Monday news, part two:

Lord of the Rings and D&D Online's DLC is open to everyone through April 30
https://www.pcgamer.com/lord-of-the-rings-and-dandd-onlines-dlc-is-open-to-everyone-through-april-30/
Now is probably the right time to start playing a big MMO, and with a collective 27 years of updates and expansions between them, Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online should keep you plenty occupied. From today, all their expansions and DLC are open to everyone.

Gabe Newell says 'everybody benefits' from competition with Epic
https://www.pcgamer.com/gabe-newell-says-everybody-benefits-from-competition-with-epic/
Conversations about the Epic Games Store often pivot on one central point of contention: Is it fostering competition with Steam, or is its practice of landing exclusive game releases "anti-consumer" because it keeps them from being released on Steam, the platform of choice (or at least of habit) for the majority of PC gamers? Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney believes it's the former—and so does Valve boss Gabe Newell, it turns out.

Valorant sniper Sova shows off his drone and sonar in a new gameplay teaser
https://www.pcgamer.com/valorant-sniper-sova-shows-off-his-drone-and-sonar-in-a-new-gameplay-teaser/
The Valorant character reveal parade continued today with a new teaser for Sova, a Russian sniper with fantastic hair. He's got a high-powered rifle with a scope that enables him to pick off enemies from afar, backed up by a drone camera to get a look at what's around corners and a sonar arrow that reveals hidden characters.

A surprise message from Valve hints at the return of Artifact
https://www.pcgamer.com/a-surprise-message-from-valve-hints-at-the-return-of-artifact/
Valve's Artifact "is an intricate and rewarding card game," we said in our 80/100 review at the end of 2018. "Not only is Artifact's depth remarkable, it also doesn't come at any great loss of accessibility." Despite that, and the fact that it came from Valve, which has a pretty good track record making games, it flopped badly. (...)
Despite the total flameout, Valve boss Gabe Newell sounded almost sanguine about the experience in an interview with Edge Magazine (via GamesRadar.) "Artifact was an interesting failure in its first go-round. We were surprised. We thought that it was a really strong product," he said.

The new Stellaris expansion lets you do an Emperor Palpatine: 'I AM the Senate.'
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-new-stellaris-expansion-lets-you-do-an-emperor-palpatine-i-am-the-senate/
Sprawling space 4x Stellaris' new expansion, Federations, lets you form a galactic community. It's an organization that spans the galaxy, and everyone is effectively a member whether they like it or not. (Except if you're space North Korea, or an empire of machine exterminators or what have you.) Anyways, the end result is basically the galactic senate chamber from the Star Wars prequel movies mixed with the real-world United Nations - various measures are tabled and discussed, with various economic impacts around the galaxy.

Turn falling stock prices into a fun ski slope in Stock Jump
https://www.pcgamer.com/turn-falling-stock-prices-into-a-fun-ski-slope-in-stock-jump/
Sos Sosowski, designer of Mosh Pit Simulator, McPixel, and a piano that plays Doom, has a new browser game called Stock Jump. It takes real stock market data from the Finnhub Stock API, turns the graph of its plummeting value into a slope, then positions you at the top as a tiny red-and-yellow skier. You click and release to jump, huffing up the inclines before you reach the inevitable drop and leap to the bottom. The distance you travel off your last jump gives your final score in meters.

World of Warcraft hands out 100% bonus XP for the next month
https://www.pcgamer.com/world-of-warcraft-hands-out-100-bonus-xp-for-the-next-month/
There’s a lot of advice out there about what you should be doing while you're stuck at a distance from others during the pandemic, either due to healthy following of the social distancing ethos or because you're under actual lockdown. The World Health Organization says you shouldn't smoke or drink because you don't want to compromise your immune system. How about something equally addictive, then? How about a little... World of Warcraft. Yes, the game that once hosted a horrible pandemic of its own wants you to play a bit while on lockdown.

Here’s how spectator mode works for Half-Life: Alyx, plus hitting a headcrab with a chair
https://www.pcgamer.com/half-life-alyx-spectator-mode-how-to/
Valve has published a little guide to Half-Life: Alyx’s unique spectator mode, a way to turn the game’s VR output into something comprehensible for someone watching on a regular screen. There’s also a frankly stunning gameplay gif of Alyx battering a headcrab with a chair, which is the strongest answer for “Why is this game in VR?” I’ve ever seen. Spectator mode is useful for both streamers and in-person watching.

Speaking Simulator adds co-op multiplayer
https://www.pcgamer.com/speaking-simulator-adds-co-op-multiplayer/
Our own Christopher Livingston found himself empathizing greatly with the robotic character you play in Speaking Simulator. "As an extremely self-conscious, shy, anxiety-riddled person," he wrote, "I spend most of my face-to-face conversations struggling to get my thoughts out properly and imagining the other person's suspicion meter rising, too."

The Polish government has launched a Minecraft server for housebound kids
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-polish-government-has-launched-a-minecraft-server-for-housebound-kids/
In an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus, Poland has shut its schools until at least April 10. While online classes are widespread, there's still the problem of keeping housebound kids occupied. The Polish government thinks it has the answer: among other initiatives, it has just launched a Minecraft server.

Every Heroes of the Storm character is free to play until April 2
https://www.pcgamer.com/every-heroes-of-the-storm-character-is-free-to-play-until-april-2/
Blizzard has unshackled all of Heroes of the Storm's heroes from the in-game shop, unlocking every single one of them for all players until April 2.
The MOBA normally rotates its free pool of heroes, ensuring you've got a few to play with before dropping any currency, but Heroes of the Storm's roster has grown massive over the years—there are 88 of them!—so there's likely at least one or two you've had an itch to play.

Resident Evil 3 Remake brings back unbreakable knives
https://www.pcgamer.com/resident-evil-3-remake-brings-back-unbreakable-knives/
Resident Evil 2 Remake's zombies are tough customers, with their thick skulls able to soak up a clip and their skin able to break a knife. Thankfully, knife science has come a long way since 2019, and Resident Evil 3 Remake's knives are going to be made of hardier stuff.

