The news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

GOG sees the release of Disco Elysium - The Final Cut with a 20% discount until April 9: https://www.gog.com/game/disco_elysium

Steam has two new daily deals and four Midweek Madness deals:

• The first daily deal involves the Sudden Strike franchise, with all the games being 75% off: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/suddenstrike/
• The other one is Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones, 80% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/779290/Stygian_Reign_of_the_Old_Ones/
• The first Midweek Madness deal is Trailmakers, 50% off until April 2nd: https://store.steampowered.com/app/585420/Trailmakers/
• The Neptunia franchise is between 10 and 65% off until April 5: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/neptunia-franchise/
• The Dungeons franchise is up to 82% off until the 5th: https://store.steampowered.com/publisher/kalypso/sale/2021DungeonsFranchise
• And, finally, Muse Dash is 70% off until April 11th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/774171/Muse_Dash/

At the Humble Store the new Dead by Daylight franchise is on sale, up to 50% off during the next 14 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/dead-by-daylight-franchise-sale/

And Fanatical has two new deals:

• The new Star Deal is the Square Enix Action Pack, featuring the games Just Cause 3: XXL Edition, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition with an 88% discount during the next 24 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/square-enix-action-pack
• And Assetto Corsa Competizione is 56% off during the next 8 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/assetto-corsa-competizione

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

NVIDIA GeForce 465.89 WHQL driver adds support for Kingdom Hearts & Resizable BAR
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/nvidia-geforce-461-92-whql-driver-adds-support-for-kingdom-hearts-resizable-bar/
NVIDIA has just released a new driver for its graphics cards. According to the release notes, the NVIDIA GeForce 465.89 WHQL driver offers optimal performance in Evil Genius 2, Dirt 5’s latest update, and the Kingdom Hearts series.
Additionally, this driver brings support for Resizable BAR across the GeForce RTX 30 Series GPUs. Moreover, it includes beta support for virtualization on GeForce GPU.
It’s also worth noting that this driver fixes a number of bugs. For instance, it fixes the pixelated smoke issues in Rainbow Six Siege. It also resolves the increased GPU power consumption issues in idle mode on systems using certain higher refresh-rate G-SYNC monitors.
>> Available from here.

Sadly, Nier: Automata and The Evil Within on Game Pass aren't actually better PC ports
https://www.pcgamer.com/sadly-nier-automata-and-the-evil-within-on-game-pass-arent-actually-better-pc-ports/
When Nier: Automata and The Evil Within were added to Xbox Game Pass PC on March 17th, fans suddenly got excited. Nier: Automata, in particular, had a problematic PC port, which was mostly fine but disappointingly didn't get updates from Square Enix to resolve its obvious issues. Modders fixed it, instead. This Game Pass release, made by port studio QLOC, promised some added features like borderless windowed mode and HDR. Four years later, Nier: Automata finally got the port it deserved… or so it seemed at first glance.
The verdict from the eagle-eyed testers at Digital Foundry and modder Kaldaien, who patched up Nier: Automata back in 2017, is unfortunately the opposite. The new Game Pass versions of Nier: Automata and The Evil Within still have many of the old problems, and in some ways are actually worse than their original PC ports.

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

This Fall Guys Counter-Strike mod is better than Fall Guys
https://www.pcgamer.com/this-fall-guys-counter-strike-mod-is-better-than-fall-guys/
To paraphrase Jack Nicholson's Joker, I have given a name to my pain: Falling Guys. This new Counter-Strike: Global Offensive mod, created by teteu with help from Enrico_srp4, is a collection of 30 minigames themed after the various examples from Mediatonic's Fall Guys. I loaded it up as a laugh, and ended up spending hours setting myself daft challenges.
The mod begins in a hub area, where you can choose your colour of Fall(ing) Guy before selecting one of the minigames by tossing a decoy grenade at their titles. Then yourself and your group are sucked into some remarkably faithful recreations of Fall Guys' most standout rounds.

GAMING NEWS

HITMAN 3: Free Starter Pack is now available for download
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/hitman-3-free-starter-pack-is-now-available-for-download/
IO Interactive has released a Free Starter Pack for Hitman 3. This pack is available for download right now and lets you play the Dubai mission for free until April 5th.

The Witcher 3 Next-Gen Update will release in H2 2021
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/the-witcher-3-next-gen-update-will-release-in-h2-2021/
CD Projekt RED’s lead PR manager has announced that the highly anticipated next-gen update for The Witcher 3 will release in the second half of 2021. This update will, among other things, add real-time ray tracing effects to the game.

Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance gets a new Boss Battle gameplay trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/dungeons-dragons-dark-alliance-gets-a-new-boss-battle-gameplay-trailer/
Wizards of the Coast and Tuque Games have released a new gameplay trailer for Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance. This gameplay trailer features a Boss Battle with Hagedorn which is said to be one of the game’s epic bosses.

First Total War: ROME REMASTERED gameplay trailer shows comparison scenes
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/first-total-war-rome-remastered-gameplay-trailer-shows-comparison-scenes/
SEGA has released the first gameplay trailer for Total War: ROME REMASTERED. This trailer features some comparison screenshots between the original and the remastered versions, so be sure to watch it.

Amnesia Rebirth gets an Adventure Mode
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/amnesia-rebirth-gets-an-adventure-mode/
Frictional Games has launched Amnesia: Rebirth Adventure Mode on Steam, GOG.com, and Epic Games Store. As the press release reads, this is a new way to experience the quest of Tasi Trianon without the anxiety-inducing, and very distressing elements present in the original game.

No Man’s Sky Expeditions Update is 7.5GB, and is available on Steam
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/no-mans-sky-expeditions-update-is-7-5gb-and-is-available-on-steam/
It appears that Hello Games has released the Expeditions Update for the PC version of No Man’s Sky. This Update is 7.5GB in size, and is available for download right now on Steam.

Quake 2 RTX Update 1.5 adds support for new Vulkan extension, improves performance
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/quake-2-rtx-update-1-5-adds-support-for-new-vulkan-extension-improves-performance/
NVIDIA and id Software have released a new update for Quake 2 RTX. According to the teams, Patch 1.5 adds support for ray tracing using the `VK_KHR_ray_query` extension API. This new extension promises to improve performance and according to some early reports, it really does.

The news, part two:

Ninja Gaiden Black isn't being remastered because the code is in 'pieces'
https://www.pcgamer.com/ninja-gaiden-black-isnt-being-remastered-because-the-code-was-lost/
The Ninja Gaiden series is hitting PC for the first time this June with the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection, containing Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge. But Ninja Gaiden Black, regarded by many as the best in the series, is a notable absence.
In an interview with Polygon, producer Fumihiko Yasuda revealed that one of the reasons Ninja Gaiden Black isn't anywhere to be seen is because a lot of the earlier Ninja Gaiden games weren't preserved, and have since been lost to the ether.

CD Projekt acquires Cyberpunk 2077 support studio Digital Scapes
https://www.pcgamer.com/cd-projekt-acquires-cyberpunk-2077-support-studio-digital-scapes/
CD Projekt has announced its acquisition of Digital Scapes, a Canadian development studio founded in 2012 by veterans of BioWare, Radical Entertainment, and Relic that specializes in multiplayer game development. The buyout cements a long-standing working relationship between the two companies, which began when CD Projekt brought Digital Scapes on to help with the development of Cyberpunk 2077 in October 2018.

CD Projekt has 'decided to reconsider' Cyberpunk 2077’s multiplayer
https://www.pcgamer.com/cd-projekt-has-decided-to-reconsider-cyberpunk-2077s-multiplayer/
In a strategy update video released today, CD Projekt said that it has "decided to reconsider" its plans for Cyberpunk 2077 multiplayer. As part of a broader move toward a more "agile" approach to development, the studio is shifting its focus to bringing online elements to all its games "where they make sense."

CD Projekt won't market new games until 'much closer' to launch
https://www.pcgamer.com/cd-projekt-wont-market-new-games-until-much-closer-to-launch/
(...)
CD Projekt SVP of business development Michał Nowakowski also said that, compared to past marketing campaigns, CD Projekt won't start showing trailers and demos until its games are "much closer" to launch. It may still tease things, but don't expect another years-long series of trailers and demos. If there is a new Witcher RPG in the works, CD Projekt isn't saying for now.

Kingdom Hearts PC save files are tucked inside cute PNG images, because of course they are
https://www.pcgamer.com/kingdom-hearts-pc-save-files-are-tucked-inside-cute-png-images-because-of-course-they-are/
Kingdom Hearts is renowned for its endearing but needlessly complex story, and apparently its eccentricities don’t stop there, extending even into its software design. As discovered by Reddit user PerhapsUnexpected, it appears that save files in Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix are stored inside a single PNG image. Seriously!

