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

[JEMC]

Monday gaming news, part two:

Helldivers 2 dev explains why the PC version takes a million years to update and has 3X the filesize of the console versions: old, undemocratic hard drives
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/helldivers-2-dev-explains-why-the-pc-version-takes-a-million-years-to-update-and-has-3x-the-filesize-of-the-console-versions-old-undemocratic-hard-drives/
Brendan Armstrong is a deputy technical director at Arrowhead Game Studios and has taken to the Helldivers 2 subreddit to explain something that's always bothered me, but I didn't know I needed the answer to. Why is Helldivers 2 roughly 150GB on PC, and around a third that size on consoles?

Dying Light: The Beast players have killed enough zombies in two weeks to equal a quarter of the world's population
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/dying-light-the-beast-players-have-killed-enough-zombies-in-two-weeks-to-equal-a-quarter-of-the-worlds-population/
Dying Light: The Beast has only been out for about two weeks—but for players, that's been more than enough time to slice and dice a record number of zombies to un-undeath. According to developer Techland, in the first 12 days after the survival horror game launched, players have killed more than 2.2 billion zombies.
That's billion, with a B.

As Microsoft lays off thousands and jacks up Game Pass prices, former FTC chair says I told you so: The Activision-Blizzard buyout is 'harming both gamers and developers'
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/as-microsoft-lays-off-thousands-and-jacks-up-game-pass-prices-former-ftc-chair-says-i-told-you-so-the-activision-blizzard-buyout-is-harming-both-gamers-and-developers/
As Microsoft slashes jobs and raises prices, former US Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan has taken to X to say that the company's actions since completing its acquisition of Activision Blizzard in 2023 is pretty much what the FTC warned would happen when it opposed the deal.

Civilization 7's latest update brings improved map generation, a better UI, and a 'full rework of Napoleon', but it hasn't moved the needle on its divided Steam rating
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/civilization-7s-latest-update-brings-improved-map-generation-a-better-ui-and-a-full-rework-of-napoleon-but-it-hasnt-moved-the-needle-on-its-divided-steam-rating/
Civilization 7 received a beefy update this week, as Firaxis continues to work on its latest and most divisive entry in its series of historical 4Xs. Update 1.2.5 brings a host of tweaks and adjustments, shuffling maps, improving the UI, and expanding strategic options around city-states. Plus, like a certain Duke who gave his name to a certain rubber footwear, it also gives Napoleon a proper sorting out.

Chill city-builder Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles just got a massive update that adds an 'OP AF' new airship, as the developer urges players to check out his game: 'Any review helps, even the critical ones'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/chill-city-builder-bulwark-falconeer-chronicles-just-got-a-massive-update-that-adds-an-op-af-new-airship-as-the-developer-urges-players-to-check-out-his-game-any-review-helps-even-the-critical-ones/
(...)
Chill city-builder and definitely not a strategy game Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles already features airships in abundance, which by my admittedly unusual metric makes it the best videogame ever made. But where do you go once you've ascended to the zenith of creative expression? The answer, of course, is bigger airship.

The most underrated GTA of all time meets Hotline Miami? This ultra-violent crime sim coming soon to Steam has shot straight to the top of my hit list
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/grand-theft-auto/the-most-underrated-gta-of-all-time-meets-hotline-miami-this-ultra-violent-crime-sim-coming-soon-to-steam-has-shot-straight-to-the-top-of-my-hit-list/
As we wade into the final stretch of 2025, the GTA 6 release date is slowly (my goodness, so slowly) coming into focus. Close your eyes, shut off your brain and picture yourself kicking back on the white sands of Vice beach this May, sunkissed, fancy free and packing more heat than a chilli cook off.
OK, now open your eyes, snap back to reality and get excited for a different crime simulator, one that pays homage to the long road that paved the way for Rockstar's next blockbuster outing with a splash of Hotline Miami for extra flavour.
You don't need me to tell you that's one hell of a sell, and it's exactly what The Henchmen promises—a retro-inspired, top-down sandbox shooter that's coming soon to Steam, whose chaotic cops-and-robbers set pieces nod to GTA 2, with claustrophobic quick-fire combat that echoes Dennaton's ultra-violent smash hit.

