Tuesday news:

SALES & DEALS

With the Summer Sale over, GOG goes back to its usual goings, starting with a new weekly sale with upt o 80% discounts for the next 6 days: https://www.gog.com/promo/20190618_weekly_sale

At Steam there are two fake daily deals as well as the new weeklong deals:

• The first of the fake daily deals is the Early Access game Empyrion - Galactic Survival, 50% off for the next 7 days: https://store.steampowered.com/app/383120/Empyrion__Galactic_Survival/
• The other one is Ride 2, 75% off for the next 6 days: https://store.steampowered.com/app/477770/Ride_2/
• When it comes to the weeklong deals:
  • 39 Days to Mars is 25% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/504920/39_Days_to_Mars/
  • Pocket Rogues, still in Early Access. is 45% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/946610/Pocket_Rogues/
  • Hearts of Iron III is 75% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/25890/Hearts_of_Iron_III/
  • And Breach & Clear gets a massive 90% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/266130/Breach__Clear/

On the Humble Store, there are two new deals:

• There's a Stimulating Simulator Sale, with up to 90% discounts for the next 3 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/stimulating-simulator-sale/
• The METAL GEAR franchise sale (that on PC it means MG Rising and the MGS V games) are up to 80% off for the next 12 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/metal-gear-franchise-sale/

And at Fanatical, Tabletop Simulator is 57% off for the next 7 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/tabletop-simulator

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

AMD Radeon Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.6.2 available for download, improves Vulkan support
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/amd-radeon-adrenalin-2019-edition-19-6-2-available-for-download-improves-vulkan-support/
AMD has released a brand new driver for its graphics cards. According to the release notes, the AMD Radeon Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.6.2 driver improves the Vulkan support on the Radeon GPUs.
In addition, this new driver fixes a TDR that could occur when exiting some gaming applications that are using DirectX 12 API when multiple displays are connected and in clone mode, as well as some performance drops with Windows VR across multiple game titles on some Radeon RX 400 and Radeon RX 500 series graphics products.
>> Available from here.

MODS/EMULATORS

Star Wars Battlefront 3 Legacy, total conversion mod for Battlefront 2 2005, pre-demo available for download
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/star-wars-battlefront-3-legacy-total-conversion-mod-for-battlefront-2-2005-pre-demo-available-for-download/
Star Wars fans, here is something for you today. The Battlefront III Legacy Mod Team has released a pre-demo of Star Wars Battlefront 3 Legacy; an upcoming total conversion mod for Battlefront 2 2005 that aims to bring to it the content from Free Radical’s cancelled Star Wars Battlefront 3 game.
As its description reads, Star Wars Battlefront III Legacy (or: Swbf3: Legacy) is a large-scale conversion mod created for the 2005 version of Battlefront 2 (not the latest one from DICE) using as many Assets from the cancelled game as possible; including both eras (Clone Wars and GCW), a brand-new HUD+Interface and a few converted maps such as Coruscant and Cato Neimoidia.
Star Wars Battlefront 3 Legacy’s pre-demo comes only with Battlefront 3’s Coruscant, the Clone Wars era, three gamemodes and a lot of updated and new content from the previous beta versions. This pre-demo is said to be the most complete as it was planned for a longer time.
>> You'll find the link to this pre-demo (ModDB) in the article ,as well as the two other mods, one required and the other very much recommended, in order to play it.

Halo: Combat Evolved, Watch_Dogs and Manhunt look great with Reshade Ray Tracing
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/halo-combat-evolved-watch_dogs-and-manhunt-look-great-with-reshade-ray-tracing/
YouTube’s members ‘Digital Dreams’ and ‘EiermannTelevision’ has shared some videos, showing Halo: Combat Evolved, the first Watch Dogs game and Manhunt with Reshade Ray Tracing. These videos are using the alpha version of Pascal Gilcher’s Reshade mode; a mod that adds cool ray tracing/path tracing effects to pretty much all DX9, DX10 and DX11 games.
>> With reshade and the E3 mod, Watch Dogs looks like the game they originally showed us.

GAMING NEWS

Mortal Kombat 11 Kombat League arrives on June 18th, trailer does not include PC version
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/mortal-kombat-11-kombat-league-arrives-on-june-18th-trailer-does-not-include-pc-version/
Warner Bros and NetherRealm Studios today released a gameplay trailer for the Mortal Kombat 11 Kombat League, an all-new seasonal ranked mode where players can compete against other online Kombatants to earn exclusive in-game rewards.

ARK: Survival Evolved Free Expansion Valguero releases tomorrow, adds new map, new dino and more
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/ark-survival-evolved-free-expansion-valguero-releases-tomorrow-adds-new-map-new-dino-and-more/
Studio Wildcard revealed that it will release a new expansion map for ARK: Survival Evolved – ‘Valguero’ tomorrow, June 18 on Steam. This free downloadable update for ARK adds a vast, diverse map with exotic biomes to explore and call home.

