittersweet victory'- Meta has been forced to stop ad-tracking one individual in the UK after settling a years-long court case - PC Gamer.
• Ticketmaster may have violated consumer protection laws - The Verge.
• An iPad Submerged Underwater For Half A Decade Led To The Arrest Of Three Men After The Tablet Provided Sufficient Evidence - Wccftech.

• Case: Montech XR Wood Review - TechPowerUp.
• CPU/GPU/AIO/SSD Cooler: be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 Black Review - TechPowerUp.
• CPU/GPU/AIO/SSD Cooler: MSI MAG CORELIQUID I360 AIO Liquid CPU Cooler - Nikk Tech.
• Monitor/Projector: ASRock PG27FFX2A Monitor - OCinside.
• Mouse: Pulsar Feinmann F01 Review - TechPowerUp.
• RAM: KLEVV URBANE V RGB DDR5-7600 32GB Memory Kit Review - ThinkComputers.org.

• Blizzard plans to revive WoW Classic Hardcore characters 'at our sole discretion', after DDOS attack puts major streamer guild OnlyFangs in the ground. Hardcore goes soft when it comes to streamers…

Thank you to the many who offered advice and suggestions based on the ID theft incident I mentioned yesterday. There were a couple of things I overlooked, including reporting this to the state, so it was helpful. It's also scary how many people mention having personal experiences with this kind of crime. Or as I called it yesterday, "a little modern day excitement."

Obituary: Samsung Electronics co-CEO Han Jong-Hee dies at 63 - CNN Business.

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

Science

• Curiosity Finds Record-Breaking Organic Molecules On Mars Possibly Formed From Fatty Acids - IFLScience.
• Your Brain Might Start 'Eating Itself' During Strenuous Endurance Exercise - ScienceAlert. Runners high = huffing paint?
• Could bullying be an evolutionary trait? - The Conversation. I never encountered a bully that seemed very evolved.
• Scientists Found the Exact Angle That Turns a Crowd Into Chaos - SciTechDaily.

Image

• Mysterious blue spiral spotted over European skies. What was it? (photos) - Space.

Media

• The INSANE Story Behind Who Framed Roger Rabbit - FILM CULT.

Creature Features

• Informing the Big Reveal of Dog Adoption. Thanks VideoSift.

Follow-up

• Boeing wants Trump to resolve its biggest legal problem - Yahoo! Finance. Thanks The Flying Penguin.

The Funnies

• Savage Chickens.
• Weather - Savage Chickens.