Hello heisters, we hope you're having a wonderful week - and if you're not, we have some cool news for you to dig into when it comes to Payday 3! This is the much anticipated sequel to one of the most popular co-op shooters ever. Since its release, Payday-players have been reveling in the thrill of a perfectly planned and executed heist. That's what makes Payday a high-octane, co-op FPS experience without equal.

Post Launch Plans
We're nearing the launch date on September 21 (Early Access on September 18), but today we wanted to give you a glimpse of what's to come for Year One of Payday 3 and its future content. Besides 4 DLCs, with names yet to be fully determined, we'll also look at seasonal events, playable characters, new enemy, weapons, Unreal Engine 5 upgrade, cosmetics, quality of life improvements, new features and much more. Let us know in the comments which part you're the most excited for!

Rod Fergusson, general franchise manager of Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo IP, has confirmed that IV's post-release content release model is set for some adjustments—in an interview, conducted by Dextero, he said: "When you look at the launch of the game and this first season, we see that as building a foundation on which we can build for the future. So, as we look at our quarterly seasons, and we look at our annual expansions, those are the things that we're really focused on for our live service." Several media outlets have jumped on Fergusson's statement—comparisons have been made to Bungie's approach to keeping online multiplayer franchises alive for a long time. Paul Tassi (via Forbes) pointed out that Diablo IV's leadership is pushing for the: "exact same model as Destiny 2."

Sections of the fan base have not yet warmed to this more live service-heavy content model, when compared to previous entries in the long-running ARPG series. Past reports have cited Blizzard's continued recruitment drive to bolster these efforts, albeit only for seasonal DLC. The annual release model is very much a fresh announcement, and Fergusson stopped short of revealing pricing and exact launch windows: "We've got plans, we have storylines that go well into the future. When you look back and realize that there were 11 years between Diablo III and Diablo IV, that feels like we didn't live up to our players, our community, and what they deserve. That's something we are rectifying in D4 with our seasons and our expansions."

CD Projekt Red outlined some of its ambitions for Cyberpunk 2077's upcoming Phantom Liberty expansion at Gamescom Opening Night Live, but there was a bit of confusion within the audience regarding how new feature sets will pan out alongside the release of Update 2.0 (for the base game). The free batch of improvements and content is scheduled to arrive just before the launch of Phantom Liberty on September 26, across PC and modern consoles. The Polish video game developer has sought to clarify these details with the publication of new information. They recommend that you: "check out this handy infographic (see below) about the main features coming to Cyberpunk 2077 together with the Phantom Liberty expansion—and the ones that will be added to the game in the free Update 2.0!"

The Gamescom Phantom Liberty presentation included a preview of a revised police behavior system, but this appears to count as an improvement bundled with Update 2.0: "Take a look at one of the new features coming to Cyberpunk 2077 in the free Update 2.0 for the base game, which will be available on current-gen consoles and PCs: a revamped Police system! We rebuilt the system on clear, simple rules: criminal activity is punished, runners are chased and cyberpsychos are flatlined, no questions asked. All features in the system are designed to support clarity and the simple but expanded prevention loop." CDPR's infographic lists a new location as well as additional storylines, characters/enemies, quests, weapons and enemies being reserved for their ($29.99 RRP) DLC campaign.

Hello, it's unbelievable to me that it has been SEVEN years since No Man's Sky was released, and to celebrate today we are releasing our largest update of the year - No Man's Sky ECHOES. Our aim with ECHOES has been to breathe new life into the universe, with a new robotic race, our first race introduced since launch in 2016. We have also overhauled space combat with a focus on creating truly epic space battles, introducing freighter-to-freighter battles for the first time.

In ECHOES Travellers will discover a never seen before, long-hidden race of robots with rich new story content. Engage in robot assignments and rituals to earn a huge array of mechanical parts to create your own robotic avatar. New pirate freighters bring huge space battles to the universe. Defend fleets from pirates. Fly through enemy trenches to sabotage their shields, and destroy them!

Whispers in the Walls: Winter 2023—coming to all platforms this winter, Whispers in the Walls will drop you into a hair-raising conflict rife with shocking revelations that will shake the Origin System to its very core. In this new story-driven cinematic quest, you'll be caught in the middle of a deadly battle between Albrecht Entrati, one of the Origin System's most brilliant minds, and the unknowable Man in the Wall. The board is set and the pieces are moving. Can you put it all together in time, Tenno?

