Black Desert is now available for free on Steam, which is not the first giveaway for this MMORPG from Pearl Abyss. It's yours to keep if you snag it over the next seven days, and all its DLC is currently on sale for half-off. Here's the pitch:

Played by over 20 million Adventurers - Black Desert Online is an open-world, action MMORPG. Experience intense, action-packed combat, battle massive world bosses, fight alongside friends to siege and conquer castles, and train in professions such as fishing, trading, crafting, cooking, and more!

An Anthem Game Update from Electronic Arts has word that the other shoe will drop on Anthem on January 12, 2026, putting an end to this live service shooter from BioWare that failed to live up to expectations. There's a FAQ with full details, with the overview explaining what the die-hards still playing can expect:

We have an important update to share regarding Anthem. After careful consideration, we will be sunsetting Anthem on January 12, 2026. This means that the game will still be playable online for the next 180+ days. As of today, you can no longer purchase in-game premium currency, but you can still use your remaining balance until the servers go offline.

We deeply appreciate your dedication, passion and support over the years and we’d like to thank you for that.

A post on Steam invites everyone to playtest Vaultbreakers, an upcoming top-down action/RPG for Windows from BetaDwarf. Testing will run for the next week, and an Official Gameplay Trailer is here to show what you'll be getting yourself into. The news includes details on a contest and word that Square Enix has signed on to provide funding and support. Here's more:

Dive into a thrilling top-down Action RPG where epic battles, strategic gameplay, and dynamic environments come together to create a constant stream of emergent experiences. Whether you’re teaming up with friends or facing the dangers alone, the world of Vaultbreakers offers endless excitement, challenges, and rewards.

Embark on tense compact missions that dynamically unfold based on other players and NPC actions. Someone may pollute a big area, another may unlock a secret cave, and one may start an ancient ritual. Everyone has their own plans, ensuring each session is filled with threats and opportunities for you to grab or avoid.

• Auto Drive DEMO on the Epic Games Store (Windows). "In this demo version you get the chance to race across two tracks in the regions Sand Desert and Green Hills. Your opponents will make it difficult for you to get your vehicle to the finish line in one piece. Do you prove your skills by overtaking carefully or do you simply shoot other cars out of the way? Have fun and good luck!"

• Primal Planet Date Reveal Trailer. July 28th.
• Upin & Ipin Universe is coming this July - Wishlist Today. July 17th.

• Before cancelling ZeniMax's Destiny-style MMO shooter, Xbox executives reportedly enjoyed early demos so much that the controller had to be pulled from Phil Spencer's hands - PC Gamer.

• Ubisoft Summer Sale - Save up to 85%.

• Despite review bombing, this ‘censored’ shooter is a Steam top seller - Polygon.

• Big update on Stop Killing Games! - Accursed Farms (video). One million signatures! (Sort of.)

• Distinct Possibility Studios Announces the Open-World Persistent Shooter REAPER ACTUAL.

Official trailer.

• For Honor: Content Of The Week - 3 July.

• Microsoft layoffs latest in a poor history of running game studios - Polygon.

• HELLDIVERS 2 - Deploying on Xbox (video). Thanks Simon.

• iOS 26 can freeze your FaceTime video if it detects nudity -Engadget, Where's the fun in that?

• Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27891 (Canary Channel) - Windows Insider Blog. Thanks Console General.

• 'I'm being paid to fix issues caused by AI' - BBC.
• Velvet Sundown- Viral band success spawns AI claims and hoaxes - BBC.

• Provider of covert surveillance app spills passwords for 62,000 users - Ars Technica.
• Microsoft Windows Firewall complains about Microsoft code • The Register.

Obituary: Michael Madsen Dead- 'Reservoir Dogs,' 'Kill Bill,' 'Donnie Brasco' Actor Was 67 - Deadline.
Obituary: Kenneth Colley Dead- ‘Star Wars’ & ‘Life Of Brian’ Actor Was 87 - Deadline.

Backpack Hero and Figment are now free on the Epic Games Store, offering this week's promised giveaways. All that's required for these to be permanent additions to your game library is to snag them by next Thursday when the new giveaways arrive. Epic spoils the suspense on that by announcing that next week's freebies will be Figment 2: Creed Valley and Sky Racket, so don't go buying them in the meantime. Here's word on today's gifts:

Backpack Hero is a twist on your standard deck-building roguelike. It isn't just about what you carry, but how you organize the items within your bag! Their placement has a huge impact on their performance. Find them the right spot in your backpack to increase their power! Explore ancient dungeons, caves, swamps, and more! Meet colorful friends and fight deadly foes! Don't get lost!