Among Trees is an inviting survival sandbox hitting early access this summer
https://www.pcgamer.com/among-trees-is-an-inviting-survival-sandbox-hitting-early-access-this-summer/
Among Trees looks far too serene to be a survival game, but even the most welcoming wildernesses can be dangerous if you forget to fill your stomach or you saunter into a cave filled with peckish animals. That's a couple of the things you'll need to worry about when you move into your new cabin in the woods this summer.

Let's go with the Tuesday news:

SALES & DEALS

Ghost Recon Breakpoint is free to play until March 30th, Child of Light free to own until March 28th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/ghost-recon-breakpoint-is-free-to-play-until-march-30th-child-of-light-free-to-own-until-march-28th/
Ubisoft has announced that Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint is free to play from March 26th until March 30th. Moreover, the game is currently available for pre-load, so make sure to download it right now.
Ghost Recon Breakpoint will be free to play on both Epic Games Store and UPLAY. Naturally, your progress will transfer to the full game once – and if – you purchase it.
In addition, Child of Light is currently available for free. From today and until March 28th, PC gamers can acquire a free copy of the game by visiting this page. Do note that this is “free to own” offer, meaning that you will be able to keep the game yours for ever.

Steam has a new daily deal and a bunch of new weeklong deals:

• The daily deal is Magicka 2, 75% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/238370/Magicka_2/
• And here's a selection of weeklong deals:
  • Garden Paws is 20% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/840010/Garden_Paws/
  • The Early Access title Imagine Earth is 35% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/280720/Imagine_Earth/
  • Guard Duty has a 50% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/872750/Guard_Duty/
  • Block'hood is 75% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/416210/Blockhood/
  • And lastly there's StarCrawlers with a 90% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/318970/StarCrawlers/

The Humble Store has four new sales:

• The Survivalist Sale brings up to 75% discounts for the next 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/survivalist-sale/
• Tripware also has its games up to 75% off during the next 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/tripwire-publisher-sale/
• The Detective Hamble Sale offers up to 80% discounts for the next 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/detective-sale/
• And publisher Bigben offers its games up to 85% off for the next 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/bigben-publisher-sale/

Fanatical's Spring Sale has entered its Encore stage, meaning that it's about to end. To make it a bit more enticing, the new free game when spending 10 € or more is The Age of Decadence.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

NVIDIA GeForce 445.75 WHQL driver released, optimized for Half-Life: Alyx and Resident Evil 3 Remake
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/nvidia-geforce-442-75-whql-driver-released-optimized-for-half-life-alyx-and-resident-evil-3-remake/
NVIDIA has released a brand new driver for its graphics cards. According to the release notes, the NVIDIA GeForce 445.75 WHQL driver offers optimal gaming experience in Half-Life: Alyx. Moreover, it is optimized for both Resident Evil 3 Remake and Ghost Recon Breakpoint’s Ghost Experience. Not only that, but this new driver adds official support for DLSS 2.0 for both CONTROL and Mechwarrior 5. Furthermore, it adds or updates the SLI profiles for Turing GPUs.
>> Available from here.

MODS/EMULATORS

Here is Animal Crossing: New Horizons running on PC via the Nintendo Switch emulator, Ryujinx
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-is-animal-crossing-new-horizons-running-on-pc-via-the-nintendo-switch-emulator-ryujinx/
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a new Nintendo Switch game that came out a few days ago. And, surprisingly enough, this new major Nintendo Switch game can already run on the PC via the Ryujinx emulator.
YouTube’s ‘John GodGames Emus’ has shared three videos, showing the game running on the PC. In order to run the game, John GodGames Emus used a custom build of Ryujinx.
Now as you will immediately see, emulation is not perfect yet. However, let me remind you that Animal Crossing: New Horizons has just been released on Nintendo Switch. We’re talking about a day-1 release that already runs on the emulator. So yeah, this is an incredible achievement.

Unreal Evolution Mod released, improves enemy AI and graphics, refines gameplay elements and more
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/unreal-evolution-mod-released-improves-enemy-ai-and-graphics-refines-gameplay-elements-and-more/
Modder ‘|Totalitarian|’, creator of the GMDX mod for Deus Ex, has released a brand new gameplay mod for Unreal 1998. According to the modder, Unreal Evolution seeks to address the game’s gameplay issues and bring a high quality golden age game to the next level.
Players can expect tighter overall design through polished and enhanced weaponry/gunplay, smarter artificial intelligence and refined enemy placement. Furthermore, the mod packs an Enhanced Artistic Direction. As such, players can find new textures, effects and level details. However, do note that this is not a remaster or a remake of Unreal, so don’t expect major graphical improvements.
>> Available from ModDB.

GAMING NEWS

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint Title Update 2.0.0 detailed, full patch notes revealed
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/tom-clancys-ghost-recon-breakpoint-title-update-2-0-0-detailed-full-patch-notes-revealed/
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint Title Update 2.0.0 releases tomorrow, and Ubisoft has revealed its full patch notes. This new update will bring the promised Immersive Mode. Moreover, it will introduce a Splinter Cell Sam Fisher event.
>> That tomorrow is today.

Resident Evil 3 Remake New Game Plus, difficulty settings, game length and more
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/resident-evil-3-remake-new-game-plus-difficulty-settings-and-more/
Resident Evil 3 Remake fans, here is something for you today. Some new details have emerged from various Resident Evil 3 Remake interviews. In an interview with GamingBolt, Resident Evil 3 producer Peter Fabiano talked about Nemesis. In terms of visual design, the art director Yonghee Cho wanted to make Nemesis fit naturally in the re-imagined and photo-realistic Raccoon City.

Valve was only using Left 4 Dead 3 as an experimentation project for Source 2 Engine
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/valve-was-only-using-left-4-dead-3-as-an-experimentation-project-for-source-2-engine/
Left 4 Dead is a video-game series that a lot of PC gamers would love see it return. And, back in 2014, we shared some screenshots from a Left 4 Dead project in Source 2 Engine. Since then, we heard some rumours, however, Valve has denied all of them. And thankfully, Valve’s developers have shed some light on whether a new Left 4 Dead game is currently under development.

