The Monday news, part one (filled with mods as per every Monday):

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Elden Ring accounts for 4 of the top 5 best-selling games on Steam last week
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/elden-ring-accounts-for-4-of-the-top-5-best-selling-games-on-steam-last-week/
According to SteamDB, the top five best-selling games on Steam last week were Elden Ring, Elden Ring, Elden Ring Deluxe Edition, Destiny 2: The Witch Queen Deluxe Edition, and Elden Ring. Just outside the very top, the Witch Queen's standard edition came in hot at number six, leaving just two games eating up the top six spots.
>> Since Basil didn't post the top sellers, this is the best we get. Check the link to know the other 3 entries. I say three because the Steam Deck is the 7th.

GOG has two new sales:

• The new flash deal is The Tenants, 30% off for the next 46 hours: https://www.gog.com/en/game/the_tenants
• The Weekly Sale features up to 80% discounts: https://www.gog.com/promo/20220228_weekly_sale
• And the developers of Slipways put the game 20% off and will donate all the profits to the Polish Red Cross to help with the refugees situation. GOG will also refuse its cut so every penny goes for the cause until March 3: https://www.gog.com/en/game/slipways

Steam has one daily deal: Recipe for Disaster, still in Early Access, is 40% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1492360/Recipe_for_Disaster/

Humble has two new sales:

• Humble Bundle presents the Overwhelmingly Positive Gems Bundle, with up to 7 games to get during the next 11 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/overwhelmingly-positive-gems
• Meanwhile, the Humble Store features the Winter VR Sale, with up to 90% discounts during the next 4 days. The keys are for Steam and 1 also for GOG: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/winter-vr-sale/

Finally, there's Fanatical, with two new sales:

• The new Star Deal is Brick Rigs, 50% off during the next 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/brick-rigs
• And a new BundleFest is going on! With new bundles appearing every day, today we have two: Killer Bundle 21 and Grey Alien Games Bundle.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Valve has no plans for a 'Steam Pass,' but would help Microsoft put Game Pass on Steam
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/valve-has-no-plans-for-a-steam-pass-but-would-help-microsoft-put-game-pass-on-steam/
It was a big moment for PC gaming when Microsoft stopped releasing its games exclusively through the Microsoft Store and started putting them on Steam. It wasn't every Microsoft game at first, but now it's gone that direction—just three days ago Bethesda announced it was dropping its own launcher and releasing everything on Steam going forward. But Microsoft also has Game Pass, a subscription service that's grown to millions of subscribers across Windows and Xbox, and those games notably still run out of its own app, not Steam. When I spoke to Valve president Gabe Newell about the Steam Deck last week, I asked him if Valve is interested in its own subscription service, or whether we could see Game Pass games on Steam in the future.
"I don't think it's something that we think we need to do ourselves, building a subscription service at this time," Newell said. "But for their customers it's clearly a popular option, and we'd be more than happy to work with them to get that on Steam."

'50% of transactions were fraudulent' when Steam accepted Bitcoin for payments, says Gabe Newell
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/50-of-transactions-were-fraudulent-when-steam-accepted-bitcoin-for-payments-says-gabe-newell/
Steam wasn't on the Bitcoin train for long. Bitcoin was introduced as a payment method on Steam in April 2016 and removed in December 2017 due to the volatility of Bitcoin's price and "a significant increase in the fees to process transactions on the Bitcoin network," Valve wrote at the time. More recently Valve raised the ire of crypto fans by banning crypto and NFT games from the store. Last week while talking to Valve president Gabe Newell about the Steam Deck, I also asked about that rule and his take on cryptocurrency in general.
(...)
"The problem is that a lot of the actors who are in that space are not people you want interacting with your customers," Newell said. "We had problems when we started accepting cryptocurrencies as a payment option. 50% of those transactions were fraudulent, which is a mind-boggling number. These were customers we didn't want to have."

