Interesting? Probably, but that doesn't mean good.

Well they know MS has their own store and pretty much advertises it with GP and GP with the store, so I wouldn't be surprised if Sony gains ground/popularity on PC and then decides to open up their own store, raise the prices, not bother with client/game features and take all their games away from other clients (or just pull a R*/Acti and release exclusively on their own store).

If they do that, I'd drop them like a hat, because I ain't into "here boy, here's a treat boy, now jump through this hoop!, good boy, not I want you to jump through several hoops but no treat this time!" (Basically being treated like a dog to do tricks for them). They should just release on as many storefronts as possible and let the money flow in (MS is still releasing on Steam, all's right with the world for now). 

Yuri does have a point though, because MS has tried multiple times to get back with PC gaming, only to try to shackle or abuse it in some way, then leave the platform, come back and try acting nice all over again (Already starting to see cracks in the wall with them releasing some indie games like Gunk exclusively on their store).

Inb4 Epic buys out another studio or something. We know Sony and MS aren't going to stop, and we know the two holdings companies are gobbling up the smaller fish, but I don't see EA, Sega, Ubi, Capcom or Konami buying up anyone else, so that pretty much leaves me thinking on Epic, MS, Sony and the holdings companies to snatch up more.

Valve bought the studio that made Firewatch, but I just don't see them as the sort of company that goes around buying up publishers and big AAA studios (like Sony/MS).

The Humble games for February have been revealed.

• Borderlands 3
  • Borderlands 3: Director's Cut (DLC)
• Black Book
• Per Aspera
• Just Die Already
• Before We Leave
• Paradise Lost
• Everhood
• Calico

Currently keys for Per Aspera aren't available.

I already own Just Die Already; Calico is on my wishlist; Black Book, Per Aspera, and Paradise Lost look interesting; my decision to ignore EGS exclusives continues to pay off with Borderlands 3 and Before We Leave. Guess I'm going to keep my subscription going.

And the Humble app is now downloadable. Going to try Unsighted and Dodgeball Academy to see if they are interesting.

In the case of Sony, I'm not sure if the extra profits that they'd get from opining their own store would be worth the costs and troubles from it. They can't charge to play online, and they saw that even MSoft could fail on Windows with their own store. Plus they're seeing how difficult it is for Epic to get a hold of the market, and they don't have a popular game like Fortnite to lure players into their store.

MSoft is more likely to try again, and this time they have a lot of assets to succeed.

Alliance players years ago laughing off the idea that they'd work with filthy Orcs in dungeons/raids:

It's such a weird timeline we are in, where what I always wanted to see happen, is actually happening. I'm surprised it's taken this long, but for years I have always wanted to quest alongside Alliance players, but thanks to the shitty language system of opposing faction races, you could never truly do that, only in tiny phased instances could you do that. I'm glad to see this is being changed, because lore-wise, Alliance/Horde should finally be getting over the idea that we're each other's enemies and band together to take on the Void lords. 

Yeah the factions have worked together for a few expansions (in lore) now so it makes sense. I'm actually surprised its taken them this long to implement tbh.. this should have been done a long arse time ago. Like before the numbers dropped off and popularity went. Though Blizzard are finally making good decisions now, its a little late. I feel that the time between now and the new expansion is crucial for Blizzard in that it will make or break WoW in the next couple of years; at least for retail.

Ngl, it'll be weird doing PvP with horde, seeing as I've been play Alliance for years lol. It'll be interesting though, and will make dungeon queuing a little less pita.

Team17 cancels NFTs
https://www.pcgamesn.com/worms/team17-cancels-nfts
Indie label Team17 has announced an end to its MetaWorms NFT initiative, following public backlash from both players and development partners. The company now says it will “step back from the NFT space”. The MetaWorm project was initially described as an “environmentally friendly” take on NFTs, allowing people to own digital art of Team17’s most iconic property, Worms.
>>Excellent.

Report: Bandai Namco was Aware of Dark Souls Security Exploit for Years
https://wccftech.com/report-bandai-namco-was-aware-of-dark-souls-security-exploit-for-years/
Remember that Dark Souls exploit that caused a lot of trouble for PC users? Well, it turns out that Bandai Namco might have been aware of this issue for quite some time. According to a new report from VGC, multiple individuals have discovered the exploit as early as 2019. This means that Bandai Namco might've been aware of the issue for a long time... So, a repeat of the GOG Galaxy situation.
>>Also states that Elden Ring could have the same problems.