Naturally, you won't be fighting unarmed, either. Hold fast against the dangers littered throughout Albrecht Entrati's secret laboratory with an all-new Secondary weapon class—the otherworldly Grimoire. Whispers in the Walls will also introduce the Murmur, a brand-new faction created by the Man in the Wall, along with a reworked and expanded Necramech enemy faction. No matter how you do battle, the forces arrayed against you have never been more fearsome.

Dead by Daylight's Nicolas Cage Chapter Pack features a new Survivor, legendary actor Nicolas Cage in his deadliest role yet. Purchasing this add-on unlocks an exclusive Cosmetic: Teal Jacket as well as the Very Rare Gorgon Drip Outfit for Nicolas Cage.

The new Survivor is Nicolas Cage
Countless awards. Over one hundred films. Nicolas Cage had done it all and seen it all...or so he thought. When a mysterious screenplay for "Descend Beyond" landed on his desk, he signed on without hesitation. While filming, Nick performed his dialogue with gravitas, a dark incantation that rolled off his tongue with ease. He dipped his fingers in a cup of red ink and painted symbols on the stone altar. He was so immersed he barely noticed the tendrils of black Fog slowly creeping toward him...

We do not determine the guilty; we do not decide the punishment; we are merely the cold instruments of the Emperor's vengeance. There is no form of death unknown to us; there is no form of terror beyond our means; there is no enemy outside our reach. We are the blade that hovers over the throat of the traitor; we are the bullet that awaits the heretic's skull; we are the poison in the throat of the alien.

The Officio Assassinorum have arrived. Our second major DLC, Execution Force is now available to all players via Steam and the Epic Games Store. This DLC brings the might of four unique Assassin units to your disposal. Use them wisely in combination with your Grey Knights to decimate Nurgle's despicable plague. Alongside Execution Force comes Update XIII, which brings a swathe of its own new content and changes. Notably a new squad of enemies, the Tainted Sons have entered the fray, posing a new fearsome challenge.

Microsoft Flight Simulator World Update XIV: Central Eastern Europe captures the majesty, charm and allure of Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The region bristles with history, architectural wonders, and stunning scenery. The Central Eastern Europe countries beckon exploration from above with never-before-seen fidelity.

Microsoft Flight Simulator assembled fresh, full-coverage aerial imagery, digital elevation data and more from our partners at Bing Maps and Maxar to create this update. World Update XIV includes 103 points of interest (POIs): 18 in Czechia, 15 in Slovakia, 19 in Hungary, 15 in Slovenia, 23 in Croatia, and 13 in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Castles, towers, and churches, among other sights, all brilliantly reproduced and awaiting discovery from the air in this update.

People. Technology. Under threat. From dinosaurs. Exoprimal's launch is nearly here. On behalf of Aibius World News and Aibius PR, we'd like to share details about the game's launch this Friday and juicy new updates on what to expect in the weeks beyond! Sink your teeth into details about new Alpha variant Exosuits that change how each suit plays, start planning your strategies for the intense Savage Gauntlet PvE mode, and learn about new options to switch between a PvP or PvE-focused experience in Dino Survival. Plus, monstrous crossover content is coming to the game in a future update!

Set in a near-future world, vortexes can open at any time in any place and dump hundreds or even thousands of dinosaurs out. Thanks to breakthroughs from Aibius Corporation, humanity has been able to fight back using the power of Exosuits, powered armor that can withstand these blasts from the past. In the game's main mode, Dino Survival, you'll be thrust into a never-ending war game run by the next-generation artificial intelligence, Leviathan, who will put squads to the test with ever-evolving missions in a race against an opposing team. At its core, Exoprimal is all about working together with your five-person squad to suit up, adapt, and survive against both dinosaurs and, on occasion, other Exofighters.

Today, Rebellion, one of the world's most successful independent video game developers and publishers, is thrilled to announce the launch of the highly anticipated Kraken Awakes, the final content pack for Season Pass Two of Sniper Elite 5. Prepare to unleash chaos against Operation Kraken and prove your sniping prowess on all platforms, including Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.

