Monday news, part two:

The beautiful, harsh roguelike Below is getting an easier 'Explore mode'
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-beautiful-harsh-roguelike-below-is-getting-an-easier-explore-mode/
I really like the look of Capy's roguelike exploration game Below, but was put off by stories of its unforgiving grind. Not that I mind difficulty, and the one sure thing about roguelikes is that you're going to die a lot, but if you're going to make a beautiful game world filled with mysteries and secrets then I'd rather spend my time exploring it instead of being focused solely on not dying. Hob is a fine example of that: Lots of ways to die, but plenty of time to wander and enjoy the sights, and it's not excessively punishing when you do cack it.

Dwarf Fortress devs are finally about to start working on the Steam version
https://www.pcgamer.com/dwarf-fortress-devs-are-finally-about-to-start-working-on-the-steam-version/
Sinister plots have come to Dwarf Fortress. Somewhere out in its ASCII world there are now bad guys who can send undercover dwarves to steal the artifacts from your fortress, and you can go Dwarf Cop on them. (...)
We wrote up this most recent update when it landed, and developer Tarn Adams has now put out the first of likely a few bugfixing patches. These typically follow big Dwarf Fortress releases, as there are always unexpected problems in its sprawling simulation. This update doesn't actually contain all the villainy features Adams originally planned, which will come after launching on Steam and Itch.io.

Valve is building a system that auto-mutes abusive CS:GO players
https://www.pcgamer.com/valve-is-building-a-system-that-auto-mutes-abusive-csgo-players/
Team-based games like CS:GO require coordination between players. Coordination requires communication, and communication, unfortunately, generally requires talking to other people. This is where the wheels tend to come off, because while some players will use the power of comms to set ambushes or warn about incoming enemies, others prefer less friendly approaches to chit-chat. You know what I mean.
To help clamp down on that sort of garbage, Valve is working on a new system for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive that will help cut down on in-game abuse more "precisely" than current tools.

Many Chinese developers are worried about Steam's upcoming Chinese-only version
https://www.pcgamer.com/many-chinese-developers-are-worried-about-steams-upcoming-chinese-only-version/
A China-only version of Steam might sound like a good thing on paper, but for the Chinese developers for whom Steam is a lifeline, a region-locked version of the platform may actually represent an existential threat. In December I flew to Shanghai to attend WePlay Game Expo, China's only convention for its vibrant but relatively small indie gaming scene. https://www.pcgamer.com/between-censorship-and-steam-chinese-indie-developers-are-hanging-by-a-thread/" target="_blank">You should read the report in order to understand the precarious situation these developers are in, but the gist is that heavy-handed government regulations make it almost impossible for small developers to survive in China's enormous gaming industry.

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous hits Kickstarter target, working through stretch goals
https://www.pcgamer.com/pathfinder-wrath-of-the-righteous-hits-kickstarter-target-working-through-stretch-goals/
Owlcat Games are following up Pathfinder: Kingmaker with another adaptation of a tabletop RPG campaign, this time called Wrath of the Righteous. It's about a mythic hero who challenges demon lords, closes a portal to the Abyss, and leads a crusade. While Owlcat have enough money to make Wrath of the Righteous they've turned to Kickstarter to expand their budget and also drum up some interest.

Space Channel 5 is coming back as a VR game
https://www.pcgamer.com/space-channel-5-is-coming-back-as-a-vr-game/
A fresh version of one of Sega's classic properties that isn't Sonic the Hedgehog was announced last year, with Dreamcast classic Space Channel 5 returning in VR form. Now there's a launch trailer and while only the PlayStation VR version has a release date (February 25 in the US, February 26 in Europe) the website lists Vive, SteamVR, and Oculus versions coming soon.

Dragon Ball FighterZ's third season kicks off this month with Kefla
https://www.pcgamer.com/dragon-ball-fighterzs-third-season-kicks-off-this-month-with-kefla/
Ark System Works and Bandai Namco have announced that its 2D fighting behemoth, Dragon Ball FighterZ, will be getting a third season full of new characters to raise your power levels with.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Season 2's leaked trailer reveals a Rust comeback
https://www.pcgamer.com/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-season-2s-leaked-trailer-reveals-a-rust-comeback/
A trailer for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's upcoming Season 2 has been leaked, letting slip that one of the most popular maps in CoD history is finally making a comeback.

