The news, the sequel:

Why Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is choosing early access after eight years of development
https://www.pcgamer.com/heres-why-mount-and-blade-ii-bannerlord-is-going-into-early-access-after-eight-years-of-development/
After so long in development, some fans are understandably somewhat confused: Why an early access period after eight years in development? We spoke with TaleWorlds CEO Armagan Yavuz at Gamescom, right after the trailer and early access date reveal, to find out why.

Doom Eternal's new Hunter was built to slay the Slayer
https://www.pcgamer.com/doom-eternals-new-hunter-was-built-to-slay-the-slayer/
So you're an Infernal Overlord of some sort, a high muckety-muck of the Black Pit, and life is good. But now you've got a problem. This guy calling himself the Doom Slayer is running around messing with your people and breaking your stuff, and he's not showing signs of getting tired and going away anytime soon. What do you do? Who slays the Slayer?

You can become a wizard in The Sims 4's next game pack, Realm of Magic
https://www.pcgamer.com/you-can-become-a-wizard-in-the-sims-4s-next-game-pack-realm-of-magic/
Mages and aspiring spellcasters, you now have your first official look into The Sims 4's next game pack, Realm of Magic.
It was originally announced during EA Play at E3 2019, but no other information had been revealed until this morning. Similar in some ways to The Sims 3 Supernatural and the The Sims 2 Apartment Life, Realm of Magic takes all the best parts about being a wizard—like spell duels and flying broomsticks—and brews it into a new town nestled into the tops of giant space rocks called Glimmerbrook, where sims can mix who-knows-what in giant cauldrons and become the best wizard in town. All they have to do is find the secret portal to take them there.

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne trailer hints at a powerful new monster
https://www.pcgamer.com/monster-hunter-world-iceborne-trailer-hints-at-a-powerful-new-monster/
A new Monster Hunter World: Iceborne trailer provides a glimpse at the storyline that's coming with the expansion, set in the frosty region of the Hoarfrost Reach. According to the trailer, you'll be on the trail of something called the "old Everwyrm," a creature with the power to destroy entire ecosystems.

Destiny 2 Steam transfers have begun
https://www.pcgamer.com/destiny-2-steam-transfers-have-begun/
The great Destiny 2 changeover has begun: Bungie's big shooter doesn't go live on Steam until October 1, but you can get your account ready for the move as of right now.

Psychological horror series Remothered returns next year with Broken Porcelain
https://www.pcgamer.com/psychological-horror-series-remothered-returns-next-year-with-broken-porcelain/
Remothered: Tormented Fathers is a third-person horror game released by Italian studio Stormind Games in 2018, and while it didn't get the attention of, say, the Amnesia games, it did very well critically. It must have done reasonably well commercially, too, because Stormind is working on a sequel, this one to be published by Modus Games (Tormented Fathers was put out by Darril Arts) called Remothered: Broken Porcelain.

Gears 5 on Steam will run on Windows 7
https://www.pcgamer.com/gears-5-on-steam-will-run-on-windows-7/
Windows 10 is far and away the dominant operating system on PC these days, but good ol' Windows 7 is still hanging in there: The most recent Steam Hardware and Software Survey indicates that more than 20 percent of users are still running it. And the good news for them is that when Gears 5 comes out, they'll actually be able to play it.

Metro Exodus: The Two Colonels trailer reveals a return to tunnels and horror
https://www.pcgamer.com/metro-exodus-the-two-colonels-trailer-reveals-a-return-to-tunnels-and-horror/
4A Games said when the Metro Exodus expansion The Two Colonels was announced that it would be more in the style of the first two games in the series, with linear gameplay in "claustrophobic environments." Based on the reveal trailer released today, it wasn't kidding.

Sea of Thieves gets a free 'Halo inspired' Spartan ship set, but you have to be quick
https://www.pcgamer.com/sea-of-thieves-gets-a-free-halo-inspired-spartan-ship-set-but-you-have-to-be-quick/
If you log in to Sea of Thieves between now and the end of August 24, you'll unlock a "Halo inspired" Spartan ship set. If you've always dreamed about sailing the open seas, flaunting your love for an entirely different game universe, well, you're in luck.