Intel gathered in previous missions has revealed that Operation Kraken is still a looming threat that demands your immediate action. Karl Fairburne, the legendary sniper, must utilise the cover of darkness and harness the power of shadows to sabotage an under-construction aircraft carrier, that is the new home of Operation Kraken, and ensure it never sets sail. The fate of the Allies hangs in the balance as you face off against Friedrich Vogel, former deputy to Abelard Möller and the new mastermind behind this diabolical scheme.

Today, publisher Focus Entertainment and studio Mundfish announced the first DLC for Atomic Heart, the action-RPG set in the mad utopia of fictional 1955. Debuting the Atomic Pass' series of DLCs, Atomic Heart: Annihilation Instinct will release on August 2, as advertised in a powerful new Release Date Trailer. This first batch is packed with all types of new content to keep the experience as thrilling as ever: a new area, new weapons, new enemies, a new glove ability… Besides, Focus Entertainment and Mundfish are excited to announce the immediate availability of the highly requested New Game+ mode and up to 40% off on Steam! Don't miss your chance to grab it with an impressive discount.

Continue the story in the Annihilation Instinct DLC and learn what happened to this dystopian world after the climax of Atomic Heart. Prepare to embark on a journey through the new mind-bending Mendeleev Complex and its surrounding swamps and discover the truth about NORA as Major P-3 is pulled back into Facility 3826. Survive vicious, shape-shifting new enemies and take them down using two cunning new weapons - ranged one the Secateur and melee one the Klusha - as well as your glove's new Techno-Stasis ability, allowing you to manipulate time itself. Meet a new enigmatic character, as well as returning ones in surprising circumstances and dive deep into the AI's insanity to curb its Annihilation Instinct.

Since the end of The Callisto Protocol's main game, things have gone from bad to worse inside the penitentiary. The virus that's been wreaking havoc inside is threatening to escape the prison and it's up to you to retrieve Mahler's data and transmit it off-world. It's not going to be a walk in the park. You're going to have to fight tooth and nail to make your way through monster-infested corridors, where new abominations await.

When it comes to battling Biophage, players need reliable tools to survive. The Stun Baton is a great blunt instrument, but new threats call for new gear. According to Lead Systems Designer, Paul Guirao, the team behind The Callisto Protocol listened to fan feedback and decided to add a new melee weapon to the game. "We wanted to give players something more powerful than the Stun Baton," Guirao explained.

We're excited to announce that 3DMark is now also available for purchase in the Epic Games Store from today, June 20, 2023. 3DMark is a computer benchmarking tool for gamers, overclockers and system builders who want to get more out of their hardware. With its wide range of benchmarks, tests and features, 3DMark has everything you need to test the performance of your gaming PC.

When purchasing 3DMark through the Epic Games Store, it includes all current 3DMark GPU and CPU benchmarks released since the application's launch over a decade ago. Our latest GPU benchmark, Speed Way, tests ray-traced gaming performance using the latest DirectX 12 Ultimate API for Windows 10 and Windows 11. 3DMark offers more than just benchmarking tools. Test your system stability with stress tests, explore how new engine technologies affect visuals and performance with interactive mode, or compete for top PC performance with your friends and the 3DMark community as you chase a spot in the 3DMark Hall of Fame.

Paradox Interactive and Triumph Studios have released Age of Wonders 4: Dragon Dawn, the first expansion for the hit fantasy strategy game that sold more than 250 thousand copies in its first week. Dragon Dawn enhances gameplay with a distinct leader type, a physical appearance for factions, more Tomes of Magic, and even a fresh realm. Dragon Dawn is now available for a suggested retail price of $9.99/£8.49/€9.99 on PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. Players who purchased the Premium Edition of Age of Wonders 4 or the Expansion Pass will receive Dragon Dawn at no additional cost.

In Age of Wonders 4: Dragon Dawn, players delve into the realm of dragons, embracing their mythical allure and ascending as mighty Dragon Rulers. Create dynamic empires, lead reptilian armies, and wield draconic magic as players burn their way through the battlefield.

You've been asking for it, and today is the day. With two upcoming downloadable content releases and additional, exciting cosmetic updates, players can look forward to a new level of adventure in Dead Island 2. Let's dive into what awaits:

First expansion: How does a billionaire prepare for the zompocalypse? A techno-death cult with a healthy splash of debauchery and gore! The first story expansion, Haus, will release in Q4, 2023.