Generation Zero Major March Update adds Crafting, improves Inventory, fixes bugs and more
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/generation-zero-major-march-update-adds-crafting-improves-inventory-fixes-bugs-and-more/
Avalanche Studios has released a brand new major update for its open-world first-person survival game, Generation Zero. According to the release notes, the March Update adds Crafting and improves the game’s Inventory system.

Konami debunks the recent Sony PS5 Sillent Hill rumours: “they are not true”
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/konami-debunks-the-recent-sony-ps5-sillent-hill-rumours-they-are-not-true/
A few days ago, some rumours surfaced regarding the resurrection of the Silent Hill franchise. According to those rumours, Sony would purchase the IP from Konami. Furthermore, Kojima Productions was planning to work on a brand new Silent Hill game. However, Konami has debunked those rumours.

The Tuesday news, part two:

Legends of Runeterra is getting even more generous by making it easier to get new cards
https://www.pcgamer.com/legends-of-runeterra-is-getting-even-more-generous-by-making-it-easier-to-get-new-cards/
Legends of Runeterra is an excellent alternative to Hearthstone partly because it ditches costly booster packs for a much more generous progression system, and now that system is becoming even more giving. Regardless of whether you buy cards or only earn them through regular play, a March 31 update will overhaul the progression system by removing limits on spending and guaranteeing better rewards from the weekly chest.

Control is finally getting a respec function and a better map
https://www.pcgamer.com/control-is-finally-getting-a-respec-function-and-a-better-map/
The first expansion for Control, Remedy's tale of interdimensional weirdness in the world's most interesting office building, is set to come out on March 26. (...)
Also coming on March 26 is a new Control update that won't add expansion-like content, but will bring some welcome new features. The Shield Rush ability shown in the teaser below looks fun: Control is great for slamming people around, and there are few things that deliver a feeling of raw power quite so viscerally as pancaking someone with a wall.

Half-Life: Alyx's level designer would rather play Black Mesa than the original Half-Life
https://www.pcgamer.com/half-life-alyxs-level-designer-would-rather-play-black-mesa-than-the-original-half-life/
Last week I got to talk via Skype to two members of the Valve team about the VR-only Half-Life 2 prequel Half-Life: Alyx: Dario Casali, level designer at Valve who previously worked on the original Half-Life, Half-Life 2, and the Portal series, and Erik Wolpaw, co-writer of Alyx and the two Half-Life 2 episodes, as well as Portal 2.
I asked if Casali had gone back to play the original Half-Life games as inspiration while working on Half-Life: Alyx. (Earlier in the interview, he'd held up a shrink-wrapped copy of the original Half-Life to show me on camera). And he did play Half-Life again, he told me. But not to the end.

Valve explains why we still don't have Half-Life 3
https://www.pcgamer.com/valve-explains-why-we-still-dont-have-half-life-3/
Half-Life: Alyx is out today, it's a great VR game and a great Half-Life game, and perhaps best of all we don't have to stop joking about "Half-Life 3 confirmed!" because neither that nor the semi-sequel-ish Half-Life 2: Episode Three are still nowhere in sight. In an interview with IGN, level designer Dario Casali explained why, after 13 years, a proper Half-Life sequel still hasn't happened.

The response to Alyx will determine the role of VR in Half-Life's future, Valve says
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-response-to-alyx-will-determine-the-role-of-vr-in-half-lifes-future-valve-says/
After 13 years, there's a new Half-Life game. Half-Life: Alyx is great, but it's also a prequel, set five years before the cliffhanger events of 2007's Half-Life 2: Episode 2. We don't know how Gordon Freeman's story ends yet, but last week I did have a chance to ask Valve what it's doing next with Half-Life, after such a long break.
They did not, unfortunately, decide to casually confirm Half-Life 3. But I did learn that the form of the next Half-Life game is very much up in the air based on how Half-Life: Alyx is received.

Valve made Half-Life: Alyx less scary because fast zombies in VR aren't fun
https://www.pcgamer.com/valve-made-half-life-alyx-less-scary-because-fast-zombies-in-vr-arent-fun/
"It started scarier, for sure," level designer Dario Casali told GameSpot. "I was very respectful in not trying to push it too far, because I didn't want to lose a certain segment of people who might not have been able to continue."
That's also why you don't see the lunging-at-your-face fast headcrabs and fast zombies in Half-Life: Alyx: "The shock of having that guy come around the corner and latch onto you before you'd even know what was going on was just too much," Casali said.

The other VR games Valve was planning to make aren't in active development
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-other-vr-games-valve-was-planning-to-make-arent-in-active-development/
Those with excellent memories may remember Gabe Newell alluding to three Valve VR games back in 2017. That was long before Half-Life: Alyx was announced, and a lot can change in three years. As of now—and immediately following the release of Half-Life: Alyx—the company doesn't have two other VR games in active development.

As PUBG turns 3, plans are afoot for new maps, weapons and mechanics
https://www.pcgamer.com/as-pubg-turns-3-plans-are-afoot-for-new-maps-weapons-and-mechanics/
PUBG celebrates its third birthday today, and in a new blogpost, PUBG Corp has vaguely outlined its plans for the year ahead. While the game's next big 6.2 update is still on test servers, and includes a reworked Vikendi map and Team Deathmatch, more "map reworks, new maps, new weapons and mechanics" are also afoot.

Epic Games Store reveals another bunch of exclusives coming this year
https://www.pcgamer.com/epic-games-store-reveals-another-bunch-of-exclusives-coming-this-year/
With spring now (technically) upon us, Epic Games has revealed a list of new exclusives coming this year to its store. Some of them, like Sludge Life and Among Trees, we're at least passingly familiar with, while others are appearing on our radar for the first time.