Control trailer looks like it needs to be secured, contained, and protected for our safety
https://www.pcgamer.com/control-trailer-looks-like-it-needs-to-be-secured-contained-and-protected-for-our-safety/
Remedy have been showing off the ray tracing in their new game Control in recent trailers, but this time it's a trailer for the rest of us—a straight-up launch trailer highlighting just how weird this game of X-Files/Twin Peaks/SCP Foundation action-horror is going to get.

DayZ's Australia ban has been officially reversed
https://www.pcgamer.com/dayzs-australia-ban-has-now-been-officially-reversed/
Following a turbulent and frankly amusing couple of weeks, DayZ's Australian ban is no longer official, with the country's Classification Board issuing a new MA15+ classification today.

Rainbow Six Siege's Halloween skins appear to have leaked
https://www.pcgamer.com/rainbow-six-sieges-halloween-skins-appear-to-have-leaked/
Rainbow Six Siege's character artists seem to be getting ready for Halloween early, as a new leak appears to show off a new round of horror-themed operator skins likely coming with this year's holiday event.

Steel Division 2's first free DLC pack is out now
https://www.pcgamer.com/steel-division-2s-first-free-dlc-pack-is-out-now/
The first of ten planned free DLC expansions for Steel Division 2 is out today, and it adds two new divisions to the battlefield.
On the Soviet side, there's the 84th Guards Rifle Division, while the Germans get the 25. Panzergrenadier Division.

Series producer hints Yakuza 3, 4, and 5 could be coming to PC
https://www.pcgamer.com/series-producer-hints-yakuza-3-4-and-5-could-be-coming-to-pc/
VG24/7 spoke with franchise producer—and Yakuza 3 director—Daisuke Sato about the surprise announcement, and thoughtfully asked him about what the odds were of the collection making its way to PC. After all, PC players have now gotten a chance at Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami, and Yakuza Kiwami 2. Yakuza 3 would be the next logical step to make in the story.

^Yeah, a couple years back both Intel and AMD stated that their new processors would be Win10 only, so it's easy to understand why you had so much trouble trying to install Win7 on a Ryzen chip.

It's something I'll also face once I upgrade my CPU/mobo.

Still, I'm glad you've managed it and have a working (and mostly) new PC!

I'm still running Win7 and I love it. I've a laptop with 10 and the experience is not as good. My next desktop PC I'll have to switch to 10 I guess...

Still have Win 7 Ultimate on my PC, but my next PC will be Win 10.

Since I have a rather big case and enough SATA lanes, I'm thinking about converting it into a home server/streaming server down the line, afaik something I can do with Win7 Ultimate.

Yes, this is another edition of the news:

SALES & DEALS

At GOG there's a new sale starring Supergiant Games, that celebrates its 10th anniversary with up to 80% discounts on its games for the next 6 days: https://www.gog.com/promo/20190822_promo_launch_supergiant_anniversary

At Steam there are two new daily deals:

• We. The Revolution is 30% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/736850/We_The_Revolution/
• The Early Access game Gloria Victis is 50% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/327070/Gloria_Victis/

At Fanatical there are two new deals:

• The new Star Deal is Shadow of the Tomb Raider Croft Edition, 64% off for the next 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/shadow-of-the-tomb-raider-croft-edition
• The new Indie Legends IX Bundle brings 12 games split into 3 tiers of 4, 10 & 12 games for the next 13 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/indie-legends-ix-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Steam China will be 'almost entirely independent of Steam'
https://www.pcgamer.com/steam-china-will-be-almost-entirely-independent-of-steam/
PC gaming is big in China, and so is Steam. It's not officially approved to operate there, yet millions of Chinese gamers use it every day (Simplified Chinese is the second-most-common language used on the platform), Chinese developers are flourishing, and major international publishers are intensifying their efforts to cater to the market.
Valve itself is looking to capitalize on that extremely lucrative market as well. Right now, the Steam situation in China is muddy at best: As Steven explained in his in-depth report on "censorship, Steam, and the explosive rise of PC gaming in China," the Chinese authorities tightly regulate videogames in the country, yet Steam has somehow escaped scrutiny—and nobody seems quite sure why. Perhaps working on the assumption that this state of affairs can't hold forever, Valve is working with Chinese gaming company Perfect World to launch an officially-sanctioned version of its storefront in the country.

MODS/EMULATORS

New version of the Playstation 3 emulator, RPCS3, brings significant improvements to Metal Gear Solid 4
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/new-version-of-the-playstation-3-emulator-rpcs3-brings-significant-improvements-to-metal-gear-solid-4/
It appears that PC gamers may be able to play Metal Gear Solid 4 sooner than expected. Last week, the RPCS3 team released a new version of its Playstation 3 emulator that could boot MGS 4. Fast forward a week and a new version is now available, fixing almost all of the game’s graphical issues.
Going into more details, kd-11 has fixed the depth issue which caused geometry to flicker in and out as well as being able to see through walls/characters. Moreover, the shadows are no longer black thanks to kd-11’s latest fixes.

A modder recreated the classic Dust 2 map textures for CS:GO using artificial-intelligence
https://www.pcgamer.com/a-modder-recreated-the-classic-dust-2-map-textures-for-csgo-using-artificial-intelligence/
The Dust 2 map may be about as iconic as Counter-Strike itself, inspiring recreations in other games, specifically a lot of iterations in Minecraft, apparently. I know this to be true because I've never touched a Counter-Strike game, CS:GO or otherwise, but even I know this desert compound when I see it.
Dust 2 is so closely tied with Counter-Strike itself that Valve added the classic "retro" version of the map to CS:GO earlier this summer for the 20th anniversary of the original Counter-Strike. But one modder wanted a version of Dust 2 even more faithful to the original map than Valve's retro recreation. They used AI to upscale the original Dust 2 textures and replace them in a custom version of the map that you can find in Steam's CS:GO workshop.
Modder "3kliksphilip" also put together a YouTube video that you can watch below explaining their process in upscaling the old textures.

GAMING NEWS

Here are 14 minutes of gameplay footage from the Gamescom 2019 demo of Kingdom Under Fire 2
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-14-minutes-of-gameplay-footage-from-the-gamescom-2019-demo-of-kingdom-under-fire-2/
IGN and Gameforge have shared a new video, showing 14 minutes of brand new gameplay footage from Kingdom Under Fire 2. This video showcases some of the game’s environments, its combat mechanics, as well as some quests.

Here are 8 minutes of gameplay footage from the new Battletoads game
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-8-minutes-of-gameplay-footage-from-the-new-battletoads-game/
Microsoft and Gamersyde have shared a video, showing 8 minutes of new gameplay footage from the upcoming Battletoads game. Zitz, Pimple and Rash return to Morph Attack their way through an all-new action-packed adventure of choreographed chaos.
>> Zombie9ers made a thread about this video yesterday.

24 minutes of new multiplayer gameplay footage from the PC version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/24-minutes-of-new-multiplayer-gameplay-footage-from-the-pc-version-of-call-of-duty-modern-warfare/
At Gamescom 2019, NVIDIA revealed that Infinity Ward will take advantage of real-time ray tracing for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. As Infinity Ward noted, it will use RTX in order to ray trace the game’s shadows. Moreover, below you can find a video showing brand new gameplay footage from its PC version.

28 minutes of gameplay footage from the Gamescom 2019 demo of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/28-minutes-of-gameplay-footage-from-the-gamescom-2019-demo-of-vampire-the-masquerade-bloodlines-2/
IGN has shared a new video, showing 28 minutes of brand new gameplay footage from the Gamescom 2019 demo of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. Hardsuit Labs announced recently that it will use ray tracing in order to enhance the game’s lighting and reflections. However, it appears that this video does not feature any RTX effects.

