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

[JEMC]

Friday news, part two:

The PC Gaming Show returns December 5 with a sleigh full of the latest and greatest PC games
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/events-conferences/the-pc-gaming-show-returns-december-5-with-a-sleigh-full-of-the-latest-and-greatest-pc-games/
It's arriving in December and represents a festival of togetherness that enraptures families the world over. That's right: The PC Gaming Show is back, and it's bringing a hefty sack of videogame magic when it hits this December 5.

The next Helldivers 2 Warbond is almost certainly a violation of international humanitarian law
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/the-next-helldivers-2-warbond-is-almost-certainly-a-violation-of-international-humanitarian-law/
The next Helldivers 2 premium Warbond is coming later this month, bringing new stratagems, cosmetics, capes, and what would undoubtedly be cause for international outcry if Super Earth had anything like the Geneva Conventions. "Chemical Agents," revealed today on the official PlayStation blog, brings a new allotment of Helldiver ordnance focused on spraying poisonous gas, which would be horrifying in just about any other context. But against the Terminids, it's basically just fumigation on a bigger scale, right?

European Consumer Organization alleges game companies including Activision, Electronic Arts, Epic, and Ubisoft are 'tricking' consumers with premium in-game currencies
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/european-consumer-organization-alleges-game-companies-including-activision-electronic-arts-epic-and-ubisoft-are-tricking-consumers-with-premium-in-game-currencies/
The European Consumer Organization, along with 22 member organizations from 17 countries, has filed a complaint with the authorities who enforce EU consumer protection laws accusing Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Ubisoft, and other major game companies of "purposefully tricking consumers" with in-game currencies that are "used to confuse and disconnect consumers from the real value of their in-game spending."
>> I’m shocked. Shocked! (that it took this long for someone to make something about it)

Someone just discovered that Balatro's 'Misprint' joker has been sending us secret messages this whole time
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/card-games/someone-just-discovered-that-balatros-misprint-joker-has-been-sending-us-secret-messages-this-whole-time/
Misprint is sort of an average joker in Balatro. The card, which looks like it got badly streaked coming out of the color printer, offers a random multiplier between 0 and 23, which averages out at 11.5. That's not a bad mult in the early game, but I rarely buy Misprint anymore, and when I do, I usually don't hang onto it for very long. There are far better jokers out there.
However. Misprint has been hiding a naughty little secret all this time, and it's apparently taken seven months since Balatro launched for someone to finally notice it. When you look at it, Misprint isn't just cycling through a random multiplier, it's also trying to help you cheat. Watch closely, and it will reveal the rank and suit of the next card you'll be dealt.

Kentucky Route Zero and Stray publisher Annapurna Interactive has collapsed, with its entire staff quitting en masse
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/kentucky-route-zero-and-stray-publisher-annapurna-interactive-has-collapsed-with-its-entire-staff-quitting-en-masse/
According to the Hollywood Reporter and Bloomberg, prolific videogame publisher Annapurna Interactive has functionally collapsed, with its senior leadership team and the entirety of its over 20-person staff resigning. The shocking move leaves the future of Annapurna's active development deals⁠ in question.
>> According to the article in our front page, the deals will be kept and are not in danger.

Deadlock matchmaking is now open 24/7—plus there's a new, snazzier minimap and a low priority queue for sinners
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/moba/deadlock-matchmaking-is-now-open-24-7-plus-there-s-a-new-snazzier-minimap-and-a-low-priority-queue-for-sinners/
Deadlock, Valve's not-so-secret anymore MOBA, has done away with its playtest time restrictions, as per an update that dropped yesterday.
(...)
Well, no longer: "Matchmaking is now open 24/7 for all regions," read the patch notes. Funnily enough, the in-game server status window just reads: "Status:" with nothing to the right of it. What is the status of Deadlock? That's classified.
>> I know it’s hard to believe, but Team Fortress 2 fans are not happy with with Deadlock.