Call of Duty may have finally blinked on SBMM as the Black Ops 7 beta adds a playlist with 'drastically reduced' skill consideration
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/call-of-duty/call-of-duty-may-have-finally-blinked-on-sbmm-as-the-black-ops-7-beta-adds-a-playlist-with-drastically-reduced-skill-consideration/
Three days into the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 beta, Activision has shared patch notes for a new multiplayer mode with less strict skill-based matchmaking (SBMM). The behind-the-scenes online matchmaking practice, which seeks to pair players with those of a similar skill level, has grown controversial among some competitive FPS fans, and this is the first time Activision has ceded any ground on the issue.

The Bloodlines 2 voice cast features actors from Cyberpunk 2077, Hitman, Vermintide, and Game of Thrones
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/the-bloodlines-2-voice-cast-features-actors-from-cyberpunk-2077-hitman-vermintide-and-game-of-thrones/
When the original Bloodlines throws John DiMaggio at you right there in the tutorial you know you're in for some quality voice-acting. The whole cast was stacked with actors familiars from games and TV like Grey DeLisle, Steve Blum, Fred Tatasciore, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Dee Bradley Baker—the list goes on.
Bloodlines 2 may not have Bender from Futurama in it, but the recent voice cast reveal does highlight a few familiar voices. Like Jane Perry, who you may know as Diana from the Hitman series, Selene from Returnal, or Rogue from Cyberpunk 2077, playing the refined Lou Graham.

Five-year-old survival/crafting game Arctico just got Steam Deck and controller support from out of nowhere
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/five-year-old-survival-crafting-game-arctico-just-got-steam-deck-and-controller-support-from-out-of-nowhere/
Arctico is sort of like Subnautica without all the underwater dread. Walk into a body of water in Arctico and you'll suddenly be in a kayak, cruising over the calm blue surface toward a fishing spot. It may be a game about expanding a research base in a lonely, hostile environment, but it's a much more relaxed one, where you've got a team of pettable dogs to pull your sled right from the off.
Though it came out of early access in 2020, Arctico has had some significant updates since then. There was a base-building update in June of this year, with a bunch of improvements, adjustments, and optimization to the base-building mechanics, and now there's been another update out of the blue, adding controller support and Steam Deck verification.

Manor Lords gets its first update since January, and its creator says he is 'rethinking what went wrong to ensure it won't happen again'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/manor-lords-gets-its-first-update-since-january-and-its-creator-says-he-is-rethinking-what-went-wrong-to-ensure-it-wont-happen-again/
It isn't unusual for a game to go quiet after a popular early access launch, but Manor Lords has been quieter than most. Slavic Magic's medieval city-builder was the most exciting thing to happen in April 2024, a quietly enthralling simulation of everyday life in the Middle Ages that somehow achieved cultural critical mass, becoming Steam's most wishlisted game and selling 3 million copies in its first year of early access.
Yet while updates remained relatively consistent through last year, 2025 has been much more sporadic, with no updates in the last nine months. That's changed now, however, as Slavic Magic has finally released a new experimental beta for Manor Lords, one that brings an impressive array of new features to the city-builder.

Rust developer is fed up with survivors cowering in their homes, so it's reworking progression to 'get players back out of their bases'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/rust-developer-is-fed-up-with-survivors-cowering-in-their-homes-so-its-reworking-progression-to-get-players-back-out-of-their-bases/
Having worked from home most of my adult life, I am familiar with the appeal of never having to leave my house. My commute to work is about ten steps long and I can do it in slippers if I like. I don't have to take out a second mortgage if I want a coffee or a slice of cake. Best of all, I don't have to deal with *shudder* other people beyond the occasional email and phone call.
That said, I'm aware that it's good to go outside once in a while. So I understand the motivation behind Rust's latest update, which aims to shake up the meta to encourage players to stop loafing around in their houses and get back to the office—the office in this case being abandoned monuments to civilization where players can horribly murder one another.

Titan Quest 2's second chapter transports you to The Northern Beaches, where you'll find 9 new dungeons and 3 more bosses to batter
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/titan-quest-2s-second-chapter-transports-you-to-the-northern-beaches-where-youll-find-9-new-dungeons-and-3-more-bosses-to-batter/
Growing up in Manchester in the UK, to me the phrase 'the northern beaches' conjures memories of being soaked through by rain wandering along the Blackpool seafront during weekend trips and childhood holidays. If you've ever wanted to eat greasy fish and chips with frozen hands while looking at a whole lotta lights, Blackpool is the place to be.
But I doubt you'll need a cagoule and a thermos when exploring The Northern Beaches of Titan Quest 2. This windswept coastline serves as the primary setting for the mythological ARPG's second chapter, bringing you one step closer in your showdown to face the goddess of retribution, Nemesis.