World War 3 will be free to play from June 20th to June 23rd
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/world-war-3-will-be-free-to-play-from-june-20th-to-june-23rd/
The Farm 51 has announced a free weekend for its multiplayer military first-person shooter, World War 3. From June 20th and until June 23rd, PC gamers will be able to download the game from Steam and play it for free.

The Division 2 Title Update #4 is now available for download, full patch release notes revealed
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/the-division-2-title-update-4-is-now-available-for-download-full-patch-release-notes-revealed/
Ubisoft has just released a major new update for Tom Clancy’s The Division 2. According to the release notes, title update #4 introduces the first post-launch Specialization, Gunner. The Gunner is equipped with a powerful minigun and will serve as the vanguard for SHD agents.

New trailer released for the Agony spin-off game, Succubus
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/new-trailer-released-for-the-agony-spin-off-game-succubus/
Madmind Studio has released a new trailer for SUCCUBUS – a spin-off to the widely discussed Agony. This time, as the title of the game suggests, Succubus named Vydija – a lusty demon based on religious beliefs – becomes the main protagonist.

New free content released for Killing Floor 2, adds new game mode called “Objective”
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/new-free-content-released-for-killing-floor-2-adds-new-game-mode-called-objective/
Tripwire Interactive today released Killing Floor 2’s latest free content update, Killing Floor 2: Back & Kickin’ Brass. Players can jump into Killing Floor 2: Back & Kickin’ Brass today, which kicks-off the summer event with a brass-load of new content, along with some frightening familiar faces.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, gothic horror side-scrolling action RPG, is now available on Steam
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/bloodstained-ritual-of-the-night-gothic-horror-side-scrolling-action-rpg-is-now-available-on-steam/
505 Games has announced the release of the gothic horror side-scrolling action RPG that is created by Koji Igarashi (director of Castlevania), Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. In order to celebrate this announcement, the publisher has released the game’s launch trailer that you can find below.

Techland lead game designer hints at Dying Light 2 supporting Ray Tracing
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/techland-lead-game-designer-hints-at-dying-light-2-supporting-ray-tracing/
During an E3 2019 gameplay presentation, Techland’s lead game designer Tymon Smektala claimed that the team is currently working with both NVIDIA and AMD in order to implement real-time ray tracing effects in Dying Light 2.

20 minutes of gameplay footage from Borderlands 3 behind closed doors E3 2019 demo [off-camera]
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/20-minutes-of-gameplay-footage-from-borderlands-3-behind-closed-doors-e3-2019-demo-off-camera/
YouTube’s ‘VGFAQ’ has shared a video, showing 20 minutes of gameplay footage from the behind closed doors E3 2019 demo of Borderlands 3. Unfortunately, this is off-camera footage, meaning that the image and colours are not that great (it’s way better than the mediocre off-camera footage of Marvel’s Avengers).

Tuesday news, part two:

Amplitude's Games2Gether platform could be used for other Sega games
https://www.pcgamer.com/amplitudes-games2gether-platform-could-be-used-for-other-sega-games/
Games2Gether is a community development platform created by Amplitude Studios for its Endless series. It's used for everything from tracking a game's development to unlocking freebies, and Amplitude's used it to build a community around its strategy series and their spin-offs. It's something publisher Sega hopes to see built on, potentially with other studios.

Sci-fi tactical party game I Am Not a Monster is getting a full solo campaign
https://www.pcgamer.com/sci-fi-tactical-party-game-i-am-not-a-monster-is-getting-a-full-solo-campaign/
I Am Not a Monster is an XCOM-like tactical combat game with a Werewolf-style party game twist. Modeled after pulpy sci-fi from the '40s and '50s, it puts six players aboard a tourist starship that's been invaded by aliens who can take human form. The humans try to fight off the attack, but the situation is complicated by the fact that they can't tell who the aliens are. It was released last year as a multiplayer game, and publisher Alawar Premium announced today that a single-player mode called First Contact is on the way.

Final Fantasy 14's director cracks up when asked if it will ever get classic servers
https://www.pcgamer.com/final-fantasy-14s-director-busts-up-laughing-when-asked-if-it-will-ever-get-classic-servers/
When World of Warcraft Classic launches later this summer, players will get the nostalgia trip of a lifetime: A chance to return to WoW as it existed in its original form back in 2006. But WoW isn't the only MMO that's changed significantly and irreversibly over the course of its life. Though few might remember it, Final Fantasy 14 originally launched in 2010, and was Not Good. The game was rebooted in 2013 as A Realm Reborn, and went on to be one of our favorite MMOs ever. That 2010 version of Final Fantasy is forever lost to time, though.