Reveal of Dying Light 2 Denuvo DRM Angers Fans
https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/reveal-of-dying-light-2-denuvo-drm-angers-fans
Dying Light 2 is launching in less than a week on most platforms. While the Nintendo Switch version has been delayed, Techland has been praised for announcing free PS5 and Xbox Series X|S upgrades and its promise to provide 5+ years of post-launch content. Now, the Polish video game developer and publisher is coming under fire for the recent reveal that this upcoming game will include Denuvo DRM.

Edit:

Valve to reduce Steam discount cycle to 28 days
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2022-02-01-valve-to-reduce-steams-discount-cycle-to-28-days
Today Valve announced that on March 28 that the discount cycle for products sold on Steam will be reduced to 28 days.
The change says that at minimum, 28 days must pass between the end of one discount and the start of another.

The laptop my parents use is on its last legs, so I was thinking buying myself a new one and giving my current one to them.

Current laptop specs - Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-7700HQ CPU @ 2.80GHz 4 cores, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 4.0 GB, RAM 32GB, SSD 450GB, HDD 1TB, display 15.6''

Clearly I don't want an weaker one, what I am looking for 17.13'' display, processor i7 or higher with 8 cores, GPU 4GB minimum, SSD 1TB, RAM preferably 32GB, but I can work with less.

Some laptops I am eyeing.

ASUS TUF F17 FX706HCB
Intel® Core™ i7-11800H, RAM 16GB, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3050 4GB
cost $1212

Clevo Dream Machines RG3050
Intel® Core™ i7-11800H, RAM 16GB, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3050 4GB
Of note is that it can have max RAM 64GB
cost $1430

ASUS TUF F17 FX706HM
Intel® Core™ i7-11800H, RAM 16GB, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060 6GB
cost $1600

ASUS TUF F17 FX706HM
Intel® Core™ i9-11900H, RAM 16GB, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060 6GB
cost $1875

HP OMEN 17-ck0007nq
Intel® Core™ i7-11800H, RAM 16GB, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB
cost $1944

HP OMEN 17-ck0000nq
Intel® Core™ i9-11900H, RAM 32GB, 1TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB
cost $2516

Regarding RAM, my current laptop initially had 8 and I upgraded to 32, but I didn't throw away the old one. So I can put it back and use the 32 in the new laptop.

The last one does have the best specs, but it is rather expensive and I'm not sure the difference is worth it. Any advice?

Today's news, all in one post:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

GOG has four new deals, including three flash deals:

• The first flash deal is A Little Golf Journey, 20% off during the next 46 hours: https://www.gog.com/en/game/a_little_golf_journey
• The second is Little Misfortune, with a 70% discount until Friday: https://www.gog.com/en/game/little_misfortune
• The third, and last, flash deal is Solstice, 75% off for another 46 hours: https://www.gog.com/en/game/solstice
• And the new Midweek Sale features a mix of games with up to 85% discounts until Saturday: https://www.gog.com/promo/20220202_midweek_sale

Just a quick reminder that Steam's Lunar New Year Sale will end in 26 hours. If you're still on the verge of buying something, you're running out of time!

The Humble Store's Lunar New Year Sale will also end soon, some deals will end later today while others will still last until tomorrow.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

The highly anticipated Resident Evil 4 HD Project V1.0 is available for download
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/the-highly-anticipated-resident-evil-4-hd-project-v1-0-is-available-for-download/
And the time has finally come. Modders ‘Albert’ and ‘Cris’ have released Version 1.0 of the amazing Resident Evil 4 HD Project. This is a must-have mod for Resident Evil 4, and we highly recommend downloading it.

This mod for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim adds over 6000 new trees
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/this-mod-for-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-adds-over-6000-new-trees/
Modder ‘L3st4t’ has released a pretty cool new mod for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim that adds over 6000 new trees models to it. Furthermore, it replaces the vanilla trees with new models of trees with high quality and unique branches, foliages and trunks.

The Witcher 3 Mod improves HairWorks Fur for animals & monsters
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/the-witcher-3-mod-improves-hairworks-fur-for-animals-monsters/
Modder ‘Nexuer’ has released a mod for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt that attempts to improve the HairWorks Fur of most animals. This is a cool mod that aims to provide a better visual experience. And, given the fact that most PC gamers have GPUs that can handle the HairWorks Fur effects, we suggest downloading it.
Going into more details, this mod increase the draw distance and density of the HairWorks Fur. Moreover, it calibrates the fur physics, and it adds wind effects for some animals and monsters.

GAMING NEWS

Ghostwire Tokyo is reportedly releasing on March 24th, new screenshots leaked
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/ghostwire-tokyo-is-reportedly-releasing-on-march-24th-new-screenshots-leaked/
RockPaperShotgun has accidentally published a preview for Ghostwire Tokyo. In that article, the publication claimed that this new game will release on March 24th. Moreover, RPS shared some new screenshots that you can find below.