A musical action-adventure set in the recesses of the human mind... Welcome to the world of Figment. A strange and surreal world; a place filled with our deepest thoughts, urges and memories, populated by the many voices we hear in our heads. Discover the human subconscious This mind has been quiet and calm for many years. But something has changed. New thoughts have started to emerge - taking the shape of nightmarish creatures who spread fear wherever they go.

An X from ZeniMax Online Studios announces Matt Firor is stepping down as the head of the studio. This follows the unconfirmed report that the cancellation of an MMORPG codenamed Blackbird was part of yesterday's bloodbath at Xbox Game Studio. Possible new games go unmentioned in the post, which only addresses the team taking over leadership of The Elder Scrolls Online:

After more than 18 years leading ZeniMax Online Studios, I'll be stepping away later this month. The studio and The Elder Scrolls Online will be in great hands under the direction of new Studio Head, Jo Burba along with Executive Producer, Susan Kath and Game Director, Rich Lambert. Together, this leadership team has spearheaded many of ESO's biggest ideas and expansions and will continue to make this game something we're all proud of. While I won't be working on the game anymore, I will be cheering you on and adding to the thousands of hours I've already spent in-game. There are many more stories to be told, adventures to be had, and I know this amazing community will carry that shared legacy and success forwards.

Romero Games Xs the news that the company's next game, thought to be a first-person shooter, has lost its funding. It's not stated that this is part of Black Wednesday at Microsoft, but it sure sounds like it, saying "our publisher has canceled funding for our game along with several other unannounced projects at other studios." Brenda Romero says the matter was entirely outside Romero Games' control, and does not reflect on the quality of its work. The company is now evaluating its options going forward, which sound like they include layoffs, and an unconfirmed report on Videogamer says the entire staff was let go as a result. Here's the statement:

We have some difficult news to share. Last night, we learned that our publisher has canceled funding for our game along with several other unannounced projects at other studios. This was a strategic decision made at a high level within the publisher, well above our visibility or control. We deeply wish there had been something, anything, we could have done to prevent this outcome.

This absolutely isn't a reflection of our team's work, performance, or the quality of the project itself. We hit every milestone on time, every time, consistently received high praise, and easily passed all our internal gates. We are incredibly proud of the work being done, and of the talented team behind it. The best we've worked with.

Apogee Entertainment and Trigger Happy Interactive announce a new release date for Total Chaos, saying the upcoming "maddening horror tale" is now expected in Q4 of this year. Word on this delay is a little delayed, as the game was announced as coming in Q2, which ended three days ago. In the meantime, the recently revealed playable demo is still available on Steam with a sample of the game's survival horror. Here's word:

Total Chaos is a pulse-pounding, atmospheric nightmare that blends different eras of survival horror hallmarks. It features classically inspired resource management, methodical melee combat and gunplay, haunting visuals, and grotesque environments and creatures.

Originally conceived as an award-winning total conversion mod of DOOM II in 2018, Total Chaos has been significantly reimagined and expanded into a modern standalone experience, amplifying its chilling atmosphere and relentless tension for a new generation of players.

Wood Cabin Games announces Letters of War, a World War I adventure game for Windows described as a spiritual successor to Valiant Hearts. A Gameplay Trailer from some months ago features a look, and the Steam Listing is live saying this is "coming soon." Here's the description:

Letters of War is a heartfelt 2D adventure that tells a touching story of loss, courage and great love. Based on the true story of the developer's grandmother, the game invites you into the world of Liam, a British carpenter who volunteered to go to the front to protect his family.

Become a participant in the most important battles of the Western Front of World War II - from mainland Italy, the mountain passes of Monte Cassino to Sword Beach (Normandy) - and go all the way as a soldier of the 8th British Army, whose merits have never been covered in such detail. At home, little Rosie is waiting for you - Liam's daughter, to whom you promised to return and who copes with loneliness in the rear with the help of her father's letters and the support of her mother.

• WhereWindsMeet – The Final Test. July 25th. Here's a trailer.

• Battlefield 6 reportedly has a 100 million player albatross around its neck, and its single-player is running -massively late - Rock Paper Shotgun.
• Sources: Banjo-Kazooie, Sea of Thieves director leaves Rare after 35 years, following Everwild cancellation - VGC.
• Dying Light developer Techland has reportedly cancelled two games - VGC.