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Red Dead Redemption 2 Mod restores unused beta models & NPCs
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/red-dead-redemption-2-mod-restores-unused-beta-models-npcs/
Modder ‘EnergiDaan’ has released a pretty new cool mod for Red Dead Redemption 2. According to the modder, this mod adds in unused models for pedestrians that were present in the game’s beta. Moreover, it introduces unused variants of certain NPCs.
For instance, you will find new haircuts, new beard models, new earings, an unused shot wound model, a new vest and more. Additionally, the mod restores the Frankenstein Monster, Leon’s niece and Eliza.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Mod overhauls the appearances of over a hundred characters
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-mod-overhauls-the-appearances-of-over-a-hundred-characters/
GaranSilent has released a brand new mod for Skyrim Special Edition that overhauls the appearances of over a hundred characters. As such, and by using this mod, you can bring more variety to the game.
Now the good news here is that this mod is standalone. Thus, you won’t need any other mod in order to enable it. However, we should note that these new characters are incompatible with any transformation mods.

Star Wars Dark Forces Fan Remake in Unreal Engine 4 looks spectacular in VR
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/star-wars-dark-forces-fan-remake-in-unreal-engine-4-looks-spectacular-in-vr/
In April 2021, we informed you about a fan remake of Star Wars Dark Forces in Unreal Engine 4. Created by Shadow Art Games, this Star Wars Dark Forces fan remake aims to recreate this classic Star Wars game in a modern-day engine. And last week, the team released a new video, showcasing a WIP VR implementation.
Dark Forces 2.0 will be faithful to the original game, and will feature a massive asset overhaul. Moreover, it will have original voice sounds, characters and more.

New The Witcher 3 First-Person Mod released, supporting exploration, combat, horse riding & sailing
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/new-the-witcher-3-first-person-mod-released-supporting-combat-horse-riding-boat/
In September 2021, we shared a mod that allowed you to play The Witcher 3 in first-person mode. Created by ExtremeDotneting, the first versions of this mod had some issues when entering combat and fighting enemies. However, that wasn’t the only FP mod for The Witcher 3. Modder ‘crthdr’ has been also working on a similar first-person mod, and released last week a new version of it.
This new first-person mod for The Witcher 3 supports exploration, combat, horse riding, and sailing. As such, PC gamers can now fully immerse themselves into the world of CD Projekt RED’s RPG.
Do note, though, that there are some minor bugs when using this first-person mod. For instance, and in rare cases, it is very hard or impossible to interact with some objects in FP. Thankfully, you can briefly switch to third-person mode in order to interact with them.
It’s also worth noting that this mod brings some changes to the combat mechanics. For instance, it changes knockdown to stagger. It also changes roll in combat to jump. According to the modder, these changes should make your overall experience better when playing the game in this first-person mode.

After 13 years' development, Half-Life mod about a marine assault on Black Mesa launches to rave reviews
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/after-13-years-development-half-life-mod-about-a-marine-assault-on-black-mesa-launches-to-rave-reviews/
Half-Life: Field Intensity is a new mod for Valve's 1998 shooter that launched this week after 13 years in development. Created by a group of three veteran modders known as Hazard Team, whose previous work includes the 2009 prequel mod Half-Life: Induction, Field Intensity is a much larger project. Taking cues from Opposing Force, the mod's 34 maps follow the story of one of the marines sent into Black Mesa to quell the alien invasion and silence the scientists working there. The mod has had a very positive reception, with one ModDB user calling it "one of the best mods I've ever played".

GAMING NEWS

-Not even one-

Monday news, part two (this time with actual gaming news):

Surprise! Valve is releasing a new game set in the Portal universe
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/aperture-desk-job-new-valve-game/
What the heck? Valve is releasing a new game. No, it's not Portal 3, but it is set in the same universe.
Aperture Desk Job is a free "short" game designed for the Steam Deck that teaches you how to use the new device. Releasing March 1, it looks like even if you don't have a Steam Deck you'll still be able to try the game out on your desktop if you have a controller. (Mouse and keyboard is not supported.)

