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

[JEMC]

The Thursday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Square Enix confirms lower-than-expected Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Final Fantasy 16 sales in newly public financial report: 'Profits unfortunately did not meet our expectations'
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/square-enix-confirms-lower-than-expected-final-fantasy-7-rebirth-and-final-fantasy-16-sales-in-newly-public-financial-report-profits-unfortunately-did-not-meet-our-expectations/
In a May 2024 financial report made public today (via Eurogamer), Square Enix president Takashi Kiryu said that Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Final Fantasy 16 haven't sold as many copies as the company had hoped. "We released multiple new titles, including major titles such as 'Final Fantasy 16' and 'Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth,' but profits unfortunately did not meet our expectations," Kiryu said.
The financial results were originally shared on May 13, 2024, months before yesterday's PC release of Final Fantasy 16—which, it's safe to assume, will give that particular sales metric a bump. A PC release for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, meanwhile, still hasn't been officially confirmed. Kiryu also noted that MMO profits were down, but attributed that to "a lull in releases ahead of the launch of the 'Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail' expansion pack," which was released the following month in June.
>> This seems to be the norm when it comes to S-E. Maybe they should start expecting more reasonable sales, not ridiculous ones.

This week, the Epic Store gives away

• TOEM: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/toem
• The Last Stand: Aftermath: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/the-last-stand-aftermath

Next week, the free game will be The Spirit and the Mouse.

GOG has several new promos:

• The Historical Games Promo features up to 90% discounts during 6 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20240918_historical_promo
• Magic of Music Promo has games up to 95% off during 6 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20240918_magic_of_music_promo
• Meanwhile, the Git Gud Promo has up to 94% discounts until September 27: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20240919_git_gud_promo
• And the Pixel-Art Promo has games up to 90% off during 8 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20240917_pixel_art_promo

Steam has two new deals:

• The Tokyo Game Show 2024 has launched its page full of upcoming games, demos and games on sale with, at least, up to 80% discounts. The TGS page will last until the 29th, but the length of the deals vary from game to game: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/tgs2024
• Total Tank Simulator is going to be 60% off until the 2nd of October: https://store.steampowered.com/app/674500/Total_Tank_Simulator/

A new Humble Bundle has launched: the indie.io Super Bundle, with up to 15 items to get (there are 2 coupons) during 20 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/indieio-super-bundle.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Friendship restored with Steam: Valve has fixed the screenshot manager and all is right with the world
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/friendship-restored-with-steam-valve-has-fixed-the-screenshot-manager-and-all-is-right-with-the-world/
My 35-day-long nightmare is over: Valve has quietly restored a critical piece of its screenshot management functionality, and with it a critical piece of my sanity.
Last month when I went to find screenshots of some game or another in Steam I realized that Valve had ditched the old button that took you directly to that game's screenshot folder on the disk, instead replacing it with a "Share" button that let you save images one at a time to a location of your choice. This did not spark joy. Why would I resave a file that I know already exists in a folder on my computer? Why was that folder being hidden from me? What happened to the pure, beautiful, functional simplicity of "Show on Disk?"
Well, it looks like beauty can still exist in the world. Steam's latest update has returned the "Show on Disk" option when you right-click any screenshot in your library, leaping straight to that folder in File Explorer. Excelsior! 

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Need for Speed Rivals Plus 5.0 Mod Releases on October 14th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/need-for-speed-rivals-plus-5-0-mod-releases-on-october-14th/
Modder ‘GrabussPC’ is currently working on graphics mod for Need for Speed Rivals. A few days ago, the modder shared a new trailer for it, revealing that Version 5.0 will come out on October 14th.
Need for Speed Rivals Plus V5.0 aims to significantly improve the graphics and gameplay. Version 5.0 has many big improvements regarding the graphics. Sadly, though, the modder did not go into more detail about them. Players can also expect more E3 content, a bigger list of add-ons, bug fixes, and many more new changes.
Need for Speed Rivals lets you play as either a cop or a racer, where you compete in intense street races. You can choose between two different career paths, each with its own challenges, rewards, and special cars. Whether you’re chasing down racers as a cop or trying to escape the police as a racer, you’ll need skill and speed to win in this rivalry.
>> The article has an over 8 minutes video.

First Final Fantasy 16 Mod adds support for ultra-wide monitors, removes 30fps lock, lets you adjust the FOV
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/first-final-fantasy-16-mod-adds-support-for-ultra-wide-monitors-removes-30fps-lock-lets-you-adjust-the-fov/
Final Fantasy 16 has just been released on PC and its first must-have mod is now available for download. This mod brings major improvements to the game. So, make sure to use it.
FFXVI Fix removes the 30FPS limit during cutscenes and photo mode. This means you can get smoother and higher frame rates in them. It also lets you use Frame Generation during cutscenes. As a result, the in-game cutscenes will run better and look much smoother.
Moreover, the mod allows you to adjust the game’s FOV. Final Fantasy XVI is a third-person game so you’d expect it to have an FOV slider. Sadly, though, it does not. So, thanks to this mod, you can change the FOV value to the one you like.
Another feature that FF16 lacks is support for ultra-wide monitors. And again. This mod adds full support for them. It will also remove pillarboxing/letterboxing in borderless/fullscreen, and fix HUD scaling with configurable HUD size.
>> It basically adds features that should have been there out of the box. The article has no media in it.

GAMING NEWS

New trailers for A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed and Freedom Wars Remastered
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/new-trailers-for-a-quiet-place-the-road-ahead-disney-epic-mickey-rebrushed-and-freedom-wars-remastered/
Some new game trailers got released yesterday that completely passed under my radar. Well, that was to be expected as I had my hands full with FF XVI, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster and Frostpunk 2. As such, I’ve decided to share them in one big article. So, below, you can find the trailers for A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed and Freedom Wars Remastered.

Starfield Beta Patch 1.14.68 Released & Fully Detailed
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/starfield-beta-patch-1-14-68-released-fully-detailed/
Bethesda has released a new beta update for Starfield on PC. Title Update 1.14.68 includes changes to lighting, improvements to performance, and fixes to make the game more stable. So, let’s see in more detail what’s in store for you.

Darksiders 2 will get a free Ray Tracing Update on PC
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/darksiders-2-will-get-a-free-ray-tracing-update-on-pc/
THQ Nordic has announced a free update for Darksiders 2 Deathinitive Edition which will add Ray Tracing to the game. This update will be coming to the PC on October 15th. And, since we’re talking about a free update, it will be available to everyone who already owns the game.

New gameplay trailer for the Lovecraftian first-person horror shooter, Decadent
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/new-gameplay-trailer-for-the-lovecraftian-first-person-horror-shooter-decadent/
Fulqrum Publishing has released a new gameplay trailer for its upcoming story-driven Lovecraftian first-person horror shooter, Decadent. This looks like an interesting FPS, so be sure to check it out.

Free-to-Play Elden Ring-Like ARPG, Ballad of Antara, Gets a 14-Minute Gameplay Showcase Video
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/free-to-play-elden-ring-like-arpg-ballad-of-antara-gets-a-14-minute-gameplay-showcase-video/
Sony and Infold Games have released the first gameplay video for Ballad of Antara. Ballad of Antara is a free-to-play ARPG. The video shows 14 minutes of gameplay, giving you a first look at how the game plays and what the combat is like. So, be sure to check it out.