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

[JEMC]

Monday news, the long part two:

Buckle up! It looks like WoW's dragonriding is heading to the rest of Azeroth
https://www.pcgamer.com/buckle-up-it-looks-like-wows-dragonriding-is-heading-to-the-rest-of-azeroth/
The PTR development notes for Patch 10.1.5 have dropped, and while the new Evoker specialisation is naturally stealing the spotlight, there's a whole host of other buffs to the gameplay experience that you shouldn't sleep on.

Final Fantasy 14's patch 6.4 trailer reveals the path we'll take to the Dark Throne
https://www.pcgamer.com/final-fantasy-14s-patch-64-trailer-reveals-the-path-well-take-to-the-dark-throne/
Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker has suffered from some update droughts lately (...)
Thankfully, patch 6.4's trailer is utterly loaded with story hints to whet my cutscene–starved appetite. I'm here to pass my theories onto you, so if you haven't watched the trailer yet, now's the time.

Two years after 'toxic' studio management scandal, Steve Gaynor is working as a solo developer under the Fullbright name
https://www.pcgamer.com/two-years-after-toxic-studio-management-scandal-steve-gaynor-is-working-as-a-solo-developer-under-the-fullbright-name/
Indie developer Steve Gaynor is running Gone Home developer Fullbright as a solo outfit from now on, having split with the team making the narrative driving adventure Open Roads.

Despite BioWare's efforts, Star Wars: The Old Republic's economy is still completely out of control
https://www.pcgamer.com/despite-biowares-efforts-star-wars-the-old-republics-economy-is-still-completely-out-of-control/
Star Wars: The Old Republic is in a strange—but not terrible—state. (...)
I don't think this is necessarily the developers' fault, for the record—MMOs just aren't supported the same way they used to be, and the skeleton crew manning the ship seems determined to do its best with what it's got, even if it comes short with bugs that can take months to fix. Still, a spectre looms over the game like a Force Ghost: the Galactic Trade Network—the game's equivalent to an auction house or market board—is completely busted.

A Sims 4 war has broken out between goth kids and pastel lovers on Twitter
https://www.pcgamer.com/a-sims-4-war-has-broken-out-between-goth-kids-and-pastel-lovers-on-twitter/
(...)
In a fun move for Sims fans, EA recently offered the opportunity for the community to vote on its next kit, a batch of items and clothes to add to your collection. At first glance, this seems like a cute way to get community input. But, because we're all on social media, lines have already been drawn.

Our favorite gruesome Sovietcore boomer shooter is leaving early access next week
https://www.pcgamer.com/our-favorite-gruesome-sovietcore-boomer-shooter-is-leaving-early-access-next-week/
Hrot has consistently been boomer shooter excellence, setting itself apart from the pack with its unique 1980s Czechoslovakia setting, phenomenal gunfeel, and diabolically clever levels. Now solo developer Spytihněv is gearing up to release its third and final act, The Gastroscopy, on May 16.

They're remastering Söldner: Secret Wars and I'm not sure anyone really knows why
https://www.pcgamer.com/theyre-remastering-soldner-secret-wars-and-im-not-sure-anyone-really-knows-why/
Hands up if you remember Söldner: Secret Wars. Okay, now hands up if you ever at any point in your life thought that what the world really needs right now is Söldner: Secret Wars Remastered. Obviously I can't see how many hands are up so I'm just going to assume the number is zero, but be that as it may, it's actually happening.

Holy cow, Germany hands out serious cash to its homegrown game award winners: Signalis won €60,000 for 'Best Debut Game'
https://www.pcgamer.com/holy-cow-germany-hands-out-serious-cash-to-its-homegrown-game-award-winners-signalis-won-euro60000-for-best-debut-game/
I'm sure a trophy from The Game Awards is a big deal for the winning developers, but is it better than cold, hard cash? That's what winners of Germany's annual Computer Game Awards go home with in the form of a national endowment, and I think I might take that over a handshake with Geoff Keighley.

Tim Cain reveals proposed sequels to Vampire – Bloodlines: 'We were planning a trilogy, which I forgot'
https://www.pcgamer.com/tim-cain-reveals-proposed-sequels-to-vampire-bloodlines-we-were-planning-a-trilogy-which-i-forgot/
Games industry veteran Tim Cain, the creator of Fallout and co-founder of Troika Games, has a YouTube channel where he reveals never-before-seen RPG history. It's a regular source of fascinating info for those of us who love the games he's worked on, and one of his previous videos discussed Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines' cut multiplayer component. In that video, Cain explained he joined Bloodlines late, as a programmer who was mostly responsible for boss AI. That means we have him to thank and/or blame for the fights against the wereshark hengeyokai and the Sheriff.
More recently, Cain dug out two design documents for proposed sequels to Bloodlines, both of which would have continued the story of the first game's protagonist and followed directly from where Bloodlines ended—one of the endings where you don't die, that is.