Second expansion: Welcome to the SOLA festival, where LA's party people can greenwash their way to ecstasy and save the planet, one rave at a time. So L.A! SOLA Festival, will launch in Q2, 2024.

Pursue your dream of an aviation career with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. This brand-new simulator is designed to take advantage of the latest technologies in simulation, cloud, machine learning, graphics and gaming to create the most sophisticated, immersive and awe-inspiring flight simulator of all time. To achieve this unprecedented level of accuracy, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is powered by the significantly evolved Asobo Studio engine.

Available day one on Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Windows 10/11, and Steam. Coming 2024. We look forward to sharing more information about Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 in the future.

Rulers! We are thrilled to announce that Age of Wonders 4 Dragon Dawn Content Pack will be available in almost two weeks—on June 20th 2023! Like its name implies, the Age of Wonders 4: Dragon Dawn Content Pack is all about dragons. Players can build their fiery empires, lead reptilian armies, harness draconic magic, and set fire to their enemies as a Dragon Ruler. The pack will also launch alongside the free Wyvern Update, including an array of updates, quality of life upgrades, and balance changes identified by the Age of Wonders community.

Dragon Dawn enhances the gameplay with a distinct leader type, a physical appearance for factions, more Tomes of Magic, and even a fresh realm option. Dragon Dawn will launch on June 20, 2023 for a suggested retail price of $9.99/£8.49/€9.99. Players who purchased the Premium Edition of Age of Wonders 4 or the Expansion Pass will receive Dragon Dawn at launch. Read more about Dragon Lords in a dedicated Dev Journal.

Hello Everyone! Only last week, we launched No Man's Sky on a whole new platform, bringing the galaxy to Mac owners everywhere! 2023 has already been an extremely busy year for our small team. Fractal brought full native support for PSVR2, alongside a spread of accessibility and quality of life features, while the accompanying Utopia expedition experimented with a unique twist on gameplay, and united players under the umbrella of a universal habitation project.

Most recently, the Interceptor update introduced a new ship to collect, a host of gameplay features, and began to peel back the first layers of a mystery centred around worlds corrupted by vivid purple crystals, abandoned "harmonic" encampments, and secrets whispered by disembodied robot heads…

Singularity Expedition
Today, we continue that story as we begin community expedition ten: Singularity.

The Diablo franchise's general manager Rod Fergusson appeared on the Kinda Funny Xcast last week, only a few days before the fourth game's full launch - episode 140's interview segment focused on Blizzard's final preparations and post-game content (seasonal and possible DLC) calendar. Fergusson indicated that his team was very busy and will have more work to do: "As I sit here we're about to launch the main game, we're finishing up season one, we're working on season two, we're working on expansion one, we're kicking off expansion two…we're working on that now and we haven't even launched the game."

Blizzard Entertainment received much criticism for its slow and sparse trickle out of seasonal material for Diablo III, and Fergusson is keen to not repeat similar post-launch patterns with the latest entry in a very long running series (the first game debuted back in January 1997!). Diablo IV has been built with a live-service format in mind - thus allowing for greater and more substantial content to be delivered over seasonal time periods. Blizzard is likely aiming to compete with the likes of Bungie (Destiny 2) in terms of keeping an online game alive for a while - Fergusson outlines a key goal for his team: "We're going to be supporting Diablo 4 for years to come - (with) very rich seasons, much richer than we had in Diablo 3."

Welcome to the first Age of Wonders 4 development diary since release. My name is Lennart Sas game director / studio manager at Triumph. Today we'll be reflecting on the launch, the reception and we are going to be looking forward to the big Dragon Dawn DLC and specifically the free Wyvern Update that accompanies it.

Reflecting on the Launch
Wow! What a launch. For us the Age of Wonders 4 launch has been a dream: both a critical and commercial success. Paradox put out a press release the game is the fastest selling in the series; selling 250,000 units by day four of release. We are very grateful to all the people making this possible. The launch has been a rollercoaster in other ways too of course; some may have seen the user reviews directly after release. This was primarily caused by people not being able to launch the game after purchasing. This was unfortunate and we started investigating and preparing a hot fix which alleviated some of the issue.

