Yeah. Wouldn't upgrade yet if I were you. Maybe in a year or two when there isn't inflated DRAM and Intel CPU pricing going on.
Haswell i7 is still okay all things considered.

Another Monday, another round of news:

SALES & DEALS

Steam's Top 10

1. Football Manager 2019
2. PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS
3. Total War: WARHAMMER II - Curse of the Vampire Coast
4. ARK: Survival Evolved Season Pass
5. Grand Theft Auto V
6. ARK: Extinction - Expansion Pack
7. OVERKILL's The Walking Dead
8. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Game of the Year Edition
9. ARK: Survival Evolved
10. HITMAN 2

Let's start checking the available deals with GOG, that has 2 sales:

• First is the weekly sale, Crime Time, giving you the opportunity of being of both sides of the law with up to 80% discounts: https://www.gog.com/promo/20181112_weekly_sale
• And there's also an Interplay sale, with up to 66% discounts during the next week: https://www.gog.com/promo/20181112_interplay_week

At Steam, the daily deal is the Early Access game Breathedge, 25% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/738520/Breathedge/

And at Fanatical, there are also two new deals:

• The Star Deal is THE KING OF FIGHTERS Triple Pack, including '98, '2002 and XIII, is 84% off for 24 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/the-king-of-fighters-triple-pack
• The Bento Bundle is back, featuring 8 games with a 96% discount for the next 8 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/bento-bundle

SOFTWARE

Denuvo 5.3 anti-tamper tech has been cracked, Hitman 2 cracked days prior to its official release
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/denuvo-5-3-anti-tamper-tech-has-been-cracked-hitman-2-cracked-days-prior-to-its-official-release/
Things are not looking good for Denuvo. A few days ago, we reported about Denuvo 5.2 getting cracked in just five days by a new video-games cracking group. And today, this very same group was able to crack Denuvo 5.3 and Hitman 2 two days prior to its official release.
From the looks of it, this new group – that uses the same name as GOG’s FCKDRM initiative – has cracked the game’s Gold Edition that has been available to those that have pre-ordered the game since Friday. However, the game will officially release to everyone else on November 13th.
>> *Insert Nelson's HA-HA gif here*

MODS/EMULATORS

Yakuza Kenzan is completely playable on the Playstation 3 emulator, RPCS3
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/yakuza-kenzan-is-completely-playable-on-the-playstation-3-emulator-rpcs3/
Yakuza 0 was a really amazing game on the PC that introduced PC gamers to this really unique series. As such, I’m pretty sure that a lot of gamers would want to play more Yakuza games and I’m happy to report that Yakuza Kenzan is completely playable on the latest version of the Playstation 3 emulator, RPCS3.
(...)
According to the RPCS3 team, fans are currently working on an English translation, meaning that once it’s complete all gamers will be able to experience it.
The RPCS3 team has also shared a video showing 13 minutes of gameplay footage from the game running on this amazing PS3 emulator.

NieR Automata’s 2B comes to Dark Souls Remastered thanks to this mod, available for download
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/nier-automata-2b-is-coming-to-dark-souls-remastered-thanks-to-this-mod/
Dark Souls and NieR Automata fans, here is something for you today. Modder ‘Cherrydoom’ has released a new mod for Dark Souls Remastered that replaces the main character with 2B from NieR Automata.
According to the modder, the model replaces the Hard Leather Armor set, so you can get it at the start of the game by selecting the Warrior class. This mod works for both male and female characters and parts are separated so they can be mixed and matched with original Dark Souls armor (though only the full outfit has been tested for collision issues).
>> The mod is available from Nexus Mods.

GAMING NEWS

Edge of Eternity slightly delayed, now coming to Early Access on December 5th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/edge-of-eternity-slightly-delayed-now-coming-to-early-access-on-december-5th/
Midgar Studio and Playdius have announced that their highly anticipated JRPG adventure Edge of Eternity will launch into Steam Early Access on December 5th. This Early Access launch will let players embark on their journey into the world of Edge of Eternity. Free updates will expand the game world and add major new story chapters throughout the Early Access period.