THQ Nordic opens a new studio with former Bohemia Interactive staff
https://www.pcgamer.com/thq-nordic-opens-a-new-studio-with-former-bohemia-interactive-staff/
THQ Nordic has opened up a new studio with former Bohemia Interactive staff to develop a new survival shooter.
Operating out of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, Nine Rock Games is being headed up by David Durcak. Durcak is best known for his work at ArmA and DayZ developer Bohemia Interactive, where he was a project lead. Joining him are other former Bohemia developers, and others who worked at Cauldron on games like Soldier of Fortune: Payback, Conan (2004), and Chaser. Bohemia Interactive acquired Cauldron in 2014.

Man I am looking forward to this so much.  If all I get from my initial pledge is this game, then I'll have considered it worth the money.  The actual Star Citizen proper will just be a huge bonus.

The Tuesday news:

SALES & DEALS

Get Frogwares' Sherlock Holmes series cheap on Steam
https://www.pcgamer.com/get-frogwares-sherlock-holmes-series-cheap-on-steam/
Baker Street's most famous resident is offering to solve mysteries and crimes at a discounted rate today. Almost all of Frogware's Sherlock Holmes collection is on sale on Steam, keeping you up to your deerstalker in puzzles and murder for the foreseeable future.
>> That's the new daily deal. Here's the other new deal as well as a new set of weeklong deals:

• The Wild Eight is 50% off for the next 6 days: https://store.steampowered.com/app/526160/The_Wild_Eight/
• And here are some of the weeklong deals:
  • Age of Civilizations II is 10% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/603850/Age_of_Civilizations_II/
  • Blacksad: Under the Skin is 25% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1003890/Blacksad_Under_the_Skin/
  • Thea 2: The Shattering, that has a demo, features a 40% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/606230/Thea_2_The_Shattering/
  • Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime is 60% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/252110/Lovers_in_a_Dangerous_Spacetime/
  • Magicka is 75% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/42910/Magicka/
  • And the last one is Zombie Night Terror, with a 90% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/416680/Zombie_Night_Terror/

At GOG they're celebrating the second anniversary of Kingdom Come: Deliverance with up to 75% discounts on the different edition of the game for the next 6 days (quite useless given that it will be available for free on the Epic Store later this week). If you're still interested, head over here: https://www.gog.com/promo/kingdom_come_deliverance_2nd_anniversary

On the Humble Store there's a new sale: Lovers X Fighters, with up to 90% discounts on fighting and dating games for the next 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/lovers-x-fighters-sale/

Fanatical has three new sales:

• Dead Cells is 30% off for the next 7 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/dead-cells
• The Darksiders franchise is on sale, up to 80% off for the next 7 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/franchises/darksiders
• And publisher Beamdog has its games up to 66% off for the next 7 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/beamdog

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Humble Bundle is introducing regional pricing for its bundles
https://www.pcgamer.com/humble-bundle-is-introducing-regional-pricing-for-its-bundles/
Humble Bundle has announced that it's introducing regional pricing for its bundles. Previously, the store's Humble Bundles have been in US Dollars, but with the introduction of regional pricing the company hope to make its whole store more "consistent."
In the blog post, Humble says that the store, its bundles, and Humble Choice will all have regional pricing and will support EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, TRY, RUB, and PHP. There are still some bundles listed in USD on its website, but future bundles will have regional pricing.
When asked on Twitter about the conversion rates between regions, Humble explained that the conversion between regional prices will be based on exchange rates. More information about the regional pricing can be found on their official support page.

MODS/EMULATORS

Doom 64 and Quake 64 receive amazing AI-enhanced HD Texture Packs
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/doom-64-and-quake-64-receive-amazing-ai-enhanced-hd-texture-packs/
Doom Eternal releases next month and Bethesda plans to release Doom 64 alongside it. However, it appears that the best -- visually -- way to replay this game will be via emulation. Gaming Revived has released an amazing AI-enhanced HD Texture Pack for it that overhauls all of its textures.
Doom 64 featured new sprites for all of its enemies. However, and since it came out on Nintendo 64, those textures were really low-res. Thanks to these AI techniques, though, PC gamers can now enjoy the N64 with higher resolution textures.
This is a truly amazing HD Texture Pack and we strongly suggest downloading. Alongside it, Gaming Revived has also released a HD Texture Pack for Quake 64. Similarly to Doom 64, this pack overhauls the game’s textures. Furthermore, it manages to retain its original visual style.
>> You can download both mods from this Discord channel.

