Maybe you should listen to that alarm and wait for reviews before taking any decision.

Don't worry, being in Canada and getting things late will force me to wait regardless.

"Lifetime Exclusive" being released on Steam? Is this one of those manufacturer Lifetime nonsense where the term is meaningless?

Probably will skip though.

Apparently this was all the doing of the publisher, who wanted to "test" the interest of users over on Steam for the game, as the devs had already made their bed well over a year ago (especially when they decided to keep their intentions on Discord and not public like everyone else who did an exclusive). 

Not like I'm gonna buy it though, since I don't touch the titles that were once exclusive, and this move shows that it was the publisher who cared and not the devs (which in essence just makes the devs look bad).

I also don't think this was a good time to release it, even with the usual 20% discount for these kind of freed exclusives, people are still buying up games like ER and Dying Light 2, as well as other longstanding games receiving their event updates, making this game just another small title to drown in the sea of other releases. 

(originally posted back in 2019).

The news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Lost Ark has surpassed 20 million global users
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/lost-ark-has-surpassed-20-million-global-users/
Amazon Games and Smilegate recently announced that Lost Ark, the free-to-play MMORPG, has exceeded 20 million global users. In the first three days after launching in the West, more than 4.7 million new users joined the player community, and currently more than 10 million of Lost Ark’s come from North America, Europe, South America, and Australia.
>> I wonder if that number is from before or after the massive ban that I posted about yesterday?

Itch.io's 'Bundle for Ukraine' fundraiser offers nearly 1,000 games for your donation
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/itchios-bundle-for-ukraine-fundraiser-offers-nearly-1000-games-for-your-donation/
Itch has launched the Bundle for Ukraine, a massive collection of nearly a thousand games designed to raise funds for two humanitarian organisations aiding civilians in the war-torn country. Donations start from $10 and, in exchange, you'll get a dizzying amount of games: 991, to be exact. Honestly, more than you'll probably ever be able to play.

GOG has a contest where 3 users can win a key for Haven: https://www.gog.com/en/news/bjoin_the_haven_contestb

Steam has no new daily deals (the 2 featured are weeklong deals), but has 5 Midweek Madness deals, one long sale and the mentioned weeklong deals:

• The first Midweek Madness deal is the Spyro + Crash Remastered Game Bundle, 61% off until Thursday (the individual games are also on sale, 65 and 50% off, respectively): https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/10631/Spyro__Crash_Remastered_Game_Bundle/
• The Women Day Sale features up to 75% discounts until March 10: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/womenday
• Hearts of Iron IV is 75% off (the DLCs reach up to 50% off) until Thursday 10: https://store.steampowered.com/app/394360/Hearts_of_Iron_IV/
• The Overcooked franchise is between 50 and 80% off until the 10th of March: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/OvercookedFranchise
• The Dungeon Of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet Of Chaos is going to be 50% off until Friday 11: https://store.steampowered.com/app/970830/The_Dungeon_Of_Naheulbeuk_The_Amulet_Of_Chaos/
• Ubisoft is offering up to 80% discounts on some of its titles until March 21: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/UbisoftMidweek
• And here are some of the weeklong deals:
  • A Cat in Dungeons is 20% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1574620/A_Cat_in_Dungeons/
  • Sable features a 35% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/757310/Sable/
  • Curse of the Dead Gods gets a 50% deal: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1123770/Curse_of_the_Dead_Gods/
  • killer7 comes with a 70% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/868520/killer7/
  • And Vomitoreum is a massive 90% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1549750/Vomitoreum/

The Humble Store has four new sales:

• The Capcom BYOB comes with 28 titles to choose your up to 5 games bundle. And remember, the bigger your bundle is, the higher the discount (up to 80% off). All the keys are for Steam: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/capcom-byob/
• The Dragon Ball Franchise Sale features up to 85% discounts during the next 6 days. The keys are for Steam: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/dragon-ball-franchise-sale/
• Publisher 2K puts its titles on sale with up to 85% discounts during the next 6 days. There are keys for Steam, EGS and 2 for GOG: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/2k-publisher-sale/
• And the Adrenaline Fueled Sale brings up to 90% discounts during 6 days. There are keys for Steam, GOG the Bethesda launcher, UPlay and EGS: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/grid-details-adrenaline-fueled-sale/

Fanatical has two new flash deals:

• The first one is Ghostrunner, 69% off during the next 24 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/ghostrunner
• The other one is Dragon Star Varnir - Complete Deluxe Edition Bundle, 75% off during 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/dragon-star-varnir-complete-deluxe-edition-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Blank-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

This Red Dead Redemption 2 Mod aims to introduce better ragdoll shot reactions
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/this-red-dead-redemption-2-mod-aims-to-introduce-better-ragdoll-shot-reactions/
AnymYo has released a pretty cool mod for Red Dead Redemption 2, called Cineastic Euphoria Ragdoll Rework. According to its description, this mod aims to bring back some cineastic and diversified euphoria ragdoll shot reactions.
Going into more details, the mod adds new gunshot reactions, for each weapon type (revolver, pistol, shotgun, bow and so on). Moreover, NPCs will now behave differently depending on each weapon type and hit zone. The modder has also implemented a range of random varieties to certain shot behaviors.
The modder also noted that all modified euphoria tasks are completely rebuilt from the ground up. Furthermore, NPCs will now react longer to shots without collapsing.