Games journalists are delving into Final Fantasy XVI preview code at the moment, and Square Enix is firing up its publicity drive ahead of the game's launch on June 22. Game Informer has recently conducted an interview with members of "Creative Business Unit III," a very formal label for the development studio responsible put in charge of making a sixteenth entry in the mainline Final Fantasy series. FFXVI's director Hiroshi Takai and producer Naoki Yoshida fielded numerous questions for a feature-length cover story, and Game Informer has chosen to release several primer pieces - one article focuses on the studio's apparent cautious approach to creating (potential) DLC or extra campaigns for Final Fantasy XVI.

Takai and Yoshida state that the immediate focus is to simply get the game over the finishing line, and emphasize that there is already a sizable adventure contained within the base offering: "It's a one-off game. We're asking players to pay the full price for this experience, and so we want an experience that's going to equal the amount of money that players are going to be paying and we want them to have satisfaction equal to what they paid or even more than that." Previous Final Fantasy series installments have received a plethora of extra (paid and free) content, so plans could shift based on XVI's popularity and players' tastes - Yoshida states: "We have no idea if people are going to fall in love with Valisthea and fall in love with Clive's story and want to see more of the world and more of its characters...So while we always want to consider DLC or spinoffs or those types of things where you can learn more about the game, first we want to see if Valisthea and Clive are really things players around the world want to see more of and then make that decision."

The Callisto Protocol's all-new Riot Mode is launching tomorrow, an exciting new player experience that's all about defeating as many enemies as possible. In Riot Mode, you will take on wave after wave of enemies, while facing increasingly difficult challenges. To add to the fun, you can earn credits that you can use to buy upgrades and loot from crates scattered throughout the arena. I recently had a chat with Level Designer Kevin Jaszanovits and Senior Systems Engineer Philip Greene, some of the folks behind The Callisto Protocol's all-new Riot Mode, to learn more about this exciting new mode.

Riot Mode brings a different flavor to The Callisto Protocol's core elements. To achieve this, the developers had to break some rules from the main game and push their pre-existing designs in different directions. "We wanted to make this mode more like an arcade game rather than a horror game to have more fun with it," Jaszanovits explains. Jaszanovits's goal as a level designer was to create an environment where players could run from room to room, feeling constantly chased and surrounded by enemies. "We tried to remove or adjust gameplay elements that slowed the player down," he says.

This immersion pack for Victoria 3 introduce Agitators and new exclusive content for France. Lose yourself in the dramatic political maneuvering of the 19th century as famous figures from history lobby for their preferred policies in Voice of the People, a new immersion pack for Victoria 3, available today. With dozens of new historical characters, you can write an intriguing new history of the Victorian age, where nihilist authors and liberal reformers challenge established authorities.

Victoria 3 is Paradox Interactive's grand strategy simulation of society in the century from Andrew Jackson to World War I. Players guide the industrial, political and social development of a historic nation, moving with the tides of time as new ideologies and shifting political alliances challenge your grand plans. In Voice of the People, more historical flavor is added with new characters integrated into the new Agitator mechanic, as well as a deeper simulation of French politics of the century, with new events, missions, and more.

A huge thank you to all of our Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition players for your record-setting support and to everyone who has played Return of Rome so far! This is the biggest DLC launch in Age of Empires II history! We've been listening to your feedback and would like to share our plan to address the concerns regarding your in-game experience and your desire to see Age of Empires campaigns in Return of Rome.

We are actively monitoring the issues you're reporting and will address them as soon as possible. This includes disruptions to your hotkey settings, issues preventing UI mods from loading in correctly, and games failing to load. The hotkey disruption was a one-time adjustment. You can visit our support page if you need help getting them reconfigured. Our teams are paying close attention to the reports you make and are thankful for your continued trust.

Get ready for a unique side-scrolling experience in the world of The Wonderful 101: Remastered! This free DLC lets you enjoy a brand new episode in which you experience Luka's story! As the latest member of the CENTINELS, new recruit Luka delivers remarkable achievements. What challenges did he need to overcome to become the prestigious Wonder Goggles? This is a story of love, battle, and growth. Experience Luka's journey to becoming a full-fledged hero!

This DLC was made possible by reaching the stretch goal of our February 2020 crowdfunding campaign. We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the 33,199 amazing fans who supported us on this journey. The Wonderful One: After School Hero (Part 2) - slated for release the following week on Friday, May 26, 2023. It includes the second part of The Wonderful One: After School Hero experience.