• Phil Spencer isn’t retiring as the chief of Xbox ‘anytime soon’ - The Verge.

• Ready or Not Dev Releases Before-and-After Screenshots as It Battles Against ‘Censorship’ Backlash and Steam Review-Bomb Campaign - IGN.

• Stop killing games part 1 - Louis Rossmann (NSFW video).

• Lego’s buildable arcade machine is packed full of fun hidden details - The Verge.

Official patches.

• SCS Software's blog- Euro Truck Simulator 2- 1.55 Update Release.
• Metro Mini Market Simulator - Day 5 Update – Version 1.3 is Live.
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 - Patch Notes 8.1.

• GeForce NOW Thursday: 20 Games Join in July - NVIDIA Blog.

Official trailers.

• The Blood of Dawnwalker - Story Trailer - Bandai Namco Summer Showcase 2025.
• Code Vein 2 - Development Overview Trailer - Bandai Namco Summer Showcase 2025.
• DIGIMON STORY TIME STRANGER – Deep Dive with Producer Hara-san - Bandai Namco Summer Showcase 2025.
• Mirealle - Official Announcement Trailer.
• RoboCop: Rogue City - Unfinished Business - Overview Trailer. Someone needs a throat lozenge.
• Simon The Sorcerer Origins - Story Trailer 1.
• Titan Quest II - Build Example- Ashstalker.

↑ Official trailers. ↓ Content creator videos.

• The Entire Internet has Turned on Pirate Software - Quintheo. Streisand effect.

• Trackmania - Road to the first Global Playoffs. Thanks Frans.

• Titan Quest II - Build Example- Crit Trick Shot Ashstalker. - Steam News.

Thanks Console General.

• How Nintendo locked down the Switch 2’s USB-C port and broke third-party docking - The Verge (may require registration or subscription). Thanks Slashdot via Ant.
• Helldivers II coming to Xbox Series on August 26 - Gematsu.
• Once Human coming to PS5, Xbox Series in 2026 - Gematsu.
• 9 Years of Shadows: Official Console Release Date Trailer.
• Xbox Alpha Ring (2508.250630-2200) Update Preview Release Notes - Xbox Support.
• Xbox Alpha Skip-Ahead Ring (2508.250630-2200) Update Preview Release Notes - Xbox Support.
• Nintendo Download- Flying Sparks and Superstars.

• Samsung seems to have leaked its own trifold phone design - The Verge. Spoiler alert: Three screens, two folds.

• Debian looking for testers with Apple M1-M2 machines [LWN.net]. Thanks Ant.

• Crunchyroll Accidentally Reveals They've Been Using ChatGPT for Sub Translations - CBR. Thanks Reddit.
• ChatGPT creates phisher’s paradise by serving wrong URLs • The Register.
• What Could a Healthy AI Companion Look Like? - WIRED (may require registration or subscription).
• Ford CEO latest to claim AI will wipe out half of white collar jobs in the U.S. — 'AI will leave a lot of white-collar people behind - Tom's Hardware.

• A Group of Young Cybercriminals Poses the ‘Most Imminent Threat’ of Cyberattacks Right Now - WIRED (may require registration or subscription).
• The Promise and Peril of Digital Security in the Age of Dictatorship - WIRED (may require registration or subscription).
• Let's Encrypt rolls out free IP address certificates • The Register.
• Hunters International announces closure, free decryptors • The Register.

• Meta calls €200M pay-or-consent fine 'unlawful' • The Register.

• Headset/Earbuds: Noble Audio Fokus Apollo review- the best of both worlds? - Eurogamer.net. Thanks Ant.
• Laptop: Alienware 18 Area-51 laptop review- Performance above all else - NotebookCheck.net Reviews.
• NAS/Enclosure: Synology BeeStation Plus Review - Vortez.
• SSD: Oreton N7000 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD - Nikk Tech.

I booted my PC this morning and got a message from the Samsung Magician software about a firmware update for one of my SSDs. Trying to apply it repeatedly failed, so I looked at the troubleshooting advice. The only tip that seemed to apply was to disable VMD in BIOs. Doing so prompted a warning I may lose data, but who's going to worry about something as trivial as that? Throwing caution to the wind, I gave it a go, and it turns out my BIOS knew better than Samsung, and my system hung. Re-enabling VMD and rebooting entered a repair mode, and this did its job and got me going again. It always bugs me when things don't work right, but I'll let this go for now. One adventure is enough for one morning, though the adrenaline rush did act as an extra cup of coffee for my wake-up.