Check out the destructible terrain in this tactical combat game set on Mars
https://www.pcgamer.com/check-out-the-destructible-terrain-in-this-tactical-combat-game-set-on-mars/
A strike on Mars turns violent, and now the labor force of the colony is engaged in outright rebellion against their oppressive employers. That's the plot of upcoming Mars Tactics, a delicious-looking upcoming tactics game where you run the entire campaign as either the Capital or Labor factions, developing forces and moving them across Mars on a strategic layer in order to fight in turn-based battles across some really deep-looking destructible environments.

Goths rejoice: partway through the 'Server Slam' Diablo 4's nerfed Necromancers got a little boost
https://www.pcgamer.com/goths-rejoice-partway-through-the-server-slam-diablo-4s-nerfed-necromancers-got-a-little-boost/
More than halfway through its "Server Slam" online stress test, Blizzard rolled out a buff for Diablo 4's Necromancer class. According to a post on the official forums from Blizzard community manager PezRadar, the buff "will be addressing some of the feedback we've seen regarding Necromancer pets and their survivability." PezRadar further adds that "This is a backend change so users will not need to download a new update."

Here's an hour of discussion on Jagged Alliance 3's combat
https://www.pcgamer.com/heres-an-hour-of-discussion-on-jagged-alliance-3s-combat/
Jagged Alliance 3 continues to roll out more looks at the game over the last month, and this week's was a long chat with developers and community about combat in the upcoming sequel to the legendary late-90s tactics franchise. The stream had Boyan Ivanov and Brad Logston, both of developer Haemimont Games, talking about some of their favorite bits of Jagged Alliance 3's combat.

One of our favorite Stardew Valley-alikes has been delisted from Steam over a messy dispute between developer and publisher
https://www.pcgamer.com/one-of-our-favorite-stardew-valley-alikes-has-been-delisted-from-steam-over-a-messy-dispute-between-developer-and-publisher/
Roots of Pacha, a charming prehistoric farming RPG, has been removed from Steam due to a dispute between developer Soda Den and publisher Crytivo. Both have released statements holding the other party accountable, with the developer stating it attempted to resolve things "amicably" prior to its publisher's escalation, and Crytivo accusing Soda Den of trying to back out of its contract.

WoW Classic is getting official 'hardcore' mode servers
https://www.pcgamer.com/wow-classic-is-getting-official-hardcore-mode-servers/
Just two months after they were rumored to be coming, World of Warcraft Classic is getting official Hardcore mode servers to give official support and structure for a player-made way to play. Players on the servers won't be able to revive after death under any circumstances. They've got one life and that's it.

Fortnite is adding ranked play in case you need another way to find out you're not good enough
https://www.pcgamer.com/fortnite-is-adding-ranked-play-in-case-you-need-another-way-to-find-out-youre-not-good-enough/
Fortnite has temporarily had leaderboards before, with limited-time modes like Solo Showdown and Blitz Showdown adding more competitive options, and Arena mode has its Hype Score and Bus Fare, but now the long-running battle royale is adding a way to determine your worth by labeling yourself Silver or Gold or whatever. As the Fortnite Team at Epic has announced, Arena is being discontinued and ranked play will arrive in the v24.40 update.

Tekken 8 is bringing back a character first seen in Tekken 3, and one who debuted in an add-on
https://www.pcgamer.com/tekken-8-is-bringing-back-a-character-first-seen-in-tekken-3-and-one-who-debuted-in-an-add-on/
Since Tekken 8 was announced during Sony's State of Play stream in 2022, a bunch of its fighters have been revealed. Fan favorite Jun Kazuma returns, as do Jin Kazama, Nina Williams, and other legacy characters. Like reliable Paul, who has been in every Tekken game since the first—though he's aged along the way and his hair doesn't look like a tube any more.
So it's no big surprise that the latest fighter announced is Hwoarang, the Blood Talon, who Akira-slides his way onto the stage in the latest reveal trailer on a motorbike so you know he thinks he's hot shit. Hwoarang has appeared in every Tekken game since he was introduced in Tekken 3, his rivalry with Jin Kazama playing out across the series. A Taekwondo fighter who wears the traditional Korean dobok in this trailer, Hwoarang is a kick specialist who seems to be incorporating some of his old master Baek Doo San's moves.

Five years later, a new Hawken is coming to PC
https://www.pcgamer.com/five-years-later-a-new-hawken-is-coming-to-pc/
Hawken is coming back to PC. Five years after the first game stacked up the chairs, turned out the lights, and switched off the servers for its PC version, Hawken Reborn is a free to play "revitalization of the long and beloved Mech combat franchise" from 505 Games that's set to hit Steam early access on May 17.