Gwent's upcoming Novigrad expansion adds a new faction and keywords
https://www.pcgamer.com/gwents-upcoming-novigrad-expansion-adds-a-new-faction-and-keywords/
CD Projekt's Witcher-based card game Gwent is getting a new expansion later this month called Novigrad. Named after one of the largest cities in the North, the expansion will reflect its beauty, wealth, and rotten core with the addition of a new faction, the Syndicate, and a quintet of five new, thoroughly unsavory Leaders.

You can try WoW Classic on June 19 if you have an active subscription
https://www.pcgamer.com/you-can-try-wow-classic-on-june-19-if-you-have-an-active-subscription/
If you haven't had a chance to try World of Warcraft Classic yet, Blizzard is running a stress test on June 19 in the Americas and Oceania regions. Announced earlier today, this stress test will run for 48 hours.

Fortnite leak reveals Stranger Things crossover, new LTMs, and dozens of items
https://www.pcgamer.com/fortnite-leak-reveals-stranger-things-crossover-new-ltms-and-dozens-of-items/
The Fortnite 9.30 update has been datamined, as tradition demands, revealing dozens of new items and the titles of upcoming Limited-Time Modes. FunGamesLeaks posted the pics in one big screenshot that you can see below.

Fortnite update adds the Prop-O-Matic and healing Chug Splash
https://www.pcgamer.com/fortnite-update-adds-the-prop-o-matic-and-healing-chug-splash/
Fortnite v9.30 adds Chug Splash to Battle Royale. These canisters behave like healing grenades. You throw them, and anyone (including enemies) within the splash radius will get +20 health, unless you're at full health, in which case you get +20 shields. It can also "extend the duration of the 'knocked' state for knocked players." Delicious.

Cyberpunk 2077 won't just be set inside Night City
https://www.pcgamer.com/cyberpunk-2077-wont-just-be-set-inside-night-city/
Cyberpunk 2077 is set in the sci-fi sprawl of Night City, but you'll also be able to pop outside the skyscraper prison and explore the lovely outdoors. Beyond the city you'll find the Badlands, a district filled with ruins and largely abandoned after droughts and other crises.

Cyberpunk 2077's vehicles will come when you call, just like Geralt's horse
https://www.pcgamer.com/cyberpunk-2077s-vehicles-will-come-when-you-call-just-like-geralts-horse/
In The Witcher games, Geralt rides a horse named Roach who, among other things, is always nearby and comes a-runnin' when Geralt whistles. Thanks to the magic of self-driving cars, which like everything else have advanced considerably over the decades, something very similar (but less equine) will be available to V when they need a ride in Cyberpunk 2077.

Cyberpunk 2077 will have multiple endings, devs 'seriously' considering photo mode
https://www.pcgamer.com/cyberpunk-2077-multiple-endings/
The slow trickle of Cyberpunk 2077 details following E3 continues. Quest director Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz, speaking to YouTuber YongYea, confirms that the game will feature multiple endings. It's mentioned in this interview at around the 15-minute mark. Tomaszkiewicz grants the question a simple "Yes".

I've been trying to post this for a few days, but I kept forgetting it:

**NEW CONTEST**

HEXUS has a new contest for UK and Europe Only!

Win one of three WD NVMe SSDs
https://hexus.net/tech/features/storage/131393-win-one-three-wd-nvme-ssds/

1st prize is a 500GB WD Black SN750 with a EK heatsink

2nd prize is a 250GB WD Black SN750

3rd prize is a 250GB WD Blue SN500

Let's go with the news:

SALES & DEALS

Steam has two new daily deals and 4 Midweek Madness deals:

• Football, Tactics & Glory is the first of the two fake daily deals, 25% off for the next 5 days: https://store.steampowered.com/app/375530/Football_Tactics__Glory/
• Forts is going to be 50% off for the next 6 days: https://store.steampowered.com/app/410900/Forts/
• And the Midweek Madness deals are:
  • Slime Rancher is 50% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/433340/Slime_Rancher/
  • The Early Access game Hurtworld is 60% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/393420/Hurtworld/
  • ARK: Survival Evolved is 65% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/346110/ARK_Survival_Evolved/
  • And DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 2 is 75% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/454650/DRAGON_BALL_XENOVERSE_2/

On the Humble Store, They Are Billions is 10% off for the next 20 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/they-are-billions

At Fanatical there are three new deals:

• Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is 60% off for the next 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/pillars-of-eternity-ii-deadfire
• That is part of a Versus Evil publisher sale, with up to 90% discounts for the next 7 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/versus-evil
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic I & II Pack is 85% off for the next 8 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/star-wars-knights-of-the-old-republic-pack

