Okay, I think it's time to finally replace my GPU casing.

The middle fan (3 fans total) is giving out, and each time it gives out, the other two fans auto ramp up in speed, and MSI AB cannot control nor turn the fans off when that happens, leading to me actually having to take off the side panel, and jerry rig the middle fan into moving again, thus returning fan speeds to their normal curve.

Decided that I'll probably order the ACCELERO III or IV fan casing, since it's for my 1080ti, and those that have used the ACCELERO brand with those 1080ti's have all reported better temps (idle and 100%) and lower noise values (which my current GPU sounds horrendous at even 40% fan speed).

xenia huh? that can't be a coincidence

I have ARCTIC Accelero Xtreme III on my GeForce 1080.  When it was in my main computer had a waterblock on it but when I moved it to old computer did not want to bother with water-cooling. 

Installing the heatsinks on the memory is a huge pain and make sure you give it plenty of time to dry.  I had a few of them fall out when I was installing it into computer.  I did not bother putting them back on. 

I stress test it and no crashes from memory/vrm over heating.  It does a good job keeping the actual GPU cool (at least for air cooling).

I not done any prolong testing with it other then initial stress testing since that computer don't really get use for gamming unless I have someone over that using it and with covid that not happen since I put the 1080 back in that computer.

Apple mixed-reality headset to have two 8K displays, cost $3,000 – The Information

https://9to5mac.com/2021/02/04/apple-mixed-reality-headset/

There have been talk about Apple doing some sort of a headset. I doubt it will work with non Apple PCs natively and the idea of having 8k display that tiny in a year or two sounds like BS. Especially at $3000 while being an apple product.

But if it is real... I am certainly interested.

2 x 8K? So 2 x 7640 x 4320 = 66 MegaPixel per frame or ~6 GigaPixel per second?

Ouch!

Even the 20 MegaPixel per frame or ~1.8 GigaPixel per second to get the best out of my current VR-headset is too much for my new PC... maybe with a RTX 4080/4090 in two years.

How did I not know about this sooner?!

Even with a 4090, we gonna need DLSS to run it at acceptable frames loll

Just as some additional information, the increase from Intel comes mostly from the low-end, as in Pentium and especially Atom chips, many of which aparently went into chromebooks.

The same increase however didn't happen on the mid-range or high-end market. As a result, after the curious blip last month (in December, intel processors in the 2.7-3ghz range had an almost 50% increase, which is gone again now), AMD is back to stealing market share from Intel, reaching 28% market share under Windows and 33.5% under Linux.

Speaking about steam and stock issues, Polaris, Vega and 1st gen Navi all have quite big increases, probably all due to the fact that they were actually available to buy...

The Friday news! Yay!

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Metro: Last Light Redux and For The King are free on Epic Games Store
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/metro-last-light-redux-and-for-the-king-are-free-on-epic-games-store/
Epic Games has announced that Metro: Last Light Redux and For The King are free on Epic Games Store. From today and until February 11th, PC gamers can visit their EGS pages and acquire their free copies.
>> I already have both of them. For the King from a previous giveaway at the EGS and Metro was also given away during the Winter Sale at GOG. Oh, well, next week the free game will be Halcyon 6 Lightspeed Edition.

According to a community poll, approximately two million copies of Cyberpunk 2077 have been refunded
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/according-to-a-community-poll-approximately-two-million-copies-of-cyberpunk-2077-have-been-refunded/
It’s been more than a month since the release of Cyberpunk 2077. Since then, the game has sold more than thirteen million copies, despite the messy launch.
These are almost half of The Witcher 3 sales within a month. The Witcher 3 sold more than twenty-eight million copies, and it’s a six year old game with a Netflix show, and a long list of books.
(...)
According to a community poll created by Upper Echelon Gamers, approximately two million copies of Cyberpunk 2077 have been refunded.
Be aware that this data is not one hundred percent precise. It is simply a rough estimate, solely based on Youtube community polling, which is completely anonymous.
>> Huge number of refunds... if you believe that number, of course.

Call of Duty maintained 100 million monthly players in 2020
https://www.pcgamer.com/call-of-duty-maintained-100-million-monthly-players-in-2020/
As the sky is blue and water is wet, a lot of people are playing Call of Duty. And thanks to the explosive popularity of the free-to-play Call of Duty: Warzone, the series' player numbers are holding strong going into 2021. Activision had as much to share in its latest earnings call. Throughout the last months of 2020, Call of Duty sustained over 100 million monthly players.
That number is assumedly shared by every CoD title that still has an online community (and surely includes console players as well as PC) but the lion's share of that pool naturally belongs to Warzone and Black Ops - Cold War. We learned in December that Warzone alone blew past 85 million players since its March 2020 launch.

