Look up! Old Skies is now available for Windows, macOS, and Linux on GOG.com* and Steam with a 10% launch discount on time-traveling adventure. The promised Switch version is still in the works, but won't launch today as planned. Set in New York City, the game includes seven missions spanning 200 years of alterable history, ranging from old-timey gang fights to the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center. Here's an Old Skies Trailer introducing a twist on the game's twist leaving the (non Rick and Morty) time cops in a predicament that apparently involves shooting a lot of people from point-blank range. Here's more:

Time Travel is real and history is up for grabs! In this point-and-click, you play Fia Quinn, a time agent for the ChronoZen agency. Your job is to keep close watch on seven travelers who have the desire (and the bank accounts) to sightsee in the past. Some are simply curious. Others have unfinished business to resolve. And they’ve all put down a lot of money for the trip, so it’s vital that you keep them happy while ensuring they follow the rules. But what could go wrong? It's only time travel, after all.

Ubisoft announces that the Battle for Brooklyn DLC will come to Tom Clancy's The Division 2 on May 27th, kicking off a new season of content for the online action/RPG. Of course the real battle for Brooklyn was won by the hipster invaders more years ago, driving me from my home borough, but this version is a fictional conflict that fits in with the game's post-pandemic storyline. Here's a new Deep Dive Trailer with a look at the new content, and here's word:

Battle for Brooklyn will bring players back to New York City in autumn, a new time of year not yet featured in the franchise. Residents have been living relatively peaceful lives in the post-pandemic neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo. While some of these areas may look familiar to veteran Division players, others are entirely new and hold a fresh crop of secrets and challenges, and the narrative will be approachable for new players as well as seasoned Agents.

The main threat comes from the Cleaners and Rikers, who have crossed the river from Manhattan armed with the deadly Purple Flame: a corrosive new twist on their arsenal that will force players to rethink their tactics. As they progress through the linear campaign, either solo or in co-op, players will uncover how the Cleaners are producing the Purple Flame and fight to thwart the planned attack on civilians.

Hatchery Games announces Voidling Bound, a third-person shooter with a monster-taming component that promises to reinvent the genre. This has a listing on Steam that shows a "coming soon" release window. The Official Reveal Trailer shows off gameplay, tamable critters, and a "Space Wrangle" helmet we're not sure can fit an entire human head. Here's more:

Become a Space Wrangler and take direct control of creatures called "Voidlings" in this action-packed sci-fi 3rd person shooter. Shape them through branching evolution paths and upgrade their abilities to overcome bubonic swarms, pestilent bosses, and reclaim lush planets overrun by corruption.

Defenseless against a devastating parasite threatening all life forms, humanity must team up with recently discovered Voidlings to unlock their full potential through the neural bond. Become bound as one, as the last line of defense in our fight for survival.

• Office After Hours on Steam (Windows). "Spot anomalies and uncover hidden clues to escape an office where overwork turns strange and experiments happen more often than coffee breaks."

• Xenomorph, A Spiritual Successor To Alien vs Predator On The Atari Jaguar Is In Development From Athena Worlds - Wccftech. I remember my buddy Devicer's incredibly compulsive play-through caused by the persistence of acid spills from xenomorph corpses.

• Office After Hours - Release Date Trailer (Steam PC). Spot-the-difference game on June 2nd.

Official patches.

• Microsoft Flight Simulator Releases City Update 10: United States I.

• Windows 11 24H2 resurrects a 20-year-old bug in GTA San Andreas, here is how - Neowin.

• ‘Let me do that one again’- Oblivion Remastered still has the original’s infamous dialogue blooper - VGC.

• Behold! A single QR code containing a miniaturized take on Doom- 'literally the entire game' - PC Gamer.

Official trailers.

• The Division 2: Battle for Brooklyn DLC & Year 7 Showcase.
• For Honor- The Warrior Prince Trailer.
• Subnautica 2 Dev Vlog - Road to Early Access.

• Malys- Exorcise demons on your hunt for an ancient evil 🕯️ by Summerfall Studios – Kickstarter. "You ride into a dark and forbidding city in the dead of night. It’s a city festering with evil, teeming with demons that have taken possession of the innocent, and somewhere among them lies the target of your hunt: Malys, a demon of extraordinary cunning and power."

• Xbox App Now Available on LG Smart TVs - Xbox Wire.
• Forza Horizon 5 Launch Trailer - PS5 Games.

• Meta rolls out live translations to all Ray-Ban smart glasses users - The Verge.

• Discord confirms it's moving toward 'becoming a public company' as it hires a former Activision executive as its new CEO - PC Gamer.

• PC shipments up 6.7% YoY in Q1 2025, likely caused by buyers worried about tariffs - Tom's Hardware.
• Windows 11 build 27842 gets redesigned green screen of death and reworked battery indicator - Neowin.
• Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27842 (Canary Channel) - Windows Insider Blog. Thanks Console General.

