I'm basically avoiding all of the side quests that don't have anything to do with the plot or reasonably could have been done by someone else other than my main character, and enjoying way more than the first time I've played Inquistion. I'm not sure why they felt the need to stuff what was already a very large, long game.

On a side note I'm cautiously optimistic for STALKER 2021 but I'm bummed out that GSC Game World are going to use Unreal Engine 4 instead of their previously in-house built X-Ray engine because I don't think the mechanics in STALKER will feel quite the same ever again and the all the smaller systems together felt very naturally cohesive woven together ...

Still having lots of fun with Risk of Rain 2. It is absolutely amazing how well the game performs in the later stages of the run when there are literally hundreds of explosions and thousands of particles flying around.

Welcome to a new edition of the news! After four days, one Monday included, it's not hard to guess that there are a lot of news to post.... but that would be a nightmare. What you'll find here is the news from the last 24 hours and a recap with some of the news from the other three days. If you want to check the missing news, go to DSOGaming.com anf PCGamer.com.

SALES & DEALS

Steam's Top 10

1. Risk of Rain 2
2. Anno 1800
3. PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS
4. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
5. Anno 1800
6. Grand Theft Auto V
7. Total War: WARHAMMER II - The Prophet & The Warlock
8. Forager
9. The Elder Scrolls Online - Crown Packs
10. Totally Accurate Battle Simulator

PUBG made $920 million in 2018, most of it from PC
https://www.pcgamer.com/pubg-made-dollar950-million-in-2018-most-of-it-from-pc/
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds' first full year since the 1.0 launch earned PUBG Corp $920 million in revenue and $310 million in profit, the publisher announced in its 2018 financials. The battle royale left Steam Early Access at the end of 2017, and by June last year it boasted more than 400 million players across all platforms.

World of Goo is getting updated and going free on the Epic Store
https://www.pcgamer.com/world-of-goo-is-getting-updated-and-going-free-on-the-epic-game-store/
The next free game on the Epic Games Store, as of May 2, will be World of Goo, the bizarre, sticky, and exceptionally good structure-building puzzle game from 2008. Even better, after years of languishing in a not-quite-right state, it's been given a significant update to ensure that it runs properly on modern PCs.
>> That's going to be the next free game from the Epic Store, but right now it's Transistor.

GOG's weekly sale is an Indie Week, full of indie games up to 90% off: https://www.gog.com/promo/indie_week

On Steam, there's the one daily deal and the whole lot of weeklong deals:

• The daily deal is a sale from publisher Alawar Premium, with up to 85% discounts: https://store.steampowered.com/publisher/AlawarPremium/list/46236
• The first of the 6 weeklong deals to be mentioned is the Early Access title Lonk's Adventure (absolutely nothing to do with another adventurer dressed in green), 25% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/900270/Lonks_Adventure/
• Troubleshooter is another Early Access title on sale, with a 30% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/470310/Troubleshooter/
• Templar Battleforce is 50% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/370020/Templar_Battleforce/
• Kim raises that with a 70% deal: https://store.steampowered.com/app/433400/Kim/
• Risen 3 - Complete Edition, featuring the game and 3 add-ons, is 75% off: https://store.steampowered.com/sub/67167/
• And the last one is The Town of Light, 80% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/433100/The_Town_of_Light/

On the Humble Store there are 4 new sales:

• Team17 has its games up to 80% off for the next 2 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/team-17-publisher-week/
• NIS America has its games up to 75% off for the next 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/nis-america-publisher-sale/
• The Tomb Raider games are on sale too, with up to 85% discounts for the next 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/tomb-raider-week/
• And Idea Factory also has a sale, with up to 90% deals for the next 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/idea-factory-publisher-sale/

And we come to Fanatical, with 3 deals:

• The Star Deal is Sid Meier's Civilization VI Gold Edition, 73% off for the next 24 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/civilization-vi-gold-edition-aspyr
• And Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm is 33% off for the next 7 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/dlc/sid-meier-s-civilization-vi-gathering-storm-aspyr
• There's also a Quantum Collection in partner with Samsung, with some AAA games up to 76% off: https://www.fanatical.com/en/save-more/quantum
• Jackbox Games has its games on sale, up to 50% off for the next 7 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/jackbox-games-inc.
• And there's the New World Bundle, with 13 games with a 96% off for the next 7 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/new-world-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.4.2 released, optimized for Mortal Kombat 11
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/amd-radeon-software-adrenalin-2019-edition-19-4-2-released-optimized-for-mortal-kombat-11/
AMD has released a brand new driver for its graphics cards. According to the release notes, the AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.4.2 driver is optimized for NetherRealm’s upcoming fighting game, Mortal Kombat 11.
Furthermore, this driver fixes an issue that could display incorrect installed version when the AMD Link was connected to Radeon Settings.
>> Available from here.

This rad free tool lets you create retro Game Boy games without coding
https://www.pcgamer.com/this-rad-free-tool-lets-you-create-retro-game-boy-games-without-coding/
It sure wasn't this easy back in the '90s. Three minutes after downloading GB Studio, I'm making a Game Boy game—from a drop-down I tell an NPC to walk in a random direction, and set the small sprite of a cat to say Bark! instead of Meow! because I'm a true rebel. I'm just messing with the example game that ships with GB Studio, a free tool for designing mini 2D games without any coding, and it's pretty wild that I can click "Export ROM" and spit out a file that will work on an actual Game Boy.
GB Studio is impressively straightforward. As a teen I spent months dabbling with RPG Maker 2000, which could do more than GB Studio but was also a mess of confusing menus. RPG Maker's later versions have grown far more powerful, but if you're serious about it you'll probably end up wanting to do some coding, or have to master a million menus. The natural limitations of the Game Boy, on the other hand, make it a perfect candidate for a visual editor.