Microsoft and Turn10 have removed loot boxes from Forza Motorsport 7
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/microsoft-and-turn10-have-removed-loot-boxes-from-forza-motorsport-7/
Now here is something really interesting. Microsoft and Turn10 have removed the loot boxes from Forza Motorsport 7 via its November update. As the development team noted, prize crates have been officially removed and in their place Turn10 added a new Race Shop feature, where players can grab items like Driver Gear, Mod cards, and more.
>> Well, it's more like MSoft did that, right? I doubt Turn10 had much to say about that.

Bethesda will use an upgraded version of the Creation Engine for The Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/bethesda-will-use-an-upgraded-version-of-the-creation-engine-for-the-elder-scrolls-6-and-starfield/
I think most of us saw that coming. Even though The Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield target next-generation platforms, Bethesda will be still using for them the Creation Engine. Of course the publisher stated that it will be an upgraded version however we don’t know whether the big issues that have plagued this engine will be addressed or not.

Star Citizen Alpha 3.3 is now available to all backers, comes with major performance improvements
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/star-citizen-alpha-3-3-is-now-available-to-all-backers-comes-with-major-performance-improvements/
Cloud Imperium has announced that Star Citizen Alpha 3.3 is now available to all backers. Alpha 3.3 features Object Container Streaming; a processing tool that controls how much of the game’s massive universe must be loaded by player’s CPU.

Crackdown 3 releases on February 15th, gets brand new trailers
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/crackdown-3-releases-on-february-15th-gets-brand-new-trailers/
Microsoft has announced that Crackdown 3 will be released on February 15th, 2019. In order to celebrate this announcement, Microsoft has also released some new trailers and revealed the game’s multiplayer combat arena, Wrecking Zone.

Just Cause 4 gets a brand new cinematic trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/just-cause-4-gets-a-brand-new-cinematic-trailer/
Square Enix has released a brand new cinematic trailer for Just Cause 4. According to its description, Just Cause 4 introduces a new adrenaline-fuelled chapter for rogue agent Rico Rodriguez.
After Rico lands in Solís to uncover the truth behind his father’s death, he will be fighting the ruthless Black Hand militia in extreme conditions; led by the ruthless Gabriela, this is Rico’s ultimate challenge.

Microsoft has acquired Obsidian Entertainment and inXile Entertainment
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/microsoft-has-acquired-obsidian-entertainment-and-inxile-entertainment/
And it appears that the rumours were true after all. Microsoft has just announced that it has acquired both Obsidian Entertainment and inXile Entertainment. These two PC studios are now part of Microsoft’s first party studios so it will be interesting to see what games they’ll be developing for Microsoft’s platforms.
>> I get the acquisition of Obsidian, but inXile? Their games are smaller than what MSoft usually does.

Monday news, the looong part two:

Lord of the Rings Online does a WoW: Classic style rollback with Legendary servers
https://www.pcgamer.com/lord-of-the-rings-online-does-a-wow-classic-style-rollback-with-legendary-servers/
World of Warcraft: Classic isn’t the only place where MMOs are trying to relive the past. Lord of the Rings Online, which is only a few years younger than World of Warcraft, is also getting a bit nostalgic. Lord of the Rings Online’s Legendary servers hurl the game back 11 years, before new level caps and before the One Ring was destroyed. And you can travel back in time right now.

Slay the Spire's final act is coming next week, along with charmingly bad community card art
https://www.pcgamer.com/slay-the-spires-final-act-is-coming-next-week-along-with-charmingly-bad-community-card-art/
Slay the Spire has been a shining example of Steam Early Access done right. It was a clever, polished roguelike deck builder when it launched a year ago, and has only gotten better since, with new cards and characters and art and consistent weekly patches. Now, according to the latest update, the final content for Early Access is coming to the game next week.
>> Not next week, this week.