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

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MODS/EMULATORS

You can now play Mass Effect 2 in first-person mode thanks to this amazing mod
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/you-can-now-play-mass-effect-2-in-first-person-mode-thanks-to-this-amazing-mod/
Mass Effect 2 is considered by many as the magnum opus of the entire franchise, and today we’ve got some great news for all Mass Effect 2 PC fans out there. Modder ‘LordEmil1’ has just released a mode that lets you experience the game from a completely different perspective, as it enables a first-person mode when you are exploring the game’s environments.
This first-person mod for Mass Effect 2 does not change the combat perspective (the game automatically switches to third-person mode when you are in combat) and is completely compatible with all the conversations (as they are using multiple different perspectives throughout the game).
>> Get this mod from Nexus Mods.

Fifth progress update video and pre-alpha gameplay from the Half Life 3 fan game, Project Borealis
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/fifth-progress-update-video-and-pre-alpha-gameplay-from-the-half-life-3-fan-game-project-borealis/
The Project Borealis Team – the fan project developing a third Half-Life 2 episode based on the Epistle 3 script published by Half-Life writer Marc Laidlaw – have released their fifth development update. The update features information on the team’s level design process, including a first look at maps from the game, as well as the latest progress on core gameplay.

Fallout: New California is one update away from leaving beta
https://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-new-california-is-one-update-away-from-leaving-beta/
Fallout: New California, previously Project Brazil, is one of the best mods for Fallout: New Vegas, and it's now on the last leg of its journey through beta. The unofficial prequel has been in development for about eight years, while the beta launched last November. We've not heard much from it since, but last week it received its first update in seven months, along with news that there's only one more to go before it hits 1.0.
Modder Thaiauxn calls beta 221 "the version I wish we'd released with", and it squashes a large list of bugs, introduces new side quests, promises more rewards for exploration and there's a new installer that sets it up for you. Some players apparently had issues with downloading the 4GB beta patch and mod managers have trouble with the file size, so the new installer should hopefully solve those problems.
>> Get it from ModDB.

GAMING NEWS

First RAGE 2 update released, is 8GB in size, fixes crashes, makes Bandit Camps replayable and more
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/first-rage-2-update-released-is-8gb-in-size-fixes-crashes-makes-bandit-camps-replayable-and-more/
Bethesda has released the first major update for RAGE 2. This patch will update your game’s version to 1.03, is 8GB in size, new features, fixes, as well as optimizations. Going into more details, this patch makes Bandit Camps replayable, adds new Voice Packs, and brings menu optimization improvements to address some slowdown issues.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare will be using photogrammetry
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-will-be-using-photogrammetry/
Last month, we informed you about Call of Duty: Modern warfare featuring a new engine and supporting DirectX Ray Tracing. And today we are happy to report that this soft reboot of the Modern Warfare series will be also taking advantage of Photogrammetry.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night 4K Screenshots Gallery on Epic/Max Settings
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/bloodstained-ritual-of-the-night-4k-screenshots-gallery-on-epic-max-settings/
505 Games has just released Koji Igarashi’s exploration-focused, side-scroller action RPG, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. This game is powered by Unreal Engine 4 and we’ve decided to capture some screenshots in 4K on the Epic/Max settings and share them with you.

Destroy All Humans! – Remake versus Original graphics video comparison
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/destroy-all-humans-remake-versus-original-graphics-video-comparison/
YouTube’s ‘Mr arne’ has shared a comparison video between the original and the upcoming remake version of Destroy All Humans!. In this video, Mr arne basically compares a cut-scene in order to showcase the graphical improvements that Black Forest Games has made to the remake.

Anthem patch 1.2.1 released, improves matchmaking, features UI, Cosmetic & Combat fixes
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/anthem-patch-1-2-1-released-improves-matchmaking-features-ui-cosmetic-combat-fixes/
Electronic Arts and Bioware have released a new patch for their online looter shooter, Anthem. According to the release notes, this patch fixes a bug that would sometimes cause characters and enemies to appear frozen after the frozen effect had worn off.

Part two of the news:

Sail through a drowned world in free game The Things We Lost In The Flood
https://www.pcgamer.com/sail-through-a-drowned-world-in-free-game-the-things-we-lost-in-the-flood/
Explore a world where flooding has taken the sea level above, well, everything. In The Things We Lost In The Flood you play as a little person with their own rowboat. A boat you'll paddle from one nearly empty scene to another, with minimalist but wonderfully fluid pixel art evoking the misty nothingness of this post-apocalypse.