Here are 7 minutes of gameplay footage from the Gamescom 2019 demo of Need for Speed: Heat
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-7-minutes-of-gameplay-footage-from-the-gamescom-2019-demo-of-need-for-speed-heat/
At Gamescom 2019, Electronic Arts revealed the first gameplay trailer for Need for Speed: Heat. However, it appears that a demo version of this new racing game is available to the press. As such, IGN has shared a video showing 7 minutes of gameplay footage from it.

First gameplay footage from the Gamescom 2019 build of FIFA 20 surfaces online
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/first-gameplay-footage-from-the-gamescom-2019-build-of-fifa-20-surfaces-online/
I’m pretty sure that soccer fans have been playing lately the PC demo of eFootball PES 2020. And while there is still no word on when the demo of its big opponent, FIFA 20, will come out, we can finally watch some gameplay footage from it.

Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid is coming to the PC on September 24th, official PC requirements
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/power-rangers-battle-for-the-grid-is-coming-to-the-pc-on-september-24th-official-pc-requirements/
nWay has announced that Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid will release on the PC on September 24th. Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid is a new fighting game that allows you to pit current and classic Rangers and villains in 3vs3 tag battles. Moreover, the team released the game’s official PC requirements that you can find below.

Here are five minutes of gameplay footage from the tactical sci-fi multiplayer shooter, Boundary
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-five-minutes-of-gameplay-footage-from-the-tactical-sci-fi-multiplayer-shooter-boundary/
Boundary is a game I’m really looking forward to. This tactical sci-fi multiplayer shooter reminds me of Futuremark’s Shattered Horizon; a PC exclusive that was way ahead of its time. Unfortunately, Shattered Horizon did not meet commercial success, but you can clearly see the similarities between them.

Here are ten minutes of gameplay footage from ONE PIECE: Pirate Warriors 4
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-ten-minutes-of-gameplay-footage-from-one-piece-pirate-warriors-4/
At Gamescom 2019, Bandai Namco presented a new demo build for One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4. As such, Gamersyde has captured and shared a video showing 10 minutes of gameplay footage. This video will give you an idea of what you can expect from this new ONE PIECE game.

Cyberpunk 2077 – Six new 4K Gamescom 2019 screenshots released, showing gorgeous graphics
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/cyberpunk-2077-six-new-4k-gamescom-2019-screenshots-released-showing-gorgeous-graphics/
CD Projekt RED has been constantly releasing new screenshots for its upcoming RPG, Cyberpunk 2077, lately. Today, the team released six new 4K screenshots, showcasing the game’s beautiful environments.

First Nioh 2 screenshots surface online
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/first-nioh-2-screenshots-surface-online/
KOEI Tecmo has released the first screenshots Nioh 2. These screenshots showcase some of the in-game 3D models, as well as some of the environments. Aesthetically, the game looks similar to the first game, something that will definitely please its fans.

Thursday news, part two:

New publisher Modern Wolf unveils a crunch-free games lineup
https://www.pcgamer.com/new-publisher-modern-wolf-unveils-a-crunch-free-games-lineup/
Modern Wolf is a brand new games publisher out to make a statement: that video games can be developed without subjecting developers to crunch or other practices that can take a toll on mental wellbeing. The company announced itself along with a debut trailer for five games in the pipeline for release over the next two years.

Mortal Kombat 11's full Kombat Pack DLC character roster is here
https://www.pcgamer.com/mortal-kombat-11s-full-kombat-pack-dlc-character-roster-is-here/
It's now official: The DLC characters included in the Kombat Pack for Mortal Kombat 11 have been revealed in a new trailer. All the names on the list were already leaked in a Reddit Thread from June but now we've got the faces to go with them.