Hearthstone's latest expansion goes live with queue errors and Classic pack bugs
https://www.pcgamer.com/hearthstones-latest-expansion-goes-live-with-queue-errors-and-classic-pack-bugs/
Hearthstone's latest expansion, Forged in the Barrens, is now live in all regions, and unfortunately it's not going as smoothly as fans had hoped. Players have been running headlong into a rather bad bug that's preventing them from queuing for ranked games in Standard and Wild, and Blizzard has also disabled Classic pack opening because of another bug related to card drops.

Valorant tries yet again to make Viper good in latest patch
https://www.pcgamer.com/valorant-tries-yet-again-to-make-viper-good-in-latest-patch/
I haven't checked in on Valorant in a few months now, but it's not surprising that Riot still doesn't quite know what to do with Viper. The toxin-based Controller agent has always been an awkward fit on a team due to her unique fuel mechanic, and an upcoming patch will once again rework her abilities in an attempt to make her viable in the meta. Currently, Viper can place reusable vision-blocking walls and smoke grenades, but they only last as long as she has fuel. Managing her remaining fuel can be a chore when you're also trying to coordinate with teammates and shoot straight.

Despite being banned, Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is still available in Australia on PC
https://www.pcgamer.com/despite-being-banned-disco-elysium-the-final-cut-is-still-available-in-australia-on-pc/
(...) Though Disco Elysium's portrayal of drug addiction is hardly a glowing advertisement, taking speed does give a +1 to your Motorics and Psyche stats. According to the Guidelines for the Classification of Computer Games "illicit or proscribed drug use related to incentives or rewards" means a game is automatically refused classification and selling, distributing, publicly exhibiting, advertising, or importing it into Australia becomes a criminal offense.
Previously, games that fell afoul of the same rule like Wasteland 3 and Fallout 3 were altered to either remove similar interactions or more blatantly fictionalize their drugs. Disco Elysium was not, which is why it's a surprise to see Disco Elysium: The Final Cut on sale in Australia on Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store—though it hasn't shown up on the PlayStation Store here and presumably won't.

Official Outriders system requirements demand an RTX 3080 for ultra
https://www.pcgamer.com/outriders-system-requirements/
If you want to run Outriders at its very best, you’ll need an RTX 3080 or RX 6800XT, the finalized system requirements confirm. That’s about as demanding as it gets right now, and most people still can’t get their hands on the latest GPUs. But as long as you're not trying to run the game at 4K ultra, the requirements are pretty reasonable.

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare quietly brings back a fan-favourite map
https://www.pcgamer.com/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-quietly-brings-back-a-fan-favourite-map/
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare has been updated with three new maps—including a throwback to the original 2007 Modern Warfare. But you wouldn't know it from looking at Activision's social feeds.

'World's largest' hacks distributor brought down by police in China
https://www.pcgamer.com/tencent-help-chinese-police-tackle-worlds-largest-hacks-distributor/
Members of a Chinese cheat distribution operation have been collared by police in Kunshan, with a little help from Tencent along the way.
Dubbed 'Chicken Drumstick,' the operation has been described as "the world's largest" by Chinese police. While the group mostly dabbled in cheats for mobile phone shooters—unsurprisingly including a few from Tencent's library—apparently there were also hacks being designed and sold for the likes of Valorant and Overwatch (thanks, BBC).

Summer Games Done Quick's online show returns in July
https://www.pcgamer.com/summer-games-done-quicks-online-show-returns-in-july/
Summer Games Done Quick organisers have confirmed that there'll be another week of speedrunning this July. But with in person shows still off the table, SGDQ will once again be taking place entirely online.

Death Stranding and Metal Gear composer leaves Kojima Productions
https://www.pcgamer.com/death-stranding-composer-leaves-kojima-productions/
Composer Ludvig Forssell has announced that he's leaving his position as audio director at Kojima Productions.
Forssell, who composed the soundtracks for our 2020 GOTY Death Stranding, Metal Gear Solid V, and PT (R.I.P) tweeted that he was leaving the studio after 10 years of working with Hideo Kojima in order to pursue freelance opportunities.

PUBG's free, low-spec edition is shutting down
https://www.pcgamer.com/pubgs-free-low-spec-edition-is-shutting-down/
Two years ago, PUBG Corp began testing a lighter, free version of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds that'd run on less powerful hardware. But now, PUBG Lite's publisher is pulling the plug, shutting down the game's servers next month.