Destiny 2 PSA: Stop what you're doing and buy this gun from Xur right now
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/destiny-2-psa-stop-what-youre-doing-and-buy-this-gun-from-xur-right-now/
n the run up to this Tuesday’s release of The Witch Queen, many Destiny 2 players I know were still running the Presage exotic quest mission in the hope of snagging a Dead Man’s Tale with the perk Vorpal Weapon. Previously, you only had one chance per account, per week, at a roll on the gun, and with seven possible perks in the relevant column it was, to be frank, a crapshoot. The Presage mission was vaulted with the launch of The Witch Queen, but to offset that frustration Bungie announced that Xur, the weekend vendor, would be selling one randomly rolled Dead Man’s Tale per week. And wouldn’t you know, he’s come up with the goods immediately.
(...)
You have until reset at 12PM EST on Tuesday 1 March to buy this DMT.

Fortnite item shop: X-Men's Gambit and Rogue join the battle royale
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/gambit-fortnite-rogue-x-men/
X-Men's most star-crossed lovers, the card-slinging Gambit and the white-haired Rogue, have joined the Fortnite universe as the latest item shop skins. The pair are also joined by a bevy of new X-Men-themed cosmetics. It's a little late for Valentine's Day, but we don't mind when love (and explosive cards) are in the air.

DICE disables Battlefield 2042's Russian attack helicopter weekly mission reward
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/dice-disables-battlefield-2042s-russian-attack-helicopter-weekly-mission-reward/
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine earlier this week, DICE has disabled the Weekly Mission in Battlefield 2042 and its reward, a skin for the fictionalized Russian Mi-240 Super Hind attack helicopter, is no longer available to unlock.

Factorio is experimenting with controller support and Steam Deck optimizations
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/factorio-is-experimenting-with-controller-support-and-steam-deck-optimizations/
When Valve first showed off the Steam Deck, elaborate and top 100 games worthy Factorio was right there. That makes sense: The Steam Deck runs Linux, Factorio has a native Linux build. There's no messing around then, it works great and a low graphical requirements mean it should have pretty good battery time.
But anyone who has played Factorio can tell you it's a hotkey-heavy, mouse-heavy game with a lot of clicking and finesse mouse usage. That means you'd have to do a lot of remapping and profile construction to make it work super smooth on a Steam Deck. Developers Wube Software are aware of the problem, and in a recent dev blog outlined some work they've been doing to get Factorio going with controllers.

Nobuo Uematsu explains the vocals added to Final Fantasy 6 Pixel Remaster's opera scene
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/nobuo-uematsu-explains-the-vocals-added-to-final-fantasy-6-pixel-remasters-opera-scene/
The final Final Fantasy to receive the pixel remaster treatment, Final Fantasy 6 was released on February 23. Many things remain as they were in the original game, including the fact you can suplex a train (which wasn't a sure thing, as a tweet from two weeks before launch showed a version in which the Phantom Train didn't flip over). One thing that has changed is the famous opera scene, which received a visual overhaul, with the 2D characters in front of 3D backgrounds à la Octopath Traveler, and vocals in seven languages.
In a recent promotional video (thanks to RPGSite for the translation), original composer Nobuo Uematsu explains that he suggested the idea of adding vocals to Square Enix "half-jokingly", not expecting it to actually happen. "I thought it would be impossible or difficult," he said.

Total War: Warhammer 3 data miners find voice file for Chaos Dwarfs
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/total-war-warhammer-3-data-miners-find-voice-files-for-chaos-dwarfs/
A single line of advisor dialogue datamined from Total War: Warhammer 3 has all but confirmed that the next faction coming to Creative Assembly's masterpiece is the expected one: Chaos Dwarfs.

An early Elden Ring chest is sending players straight to hell
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/an-early-elden-ring-chest-is-sending-players-straight-to-hell/
There’s a handy feature in Elden Ring that helps guide players down a suggested critical path with beams of light shooting out of checkpoints. If you're new to Souls games, following that path is a lot safer than what my friend did. You see, my friend started wandering around carefree as soon as he was allowed to, opened up a random treasure chest, and then ended up in hell.
>> And that's all that can be posted without spoilers.

Elden Ring creator feels 'apologetic' to anyone frustrated by his games
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/elden-ring-creator-feels-apologetic-to-anyone-frustrated-by-his-games/
Hidetaka Miyazaki, creator of the Souls series and Elden Ring, gave an interview to The New Yorker covering his inspirations, artistic goals, and some ruminations on his meteoric rise through the games industry in the past decade.

Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama answers questions about his new game, Slitterhead
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/silent-hill-creator-keiichiro-toyama-answers-questions-about-his-new-game-slitterhead/
Slitterhead was unveiled at the 2021 Game Awards with what can only be described as one hell of a teaser. It's being headed up by Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, but as we noted following its reveal, it looks to be a different sort of experience—bright, loud, and really gory—although the grotesquely terrifying horrors with too many too-sharp limbs are obviously still plentiful.
In a new Q&A video, the founders of developer Bokeh Game Studio—Toyama, Slitterhead creator and Bokeh CEO, along with CTO and game director Junya Okura and COO and producer Kazunobu Sato—revealed more about the game. The session doesn't get into a deep examination of the game, but it does reveal some interesting details, including that Slitterhead isn't actually a straight-up horror game at all.

Konami let the silenthill.com domain expire and some joker bought it
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/konami-let-the-silenthillcom-domain-expire-and-some-joker-bought-it/
The fact that publisher Konami doesn't really care about Silent Hill or its legacy is basically a meme at this point, the series seemingly relegated to perpetual limbo in the form of DLC for unrelated multiplayer games. The publisher has now let its ownership of the silenthill.com domain name lapse long enough for someone else to buy it, an example of how little Konami cares so pointed that if a satirist came up with it you'd think it was a little on-the-nose.
>> This kind of puts an end to any rumor regarding a new Silent Hill game, doesn't it?

MiHoYo's spending that Genshin cash on an experimental fusion reactor
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/mihoyos-spending-that-genshin-cash-on-an-experimental-fusion-reactor/
Developer miHoYo has been around since 2012, but 2020's Genshin Impact was its first global success: the game remains enormously popular, but in its first year made over $2 billion from the mobile version alone. The company has quite a charming motto—Tech otakus save the world—and, with this big ol' bunch of money burning a hole in its metaphorical pocket, has decided to have a go at living up to those words.
>> That's cool, but also a bit scary.

UL preparing 3DMark Speed Way benchmark focusing on DirectX 12 Ultimate features

https://videocardz.com/newz/ul-preparing-3dmark-speed-way-benchmark-focusing-on-directx-12-ultimate-features

"3DMark Speed Way uses ray tracing and real-time global illumination to render realistic lighting and reflections. It uses new DirectX 12 Ultimate features such as mesh shaders and variable rate shading to optimize performance and visual quality."


Hacking group threatens to leak NVIDIA GPU driver and firmware data, already selling GA102/104 LHR algorithm bypass

https://videocardz.com/newz/hacking-group-threatens-to-leak-nvidia-gpu-driver-and-firmware-data-already-selling-ga102-104-lhr-algorithm-bypass


Intel 700-Series Chipsets For 13th Gen Raptor Lake CPUs To Feature Increased PCIe Gen 4 Lanes & USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Ports

https://wccftech.com/intel-700-series-chipset-leak-13th-gen-raptor-lake-cpu-platform-more-pcie-lanes-usb-ports/


Intel Core i9-12900KS 5.5 GHz Alder Lake CPU spotted with 10% faster multi-core performance over 12900K

https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-core-i9-12900ks-5-5-ghz-alder-lake-cpu-spotted-with-10-faster-multi-core-performance-over-12900k


Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro to feature Intel Arc Alchemist discrete GPU

https://videocardz.com/newz/samsung-galaxy-book2-pro-to-feature-intel-arc-alchemist-discrete-gpu

That Nvidia hacking could be a serious problem for them and, in turn, for us.

By the way, I love the "to help mining and gaming cammunity, eliminate LHR" demand. Bitch, gamers want it even more strict than it already is so miners go f*ck themselves and we, gamers, can actually get our hands on them.

Alice: Madness Returns is back on Steam.

Movavi Video Suite 2020 Steam Edition will be disabled from purchase soon. It's also heavily discounted before that happens.

So long, Winter!

I'm glad they're bringing Alice back.