MODS/EMULATORS

Sonic Adventure 2 gets a 2GB AI-enhanced HD Texture Pack, available for download right now
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/sonic-adventure-2-gets-a-2gb-ai-enhanced-hd-texture-pack-available-for-download-right-now/
Modder ‘[Hazmat]’ has released a new HD Texture Pack for Sonic Adventure 2. According to the modder, each texture was upscaled using an advanced Neuro-Network AI, with the scale set at 4X for the level textures and 8X for the skybox textures.
Do note that this initial version does not include Weapons Bed, Eternal Engine, Egg Quarters, Lost Colony, Cosmic Wall, Chao Neutral Garden, Boss Levels (except Big Foot) or in-game cut-scenes except the first two in Hero story. Thankfully, the modder aims to add AI-enhanced versions of these textures in the next release.
>> Available from ModDB.

Sonic the Hedgehog (P-06) is a fan remake of Sonic 06 using Unity Engine, demo available for download
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/sonic-the-hedgehog-p-06-is-a-fan-remake-of-sonic-06-using-unity-engine-demo-available-for-download/
YouTube’s ‘ChaosX’ has been working on a new fan remake of Sonic 06 for the PC, called Sonic the Hedgehog (P-06). Sonic the Hedgehog (P-06) promises to bring that console Sonic game on our platform via Unity Engine, and a demo is currently available for you to download.
Sonic 06 is described as one of the worst Sonic games released to date, especially due to its awful story and cheese cut-scenes. That moment when the princess kissed Sonic… yeah… it’s THAT Sonic game.
>> There are two download links: link1 and link2.

Half Life 2 Mobility Mod adds Titanfall-inspired wall running mechanics to Valve’s shooter
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/half-life-2-mobility-mod-adds-titanfall-inspired-wall-running-mechanics-to-valves-shooter/
Modder ‘Rob’ has released a brand new version of his Mobility Mod for Half-Life 2. This mod basically enhances overall mobility in Half-Life 2 by adding – among other things – the wall running mechanics players experienced in the Titanfall games.
Mobility Mod Version 2 is based on the Episode 2 Engine and combines Half-Life 2, Episode 1, and Episode 2 into one mod (just keep scrolling on the chapter menu to get to the episodes). Moreover, this new version comes with new melee controls, a very basic tutorial for the new melee, new HUD features and some movement enhancements.
>> Available from ModDB.

Fallout: New Vegas gets an AI-enhanced HD Texture Pack, improves the quality of 13000 textures by 4X times
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/fallout-new-vegas-gets-an-ai-enhanced-hd-texture-pack-improves-quality-of-13000-textures-by-4x-times/
Fallout fans, here is something for you today. Modder ‘DcCharge’ released a new texture pack that improves the quality of around 13000 textures by using Gigapixel AI, Waifu2x, ESRGAN, ImageMagick, Open Object REXX scripts and GIMP 2.
As the modder noted, he upscaled close to 13,000 textures for the base game and another 2,000 for all the DLCs released for the game.
Now while this Texture Pack features one hell of textures, all Level of detail (LOD) textures, tree bill boards and a good portion of the interface files were excluded. Still, the modder intends on evaluating the impact of up-scaling LOD’s and tree bill boards on the game engine.
>> This mod is available from Nexus Mods.

This Sekiro mod gives your katana elemental damage on-demand
https://www.pcgamer.com/this-sekiro-mod-lets-you-add-lightning-poison-and-fire-damage-to-your-katana/
If you're playing Sekiro and wish you could infuse your katana with elemental damage on demand—like some of the bosses can—then modder ChoongJing has you covered. Thanks to a mod they released this week, you can now buff your katana with five elemental damage effects by drinking from a selection of gourds, letting you set your enemies on fire or smite them with lightning.
The Elemental Weapon Buffs mod adds five new items to the game that, when consumed, each grant you extra fire, divine, poison, lightning or Shura damage. The buffs last five minutes, and you can switch between them by eating or drinking the corresponding item.

GAMING NEWS

Microids announces remake for the cel-shaded 2003 FPS game, XIII, releases on November 13th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/microids-announces-remake-for-the-cel-shaded-2003-fps-game-xiii-releases-on-november-13th/
Microids and PlayMagic Ltd unveil today a teaser for the remake of the cult classic XIII, the cel-shading FPS initially released in 2003. As the press release reads, XIII’s remake will be available the 13th of November 2019 for the PC and you can find below its first teaser trailer.

Former Rockstar Games employee’s resume confirms Grand Theft Auto 6 being under development
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/former-rockstar-employees-resume-confirms-grand-theft-auto-6-being-under-development/
It appears that Rockstar Games is indeed working on the next part of the GTA series, Grand Theft Auto 6. According to the resume of an ex-Rockstar developer, Grand Theft Auto 6 is currently under development.

Medieval first-person melee game, Mordhau, releases on April 29th + official PC system requirements
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/medieval-first-person-melee-game-mordhau-releases-on-april-29th-official-pc-system-requirements/
Triternion has announced that its medieval first-person melee game, Mordhau, will release on the PC on April 29th. In Mordhau, players will enter a hectic battlefield of up to 64 players as a mercenary in a fictional, but realistic world, where they will get to experience the brutal and satisfying melee combat.