DF compares the Gamepass version of Nier and Evil within vs Steam version as there were supposed to be some improvements and fixes

While there were some improvements, overall, both games are a mess. And what's even worse is that because everything is locked in Windows Store, you can no longer install mods to fix them. Also for the Evil Within, if you have the steam version installed and then install the Gamepass version, the first time you play the Gamepass version, it will seem normal but the second time you play it, you will get awful performance. Then if you go back to the Steam version, even with mods, the Steam version will for some reason now have the exact bad performance that you now got with the Gamepass version. But if you have only one version installed, you will be fine. Pretty wtf.

GN's video on i9 Rocket Lake is pretty funny

Sometimes it beats AMD in gaming, Sometimes it loses to the 10 series. Overall, avoid the i9

MSI Raider and Stealth laptops with 11th Gen “Tiger Lake-H” are now available for preorder

https://videocardz.com/newz/msi-raider-and-stealth-laptops-with-11th-gen-tiger-lake-h-are-now-available-for-preorder

Personally, I have been waiting for Tiger Lake before thinking to buy a new gaming laptop. Intel's 10nm + 8 cores should be a beast. We will see though.'

Also there was a fire at one of the TSMC fabs

Cyberpunk 2077 could be good case study in business and game schools.

Also we have additional info regarding the new Asus 4k monitors

TFTCentral: Differences Between the Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX and PG32UQ Explained

https://www.tftcentral.co.uk/blog/differences-between-the-asus-rog-swift-pg32uqx-and-pg32uq-explained/

You could read through it but the most important bit is the price...

$2999.99 USD

You can legit buy a high end 55 inch OLED TV from LG. Use it for 4-5 years till it gets burn in. Buy another 55 inch OLED TV from LG and still spend less money than the price of that monitor while having HDMI 2.1 which PG32UQX doesn't have.

Also this recent call of duty update is stupid

It's still to early to know how the whole Cyberpunk 2077 story will end. Maybe CDP can manage to fix the game and we'll remember it as a proof that with love and dedication you can end delivering what you promised, like what happened with No Man's Sky, or maybe CDP gives up after a while and it will become a prime example of bad management and overhype.

We'll see.

I would say Skylake is as a whole Intel's Bulldozer. I mean, AMD also spent years on the exact same platform (outside of the APUs) with little evolution. What Rocket Lake is is not their Bulldozer, but their Centurion.

Speaking of which, nobody got one lying around at home? I would love to see some comparisons of thermals and power draw between the RL i9 and the Centurion.

From what we know, Alder Lake's big CPUs are just based on Tiger Lake (Rocket Lake was derived from Ice Lake), so the IPC shouldn't go up that much.

What it can do however, is reverse the trend of current Intel CPUs to be absolute power hogs which need a direct line to the next power plant to run.

My expectation: regaining the gaming crown (unless Zen 4 would come out beforehand), though ever so slightly, and going toe to toe with the 5900X in multitasked applications (not the 5950X because the LITTLE Atom cores don't have hyperthreading, so it's only 24 threads like the 5900X) while staying at it's supposed power limit.

I don't think I'd go that far. The problem with Bulldozer wasn't that it had little evolution. The problem with Bulldozer is that it had the wrong type of evolution. Those cores were so potato that in certain cases, even the Phenom II CPUs from the previous gen could beat Bulldozer in certain tasks and games while Intel was on another league. Not to mention the power that Bulldozer needed. Skylake was little evolution sure but it didn't do anything wrong to that extent and it held it's own in gaming and various work loads against Ryzen in the consumer space.

The thing that makes Rocket Lake Intel's Bulldozer moment is that it is the wrong type of evolution. Going from 10 cores to 8 cores is pretty wtf worthy and the power that the Rocket Lake is able to produce is nuts. We will see how Alder Lake turns out though.

What's also embarrassing is the decrease in performance over their own last gen products. And value since often the i9 10900k would ofen outperform the 11900K while being priced less, while being several years older. The new i9 is a terrible product that in many ways is a side step to the previous i9 and in some ways a downgrade, particularly if used for productivity work. But hey at least it supports PCIE 4.0 now.. lol.

The i5 is quite impressive though for its price point.

Rumour Alan Wake 2 is development and is bring published by Epic Games - Jeff Grub on Twitch.

Link added to Gaf since we can't embed other vids on here :P

https://www.neogaf.com/threads/alan-wake-2-to-be-published-by-epic.1598867/