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

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Friday gaming news, part two:

Outer Worlds 2 writes an enormous cheque it will soon have to cash: It's not just New Vegas-inspired, it's Deus Ex-flavoured too
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/outer-worlds-2-writes-an-enormous-cheque-it-will-soon-have-to-cash-its-not-just-new-vegas-inspired-its-deus-ex-flavoured-too/
My opinion on The Outer Worlds 1 is that, you know, it was pretty much fine. It was a perfectly serviceable RPG and it was even pretty funny in spots. But it was sunk by the fact it came from Obsidian, which made some of the best RPGs of all time, and didn't necessarily have much to say with its hyper-corporate setting at a time when everyone was catching some very strong feelings about capitalism.
But I certainly didn't hate it and I like Obsidian a great deal, so I'm very open to (and hopeful for) the possibility that The Outer Worlds 2 will hit where the first game missed. Still, its creative director is certainly out there writing some very big cheques for the game. In a chat with GamesRadar, Brandon Adler not only namechecked Fallout: New Vegas as "a big inspiration for us," he also called out the Eidos Montreal Deus Ex games as an influence.

Top-10 Steam game Bongo Cat is 'actually losing us money' says dev, which is fine because it's been great for business: 'Before, we knocked on 50 doors; now, they are coming to us'
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/game-development/top-10-steam-game-bongo-cat-is-actually-losing-us-money-says-dev-which-is-fine-because-its-been-great-for-business-before-we-knocked-on-50-doors-now-they-are-coming-to-us/
On a plinth in the pantheon of the Steam gods—surrounded by gaming giants like Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Apex Legends, and Elden Ring Nightreign—tappeth the humble Bongo Cat. At the time of writing, it's currently the 5th most-played game on Steam.
So you'd think its creators would be raking in the moolah, right? Wrong. In a recent interview with Eurogamer, Marcel Zurawka, the CEO of Irox Games, says it's basically making no cash at all.

Ahead of Marvel Rivals Season 3, NetEase is making it easier for losing teams to end their own suffering
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/ahead-of-marvel-rivals-season-3-netease-is-making-it-easier-for-losing-teams-to-end-their-own-suffering/
We're just a couple of weeks away from Marvel Rivals' Season 3, with new characters like Blade or Phoenix potentially set to join the roster. But before a new season begins there's the regularly scheduled patch notes which tee up everything for the next couple of months.
Most Marvel Rivals patches are small, purpose-built updates deployed when and where they are needed. This patch is much of the same, but it does include an interesting tidbit: changes to the surrender system.

This grand strategy autobattler inspired by classics like Heroes of Might and Magic comes to life through 'hundreds of handmade oil painted illustrations'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/this-grand-strategy-autobattler-inspired-by-classics-like-heroes-of-might-and-magic-comes-to-life-through-hundreds-of-handmade-oil-painted-illustrations/
Strategy fans, fantasy fans, and frankly, art fans: I've got a game you should keep an eye on. Erulean Angel: Fantasy Commander is an upcoming grand strategy autobattler, and as you can get a glimpse of in the announcement trailer above, it's packed with turn-based combat, overflowing with handmade illustrations, and inspired by classics of the strategy genre.

Chris Avellone joins with former Quantic Dream writer to work on a 'dark fantasy' RPG
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/chris-avellone-joins-with-former-quantic-dream-writer-to-work-on-a-dark-fantasy-rpg/
Chris Avellone, who became a pariah in the videogame industry following accusations of sexual misconduct in 2020 that were ultimately resolved in his favor, has joined new studio Republic Games, which was founded in 2024 by former Quantic Dream lead writer Adam Williams.

IO Interactive CEO estimates that Hitman 3 only cost a fifth of Hitman 2016's budget because the studio was brave enough to stop making new bathrooms for every game: 'I swore never to do more new toilets'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/io-interactive-ceo-estimates-that-hitman-3-only-cost-a-fifth-of-hitman-2016s-budget-because-the-studio-was-brave-enough-to-stop-making-new-bathrooms-for-every-game-i-swore-never-to-do-more-new-toilets/
After buying its independence from Square Enix in 2017, Hitman developer IO Interactive has managed to survive in an industry of escalating budgets and general turmoil as the premier self-published purveyor of bald-headed assassins. In an interview with The Game Business, CEO Hakan Abrak explained that IO's survival in the triple-A development tier is thanks to a hard-learned lesson in toilet discipline.

