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

[JEMC]

These are the Tuesday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Steam’s Top 10

(Click here for the Top 100)

Fallout 76 hits an all-time player count record on Steam following the Fallout TV series on Amazon, and the other games are spiking too
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/fallout-76-hits-an-all-time-player-count-record-on-steam-following-the-fallout-tv-series-on-amazon-and-the-other-games-are-spiking-too/
People like the Fallout TV series on Amazon an awful lot—we called it "the best Fallout since New Vegas"—and that seems to be having quite the spillover effect for the Fallout videogames. All of the games in the long-running post-nuclear RPG series have seen a significant jump in players, and they've also muscled their way into Steam's top-selling games chart.
SteamDB noted on Twitter (via Eurogamer) that "Fallout has more than doubled its concurrent players on Steam with the release of the Fallout TV series."
Fallout 4 is the biggest beneficiary, spiking up to more than 83,000 concurrent players over the weekend, compared to a high of 24,000 the weekend before, a few days ahead of Amazon's Fallout launch. Fallout 76 arguably set an even more impressive mark by surpassing 39,000 concurrent players on the weekend following the TV series release, a new all-time high on Steam for the four-year-old game. Fallout 3—my favorite of the Bethesda Fallouts, and I make no apologies for it—also saw a huge bounce, going from roughly 1,000 concurrents on April 7 to 6,700 a week later.
>> The article notes that Fallout 76 greatly benefited from the free weekend.

Content Warning has hit 1 million copies sold, which hopefully means we'll get some more Old World locations soon
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/content-warning-has-hit-1-million-copies-sold-which-hopefully-means-well-get-some-more-old-world-locations-soon/
The co-op horror game Content Warning made a pretty big impression when it was released around a month ago. Landfall decided to make it free to download for the first 24 hours only, which brought in around 6.6 million users who then spent a great deal of time trying to film viral videos in the spooky Old World. 
Content Warning has already reached a couple of pretty impressive milestones, as it sold over 700,000 copies in just under two weeks and drew in more than 204,000 concurrent users on just its first day of release. But now, two weeks after first releasing, the co-op horror game has managed to sell over 1 million copies. 
Landfall celebrated the achievement in a short tweet: "Bring out the party poopers! Content Warning has now sold 1M copies on top of the 6.6M players that got the game for free! Thank you all so much for liking our scary lill game."

Steam has new deals, sales and, of course, weeklong deals:

• Publisher Freedom Games puts its games up to 90% off until the 22nd of April: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/freedomgames2024
• The Early Access title Shadows of Doubt gets a 25% discount until the 24th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/986130/Shadows_of_Doubt/
• The London Games Festival will run until April, 25th, with new games you may not have heard of yet: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/londongamesfest2024
• Siege Survival: Gloria Victis is going to be 84% off until the 26th of April: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1167140/Siege_Survival_Gloria_Victis/
• Blasphemous, that has a demo, can be yours with a 75% discount until the 29th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/774361/Blasphemous/
• And here are some of the weeklong deals:
  • A Dance of Fire and Ice is 15% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/977950/A_Dance_of_Fire_and_Ice/
  • JellyCar Worlds gets a 35% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1740930/JellyCar_Worlds/
  • Clue/Cluedo will be 50% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2506480/ClueCluedo/
  • Anodyne 2: Return to Dust features a 60% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/877810/Anodyne_2_Return_to_Dust/
  • Arietta of Spirits features a 75% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1140170/Arietta_of_Spirits/
  • And the last one, Vaporum, 85% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/629690/Vaporum/

The Humble Store has two new sales:

• Thanks to the Jackbox Games Publisher Sale we can get their games up to 60% off during 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/jackbox-spotlight-sale/
• Ubisoft’s Build your Strategy Sale features up to 75% discounts during 6 days. Most keys are for UbiPlay, except one that’s for Steam: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/ubisoft-build-your-strategy-sale/

And Fanatical has a new Star Deal and bundle:

• The Star Deal is RimWorld, with a 30% deal during 24 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/rimworld
• The Diamond Collection BYOB for April is now live, featuring 17 titles to choose from for your 3, 4 or 5 games bundle: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/diamond-collection-build-your-own-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