Obituary: Mortimer Matz, a Virtuoso New York P.R. Man, Is Dead at 100 - The New York Times (free account required). Thanks Devicer.

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

Breakfast Link

• A journey through the United States of barbecue - BBC.

Story

• Julie Bowen Thought 'Happy Gilmore 2' Would Replace Her - Variety.

Science

• New fossils from Earth's most famous extinction show climate tipping point was crossed - Phys.org.
• U.S. plans to begin breeding billions of flies to fight a pest - NBC News. There was an old lady who swallowed a fly.

Media

• Little Lawyer. Thanks VideoSift.

Follow-up

• Insurers Aren’t Saying Whether They’ll Cover Vaccines for Kids if Government Stops Recommending Them - WIRED (may require registration or subscription).

The Funnies

• xkcd- Global Ranking.

Variety follows-up on news of layoffs at Microsoft with more details. It shares an internal email to Xbox Game Studios staff reportedly sent by studio head Matt Booty. This says some "unannounced projects" are cancelled while confirming the cancellation of Everwild. It also reveals the cancellation of the troubled Perfect Dark sequel and the closure of its developer The Initiative. Presuming the memo is bona fide, a couple of unconfirmed tidbits are still part of the story. Word is: "A source close to the situation has told Variety that every game featured at Xbox Games Showcase presentation in June is continuing on." Also, Windows Central reports it "understands" that one of the cancelled projects is Blackbird, an MMORPG ZeniMax Online intended to follow The Elder Scrolls Online. Here's a bit from Matt's booty call:

We have made the decision to stop development of Perfect Dark and Everwild as well as wind down several unannounced projects across our portfolio. As part of this, we are closing one of our studios, The Initiative. These decisions, along with other changes across our teams, reflect a broader effort to adjust priorities and focus resources to set up our teams for greater success within a changing industry landscape. We did not make these choices lightly, as each project and team represent years of effort, imagination, and commitment.

Our overall portfolio strategy is unchanged: build games that excite our players, continue to grow our biggest franchises, and create new stories, worlds, and characters. We have more than 40 projects in active development, continued momentum on titles shipping this fall, and a strong slate headed into 2026.

An unconfirmed report on Thumb Wars says that Outriders 2 was one of the two games that were recently cancelled by Polish developer People Can Fly (thanks Jim). This is a pretty new site, but established rumormongers Insider Gaming says it can corroborate the news. However, while the initial report says development was almost complete, Insider Gaming says screenshots and footage it received "show that the game wasn't in a stage deemed 'nearly finished' as initially reported." The cancellations were codenamed "Project Bifrost" and "Project Gemini," and sources tell the thumb warriors this latter game was a sequel to Outriders, the 2021 multiplayer action/RPG:

People Can Fly recently made a shock announcement that two major projects that the studio was working on have been cancelled, and ThumbWars has now learned that one of these was the much-demanded Outriders 2.

We learned that the development team only became aware of the gravity of the studio’s situation at the same time as everyone else after speaking to an insider source, who, under the promise of being kept anonymous, also gave us information regarding the cancelled projects in question. It has been confirmed (and corroborated by another source) that one of the two cancelled titles, officially referred to previously as Project Gemini, was in fact Outriders 2.

Bandai Namco Entertainment announces MY HERO ACADEMIA: All's Justice, a new installment in the MY HERO ACADEMIA series, where the academics center around beating each other up. This arena fighter promises "One Last Smash" via a cinematic story mode and 3v3 battles featuring "the series' most iconic Heroes and Villains in their final and most powerful forms." The reveal comes in the 27th minute of today's Bandai Namco Summer Showcase 2025 Presentation where producer Aoba Miyazaki reveals early details. Here's a separate version of the Announcement Trailer. Here's word:

MY HERO ACADEMIA: All’s Justice features dynamic 3v3 team battles and an extensive cast of characters from across the anime and manga’s full timeline, including fully powered versions from the Final War arc. Fans will be able to choose from U.A. students, Pro Heroes, and Villains in their most iconic forms, each with new move sets and visuals inspired by their final appearances. Players will take control of fan-favorite characters such as Izuku Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugo, All Might, Tomura Shigaraki, Himiko Toga and more, and they can utilize their unique Quirks to pummel and blast through opponents.