Here's a half-hour of Bloodlines 2 gameplay from Gamescom
https://www.pcgamer.com/heres-a-half-hour-of-bloodlines-2-gameplay-from-gamescom/
Want to watch a half-hour of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 gameplay? Since you're here, I'll assume that the answer is yes, and so courtesy of IGN here's a 28-minute clip of gameplay from a demo being shown at Gamescom.

You can fight the law in Cyberpunk 2077, but the law will win
https://www.pcgamer.com/you-can-fight-the-law-in-cyberpunk-2077-but-the-law-will-win/
The odds are very good that at some point during your adventures in Cyberpunk 2077, you'll run into trouble with the law. Hey, it happens—everybody runs into a little bit of bad luck that's totally not their fault now and then, right? But producer Richard Borzymowski told USgamer that there are ways you can mitigate your risk factors—beginning with knowing where it's good to be bad.

Super cute town adventure Garden Story harvests a publisher
https://www.pcgamer.com/super-cute-town-adventure-garden-story-harvests-a-publisher/
Ever since Stardew Valley exploded in 2016, we've been treated to a number of other indie developers creating small farming, crafting, and life sims. They've yet to reach the cultural dominance of Battle Royales, but if they did I'd be a happy camper. All that to say, I've been quietly following Garden Story since it first came across my Twitter feed last year. Yesterday, developer Picogram announced that it had landed a publisher (two, in fact) and a release window for the spring of 2020.

A new Iron Harvest gameplay trailer reveals 2020 release date
https://www.pcgamer.com/a-new-iron-harvest-gameplay-trailer-reveals-2020-release-date/
Iron Harvest is a mech game with a twist. Instead of giant, fusion-powered war machines battling across the stars for dominion over the galaxy, these mechanical beasts are just barely post-WW1, and they're all driven by steam.

Rocket League season 12 and the new Rocket Pass will be here next week
https://www.pcgamer.com/rocket-league-season-12-and-the-new-rocket-pass-will-be-here-next-week/
The next season of ranked Rocket League begins next week, on Tuesday, August 27. A day later on Wednesday, the 28th, Rocket Pass 4 will kick off with new items to unlock in the usual free and paid versions.

The first Age of Empires 4 gameplay footage will be shown at XO in November
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-first-age-of-empires-4-gameplay-footage-will-be-shown-at-xo-in-november/
We had hoped to get a look at some Age of Empires 4 footage at Gamescom this year, but that, alas, won't be the case. However, Xbox says they'll have gameplay ready to show the public later this year at XO19 in London.
>> We'll see.

Knights of Honor 2 is set to be a more accessible grand strategy game
https://www.pcgamer.com/knights-of-honor-2-is-set-to-be-a-more-accessible-grand-strategy-game/
Thinking about the words "medieval grand strategy," most people will probably jump straight to Crusader Kings 2, the essential example of the form since 2012. THQ Nordic is stepping into Paradox's demesne next year by resurrecting a franchise that's been dormant for 15 years: Knights of Honor.

Anyone played the new roguelike "RAD" from DoubleFine? I play a lot of roguelikes, but the reviews from this one have me hesitant to make a purchase, although I imagine I'll pick it up eventually.

Let's go with the Friday news:

SALES & DEALS

Fez is this week’s free game on the Epic Store, Celeste and Inside will be free on August 29
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/fez-is-this-weeks-free-game-on-the-epic-store-celeste-and-inside-will-be-free-on-august-29/
This week the Epic Store shifts their free games roster to the lovechild from one of the most iconic yet peculiar developers of the indie scene, Phil Fish. Indeed, you can now add the one and only Fez to what is steadily turning into a hefty library of free games.
>> Celeste? I'll keep that in mind...