Apex Legends says hello to a bigger Olympus and a better Crypto
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/apex-legends-says-hello-to-a-bigger-olympus-and-a-better-crypto/
We're a week out from a new season of Apex Legends. And while it's too soon to get a brand new map a la last season's Storm Point, there's still new ground to discover on Apex's loftiest arena.

Mason Greenwood removed from FIFA 22 following arrest over rape allegation
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/mason-greenwood-removed-from-fifa-22-following-arrest-over-rape-allegation/
This past weekend, Manchester United footballer Mason Greenwood was accused of rape and assault by a woman on Instagram, after which he was arrested by Greater Manchester Police. Today, Greenwood was re-arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and making threats to kill, per the BBC, and police say magistrates have granted an extension that will keep him in custody until Wednesday.
Manchester United has said Greenwood will not play for the club until further notice, and now developer EA has released a statement announcing that the player has been removed from FIFA 22.

Techland asks Dying Light 2 fans not to play the game early, please
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/techland-asks-dying-light-2-fans-not-to-play-the-game-early-please/
Dying Light 2 is scheduled to go live in just a few days—February 4, to be precise. But, as sometimes happens, it seems that retail copies have started slipping out early. Developer Techland said on Twitter that it appreciates the enthusiasm, but would really like it if everyone could just hold off playing it until the game is actually released.

Modder says Elden Ring may be vulnerable to the same security flaws as Dark Souls
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/modder-says-elden-ring-may-be-vulnerable-to-the-same-security-flaws-as-dark-souls/
The security vulnerability that has kept the Dark Souls series offline on PC for over a week could affect Elden Ring, according to a report by VGC. Dark Souls: Remastered and Prepare to Die Edition, Dark Souls 2, and Dark Souls 3 players have all been susceptible to one or more remote code execution vulnerabilities, which could allow a malicious hacker to take control of their PCs. One modder who reported an exploit believes Elden Ring could face the same problem because it uses the same netcode.

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands details the Graveborn and Spore Warden classes
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/tiny-tinas-wonderlands-details-the-graveborn-and-spore-warden-classes/
The latest trailer for high-fructose looter-shooter Tiny Tina's Wonderlands introduces its last two classes. Joining the existing Brr-Zerker, Stabbomancer, Clawbringer, and Spellshot classes are the Graveborn and the Spore Warden, bringing the total number of options up to six.

Electronic Arts is having second thoughts about NFTs
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/electronic-arts-is-having-second-thoughts-about-nfts/
Just three months after describing NFTs and the blockchain as "the future of our industry," Electronic Arts seems to be easing up a bit. In an investors call following its Q3 2022 earnings report, CEO Andrew Wilson suggested that the future may not be as clean-cut as he thought, saying that the company is not "driving hard" on them.

Destiny 2: The Witch Queen is getting a grenade launcher that yeets worms at your enemies
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/destiny-2-the-witch-queen-is-getting-a-grenade-launcher-that-yeets-worms-at-your-enemies/
Let's not bury the lede: The Witch Queen is getting a gun that shoots Hive worms. This is not the first time Destiny 2 has experimented with grenade launchers that shoot something other than grenades—The Colony and its mechanical spiders say hello—but it is the most gribbly. Parasite is just one of a number of new Exotic weapons introduced in a new trailer that rounds up some of the Exotic equipment we'll be chasing when The Witch Queen expansion launches on February 22.

Shovel Knight devs' next game is a gothic Link's Awakening
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/shovel-knight-devs-next-game-is-a-gothic-links-awakening/
Yacht Club Games, developers of the excellent Shovel Knight, has announced its next project: Mina the Hollower, a top-down 2D dungeon-y roguelike that has serious The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening vibes. The project was revealed alongside a kickstarter that's already shot past its initial goal of raising $230,000 (it's currently around $263,000).

Saucy Cyberpunk 2077 visual novel released with CDPR's blessing
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/saucy-cyberpunk-2077-visual-novel-released-with-cdprs-blessing/
Cyberbang 2069 is at least up-front about what you can expect. This is basically a dating sim featuring many of Cyberpunk 2077's cast, including of course Keanu (thanks, GR+), and is a mix of fan-fiction with original music and art exploring various romantic options within the world. You can download an explicit or an SFW version here.
The most surprising element of this is that, before diving into serious development, the three individuals behind Cyberbang 2069 sought out CDPR's permission to go ahead.

Valheim is one year old, and here's a big bug to celebrate
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/valheim-is-one-year-old-and-heres-a-big-bug-to-celebrate/
Good god, has it been one year of Valheim already? PC Gamer's 2021 Game of the Year celebrates its first birthday this week, and broke the news with a skitterish peek at what's in store for its second year.