World of Warcraft's next major update comes June 25
https://www.pcgamer.com/world-of-warcrafts-next-major-update-comes-june-25/
World of Warcraft's 8.2 update, named Rise of Azshara, arrives on June 25, Blizzard announced today alongside a new trailer (above). For those frustrated by Battle for Azeroth's wonky Heart of Azeroth and Azerite Armor progression systems, Rise of Azshara should be a welcome update, as it introduces massive reworks that aim to make grinding for better gear a much more enjoyable process. And that's without even mentioning that Rise of Azshara will also introduce two gorgeous new zones, a new mega-dungeon, and, eventually, a new raid.

Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith defends 2077 from post-E3 criticism
https://www.pcgamer.com/cyberpunk-creator-mike-pondsmith-defends-2077-from-post-e3-criticism/
Cyberpunk 2077 was one of the biggest hits of this year's E3, but it didn't go over without criticism. The demo and trailers led some to express concerns about trans representation in the game, while an article by Rock, Paper, Shotgun expressed discomfort at "shooting at predominantly black people labelled as animals," referring to the Animals gang in the gameplay demo.
The criticisms attracted the attention of Mike Pondsmith, the creator of the Cyberpunk RPG on which the game is based.

The Overwatch Baptiste Challenge puts a new skin, icon, and sprays up for grabs
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-overwatch-baptiste-challenge-puts-a-new-skin-icon-and-sprays-up-for-grabs/
Running until July 1, Baptiste's Reunion Challenge will grant Overwatch players an icon, sprays, and a new skin for playing and watching the game. Three wins in Quick Play, Competitive, or Arcade will get you a new icon of Baptiste'e helmet; six wins will score two new sprays, one of Baptiste and one of his old friend Mauga; and for nine wins, you'll be rewarded with the Combat Medic Baptiste Skin, the crown jewel of the set.

Teamfight Tactics is now playable on the League of Legends PBE
https://www.pcgamer.com/teamfight-tactics-is-now-playable-on-the-league-of-legends-pbe/
Teamfight Tactics, the League of Legends spin on Dota Auto Chess than was announced last week, is now live on the LoL Public Beta Environment. That means you can finally take the beta for a spin—as long as you have access to the PBE.

Apex Legends season two update reveals the L-Star LMG and some new hop-ups
https://www.pcgamer.com/apex-legends-season-two-update-reveals-the-l-star-lmg-and-some-new-hop-ups/
The L-Star LMG, introduced earlier this month as part of the Apex Legends season two announcement, is a heavy hitter—so much so that it's not available as a regular weapon spawn, but can only be found in care packages. In an update posted today, principal weapons designer Sean Slayback revealed more about the weapon, saying that, "quite frankly, it's a beast."

Dragons are appearing in Apex Legends and stealing death boxes
https://www.pcgamer.com/dragons-are-appearing-in-apex-legends-and-stealing-death-boxes/
Apex Legends season 2 doesn't kick off for a couple of weeks, but some big changes are already happening in the game. Great, dragon-like beasts are soaring majestically through the skies above Kings Canyon—and players are blasting the hell out of them.

Movie-inspired retro FPS Maximum Action gets help from the developers of Dusk
https://www.pcgamer.com/movie-inspired-retro-fps-maximum-action-gets-help-from-the-developers-of-dusk/
The retro-shooter Maximum Action looked potentially promising but thin when it went live on Early Access in September 2018. Things appear to have changed rather dramatically since then: New Blood Interactive, the publisher of Dusk and Amid Evil, has revealed that it's been working on the game with developer George Mandell since early this year, which has enabled a significant overhaul of the interface and expanded plans for the future.

Pilot a punchy car-mech in bonkers free brawler Deusimator
https://www.pcgamer.com/pilot-a-punchy-car-mech-in-bonkers-free-brawler-deusimator/
Deusimator, then. Like Pacific Rim, it's a game about battling enormous monsters, mainly with giant robo-fists rather than with piddly missile weapons. Or rather, it's a game about battling one enormous monster, which is wandering about a desert, minding its own monstery business.

They Are Billions leaves Early Access and gets a big campaign
https://www.pcgamer.com/they-are-billions-leaves-early-access-and-gets-a-big-campaign/
Survival strategy romp They Are Billions has left Early Access, unleashing the zombie horde and giving players a meaty 48-mission campaign to fight through. Check out the New Empire campaign trailer above.

CS:GO celebrates 20 years of Counter-Strike with a retro Dust 2 map
https://www.pcgamer.com/csgo-celebrates-20-years-of-counter-strike-with-a-retro-dust-2-map/
Counter-Strike is 20 this year, incredibly. The Half-Life mod was released way back in 1999, before being acquired by Valve, who then launched the 1.0 version in 2000. To celebrate the anniversary, you can now play an older version of the classic Dust 2 map in CS:GO.

