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

[JEMC]

The Monday news, all in one post:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

God of War has reportedly sold at least 1 million copies on PC
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/god-of-war-has-reportedly-sold-at-least-1-million-copies-on-pc/
God of War came out on PC on January 14th and from the looks of it, this latest Playstation-exclusive game is selling well on our platform. The game has been the best-selling title on Steam in the past two weeks and according to SteamSpy, it has sold at least one million copies.
Right now, SteamSpy estimates that the game has sold between one and two million copies. Do note that SteamSpy only shows estimates for a game’s sales (based on the number of players who own a game). Also note that SteamSpy only tracks public profiles, meaning that those with private profiles (that own the game) are not counted. Therefore, and theoretically, the actual PC sales may be higher than one million. Let’s also not forget that God of War is available via other PC digital services, like Epic Games Store.

GOG starts the week strong:

• The new Flash deal is Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition, 85% off during the next 46 hours: https://www.gog.com/en/game/icewind_dale_enhanced_edition
• But the most important news is that GOG has launched its New Year Sale, featuring over 2500 titles on sale with up to 90% discounts from now until January 31.

Steam has a new daily deal: Intravenous is 30% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1486630/Intravenous/.

While the Humble Store is busy with its Winter Sale, there's a new Humble Bundle: The Indie Houses Bundle, with up to 12 games to get during the next 11 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/indie-houses-bundle

And Fanatical has several new sales:

• The new Star Deal is Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Master Edition, 52% off during the next 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/monster-hunter-world-iceborne-master-edition
• Fanatical also celebrates the Lunar New Year with a Sale featuring thousands of games up to 90% off.
• Remember that, as with every sale they do, you can get a free game when spending $10 or more. Learn more here: https://www.fanatical.com/en/blog/celebrate-the-year-of-the-tiger-here-is-how-to-get-a-lunar-new-year-free-gift-and-what-might-be-included

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Steam sets a new record of concurrent players in less than a month
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/in-less-than-a-month-steam-sets-a-new-record-of-concurrent-players/
On January 9th, Steam set a new record with 28 million concurrent players. And, in less than a month, Valve’s service was able to break that record and set a new one.
Earlier today, Steam had 29,201,174 players online at the same time. As such, we can safely assume that Valve’s service will surpass the 30 million goal in 2022.

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Severance: Blade of Darkness gets an AI-enhanced HD Texture Pack
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/severance-blade-of-darkness-gets-an-ai-enhanced-hd-texture-pack/
Modder ‘sfb’ has released an AI-enhanced HD Texture Pack for Severance: Blade of Darkness, called Blade of Darkness Reforged. Alongside new detailed textures, this mod also improved the textures of all characters. Blade of Darkness Reforged aims to update the visual fidelity of Blade of Darkness whilst not straying too far from the original look and feel. Furthermore, this mod also packs some minor gameplay enhancements.
>> Available from ModDB.

First-Person Mod released for Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/first-person-mod-released-for-tom-clancys-ghost-recon-wildlands/
Modder ‘Dudes With Keyboards’ (also known as Tavreth) has released an amazing first-person mod for Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands. As its title suggests, this mod allows you to play the entire game with a first-person camera perspective.
Alongside the first-person viewpoint, this mod also adds some other features. For instance, it allows you to lean while ads (by using the swap camera button). It also removes the “out of bounds” functionality, and adds a super accuracy mode. Furthermore, it adds a Rent-a-Gun function, allowing players to use locked weapons. Additionally, it brings a Super Ping and a Decryptor.
You can download this first-person mod from here. We highly recommend reading its installation instructions, though, as you’ll have to replace the Anticheat DLL file.

This Final Fantasy 7 Remake Mod aims to improve over 530 NPCs faces
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/this-final-fantasy-7-remake-mod-aims-to-improve-over-530-npcs-faces/
Modder ‘SamsamTS’ has released a new mod for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade that aims to improve the faces of over 530 NPCs.
As the modder noted, the NPCs have a sickly veiny look to them by default. Thus, SamsamTS went ahead and modified over 530 textures in order to enhance them. Furthermore, the modder also took the time to restore 80 NPCs faces from the PS4 version, which were much better than the PS5/PC versions.
>> You'll find it at Nexus Mods.

Stardew Valley mod adds farming bots
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/stardew-valley-mod-adds-farming-bots/
When my daughter began playing Stardew Valley, she hit upon a brilliant wheeze. I'd been guiding her through the game's early stages and demonstrating some of the farming mechanics, but what she was interested in was the town stuff and decorating her house. So: She would play on her own, then come to me with a list of things she wanted in the game, at which point I had to grind to get her enough money. Bit like real life really.
It can be quite freeing, I imagine, to just shunt all the busywork onto another party. Now anyone can enjoy that feeling of having a drone do all the work for you: After all, when you've planted one parsnip, you've planted them all. The Farmtronics mod, created by one Joe Strout, does exactly that: This adds a computer to your house, on which you can use simple scripting commands to, essentially, build the farming equivalent of Skynet.

GAMING NEWS

These prototypes of Horizon Zero Dawn look absolutely incredible
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/these-prototypes-of-horizon-zero-dawn-look-absolutely-incredible/
YouTube’s ‘Nixian’ has shared two videos, showcasing the evolution of Horizon Zero Dawn. These videos feature every build of the game, from its 2011/2012 prototypes to its final version. And, to be honest, I absolutely love this kind of videos.

You'll be able to earn Halo Infinite's premium currency in-game starting Season 2
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/youll-be-able-to-earn-halo-infinites-premium-currency-in-game-starting-season-2/
343's head of design, Jerry Hook, outlined some big changes coming to Halo Infinite's cosmetics shop and premium currency, "credits," in a post on the game's official forum.

Raven QA strike ends, at least for now
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/raven-qa-strike-ends-at-least-for-now/
Following the formation of a new union by Raven Software QA workers last week, the established employee advocacy group at Activision-Blizzard, A Better ABK, has announced the end of Raven QA's nearly two month-long strike, at least for the time being.

Watch Dogs: Legion will not receive any more updates
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/watch-dogs-legion-will-not-receive-any-more-updates/
Ubisoft has announced that Watch Dogs: Legion's 5.6 update will be its last via a post on the game's official website.
The announcement follows a year and three months of updates for Legion, including new multiplayer modes, characters, and the story DLC, Bloodline, featuring everyone's favorite grumpy hacker Chicagoan, Aiden Pearce.

Yakuza creator announces new studio where 'the scale of the game will be bigger'
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/yakuza-creator-announces-new-studio-where-the-scale-of-the-game-will-be-bigger/
Toshihiro Nagoshi, the veteran designer whose career began with Daytona USA before latterly focusing on the Yakuza series, left Sega in February 2021. Industry scuttlebutt at the time was that Nagoshi was joining the Chinese tech giant NetEase, news confirmed today with the announcement of his new venture: Nagoshi Studio.

US court permabans Roblox troll who made 'terrorist threats'
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/us-court-permabans-roblox-troll-who-made-terrorist-threats/
Last November we reported on the Roblox Corporation suing a longtime thorn in its side: one Benjamin Robert Simon, known online as Ruben Sim, who made controversial content on and about the platform for many years. The suit alleged Simon "commits and encourages unlawful acts designed to injure Roblox and its users" while seeking $1.6 million in damages.
(...)
A US District Court in the Northern District of California has now passed judgement on the case and Simon, already banned from Roblox by its developer, is now banned from Roblox by court order (thanks, Ars Technica).
>> I wonder what kind of punishment he would face if he plays trying to play the game.