There are three new deals at Humble:

• There's a new Humble Bundle, the Asmodee Digital Tabletop 2gether Bundle with 19 games to grab during the next 13 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/asmodee-tabletop-2gether
• And at the Humble Store there are two new sales:
  • Planet Zoo and its DLCs are up to 50% off during the next 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/planet-zoo-franchise-sale/
  • And the Tom Clancy franchise is up to 75% off during the next 6 days. The keys are for UPlay: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/tom-clancy-franchise-sale/

Fanatical has five new deals:

• The new Star Deal is Project CARS - Game Of The Year Edition, 92% off for the next 24 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/project-cars-game-of-the-year-edition
• Focus Home Interactive has put its games up to 81% off during t he next 5 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/focus-home-interactive
• Publisher Jackbox Games has its games on sale, up to 45% off: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/jackbox-games-inc.
• Publisher Aspyr has also put its games on sale, up to 90% off: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/aspyr
• And the METAL SLUG PACK, with 4 games, comes back with a 50% discount during the next 14 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/metal-slug-pack

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Yakuza 3 Remastered Mod restores licensed music and uncesors the game
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/yakuza-3-remastered-mod-restores-licensed-music-and-uncesors-the-game/
Yakuza 3 Remastered is now available on the PC, and “Canzah” and “Slow” have released a must-have mod for it. According to the modders, this mod restores the licensed music that was cut from the western version of the game, implements higher quality videos from the PS3 version and uncensors the game.
Going into more details, the songs that this mod restores are “Loser”, “Omoi Ga Afuretara” and “Jikan yo Tomare” by Japanese singer “Eikichi Yazawa”. It also restores “Don Quixote Theme” of the Japanese discount chain store “Don Quijote”.
Additionally, the mod replaces all the pre-rendered videos with the original ones from PS3. These videos are of higher quality than their PS4/PC counterparts.
>> You can get it from Nexus Mods.

Modders are working on a Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake in Metal Gear Solid 5
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/modders-are-working-on-a-metal-gear-solid-3-remake-in-metal-gear-solid-5/
Reddit’s member ‘BeesWX ‘ is currently working on a Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake Mod in Metal Gear Solid 5. And while this project is in a really early stage, the modder has shared two screenshots from it.
As BeesWX noted, he and his friend are currently remaking all the stages from the virtuous mission. The duo is using foxkit in order to remake these maps (with as much more detail as possible) in Metal Gear Solid 5.
Once there is some good content in this fan remake, the duo might release a teaser mod so that players can download and play.
>> How long until Konami pulls the plug on this?

GAMING NEWS

Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood gets a launch trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/werewolf-the-apocalypse-earthblood-gets-a-launch-trailer/
Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood has been released exclusively to the Epic Games Store. There are two version of the game. The basic version costs fourty dollars, and the “Champion of Gaia” version costs fifty dollars. As of right now, there is no date for a Steam release.

Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation Update 3.0 released, overhauls its benchmark tool
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/ashes-of-the-singularity-escalation-update-3-0-released-overhauls-its-benchmarks-tool/
Stardock released a major v3.0 update for its massive-scale RTS game, Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation, today. In addition to a complete overhaul of the game’s balance, the benchmark has been updated and improved in order to account for new and evolving technology.

Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 will not release in 2021
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/diablo-4-and-overwatch-2-will-not-release-in-2021/
During its latest quarterly earnings conference call, Activision revealed that both Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 will not come out in 2021. And while there won’t be a new Diablo or Overwatch game in 2021, the publisher confirmed that there will be a new Call of Duty game in Holiday 2021.
>> Sad news for the fans of those two games. Also, do they really have to confirm the launch of a new CoD? I can't remember the last time there was a year without a new CoD game.

Essex: The Whale Hunter is a new whaling simulator, inspired by Moby-Dick
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/essex-the-whale-hunter-is-a-new-whaling-simulator-inspired-by-moby-dick/
Ultimate Games has revealed Essex: The Whale Hunter, a whaling simulator inspired by “Moby-Dick”. According to the creators, the new title will offer a high seas adventure filled with emotions and realism.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition – Original vs Remaster Comparison Video
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/mass-effect-legendary-edition-original-vs-remaster-comparison-video/
Bioware has released an official comparison video between the original and the remastered version of Mass Effect. This video will give you an idea of the enhancements that the team has implemented in the first ME game.