This STALKER: Call of Pripyat Mod adds new storyline, models & locations
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/this-stalker-call-of-pripyat-mod-adds-new-storyline-models-locations/
STALKER fans, here is something for you today. The SZM-Team has released a new version of the Choice of Destiny Mod for STALKER: Call of Pripyat.
Choice of Destiny is a global modification with new storyline, models and locations. According to the team, the three new locations are Predbannik, Agroprom, and the Swamps. Naturally, this mod also adds some new quests.
It’s also worth noting that Choice of Destiny adds more than 50 new caches scattered in new locations. It also uses a standalone build of the X-Ray Engine.
Lastly, the mod also includes a Freeplay Mode. After completing the main story, a freeplay story will be made available, And yes, this new Freeplay also has some new quests.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Mod allows you to play as Zack Fair
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/final-fantasy-7-remake-mod-allows-you-to-play-as-zack-fair/
Modder ‘Jujub’ has released a pretty cool character swap mod for Final Fantasy 7 Remake, allowing you to play as Zack Fair. Zack basically replaces Cloud’s 3D model, so don’t expect new dialogue lines or different voices.
And, while this is really cool, my biggest issue with this mod is that it’s just a 3D character swap mod. Thus, and even though Zack looks like Zack, he does not behave or sound like Zack.

GAMING NEWS

Battlefield 2042 Update 3.3 releases tomorrow, adds Scoreboard, full patch notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/battlefield-2042-update-3-3-releases-tomorrow-adds-scoreboard-full-patch-notes/
DICE has announced that Battlefield 2042’s Update 3.3 will release tomorrow. This new patch will introduce an updated Scoreboard, and fixes some bugs and crashes. Moreover, DICE revealed its full patch notes that you can find below.
>> That tomorrow is today.

Square Enix’s Forspoken has been delayed until October 11th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/square-enixs-forspoken-has-been-delayed-until-october-11th/
Square Enix has announced that its upcoming action RPG, Forspoken, has been delayed until October 11th, 2022. According to the publisher, this delay will give its dev team enough time to further polish it.

The news, part two:

All-women speedrunning event Frost Fatales raises $132,000 for charity
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/all-women-speedrunning-event-frost-fatales-raises-dollar132000-for-charity/
The all-woman speedrunning event Frost Fatales wrapped up this weekend with more than $132,000 raised for the Malala Fund, a non-profit founded in 2013 by Pakistani activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai that works to support safe, quality education for girls around the world.

Take-Two and Ubisoft suspend sales in Russia over Ukrainian invasion
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/take-two-and-ubisoft-suspend-sales-in-russia-over-ukrainian-invasion/
Take-Two Interactive and Ubisoft have announced that they are halting sales of their games and services in Russia as a result of its invasion of Ukraine.

World of Warcraft's next expansion will be revealed in April
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/world-of-warcrafts-next-expansion-will-be-revealed-in-april/
Blizzard hasn't revealed the next World of Warcraft expansion yet, but it has revealed when it will be revealed, as well as the reveal timing for the next Hearthstone expansion and, with somewhat less specificity, the upcoming Warcraft mobile game.
>> The announcement of an announcement...

Another peek at the Dead Space remake is just around the corner, gurgling
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/another-peek-at-the-dead-space-remake-is-just-around-the-corner-gurgling/
On Friday, developer Motive will livestream a new progress report on its upcoming remake of EA horror classic Dead Space. The studio teased the stream on Twitter, implying that the topic of this behind-the-scenes tour will be all the noisy gurgling, clanking, and distorted whispering that you have to have in a game about dismembering alien-human hybrids on a ghost spaceship.

Nintendo 64 platformer Glover is getting a PC reissue next month
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/nintendo-64-platformer-glover-is-getting-a-pc-reissue-next-month/
Released back in 1998 for Nintendo 64 and PC, Glover was a 3D platformer starring a glove and its ball. It's very much a product of its time, though it has an interesting twist: the sentient glove protagonist needs to guide a ball to the end of each level, so it plays a little like Mario 64 blended with a marble run game.
Piko Interactive, a studio which, in its own words, buys "old intellectual property to make cool stuff", is re-releasing Glover for PC next month. Using the original Nintendo 64 source code (there was a hugely inferior PlayStation version), Piko Interactive has "completely redone" the game so that it'll play nice with modern PCs.
>> There's a trailer, in case you want to check it out.

Take-Two is facing a lawsuit over NBA 2K loot boxes and microtransactions
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/take-two-is-facing-a-lawsuit-over-nba-2k-loot-boxes-and-microtransactions/
Take-Two Interactive is facing a lawsuit over the presence of loot boxes in its NBA 2K games and the VC—virtual currency—that players use to purchase them. The suit doesn't reference the newest game in the series, NBA 2K22, specifically, but notes that games in the series are offered at standard purchase prices but then encourage players to spend even more on other in-game content.