WoW: The War Within's new mini dungeons are annihilating solo players while groups sleepwalk through them for 'free' loot
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/world-of-warcraft/wow-the-war-within-s-new-mini-dungeons-are-annihilating-solo-players-while-groups-sleepwalk-through-them-for-free-loot/
Delves are World of Warcraft's new mini dungeons that can be done solo, and they reward some of the best loot in The War Within's first season. But players have found that they're exponentially harder alone than with a group, which has squashed the hope that they would be a new solo alternative to normal endgame activities like raids and Mythic+ dungeons.
>> And the latest hotfix to address that, has made things worse.

All Zenless Zone Zero codes from the 1.2 livestream
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/zenless-zone-zero-1-2-livestream-codes/
The Zenless Zone Zero 1.2 livestream codes are here, or to be more accurate, it's usually one single super code with these special programs. For some reason, miHoYo gives out three codes for all of its other games, but just one chunky one for ZZZ—who can say why? Either way, redeeming this code will get you some Polychrome you can use to try for the new characters in its upcoming version 1.2.

Tony Hawk eats magical truth-telling salad, immediately confirms he and Activision have got something cooking for the first time since Vicarious Visions got swallowed
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sports/tony-hawk-eats-magical-truth-telling-salad-immediately-confirms-he-and-activision-have-got-something-cooking-for-the-first-time-since-vicarious-visions-got-swallowed/
Activision's made a lot of bad choices over the years, but few of them sting more for me personally than its decision to merge remake studio Vicarious Visions with Blizzard, killing plans for future Tony Hawk's Pro Skater remakes with the stroke of a pen.
But there might be some justice in the world, because the Hawk himself has been dropping hints that the series isn't as dead as it might seem. In a chat with Mythical Kitchen (via Kotaku)—in between bites of an enormous mesa of Chinese chicken salad—Hawk dropped that he's apparently been back in touch with Activision recently. What's more, there's something cooking.

And here are the weekend deals from GOG and Steam:

+GOG

• GOG has 9 Limited Time Offers that will end in 70 hours, and the first one is KING OF THE MONSTERS 2: THE NEXT THING, 19% off: https://www.gog.com/en/game/king_of_the_monsters_2_the_next_thing
• MUTATION NATION also has a 19% discount: https://www.gog.com/en/game/mutation_nation
• Conflict: Europe gets a 65% deal: https://www.gog.com/en/game/conflict_europe
• Avadon 2: The Corruption features a 70% discount: https://www.gog.com/en/game/avadon_2_the_corruption
• Voodolls is going to be 75% off: https://www.gog.com/en/game/voodolls
• Dangerous Waters is 80% off: https://www.gog.com/en/game/dangerous_waters
• O.R.B.: Off-World Resource Base gets an 89% discount: https://www.gog.com/en/game/orb_offworld_resource_base
• Warrior Kings is also going to be 89% off: https://www.gog.com/en/game/warrior_kings
• The last one is Steel Rats, with a 90% discount: https://www.gog.com/en/game/steel_rats

+Steam

• Hubris will be 65% off until September 19: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1265800/Hubris/
• The Playstation Publisher Sale features up to 75% discounts until the 19th: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/PlayStationPublisherSale2024
• The Forza franchise is on sale, with the games being between 50 and 80% off until the September, the 19th: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/ForzaFranchise2024
• Turmoil will be 80% off until the same 19th of September: https://store.steampowered.com/app/361280/Turmoil/
• Bohemia Interactive celebrates its 25th Anniversary Sale, with up to 80% discounts until the 19th: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/Bohemia2024
• The Frostpunk franchise is on sale with up to 90% deals until the 21st of September: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/frostpunk
• V Rising will be free to try during the weekend and 30% off until September 24: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1604030/V_Rising/
• Gunfire Reborn will feature a 35% discount until the 26th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1217060/Gunfire_Reborn/
• Nightingale, still in Early Access, is going to be 40% off until September 26: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1928980/Nightingale/
• The Early Access title Hellish Quart gets a 45% discount until the 26th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1000360/Hellish_Quart/
• And Paleo Pines, that has a demo, will be 55% off until the 26th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1202200/Paleo_Pines/

That's all folks! Until next time, I wish you a happy and gaming weekend.