Call of Duty: Warzone is getting a new Operator and 4 more weapons today
https://www.pcgamer.com/call-of-duty-warzone-is-getting-a-new-operator-and-4-more-weapons-today/
It's going to be a busy day for Call of Duty, as both Modern Warfare and Warzone are about to receive updates, which include a new dog-wielding Operator available in both games.

Risk of Rain 2 brings back artifacts in next week's update
https://www.pcgamer.com/risk-of-rain-2-brings-back-artifacts-in-next-weeks-update/
Risk of Rain 2 is a game all about collecting ridiculously powerful combinations of items while blasting through neverending waves of enemies. Its next update, coming March 31, brings back the Artifact system from the first game, which can be used to make each run even wilder.

Plague Inc. creators donate $250,000 to fight coronavirus
https://www.pcgamer.com/plague-inc-creators-donate-dollar250000-to-fight-coronavirus/
The makers of Plague, Inc. have made a $250,000 donation to aid in the fight against coronavirus, Ndemic Creations announced yesterday. The donation is being split between two organizations: CEPI, the Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the World Health Organisation’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

Minecraft is getting free educational worlds to help kids stuck inside
https://www.pcgamer.com/minecraft-is-getting-free-educational-worlds-to-help-kids-stuck-inside/
With schools shutting down all over the world due to the coronavirus outbreak, Microsoft is adding a new category to the Minecraft Marketplace that contains free educational worlds. This curated list comes from Minecraft: Education Edition, the version of the game designed for use in classrooms.

Let's go with another round of news:

SALES & DEALS

Stylish RPG Child of Light is free-to-keep at the moment
https://www.pcgamer.com/stylish-rpg-child-of-light-is-free-to-keep-at-the-moment/
Released in 2014, Child of Light was a charming sidescrolling RPG developed by Ubisoft Montreal and directed by Patrick Plourde of Assassin's Creed 2 and Far Cry 3 fame. Ubisoft is currently giving it away, and if you grab it before March 28 you'll be able to keep it forever.
>> Talking about free games, here are some free games on Steam (quality may vary):

• 2DGameManias Taken: https://store.steampowered.com/app/822550/2DGameManias_Taken/
• Bomber Barn (the name gives a clue as to what expect): https://store.steampowered.com/app/982840/Bomber_Barn/
• Simple Story - Alex is free until March 30: https://store.steampowered.com/app/814200/Simple_Story__Alex/
• And Nephise Begins will also become free for a limited time later today: https://store.steampowered.com/app/628950/Nephise_Begins/

Steam has two new sales as well as new Midweek Madness deals:

• The new daily deal is Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition, 75% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/704450/Neverwinter_Nights_Enhanced_Edition/
• The Endless franchise is on sale, up to 75% off until the end of the week: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/endless_weekend
• Developer Avalanche has its games up to 90% off until March 30, and the game theHunter: Call of the Wild is free to try for the next 4 days: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/avalanche
• And these are the Midweek Madness deals:
  • Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus is 60% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/673880/Warhammer_40000_Mechanicus/
  • The Dark Cult Bundle, with 5 games that are also individually discounted, is 66% off: https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/13522/The_Dark_Cult_Bundle/
  • Star Control: Origins gets a 67% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/271260/Star_Control_Origins/
  • And DiRT Rally 2.0 is 60% off... until April 6th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/690790/DiRT_Rally_20/

The Humble Store has three new sales:

• The Warhammer: Vermintide 2 franchise is up to 75% off for the next 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/warhammer-vermintide-franchise-sale/
• Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey is 50% off for the next 7 days. Remember that it's for the Epic Store: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/ancestors-the-humankind-odyssey
• And NBA 2K20 is between 50 and 75% off for the next 7 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/nba2k20-weekly-deal/

And Fanatical's new free with when purchasing 10 € or more is Homebrew - Patent Unknown.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Collabora and Microsoft introduce OpenCL 1.2 and OpenGL 3.3 on DirectX 12
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/collabora-and-microsoft-introduce-opencl-1-2-and-opengl-3-3-on-directx-12/
Collabora has announced that it has partnered with Microsoft DirectX engineers to build OpenCL and OpenGL mapping layers, in order to bring OpenCL 1.2 and OpenGL 3.3 support to all Windows and DirectX 12 enabled devices.
According to the team, this work builds on a lot of previous work. First and foremost, it is building this by using Mesa 3D, with the Gallium interface as the base for the OpenGL layer, and NIR as the base for the OpenCL compiler. Collabora is also using LLVM and the SPIRV-LLVM-Translator from Khronos as the compiler front-end.
In addition, the team is taking advantage of Microsoft’s experience in creating their D3D12 Translation Layer. Moreover, it will take advantage of its own experience from developing Zink.

Unity is giving away hundreds of hours of premium tutorials because of the coronavirus
https://www.pcgamer.com/unity-is-giving-away-hundreds-of-hours-of-premium-tutorials-because-of-the-coronavirus/
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Unity is giving away three months of access to Unity Learn Premium, an enormous repository of high-quality tutorials and courses that will teach you everything from coding to game design and art. If you've always dreamed of making your own game and, like a lot of us, suddenly have too much free time on your hands, this is the perfect opportunity to get started.

Nvidia’s making ray-traced lighting easier for everyone, even AMD
https://www.pcgamer.com/nvidia-rtx-global-illumination-sdk/
Nvidia’s RTX Global Illumination SDK v1.0 (RTXGI) is now available to developers. Included in the new ray tracing toolkit are the tools necessary for scalable lighting solutions in-game across any DXR-enabled GPU—including Pascal cards— without “prohibitive run-time performance requirements”.
(...)
RTXGI will run on any DXR-enabled GPU. That’s any graphics card capable of Microsoft’s DirectX Raytracing API now included with the DirectX 12 Ultimate specification. With AMD also working on its DXR-compatible graphics cards later this year in the shape of RDNA 2.0—coming to a PC (and console) near you by the holiday season—this would suggest Nvidia’s SDK will offer scalable global illumination to team red, too.
>> We'll see if those claims are honest or get changed once the new cards launch.