Bethesda re-ups trademark for unannounced project called Spyteam
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/bethesda-re-ups-trademark-for-unannounced-project-called-spyteam/
Zenimax Media has renewed a trademark for a product called Spyteam, a long-rumoured title that has previously surfaced in the same way. Spyteam does sound a tiny bit like the kind of show my five year-old would watch, though it also suggests a multiplayer focus—and of course it's always quite amusing when something related to espionage is found out.

Bethesda is working on a 'five-year roadmap' for Fallout 76
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/bethesda-is-working-on-a-five-year-roadmap-for-fallout-76/
UFOs filled with alien invaders have just arrived in West Virginia. Don't panic, I'm just talking about Fallout 76, which has entered Season 8 and is now filled with extraterrestrial encounters. Fallout 76's new 2022 roadmap also promises arena fights against robots this summer, expeditions to revisit The Pitt this fall (last seen in a Fallout 3 add-on), and a new region boss arriving in the winter.
That's a pretty packed schedule for the year, but according to Bethesda it's just the tip of the irradiated iceberg. Speaking recently to AusGamers, Fallout 76 design director Mark Tucker said they are working on a roadmap that will cover the next five years of the post-nuclear MMO.

Final Fantasy 14 is currently broken for the majority of Steam users
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/final-fantasy-14-is-currently-broken-for-the-majority-of-steam-users/
A huge portion of Steam Final Fantasy 14 players are finding themselves unable to log into the game after new security measures have perhaps made the game too secure.

Future Spring Showcase brings a raft of new announcements in late March
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/future-spring-showcase-brings-a-raft-of-new-announcements-in-late-march/
The Future Games Show: Spring Showcase, presented by GamesRadar+, returns on March 24 with an exclusive look at some of the most exciting games coming this year. The show will feature more than 40 games, including eight new reveals from publishers such as Frontier Foundry, Nacon, and a showcase from Team17.

Ex-Amazon developer claims 'it was pretty apparent' Crucible would fail
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/ex-amazon-developer-claims-it-was-pretty-apparent-crucible-would-fail/
A former senior developer at Amazon Games has claimed that it was "pretty apparent" the incredibly short-lived sci-fi shooter Crucible was doomed to fail.
Stephen Dewhurst spent seven years at the developer and publisher as a senior systems designer, spending the majority of his time there working on Crucible. Dewhurst cited fundamental issues with how Amazon Games operated, calling its workplace policies "draconian."

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D to cost $449, launches April 20

https://videocardz.com/newz/amd-ryzen-7-5800x3d-to-cost-449-launches-april-20

I'll be interested to see the reviews but unless the performance jump is pretty note worthy, it may not be worth to buy it over a 5800X which can be had for over $100 less or just waiting for Zen 4 which is on the Horizon.

Intel Arc Alchemist high-end desktop SKUs rumored to launch between week 18 and 22 (May 8 – June 5)

https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-arc-alchemist-high-end-desktop-skus-rumored-to-launch-between-week-18-and-22-may-8-june-5

Clock is ticking Intel

AMD acknowledges fTPM stuttering issues, promises a BIOS fix in May

https://videocardz.com/newz/amd-acknowledges-ftpm-stuttering-issues-promises-a-bios-fix-in-may

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 ‘Ada Lovelace’ GPU Rumors: Graphics Card Lineup Detailed, Q3 Launch, Possible GDDR7 Memory Support

https://wccftech.com/nvidia-geforce-rtx-40-ada-lovelace-gpu-rumors-graphics-card-lineup-detailed-q3-launch-possible-gddr7-memory-support/

While impressive, it is MLID so take it with mountains of salt

Nvidia Mulls Continuing RTX 3000 Sales Even After Next-Gen GPUs Launch

https://www.pcmag.com/news/nvidia-mulls-continuing-rtx-3000-sales-even-after-next-gen-gpus-launch

What people think will happen:

3060 Ti: $250
4060: $300
3080: $400
4070: $500
4080: $700
4090: $1500

What will actually happen:

3060 Ti: $400
4060: $500
3080: $700
4070: $1000
4080: $1500
4090: $3000

don't play glover fucking rage inducing

So I did buy a 512GB microsd card for my Steam Deck.

Based on my research, the most important spec sounds like the "A2" signifier when it comes to using it to install games and load apps and such:

https://www.mymemory.co.uk/blog/a1-vs-a2-sandisk-microsd-card-whats-the-difference/

"The SD Association states, “The Application Performance Class was introduced to realize comfortable application manipulation such as compilation of data which is stored in an SD memory card.”

So, now that slotted Android devices can store and run apps from removable cards, the SD Association has introduced a new specification to enable the best user experience – Application Speed Class 2 (A2).

Application Speed Class 2, defines the minimum specification for cards and host devices. Sequential read and write speeds are now joined in importance by random read/write speeds (measured in IOPS). The higher the IOPS (Input/Output operations Per Second) the smaller files can be read and written to the card in any one time. So, for apps that open multiple small files – high scores, different graphics for a single level, licensing permissions, etc. – a minimum IOPS level is important, which is covered by the A2 spec."

Might be worth paying attention to if you are going to buy a new microsd card for the Deck or Switch.