Cyberpunk 2077 Patch 1.12 released, addresses vulnerability issue, fixes buffer overrun issue
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/cyberpunk-2077-patch-1-12-released-addresses-vulnerability-issue-fixes-buffer-overrun-issue/
CD Projekt RED has released a brand new update for the PC version of Cyberpunk 2077. According to the developers, patch 1.12 addresses the vulnerability that could be used as part of remote code execution.

Survival horror game, On Air, will support Ray Tracing Reflections & Shadows
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/survival-horror-game-on-air-will-support-ray-tracing-reflections-shadows/
NVIDIA has announced that the upcoming survival horror game, On Air, will support DLSS, as well as Ray Tracing Reflections & Shadows. Moreover, the green team released a new trailer that showcases the game’s ray tracing effects.

Friday news, part two:

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Valorant move closer with every patch
https://www.pcgamer.com/counter-strike-global-offensive-and-valorant-move-closer-with-every-patch/
Something funny's been going on recently in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and I'm not just talking about my sick AWP ace on Overpass last night. Around a month ago Valve released a CS:GO patch that removed bots from competitive play, an attempt to address the perennial problem of toxic teams kicking underperforming players. The timing was interesting because the issue was so longstanding: why make this change now?

ZeniMax CEO Robert A. Altman has died
https://www.pcgamer.com/zenimax-ceo-robert-a-altman-has-died/
Robert A. Altman, who co-founded Bethesda Softworks parent company ZeniMax Media in 1999, has died.
Altman launched ZeniMax with Bethesda Softworks founder Christopher Weaver, after which Altman assumed the CEO role. Bethesda remained the more well-known name among gamers, but the ZeniMax name became more prominent with the launch of the ZeniMax Online Studios division in 2007.

Why Chinese developers are worried about Steam China launching next week
https://www.pcgamer.com/why-chinese-developers-are-worried-about-steam-china-launching-next-week/
Steam China, a version of Steam exclusive to residents of China, is finally launching into beta on February 9.
The regular version of Steam is usable in China, excluding the social features, although it technically shouldn't be according to Chinese government regulations, and it's never been completely clear why. For years, Valve and its Chinese business partner Perfect World have teased work on a government compliant version of Steam that would only feature games that were approved for sale in China. Yesterday, Dota 2's Chinese blog confirmed the impending release of Steam China, and relayed specifics on how Chinese players can migrate their regular Steam accounts onto the new Steam China platform.

Burn the galaxy to the ground in the next Stellaris expansion
https://www.pcgamer.com/stellaris-new-expansion-nemesis/
Have you ever woken up and felt like destroying the galaxy as we know it? Of course you have, and that's exactly what you can do in Nemesis, the next Stellaris expansion. Paradox Interactive announced the new content pack today with a flashy cinematic trailer teasing "the most powerful tools and mechanics" ever seen in the interstellar strategy game.

Overwatch's Lunar New Year event adds five Epic skins and a Bounty Hunter brawl
https://www.pcgamer.com/overwatchs-lunar-new-year-event-adds-five-epic-skins-and-a-bounty-hunter-brawl/
The Overwatch Lunar New Year event for 2021 is now underway, with a new Bounty Hunter brawl and a chance for players to score some in-game rewards icons, sprays, and Epic skins.

Hearthstone celebrates the Lunar New Year with some pricey Three Kingdoms hero skins and new quests
https://www.pcgamer.com/hearthstone-celebrates-the-lunar-new-year-with-some-pricey-three-kingdoms-hero-skins-and-new-quests/
When Hearthstone's Darkmoon Races mini-set went live a couple weeks ago, players quickly noticed the presence of four new hero portraits, and references to something called a "Three Kingdoms Bundle." Blizzard declined to comment on any of it at the time, but today it revealed what it's all about: An upcoming Lunar New Year celebration in Hearthstone with new Legendary quests, the return of the Lunar Blessing Tavern Brawl, and Romance of Three Kingdoms-inspired hero skins.

BioWare is working with the modding community on Mass Effect: Legendary Edition compatibility
https://www.pcgamer.com/bioware-is-working-with-the-modding-community-on-mass-effect-legendary-edition-compatibility/
The Mass Effect trilogy has a healthy modding community, responsible for everything from full texture revamps through to mods that speed up those bloody lumbering elevators. But with the announcement of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, there exists the possibility that all that hard work could be rendered obsolete.