• The Complete 100-HOUR Software Architecture Bundle (pay what you want and help charity) - Humble.*
• Humble Video Learning Bundle- Becoming a C++ and Unreal Game Developer by Packt (pay what you want and help charity) - Humble.*
• Summer Splash (pay what you want and help charity) - Humble.*
• 2K Classic Trilogies: Mafia X Bioshock (pay what you want and help charity) - Humble.*

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

• G/O Media Sells Kotaku as It Winds Down Operations - The New York Times (free account required). Thanks Neutronbeam.

• 'Instantly lost all desire to even start'- Mecha Break's Steam rating lands at an early 'Mixed' as players realize the beta's customization options have been turned into MTX fodder - PC Gamer.

• 'The Last of Us' co-creator Neil Druckmann to exit HBO series - USA Today.

Official patches.

• Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders - FREESTYLERS UPDATE - New Trick & Free Ride Mode & much more.

• Apple Vision Air With Far Cheaper & Lighter Design Reportedly Coming In 2027 - Upload.

Official trailers.

• NARAKA: BLADEPOINT - NEW EXTRACTION MODE · RIFT TRAVERSAL Cinematic Trailer.
• Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree - Guardian Trailer 1.

• The Crew Motorfest Season 7 Adds Two New Free Playlists - Ubisoft.

• Donkey Kong Bananza - Official 'Unleash Your Inner Kong' Trailer.

• ICE-tracking app tops App Store - The Verge.
• Android users can finally edit messages sent to iPhones, but there's a catch - Android Authority. Thanks Ant.
• Blizzard is winding down support for its Warcraft mobile game - The Verge.

• New transmission record shows standard 19-core fiber can push 1.02 petabits per second farther than previous technologies - TechRadar.
• 'There is a problem'- Meta users complain of account shutouts - BBC. Usually you have to pay extra for that.

• Intel might axe the 18A process node for foundry customers, essentially leaving TSMC with no rival — Tom's Hardware.
• Trump Administration Could Grant Additional Tax Credits to Intel, TSMC & Micron If They Expand U.S. Manufacturing Efforts - Wcftech.
• Confused by a mysterious update that's suddenly appeared on your Windows 10 PC? Don't panic – here's what you need to know - TechRadar.
• Linux's remarkable journey from one dev's hobby to 40 million lines of code - and counting - ZDNET. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Oculus founder Palmer Luckey leads group of tech billionaires launching new crypto-bank — Tom's Hardware.

• TikTok is being flooded with racist AI videos generated by Google’s Veo 3 - Ars Technica.
• Everything that could go wrong with X’s new AI-written community notes - Ars Technica.
• Perplexity joins Anthropic and OpenAI in offering a $200 per month subscription - Engadget.

• Phishers built fake Okta and Microsoft 365 login sites with AI - here's how to protect yourself - ZDNET.
• Google Chrome hit by another serious security flaw - update your browser ASAP - ZDNET.
• Cisco scores a perfect 10 for a critical comms flaw • The Register.
• 23andMe buyer promises to protect customers' data • The Register.

• GameStop customers may be eligible for payment after privacy breach settlement - Fox Business.

• I Played a Game So Poorly, It Called Me a ‘Game Journalist' - Vice…

Last Link of the Day: After Decades in Development Hell, 'Neuromancer' Adaptation Takes a Giant Leap Forward at Apple TV+ - Collider. Thanks Neutronbeam.

Mecha BREAK has broken cover, and this third-person shooter is now available for PC, Xbox Game Pass, and consoles. The Windows edition is on Steam with no discount since this is a free-to-play release. There's no launch trailer, but the Mecha BREAK YouTube Channel has been getting two or three uploads a day for the past couple of weeks, so one may yet arrive. In the meantime, the Official Release Date Trailer from a few weeks ago has a look. The Season 0: Rain of Fire Patch Notes discuss the latest changes to the game, and here's the overview:

After the Catastrophe, humanity harnassed the power of Corite—a mysterious carbon-silicon mineral driving rapid technological recovery. But its pathogenic nature and relentless spread threaten to consume Earth's last habitable spaces. In just decades, Corite is projected to engulf the globe. Humanity must find a way to preserve civilization before the countdown reaches zero. Resist. Adapt. Escape.

Or follow Corite's call and forge a new path.