Steel Division 2 has been delayed to June 20th, open beta launches on May 29th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/steel-division-2-has-been-delayed-to-june-20th-open-beta-launches-on-may-29th/
Eugen Systems has announced plans to delay the launch for Steel Division 2, the sequel to the critically acclaimed real-time strategy title Steel Division: Normandy 44.

Cyberpunk 2077 developer: “I would say that the game is pretty different to what we showed last year”
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/cyberpunk-2077-developer-i-would-say-that-the-game-is-pretty-different-to-what-we-shown-last-year/
Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most anticipated games and last year, CD Projekt RED released an extensive gameplay video. That video was based on the E3 2018 build and according to Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz, Quest Director of Cyberpunk 2077, the game is pretty different to that demo.
>> We'll probably have to wait until E3 to see what and how much it has changed.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice patch 1.03 available for download, improves stability and performance
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-patch-1-03-available-for-download-improves-stability-and-performance/
FromSoftware has released a new patch for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. According to the release notes, patch 1.03 fixes a bug where system crashes could cause save data to become corrupted on PC, improves performance and stability, and lowers the price of information sold by Anayama the Peddler.

Part two of the news:

Former BioWare GM says RPGs are 'due a renaissance'
https://www.pcgamer.com/former-bioware-gm-says-rpgs-are-due-a-renaissance/
Aaryn Flynn, former General Manager of BioWare, has spoken about his hopes for the new RPG that his team—including former Capcom and Ubisoft devs—are working on as part of Improbable's Edmonton studio.

Stylish samurai action sidescroller Katana Zero is out now
https://www.pcgamer.com/stylish-samurai-action-sidescroller-katana-zero-is-out-now/
We said in January that Katana Zero is a bit like a sidescrolling Hotline Miami: It's fast, violent, requires precise timing and execution, and one hit will take you out. We also said that it would be out in March. The former statement, as you can see in today's launch trailer, is accurate, but the latter was not. Instead, it came out today.

Burnout Paradise's servers are going dark after over a decade
https://www.pcgamer.com/burnout-paradises-servers-are-going-dark-after-over-a-decade/
Sad news, everyone: Burnout Paradise's servers, which have been online for over a decade, are finally going dark. On August 1, 2019, the brilliant, often-imitated yet rarely bested racing game from 2008 (technically 2009 on PC) will shut down its online servers for good. Another one bites the dust.
>> It's the original one, not the remake.

Explore a richly detailed ruin in Gothic-inspired freebie Esothe
https://www.pcgamer.com/explore-a-richly-detailed-ruin-in-gothic-inspired-freebie-esothe/
Created by one person in just a month, Esothe is a beautiful fantasy adventure set in a painstakingly detailed three-dimensional environment. It's a 3D platformer, essentially, and a decidedly minimalist one at that, inviting you to roam around its wide overworld, and to stick your head into its dimly lit caverns and abandoned houses in search of glowing orbs.

Castlevania Anniversary Collection's game lineup has been confirmed
https://www.pcgamer.com/castlevania-anniversary-collections-game-lineup-has-been-confirmed/
Konami has revealed the final four games that are lined up for the Castlevania Anniversary Collection ahead of its Steam launch on May 16th.
We already knew that Castlevania, Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge, Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, and Super Castlevania IV would be part of the Collection and we can now know that they will be joined by Castlevania: Bloodlines (Sega Megadrive), Castlevania: The Adventure (Gameboy), Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (NES), and Kid Dracula (Famicom).

South Korea's FTC will review 'unfair' in-game purchase policies
https://www.pcgamer.com/south-koreas-ftc-will-review-unfair-in-game-purchase-policies/
South Korea's Fair Trade Commission is conducting a review of consumer regulations governing videogames, including those relating to in-game purchases made by underage users. A report by the Korea Herald says the commission has involved ten game companies in the review, including Blizzard, Riot, and NCSoft.

Ritual of the Moon is a meditative game that takes 28 days to complete, out now
https://www.pcgamer.com/ritual-of-the-moon-is-a-meditative-game-that-takes-28-days-to-complete-out-now/
The meditative Ritual of the Moon, which came out yesterday, will take you 28 days to complete. You play it for five minutes a day, with each section involving a memory game, symbol drawing, and a decision to be made about the future of the Earth.

Firmament, from creators of Myst, enters final week of crowdfunding $350k short of goal
https://www.pcgamer.com/firmament-from-creators-of-myst-enters-final-week-of-crowdfunding-dollar350k-short-of-goal/
Firmament, the next game from the creators of Myst, has entered the final week of its Kickstarter campaign, and is currently $350,000 short of its funding goal.
The steampunk adventure game, which is planned for both PC and VR headsets, has a goal just shy of $1.3 million, and at the time of writing has raised around $920,000. The campaign finishes on Friday, April 26.

A Kickstarter for a game that's basically hentai Mass Effect has raised over a million dollars
https://www.pcgamer.com/a-kickstarter-for-a-game-thats-basically-hentai-mass-effect-has-raised-over-a-million-dollars/
Studio FOW, who have attracted controversy for producing CG porn starring videogame characters, have turned to Kickstarter to fund a game of their own. Called Subverse, they describe it as "a tactical RPG/SHMUP hybrid" where you're the captain of a spaceship called the Mary Celeste and have to assemble a crew. It sounds kind of like Mass Effect 2, only with more explicit sex.

Phoenix Point's Epic Store exclusivity deal is worth $2.25 million, says Fig investor
https://www.pcgamer.com/phoenix-points-epic-store-exclusivity-deal-is-worth-dollar225-million-says-fig-investor/
Epic Games paid more than $2 million to Phoenix Point developer Snapshot Games to secure a timed exclusive on its Epic Games Store.
In a thread on Resetera, a financier who supported the game on Fig - a platform that not only enables backers to financially kickstart a game, but also take a share in its profits - confirmed the game had already seen a 191 per cent return on investment (ROI) thanks to a "cash advance" raised by "Snapshot's distribution agreement" with Epic Games.
>> What do you think, do you find the sum high or low?

