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

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Monday news, part two:

Mage's Initiation is an adventure-RPG inspired by Quest for Glory
https://www.pcgamer.com/mages-initiation-is-an-adventure-rpg-inspired-by-quest-for-glory/
I first wrote about Mage’s Initiation for a preview five long years ago, and now the adventure-RPG hybrid finally has a release date. It’s taken the team around ten years to make and will be released into the wilds on January 30.

Godhood lets you build your own religion, complete with human sacrifice
https://www.pcgamer.com/godhood-lets-you-build-your-own-religion-complete-with-human-sacrifice/
Abbey Games quietly makes very clever, playful strategy outings, like unconventional god sim Reus and tactical exploration game Renowned Explorers, and now it's back on religion, showing off the first footage of Godhood. It puts you in the divine shoes of a newborn deity who has to nurture their tribe of believers while taking on other gods.

Leisure Suit Larry creator Al Lowe is selling his archive, including Sierra source code
https://www.pcgamer.com/leisure-suit-larry-creator-al-lowe-is-selling-his-archive-including-sierra-source-code/
Al Lowe worked on a number of games during Sierra's glory days, but it was Leisure Suit Larry that made him a legend. The thoroughly skeevy (yet somehow likable) polyester aficionado is probably Sierra's most enduring character, and in fact a new Larry game, Wet Dreams Don't Dry, was released just this month. (And defying all expectations, it's actually pretty good.)
"I'm 72 and none of my kids want this junk," Lowe said. He's currently got just four items listed on eBay, but there's apparently going to be a lot more coming, and not for cheap. The source code for the original Leisure Suit Larry is currently sitting at $1525, while the LSL2 source is at $2100; if that's out of your reach, there's a Sierra Christmas Card for $158 (you can see a video of those in action on YouTube) or the cheapest one of the lot, a Softporn Adventure floppy that's $128.

CCP puts Project Nova alpha test on hold 'until further notice'
https://www.pcgamer.com/ccp-puts-project-nova-alpha-test-on-hold-until-further-notice/
Steven didn't mince words about CCP's in-the-works FPS Project Nova, calling it "boring and unambitious" after he got some hands-on time with it last month. The message was apparently received, as CCP announced today that plans for a closed alpha (which was supposed to begin this month) have been put on hold.

EA wants Battlefield 5 players to stop dying so quickly
https://www.pcgamer.com/ea-wants-battlefield-5-players-to-stop-dying-so-quickly/
Battlefield 5's Time to Kill [TTK] and Time to Die [TTD] are "the hottest topic(s) being discussed" by players right now, Electronic Arts said in a recent Reddit post looking at the upcoming Tides of War Chapter 1: Overture, acknowledging that some players are growing frustrated because they're dying too often and too quickly. Unfortunately for those players, the update won't make any direct changes to either, but EA said it's planning to begin experimenting with it soon.

They Are Billions gets level editor, and you can already play 120 custom creations
https://www.pcgamer.com/they-are-billions-gets-level-editor-and-you-can-already-play-120-custom-creations/
The developer of zombie plague RTS They Are Billions has released an official level editor that will let you build your own survival scenarios—and play through other custom creations via the Steam Workshop.

Stardew Valley going it alone after creator splits with publisher
https://www.pcgamer.com/stardew-valley-going-it-alone-after-creator-splits-with-publishing-partner/
Stardew Valley's creator Eric Barone, aka ConcernedApe, will begin self-publishing the game later this month following a partial split with publishing partner Chucklefish.
It's an amicable divorce: Barone said on his developer blog that he needed Chucklefish when he released the game because he was an industry novice, but now he feels like he's ready to go it alone. "I think self-publishing is the end-goal of most indie developers, and I’m happy to be in a place where that’s possible," he said, adding that we can expect more announcements about the future of the game "soon".

Overkill's The Walking Dead gets a half-price Starter Edition following poor sales
https://www.pcgamer.com/overkills-the-walking-dead-gets-a-half-price-starter-edition-following-poor-sales/
Overkill's The Walking Dead was a bit of a mess—and that has translated into "lower than expected sales", publisher Starbreeze said last week. Following a review of the game's pricing, Starbreeze and developer Overkill has decided to release a Starter Edition of the game that's 50% cheaper than normal and gives you access to everything in season 1, which is essentially all the content it had at launch.

Stellaris: Megacorp expansion will add roaming traders and galactic slave market
https://www.pcgamer.com/stellaris-megacorp-adds-roaming-salesmen-and-galactic-slave-market/
Paradox has released a video detailing everything that Stellaris players can expect from next week's Megacorp expansion, including a new world type and a set of "interstellar door-to-door" salesmen called Caravaneers.

Starbreeze files for reconstruction to avoid bankruptcy
https://www.pcgamer.com/starbreeze-files-for-reconstruction-to-avoid-bankruptcy/
Publisher and developer Starbreeze announced today that it has filed for reconstruction due to a shortage of cash. CEO Bo Andersson has also resigned. This comes not long after Starbreeze told investors that low sales revenue from Overkill’s The Walking Dead meant that it would have to cut costs, but the forecasted revenue has been reduced further and a shortfall was predicted for next month.

Elite Dangerous: Beyond's Chapter 4 update introduces squadrons next week
https://www.pcgamer.com/elite-dangerous-beyonds-chapter-4-update-introduces-squadrons-next-week/
Elite Dangerous: Beyond’s final chapter launches this month, bringing with it some nifty additions to mining and exploration and, perhaps even more importantly, formal in-game groups, known as squadrons. You’ll be able to team up with big groups of your space mates when Chapter 4 launches on December 11. In the meantime, catch the trailer above.