NVIDIA GeForce Game Ready 552.22 driver
https://videocardz.com/driver/nvidia-geforce-game-ready-552-22
Highlights
Game Ready for Manor Lords
This new Game Ready Driver provides the best gaming experience for the latest new games supporting DLSS technology including Manor Lords which features support for DLSS Super Resolution. Further support for new titles includes the launch of No Rest for the Wicked

Fixed Issues
Fixed Gaming Bugs

• PUBG: Game stability issues over extended gameplay on Intel 12th Gen platforms [4030936]

Fixed General Bugs

• GeForce GTX 10/RTX 20 series: PC may randomly freeze when Windows HardwareAccelerated GPU Scheduling and NVIDIA SLI are both enabled [4009884]
• HTC Vive Pro 2: System crash with bugcheck after enabling VR HMD with multidisplays [4119187]

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

New The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Mod adds voices to all NPCs on the mainland
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/new-the-elder-scrolls-iii-morrowind-mod-adds-voices-to-all-npcs-on-the-mainland/
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind fans, here is something for you today. Modder ‘Cepko’ has released a new mod for this classic TES game that adds voices to all NPCs on the mainland.
Do note that this mod will require the Tamriel Rebuilt Mod. Tamriel Rebuilt is a fan project working to build the mainland of Morrowind Province in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, while preserving the original game’s creative vision and direction. Plus, the mod is based on Kezyma’s Voices of Vvardenfell Mod (which you’ll also need).
Since all the NPCs on the mainland will now have voices, you will no longer have to read their dialogue windows. This is an amazing QoL improvement for Morrowind. This is also a mod that showcases how AI can greatly improve older titles. After all, Kezyma’s Voices of Vvardenfell Mod uses ElevenAI and MWS.
>> The article had a video that the mod’s author has deleted.

This Starfield Mod Adds 50 New Space Encounters
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/this-starfield-mod-adds-50-new-space-encounters/
Modder ‘kaosnyrb’ has released a new cool mod for Starfield that adds to it around 50 new space encounters. As such, the game will now feel more varied and dynamic when traveling in space.
As the modder noted, Dark Universe – Crossfire will massively increase the amount of space POI’s, adding more variety to space gameplay. The new POI’s are focused around skirmishes between factions.
The mod also adds new encounter types. Right now, Dark Universe – Crossfire adds eleven of them. These are Piracy Boarding, Faction Skirmish, Faction Skirmish, Tides Turning, Faction Stronghold, Lone Ship, Ship Under Fire, Lost Unmarked Shipment, Trade Vessel Mayday, Stranded Ship and Boss Fight.
>> The article has a video that works and it’s a bit over 4 minutes long.

The Witcher 3 REDkit Modding Tools Playtest Announced
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/the-witcher-3-redkit-modding-tool-playtest-announced/
CD Projekt RED has announced that modders are now able to sign up for the Playtest of the REDkit Modding Tools for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. These modding tools will offer you the freedom to edit almost anything in the game.
The Witcher 3 REDkit is a comprehensive modding tool for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. It is based on the same set of tools that were used by the devs to create the game and should allow for nearly limitless freedom in modding it.
For instance, PC modders will be able to create new assets, scripts, quests, animations and more. So, in theory, modders will be able to create total conversions and DLC-sized fan expansion mods.
>> As you may have guessed, there’s no media for this mod.

GAMING NEWS

Frostpunk 2 PC Beta Requirements Revealed, Gameplay Deep Dive Trailer Released
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/frostpunk-2-pc-beta-requirements-revealed-gameplay-deep-dive-trailer-released/
11 bit studios has launched the beta phase for Frostpunk 2, and revealed its PC system requirements. In addition, the team shared a gameplay deep dive trailer that you can find below.

Black Mesa Necro Patch Released, Improving Performance, UI, Controller Support & Stability
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/black-mesa-necro-patch-released-improving-performance-ui-controller-support-stability/
Crowbar Collective has released the Necro Patch for its amazing Half-Life Remake, Black Mesa. According to the team, this update improves the game’s performance, UI, controller support and overall stability.

SAND LAND just got an official “Darude – Sandstorm” trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/sand-land-just-got-a-darude-sandstorm-trailer/
Call me surprised. Bandai Namco has released a new trailer for its upcoming action RPG, SAND LAND, featuring Darude’s iconic dance/trance track, Sandstorm. And, since this Sandstorm we’re talking about, I had to share it with you.