Carzy Zarx’s PC Gaming Emporium - Catch Up on All the Latest PC Gaming Related News

[JEMC]

It's time, time for the Friday news!

SALES & DEALS

The Witcher 3 sales were up 554% thanks to the Netflix show
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-witcher-3-sales-were-up-554-thanks-to-the-netflix-show/
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is doing rather well for itself thanks to Netflix's recently-released The Witcher series.
As spotted by PC Games Insider, The NPD Group claims that, compared to December 2018, December 2019 saw a massive 554% increase in sales for physical editions of The Witcher 3 across all platforms. Considering that was the same month that Netflix released its own take on the fantasy series, it's clear the Henry Cavill-fronted show convinced a heck of a lot of people to try out the game.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance and Aztez are now available for free on Epic Games Store
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/kingdom-come-deliverance-and-aztez-are-now-available-for-free-on-epic-games-store/
Epic Games has announced that Kingdom Come: Deliverance and Aztez are now available for free on Epic Games Store. From today and until February 20th, PC gamers can visit their EGS pages and acquire their free copies.
>> Next week, the free game will be the card game Faeria. Also, there's a Valentine sale of sorts (for the love to videogames) on the Epic Store, with up to 75% discounts until February 27th: https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-EN/collection/for-the-love-of-the-games

On the Humble Store there are two new sales:

• The Sonic franchise is on sale, up to 75% off for the next 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/sonic-franchise-week/
• And 2K also has its games on sale for the next 6 days, with up to 80% discounts: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/2k-sale/

Fanatical has four new deals:

• The new Star Deal is Spintires, 80% off for the next 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/spintires
• Table Manners: The Physics-Based Dating Game is 25% off: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/table-manners
• Wreckfest is 60% off for the next 3 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/wreckfest
• And Jackbox Games Inc has its games up to 50% off for the next 7 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/jackbox-games-inc.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Steam Labs' new experiment will help you decide what to play next
https://www.pcgamer.com/steam-labs-new-experiment-will-help-you-decide-what-to-play-next/
Steam Labs is a virtual place where Valve conducts "experiments" aimed at making Steam easier to use. One of the most interesting experiments we've seen so far is the Interactive Recommender, which uses machine learning instead of conventional tags in order to find games you might be interested in.
The newest experiment, Play Next, performs a similar function, and is actually based on the same technology that powers the Interactive Recommender. But instead of rooting through the store to find games you might want to buy, it roots through your massive backlog (you have one, right?) to find games that it's about time you finally got around to playing.

MODS/EMULATORS

Fortnite map makers recreate Counter-Strike's Dust 2
https://www.pcgamer.com/fortnite-map-makers-recreate-counter-strikes-dust-2/
A team has recreated Counter-Strikes Dust 2 map in Fortnite.
Team Evolve, a collective of players who create and share impressive maps using Fortnite's in-game Creative mode, showed off its remake of Dust 2 on Twitter. It's eerie how similar it is; I wouldn't have realised it wasn't Counter-Strike if it wasn't for those radioactively green trees. The architecture, the colours and the general grunginess of it all are spot-on.
(...)
Dust 2 will be coming to Fortnite through the Battle Lab feature. Introduced in December, Battle Lab essentially opened up the game's battle royale mode to custom maps made in Creative. Assuming you have the code for it—which Evolve will be releasing soon through its Twitter—you can play a Battle Lab creation with up to 15 friends, or you can hope to find it in public matchmaking.

GAMING NEWS

CRYENGINE-powered action RPG, Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem, has been fully released on Steam
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/cryengine-powered-action-rpg-wolcen-lords-of-mayhem-has-been-fully-released-on-steam/
WOLCEN Studio has fully released its CRYENGINE-powered action RPG, Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem, on Steam. This game has been in Early Access for a while, but it’s now feature-complete. In order to celebrate it, the team has also released a new trailer that you can find below.

New in-engine trailer released for Marvel’s Avengers, showcasing some of the characters & their powers
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/new-in-engine-trailer-released-for-marvels-avengers-showcasing-some-of-the-characters-their-powers/
Square Enix and Marvel have released a new in-engine trailer for Marvel’s Avengers. This trailer showcases some of the characters that players can select, and their powers. Moreover, it packs some brief gameplay sequences.

DayZ is free to play on Steam until February 17th, and you can download it right now
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/dayz-is-free-to-play-on-steam-until-february-17th-and-you-can-download-it-right-now/
Bohemia Interactive has announced that the standalone version of DayZ is free to play this weekend on Steam. From today and until February 17th, players can visit the game’s Steam store page, download and play it.
>> And it's also 40% off.

Half-Life: Alyx releases on March 23rd, gets brand new screenshots
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/half-life-alyx-releases-on-march-23rd-gets-brand-new-screenshots/
Valve has announced that Half-Life: Alyx will release on March 23rd. In order to celebrate this announcement, the team has also released some new screenshots that you can find below. Half-Life: Alyx will be using the Source 2 Engine and these screenshots showcase what you can expect from it.

Square Enix releases official gameplay presentation video for Outriders
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/square-enix-releases-official-gameplay-presentation-video-for-outriders/
Square Enix has released an official gameplay presentation video for Outriders. This video gives us the first look at its gameplay mechanics. Now since this video will give you an idea of how the game plays, we suggest watching it.

New mind-blowing screenshots for Microsoft Flight Simulator showcase next-gen graphics
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/new-mind-blowing-screenshots-for-microsoft-flight-simulator-showcase-next-gen-graphics/
Microsoft Flight Simulator is easily one of the most impressive – visually – games out there. While the game is still in an alpha stage, it looks absolutely incredible. Seriously, the game’s alpha build showcases next-gen graphics, and it’s a beauty to behold.

Remedy is working on four games right now, Vanguard to be long-term service-based multiplayer game
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/remedy-is-working-on-four-games-right-now-vanguard-to-be-long-term-service-based-multiplayer-game/
Remedy has announced that it is currently working on four games/projects. The “first game project” is the single-player campaign of CrossfireX. The second project is also a game in the Crossfire universe, though we don’t have enough information about it yet.
>> And of those four, only one could, I repeat, *could*, be a sequel.

Borderlands 3 February Update is now available, increases level cap, full patch notes revealed
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/borderlands-3-february-update-is-now-available-increases-level-cap-full-patch-notes-revealed/
Gearbox has released the February Update for Borderlands 3. This update increases the level cap from 50 to 53, giving you three additional skill points to add to your skill trees. It also adds several highly requested feature updates, such as True Takedown Mode, skippable cutscenes, and event toggling.

First gameplay footage surfaces for the PC version of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/first-gameplay-footage-surfaces-for-the-pc-version-of-halo-combat-evolved-anniversary/
Following the release of Halo: Reach, 343 Industries is currently working on Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary for the PC. The team has launched a new flight/beta phase earlier this week. As such, below you can find the first gameplay footage from Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.