On the Humble Store there's a Total War Week Sale, with up to 75% discounts for the next 5 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/total-war-week/

At Fanatical there's a new Summer Sale Flash Deals, with new games added every hour. Check them out here! And the first one is Road Redemption with a 66% discount, plus the FANATICAL10 code.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

The Surge 2 will not be using the Denuvo anti-tamper tech
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/the-surge-2-will-not-be-using-the-denuvo-anti-tamper-tech/
The closed beta phase for The Surge 2 is underway and appears to have Denuvo. However, Deck13 has confirmed that the final version will not be using it. So yeah, Steam users will at least be able to enjoy it without having to deal with this controversial anti-tamper tech.
As Deck13 confirmed earlier today.

MODS/EMULATORS

This Dragon Ball Z mod for Sekiro allows you to play as the prince of all Saiyans, Vegeta
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/this-dragon-ball-z-mod-for-sekiro-allows-you-to-play-as-the-prince-of-all-saiyans-vegeta/
Following his really cool DBZ Krillin mod for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, modder huckleberrypie released another one based on the popular anime. This time, players will be able to play as the prince of all Saiyans, Vegeta.
Similarly to the Krillin mod, the Vegeta mod is basically a 3D character swapper and nothing more. As such, don’t expect to use any of Vegeta’s iconic moves like the Galick Gun, Final Flash or Big Bang Attack. Moreover, this mod does not bring Vegeta’s Japanese anime voice to the game. Now that would have been really cool so let’s hope that the modder will find a way to add it in a future version. It’s also worth noting that this model originates from Battle Stadium D.O.N.
>> Available from Nexus Mods, and keep in mind that you’ll also need the Sekiro Mod Engine.

Dolphin devs estimate they've done $10 million worth of work emulating the GameCube and Wii
https://www.pcgamer.com/dolphin-devs-estimate-theyve-done-dollar10-million-worth-of-work-emulating-the-gamecube-and-wii/
For years, the GameCube and Wii emulator Dolphin has been the gold standard of an open source, community-driven game project. It keeps getting faster and more accurate, and its monthly progress reports have inspired other emulator devs to explain some of the serious challenges involved in making console games run on other hardware. And they don't get paid for any of it. But if they did, Dolphin would've cost millions by now.
This week a core group of Dolphin's dev team did a Reddit AMA, answering all kinds of questions about the emulator. One that caught my eye was someone asking what Dolphin might have cost if the developers were being paid for their contributions.

GAMING NEWS

First PC gameplay footage for Halo: Reach Firefight surfaces online
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/first-pc-gameplay-footage-for-halo-reach-firefight-surfaces-online/
343 Industries held a livestream yesterday, showing Halo: Reach Firefight running on the PC. The game’s new PC flight will focus on this mode and from the looks of it, this highly anticipated PC flighting is right around the corner.

NVIDIA shows off Call of Duty: Modern Warfare with its new ray tracing effects
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/nvidia-shows-off-call-of-duty-modern-warfare-with-its-new-ray-tracing-effects/
NVIDIA has released a new trailer, showcasing the 2v2 Gunfight Multiplayer mode from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. As the green team noted, the ray tracing effects were active in this trailer so go ahead and take a look at them.

Here 48 minutes of gameplay footage from Minecraft with its new Ray Tracing effects
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-48-minutes-of-gameplay-footage-from-minecraft-with-its-new-ray-tracing-effects/
At Gamescom 2019, Mojang and NVIDIA presented a demo for Minecraft with its newly announced Ray Tracing effects. Gamersryde was able to capture 18 minutes of gameplay footage and share a video, showcasing the new RTX effects.

First Gamescom 2019 video surfaces for Commanche, showing 11 minutes of gameplay
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/first-gamescom-2019-video-surfaces-for-commanche-showing-11-minutes-of-gameplay/
At Gamescom 2019, THQ Nordic presented a demo build of the new Commanche game. Gamersryde was able to capture some gameplay footage, showing 11 minutes from it. As such, we strongly suggest watching the video if you are fans of the old Commanche games.