Watch a gorgeous trailer for Cloudpunk, a game about a courier in the clouds
https://www.pcgamer.com/watch-a-gorgeous-trailer-for-cloudpunk-a-game-about-a-courier-in-the-clouds/
Every now and then I run into a game trailer that grabs my attention and won't let go, even though it tells me very little about the game itself. The announcement video for Cloudpunk is very much one of them: It's about a driver for a "semi-legal" courier company in the towering, neon city of Nivalis, and holy cow does it look good.

A Scum bug was causing uncontrollable penis growth
https://www.pcgamer.com/a-scum-bug-was-causing-uncontrollable-penis-growth/
Last week's Wild Hunter update to the online survival game Scum added bow and arrow skills, new animals to use them on, new musical instruments, and user-definable dongs. Amusingly, they weren't purely cosmetic: embiggening your wang requires the use of attribute points that could otherwise be put toward more useful characteristics, or you could shrink it up in exchange for a boost to your brain or biceps.
As sometimes happens with such complex, interlocking systems, the rollout didn't go perfectly smoothly. Because of that, Gamepires released a hotfix today aimed at addressing some of the most pressing issues.

Risk of Rain 2 Early Access release is planned for early 2019
https://www.pcgamer.com/risk-of-rain-2-early-access-release-is-planned-for-early-2019/
We got our first look at Risk of Rain 2 in late 2017, and our second in May of 2018. And that's been it until today's update from developer Hopoo Games that shares a long-awaited look at the state of things so far, and reveals the studio's plan for the upcoming Early Access release.

The next major Overwatch update will require a full reinstallation
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-next-major-overwatch-update-will-require-a-full-reinstallation/
Blizzard has posted a notice warning that the next major Overwatch patch will be a big one—so big that it will require a full reinstall of the game.
"The next major patch will have some pretty fundamental changes to the game client. The number of back-end changes we’re putting in is substantial enough that we can’t just patch over the current content efficiently," customer support rep Drakultoh wrote.

Spectacular Warframe bug spawns giant robot spider in player hub
https://www.pcgamer.com/spectacular-warframe-bug-spawns-giant-robot-spider-in-player-hub/
The Fortuna expansion for Warframe was always going to have bugs, but we didn't expect one as large and as literal as this. Players have warped into the expansion's new hub zone to find a colossal robot spider lasering everything. To be clear the hub is supposed to be a peaceful place where players chat to vendors and buy equipment. It is very much a no spider zone.

The Quiet Man gets sound and subtitles in the new 'Answered' patch
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-quiet-man-gets-sound-and-subtitles-in-the-new-answered-patch/
The Quiet Man made a hell of an impression back in June with "the worst trailer at E3," and it more than lived up to that potential when it finally came out last week. Tyler, who played it so that you don't have to, described it as "a spectacular disaster," not just a bad game but a full-scale catastrophic failure whose existence is even more remarkable when you consider that it comes from a major, reputable publisher.
But hey, maybe that's your thing, and if so, the new "Answered" update could be right up your alley. It adds all the sounds and subtitles that were missing—intentionally, as an artistic choice (that, like pretty much everything else, doesn't pan out)—from the game in its original release.

The trailer for steampunk survival game Volcanoids shows off brassy mobile bases
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-trailer-for-steampunk-survival-game-volcanoids-shows-off-brassy-mobile-bases/
Above you can watch the announcement trailer for Volcanoids, a first-person steampunk survival game due to hit Steam Early Access in January. On a volcanic island you'll have to survive eruptions and battle a mechanical race of enemies while crafting a sweet-looking steampunk home called a drillship that serves as a factory and armored mobile base. There will be co-op play and PVP as well.