A report on Bloomberg (one-week gift link) has word that the rumored new round of layoffs is now underway at Microsoft. Word is: "Microsoft’s Stockholm-based King division, which makes Candy Crush, is cutting 10% of its staff, or about 200 jobs, according to people familiar with the plans. Other European offices, such as ZeniMax, also began informing employees that job cuts were happening, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the press." Word is this will cost 9,000 employees their jobs:

US units were expected to be told later Wednesday how many jobs would be cut at each office. Microsoft’s gaming division had about 20,000 employees as of January 2024.

Microsoft announced Wednesday morning it’s eliminating 9,000 workers companywide in a second wave of layoffs this year. The cuts will have an impact across teams, geographies and tenure and are made in an effort to streamline processes and reduce layers of management, a company spokesperson said. The terminations follow an earlier round of layoffs in May that hit 6,000 people and fell hardest on product and engineering positions.

Soul Assembly announces a traditional PC edition of Drop Dead: The Cabin, promising Windows gamers a new way to play this survival/horror shooter first released for virtual reality. This will still include VR support, as well a co-op so friends can fight it out together. The previous Launch Trailer (NSFW) from the Meta Quest version calls this zombie battle in an abandoned cabin a "new kind of terror" despite all the familiar elements. The Steam Listing says this is "coming soon." Here's more:

Lost in the woods, you stumble across a seemingly abandoned cabin. But this is no ordinary hideout. It was once home to the twisted scientist Dr. Monday, whose experiments have unleashed a deadly horde of undead abominations. Now, the forest is crawling with monstrosities, and the only thing standing between you and certain death is your skill, your weapons, and your ability to work as a team.

Games Incubator and PlayWay announce It Works: Electronics Repair Simulator, the chance to run your own shop to keep people's devices working. This has a Steam Listing showing it's expected to launch later this year. Break out your multimeter and soldering iron and check out this trailer for a look at how It Works works. This post discusses the launch, and solicits feedback on the plan. Here's how this is wired:

Take on repair jobs, diagnose faults, solder and replace components. One mistake can cost you a client - and your profits - so work precisely!

Start in a home garage and offer a wide range of repair services. Identify faults, troubleshoot issues, and fix increasingly complex devices. Improve your skills to take on more advanced tasks.

• Gaucho and the Grassland Launch Date Teaser - Coming to Steam on July 16.
• Resonant Blade – Release Date Reveal - Launching July 22 on Steam.

• Sources- Everwild has been cancelled as Xbox layoffs hit Rare - VGC.

• Video games spending by young Americans is dropping sharply, report suggests - GamesIndustry.biz.
• IO Interactive Announces Olivier Perbet as Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer.
• Corsair Gaming Refinances Loan Facility with Bank of America.

• Ready or Not Review-Bombed on Steam as PC Players Claim Shooter Was 'Censored' to Satisfy Console Makers - IGN.
• Dave the Diver director says there’s ‘nothing indie’ about it, and he didn’t apply for its controversial Game Awards nod - VGC.
• Final Fantasy 14's queer community and the importance of chosen family - Eurogamer.net.

• Stop Killing Games updates + answering questions (June 2025) - Accursed Farms (video).

Official patches.

• Chinese Frontiers - Patch 1.02 - Fixes, Balancing, and the Road Ahead.
• Dune: Awakening 1.1.10.00 Patch Notes.
• Heroes of the Storm PTR Patch Notes - July 1, 2025.
• Stellar Blade PC - 1.2.0 Patch notes.

• PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS Weekly Bans Notice (06/23~06/29).

Official trailers.

• Marvel Rivals - Season 3: The Abyss Awakens Official Trailer - Fire and Shadow Collide on July 11th,
• Marvel Rivals - Season 3 The Abyss Awakens - Dev Vision Vol. 07.
• Sky's 6th Anniversary Celebration.

• Sea of Thieves - This Month in Sea of Thieves: July 2025.

• The game that would become Deus Ex was originally called Troubleshooter and starred Jake Shooter, supercop - PC Gamer.

• Mark Cerny says PS5 Pro will get its major ‘replacement for the current PSSR’ upscaler next year - VGC.
• TURBO KID - Coming Out August 5th - Nintendo Switch - GREENBAND.

• These Transcribing Eyeglasses Put Subtitles on the World - WIRED (may require registration or subscription).
• Laptop Mag is shutting down - The Verge,

• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season One Free on YouTube. Thanks Broadband Bulletin via Ant.