Gwent Redux Mod released for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, brings major changes & more than 60 new cards
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/gwent-redux-mod-released-for-the-witcher-3-wild-hunt-brings-numerous-changes/
Majestic511 has released a new mod for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Gwent Redux is a complete overhaul of the Witcher Card Game. This mod modifies original card values and effects to make Gwent more balanced, fun to play and lore friendly.
According to the modder, the main goal of the rework is to make decks more different from each other. Thus, the original cards have received some changes to bring each deck to a clearer style of gameplay.
The game now focuses on properly using cards to exploit your opponent’s weaknesses. Also, expansion cards will help to define play styles and increase the possibilities of play.
Moreover, Gwent Redux adds new cards packed in thematic expansion sets to further improve and diversify the game. These cards can be acquired from merchants, innkeepers, random rewards, quests, etc.
>> You can get this mod from Nexus Mods.

GAMING NEWS

Bioware announces “Anthem 2.0”, will be redesigned with the aim to reinvent the core gameplay
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/bioware-announces-anthem-2-0-will-be-redesigned-with-the-aim-to-reinvent-the-core-gameplay/
Bioware has just announced that it will redesign its latest looter shooter game, Anthem. Anthem 2.0, as I like to call it, will be redesigned, with a focus on reinventing its core gameplay. As such, Bioware may be able to provide better loot, better player progression and meaningful rewards.

Here are the official PC system requirements for My Hero One’s Justice 2
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/here-are-the-official-pc-system-requirements-for-my-hero-ones-justice-2/
Bandai Namco has revealed the official PC system requirements for My Hero One’s Justice 2 via its Steam store page. According to the specs, PC gamers will at least need an Intel Core i5-750 or an AMD Phenom II X4 940.

Cliff Bleszinski and Boss Key Productions were in talks with FOX for a new Aliens game
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/cliff-bleszinski-and-boss-key-productions-were-in-talks-with-fox-for-a-new-aliens-game/
Remember Cliff Bleszinski and Boss Key Productions? You know, the team behind the unsuccessful LawBreakers? Well, apparently Bleszinski and his team were in talks with FOX for a brand new Aliens game.

First gameplay video released for TT Isle of Man Ride on the Edge 2 + PC System Requirements
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/first-gameplay-video-released-for-tt-isle-of-man-ride-on-the-edge-2-pc-system-requirements/
Bigben and KT Racing have released the first official gameplay video for TT Isle of Man Ride on the Edge 2. As the press release reads, TT Isle of Man Ride on the Edge 2 will be more immersive and realistic than ever.

Closed beta for Pearl Abyss’ upcoming arena fighter, Shadow Arena, begins on February 27th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/closed-beta-for-pearl-abyss-upcoming-arena-fighter-shadow-arena-begins-on-february-27th/
Pearl Abyss announced the closed beta phase for their new fantasy arena game Shadow Arena. This closed beta testing will begin on February 27th and will last until March 8th. Moreover, players can sign up for the Beta Test here.

Tuesday news, part two:

Hokko Life is a solo-developed Animal Crossing-like coming to early access this year
https://www.pcgamer.com/hokko-life-is-a-solo-developed-animal-crossing-like-coming-to-early-access-this-year/
If you've not hopped on the Switch train just yet and are feeling somewhat left out because of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, then don't worry.
Robert Tatnell (who worked as an artist at Sony and Lionhead, working on games like Heavenly Sword and Fable 3) has announced Hokko Life, a PC game heavily inspired by Nintendo's adorable village builder.
>> Another game that follows TemTem's idea: if Nintendo doesn't do it, "we" will.

Spec Ops: The Line developer receives undisclosed investment from Tencent
https://www.pcgamer.com/spec-ops-the-line-developer-receives-undisclosed-investment-from-tencent/
It's only the second month of 2020, but gaming giant Tencent has taken another step toward expanding its investments into game studios of all shapes and sizes. Earlier this year Tencent partnered with Platinum Games to help the studio fund its self-publishing efforts, and it also announced plans to acquire Conan Exiles developer Funcom entirely. And now, Berlin-based Spec Ops: The Line developer Yager has received an undisclosed investment from Tencent, though it will reportedly retain its independence.