VR puzzler Gadgeteer moves into Early Access
https://www.pcgamer.com/vr-puzzler-gadgeteer-moves-into-early-access/
VR puzzler Gadgeteer has moved into Early Access.
The physics-based VR puzzle game—which we have listed in our most anticipated VR games of 2019 round-up—is a puzzle game about building contraptions out of bits of wood and metal to guide silver balls from one point to the other. You must build chain reaction machines to solve intricate puzzles and your machines will use gadgets to launch, bump, twist, and turn—"creating chain reactions that may even end up tearing apart the fabric of space-time".

Fortnite teases Avengers crossover event
https://www.pcgamer.com/fortnite-teases-avengers-crossover-event/
An Avengers crossover event is coming to Fortnite.
As is typical with these teasers, Epic hasn't given us much to go on—just a cheeky image with a Captain America shield and "Fortnite X Avengers" at the bottom—and the words "Whatever it takes" with a date: April 25, 2019.

China imposes new regulations on blood, dead bodies, and history in games
https://www.pcgamer.com/china-imposes-new-regulations-on-blood-dead-bodies-and-history-in-games/
China recently resumed approving videogames for release in the country, but it has also made a number of changes to that process and implemented stricter regulations on content. According to a report by analyst firm Niko Partners, that means games must not depict dead bodies or pools of blood, and must contain "correct information regarding history, politics and law."

Little Misfortune is a disturbing adventure about an 8-year-old girl on a walk in the woods
https://www.pcgamer.com/little-misfortune-is-a-disturbing-adventure-about-an-8-year-old-girl-on-a-walk-in-the-woods/
Little Misfortune is an adventure game about an eight-year-old girl, Misfortune Ramirez Hernandez, who follows her new friend Mr. Voice into the deep, dark forest to seek Eternal Happiness as a gift for her mother. Sounds fine, right?

The creator of Stardew Valley is hiring, if you can do five jobs at once
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-creator-of-stardew-valley-is-hiring-if-you-can-do-five-jobs-at-once/
Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone is expanding his Seattle studio with a new team, and more Stardew Valley, in whatever form that takes, is exciting. There's nothing unusual about the growth—the game has sold more than 3.5M copies across all platforms—but I bring it up because the first job posting is so comically overstuffed with responsibilities that it's hard to believe anyone would be able to do it for more than a week.
Update: Barone has responded in a series of tweets, saying that the job posting isn't accurately conveying the level of work he is expecting out of the position.

Heaven's Vault fast travel option leaves more time for archaeology
https://www.pcgamer.com/heavens-vault-fast-travel-option-leaves-more-time-for-archaeology/
Heaven's Vault, the moon-hopping archaeological adventure, finally has a decent fast travel option thanks to an update. It went live yesterday, and as well as letting you skip the game's few dull bits, it also makes searching for ruins a little easier and improves your robo-butler's navigation skills.
Update: The bug that occasionally left archaeologists floating or getting stuck in walls has now been fixed. It's safe to explore again.

Anthem update introduces The Sunken Cell stronghold today
https://www.pcgamer.com/anthem-sunken-cell-stronghold/
Anthem's next update, 1.1.0, is set to go live later today, introducing the new Sunken Cell stronghold, as well as other fixes and improvements that will be detailed in patch notes due to appear soon.

Rebel Galaxy Outlaw stream shows off 3 hours of space shenanigans
https://www.pcgamer.com/rebel-galaxy-outlaw-stream-shows-off-3-hours-of-space-shenanigans/
If last year's hour-long walkthrough of Rebel Galaxy Outlaw is too distant a memory for you, Double Damage's Travis Baldree hopped back into the cockpit for a three-hour livestream recently, showing off a meaty chunk of the dogfighting space sim. Get your fill of seedy space bars and ship combat above.

Tiny Tales is an epic, free adventure set in a teeny world
https://www.pcgamer.com/tiny-tales-is-an-epic-free-adventure-set-in-a-teeny-world/
Is it technically an adventure if you don't really travel all that far, say the distance from your doorstep to your local, a few streets away? Tiny Tales is a full-fat...well, maybe a semi-skimmed adventure that just so happens to take place on a single screen. You can see its ominous mountain from the opening village, and in fact it's only about a minute away, once you've fought and puzzled through every obstacle standing in your way.

The news:

SALES & DEALS

GOG has two new sales:

• The new Midweek Sale, named Divide & Conquer Sale, features strategy games up to 75% off: https://www.gog.com/promo/20190424_midweek_sale
• And there's also a Mafia sale, with up to 80% deals on the games on this franchise for the next 5 days: https://www.gog.com/promo/20190422_weekly_sale_mafia

At Steam there are five new sales:

• The first wrongly called daily deal is The Witch's House MV, 20% off for the next 50 hours: https://store.steampowered.com/app/885810/The_Witchs_House_MV/
• The other "daily" deal is Frostpunk, that celebrates its first anniversary with a 40% discount for the next 6 days: https://store.steampowered.com/app/323190/Frostpunk/
• When it comes to Midweek Madness deal, the first one is the Early Access title Heat with a 50% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/656240/Heat/
• Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is 66% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/418240/Shadow_Tactics_Blades_of_the_Shogun/
• And NARUTO TO BORUTO: SHINOBI STRIKER gets a 75% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/633230/NARUTO_TO_BORUTO_SHINOBI_STRIKER/

