If you are in Canada, you can get free $20 thanks to a class action lawsuit

https://batteriessettlement.ca/


AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT Meta Review: 8 reviews & 1990 benchmarks compiled

https://www.reddit.com/r/hardware/comments/peekhi/amd_radeon_rx_6600_xt_meta_review_8_reviews_1990/



There's a lot more info at the link


AMD vs Intel Generations: performance overview Zen to Zen 3 vs CFL to RKL

https://www.reddit.com/r/hardware/comments/pdr41v/amd_vs_intel_generations_performance_overview_zen/



It may seem confusing at first but it's relative to a 5800X that's set at a 100%


NVIDIA & AMD GPU Prices Recovery Halts As Graphics Cards Start Getting Expensive Once Again But With Sustained Availability

https://wccftech.com/nvidia-amd-gpu-prices-recovery-halts-as-graphics-cards-start-getting-expensive-once-again/



Crypto is going back up so I suppose it's not surprising.


You Can Literally Buy AMD’s Ryzen 5000 Desktop CPUs Through A Vending Machine In Japan

https://wccftech.com/you-can-literally-buy-amd-ryzen-5000-desktop-cpus-through-a-vending-machine-in-japan/

Japan continues to surprise me

So prices are going up again, and with a shortage of 3060 -/Ti incoming... *sigh*

I'll try my luck next gen. Hopefully Nvidia (I don't have hope for AMD) will implement an anti-crypto "thing" from the let go and keep this f*ckning mining at bay. That way they can producing chips designed for mining in what would be a win-win scenario. Unlikely, I know, but I can dream.

They've definitely seen better days lol. I still really enjoy their games but they could do so much better. Them trying to make f2p garbo and the latest expansions to WoW have been lackluster and then there's the whole Blizz/Acti debacle and alienating their fans (including big influencers like Asmongold). I just hope by them releasing new games like Overwatch 2 next year and Diablo IV (whenever that launches), puts them back on the right path.

Meh, from what I have heard, Overwatch 2 sounds like it's gonna be a disaster. With Jeff Kaplen gone, I don't have much faith. We will see about Diablo IV though but man, so many companies don't seem to be able to get their act together these days.

I think it's partly down to all these companies taking on way too much baggage over the past decade, to a point where it has now reached boiling point (also doesn't help that either half of these companies has been playing a mix of follow the leader or play it safe and don't stand out at all) and is now showing the results of being too much to handle (like employees being lecherous, products outright flopping, poor choice of staff, poor choice of software/engine/tools).

It's kinda poetic in a way, because for years we've looked up to some of these companies as those that could do not wrong, but in reality they were just really good at hiding that until recent years, and now they can't hide it at all. Now they're all just another version of Asuka, reaching up to the sky, in vain attempts to staying both relevant and meaningful to the industry.

That's a big yikes, a lot of old guard devs seems to be abandoning ship. Yeah they're definitely past their heyday of releasing gem after gem.

I'm optimistic about Diablo 4 (from what we've seen thus far). And with the work done to Diablo 2 Resurrected. They just need to clean up their act, and I think the whole Blizz debacle and management getting replaced might do something about that. Particularly WoW, which has been on a downward spiral since 2 expansions ago.

The Tuesday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Steam has two new daily deals, three Midweek Madness deals and a new range of weeklong deals:

• The first daily deal is Melvor Idle, still in Early Access, 40% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1267910/Melvor_Idle/
• The second one is Later Alligator, 50% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/966320/Later_Alligator/
• The first Midweek Madness deal is an Earth Defense Force Sale, with up to 90% discounts until September 2: https://store.steampowered.com/franchise/EDF/
• The Early Access title Foundation will be 25% off until September 3: https://store.steampowered.com/app/690830/Foundation/
• The last MM is a Lightning Games Publisher Sale, with up to 60% discounts until Friday, the 3rd: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/lightninggames
• And here's a small sample of the weeklong deals:
  • while True: learn() is 25% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/619150/while_True_learn/
  • Spin Rhythm XD, still in Early Access, gets a 33% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1058830/Spin_Rhythm_XD/
  • Infliction is 50% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/692100/Infliction/
  • Anodyne gets a 70% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/234900/Anodyne/
  • Koral is 80% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/896750/Koral/
  • And Agent A: A puzzle in disguise, that has a demo, gets an enormous 90% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/801480/Agent_A_A_puzzle_in_disguise/

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Kaspersky blocked 5.8M malware attacks 'disguised as popular PC games' last year
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/kaspersky-blocked-58m-malware-attacks-disguised-as-popular-pc-games-last-year/
Disguising malicious software as a legitimate program is a trick as old as malware itself, and as more people find themselves staying indoors and playing games, gaming-related cyber-threats are rising. In less than a year—the past nine months—Kaspersky says it has detected and blocked over 5.8 million attacks from malware and other "unwanted software" masquerading as popular PC games.
Mobile gaming saw a sharp uptick in game-related threats too, as the pandemic began to unfold. Kaspersky, makers of one of the best antivirus for PC gaming, decided to audit malware threats targeted at PC and mobile gamers, and found that attacks disguised as the 24 most popular PC games and top 10 mobile titles "soared with the introduction of lockdowns" last year.
>> Be careful!