Two-headed skeletons are punching out cowboys in Red Dead Online
https://www.pcgamer.com/two-headed-skeletons-are-punching-out-cowboys-in-red-dead-online/
Like many games, Red Dead Online has its share of hackers. I've met a few myself: one who turned me into a living stick of dynamite, one who nuked my horse from orbit, and one who teleported me and every other player onto a tiny sliver of land at the edge of the map. Good times with cherished friends.
Now it appears that Red Dead Online hackers have picked up a ghastly new trick: playing as unkillable two-headed skeletons who have come back from the grave for a few rounds of cowboy boxing.
>> There's a video in the article showing it.

Duos are returning to Apex Legends for Valentine's Day
https://www.pcgamer.com/duos-are-returning-to-apex-legends-for-valentines-day/
Valentine's Day, the annual celebration of love and romance, is not the sort of thing that immediately invites thoughts of shooting other people in the face. But teaming up with your special someone to do it? That's definitely on the menu, at least in Apex Legends, which will see the return of Duos mode tomorrow.

Here's new footage of Doom Eternal in Nightmare mode
https://www.pcgamer.com/heres-doom-eternal-in-nightmare-mode/
Word of warning: the above video may cause you to grind your teeth into dust. It's footage of Doom Eternal in Nightmare mode, captured by YouTuber TheSpudHunter, and needless to say it's extremely fast and almost intolerably anxiety inducing. There's an Archvile in there (a seemingly very bullet-spongy one), a bunch of those new Gargoyle things, and almost as an afterthought: a Cyberdemon.

T-Pain streamed Doom Eternal for two hours
https://www.pcgamer.com/t-pain-is-streaming-doom-eternal-right-now/
T-Pain, the rapper and producer best known for popularising Auto-Tune, is currently streaming Doom Eternal. He's joined by Hugo Martin, the art director on Doom Eternal.
Update: The stream is over, and the archive is now embedded above.

2K Silicon Valley is now 31st Union and is working on an 'ambitious and inspired new IP'
https://www.pcgamer.com/2k-silicon-valley-is-now-31st-union-and-is-working-on-an-ambitious-and-inspired-new-ip/
2K's Silicon Valley studio, which opened last year with Sledgehammer co-founder Michael Condrey at the helm, finally has a name: 31st Union. The new studio is already expanding, too, opening an office in Spain.

Starbreeze is looking for a publishing partner for Payday 3
https://www.pcgamer.com/starbreeze-is-looking-for-a-publishing-partner-for-payday-3/
Payday publisher Starbreeze didn't have a good 2019, following it filing for reconstruction to avoid bankruptcy in December the previous year. It sold off studios, laid off 25 percent of its employees and put most of its eggs in the Payday basket. It's now released its end of year earnings report, and while much of it makes for gloomy reading, there's light at the end of the tunnel for the publisher.
(...)
CEO Mikael Nermark said that the new DLC for Payday 2 generated better than expected sales and interest, leading to the highest concurrent player count "in some time." The average player count before Payday 2 went back into active development sat around 10,000, according to Steam Charts, but in November it jumped up to 28,000.
(...)
As for the sequel, Starbreeze is currently looking for a publishing partner that can "provide financial stability and possesses the marketing and distribution resources required to power the best possible launch and further development of the product." It's aiming to present a publishing agreement to investors soon, before the end of the first half of 2020.

Actually looking forward to seeing how Hokko Life develops. It's nice that those on PC get to have a taste of Pokemon via TemTem, and now AC. At least now we have the options for those sort of games on the platform.

The Wednesday news:

SALES & DEALS

The Steam Soundtrack Sale has begun
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-steam-soundtrack-sale-has-begun/
In January, Valve rolled out a major overhaul to the way Steam handles game soundtracks. Previously, soundtracks were treated as DLC, which was a real hassle: They couldn't be purchased separately from the games they belonged to, and if you wanted to download the soundtrack you'd have to install the game first.
The update in early January changed all that by adding a new "soundtrack" category to Steam, enabling users to purchase, download, and manage their game music entirely independently of their games. It wasn't perfect—existing soundtracks would have to be manually converted to the new system by developers, so some old favorites were bound to be missed—but it's a big improvement over the old system.
To celebrate the big move, Valve kicked off a Soundtrack Sale today, with deals on a wide range of the more than 900 soundtracks currently available in the new category.
>> But that's not the only new sale:

• Catherine Classic is 30% off for the next 3 days: https://store.steampowered.com/app/893180/Catherine_Classic/
• The Early Access title Survive the Nights is 30% off for the next 5 days: https://store.steampowered.com/app/541300/Survive_the_Nights/
• Capcom has its games on sale, up to 87% off until the 17th: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/capcom/
• And here are the two Midweek Madness deals:
  • Dead Cells is 30% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/588650/Dead_Cells/
  • And Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition is 75% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/387290/Ori_and_the_Blind_Forest_Definitive_Edition/

GOG's Midweek sale is full of war games (of all genres), up to 90% off for the next 3 days: https://www.gog.com/promo/20200212_midweek_sale

There's a new Humble Bundle: the Humble VR Bundle, with up to 7 games available for the next 13 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/vr-bundle

And Fanatical has three new sales:

• The new Star Deal is Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Gold Edition, 75% off on a UPlay key for the next 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/assassin-s-creed-odyssey-gold-edition
• Deep Silver has pout its games up to 81% off for the next 7 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/deep-silver
• And there's a new bundle, the Cryptic Bundle 9 with 8 games with a 98% discount: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/cryptic-bundle-9

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Real-time ray tracing could get a boost from standardized support in Vulkan
https://www.pcgamer.com/real-time-ray-tracing-could-get-a-boost-from-standardized-support-in-vulkan/
In a sense, real-time ray tracing in games is sort of like VR—adoption is slower than we'd all like, but also growing. This despite RTX graphics cards having been available for over 18 months now. One of the things that could give ray tracing a boost is a standardized specification within the Vulkan API, and that is something the Khronos Group intends to talk about with Nvidia and others at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2020 in March.

MODS/EMULATORS

Modders remake GTA San Andreas’ controversial Hot Coffee in Red Dead Redemption 2
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/modders-remake-gta-san-andreas-controversial-hot-coffee-in-red-dead-redemption-2/
Remember the controversial Hot Coffee from Grand Theft Auto San Andreas? You know, the inaccessible mini-game that portrayed animated sexual intercourse between the main character and his girlfriend? Well, modders Unlosing and Jedijosh920 have released a similar mod for Red Dead Redemption 2.
By installing this mod, players can enter any of the supported locations and have some “fun“. The currently available locations are Valentine Saloon, Saint Denis Saloon and Strawberry Hotel/Welcome Center.
The modders also plan to add more locations in a future release.
In order to install this mod, you’ll also need Alexander Blade’s Script Hook RDR2. Once you have installed it, you’ll simply have to place “HotCoffee.asi” in the root folder of your Red Dead Redemption 2 game directory.
Now even though there is a sexual intercourse, both Arthur and the prostitutes were their clothes. So yeah, this isn’t a “full” Hot Coffee, though I’m pretty sure the modders may add such a feature in a future release.
>> Get the mod from Nexus Mods.

GAMING NEWS

Gearbox announces new free seasonal event and level cap increase for Borderlands 3
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/gearbox-announces-new-free-seasonal-event-and-level-cap-increase-for-borderlands-3/
Gearbox has announced a new free seasonal event for Borderlands 3, Broken Hearts Day. According to the team, particularly lovesick enemies across the Borderlands will soon have special hearts floating around them. These hearts take a variety of forms, and shooting them produces any of a number of unique effects.

Official gameplay reveal trailer released for People Can Fly’s upcoming game, Outriders
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/official-gameplay-reveal-trailer-released-for-people-can-flys-upcoming-game-outriders/
Square Enix has just released an official gameplay reveal trailer for People Can Fly’s upcoming game, Outriders. Outriders is an RPG shooter set in an original, dark and desperate sci-fi universe.
>> HollyGamer has made a thread about it.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare February 11th Update released, adds brand new content, full patch notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-february-11th-update-released-adds-brand-new-content-full-patch-notes/
Infinity Ward has released a brand new major update for Call of Duty Modern Warfare. This update kicks off Season 2 and adds brand new content to the game. Moreover, it packs a number of gameplay tweaks and PC fixes.