Slime Rancher's free update adds a digital world and virtual slimes
https://www.pcgamer.com/slime-ranchers-free-update-adds-a-digital-world-and-virtual-slimes/
Slime Rancher, Monomi Park's cheery FPS, will now let you do important work for science in a new update. Viktor's Experimental Update will send you into a simulated world to hunt down virtual, glitchy slimes. And if doing it in the name of science isn't enough, there are also some new gadgets that will be doled out as rewards.

Thursday news:

SALES & DEALS

Steam has two daily deals with very big discounts:

• Infinifactory is 80% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/300570/Infinifactory/
• Steel Rats gets an even bigger discount, 90% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/619700/Steel_Rats/

On the Humble Store the Watchdogs franchise is on sale, up to 80% off for the next 4 days. The keys are for UPlay: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/watch_dogs-franchise-sale/

At Fanatical, the Fugitive Bundle brings 11 games plus 1 DLC in three tiers of 3, 9 or the 12 products for the next 13 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/fugitive-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

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MODS/EMULATORS

This mod allows you to play Darksiders 2 in first-person mode as Horseman Strife
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/this-mod-allows-you-to-play-darksiders-2-in-first-person-mode-as-horseman-strife/
Modder “Loki” has released a really cool mod for Darksiders 2 Deathinitive Edition. This mod basically enables a first-person mode and lets you experience the game as horseman Strife (the only horseman for whom we still don’t have a dedicated game).
Now what’s really cool here is that this mod also comes with a FOV modifier. FOV has been adjusted to 80 for this mod, though players can adjust/tweak it to their liking.
Strifesiders 2 also comes with a player damage modifier, enemy damage modifier, the ability to disable the main and secondary weapons and a reload speed modifier. It also updates the evade counter and it changes it from 2 fast, 1 slow to 4 fast, 1 slow.
>> Get it from Nexus Mods.

Garou: Mark of the Wolves Remake in Mugen, available for download, better than the arcade version
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/garou-mark-of-the-wolves-remake-in-mugen-available-for-download-better-than-the-arcade-version/
YouTube’s ‘Heat Games-Play’ has shared a Mugen remake of one of the best SNK 2D fighting games to date, Garou: Mark of the Wolves. Now what’s really interesting here is that this free Mugen game feels and plays better than the original arcade version, something that will definitely please all SNK fans out there.
This Garou: Mark of the Wolves remake in Mugen features all of the highly detailed animations that SNK created for this game, and – like all Mugen games – comes with some new/extra moves. Not only that, but the game feels like an enhanced version of the original game, and we really have to congratulate its creator for that. All hit reactions and hit-boxes are on point, movement is really smooth and does not appear “weightless,” and the game does not feel like some cheap Mugen recreation.
Given the fact that Garou: Mark of the Wolves is not an abandonware title, we strongly suggest purchasing it from Steam (in case you want to download and play this free Mugen remake).
>> Download this Mugen remake from Mediafire.

GAMING NEWS

Metro Exodus June 19th patch available for download, fixes freezes on alt+tab, addresses game settings issues
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/metro-exodus-june-19th-patch-available-for-download-fixes-freezes-on-alttab-addresses-game-settings-issues/
4A Games has released a new minor update for Metro Exodus. According to the release notes, the June 19th patch fixes the freezing issues that players experienced when alt+tabbing, and resolves a bug that could prevent the game settings to be saved for some players.

F1 2019 Official PC System Requirements
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/f1-2019-official-pc-system-requirements/
Codemasters has revealed the official PC system requirements for F1 2019 via its Steam store page. According to the specs, PC gamers will at least need an Intel i3 2130 or an AMD FX4300 with 8GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce GTX640 or an AMD HD7750 graphics card.

Beta signups are now open for Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Quarantine
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/beta-signups-are-now-open-for-tom-clancys-rainbow-six-quarantine/
Ubisoft has opened the beta signups for its upcoming Rainbow Six game, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Quarantine. According to the publisher, gamers can signup for updates and the chance to play the game early in all three platforms (PC, Xbox One and PS4).
>> You can do it from its official website.

Quake 2 RTX patch 1.1.0 adds music playback & invert mouse support, tweaks tone mapper and more
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/quake-2-rtx-patch-1-1-0-adds-music-playback-invert-mouse-support-tweaks-tone-mapper-and-more/
Lightspeed Studios has released the first update for the RTX version of id Software’s classic shooter, Quake 2. A lot of players complained about the lack of music in Quake 2 and we are happy to report that Quake 2 RTX version 1.1.0 adds music playback support, thus making it the definitive version of Quake 2.

SAMURAI SHODOWN V SPECIAL is now available on Steam
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/samurai-shodown-v-special-is-now-available-on-steam/
In order to spark further interest for the upcoming release of Samurai Shodown, SNK Corporation has just released SAMURAI SHODOWN V SPECIAL on Steam. SAMURAI SHODOWN V SPECIAL was the last game made for SNK’s NEOGEO and was originally released in 2004.

