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

[JEMC]

And well, today there’s a third part of the news:

As the newly released World of Warcraft was dominating the 2000s, Blizzard's then-president had his own priorities—working on StarCraft 1 patches
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rts/as-the-newly-released-world-of-warcraft-was-dominating-the-2000s-blizzards-then-president-had-his-own-prioritiesworking-on-starcraft-1-patches/
PC Gamer recently sat down with Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart during the summer game showcases in Los Angeles, and in a wide-ranging interview briefly talked about game preservation, and what studios can do with their older titles to keep them playable as long as possible. 
During a chat about a recent Pillars of Eternity patch (and the sad revelation that Obsidian is not working on an Unreal Engine 5 version of Alpha Protocol, darn), Urquhart recalled an anecdote about Blizzard in the 2000s.
Update: Blizzard co-founder and former CEO / President Mike Morhaime got back to PCG shortly after publication.

After 12 years at Blizzard, Warcraft general manager John Hight announces departure: 'I've been so honored to serve all of the heroes of Azeroth'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/world-of-warcraft/after-12-years-at-blizzard-warcraft-general-manager-john-hight-announces-departure-ive-been-so-honored-to-serve-all-of-the-heroes-of-azeroth/
John Hight, leader of the Warcraft universe at Blizzard Entertainment, announced on his personal X account this week he was leaving the company for "a new quest."

Senior World of Warcraft dev says we might see single player 'story mode' versions of legacy raids in the future
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/world-of-warcraft/senior-world-of-warcraft-dev-says-we-might-see-single-player-story-mode-versions-of-legacy-raids-in-the-future/
One of the more interesting developments to come out of World of Warcraft's The War Within expansion debuting in August is the introduction of "story mode:" a single-player way to battle the last bosses of the game's raids, so that even solo players can experience the full narrative.
PC Gamer associate editor Tyler Colp had the opportunity to interview associate game director Morgan Day this week at Blizzard headquarters in Irvine, California. Day hinted that story mode might not just be for the expansion's new content.

Monster Hunter Stories finally has its PC port
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/monster-hunter-stories-has-finally-gotten-its-pc-port/
The very first Monster Hunter RPG is now available on PC via Steam in a remastered format with full voice acting. Monster Hunter Stories was first released in 2017 as a Nintendo 3DS game, and while its sequel got a release on PC in 2021 the first game hadn't made its way to a port yet. It's the story of a person who rides monsters and can befriend them.

Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP is coming in September
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/lollipop-chainsaw-repop-is-coming-in-september/
The remaster Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP will release this year, on September 25 2024. This new version of the 2012 cult classic zombie-chainsawing action game will undoubtedly cause as much of a stir as it did 12 years ago, mostly because it's very much as over the top as it was back then. Perhaps less outrageous, given the last 12 years of people behaving wildly on the internet, but still, here we are.

Classic indie Shovel Knight is geting a definitive edition
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/classic-indie-shovel-knight-is-geting-a-definitive-edition/
Yacht Club Games has announced Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope DX, an enhanced edition of the original Shovel Knight. The Shovel Knight series has been a fixture of indie gaming for a decade now, and this definitive version will be made with an aim at "preserving the game's historical functionality, ensuring these elements remain available for future generations of players" says Yacht Club.

Final Fantasy 14's healers have had enough and are going on strike, after streamer tears through Dawntrail's first dungeon preview without needing them at all
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/final-fantasy/final-fantasy-14-s-healers-have-had-enough-and-are-going-on-strike-after-streamer-tears-through-dawntrail-s-first-dungeon-preview-without-needing-them-at-all/
Final Fantasy 14, as I've previously discussed, is a little too straightforward when it comes to its casual fayre—though that's not to say said content is "bad". Dungeons are often pleasantly cinematic, with interesting mechanics and banger soundtracks. They're just… pretty easy.

Lords of the Fallen 2, which is technically Lords of the Fallen 3, is due in 2026 and will probably be an Epic exclusive
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/lords-of-the-fallen-2-which-is-technically-lords-of-the-fallen-3-is-due-in-2026-and-will-probably-be-an-epic-exclusive/
Hexworks' striking (but rather unfriendly) soulslike Lords of the Fallen is unsurprisingly getting the sequel treatment. (...)
Lords of the Fallen 2, which is technically Lords of the Fallen 3, is simply referred to as "Project 3" in the agreement between publisher CI Games and Epic Games, the latter of which now has exclusive rights to distribute the PC version. A trademark application from earlier in the year, however, suggests that its actual title will be Death of the Fallen, which I think we can all agree is better than Lords of the Fallen 2 (But Really 3). 

Baldur's Gate 3 fan discovers second, hidden approval score for Shadowheart that unlocks dialogue I've never seen in 300 hours of play
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/baldurs-gate-3-fan-discovers-second-hidden-approval-score-for-shadowheart-that-unlocks-dialogue-ive-never-seen-in-300-hours-of-play/
Companion approval is one of Baldur's Gate 3's main systems, the friendship meter that determines everything from major plot beats to what romance opportunities are available, but it turns out this isn't the only metric Larian used to track our relationships with companions. Spoilers for Shadowheart's story in Baldur's Gate 3 ahead.

Karlach's infernal engine was a late addition to her character in Baldur's Gate 3: 'One of the last things that fell into place was the heart'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/baldurs-gate/karlach-s-infernal-engine-was-a-late-addition-to-her-character-in-baldur-s-gate-3-one-of-the-last-things-that-fell-into-place-was-the-heart/
Karlach is one of Baldur's Gate 3's most beloved characters—and for plenty of good reasons. She's big, has potent golden retriever energy, and can probably bench press me—but she's also, like a lot of the game's cast, spectacularly well-written. Her journey of betrayal and punk-rock redemption is compelling and moving, to the point where the lack of a "perfect" ending was a point of controversy.
(...)
Regardless, Karlach's missing heart felt like such a central pillar of the character that I was shocked to learn, while attending BAFTA's "An Evening with Baldur’s Gate 3", that it was actually a somewhat late edition to everyone's favourite big tiefling wife.