Coffee Stain Studios’ Satisfactory receives its third major update, is coming soon on Steam
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/coffee-stain-studios-satisfactory-receives-its-third-major-update-is-coming-soon-on-steam/
Coffee Stain Studios has announced that Satisfactory, the otherworldly first-person factory building sim will soon launch on Steam Early Access. Moreover, the team has released the third major update for its game. As such, below you can find out what is included in it.

Destiny 2 February 11th update released, Hotfix 2.7.1.1 full release notes unveiled
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/destiny-2-february-11th-update-released-hotfix-2-7-1-1-full-release-notes-unveiled/
Bungie has released a new hotfix patch for Destiny 2. According to the team, the February 11th update brings some fixes to Iron Banner and Gambit. It also packs a fix for the Carousel. However, it appears that this hotfix again causes loss of currencies and materials.

Ghost Knight: A Dark Tale is a new 2.5D action platformer, powered by Unreal Engine 4
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/ghost-knight-a-dark-tale-is-a-new-2-5d-action-platformer-powered-by-unreal-engine-4/
Grimware Games has announced its new 2.5D action platformer, Ghost Knight: A Dark Tale. This new action platformer will be using Unreal Engine 4, and you can find its announcement trailer below.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 February 12th Update detailed, full patch notes revealed
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/star-wars-battlefront-2-february-12th-update-detailed-full-patch-notes-revealed/
Electronic Arts and DICE will release a brand new update for Star Wars Battlefront 2 tomorrow. According to the teams, the February 12th update packs a number of fixes. It also implements various collision, visual effects and lighting improvements.

3D Realms was also in talks with FOX for an Aliens FPS game, called Aliens: Hadleys Hope
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/3d-realms-was-also-in-talks-with-fox-for-an-aliens-fps-game-called-aliens-hadleys-hope/
Yesterday, we informed you about a cancelled Aliens game that was to be developed by Boss Key Productions. However, it appears that 3D Realms had also pitched an Aliens game. Similarly to Boss Key Productions’ game, though, this game was cancelled when Disney purchased FOX.

Update 0.9.1 for World of Warships adds six new British heavy cruisers & new Ranked Battles Season
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/update-0-9-1-for-world-of-warships-adds-six-new-british-heavy-cruisers-new-ranked-battles-season/
Wargaming has released a brand new major update for World of Warships. With the release of Update 0.9.1, six new British heavy cruisers in Tiers V-X will be fully available. These new ships are: Hawkins (Tier V), Devonshire (Tier VI), Surrey (Tier VII), Albemarle (Tier VIII), Drake (Tier IX), Goliath (Tier X).

The Division 2 Title Update 7 released, adds new content, fixes numerous bugs, full patch notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/the-division-2-title-update-7-released-adds-new-content-fixes-numerous-bugs-full-patch-notes/
Ubisoft has just released a new major patch for Tom Clancy’s The Division 2. Title Update 7 is now available for download and adds brand new content to the game. Moreover, it fixes numerous bugs that its fanbase has reported over the past couple of months.

Criterion will develop the next Need for Speed game, Ghost Games will refocus as an engineering hub
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/criterion-will-develop-the-next-need-for-speed-game-ghost-games-will-refocus-as-an-engineering-hub/
It appears that Need for Speed: Heat was the last game that Ghost Games developed for Electronic Arts. According to the publisher, the franchise will return to Criterion Games. Thus, the Burnout studio will develop the next Need for Speed title.

Report: None of the creatives behind the old People Can Fly games is there anymore
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/report-none-of-the-creatives-behind-the-old-people-can-fly-games-is-there-anymore/
Square Enix revealed yesterday the co-op game that People Can Fly is currently working on. Now I’m pretty sure that most of you were disappointed after witnessing the small bits of gameplay from Outriders. However, there is an explanation behind the differences between Outriders and People Can Fly’s previous titles.

Wednesday news, part two:

Stardew Valley creator is working on two new games
https://www.pcgamer.com/stardew-valley-creator-is-working-on-two-new-games/
Eric Barone has spent years working on Stardew Valley, shepherding it from Steam Greenlight in 2012 to ten million copies sold in 2020. Amidst all that, he's also hinted at other projects now and then, although his dedication to Stardew Valley has always taken priority: The last we heard about such things was a little over a year ago, when Barone said that he'd put an unannounced project on hold so that he could focus on the farm.
But on Twitter today, he confirmed that the wheels are turning on new games.