New tech video showcases the amazing soft-body physics & car deformation effects of BeamNG.drive
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/new-tech-video-showcases-the-amazing-soft-body-physics-car-deformation-effects-of-beamng-drive/
BeamNG has released a brand new tech video, showcasing the amazing soft-body physics engine and car deformation that players can experience in BeamNG.drive. BeamNG.drive is described as an immersive vehicle simulator offering near limitless possibilities to explore driving, stunting, crashing, and customizing vehicles.

Here are 19 minutes of brand new gameplay footage from the Phoenix Point E3 2019 Demo
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-19-minutes-of-brand-new-gameplay-footage-from-the-phoenix-point-e3-2019-demo/
Snapshot Games has released a video, showing 19 minutes of brand new gameplay footage from the E3 2019 demo of Phoenix Point. Phoenix Point is a turn-based squad tactics game from the creator of X-Com that is currently scheduled for a September 3rd release.

New screenshots released for the first-person dark fantasy shooter, Witchfire
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/new-screenshots-released-for-the-first-person-dark-fantasy-shooter-witchfire/
The Astronauts has released five new screenshots for its upcoming first-person dark fantasy shooter, Witchfire. Witchfire is said to be a first-person shooter focused on challenge and mastery, that is being made by eight people, targets a 2020 release and won’t be story-based.

Alpha Protocol publishing rights have returned to Obsidian, game removed from Steam [UPDATE]
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/alpha-protocol-publishing-rights-have-returned-to-obsidian-game-removed-from-steam/
Alpha Protocol is a game that a lot of gamers would love to re-experience via a remake or remaster, and yesterday those hopes got to 11 as Valve was asked by SEGA to remove the game from Steam. However, it appears that there isn’t currently any planned remaster for it.
UPDATE: Eurogamer now claims that SEGA still owns the Alpha Protocol IP.
>> SEGA says they've pulled it because the license for the music has expired, something that has happened in the past with other games.

Thursday news, part two:

Remnant: From the Ashes trailer explores the gloomy wasteland
https://www.pcgamer.com/remnant-from-the-ashes-trailer-explores-the-gloomy-wasteland/
Remnant: From the Ashes, Gunfires Games' cooperative survival shooter, is set in a devastated world full of radiation and monstrous beasties, and in a new trailer we get a closer look at the aggressively unpleasant wasteland players will fight their way through in a couple of months.
>> And there are also new screenshots.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 will bring back Bloodlines' freaky dance moves
https://www.pcgamer.com/vampire-the-masquerade-bloodlines-2-will-bring-back-bloodlines-freaky-dance-moves/
Nightclubs are a central component of the overall Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines experience. They're a little like hubs for each of the game's areas, but what they really bring to the table is ambiance: Music, lights, sketchy characters, bits of stickiness you don't want to think about too much, the occasional side quest, and dancing. Lots and lots of dancing.

Respawn is 'never gonna make an Apex 2'
https://www.pcgamer.com/respawn-is-never-gonna-make-an-apex-2/
Apex Legends is a more languid sort of battle royale than most others, at least in terms of its development. Updates come more slowly, and everything feels more deliberate: The Mozambique has famously sucked since day one, for instance, and Respawn has been happy enough to leave it that way while it figures out the best way to make it viable. (Some performance-enhancing hop-ups are on the way.)
But that's not a sign that the developers aren't thinking about the game's long-term future. In fact, executive producer Drew McCoy told USgamer that it's exactly the opposite.

Larian teases a return of Minsc and Boo in Baldur's Gate 3
https://www.pcgamer.com/larian-teases-a-return-of-minsc-and-boo-in-baldurs-gate-3/
Divinity: Original Sin is kind of a goofy game. We said in our review that the plot is "enlivened by Larian's knowing sense of humor," which is a nice way of saying that it's loaded with puns, silliness, men with many cheeses, and a conversation with a hard-of-hearing mayor about all the sects taking root in his town. But how will that approach carry over to the very grim-and-serious computer role-playing game experience of Baldur's Gate?

CD Projekt plans Witcher 3-style expansions for Cyberpunk 2077
https://www.pcgamer.com/cd-projekt-plans-witcher-3-style-expansions-for-cyberpunk-2077/
The Witcher grew from a niche RPG in 2007 to a massively successful multiplatform trilogy, the final part of which was almost a trilogy unto itself thanks to the beefy (and excellent) Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions. CD Projekt sees similar opportunities to expand upon the initial Cyberpunk 2077 release: UI coordinator Alvin Liu told Prima Games that the core game will tell a complete story, but it won't necessarily be the end of it.

