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

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The Thursday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Elden Ring's sold just under 17 million copies in six months
https://www.pcgamer.com/elden-rings-sold-just-under-17-million-copies-in-six-months/
Elden Ring was released on February 25 this year and, just under six months later, publisher Bandai Namco has announced it's sold a staggering 16.6 million copies of the game. This makes it by far the biggest individual success in developer FromSoft's history: the Dark Souls series has sold a combined total of around 27 million, while the most recent figure for Sekiro was 5 million copies sold as of summer 2020.
Clearly the mass market loves some demigod runes and a bit of body grafting. The news came as part of Bandai Namco's financial results (thanks, Gamebiz.jp) for the first financial quarter of 2023 (meaning April through June 2022), which show that the Japanese giant is in rude health: it reported videogame sales totalling ¥40.5 billion yen, a roughly 55% year-on-year increase, with 11,444,000 units sold over these three months.
Despite such sales, the publisher forecasts an overall drop in profit over this financial year. This is explained by both ongoing development investments and the lack of 'big' game launches it has over this time.

The Epic Store gives away two items:

• Rumbleverse - Boom Boxer Content Pack: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/rumbleverse--boom-boxer-content-pack
• DOOM 64: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/doom-64

And next week, the free game will be Ring of Pain.

Steam has two new sales:

• Spirit of the Island will be 20% off until August 24: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1592110/Spirit_of_the_Island/
• And Boyfriend Dungeon will be 25% off until the same 24th of August: https://store.steampowered.com/app/674930/Boyfriend_Dungeon/

Humble Bundle brings the new Paradox Turn-based Bundle, with up to 6 games and DLCs to get during 13 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/paradox-turnbased-bundle.

And Fanatical has, once again, two flash deals and a new bundle:

• The first flash deal is DOOM Eternal - Deluxe Edition, 71% off during 24 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/doom-eternal-deluxe-edition
• The second flash deal is Kingdom Come: Deliverance - Royal Edition, 80% off until tomorrow: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/kingdom-come-deliverance-royal-edition
• And the BYO Slayer Bundle 7 features 17 titles to choose for your 3, 5 or 7 games bundle: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-slayer-bundle-7

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

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MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

World's biggest mod site bans mods replacing Pride flags: 'We don't want to and won't argue this with you'
https://www.pcgamer.com/worlds-biggest-mod-site-bans-mods-replacing-pride-flags-we-dont-want-to-and-wont-argue-this-with-you/
Spider-Man Remastered (opens in new tab) recently launched on PC, and Insomniac's excellent web-em-up instantly attracted the attention of modders. This unfortunately included an individual who took offense at the game's rendition of New York City including some Pride flags among the absolute plethora of American ones. They created a mod that removed the Pride flags, replacing them with the stars and stripes, then uploaded it to Nexusmods using a sockpuppet account called "Mike Hawk."
Nexusmods is arguably the most popular centralised mod database online, with a nice clean look, a good community, and all the functionality a PC gamer could wish for. Nexus swiftly removed the mod, and banned the modder's sockpuppet and main account. The sanction led to some community drama about whether someone innocent had been punished. The people who run Nexusmods subsequently decided enough is enough when it comes to this stuff, and have addressed what went on in a new blog that sets out clear guidelines for the future.
Update: Another major mod site, ModDB, has also removed the mod and banned the users involved. A statement from ModDB has been added to this article.

Here are some cool upcoming Sonic, Mega Man, Kirby & Mario free games
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-some-cool-upcoming-sonic-mega-man-kirby-mario-free-games/
SAGExpo has released two trailers for SEGA 2022, showcasing some upcoming Sonic, Mega Man, Kirby and Mario free games. Created by fans for fans, these free fan games will put a smile on most 16-bit fans out there.
Going into more details, these trailers showcase games such as Sonic X-Treme, Sonic Colors Demastered, Mega Man The Sequel Wars, Mega Man Shattered Diamon, Kirby Gamble Galaxy Stories. Oh, and there is also a new Pulseman game, called Pulseman Amabilis. And let’s not forget the fan sequel to the SEGA Game Gear exclusive, Tails Adventures.
>> There are far, far more games than those listed in the article, and some of them look very good! They're split into two videos that last over 20 minutes in total.