There's a new Humble Bundle, the More Board Games Bundle for the next 13 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/more-board-games-asmodee

And at Fanatical, there are four new deals:

• The Star Deal is GUILTY GEAR Xrd -REVELATOR- (+DLC Characters) + REV 2 All-in-One (does not include optional DLCs), 70% off for the next 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/guilty-gear-xrd-revelator-and-rev-2-all-in-one-and-dlc-characters
• That's part of an Arc System Works sale, with up to 80% discounts for the next 7 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/arc-system-works
• Disney Interactive has a flash sale, with up to 75% discounts for the next day: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/disney-interactive
• And lastly, there's the Exit Bundle, with 10 games at a 96% discount for the next 14 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/exile-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-empty-

MODS/EMULATORS

Geralt could adventure on in new quests thanks to fan-made Witcher 3 modding tools
https://www.pcgamer.com/geralt-could-adventure-on-in-new-quests-thanks-to-fan-made-witcher-3-modding-tools/
Geralt deserved a restful retirement to the peaceful vinyard life after his final adventures in The Witcher 3: Blood & Wine, but who said that really had to be the end? Modder memr clearly wasn't ready for The Witcher 3 to be over and done with, as they've released a new project, called Radish Modding Tools, which is "a collection of in-game mods and external tools aimed to enable the creation of new quests by mod authors."
The Witcher 3 doesn't have an especially active mod scene these days, and most of the best Witcher 3 mods focus on overhauling combat or making quality of life changes. That's partially because the official mod tools were disappointingly limited compared to The Witcher's and The Witcher 2's.
These new Radish Modding Tools can't replace a powerful toolset from CD Projekt, but should be a lot better than nothing. As memr writes, "Although only a smallish subset of all possible features is supported it *should* allow to create non-trivial, story-based quests—just don't expect clicky-pointy-done workflows."
>> The article hasn't provided a link to the modding tools.

GAMING NEWS

Latest Star Wars Battlefront 2 update brings Hero tweaks, new map for Capital Supremacy and more
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/latest-star-wars-battlefront-2-update-brings-hero-tweaks-new-maps-for-capital-supremacy-and-more/
DICE has released a brand new update for Star Wars Battlefront 2, and revealed its complete changelog. According to the release notes, the Giants Above Kachirho update adds the Kashyyyk – Kachirho Beach map to the Capital Supremacy mode and introduces a new appearance for Leia Organa.

Anthem update 1.1.0 available for download, full patch release notes revealed, major features delayed
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/anthem-update-1-1-0-available-for-download-full-patch-release-notes-revealed-major-features-delayed/
Bioware has released a major new update for Anthem. According to the release notes, patch 1.1.0 adds the ability to access the Forge during Missions, Strongholds and Freeplay (meaning that you can change your gear without having to return to Fort Tarsis or the Launch Bay) and makes the Sunken Cell stronghold available to all players who have completed the main story.

Fallout 76: Wild Appalachia Update 8.5 available for download, full patch release notes revealed
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/fallout-76-wild-appalachia-update-8-5-available-for-download-full-patch-release-notes-revealed/
Bethesda has released a brand new update for Fallout 76. According to the release notes, patch 8.5 introduces a functional in-game camera, called the ProSnap Deluxe, that you can use to fill your Photomode Gallery with snapshots of your adventures.

The news, pt. 2:

Halo Infinite still won't launch with a battle royale mode
https://www.pcgamer.com/halo-infinite-still-wont-launch-with-a-battle-royale-mode/
Not long after Halo Infinite was unveiled, lead writer Jeff Easterling responded to a question about a possible battle royale mode with: "I'll tell you right now, the only 'BR' we're really interested in is 'Battle Rifle'." Despite rumours to the contrary, it sounds like the sentiment hasn't changed.

PUBG is no longer banned in Nepal
https://www.pcgamer.com/pubg-has-been-banned-in-nepal/
Playerunknown's Battlegrounds is banned in Nepal effective today, according to a report in the Kathmandu Post. The move comes after the Nepal Metropolitan Crime Division filed a Public Interest Litigation with the Kathmandu District Court on Wednesday. A day later, the Nepal Telecommunication Authority has called for all ISPs and mobile service providers to block the game. Update: Nepal's Supreme Court has issued a temporary order to halt the ban of PUBG (cheers, The Himalayan Times), which had been banned by the government on April 11.

Fortnite's success spurred brutal crunch at Epic, employees say
https://www.pcgamer.com/fortnites-success-spurred-brutal-crunch-at-epic-employees-say/
(...)
The cost of Fortnite's success, according to a new Polygon report, is that the feverish pace has continued, leaving employees faced with ridiculously long work-weeks that are technically voluntary, but not really. One employee said they average 70 hours of work per week, and claimed that others "pull 100-hour weeks."

New demo for Pathologic 2 confirms it's still extremely weird psychological horror
https://www.pcgamer.com/new-demo-for-pathologic-2-confirms-its-still-extremely-weird-psychological-horror/
Pathologic is an unusual game. It's a first-person psychological horror/survival game released by Russian studio Ice-Pick Lodge in 2005 that probably didn't make a hell of a lot of sense in its native language and was rendered absolutely impenetrable by a notoriously bad English translation.(...)
Despite all that, it managed to amass something of a cult following, and there was some legitimate interest around these parts when a remake was announced in 2014. Half a decade later it's just about ready for release (and confusingly named Pathologic 2). To give the uninitiated a taste of what it's all about a demo is now available to everyone.