Bungie announces big changes coming to Destiny 2's Eververse Store
https://www.pcgamer.com/bungie-announces-big-changes-coming-to-destiny-2s-eververse-store/
Sooner or later, every Destiny 2 player has to grapple with the age-old gamer question: Do I want to look good, or do I want to be good? For me, it was never an issue. I look good, and the numbers be damned. Today, Bungie announced some big changes coming to the Eververse store aimed at easing some of the pressure of properly stylin'-and-profilin'.

Build a camp and ride llamas in The Superfluous Sand's free alpha demo
https://www.pcgamer.com/build-a-camp-and-ride-llamas-in-the-superfluous-sands-free-alpha-demo/
How's your Stardew Valley farm doing? Have you finally finished tinkering with your Minecraft town, and dug every precious thing out of the ground in Terraria? You might want to take your tent and pitch it in The Superfluous Sand, a post-apocalyptic sandbox building game set in a big ol' desert (that used to be Alaska).

Take a tour of The Sims 4: Island Living
https://www.pcgamer.com/take-a-tour-of-the-sims-4-island-living/
The Sims 4's latest expansion, Island Living, will let your Sims jet off to an island paradise for a holiday tomorrow, July 21, but first you can take a quick tour to get acquainted with the place in the official gameplay trailer above.

EA calls loot boxes 'surprise mechanics' and compares them to Kinder Eggs
https://www.pcgamer.com/ea-calls-loot-boxes-surprise-mechanics-and-compares-them-to-kinder-eggs/
Representatives from EA and Epic met with the UK Parliament's Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee this week in an evidence session for its investigation into "addictive and immersive technologies". MPs quizzed lawyers and marketing executives in a strained, occasionally hostile meeting, touching on subjects like age verification and loot boxes.
>> Paraphrasing Samuel L. Jackson: "Motherf*ckers!".

Insurgency: Sandstorm is free for the weekend on Steam
https://www.pcgamer.com/insurgency-sandstorm-is-free-for-the-weekend-on-steam/
Insurgency: Sandstorm, the eerily realistic military shooter, is hosting a free weekend on Steam, and it starts today. It's not the most relaxing way to spend your weekend, but Sandstorm's one of the best multiplayer shooters around, especially in co-op.

We're close to a new generation of home consoles, huh?  I assume that will raise the bar on game development, which probably means I need to reevaluate my PC.

So, is a component upgrade feasible?  Or should I move on to a new PC?  Keep in mind that I don't care much about super high resolution and all of that.  I'm interested in the video quality being decent but performance is what I care about.  I'm perfectly fine with turning down many performance sucking graphics settings from Ultra Puffy--actually, I'd probably do that anyway, because a lot of them give me a headache.  I also have zero interest in impressing people with my "power".  I'm not going to pay a premium for marginal gains just because something is new.

This is my modest little PC:

Processor           1 x Intel® Core™ i5-6600K Processor (4x 3.50GHz/6MB L3 Cache) - Intel® Core™ i5-6600K
Processor Cooling           1 x Asetek 510LC Liquid CPU Cooling System [SOCKET-1150/1151] 
Memory           1 x 8 GB [4 GB x2]  DDR4-2800 ADATA XPG
Video Card           1 x NVIDIA GeForce GTX950 2GB
Free Stuff           1 x [FREE Game Download] - Tom Clancy's The Division 
Motherboard           1 x MSI Z170A SLI Plus -- 3x PCIe 3.0 x16, 6x USB 3.1 Gen1, 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C
Power Supply           1 x 600W Standard 80 PLUS Bronze

Oh, hey, I never did download The Division.  Heh, I'm okay with that.

Edit:  Also wanted to say that I'm done with AMD.  Bad luck perhaps, but I've had two AMD systems and I've had far too many problems with playing games.  I'm tired of looking up issues and reading that the game I'm playing "doesn't work well with AMD."  

Might want to think about upgrading that graphics card because I don't think you'll get very far with 2GB of VRAM in the near future or maybe you could just stake this out depending on your backlog and how long you intend to keep your new graphics card ...

It all depends on what your 'target' is for next generation but if you just want to stick to being 'adequate' then I'd go with something similar to a GTX 1070/1080 even though it might end up being a worse experience compared to next gen consoles because I doubt AAA developers will solely design their games around the latest hardware features ...

I have the same CPU as you do but if you suspect you're hitting a bottleneck then just overclock it to 4.5GHz like I did ...

With both next gen consoles being AMD Ryzen and AMD Radeon Navi, I don't see how a new AMD PC could be all that much of a headache when it comes to games. Unless the games you'll be playing are PC only, in which case the next gen consoles shouldn't change their outcome all that much.