• AI has grown beyond human knowledge, says Google's DeepMind unit - ZDNET.
• AI secretly helped write California bar exam, sparking uproar - Ars Technica.
• Capital One Banks on AI for Financial Services. No longer has to ask what's in your wallet.
• AI Is Spreading Old Stereotypes to New Languages and Cultures - WIRED (may require registration or subscription).

• Ragnarok Online dev fined by Korean government for manipulating pull rates, agrees to reimburse affected players - AUTOMATON. Thanks Reddit.
• Apple and Meta furious at EU over fines totaling €700 million - Ars Technica.
• Did Tim Cook finagle a special tariff deal- Senator Warren wants to know - The Verge.

Last Link of the Day: Predator: Badlands - Teaser Trailer.

An "exclusive" report on Variety reveals plans for an open-world role-playing game based on Wheel of Time, the 14-book fantasy series by Robert Jordan. Word is this will be in development for at least three years, and the launch will come to PC and consoles:

Described as a AAA open-world role-playing game (RPG), the “Wheel of Time” video game will be developed wholly in house by the team at the newly launched iwot games, which will be led by Warner Bros. Games vet Craig Alexander. The studio projects a three-year development process for the game, which it expects to launch on PC and consoles.

Per iwot, the studio’s new games division “will build on the global success” of Amazon Prime Video’s “The Wheel of Time” TV series adaptation, which is now in its third season, with this new project.

Here's a roundup of reviews of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, in advance of tomorrow's launch of the buy-a-vowel RPG. The game won't continue in obscurity if everyone keeps talking about it like this:

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review "So Many F*cking QTE's So Worth Getting" - AGC (video).
• Clair Obscur- Expedition 33 - Dual Shockers.
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review - Eurogamer.net.
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review - Light And Shadow - GameSpot.
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review - IGN.
• Clair Obscur- Expedition 33 Has The Juice - Kotaku.
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review - PC Gamer.
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review - Rock Paper Shotgun.
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review - RPGFan.
• "Expedition 33" Is An Exercise In RPG Artistry - Video Games - Roger Ebert. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah.
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Embraces Its Premise - Siliconera.
• Clair Obscur Expedition 33 review- avoir le coup de foudre - VG247.

Paradox Interactive announces more success for Crusader Kings III, saying the historical strategy series has sold over four million units since launching in 2020 for PC and consoles. The game hit the three million sales mark in 2023, so it continues to show legs. Speaking of which, the announcement also takes the opportunity to remind us that the game's Khans of the Steppe expansion will launch next Tuesday. Here's word on the new milestone:

Paradox Interactive is very pleased to announce that Crusader Kings III has sold four million copies across platforms - computer, Playstation 5 and Xbox Series consoles. The best-selling medieval strategy role-playing game reached this milestone earlier this year.

Released in the fall of 2020, Crusader Kings III has captivated audiences around the world with its mixture of character focused stories and deep strategic planning in a carefully researched medieval world that stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to India, and from the Arctic Circle to south of the Sahara. Tens of thousands of different personalities march through unique player written histories, histories with heroes and heroines, rogues and villains, warriors and saints.

In another sales milestone, as it prepares to launch Ready or Not on consoles, VOID Interactive announces the SWAT series has sold more than nine million copies on PC, and is approaching the 10 million sales plateau. Here's the news:

Acclaimed tactical FPS Ready Or Not has recently sold more than 9 million units worldwide on Steam during its lifetime, and is fast approaching 10 million lifetime units, VOID Interactive announced today. During the highly anticipated inaugural Galaxies Showcase, VOID Interactive announced that Ready or Not is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Epic Game Store, and Microsoft Store this summer. The console release will introduce full cross-play between all platforms and free content updates.

"Our flagship tactical shooter Ready or Not is hitting a huge new milestone: We’re officially coming to PlayStation and Xbox this summer," said VOID Interactive CEO, Julio Rodriguez. "As we approach 10 million units sold on Steam, we’re beyond excited to bring the experience to console players worldwide."

Belgian developer N-Zone announces Chickenhare & the Treasure of Spiking-Beard, an action/adventure based on a comic book IP coming to PC and consoles this year. This includes the chance to play as the game's titular hybrid and two other characters, each with unique abilities. The official trailer takes a first look, and the Steam Listing is online. Here's the plan:

Players will embark on a hunt for a legendary Treasure, and for the first time, will have the power to seamlessly embody at will the three distinct and dynamic protagonists: Chickenhare, Meg, and Abe. Each character boasts a unique set of skills essential for overcoming the challenges that lie ahead:

•  Chickenhare: Combining the agility of a hare with surprising chicken-like abilities, Chickenhare has mastered his agility and jumping powers. Players will navigate treacherous environments and reach seemingly impossible places with his unique acrobatic prowess.
• Meg: With her unmatched martial arts skills, Meg is a formidable fighter. Players will master her swift moves and powerful techniques to take on any adversary, even the notorious Piggy, proving her a force to be reckoned with.
• Abe: This skeptical yet incredibly strong Galapagos Tortoise is a force of nature. Players can utilize Abe's immense strength to power slide, smash through obstacles and clear the way, paving paths where none existed before.