And judging by a comment in the discussion and the fact that there's a 2022 version, they're just delisting that video software to focus on the newer one. Nothing worrying about it.

Hi, guys. Here's something for you:

*** NEW CONTEST ***

Win one of two AOC 27in 165Hz QHD curved gaming monitors
https://www.club386.com/win-one-of-two-aoc-27in-165hz-qhd-curved-gaming-monitors/

Some details of the monitor:

• 1ms response time MPRT / 4ms GTG
• VA
• Contrast_ 3000:1
• 1000R
• Freesync Premium (48 - 165Hz) / G-Sync compatible

More info here: https://eu.aoc.com/en/gaming/products/monitors/cq27g3su-bk

Sadly, this contest is only open to UK and Europe residents.

The Tuesday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Elden Ring has reportedly sold 5 million copies on PC in less than a week
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/elden-ring-has-reportedly-sold-5-million-copies-on-pc-in-less-than-a-week/
Bandai Namco released Elden Ring on PC on February 25th and according to SteamSpy, the game has already sold 5 million copies on Steam. Not only that, but the game had an all-time peak of 891,638 concurrent players.
>> That's a massive success.

Steam has seven new sales, plus the new weeklong deals:

• The new daily deal is Volcanoids, still in Early Access, with a 20% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/951440/Volcanoids/
• The first Midweek Madness is SCARLET NEXUS, that has a demo, 60% off until Thursday: https://store.steampowered.com/app/775500/SCARLET_NEXUS/
• The Marvel vs Capcom franchise is on sale, up to 75% off until March 3: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/marvel-franchise
• The DC franchise titles are between 75 and 90% off until Thursday 3: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/DCGames
• The Steamworld franchise is going to be between 50 and 80% off until Friday: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/steamworld-franchise
• The Remote Play Together Sale will last until next Monday and features up to 90% discounts: https://store.steampowered.com/remoteplay_together
• And here are some of the weeklong deals:
  • The Tenants, still in Early Access, gets a 25% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1009560/The_Tenants/
  • IronWolf VR, also in Early Access, is 35% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/552080/IronWolf_VR/
  • Clue/Cluedo: The Classic Mystery Game is 50% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/794800/ClueCluedo_The_Classic_Mystery_Game/
  • Monster Sanctuary gets a 66% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/814370/Monster_Sanctuary/
  • LEGO City Undercover gets a big 80% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/578330/LEGO_City_Undercover/
  • And Serious Sam 3: BFE is a massive 90% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/41070/Serious_Sam_3_BFE/

The Humble Store has three new sales:

• The Assassin's Creed Week features up to 85% discounts during the next 6 days. All the keys are for UPlay: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/assassins-creed-sale/
• The Tales of franchise Sale brings up to 85% discounts until next Monday. The keys are for Steam: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/tales-franchise-sale/
• The last one is the Female Hero Sale, featuring up to 90% discounts for the next 6 days. There are keys for Steam, GOG and the Bethesda launcher (so, ultimately, also for Steam): https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/female-hero-sale/

And Fanatical's Bundlefest adds two new bundles:

• The two new bundles are: Indie Must Play Bundle and Diamond Collection BYOB.
• Also, you can also buy This War Of Mine games from Fanatical to support the victims in Ukraine: https://www.fanatical.com/en/collections/this-war-of-mine

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Hackers have leaked the source code of NVIDIA DLSS 2.2
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/hackers-have-leaked-the-source-code-of-nvidia-dlss-2-2/
Earlier this weekend, NVIDIA fell victim to a cyberattack. And, from the looks of it, the hackers have leaked the source code of the NVIDIA DLSS tech.
In the following image, we can see the C++ files, headers, and assets for DLSS. As reported, these assets are from one of the latest versions of DLSS, version 2.2.
>> That's a big problem for Nvidia. On the other side, maybe this pushes Nvidia to make DLSS open source, which could benefit us all.

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion gets a new standalone fan expansion
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion-gets-a-new-standalone-fan-expansion/
The PoH team has released the Alpha version of Prism of Hammerfell; a new standalone fan expansion for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
Here is the storyline of this fan expansion.
“Once captured by fanatical nomads in the heart of Hammerfell, the protagonist must become a symbol for the Redguards, unravel the mystery of the Dwemer Prism and regain their memories.”