Retro City Rampage followup Shakedown: Hawaii comes out next month
https://www.pcgamer.com/retro-city-rampage-followup-shakedown-hawaii-comes-out-next-month/
Shakedown Hawaii, the top-down, retro-flavored followup to Retro City Rampage, was announced last year as a satirical (and tremendously violent) take on white collar crime: "Business in the front, bodies in the back," as the tagline aptly puts it. There was no release date the last time we looked at it but developer Vblank revealed today that it will be out on May 7. That's about it in terms of new info, but the studio put out a trailer a couple of weeks ago that we haven't checked out yet, so let's take the opportunity to get caught up.

Jax's Mortal Kombat 11 ending isn't really controversial at all
https://www.pcgamer.com/jaxs-mortal-kombat-11-ending-isnt-really-controversial-at-all/
In Mortal Kombat 11, you can punch someone in the back of the head so hard their brain ejects through their face. You can summon a magic wall of sand, stick someone into it, and then rip the entire front half of their body off with your bare hands. You can also, if you're playing as Jax in the game's Klassic Towers mode, watch a short character ending in which Jax goes back in time to prevent the Atlantic slave trade.

Monster Boy And The Cursed Kingdom is still coming to PC, and a free demo is coming soon
https://www.pcgamer.com/monster-boy-and-the-cursed-kingdom-is-still-coming-to-pc-and-a-demo-may-come-this-month/
You'd be forgiven for forgetting about Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom. It released for consoles in December, but remains a no-show on PC despite having a Steam page. The Game Atelier developed platformer was well-received when it launched last year and it definitely looks the part, especially if you were fond of the ye olde Wonder Boy games.

Sea of Thieves trailer reveals the story-driven Shores of Gold
https://www.pcgamer.com/sea-of-thieves-trailer-reveals-the-story-driven-shores-of-gold/
Sea of Thieves' massive anniversary update promises a lot of diversions for salty sea dogs, including fishing, harpooning and the new Arena PvP mode, but perhaps most tantalising is the introduction of new story-driven quests. These Tall Tales will send crews on tricky treasure hunts with new enemies and devious puzzles, the first of which, Shores of Gold, has been shown off in a new trailer. Watch it above.

BattleTech: Urban Warfare goes to town this June
https://www.pcgamer.com/battletech-urban-warfare-goes-to-town-this-june/
BattleTech is planning a city break this summer with the Urban Warfare expansion. Up until now, lance battles have mostly taken place in the wilderness, with the occasional trip to a gloomy outpost, but with Urban Warfare you'll be able to kick the oil out of mechs on city streets and rooftops surrounded by destructible buildings. Check out the trailer above.

Design and manage a zoo in Frontier's next game, Planet Zoo
https://www.pcgamer.com/design-and-manage-a-zoo-in-frontiers-next-game-planet-zoo/
The next game from Frontier, creator of Elite Dangerous and Planet Coaster, is a zoo simulator. It makes sense, really. The developer has created zoo management games in the past, and it feels like a natural extension of the Planet series. But Planet Zoo it's a very different game from Planet Coaster, with a focus on caring for animals, ecology, and preservation over the immediate, gut-churning thrills of a theme park.
>> Ooooh! This interests me ^.^ I've waited years for a (proper) new installment of Zoo Tycoon, and I hope this game can do it. That said, they didn't do a very good job with Jurassic World Evolution, so it's probably better to keep the expectations in check.

Surviving Mars is getting penguins, llamas and terraforming in May
https://www.pcgamer.com/surviving-mars-is-getting-penguins-lamas-and-terraforming-in-may/
Surviving Mars' terraforming expansion, Green Planet, will launch next month alongside Project Laika, a content pack that will let you introduce critters onto your increasingly verdant world. Pups, penguins, you'll even be able to bring a platypus to Mars. Some will be pets, but you'll also be able to raise livestock, too. Check out the feature breakdown of both DLCs above.

The penultimate news edition of the week (it's been a short one, right? ;-P):

SALES & DEALS

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has sold around 1.4 million digital units at launch, Fortnite is still going strong
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-has-sold-around-1-4-million-digital-units-at-launch-fortnite-is-still-going-strong/
SuperData Arcade has shared its monthly report, stating that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has sold roughly 1.4 million digital units across console and PC, thus outperforming FromSoftware’s previous title, Dark Souls 3.
It’s worth noting that the overall sales for Sekiro are higher. Earlier this month, Activision stated that the game has already sold more than two million copies worldwide.
Moreover, Fortnite continues to hold steady despite increased competition. According to SuperData’s stats, Fortnite’s revenue grew 7% year-over-year in March, which is the first year-ago comparison that includes console, PC and Mobile.
On the other hand, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege declines again despite “Year Four” spike. While Rainbow Six in-game spending increased 43% across console and PC in March compared to February on the back of a new “Year Four” content release, revenue was still down roughly 20% year-over-year.
>> Check the article if you want to know which are the top grossing titles for PC (Fortnite is nº 5).

World War Z sells over 1 million units in its first week, 250K coming from the Epic Games Store
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/world-war-z-sells-over-1-million-units-in-its-first-week-250k-coming-from-the-epic-games-store/
Saber Interactive and Focus Home Interactive have announced that World War Z, the action-packed co-op shooter inspired by Paramount Pictures’ blockbuster film, has sold more than 1 million units since it launched last week.