Here is your first look at Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot from its Gamescom 2019 “Cell Saga” demo
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-is-your-first-look-at-dragon-ball-z-kakarot-from-its-gamescom-2019-cell-saga-demo/
At Gamescom 2019, Bandai Namco presented a new demo for Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. Gamersryde has capture some gameplay footage and released a video, showing 12 minutes from it. This is our first proper look at extended gameplay footage from this new DBZ game, so make sure to watch it.

First screenshots released for XIII Remake
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/first-screenshots-released-for-xiii-remake/
Microids has released the first screenshots for its upcoming remake of XIII. These screenshots will give you an idea of the visual enhancements that The Playmagic Team has made to the game.

7 minutes of gameplay footage from the PC version of Gears 5’s Horde Mode, running in 4K and 60fps
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/7-minutes-of-gameplay-footage-from-the-pc-version-of-gears-5s-horde-mode-running-in-4k-and-60fps/
At Gamescom 2019, Microsoft showcased the PC version of Gears 5. Gears 5 promises to be a really polished product and IGN has shared a video, showing 7 minutes of gameplay footage from it. The game was running in 4K and with 60fps, although we don’t know the specs of the system that was running it.

Wasteland 3 Official PC System Requirements
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/wasteland-3-official-pc-system-requirements/
inXile Entertainment has revealed the official PC system requirements for Wasteland 3. According to the specs, PC gamers will at least need an Intel Core i5 2500K with 8GB of RAM and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 or an AMD Radeon HD 7970.

DICE cancels Battlefield 5’s 5v5 competitive mode
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/dice-cancels-battlefield-5s-5v5-competitive-mode/
DICE has announced that it has cancelled the competitive 5v5 mode that it was developing for Battlefield 5. According to the team, this mode was cancelled as DICE is now focusing on improving the overall gameplay experience of the game itself.

Here are 11 minutes of gameplay footage from the Gamescom 2019 demo of Maneater
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-11-minutes-of-gameplay-footage-from-the-gamescom-2019-demo-of-maneater/
IGN has shared a video, showing 11 minutes of gameplay footage from the Gamescom 2019 demo of Maneater. In Maneater, players will assume the role of a giant Bull Shark and terrorize the coastal waterways. As such, this latest gameplay video will give you an idea of what you can expect from it.

Friday news, part two:

Fire is coming to Sea of Thieves, although we're not supposed to know that yet
https://www.pcgamer.com/fire-is-coming-to-sea-of-thieves-although-were-not-supposed-to-know-that-yet/
Sea of Thieves will apparently be getting fire in an update coming soon, at least according to Rare lead engineer James Thomas. Thomas appeared on a recent Sea of Thieves weekly stream and let it slip that they had been working to add fire to the game, to the chagrin of his coworkers and, in fairness, himself.

Cyberpunk 2077 livestream will show off 15 minutes of gameplay next week
https://www.pcgamer.com/cyberpunk-2077-livestream-will-show-off-15-minutes-of-gameplay-next-week/
CD Projekt Red will share a 15-minute edit of Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay from Gamescom during a livestream next week. The stream will also include interviews with developers that will dive deeper into the Pacifica district of Night City and the different ways you'll be able to approach your adventures in the gritty cyber-world of the future.

Hearthstone is finally nerfing Dr. Boom and several other problem cards
https://www.pcgamer.com/hearthstone-is-finally-nerfing-dr-boom-and-several-other-problem-cards/
Balance patches follow expansions as surely as night follows day, and now that Saviors of Uldum is out, and the Seoul Masters is over, a batch of cards are about to be hit with their long-awaited nerfs. It's about time.

Square Enix wants to break the barriers between Final Fantasy 14 datacenters
https://www.pcgamer.com/square-enix-wants-to-break-the-barriers-between-final-fantasy-14-datacenters/
The developers of Final Fantasy 14 are working on revamping their server technology so that all players will be able to play with each other, regardless of which servers and datacenters they use.

