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

[JEMC]

These are the Tuesday gaming news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

Steam’s Top 10

(Click here for the Top 100)

Steam has several new deals for us:

• Bellwright , in Early Access, will be 34% off until February 20: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1812450/Bellwright/
• Waterpark Simulator , also in Early Access, has a demo and a 21% discount uthat will last ntil the 23rd: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3293260/Waterpark_Simulator/
• DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR'S CUT is going to be 75% off until February 23: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1850570/DEATH_STRANDING_DIRECTORS_CUT/
• These are the new four sales/events:
  • KONAMI February Sale 2026 features up to 80% discounts until the 23rd of February: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/39026134/sale/konamifebruarysale2026
  • KOEI TECMO Spring Festival Sale (also their New Lunar Year Sale), features games on sale with up to 85% discounts until February, the 23rd: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/33016879/sale/LNY2026
  • RPG Maker Festival 2026 has the tools and games made with them on sale, up to 90% off. The vast majority of the deals will end on the 23rd: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/RPGMakerFestival2026
  • There’s also the NSFW Try This New Year Adult Game Festival 2025 (yes, 2025, it’s in the url), with upcoming titles and games up to 80% off. Ther length of the deals vary: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/36388466/sale/TryThisNewYearadultgamefestival2025
• And yes, there are new weeklong deals, obviously.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Steam now lets early access devs show a 1.0 release date, then says eh, maybe leave it blank: 'Just because this feature exists, does not mean you should or must use it'
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/platforms/steam-now-lets-early-access-devs-show-a-1-0-release-date-then-says-eh-maybe-leave-it-blank-just-because-this-feature-exists-does-not-mean-you-should-or-must-use-it/
If you want to make god laugh, tell him your plans. If you want to make Gabe Newell laugh, tell him your planned 1.0 launch date. Good news: that second one's getting easier, because Steam has implemented a new feature that lets early access devs slap that date right there on the store page. But, says Valve, they probably shouldn't use it.
Devs and publishers tinkering with an early access game's store page on Steam will now be able to select a planned launch window ranging from kinda vague (only the year) to incredibly specific (day and date). "Just as with Coming Soon pages on Steam," says Valve, "developers have the option to share a specific calendar date, or a more vague timeframe if they wish."
Now, it's not like game-makers have been under a geas that forbids them from communicating planned launch dates to fans before this point. Obviously, they were more than able to type a release day into one of the myriad text fields that populate a Steam page, but the date selected here will go right up top, in the blue early access banner, and will be used by Steam to populate users' personal release calendars.

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Sonic Megamix Mania V1.0a has just been released on PC
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/sonic-megamix-mania-v1-0a-has-just-been-released-on-pc/
Sonic fans, here is something really cool for you today. A team of modders has just released a new version of Sonic Megamix Mania. Sonic Megamix Mania is a mod for Sonic Mania Plus that aims to carry the torch of the discontinued ROM hack, Sonic the Hedgehog Megamix.
For those who did not know, Sonic Megamix Mania has been available since 2023. Back then, the team released Version 0.9. And now, almost two and a half years later, we get Version 1.0a.
Sonic Megamix Mania includes three game modes: Classic Mode, Megamix Mode, and Challenge Mode.
Megamix Mode mixes ideas from the original ROM hack with the team’s own new ideas. This creates a fresh and unique experience while still keeping the core of the original game.
Classic Mode is a faithful remake of the ROM hack’s “V.4.0b” version. It keeps things close to the original but gives everything upgraded visuals.
One of the new features of V1.0a is the Challenge Mode. Challenge Mode has 13 different Challenge Acts. Each one is different, with new level layouts, special tricks, fast-paced obstacle courses, and even strange, abstract challenges. No two stages feel the same.
It’s also worth noting that Sonic Megamix Mania features six playable characters. To the surprise of no one, you will be able to play as Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles. The other three characters are Shadow, Mighty, and Amy.
>> The article has an almost 3 minutes video, but NOT the link to the mod.Thankfully, you can find it in the description of the video.

Here's playable mahjong in Morrowind, boss, just like you ordered
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-elder-scrolls/heres-playable-mahjong-in-morrowind-boss-just-like-you-ordered/
I like to think I'm a relatively smart person; I can often remember most of my ABCs and it only takes me around five seconds to add seven to something. But one thing will remain forever beyond me: mahjong, the Chinese tile-based game that I mostly know as 'that one Yakuza minigame I simply don't interact with.' The fact is: it's impossible to learn. The other fact is: I've never seriously attempted to learn it. These facts are unrelated, to my mind.
Anyway, I may have to finally learn it, because some mad lad has gone and added mahjong—under the setting-appropriate name of mazte—to The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, probably my favourite game of all time.
Created by modder CarlZee, Mazte – Playable Mahjong Card Game will let you sling tiles in any of a number of inns across Vvardenfell (and beyond, if you have Tamriel Rebuilt installed, which you should). It is still, you know, in Morrowind, so don't expect a lot of fancy animations, but I'm still remarkably impressed by how well it's pulled off.
Playing is simple. Just walk up to a Mazte box—set atop this or that table in the affected inns—and hit go. You can choose to face up to three opponents and how much to bet on the game, at which point the box will splay forth its contents and arrange tiles and coins according to the options you chose.
Like I said, this is still Morrowind, so your opponents are all, ah, empty chairs. But hey, you can watch your ghost-enemies make their moves as the turn order progresses, and the tiles are all inked with appropriate artwork: rather than Chinese characters, you play using tiles like Hlaalu Councilman and what-have-you.
>> The game has no media about the mod.

GAMING NEWS

Gameplay footage revealed for Project Spectrum, a new PvPvE tactical squad-based FPS
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/gameplay-footage-revealed-for-project-spectrum-a-new-pvpve-tactical-squad-based-fps/
Team Jade, the team behind the recent Delta Force game, is currently working on a new PvPvE tactical squad-based FPS called Project Spectrum. Project Spectrum will be released on PC, and below you can find its first gameplay footage.

New Combat Encounter Animation Surfaces From “Call of Doom 4”
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/new-combat-encounter-animation-surfaces-from-call-of-doom-4/
It appears that a new combat encounter animation pre-visualization has surfaced for the canceled version of Doom 4. This video shows what the id Software devs were trying to create before canceling this particular version of Doom 4.

The Dark West appears to be a new cool hardcore action RPG
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/the-dark-west-appears-to-be-a-new-cool-hardcore-action-rpg/
Black Hand has announced a new hardcore action RPG that is set in the Wild West, called The Dark West. The game promises to be fast-paced, strategic, and unforgiving, and you can find its debut trailer below.

Dragonkin: The Banished will be fully released on March 19th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/dragonkin-the-banished-will-be-fully-released-on-march-19th/
NACON and Eko Software have announced that their action RPG, Dragonkin: The Banished, will be fully released on March 19th. To celebrate this announcement, the publisher shared a new trailer that you can find below.

6 minutes of in-engine footage from Black Myth: Zhong Kui
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/6-minutes-of-in-engine-footage-from-black-myth-zhong-kui/
Game Science has released a new video, showcasing six minutes of new in-engine footage from Black Myth: Zhong Kui. This video can give you an idea of what the devs can create with the latest version of Unreal Engine 5.
As the devs noted, this video was made as a Year of the Horse Special. This content is non-canon and for entertainment purposes only. In other words, it does not represent the quality of the game.