MODS/EMULATORS

Ultimate Trainer Mod for Resident Evil 3 Remake lets your disable Vignette, change FOV and more
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/ultimate-trainer-mod-for-resident-evil-3-remake-lets-your-disable-vignette-change-fov-and-more/
Modder ‘Raz0r’ has released a must-have trainer for Resident Evil 3 Remake. This Ultimate Trainer is compatible with the demo version and lets you disable the really annoying Vignette graphics effect. It also brings a FOV setting, as well as Height and Zoom options.
Alongside these must-have tweaks, the trainer allows you to adjusts player speed and player size. It can also enable an auto-dodge mode, as well as a god mode.
As with most trainers, it can also allow you to make changes to the game’s difficulty, allow you to walk through walls and lets you fast-forward cutscenes. You can also enable a manual flashlight, enable Quick Saves, disable recoil and more.
>> You can get it from Nexus Mods. Also, check the article for three other mods that bring new outfits and a (very shaky) video of an upcoming first person mod.

GAMING NEWS

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint runs significantly faster in Vulkan on both NVIDIA & AMD GPUs
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/tom-clancys-ghost-recon-breakpoint-runs-significantly-faster-in-vulkan-on-both-nvidia-amd-gpus/
It appears that Ubisoft has been utilizing low-level APIs to its latest titles. Today, the French company added Vulkan support to Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint. And, according to some first third-party benchmarks, the game runs significantly faster in this new API.

Here are 53 minutes of brand new gameplay footage from Wasteland 3
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-53-minutes-of-brand-new-gameplay-footage-from-wasteland-3/
inXile Entertainment has launched that Closed Beta phase for Wasteland 3. Therefore, below you can find a video showing 53 minutes of gameplay footage from it. This video showcases the game’s player customization, as well as its opening combat area.

Samurai Shodown is coming to the PC in Spring 2020 via the Epic Games Store
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/samurai-shodown-is-coming-to-the-pc-in-spring-2020-via-the-epic-games-store/
Epic Games has revealed that Samurai Shodown will be coming to the PC in Spring 2020. Moreover, this fighting game will be exclusive to the Epic Games Store. Yeah, a niche game on a niche digital store, what can go wrong, right?

No, Sony has not removed the “Only on Playstation” tag from God of War, does not hint at a PC release
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/no-sony-has-not-removed-the-only-on-playstation-tag-from-god-of-war-does-not-hint-at-a-pc-release/
Last night, a rumor surfaced about the removal of a “Only on Playstation” tag. While we’ve already debunked that rumor, it appears that some websites are already reporting on this fake rumor. Therefore, and since we were the ones that did all the investigation, we’ve decided to tell you what is really going on.
This rumor originates from Twitter user “AP”. AP found out that the US PSN Store page of God of War does not feature the “Only on Playstation” tag and assumed that Sony had removed it. However, God of War never had a “Only on Playstation” tag.

The Division 2 Update 8.4 released, brings gameplay and balance changes, fixes numerous bugs
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/the-division-2-update-8-4-released-brings-gameplay-and-balance-changes-fixes-numerous-bugs/
Ubisoft has released a brand new update for Tom Clancy’s The Division 2. According to the release notes, Title Update 8.4 brings several gameplay and balance tweaks. Moreover, it packs numerous bug fixes.

Avalance Studios has released a teaser trailer for a new unannounced first-person shooter game
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/avalance-studios-has-released-a-teaser-trailer-for-a-new-first-person-shooter-game/
Avalanche Studios has announced that the creation of a self-publishing brand, Systemic Reaction. Systemic Reaction is responsible for Generation Zero, and has released a teaser trailer for its upcoming unannounced game.

First gameplay trailer released for The Wonderful 101: Remastered
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/first-gameplay-trailer-released-for-the-wonderful-101-remastered/
PlatinumGames has released the first official gameplay trailer for The Wonderful 101: Remastered. This trailer will give you a small idea of what you can expect from this new game.

Today's news, second part:

HDR in Doom Eternal is hell, and not in a good way
https://www.pcgamer.com/hdr-in-doom-eternal-is-hell-and-not-in-a-good-way/
Doom Eternal is out, and while it shipped without support for real-time ray tracing, the developers did implement an HDR toggle. The only problem is, HDR appears to be partially busted at the moment.

Fantasy 4X game Endless Legend is free to play on Steam for a week
https://www.pcgamer.com/fantasy-4x-game-endless-legend-is-free-to-play-on-steam-for-a-week/
Endless Legend is a fantasy 4Xer, released in 2014, that provides a unique blend of strategy and "narrative flair," as we said in February. If that sounds like something you'd like to try, you'll be happy to know that from now until March 30, it's fully free to play on Steam.

Valve is 'looking forward' to mods that remove VR from Half-Life: Alyx
https://www.pcgamer.com/valve-is-looking-forward-to-mods-that-remove-vr-from-half-life-alyx/
In an interview with VGC, Valve's Robin Walker, lead designer of Team Fortress 2 and programmer on Half-Life: Alyx, says a mod that removes VR from HL:A isn't a bad idea at all.
>> And here you can see a teacher giving a geometry lesson in the game thanks to the immense interactivity that the game offers.

Here are the free Hearthstone decks being given to new and returning players
https://www.pcgamer.com/here-are-the-free-hearthstone-decks-being-given-to-new-and-returning-players/
Starting on March 26, new Hearthstone players and those returning after at least four months away will be given a free deck from a class of their choice, built with cards from the Year of the Dragon, when they log into the game. Blizzard said it hopes the initiative "will help players feel empowered to jump right in and experience the latest of what Hearthstone has to offer!"

Outer Wilds, the acclaimed outer space camping adventure, comes to Steam in June
https://www.pcgamer.com/outer-wilds-the-acclaimed-outer-space-camping-adventure-comes-to-steam-in-june/
Outer Wilds is an exploration adventure/camping trip across strange worlds orbiting a star that goes supernova every 20 minutes. It's weird, yes, but it's also very good: "Charming and inventive," Phil said in his 89/100 review, and hiding "a cleverly unfolding mystery." It launched as a timed exclusive on the Epic Games Store in May 2019 with a promise of "additional platforms coming later," and now it's official: Outer Wilds will go live on Steam on June 18.