Kerbal Space Program 2 dev reveals how baby Kerbals are made
https://www.pcgamer.com/kerbal-space-program-2-dev-reveals-how-baby-kerbals-are-made/
Kerbal Space Program 2 aims to expand upon the try-and-fail-and-try-again cycle of the original in a number of very big ways, one of them being the addition of colonies. Colonies are established via portable modules delivered to and deployed on distant worlds. As they grow, they'll build new modules enabling them to expand and eventually shed their reliance on the Kerbal home planet of Kerbin.

Epic Store exclusive Hades is headed to Steam in December
https://www.pcgamer.com/epic-store-exclusive-hades-is-headed-to-steam-in-december/
Supergiant's new game Hades was a pretty big pickup for the Epic Games Store when it was revealed as a storefront launch exclusive in late 2018. Supergiant is a high-profile indie whose previous games, Bastion, Transistor, and Pyre, have all been very well received, and coming out of nowhere the way it did was a real attention-getter. It was released as an early access game and it's come a long way since then, with six major updates so far that the studio said has more than doubled the amount of content that was available at launch. It also happens to be really good.

John Romero's great-grandmother is an underworld boss in Empire of Sin
https://www.pcgamer.com/john-romeros-great-grandmother-is-an-underworld-boss-in-empire-of-sin/
Romero Games' upcoming crime-timer Empire of Sin will let you go to war on the streets of 1920s Chicago as one of 14 unique "bosses," many of whom are based on real-world historical figures. There's Al Capone, who we took a look at earlier this week, the Irish mobster Dean O'Banion, and the Harlem racketeer Stephanie St. Clair. There's also a woman named Elvira, who isn't quite as famous as the others, but who has a much deeper historical connection to the game.

Fortnite's mechs have finally gotten a major nerf
https://www.pcgamer.com/fortnites-mechs-have-finally-gotten-a-major-nerf/
After stolidly weathering weeks of complaints from Fortnite's most vocal players and pros, Epic has finally rolled out a serious set of nerfs to the B.R.U.T.E. mechs introduced at the beginning of Season X. Mechs will now spawn less frequently, and their rocket damage and area of effect has been reined in, along with some additional changes.

In Exorcise the Demons, your friends guide you through arcane rituals
https://www.pcgamer.com/in-exorcise-the-demons-your-friends-guide-you-through-arcane-rituals/
While Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a callback to the bomb defusal scenes in Lethal Weapon and Speed, Exorcise the Demons uses the same basic premise to recall the decidedly more occult Evil Dead films. It's a similar setup that has a player and their friends working together to stop something bad from happening, but this time around, you're trying to complete various rituals to communicate with and eventually banish horrible demons.

Cyberpunk 2077 should feel like a continuation of the 1990 tabletop game, creator says
https://www.pcgamer.com/cyberpunk-2077-should-feel-like-a-continuation-of-the-1990-tabletop-game-creator-says/
Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith says he's still very involved in the development of CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077, and a big part of that has been to make sure this new vision of his near-future setting idea maintains a continuity with the original tabletop game.

And here are the GOG and Steam deals for the weekend:

+GOG

• There are only two sales this week, and the first one is the Games Come True Sale, with up to 75% discounts on more than 250 games until August 26.
• The other one is the Supergiant Games sale, with up to 80% discounts until August 29: https://www.gog.com/promo/20190822_promo_launch_supergiant_anniversary

+Steam

• The first of the two daily deals is Rescue HQ - The Tycoon, 25% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/809720/Rescue_HQ__The_Tycoon/
• Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition is the other daily deal, 75% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/704450/Neverwinter_Nights_Enhanced_Edition/
• When it comes to the weekend deals, Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2 is free to try and 40% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/573100/Battlefleet_Gothic_Armada_2/
• Early Access title Deathgarden: BLOODHARVEST is also free to try and 50% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/555440/Deathgarden_BLOODHARVEST/
• The last one is Human: Fall Flat, also 50% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/477160/Human_Fall_Flat/
• And of course, there's also the weeklong deals.

What are you waiting for? Go! Go and have a happy and gaming weekend.

Pretty damn happy about the free copy of Celeste.