Microsoft will officially release Windows 11 on October 5th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/microsoft-will-officially-release-windows-11-on-october-5th/
Microsoft has just announced that Windows 11 will officially release on October 5th. Moreover, Windows 11 will be available for free to all Windows 10 users.
As Microsoft noted, the free upgrade to Windows 11 will begin rolling out to eligible Windows 10 PCs on October 5th. Additionally, PCs that come pre-loaded with Windows 11 will start to become available for purchase on that date.

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Serious Sam TFE: Ray Traced is a must-have unofficial port that you can download for free
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/serious-sam-tfe-ray-traced-is-a-must-have-unofficial-port-that-you-can-download-for-free/
Now here is something that came out of nowhere. Software engineer ‘sultim-t’ has released a Ray Tracing version of the first Serious Sam game, Serious Sam: The First Encounter.
(...)
This unofficial port is available for download right now. And yes, this is a free download, meaning that everyone can download it from here. Now the good news here is that Serious Sam TFE: Ray Traced requires the files from the original game. So even though it’s free, you’ll still have to purchase (and support) the official game.
>> There's a video in the article, to see it in motion.

Freelancer: HD Edition is a graphical overhaul mod that is available for download
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/freelancer-hd-edition-is-a-graphical-overhaul-mod-that-is-available-for-download/
Remember Freelancer? You know, the space trading and combat simulation game from Digital Anvil? Well, a team of modders has just released a graphical overhaul mod for it that you can download.
Freelancer: HD Edition aims to improve every aspect of the game while keeping the look and feel as close to vanilla as possible. It also serves as an all-in-one package for players so they “don’t have to worry about installing countless patches and mods to create the perfect HD and bug-free install. ”
Its latest version adds a new interface with new icons and maximizes its draw distance. It also includes an advanced widescreen HUD and packs some 16:9 planetscape fixes. Additionally, it adds NPC paths in Multiplayer, makes all planets spin slowly, and adds support for scrolling through menus.
>> Available from ModDB.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion with over 200 mods and Reshade Ray Tracing
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion-with-over-200-mods-and-reshade-ray-tracing/
Digital Dreams has shared a new video in which they showcase The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion with over 200 mods and Reshade Ray Tracing. Oblivion came out in 2006 and this video will give you an idea of what a heavily modded version of it looks like.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was a graphical powerhouse when it came out. At that time, most of us believed that games could not look better than that. Oh, how naive we were. Fast forward to 2020 and its unmodded version looks dated as F.
Again, keep in mind that this is a 2006 game. So yeah, don’t expect it to look as impressive as Skyrim modded. Nevertheless, it looks cool (especially for those that still play it). Not only that, but Digital Dreams have shared the list of mods they used in order to capture this gameplay footage (Bevilex Modlist from here).

Fans are working on a free standalone Star Fox game for the PC
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/fans-are-working-on-a-free-standalone-star-fox-game-for-the-pc/
A team of modders is currently working on a free standalone Star Fox game for the PC, called Star Fox: Event Horizon. Star Fox: Event Horizon is using the Freespace Open Engine, and will be a standalone and completely free download when it is complete.
This project has been in development for a few years. Now before anyone assumes that Nintendo is fine with such a freeware game… it is not. My guess is that the big N has not shut it down because it is simply unaware of it. If, however, this project gets enough media attention, Nintendo will unquestionably shut it down. After all, Nintendo has just shut down the fan-made 2D Metroid Prime game, Prime 2D.
But anyway. The team behind it has just released a new gameplay video that you can find below. This video shows the first Landmaster level. And, to be honest, I’m really impressed with what they have managed to achieve. And while this level is a bit rough around the edges, it’s fully functional.

This realistic glass block in Minecraft is ludicrously impressive
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/this-realistic-glass-block-in-minecraft-is-ludicrously-impressive/
There are plenty of Minecraft texture packs that instantly transform Mojang's humble blocks into their realistic counterparts, but one material that has been more than a challenge for modders and builders to recreate is the delicate nature of glass.
In a video posted to Reddit, user Debatrax shows a glass block in Minecraft with both Misa's Realistic Texture Pack and BSL shaders installed and, from the look of the video, the result is pretty impressive.

GAMING NEWS

PC demo released for the retro-inspired action-platformer, Berserk Boy
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/pc-demo-released-for-the-retro-inspired-action-platformer-berserk-boy/
Big Sugar has released a PC demo for its upcoming retro-inspired action platformer, Berserk Boy. The demo introduces players to Kei, the titular hero, and offers a chance to play through Berserk Boy’s opening level.
>> You can find the demo at Steam.

Here are 12 minutes of leaked PC gameplay footage from Far Cry 6
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-12-minutes-of-leaked-pc-gameplay-footage-from-far-cry-6/
Microsoft and Ubisoft plan to reveal some new gameplay footage from Far Cry 6 later today (August 31st). However, it appears that someone has shared a new gameplay video from its PC version. Thus, you can find below 12 minutes of brand new gameplay footage from it.