Borderlands 3 characters will get a big late-game boost later this week
https://www.pcgamer.com/borderlands-3-characters-will-get-a-big-late-game-boost-later-this-week/
With the second Borderlands 3 expansion, Guns, Love, and Tentacles: The Marriage of Wainwright and Hammerlock, set to go live in just a couple of days, publisher 2K Games has announced details about the next level cap increase, which will go live alongside the expansion. Following the update, players will be able to take their characters to level 57, which will unlock two capstone skills instead of just one, which should provide "a huge surge of power for endgame players and unlock all kinds of new build possibilities."

GDC 2020 talks are now free for everyone
https://www.pcgamer.com/gdc-2020-talks-are-now-free-for-everyone/
Despite the announcement on February 28 that this year's Game Developers Conference would be indefinitely postponed as part of the global response to the coronavirus pandemic, some talks from the original March 16-20 schedule still went ahead. These pre-recorded Virtual Talks, on various topics impacting game design and development, were originally streamed on GDC's Twitch channel last week, and have now been made available for anyone to view—for free—either on Twitch or via the GDC Vault.
>> Good news for those that are interested in it and for those that have insomnia and want something that makes then sleep :P.

Rogue Company shows its grit in new gameplay trailer
https://www.pcgamer.com/rogue-company-shows-its-grit-in-new-gameplay-trailer/
Rogue Company—the upcoming third-person multiplayer shooter from Hi-Rez Studios, which promises an antiheroic twist on co-op PvP games—premiered its first gameplay trailer today.

The book "The Eyes of Darkness" from 1981 is being tied to Coronavirus based on it's plot, which has some similarities, like an outbreak in Wuhan which has a lab called RDNA. That's not the real name of the lab though, which has changed names over time.

Just found it ironic that AMD's new Radeon GPU arch that launched late last year is called RDNA. I'm not buying into the conspiracy stuff or trying to say it's somehow tied to it btw, but when I read RDNA, my mind immediately went to AMD, PS5, XBSX.

Apparently Corona Extra has mentioned their sales have gone up a bit due to Corona being said more often. AMD probably wouldn't mind an indirect boost either, mind you, if it's based off a conspiracy theory, not sure if they would get the same boost, or quite the opposite.

I'm sure many have seen the logo of that Wuhan lab that resembles the one from Umbrella, but I don't think many know/remember the name. Not only that, but I don't think I've seen any news report mentioning that lab either (tho I have to say that I'm saturated by the constant talk about it and I've started to spend less and less time paying attention).

I don't think AMD will see benefit from all of this, and I've seen other reports from Corona stating that they're selling less because there's a lot of stupid people that think the beer is related to the virus.

The Thursday news:

SALES & DEALS

Figment, Tormentor x Punisher and World War Z are available for free on Epic Games Store
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/figment-tormentor-x-punisher-and-world-war-z-are-available-for-free-on-epic-games-store/
Epic Games has announced that Figment, Tormentor x Punisher and World War Z are currently available for free on Epic Games Store. From today and until April 2nd, PC gamers can visit their EGS pages and acquire their free copies.
>> World War Z wasn't announced, but it's a welcome surprise. Next week the free games will be Hob and Gone Home.

Steam has Killing Floor 2 67% off for the next 5 days: https://store.steampowered.com/app/232090/Killing_Floor_2/

The Humble Store has 4 new sales:

• The Yakuza franchise is up to 75% off for the next 3 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/yakuza-franchise-sale/
• The different editions of Red Dead Redemption 2 are between 20 and 40% off during the next 6 days, all the keys are for the Epic Store: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/red-dead-redemption-2-weekly-deal/
• Borderlands 3 (for the Epic Store) is between 20 and 50% off for the next 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/borderlands-3-sale/
• The Endless franchise is up to 75% off for the next 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/endless-franchise-sale/

And Fanatical has a new Star Deal: Borderlands 3 - Super Deluxe Edition is 55% off for the next 24 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/borderlands-3-super-deluxe-edition
And the new game for puchases over 10 € is Tales from Candlekeep: Tomb of Annihilation

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Unity releases cloud-based Unity Game Simulation, reducing the time and cost associated with pre-launch testing
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/unity-releases-cloud-based-unity-game-simulation-reducing-the-time-and-cost-associated-with-pre-launch-testing/
Unity Technologies has launched Unity Game Simulation, a service that enables game studios to complement their pre-launch playtests through the power of Cloud Simulation. The solution was released today as part of the Google for Games Developer Summit and is now available in open beta, which includes a free trial.
As the press release reads, Unity Game Simulation significantly reduces the time and cost associated with pre-launch testing. Unity’s solution achieves this by simulating millions of game playthroughs quickly and accurately on the cloud. Ultimately, this will help game studios of all sizes and budgets achieve their desired game balance. By launching on Google Cloud, Unity is also able to operate the Unity Game Simulation service at scale, resulting in higher stability, elevated security, and continuous integration & delivery.

MODS/EMULATORS

Dark Souls 3 Champion’s Ashes is a gameplay and combat overhaul mod that is available for download
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/dark-souls-3-champions-ashes-is-a-gameplay-and-combat-overhaul-mod-that-is-available-for-download/
Modders ‘Halvard’ ‘Gabri’ and ‘Angeluso’ have released a gameplay and combat overhaul mod for Dark Souls 3. ASHES is a complete gameplay overhaul for Dark Souls III, intended to competitively balance PVP. Experiment with restored and original weapons, movesets, rings and more. However, we should note that this mod will get you banned, so use it at your own risk.
ASHES is a permanent fix for PVP and to completely replace vanilla. It is a huge, quality-of-life fix that creates a complex and challenging PVP experience.
According to the modders, the original game emphasizes reactivity to the point where people have become frustrated with its PVP. In ASHES, however, you will find PVP more aggressive and rewarding through numerous changes.
Again, its modding team has stated that Bandai Namco will ban you when using this mod. Therefore, you should make alternative Family Share Steam accounts. After you have set up another account, you can easily download and install the files onto your game, without fear of getting banned on your main account. You can find a guide for setting up a Family Share account here. Once Bandai Namco bans you, you can play online on the banned servers.
>> If you still want to try it, you can download it from https://www.nexusmods.com/darksouls3/mods/488" target="_blank">Nexus Mods.

