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

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The Thursday news, part two:

Kingdom Hearts co-creator Shinji Hashimoto retires after 28 years with Square Enix
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/kingdom-hearts-co-creator-shinji-hashimoto-retires-after-28-years-with-square-enix/
Shinji Hashimoto, the producer of Final Fantasy games and the co-creator of Kingdom Hearts, has retired after 28 years at Square Enix.
He announced his retirement on Twitter, saying he was "very grateful" to everybody and was looking forward to continuing his support for the company as a fan. The official Square Enix Twitter also honoured Hashimoto, saying "thank you for everything" alongside a video message from the man himself.
>> Thanks for the games.

The next 40K videogame is a free-to-play card game
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/the-next-40k-videogame-is-a-free-to-play-card-game/
Not content with the Warhammer x Magic: The Gathering crossover due in August, the grim far future setting of Warhammer 40,000 is coming to a new collectible card game of its own called Warpforge. Just announced as part of the annual Warhammer event Skulls for the Skull Throne, Warpforge will be a free-to-play card game based on "brutal and fast-paced skirmishes."

This free horror game is about the sheer terror of turning off the lights before bed
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/this-free-horror-game-is-about-the-sheer-terror-of-turning-off-the-lights-before-bed/
(...)
Lights Off! is a free first-person horror game that's been on Itch.io for a while but recently popped up on Steam. It simulates that fear of turning off the lights and climbing the stairs to go to bed in the dark, and despite the low-fi graphics it's immediately and immensely effective. You begin on the ground floor of a brightly lit house at midnight and you have to walk through the rooms and click off each light one by one. In the near silence (except a faint and ominous hum) your footsteps are a little too loud and the sharp click of each lightswitch, along with the encroaching darkness, make the tension quickly grow from slightly uncomfortable to "Oh God something is gonna get me." If ever I wish a game had a sprint button, this is the one.

John Madden returns to the cover of Madden NFL for the first time in more than 20 years
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/john-madden-returns-to-the-cover-of-madden-nfl-for-the-first-time-in-more-than-20-years/
The very first John Madden Football launched for the Apple 2 on June 1, 1988, kicking off one of the most successful and longest-running videogame series of all time. 34 years later, on June 1, 2022, Electronic Arts has announced that the legendary NFL coach and commentator, who died in December 2021 at age 85, will return to take the cover of Madden NFL 23.

Dontnod spellchecks itself, is now called Don't Nod
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/dontnod-spellchecks-itself-is-now-called-dont-nod/
French studio Dontnod, the developer of games including Life is Strange, Vampyr, and Tell Me Why, has a new name, sort of. To celebrate its 14th anniversary, the studio has announced that it is now officially known as Don't Nod.

Diablo Immortal isn't quite pay-to-win, but it's close
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/diablo-immortal-isnt-quite-pay-to-win-but-its-close/
If you're looking to pop demons and pick up some loot in Diablo Immortal for more than a few hours, you'll probably have to pay. NetEase and Blizzard's mobile-first and now PC-ported Diablo game is built to obfuscate how real money transactions can influence your character's strength, but the most dedicated players are probably going come to their conclusions soon, and it doesn't seem like they'll be positive.
>> What a surprise, right?

Battle with Be’lakor in a major update to Warhammer: Vermintide 2’s Chaos Wastes expansion.
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/battle-with-belakor-in-a-major-update-to-warhammer-vermintide-2s-chaos-wastes-expansion/
Warhammer: Vermintide 2’s Chaos Wastes expansion is getting a major update, themed around Warhammer’s first demon prince, the treacherous Be’lakor.
Chaos Wastes is a free expansion for Vermintide 2 that launched in April last year. It’s a side-adventure that takes the game’s cooperative rat-bashing and turns it into a roguelike affair, with randomly generated levels, multiple ways to progress, and its own upgrade system based around purchasing abilities and equipment with coins dropped by enemies.