CD Projekt RED has hired the creators of Wolvenkit to create official modding tools for Cyberpunk 2077
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/cd-projekt-red-has-hired-the-creators-of-wolvenkit-to-create-official-modding-tools-for-cyberpunk-2077/
Now here is a pleasant surprise. The creators of Wolvenkit, the unofficial modding tools for Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, have announced that CDPR has hired them. As such, the team will be working with CDPR in order to create official modding tools for Cyberpunk 2077.

King Arthur: Knight’s Tale gets an official gameplay overview trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/king-arthur-knights-tale-gets-an-official-gameplay-overview-trailer/
IGN has shared the official gameplay overview trailer for Neocore’s upcoming turn-based role-playing game, King Arthur: Knight’s Tale. This trailer details the game’s gameplay mechanics, so be sure to watch it.

First gameplay trailer for the tactical real-time strategy game, Roman Empire Wars
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/first-gameplay-trailer-for-the-tactical-real-time-strategy-game-roman-empire-wars/
Emperor Games has released the first gameplay trailer for its upcoming tactical real-time strategy game, Roman Empire Wars. In this game, players will take part in a large scale, epic battles that mimic the real-life war campaigns of the greatest Emperor’s in the history of Rome.

Tuesday news, part two:

Henchman Story is a superhero satire from former Outer Worlds writer
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/henchman-story-is-a-superhero-satire-from-former-outer-worlds-writer/
Have you ever wondered what henchpeople get up to when they're not being battered almost-to-death by Batman, or being strung up in a big spiderweb against a police station? Admittedly I haven't, but thankfully Henchman Story is here to fill in the gaps. It's a superhero satire where you play as Stan, one of the henchmen for an ineffectual, small-scale supervillain named Lord Bedlam.
>> There's a demo at both Steam and itch,io.

China really doesn't want young people to play online games
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/china-really-doesnt-want-young-people-to-play-online-games/
China is imposing tighter limits on online gaming for people under the age of 18. An announcement from the National Press and Publication Administration (Google translated) says that beginning September 1, minors will only be allowed to play online games for one hour per day, from 8-9 pm, on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and official holidays.

Shadow Tactics standalone Aiko's Choice will be out in December
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/shadow-tactics-standalone-aikos-choice-will-be-out-in-december/
When Andy told us about Aiko's Choice—the standalone expansion to Shadow Tactics that centres around Aiko, one of its main characters—he also mentioned the expected release date, "late 2021". Well, that date has been narrowed down a bit, and it can't get much later, as it will be releasing sometime this December.

Destiny 2 player discovers highest DPS, one-shotting toughest raid boss solo
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/destiny-2-highest-dps/
Even for this lapsed Destiny 2 player, the idea of taking on a raid boss like Riven of a Thousand Voices whilst playing solo is the stuff of nightmares. Even with the usual grind, facing such an encounter with anything less than a full team and some good luck can prove a challenge. Unless you're the player who's discovered what is likely the highest DPS possible in the entire game, allowing him to nearly one-hit any raid boss to death.

Valheim update will let you barf up all those new meals you cook
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/valheim-update-will-let-you-barf-up-all-those-new-meals-you-cook/
Valheim's Hearth and Home update is nearly here, set to arrive on September 16. A video from Iron Gate Studios outlines some of the new ingredients you'll be able to hunt and farm, and the new cooking stations you'll use to craft your new meals.

Stranger Things 3 is being removed from Steam and GOG, but may soon appear on Netflix's gaming app
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/stranger-things-3-is-being-removed-from-steam-and-gog-but-may-soon-appear-on-netflixs-gaming-app/
Stranger Things 3: The Game is being delisted from Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store on August 31. Anyone who owns the game on either storefront prior to its removal will continue to have full access to it, but it will no longer be available for purchase.

It will soon be a lot harder to die early to high rollers in Hearthstone Battlegrounds
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/it-will-soon-be-a-lot-harder-to-die-early-to-high-rollers-in-hearthstone-battlegrounds/
Blizzard has revealed what's coming in tomorrow's Hearthstone Battlegrounds revamp, "the biggest Battlegrounds update to date," which will see a whopping 37 minions replaced, the addition of two new heroes, a new Battlegrounds-specific keyword (basically a card ability) called 'Avenge', and a limit on the amount of damage that players can inflict during the opening rounds.

Yakuza series creator reportedly in talks to join China's NetEase
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/yakuza-series-creator-reportedly-in-talks-to-join-chinas-netease/
The creator of the long-running Yakuza series, Toshihiro Nagoshi, is reportedly in talks with Chinese publisher and developer NetEase to hire him away from Sega, where he's worked since 1989.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection is bringing the Flood to Firefight
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/halo-the-master-chief-collection-is-bringing-the-flood-to-firefight/
Like it or not, 343 has shown no sign of slowing down updates for Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Set to start this week, the next flight (test build) for the MCC adds a revamped arena and pits the grunts of Halo 3: ODST against the fungal undead Flood hordes.