• Arcade Galaxy on Steam (Windows). "Welcome to Arcade Galaxy! Dive into a universe of player-created challenges. Build unique levels with our powerful editor, customize your Cubs with fun cosmetics and skills, and compete globally to set records or just have fun with friends. Create, share, and conquer the galaxy!"
• Gun Center Simulator on Steam (Windows). "Enter the world of a gun shop as a passionate collector who opens his own gun center! Create and manage your own gun center where you trade, customize and sell firearms, from classic pistols to cutting-edge weapons."

• Rooftops & Alleys: The Parkour Game - Release Date Reveal. Jumps out of Early Access on June 17th.

• Assassin's Creed Shadows has third biggest US launch month in series history - US Monthly Charts - GamesIndustry.biz.

• Darkest Dungeon II - Kingdoms- Secrets of the Coven - Hotfix.
• The Political Machine 2024 - v1.17 'Tariff Update' Now Available.

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

• Sword Heart Shura is a total combat overhaul mod for Elden Ring - DSOGaming.

• PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS Weekly Bans Notice (04/14~04/20).

• Aces of Thunder to add flat screen mode “shortly after” launch - Gematsu.

• Steam users will soon be able to search for games based on accessibility features - Game Developer.

• Instead of shutting down mod remaking Oblivion in Skyrim, Bethesda gave the team Oblivion Remastered keys - VGC.

Official trailers.

• ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN - Recluse Character Trailer.
• Marvel Rivals - Giant-Size Brain Blast Trailer.
• Touhou Spell Carnival - Gameplay Overview Trailer - Steam.
• VARLET - Announcement Traile. I'd like to buy a consonant.

• New PS5 System Software update features audio focus and the return of the classic console UI customizations – PlayStation.Blog.
• Nintendo tells customers in Japan to expect Switch 2 hardware shortage at launch - Game Developer.
• Ghost of Yōtei comes to PlayStation 5 on October 2 – PlayStation.Blog.
• Perfect Tides- Station to Station - Switch Trailer.

• Announcing Might and Magic Fates - A New Trading Card Game - Ubisoft.
• An Uber drove away with her kid. Then Uber wouldn't connect her or police with the driver - CBC News. Thanks Reddit.

• Pointless and bad: YouTube's new player UI draws criticism from users - Neowin.

Thanks Console General.

• Intel is boosting the performance of its Arrow Lake CPUs for free - The Verge.
• The Death of Affordable Computing - Tariffs Impact & Investigation - Gamers Nexus (video).
• Plex Media Server version 1.41.6.9685.
• Evernote version 10.136.3.

• Films made with AI can win Oscars, Academy says - BBC.
• Customize AI With the Project G-Assist Plug-In Builder - NVIDIA Blog.

• US cyber defenses are being dismantled from the inside • The Register.

Thanks Neutronbeam.

• Case: Corsair Frame 4000D review - PC Gamer.
• CPU/GPU/AIO/SSD Cooler: Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB - OCinside (German).
• Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB Review - So Many Compromises - TechPowerUp.
• Headset/Earbuds: Corsair Void Wireless v2 Review - Reborn and Better Than Ever - TechPowerUp.
• Headset/Earbuds: SteelSeries GameBuds for PC and PlayStation - Mad Shrimps.
• Keyboard: Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Gaming Keyboard - Mad Shrimps.
• Monitor/Projector: AOC CQ27G4ZH Gaming Monitor Review- 300 Hz For Less Than You’d Expect - Tom's Hardware.

I'm very sad to share the news of the passing of one of our own, RedEye9. I'm pretty broken up after learning this was the cause of the recent absence of this long-time reader, contributor, and forum participant. In trying to get in touch with him, Beamer uncovered the news that he died in early February of this year, just a day or two after his final post here. RedEye9 loved games and he loved this site, and his passion is sorely missed. At least for most. That passion extended to politics to an extreme degree, and he had more than a few clashes about this in the forums. So this could be a little touchy for some, but I hope past grievances do not extend to the grave.

Heartfelt condolences to his friends and family, and rest in peace to our comrade.

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

Breakfast Link

• Thomas Kinkade’s Dark Side Revealed In 'Art For Everybody' Documentary - Deadline.

Stories

• Glass bottles in, sand out – Disney World is crushing glass to make pathways and more in its latest sustainable move - TechRadar.

Science

• Scientists create ultra-tough copper alloy that is stronger than steel and can withstand temperatures of 1500 F - Live Science.
• A Monster Black Hole Is Headed Toward Our Galaxy—and It’s Coming Closer - Daily Galaxy. Board up your windows.
• Scientists achieve breakthrough after microwaving ultra-tough clothing material — here's how it could reshape a $3 billion industry - TCD.

Media

• Honest Trailers - Mystery Men. Love that oddball movie.