• Google’s data center energy use doubled in 4 years - TechCrunch.
• Microsoft PowerToys version 0.92. Thanks Console General.

• RFK Jr. Says AI Will Approve New Drugs at FDA 'Very, Very Quickly' - Gizmodo.
• RTX AI Accelerates FLUX.1 Kontext - NVIDIA Blog.

• US lawmakers allege that OnePlus phones transmit data to Chinese servers without user consent - Engadget. Thanks Reddit.
• Cl0p data exfiltration tool found vulnerable to RCE attacks • The Register.
• Qantas reveals data theft impacting six million customers • The Register.
• Qantas data breach to impact 6 million airline customers - BBC.

• Three former Ubisoft execs receive suspended prison sentences at harassment trial - VGC.
• Paramount Settles Donald Trump Lawsuit, Clearing Path For Skydance Merger - Deadline. So many exciting new avenues for bribery these days.
• UK eyes new laws over cable sabotage • The Register.
• SoftBank's acquisition of AI chip designer Ampere may be facing an FTC probe - Engadget.
• US sanctions yet another Russian bulletproof hosting outfit • The Register.
• Singapore police can now seize bank accounts to stop scams - BBC.

• Mecha Break Review in Progress - IGN.
• Mecha Break impressions- badass giant robots, but lacking complexity - Polygon.

• Case: NZXT H9 Flow RGB+ Test - OCinside.
• CPU/GPU/AIO/SSD Cooler: Enermax ETS-TD60 Digital CPU Cooler Review - ThinkComputers.org.
• Graphics Card: The Radeon RX 9070 XT is Now Faster, AMD FineWine - Hardware Unboxed (video). Thanks The Flying Penguin.
• Laptop: The best mainstream gamer in 2025 - Lenovo Legion 5 15 Laptop Review - NotebookCheck.net Reviews. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Mouse: PowerColor ALPHYN AM10 Review - TechPowerUp.
• SSD: Crucial T710 2TB PCIe Gen5 NVMe 2280 M.2 SSD Review - MADSHRIMPS.
• SSD: Crucial T710 2TB SSD Review - Low Power with Massive Performance - TweakTown.

A few months ago I followed up on my switch to Expression Web, replacing Microsoft's deprecated FrontPage HTML editor with a newer HTML editor also declared obsolete by Microsoft. I mentioned running into formatting errors at times, but boldly declared: "I am pretty good at finding bugs and workarounds, and I think with some experience I can keep from being bucked off this bronco." I return to this topic to declare victory. My intermediate win was connecting the program's flakiness to using the undo function. Hitting Ctrl-Z after an error is another bit of muscle memory that's difficult to unlearn, but managing to do so made working with the software pretty comfortable. But recently, I completely broke the code on this broken code. When Expression Web decides to randomly delete parts of tags in the source code and its HTML checker shows an error alert, all that's required is hitting F5 to refresh the page, and it immediately fixes everything. This works even if the document was saved after the errors appeared. It seems like intractable bugs in two consecutive versions were the reason support for the software was immediately dropped, but this suggests that it could have been saved along the way. Anyway, high-fives to me for sussing this out. If you are one of the three other people using this program, you're welcome.

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

Breakfast Link

• Sci-Fi Cinema Doc 'So Unreal', Narrated By Debbie Harry, Gets US Deal - Deadline.

Stories

• Sean 'Diddy' Combs verdict live updates- Jury finds Combs guilty on 2 counts in sex trafficking trial - NBC News.
• 'The Bear' Renewed For Season 5 By FX - Deadline.

Science

• Brain stimulation can boost math learning in people with weaker neural connections - Phys.org.
• Astronomers may have found a third interstellar object - Ars Technica.

Media

• Honest Trailers - Spaceballs.

Creature Features

• Hospital Dog Retires Due to Illness, Gets Adopted—Still Thinks He's at Work - Newsweek.

Follow-ups

• RFK Jr.’s health department calls Nature “junk science,” cancels subscriptions - Ars Technica.
• Feeling Hoarse? You Might Have the New ‘Stratus’ Covid Variant - WIRED (may require registration or subscription).
• Space Cargo of Human Remains And Cannabis Lost at Sea Following Mission Failure - ScienceAlert.
• Colossal Biosciences' "Dire Wolves" Turn 6 Months Old, Doubling In Size And Weighing A Whopping 40 Kilograms - IFLScience. Pleistocene Park.