Raven Software says Call of Duty: Warzone's infinite stim glitch has been fixed, and maybe it has?
https://www.pcgamer.com/raven-says-warzones-infinite-stim-glitch-has-been-fixed-and-maybe-it-has-who-knows-at-this-point/
I'm feeling a bout of déjà vu right now, how about you? In October of 2020 I wrote about how Infinity Ward said Warzone's infinite stim exploit had been fixed. Briefly, it's based on a glitch that gives you infinite tactical items (including healing stims) if you throw a grenade, pick it up, die, and then get revived. (...) The latest set of patch notes are up on Treyarch's website, although with a note that they'll be migrating to Raven Software's site in the future, and they're the team responsible for it. The patch notes begin by mentioning there's a "New fix to remove infinite stim glitch" and that the "Issue stemmed from players getting stuck in throwback state after throwing back a live grenade". But you'd be forgiven for taking that with a grain of salt, given the exploit's recurrences so far.

Resident Evil Village locations have been mapped out thanks to a collector's edition bonus
https://www.pcgamer.com/resident-evil-village-locations-have-been-mapped-out-thanks-to-a-collectors-edition-bonus/
The scariest part of Resident Evil Village isn't the dark pits, shambling monsters, or nine-foot-tall vampire women. It's looking like a bloody tourist as you stumble through the Village streets, not knowing your spooky castles from your meat factories. Now, thanks to a leaked collector's edition map, you can plan your trip confidently with full knowledge of Capcom's gothic mountain town.

Warzone will carry on into this year's Call Of Duty
https://www.pcgamer.com/warzone-will-carry-on-into-this-years-call-of-duty/
Like the turning of the seasons, it doesn't take a fortune-teller to predict that there'll be a new Call Of Duty coming out of Activision this year.
There's not much more to tell than that right now, mind. In an earnings call this Thursday, however, the publisher did note that Call Of Duty: Warzone would continue through this year's entry, keeping the battle royale going for another year.

If two people land on a planet at the same time in Elite Odyssey... who gets the credit?
https://www.pcgamer.com/if-two-people-land-on-a-planet-at-the-same-time-in-elite-odyssey-who-gets-the-credit/
Odyssey is the next major expansion for Elite Dangerous. You can read my big interview with developer Frontier for the full details, but the most exciting new feature is being able to leave your ship for the first time and walk on the surface of alien worlds. And if you're the first person to land on a planet, your name will forever be etched in space history as the commander who discovered it.

Rust is adding a 'softcore' mode to make its opening hours less brutal
https://www.pcgamer.com/rust-is-adding-a-softcore-mode-to-make-its-opening-hours-less-brutal/
Dropped naked in the woods surrounded by murderous players, Rust is a bit of a hard game to get into. That won't change anytime soon, but to make the approach a little easier, Facepunch is introducing a "softcore" mode to make those early hours a bit more forgiving.

And now, let's check what's going on at GOG and Steam:

+GOG

• The first sale is the Weekly Sale, with up to 90% discounts: https://www.gog.com/promo/20210201_weekly_sale
• The Midweek Sale, filled with games from publisher Iceberg up to 80% off, will last another 22 hours: https://www.gog.com/promo/iceberg_sale
• The Akupara Games Publisher Sale, with up to 80% discounts, will last another 3 days: https://www.gog.com/promo/akupara_sale
• Publisher Herocraft has its games up to 75% off until February 10: https://www.gog.com/promo/20210203_herocraft_sale
• The Weekend Sale is filled with retro games up to 90% off: https://www.gog.com/promo/20210205_weekend_sale
• And there's also a Special Sale with 11 bit Studios games up to 80% off during the weekend: https://www.gog.com/promo/11_bit_sale

+Steam

• The daily deal is the World of Warships — Exclusive Starter Pack, that is free until tomorrow: https://store.steampowered.com/app/844890/World_of_Warships__Exclusive_Starter_Pack/
• Stellaris is 75% off during the weekend: https://store.steampowered.com/app/281990/Stellaris/
• Insurgency: Sandstorm is free to try for the next 3 days and 50% off until February 15: https://store.steampowered.com/app/581320/Insurgency_Sandstorm/
• Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice gets a 35% discount until the 17th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/814380/Sekiro_Shadows_Die_Twice__GOTY_Edition/
• The games from publisher 2K Games are up to 75% off until February 18: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/2kpublishersale2021
• Muse Dash is 85% off until February 18: https://store.steampowered.com/app/774171/Muse_Dash/
• And of course, there's also the weeklong deals.

And with that, we've reached the end of the news. Until next time, have a happy and gaming weekend.