Warcraft 3: Reforged beta due 'early next year'
https://www.pcgamer.com/warcraft-3-reforged-beta-due-early-next-year/
The remaster of Blizzard's classic RTS Warcraft 3, called Warcraft 3: Reforged, is on course to get a beta "early next year", according one of the game's developers.

Dead Cells testing custom games and major feature overhauls in alpha branch
https://www.pcgamer.com/dead-cells-testing-custom-games-and-major-feature-overhauls-in-alpha-branch/
The developer of Dead Cells, one of our highest reviewed games of 2018 so far, has added custom dungeon runs and a massive balancing update to its alpha branch.

Artifact will let you build decks online and then import them into the game
https://www.pcgamer.com/artifact-will-let-you-build-decks-online-and-then-import-them-into-the-game/
A pre-release preview tournament for Valve's CCG Artifact is running on SteamTV this weekend, and no doubt anyone watching will be itching to get their hands on their own deck. Online deck builders, such as this one, have already started popping up, letting players tweak their card combinations—and now Valve has released tools that will make it easy for players to import any decks they've built online straight into the game.
>> The tournament is over.

Destiny 2 director responds to Activision’s disappointment over Forsaken sales (Updated)
https://www.pcgamer.com/activision-says-destiny-2-is-not-performing-as-well-as-wed-like/
Update: The excellent Destiny 2: Forsaken isn't "performing as well" as publisher Activision had hoped—but Bungie loves the expansion, according to the base game's director Luke Smith.
Smith, who didn't direct the expansion, tweeted today that the development team "set out to build a game that Destiny players would love, and at Bungie, we love it too".

Fortnite players think they've spotted a castle in the rifts
https://www.pcgamer.com/fortnite-players-think-theyve-spotted-a-castle-in-the-rifts/
Fortnite fans reckon they've found a new in-game secret: a mysterious castle that you can only see by gazing into the rift portal in the bunker underneath the Wailing Woods.
>> And they've also adding mounted turrets.

Void Bastards is a stylish strategy shooter from the co-founder of Irrational Games
https://www.pcgamer.com/void-bastards-is-a-stylish-strategy-shooter-from-the-co-founder-of-irrational-games/
A studio led by the co-founder of Irrational Games—developer of Bioshock and System Shock 2—has revealed a new strategy shooter called Void Bastards, and it's due out in 2019.

Forza Horizon 4's first expansion revealed, due December 13
https://www.pcgamer.com/forza-horizon-4s-first-expansion-fortune-island-coming-december-13/
Forza Horizon 4's first expansion is called Fortune Island, and you'll be able to play it on December 13, publisher Microsoft Studios has announced.
The DLC takes you to an island in the "remote northern reaches of the British Isles", where you'll drive on precarious clifftop roads and mountain passes. You'll also have to battle new lightning storms, and you may well catch a glimpse of the northern lights.

Sea of Thieves competitive PvP mode announced, out early next year
https://www.pcgamer.com/sea-of-thieves-competitive-pvp-mode-revealed-out-next-year/
Sea of Thieves developer Rare has revealed a new competitive PvP mode called The Arena, which will launch early next year.
In The Arena, you and a group of friends take on rival crews with the aim of amassing the most loot. Expect both ship and hand-to-hand combat as you try to sink your opponents and steel their goodies.

Jason Rohrer's multiplayer life sim One Hour One Life arrives on Steam
https://www.pcgamer.com/jason-rohrers-multiplayer-life-sim-one-hour-one-life-arrives-on-steam/
The intriguing One Hour One Life is half multiplayer survival game, half social experiment—and now it's all available on Steam. Previously, you could only buy it direct from creator Jason Rohrer, who you might know from The Castle Doctrine.
>> Here's the link to its Steam page.

Crusader Kings 2 easter egg lets you rule an animal kingdom
https://www.pcgamer.com/crusader-king-2-easter-egg-lets-you-rule-an-animal-kingdom/
Finally, after years of waiting, you’ll soon be able to conquer Crusader Kings 2’s medieval world as a duck. This might be the Holy Fury expansion’s single greatest feature, but you probably wouldn’t find it unless you were looking. Not into fowl? You can play as a dynasty of hedgehogs, cats, elephants and even dragons. One of my neighbouring counts is an egg.