Dying Light 2's new Balatro costume may be the most cursed crossover I've ever seen
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/dying-light-2s-new-balatro-costume-may-be-the-most-cursed-crossover-ive-ever-seen/
"Are you ready to up the ante and cause a little mischief?" Why yes Techland that sounds lov… oh. Oh no. Hell no.
Dying Light 2 has announced a new crossover with Balatro in the form of the Friend of Aiden bundle. It adds two new quests in the game which, when completed, will grant players the bundle's content for free. But the question is: Do you really want them?

Lost Records developer Don't Nod Montreal lays off an undisclosed number of employees
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/lost-records-developer-dont-nod-montreal-lays-off-an-undisclosed-number-of-employees/
Don't Nod has reportedly laid off an undisclosed number of developers from its Montreal office. The layoffs have not been formally announced but were revealed in posts made by multiple impacted employees on LinkedIn.

Rainbow Six Siege X director says free currency gain has been 'buffed' after complaints: 'The goal wasn't to make it a harder grind for players'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/rainbow-six-siege-x-director-says-free-currency-gain-has-been-buffed-after-complaints-the-goal-wasnt-to-make-it-a-harder-grind-for-players/
Rainbow Six Siege X's Renown currency is getting a boost following complaints about slower gains since the Siege X transition. Longtime players noticed the smaller Renown rewards soon after Siege X launched earlier this month, with payouts for lost matches taking a particularly huge hit.
(...)
In an interview with PC Gamer, creative director Alex Karpazis acknowledged the lower Renown gains and said a Renown "buff" has already rolled out.

Endless Legend 2 will let you play as refugees from the first game's coolest faction: a collection of vampire ghosts trapped in fancy armour
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/endless-legend-2-will-let-you-play-as-refugees-from-the-first-games-coolest-faction-a-collection-of-vampire-ghosts-trapped-in-fancy-armour/
Endless Legend 2's early access launch is fast approaching, but Amplitude still has some reveals hiding up its sleeve. Today we've got the news that the first game's Broken Lords faction will be showing up in the sequel, playable once more, but now known as the Last Lords.

Deus Ex lead Warren Spector pops up to remind everyone he didn't make the game alone in a cave, wish you a happy 25th anniversary, and get me wondering if something Deus Ex-related is happening behind the scenes
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/deus-ex-lead-warren-spector-pops-up-to-remind-everyone-he-didnt-make-the-game-alone-in-a-cave-wish-you-a-happy-25th-anniversary-and-get-me-wondering-if-something-deus-ex-related-is-happening-behind-the-scenes/
The man forever fated to be known as the creator of Deus Ex would like you to know that he did not, in fact, create Deus Ex. Not single-handedly, anyway. In a video marking the 25th (oh my god) anniversary of the first Deus Ex, Warren Spector emerged from his hermitage to wish everyone a very merry what a shame.

EA's CEO pulled in $5 million more this year than last, while his employees took home the least money they've made since 2022
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/eas-ceo-pulled-in-usd5-million-more-this-year-than-last-while-his-employees-took-home-the-least-money-theyve-made-since-2022/
Tragic news: despite steering Electronic Arts as CEO since 2013, Andrew Wilson hasn't had a pay rise in the last three years. He's scraping by on the same $1.3 million annual salary he's had since fiscal year (FY) 2023 (when it was bumped up from the $1.29 million he earned as salary in FY2022).
Times are tough. Still, hopefully Wilson can console himself with the other $29,200,000 he's netted in his position over the last fiscal year. Stagnant salary aside, Wilson has—per EA's 2025 Proxy Statement (via Game Developer)—earned $25.7 million in stock awards, $2.8 million in executive bonuses, and a $678,000 garnish from "All other compensation," namely $1.2k in insurance premiums paid on his behalf, $10.3k in 401(K) matching contributions, and $667k in "other," which is almost entirely derived from EA's $664k contribution to Wilson's "personal security benefits," based on an independent threat assessment.
(...)
All the more galling: while Wilson's compensation has shot up by $10 million in the last two fiscal years, comparing FY2025's proxy statement against those of previous years reveals that the earnings of EA's "median employee"—full time, part-time, regular, and temporary, all taken together—has declined in that time.

And now, one of the shortest and easiests recaps of the GOG and Steam weekend deals of the year:

+GOG

• Their Summer Sale reaches its second weekend: www.gog.com/

+Steam

• The Summer Sale is on!: store.steampowered.com

That’s it for this week. Until the next time, I wish you a happy and gaming weekend.