This terrifying Resident Evil 3 Remake mod turns every enemy into Nemesis
https://www.pcgamer.com/this-terrifying-resident-evil-3-remake-mod-turns-every-enemy-into-nemesis/
Resident Evil 3 Remake looks excellent and all, don't get me wrong. But I'm not sure I can handle the stress of facing Nemesis. So a recent mod for the Resident Evil 3 Remake demo—the full game isn't even out yet—makes me very anxious indeed. It turns every enemy into Nemesis.
Actually, the result isn't that stressful, it's also pretty funny. In their sheer, diabolical abundance, the crowding tyrants actually look kinda pathetic. You can see a video of the mod in action below, but be warned that it has spoilers for the demo, of course.
This mod is the work of FluffyQuack, who has built their own mod manager, which you can find here. Given how many amusing mods have emerged for Resident Evil 2 Remake, I expect this new instalment to get a similar treatment. If someone could turn Nemesis into, say, a kitten, I'd appreciate that. Thanks.

Resident Evil 2 Remake looks even more horrifying with raytracing
https://www.pcgamer.com/resident-evil-2-remake-looks-even-more-horrifying-with-raytracing/
If you thought Resident Evil 2 Remake needed to be a little spookier, then you should keep an eye on a new work-in-progress raytracing mod, which overhauls lighting and shadows to give the game a much darker feel.
You can watch a side-by-side comparison between the base game and the modded version above, courtesy of Massihancer, who has also made a raytracing mod for Doom 2016. The film grain effect won't be for everyone, but I love how light sources cast less of a glow, leaving more of the room in darkness, and how the new shaders seem to pick out environmental details more clearly. It's most obvious at 1:57, when Leon casts a torch over a ravaged zombie's face.

GAMING NEWS

Here are 10 minutes of gameplay footage from the Cyberpunk-themed RPG, Gamedec
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-10-minutes-of-gameplay-footage-from-cyberpunk-themed-rpg-gamedec/
Anshar Studios has released a new video, showing 10 minutes of gameplay footage from Gamedec. Gamedec is an isometric story-driven, cyberpunk-themed, adaptive RPG that is coming to the PC in 2020. Moreover, the team launched a Kickstarter campaign for it.

Here is Half-Life: Alyx being played with mouse and keyboard, and without a VR headset
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-is-half-life-alyx-being-played-with-mouse-and-keyboard-and-without-a-vr-headset/
Half-Life: Alyx is the latest Half-Life VR game from Valve. The game came out three days ago and it took 2 days until PC gamers were able to run it without a VR headset. Yeap, you read that right; there is a way to play Half-Life: Alyx without a VR headset.
>> It didn't take long.

First gameplay trailer released for Hi-Rez’s cross-platform team shooter. Rogue Company
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/first-gameplay-trailer-released-for-hi-rezs-cross-platform-team-shooter-rogue-company/
Hi-Rez Studios and First Watch Games have released the first gameplay trailer for their cross-platform team shooter, Rogue Company. Rogue Company promises to deliver action, tactics and a whole lot of attitude. Moreover, this trailer reveals Rogue Company’s energetic gameplay and third-person, action movie flair.

New gameplay trailer released for Bright Memory Infinite
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/new-gameplay-trailer-released-for-bright-memory-infinite/
FYQD Personal Studio has released a brand new gameplay trailer for Bright Memory Infinite. Bright Memory Infinite is the evolution of Bright Memory: Episode 1. Basically, it’s a full length remaster of Bright Memory.

Report: Don’t expect any Grand Theft Auto 6 news for a while
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/report-dont-expect-any-grand-theft-auto-6-news-for-a-while/
A rumor about Grand Theft Auto 6 surfaced earlier this week. According to that rumor, Rockstar would unveil the next GTA game yesterday. However, and as you know by now, Rockstar has not revealed anything at all. And while some believe that we may get some GTA6 news later this week, Kotaku’s Jason Schreier claimed that we won’t hear about the next GTA game for a while.
>> Anyone expecting news for a new GTA in the short term is dumb, imho.

Fallout 76 Wastelanders Update slightly delayed, now releasing on April 14th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/fallout-76-wastelanders-update-slightly-delayed-now-releasing-on-april-14th/
Bethesda has just announced that Fallout 76’s massive new update, Wastelanders, will be slightly delayed. This update was originally meant to come out on April 7th. However, Bethesda has decided to delay it until April 14th.

Epic Games signs a publishing deal with Remedy, Playdead and the creators of The Last Guardian
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/epic-games-signs-a-publishing-deal-with-remedy-playdead-and-the-creators-of-the-last-guardian/
Epic Games has announced that it will publish new titles from Gen Design (creators of The Last Guardian) Playdead and Remedy Entertainment. The projects will be released under Epic Games Publishing, a new multiplatform publishing effort with a developer-first approach.

The Thursday news, part two:

Half-Life: Alyx adds continuous turn option
https://www.pcgamer.com/half-life-alyx-smooth-turning/
The first things many players did in Half-Life: Alyx—even before drawing on windows and putting traffic cones on their heads—was dive into the settings menu to adjust their VR movement options. And Valve supplied a number of choices: blink motion (which lets you teleport with a brief screen fade), shift motion (teleporting with no fade), continuous (moving around based on your head orientation), and continuous hand (moving based on your hand orientation).