Spooky RPG HellSign is now haunting Steam early access
https://www.pcgamer.com/spooky-rpg-hellsign-is-now-haunting-steam-early-access/
Supernatural ghost-hunting romp HellSign launched on Steam early access on Friday, reminding us that haunted houses aren’t just for Halloween. It’s an investigative RPG where, as a paranormal expert, you take on jobs for cash, finding clues in abandoned crimes scenes and getting junk flung at you by angry poltergeists. Take a gander at the launch trailer.
>> Again, here's the link to its Steam page.

Battlefield 1 players put down their guns for Armistice
https://www.pcgamer.com/battlefield-1-players-put-down-their-guns-for-armistice/
Yesterday was a bit awkward as companies and brands attempted to commemorate Armistice Day via fairly tacky Twitter posts. A silly Spartan and fictional characters like Metal Gear Solid's Solid Snake (since taken down) honouring other fictional characters sort of undercut the day a little bit. More meaningful, perhaps, was the brief ceasefire held in Battlefield 1.

Thanks a lot for your insight, much appreciated. I guess I'll just upgrade my HDDs and SSDs then !

I'm just going to teae you a bit:

Sources: Valve Planning 135° VR Headset Bundled With ‘Knuckles’ Controllers And Half-Life VR
https://uploadvr.com/valve-135-vr-headset-half-life/

inXile is Brian Fargo's company, founder of Interplay and creator of (among others) Wasteland and Fallout. Obsidian was made by ex Black Isle's guys, which was part of Interplay. MS now pretty much has old Interplay in their hands - the same Interplay that couldn't get Wasteland license back from EA, so they created Fallout.

My guess is, now that they, at least in theory, have access to crapload of money, they will either make Wasteland an AAA IP, or create new AAA RPG IP. Potentially, MS will get them D&D license, and there will be AAA D&D after so many years.

As much as I was against Obsidian going to MS, this just got really interesting - there's no place like combined Obsidian/inXile with so many people credited for so many cult classic RPGs.

Ok, thanks for that info. Now the purchase of both studios makes more sense. The only unknown now is if both studios will manage to work well together.

By the way, that hypothetical AAA Wasteland you mention will have to wait, because they're now working on Wasteland 3 and I doubt MSoft will start this new era cancelling that game.

IIRC, inXile's Numenera was built using Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity engine and Chris Avellone, one of founders of Obsidian (and guy who made Planescape Torment, for many best CRPG ever), worked on Numenera as a writer. But who knows...when Chris left Obsidian, many nasty things came to light, it's not all roses there, lot of egos and mismanagement.

Actually, maybe MS will keep them separate - my guess in that case is they shift iso CPRGs to inXile, along with some stuff from Obsidian, and give Obsidian resources to make AAA RPGs, since they have much more people experienced in that sort of thing. Ultimately, I'm really hoping for another Vampire the Masquerade and return to D&D's Forgotten Realms.

As for Wasteland, yeah, they are working on 3rd, but MS can easily give AAA game to Obsidian - or they can just come up with new post-apocalyptic IP. I'm not a betting man, but I have this feeling both Fargo and Obsidian want to make proper Fallout again (and show Bethesda how it's done), even if it's not called Fallout - just like how Fallout was, more or less, sequel to Wasteland, even if it wasn't called Wasteland.

"Sources: Valve Planning 135° VR Headset Bundled With ‘Knuckles’ Controllers And Half-Life VR
https://uploadvr.com/valve-135-vr-headset-half-life/"

My.
Body.
Is.
Ready!

I have no idea what I really want out of a HL VR, but I know if anyone can pull something as crazy as that off, it has to be Valve.

I knew you would like this, so far, rumor.