This Fallout 4 Mod adds new creatures, world bosses and crafting recipes
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/this-fallout-4-mod-adds-new-creatures-world-bosses-and-crafting-recipes/
Delicon20 has released the third part of the DLC-sized expansion mod for Fallout 4, Mutant Menagerie. This is a must-have mod for all Fallout 4 fans as introduces new content to the game.
Mutant Menagerie – Nuclear Safari adds new creatures to the game. Additionally, players can track down new recipes, craft new and powerful items, or hunt down and slay the new quantum enemy variants and world-bosses.

Grand Theft Auto 5 NaturalVision Evolved Mod available for download
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/grand-theft-auto-5-naturalvision-evolved-mod-available-for-download/
In May 2020, we published an article about the NaturalVision: Evolved Mod for Grand Theft Auto 5. And today, we are happy to report that its single-player beta version is available for download.
NaturalVision Evolved (NVE) is a work-in-progress visual overhaul mod that is currently in the early access stage. This mod brings numerous changes to the environmental weathers, lighting system, ambient colors, tonemapping, world textures, building models, props, vegetation and more.

At long last you can get sexy with Joker in Mass Effect 3
https://www.pcgamer.com/at-long-last-you-can-get-sexy-with-joker-in-mass-effect-3/
There's no shortage of characters to romance in the Mass Effect trilogy. Depending on which version of Commander Shepard you're playing, you can enjoy deep relationships and clunky cutscene coitus with Ashley Williams, Liara T'Soni, Kaidan Whatsisname, Miranda, Jack, Garrus, Tali, Javik, that weird fish guy everyone stans, that non-fish guy everyone hates, and a handful of others.
But when you're horny in space, is that really enough? How about one more?
Thanks to The Hatboy Project mod, you can now add Jeff "Joker" Moreau to your seemingly endless list of intimate conquests in Mass Effect 3. The mod "creates an all-new romantic narrative for the player to explore" with the quick-witted and endearing pilot of the SSV Normandy. There are new branches of dialogue, custom-written romantic versions of conversations, new ambient voice lines, the option to go from flirting to a committed relationship, and yes, even a "romance scene that is in keeping with the other vanilla options." A traditionally awkward Mass Effect sex-cutscene, in other words.

GAMING NEWS

Brand new screenshots surface for Dead Island 2
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/brand-new-screenshots-surface-for-dead-island-2/
It appears that Amazon has just leaked some new screenshots for Dead Island 2. Moreover, and according to the Amazon listing, the game will release in February 2023.

The Division 2 Title Update 16 releases tomorrow and here are its full patch notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/the-division-2-title-update-16-releases-tomorrow-and-here-are-its-full-patch-notes/
Ubisoft has announced that Title Update 16 for Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 will release tomorrow, August 19th. Moreover, the French company revealed its full patch notes which you can find below.

A Plague Tale: Requiem gets an official gameplay overview trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/a-plague-tale-requiem-gets-an-official-gameplay-overview-trailer/
Focus Home Interactive has released a brand new trailer for A Plague Tale: Requiem, showcasing its gameplay mechanics. In the sequel, Amicia will have some new resources, including the use of alchemy to manipulate fire and the long-distance power of a crossbow.

First Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered Patch improves DLSS, Ray Tracing, Stability & HBAO+
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/first-marvels-spider-man-remastered-patch-improves-dlss-ray-tracing-stability-hbao/
Nixxes has just released the first PC patch for Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered. According to the release notes, this update improves overall stability, NVIDIA’s DLSS, Ray Tracing and HBAO+.
Nixxes has also stated that it is already working on its next patch, that will be more substantial and will consist of bugfixes, improvements and additional features, based on the feedback it has received.