Steam has one real daily deal and a fake one:

• The first and real one is Train Fever, 85% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/304730/Train_Fever/
• And the fake one is the Early Access title Edge Of Eternity, 20% off for the next 4 days: https://store.steampowered.com/app/269190/Edge_Of_Eternity/

On the Humble Store, the new Spotlight Deal is Plane Mechanic Simulator, 25% off for the next 3 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/plane-mechanic-simulator

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

NVIDIA GeForce 430.39 WHQL driver is optimized for Mortal Kombat 11, Anthem & Strange Brigade
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/nvidia-geforce-430-39-whql-driver-is-optimized-for-mortal-kombat-11-anthem-strange-brigade/
NVIDIA has released a brand new driver for its graphics cards. According to the release notes, the NVIDIA GeForce 430.39 WHQL driver provides the optimal gaming experience for Mortal Kombat 11, Anthem, and Strange Brigade.
Furthermore, this new driver includes support for GeForce GTX 1650 desktop, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti and GTX 1650 notebook GPUs, adds support for seven new G-SYNC compatible monitors and adds support for the Windows 10 May 2019 Update (including Variable Rate Shading).
NVIDIA has also fixed some bugs/issues. For instance, the green team addressed an issue that could cause MadVR to not render videos in HDR mode using MPC player, various memory leaks that could occur when launching games, as well as random desktop flickers that could occur on some multi-display PCs.
>> Available from here.

Tim Sweeney: “If Valve commits to a permanent 88% revenue share, we’ll stop making new exclusive deals”
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/tim-sweeney-if-valve-commits-to-a-permanent-88-revenue-share-well-stop-all-exclusive-deals/
Now here is something really interesting. Epic Games’ CEO, Tim Sweeney, has just stated that if Steam commits to a permanent 88% revenue share for all developers and publishers without major strings attached, Epic Games will hastily organize a retreat from exclusives and consider putting its own games on Steam.
>> HAHAHAHA! Who does he thinks he's fooling? Just like when they said there wouldn't be another Metro Exodus and did it with Anno 1800, right? If anything, they'll do it more, given that Steam still dominates the market and they'd need those deals to lure devs back to their store.

MODS/EMULATORS

Classic Dino Crisis gets an AI-enhanced HD Texture Pack, available for download now
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/classic-dino-crisis-gets-an-ai-enhanced-hd-texture-pack-available-for-download-now/
It’s no secret that a lot of gamers would want to see a remaster of the first Dino Crisis game. And while Capcom does not plan on remastering or remaking this title yet, PC gamers can go ahead and enjoy its Dreamcast version with more detailed textures thanks to this new AI-enhanced HD Texture Pack.
Created by Reddit’s member ‘pepodmc_’, this Texture Pack features a combination between upscaled Gigapixel textures and new textures (as the modder didnt like some textures and others were so low resolution that he couldn’t improve them via the AI Gigapixel algorithm).
As said, this HD Texture Pack is for the Dreamcast version of Dino Crisis and you can use the Reincast Dreamcast emulator in order to run it (you can download the emulator from here). Also note that this Texture Pack works with the “VGA FIX” PAL T7019D__06 (SPANISH) version of the game (though the modder will update it for other pal versions as well).
>> This is the download link for the mod.

First Mortal Kombat 11 mod lets you play as Sector, Cyrax & Kronika, PC version lacks balance tweaks & day1 patch
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/first-mortal-kombat-11-mod-lets-you-play-as-sector-cyrax-kronika-pc-version-lacks-balance-tweaks-day1-patch/
Mortal Kombat 11 has just been released and it appears that the first mod for it has surfaced. Created by The Game Modding Channel, this mod lets PC gamers play as Cyrax, Sektor and Kronika, and there is a video below showcasing the mod in action.
Now the bad news here is that the The Game Modding Channel has not made this mod available to the public (and I don’t know whether there are such plans). This mod could be very well behind a Patreon wall and if that’s the case, we won’t bother sharing any new mods from this modder.

GAMING NEWS

New 4K screenshots released for Remedy’s upcoming supernatural game, Control
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/new-4k-screenshots-released-for-remedys-upcoming-supernatural-game-control/
Remedy has released some new 4K screenshots from its upcoming supernatural action-adventure game, Control. These screenshots showcase the main female protagonist, as well as some of the game’s environments.

First Anno 1800 patch released, fixes several crashes and Steam framerate drops
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/first-anno-1800-patch-released-fixes-several-crashes-and-steam-framerate-drops/
Ubisoft has released the first update for its latest strategy city building game, Anno 1800. According to the release notes, this patch addresses an issue for the Steam version that made the game’s FPS drop significantly.

The second part of the news:

KOTOR, Dragon Age: Origins lead designer will lead a new studio for Wizards of the Coast
https://www.pcgamer.com/kotor-dragon-age-origins-lead-designer-will-lead-a-new-studio-for-wizards-of-the-coast/
Dungeons & Dragons company Wizards of the Coast announced today that it is opening a new studio in Austin, Texas, that will be headed up by former BioWare stalwart James Ohlen. Ohlen left BioWare last year after a 22-year career, during which he amassed design and writing credits including the Baldur's Gate series, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire, and Dragon Age: Origins.

Star Trek Online's Rise of Discovery update brings back Captain Lorca
https://www.pcgamer.com/star-trek-onlines-rise-of-discovery-update-brings-back-captain-lorca/
With the second season of Star Trek: Discovery over, you might be looking to fill the hole in your life with something else Trek-shaped, and free-to-play MMO Star Trek Online's upcoming major update might just fit the bill. Rise of Discovery continues the crossover with the show, this time featuring Captain Lorca and Commander Landry, voiced by Jason Isaacs and Rekha Sharma. Watch the trailer above.

Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines 2's first abilities have been revealed (updated)
https://www.pcgamer.com/vampire-the-masqueradebloodlines-2s-first-abilities-have-been-revealed/
At the start of Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines 2, we'll be playing a newly-embraced Thinblood, a second-class citizens of the vampire world. They're not really liked and they're weaker than the full-blooded vampires that belong to various clans. We'll be able to join them, too, but even as a Thinblood we'll have a few tricks up our puffy vampire sleeves. Watch the teaser above for a brief introduction.
Updated: We've learned a bit more about Bloodlines 2's Thinbloods from the Twitch stream. While it largely went over what was revealed below, a few additional details were shared. Thinbloods will be more powerful than their PnP counterparts, for instance, and while the game uses the rules from the current edition, V5, the Thinbloods have abilities like their counterparts from earlier editions.

People are convinced they can hear 'Modern Warfare 4' in this video from a Call of Duty event
https://www.pcgamer.com/people-are-convinced-they-can-hear-modern-warfare-4-in-this-video-from-a-call-of-duty-event/
It's been eight years since the last Modern Warfare shooter, but the 2019 edition of Call of Duty may take the series back there—that's the rumor making the rounds after a video of four US football players getting an early preview of the game turned up on YouTube.

Overwatch is letting players build their own heroes in custom games
https://www.pcgamer.com/overwatch-is-letting-players-build-their-own-heroes-in-custom-games/
Overwatch is introducing a new feature called the Workshop, game director Jeff Kaplan revealed in a developer update released today. The Workshop is a new section of the custom game browser that allows players to use custom scripts to create new game modes and content.

Planetside 2's robot mercenaries join the fight in the biggest update since 2016
https://www.pcgamer.com/planetside-2s-robot-mercenaries-join-the-fight-in-the-biggest-update-since-2016/
Planetside 2's new robotic mercenary faction, Nanite System Operatives, will officially join the fight tomorrow as part of what developer Daybreak Game Company said is the biggest update to come to the game since 2016. The update will also implement long-awaited support for DirectX 11, which Daybreak said "will provide dramatic performance improvements for PC players," add a new vehicle-based event, and make "major quality of life upgrades including a completely overhauled spawn system, new mentor squads, UI improvements and more."

Project Winter, a survival game all about lies and betrayal, leaves Early Access soon
https://www.pcgamer.com/project-winter-a-survival-game-all-about-lies-and-betrayal-leaves-early-access-soon/
At a glance, Project Winter is reminiscent of The Long Dark, but surviving its low-poly snow fields is only half the battle. At the beginning of a game, two of the eight players are designated as traitors. They each know who the other traitor is, and are tasked with preventing the group from escaping. The non-traitors must suss them out before being shot in the back.

Ubisoft's sci-fi adventure Starlink: Battle for Atlas comes to PC next week
https://www.pcgamer.com/ubisofts-sci-fi-adventure-starlink-battle-for-atlas-comes-to-pc-next-week/
Remember E3 2018, when Ubisoft showed off Starlink: Battle for Atlas, a sci-fi action adventure game that looked like a cross between No Man's Sky and The Last Starfighter? And then Yves Guillemot gave a prototype ship model to Shigeru Miyamoto for some reason, and everything looked very cool, but it didn't matter much to us because it wasn't coming to PC? Now it is, and in fact it will be here next week.
>> That's odd, given that Ubi ended the production of the toys earlier this month.

Enjoy a gorgeous, free adventure game in Edgar—Bokbok in Boulzac
https://www.pcgamer.com/enjoy-a-gorgeous-free-adventure-game-in-edgarbokbok-in-boulzac/
I do enjoy a good adventure game, and here's one with a fun rural setting, beautiful art and animation, and an amusing script. Edgar—Bokbok in Boulzac puts you in the role of an inventor type living on the edge of a quaint village. He's basically Wallace (of Wallace and Gromit fame) but with a trusty pet chicken instead of a dog, and living in a version of the French countryside rather than an England full of were-rabbits and moony cheese.

Fortnite: Endgame lets you fight Thanos with Avengers weapons
https://www.pcgamer.com/fortnite-endgame-lets-you-fight-thanos-with-avengers-weapons/
With Avengers: Endgame out today, Thanos has also returned to Fortnite, and he's brought along an army of chitauri this time. To stop him from once again finding the Infinity Stones, players will be able to equip Avengers items, including Captain America's shield and Thor's axe, Stormbreaker. Check out the trailer for the limited time mode above.

Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2's new mode makes fleets four times larger
https://www.pcgamer.com/battlefleet-gothic-armada-2s-new-mode-makes-fleets-four-times-larger/
Battlefleet Gothic Armada 2's fleets are already larger than its predecessor's, but can you really every have too many giant space cathedrals? Of course not. So developer Tindalos Interactive has bumped up the points cap yet again, at least in the new Massive Fleets mode, giving you a hefty 4,000 points to spend. That's nearly four times the normal amount.

Anybody else saw the leaked Intel CPU roadmap? If that one is true, then they won't be able to fight against AMD for long anymore - the first 10nm Chips would be Tiger Lake U/Y mid 2021.

https://wccftech.com/intel-desktop-mobile-cpu-roadmap-leak-14nm-comet-lake-10nm-ice-lake-tiger-lake/

Comet lake would come out in a year or so, and apart from adding 2 more cores, I doesn't seem to do very much. But by that time it will probably have to fight against Zen3/Ryzen 4 already - if not even it's successor!

So unless Intel manages to magically increase the efficiency of their 14nm process and of the core architecture, AMD will trash them for the next 3 years at the very least.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7GKywLpzmA