The Division 2: Warlords of New York expansion will tie up loose ends from the first game
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-division-2-warlords-of-new-york-expansion-release-date/
Following a detailed stream, it looks like The Division 2 is about to get a huge expansion, and it's coming a lot sooner than you might think. Warlords of New York is a narrative-driven escapade, and you’ll be able to get your hands on it on March 3. New gear and weapons are on the cards, as well as a bunch of changes to the UI, gear systems, Dark Zones and level progression.

Apex Legends' Valentine's Day Rendezvous event has been delayed
https://www.pcgamer.com/duos-are-returning-to-apex-legends-for-valentines-day/
Valentine's Day, the annual celebration of love and romance, is not the sort of thing that immediately invites thoughts of shooting other people in the face. But teaming up with your special someone to do it? That's definitely on the menu, at least in Apex Legends, which will see the return of Duos mode tomorrow.
Update: Apex Legends' big Valentine's Day Rendezvous event was expected to start today, February 11, but when the flag was meant to drop, well, apparently it did not. And whatever went wrong, it's serious enough that EA has now put the whole thing off until tomorrow.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is almost certainly getting a battle royale mode
https://www.pcgamer.com/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-is-almost-certainly-getting-a-battle-royale-mode/
Activision announced Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's second season today and it wasn't especially surprising: there are three new maps, new weapons, a new Battle Pass... the usual. But for anyone paying close attention to the similarly unsurprising in-game cinematic that accompanied it (gruff military folk, death, explosions, gunfights), there was a pretty straightforward hint that a battle royale mode is on the way.

Metro Exodus 'Sam's Story' launch trailer features snakes, giant bats and other terrors
https://www.pcgamer.com/metro-exodus-sams-story-launch-trailer-features-snakes-giant-bats-and-other-terrors/
Metro Exodus gets a new expansion today in the form of Sam's Story, and it's a big one: it features an all new sandbox area, snakes, giant bats, and an American. Specifically you'll be playing as Sam, a "former US marine turned Spartan Ranger" who must travel to Vladivostok in order to (hopefully) secure passage back to the United States.

With BattleTech's expansions complete, Hairbrained Schemes is focusing on two brand new projects
https://www.pcgamer.com/with-battletechs-expansions-complete-hairbrained-schemes-is-focusing-on-two-brand-new-projects/
The big, burly mechs of BattleTech are due a well-deserved rest. After a trio of expansions and two years of updates, developer Hairbrained Schemes has the itch for something new. In a message to players, studio co-founder Mitch Gitelman thanked the community for its support, as well as teasing what's coming next.

Valve bans more than 40,000 Dota 2 accounts for 'abusing matchmaking'
https://www.pcgamer.com/valve-bans-more-than-40000-dota-2-accounts-for-abusing-matchmaking/
Valve banned more than 40,000 Dota 2 accounts this week, doling them out to players who were found abusing the matchmaking system. The specifics of the ban wave weren't made clear in Valve's tweet, below, but smurfing seems like the most likely suspect.

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is getting a pair of new angry monster variants
https://www.pcgamer.com/monster-hunter-world-iceborne-is-getting-a-pair-of-new-angry-monster-variants/
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne's next free title update will send its diligent monster slayers to get beaten up by a new pair of tough customers, both with epithets that suggest they're always in the mood for a fight.

Leaked E3 2020 exhibitor list confirms who's attending
https://www.pcgamer.com/leaked-e3-2020-exhibitor-list-confirms-whos-attending/
Now that we're firmly in the second month of 2020, this year's E3 doesn't seem all that far off. The E3 2020 website is primed to launch tomorrow, but an inquisitive ResetEra member spotted a link that directs to a site with all the details, including an FAQ and list of participating companies.

Hey guys, remember when people asked "but can it run Crysis?" in almost every GPU and CPU review? Well, Linus has gotten a 3990X and, while at no where near playable framerate, it can actually run Crysis in software, without a GPU:

Skip to 9:12 to see it.

Reminds me of the days when everything was software-rendered. Those were dark dark (yet fun) times.

I believe Quake 1 was the first game I played with hardware acceleration. Or maybe a version of Terminal Velocity that came with a (not 3DFX) video card.

I think Quake was also the first hardware accelerated videogame, at least on PC (not consoles with those cartridges with special chips).