Dark Souls 3 gets a gameplay overhaul mod, expanding player’s moveset
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/dark-souls-3-gets-a-gameplay-overhaul-mod-expanding-players-moveset/
Modder ‘ElFonz0’ has released a gameplay overhaul mod for Dark Souls 3 that focuses on expanding the player’s moveset and options. Additionally, it provides a number of quality of life improvements and miscellaneous changes.
The Reforged Mod expands the ways that the player can perform inputs in order to do new attacks and maneuvers. For instance, the mod adds new standard attacks to movesets. Moreover, it revamps the Forward R1 attacks. Not only that, but it adds Backstep Attack, Heavy Left and Block Heavy.
Furthermore, Reforged adds several unused armor sets to various shops and progression. It also implements several extra service options for Bonfires. Furthermore, it makes many armor pieces combo differently with others.

You can finally pause Elden Ring with this simple mod
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/you-can-finally-pause-elden-ring-with-this-simple-mod/
You can't pause in Elden Ring. Why? Because it's a FromSoftware game, and FromSoftware thinks it adds a bit of challenge. That's all well and good for those who want to challenge their bladder to a mid-boss fight standoff, but when there's a pizza delivery at the door, the 'no pause' thing instantly goes from cute to crisis of the highest order.
Thankfully, just a few days after launch, modder TechieW has come to the rescue with a simple mod that adds a pause button to the PC version of Elden Ring. It's pretty easy to install and works tremendously well.

This mod unlocks Elden Ring's 60 fps cap at your own risk
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/this-mod-unlocks-elden-rings-60-fps-cap-at-your-own-risk/
Nobody tell FromSoftware, but I just unlocked Elden Ring's annoying 60 fps cap on PC. I can finally run around Stormveil Castle at a smooth-ish 90 fps or lock it to whatever number I want, as every PC game should allow. It was a surprisingly easy process, but I'm not sure the downsides are really worth it at the moment.
Unlocking Elden Ring's framerate is possible thanks to this handy mod developed by Github user uberhalit. As they explain, the mod doesn't actually modify any of Elden Ring's game files, but instead "patches the game's memory while running." You have to start the game from a custom launcher that also comes with a handful of new features, including widescreen support, game speed controls, FOV options, and the ability to not lose runes upon death.
The mod is part extra settings and part cheat tool, and therein lies some risk with using it.

GAMING NEWS

GTA The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition Update 1.04 released, full patch notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/gta-the-trilogy-the-definitive-edition-update-1-04-released-full-patch-notes/
Rockstar has just released Title Update 1.04 for Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition. According to the patch notes, this update improves game performance across all platforms and graphic modes. Additionally, it packs a number of stability improvements.

The creators of Grim Dawn are working on a new real-time strategy game
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/the-creators-of-grim-dawn-are-working-on-a-new-real-time-strategy-game/
Crate Entertainment, the team behind Grim Dawn, is currently working on a new real-time strategy game, called Farthest Frontier. In order to celebrate this announcement, the team released a gameplay trailer that you can find below.
>> While it's a strategy game, the video and description make it look closer to the Anno series than Age of Empires.

Diablo II: Resurrected Patch 2.4 releases tomorrow, brings numerous tweaks & fixes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/diablo-ii-resurrected-patch-2-4-releases-tomorrow-brings-numerous-tweaks-fixes/
Blizzard has announced that the upcoming Patch 2.4 PTR will go live tomorrow. According to the team, this new update brings numerous fixes and tweaks to the game. Furthermore, it will introduce a new Ladder system.

Tuesday news, part two:

Forza Horizon 5 is adding American and British Sign Language this week
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/forza-horizon-5-is-adding-american-and-british-sign-language-this-week/
Forza Horizon 5 is adding American Sign Language and British Sign Language to its 300-something cutscenes this week. Playground Games originally announced in November that the feature would be implemented, with creative director Mike Brown saying it was "a priority to incorporate accessibility features" into the game.