In the Valley of Gods remains on hold following Half-Life: Alyx launch
https://www.pcgamer.com/in-the-valley-of-gods-remains-on-hold-following-half-life-alyx-launch/
Announced in 2017, In the Valley of Gods was planned as developer Campo Santo's follow-up to their acclaimed 2016 debut, Firewatch.
(...)
In an interview with PCGamesN, former Campo Santo team member Chris Remo confirmed that the game is still "on hold for the time being."

Try The Council, a really good game of 18th-century intrigue, for free on Steam
https://www.pcgamer.com/try-the-council-a-really-good-game-of-18th-century-intrigue-for-free-on-steam/
The Council is a narrative adventure game about a secret meetup between historical figures from the 18th century on a private island off the coast of England. Guests include Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, various other aristocrats and potentates, and you. You're actually not entirely out of place: Your mother is the powerful founder of the mystic secret society known as the Golden Order. She was attending the meeting as well, but she's missing—and so you've arrived to search for her, while navigating countless intertwining narratives and intrigues.
>> And it's also 70% off.

Killing Floor 2's new update adds a new map, weapons, and sweet retro beats
https://www.pcgamer.com/killing-floor-2s-new-update-adds-a-new-map-weapons-and-sweet-retro-beats/
Everything is better with neon and retrowave. (And if you don't believe me, just take a look at this.) It's a philosophy that Tripwire Interactive has now embraced in its long-running multiplayer zombie shootfest Killing Floor 2 with the release of the Neon Nightmares spring update, which includes a new map, a pair of new weapons, and some very stylish cosmetics.

Ghost Recon Breakpoint is free for the weekend
https://www.pcgamer.com/ghost-recon-breakpoint-is-free-for-the-weekend/
We did not like Ghost Recon Breakpoint when it released, but:

1. It'll be free on the Epic Store and Uplay from Thursday until Monday.
2. An update just added Immersive Mode, which reworks the loot system we criticized and adds several new settings so you can customize the HUD, health regen, stamina regen, and other variables.
3. It has four-player co-op.
4. If you want, you can pretend it's based on 1991 Keanu Reeves thriller Point Break, and see where that takes you.

The latest Dead Cells patch adds a Half-Life crowbar
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-latest-dead-cells-patch-adds-a-half-life-crowbar/
To celebrate the launch of Half-Life: Alyx, Dead Cells has just received a small update adding a new weapon, skin and diet themed around the Half-Life universe. The weapon, of course, is the crowbar, which doles out critical hits immediately after breaking a door or "breakable prop". That's available right now, and may or may not be a desperate bid to secure free Index kits from Valve.

Torchlight 3's new Sharpshooter class is a master of the bow and summoning magic
https://www.pcgamer.com/torchlight-3s-new-sharpshooter-class-is-a-master-of-the-bow-and-summoning-magic/
Torchlight 3, the action-RPG formerly known as Torchlight Frontiers, is currently in closed alpha testing and slated to go live later this year. When it does, one of the new classes it will feature will be the Sharpshooter, revealed today as a long-range class that uses bows and guns to take out enemies from long range, backed by magical trinkets and a casual disregard for the rules.

The composer for Dark Souls 3 and Sekiro is also working on Elden Ring
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-composer-for-dark-souls-3-and-sekiro-is-also-working-on-elden-ring/
Veteran From Software composer Yuka Kitamura has quietly confirmed she is working on Elden Ring, the studio's forthcoming open world RPG developed in collaboration with George R R Martin. Asked on Twitter whether she's working on the forthcoming game, Kitamura replied in the affirmative.

Gearbox Software co-founder Landon Montgomery has died
https://www.pcgamer.com/gearbox-software-co-founder-landon-montgomery-has-died/
Landon Montgomery, co-founder of Gearbox Software, has died. The news was confirmed by the official Gearbox Software Twitter account earlier today.
"We are heartbroken after learning today of the passing of one of our co-founders, Landon Montgomery," the statement reads. "In our earliest years, Landon played a big role in helping to set our path. We will always be thankful and remember him for being a part of our lives. During this trying time, our thoughts, support, and affection are with those who were closest to him."
>> D.E.P.

PlatinumGames is promising a big reveal on April 1
https://www.pcgamer.com/platinumgames-is-promising-a-big-reveal-on-april-1/
PlatinumGames plans to unveil its next big project on April 1—and it doesn't sound like an April Fools Day' ruse. It's the fourth and final part of Platinum 4, a series of announcements that has so far yielded a PC remaster of the 2003 Wii U game The Wonderful 101, a new giant hero game called Project GG, and the opening of a new studio in Tokyo. A cryptic tweet from the studio tells fans to "look to the stars on 04.01 for more".

BioWare is developing a new game in one of its 'most prestigious franchises'
https://www.pcgamer.com/bioware-is-developing-a-new-game-in-one-of-its-most-prestigious-franchises/
BioWare is hiring for the "next major title in one of [our] most prestigious franchises", a job posting on EA's website has revealed (hat tip, Segment Next).
The company's Edmonton branch is looking for a technical director with "AAA multiplayer games on PC or console" to work on the new game, as well as across the studio's projects.

Beyond The Wire is a new, multiplayer WW1 shooter published by Squad devs
https://www.pcgamer.com/beyond-the-wire-is-a-new-multiplayer-ww1-shooter-published-by-squad-devs/
Canadian developer Redstone Interactive has revealed Beyond the Wire, a First World War FPS that's heavy on trench warfare and supports matches of up to 100 players. It's being published by Offworld Industries, the studio behind military sim Squad, and it's coming to Steam Early Access later this year.

Can't remember if some of it was photo shopped or not but apparently that logo was debunked and was from another business/building that wasn't related. There is a lab just outside of Wuhan, and apparently it expanded fairly recently.

The one site showed a tweet that was from one of the Corona Extra execs I believe. Could be BS because the opposite is true maybe and they are damage controlling, even though in this case they did nothing wrong.

rDNA is actually a legit medical acronym, which is probably where the initial idea came from, but the book uses all caps by the looks of it like AMD did.

Even if sales picked up, could TSMC keep up with the demand right now with how bad things are over there? Maybe, maybe not.