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

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Thursday news, part two:

Atari CEO makes 'friendly offer' to acquire control of struggling games publisher
https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-ceo-makes-friendly-offer-to-acquire-control-of-struggling-games-publisher/
Wade Rosen, CEO of Atari, has made a bid to acquire control of the company after it reported "a liquidity shortfall and additional financing requirements" in its recent half-year financial report.
In a press release, Atari stated that a "friendly offer" had been "initiated to acquire control and increase the managing shareholder's capacity to support the Company's development ambitions". As part of this Atari's CEO "intends to further strengthen his interest in Atari's capital in order to support the Company with rolling out its transformation strategy."

Baldur's Gate 3 reveals new Jaheira actor
https://www.pcgamer.com/baldurs-gate-3-reveals-new-jaheira-actor/
Larian Studios announced earlier this month that Baldur's Gate OGs Minsc and Jaheira will be returning for Baldur's Gate 3. Last week, the studio revealed that Minsc will be voiced by Matt Mercer, best known as the lead DM of Critical Role, and today it confirmed that Tracy Wiles will take up the role of Jaheira.

Angry gamers sue Microsoft to stop Activision Blizzard acquisition
https://www.pcgamer.com/angry-gamers-sue-microsoft-to-stop-activision-blizzard-acquisition/
Microsoft is facing yet more opposition to its planned acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Not from Sony this time, nor the FTC, but a group of 10 aggrieved Call of Duty fans, who have filed a lawsuit (via Reuters) opposing the deal.
The lawsuit echoes some of the points made by the FTC (opens in new tab) in its opposition to the acquisition, filed earlier this month: That "there are only several independent game publishers in the world that are capable of making the highest production quality and most graphics-intensive videogames that can be mass marketed and are highly anticipated among gamers," and that increasing consolidation of those companies is bad for gamers, employees, and the business world as a whole.
>> Angry gamers or angry Sony players?

Blizzard admits 'the need to do better' with World of Warcraft: Dragonflight
https://www.pcgamer.com/blizzard-admits-the-need-to-do-better-with-world-of-warcraft-dragonflight/
(...)
"In planning out the road ahead following the release of Dragonflight, we've been mindful of the duty we owe our players to nurture this living world and, frankly, the need to do better than we have at times in the recent past. Our goal for Dragonflight is that there should always be something right around the corner, with a new update hitting our test realms shortly after the last one is live and in your hands."

Blizzard's survival game team has 'doubled in size' and BlizzCon is coming back
https://www.pcgamer.com/blizzards-survival-game-team-has-doubled-in-size-and-blizzcon-is-coming-back/
Blizzard President Mike Ybarra has published his end-of-year update, summarising all the major developments at the company in the last year. Citing 2022 as a "great year" for Blizzard, the blog includes a rundown of the company's recent achievements, a few mind-boggling stats like "12 billion hours of Blizzard games were played last year", and a fair amount of discussion regarding Blizzard's attempts to improve its work culture.

Gloomwood's final update of the year adds a pub and lets you quicksave
https://www.pcgamer.com/gloomwoods-final-update-of-the-year-adds-a-pub-and-lets-you-quicksave/
New Blood Interactive's dank Thieflike has received its final update of the year, slipping several new features into the game's pocket like a cutpurse who's taken one too many blackjacks to the head.