Bungie is 'looking into' the brutal grind for Wellspring drops in Destiny 2
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/bungie-is-looking-into-the-brutal-grind-for-wellspring-drops-in-destiny-2/
Destiny 2: The Witch Queen is outstanding, possibly the best shooter campaign of the year. But it's not without its problems, one of the big ones right now being the extreme rarity of a particular type of reward drop that's required to craft new weapons.

Tennis champ Naomi Osaka joins Fortnite as the latest Icon Series skin
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/naomi-osaka-fortnite/
Japanese tennis pro (and big time Overwatch fan) Naomi Osaka is officially joining the Fortnite Icon Series, alongside other celebrities and athletes like Lebron James. Epic is celebrating the addition with two new skins, new cosmetic items, and a new tournament dubbed the "Naomi Osaka Cup."

Euro Truck Simulator studio is 'racing' to release DLC to support Ukrainian charities
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/euro-truck-simulator-studio-is-racing-to-release-dlc-to-support-ukrainian-charities/
SCS Software, the developer of American Truck Simulator and Euro Truck Simulator 2, has announced that it is putting together a Ukrainian Paint Jobs Pack DLC for both games, with all funds raised going to support victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

World of Tanks studio fires creative director who voiced support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/world-of-tanks-studio-fires-creative-director-who-voiced-support-for-russias-invasion-of-ukraine/
World of Tanks studio Wargaming has fired creative director Sergey Burkatovskiy over his public support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Burkatovskiy said in a now-deleted Facebook post following Russia's attack that he supports "the operation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the DPR [Donetsk People's Republic] and the LPR [Luhansk People's Republic]." Wargaming, a Belarusian company that employs hundreds of developers in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, quickly disavowed the statement, telling Russian gaming site Cyber.Sports.ru that the statement is "his personal opinion, which categorically does not coincide with the position of the company." The studio added that it is now "focused on helping our 550+ Kyiv colleagues and their families."
>> Sometimes, it's wiser to keep your mouth shout and look like a fool than open your mouth and dispel any doubts, specially when no one has asked you to say sh!t.

RimWorld is officially banned in Australia, but it probably won't affect PC
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/rimworld-is-officially-banned-in-australia-but-it-probably-wont-affect-pc/
RimWorld is an engrossing simulator about overseeing a space colony—it's kinda like Dwarf Fortress in space. Because of the freedom it provides, and how detailed the simulation is, a lot of really dark things can happen, which is probably why the Australian Classification Board has effectively banned the game.

Sid Meier says monetisation causes some games to 'stray a little bit further from the path'
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/sid-meier-says-monetisation-causes-some-games-to-stray-a-little-bit-further-from-the-path/
Sid Meier needs no introduction on PC Gamer, but let's whizz through a brief highlight reel: co-founder of Microprose and early simulation pioneer, one of the first developers to become a 'name' on the box with Sid Meier's Pirates!, then later founder of Firaxis and the driving force behind the Civilization series. Meier has been working in the industry since 1980 and over four decades later has an incredible living legacy: the guy knows what he's talking about. And right now, Sid Meier reckons the industry has gone down the wrong path on monetisation.

George R. R. Martin hails Elden Ring as a 'landmark megahit'
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/george-r-r-martin-hails-elden-ring-as-a-landmark-megahit/
Creator and writer of Game of Thrones George R. R. Martin has taken to his blog in the wake of Elden Ring's release, on which he played a 'worldbuilding' role. Titled 'Grab the Ring' (sounds like one of the in-game messages) Martin shares a few of the many, many positive reviews the game has received since launch, and the above game overview trailer. Elden Ring currently has a Metacritic score of 95% on PC and, despite some negative user reviews due to performance issues, is now 'mostly positive' on Steam.

Elden Ring has some super cheesy rune farming spots
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/elden-ring-rune-farm-guide/
Elden Ring has a brutal difficulty curve, especially if you're charging headfirst into its major Legacy dungeons. The enemies and bosses there can crush you in a single hit or wear down your resources so fast that it can be tough to make progress if you're unprepared. And one of the simplest ways to prepare is by investing in your stats, for which you'll require lots and lots of runes from fallen foes.