The Thursday news, all in one post:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

The Epic Store gives away two games:

• Ancient Enemy: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/ancient-enemy
• Killing Floor 2: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/killing-floor-2

And next week, the free games will be Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms and Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap.

There's a new Humble Bundle: Play with Pride, featuring up to 6 games to get during the next 13 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/play-with-pride.

Fanatical's new Star Deal is Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion, 67% off during 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/turnip-boy-commits-tax-evasion.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

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MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Metal Gear Online 2 gets three new maps on PC
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/metal-gear-online-2-gets-three-new-maps-on-pc/
The team behind the Metal Gear Online 2 PC project has shared a new update that adds three new maps to it. In order to celebrate this, the team also released a new trailer that you can find below.
Metal Gear Online 2 PC is basically a project/service that allows you to play the multiplayer mode of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots on PC using the RPCS3 emulator.
As we’ve already stated, Konami has taken down the official PS3 servers for Metal Gear Online 2. As such, the owners of the original PS3 game cannot play it on their consoles. However, and by using RPCS3, PC gamers can play and enjoy Metal Gear Online 2.

Take Two attempts to take down the VR Mods for Red Dead Redemption 2, GTA 5 & Mafia
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/take-two-attempts-to-take-down-the-vr-mods-for-red-dead-redemption-2-gta-5-mafia/
Take-Two has issued a DMCA takedown notice for the VR mods that were available for Red Dead Redemption 2, Grand Theft Auto 5 and the Mafia games. Created by Luke Ross, these mods allowed you to play Rockstar’s games in VR. And, similarly to some other “enhancing” mods, Take-Two attempts to take them down.
As Luke Ross stated, none of his modifications are built using software belonging to Take-Two. Moreover, these VR modifications are not intended to replace Take-Two’s games, nor are they a means of exploiting Take-Two’s proprietary IP or assets. And lastly, as with all mods, these VR mods require that users buy and own the games before they can add them.
>> Take-Two acting like d*cks as usual.

GAMING NEWS

Marvel's Avengers designer looks on helplessly as streamer leaks next hero reveal
https://www.pcgamer.com/marvels-avengers-designer-looks-on-helplessly-as-streamer-leaks-next-hero-reveal/
Marvel's Avengers just cannot seem to catch a break. It's been through a lot over the past couple of years—ugly bugs, a paid booster debacle, sass from Square Enix, and an average concurrent player count that hasn't come close to breaking triple digits since mid-2021—and now it looks like the next big character reveal was spoiled during a livestream with none other than Crystal Dynamics design lead Brian Waggoner.

The Forspoken delay also means we probably won't get to test Microsoft's super-fast DirectStorage tech this year
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-forspoken-delay-also-means-we-probably-wont-get-to-test-microsofts-super-fast-directstorage-tech-this-year/
Well, it seems like the developers of Forspoken spoke too soon about its release date. Forspoken has been delayed to January, which means we're waiting longer to see DirectStorage in action on Windows 11 PCs.

God of War Ragnarok is coming in November
https://www.pcgamer.com/god-of-war-ragnarok-is-coming-in-november/
God of War: Ragnarok, one of the most anticipated games of the year, finally has a release date, and despite some worries among the fans it will be out this year: Sony announced with a brief trailer that its next big father-and-son adventure will be out on November 9.
>> From then, it will be a matter of what, 2 years until it launches on PC?. By the way, Axumblade made a thread about this announcement, so you can leave your thoughts there.

Final Fantasy 14 roleplaying server currently under the protection of a catgirl army
https://www.pcgamer.com/ffxiv-erotic-roleplaying-server-currently-under-the-protection-of-a-catgirl-army/
A wall of armed catgirls stand at the entrance of Ul'dah. This border wall of fur appears to be blocking outsiders from entering one of the most notorious servers in Final Fantasy 14, but it's also a playful form of greeting.
Player-tourists are waiting in queues of up to 30 minutes to flood into Balmung via the newly introduced Data Center travel system. They're there to ogle at a city known for its erotic roleplaying. Its catgirls, and the rest of the players taking shifts beside them, however, would rather it remain an insulated enclave, an erotic Themyscira that mortals can't reach—unless you're brave enough to walk through them.

Diablo Immortal's first update brings a new season and battle pass, but players aren't impressed
https://www.pcgamer.com/diablo-immortals-first-update-brings-a-new-season-and-battle-pass-but-players-arent-impressed/
Blizzard has released details on the first post-launch update for Diablo Immortal, the free-to-play dungeon romp that launched into open beta on PC on June 2. The update will kick off a new season with three new battle passes, add a new raid boss and weekend event, and make numerous balance changes and bug fixes.

Blizzard aims to bring BlizzCon back in 2023
https://www.pcgamer.com/blizzard-aims-to-bring-blizzcon-back-in-2023/
Blizzard halted plans for BlizzCon in 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and then later in the year hit "pause" on plans for a substitute online event because of widespread allegations of discrimination and sexual harassment at Activision Blizzard. The allegations were still relatively new and developing at that point, and Blizzard said "the energy it would take to put on a show like this is best directed towards supporting our teams and progressing development of our games and experiences."
That pause will continue through 2022, but Blizzard president Mike Ybarra said in a new interview with the Los Angeles Times that he aims to bring BlizzCon back in 2023.

343 is trying to revive Halo 2's infamous 'Earth City' E3 demo
https://www.pcgamer.com/343-is-trying-to-revive-halo-2s-infamous-earth-city-e3-demo/
Halo has taken many forms throughout the years, and left scraps of those development paths going all the way back to when it was supposed to be an RTS on Mac. This week, Halo caretaker 343 Industries announced a massive project to pick up those scraps, working with modders to bring cut content back into The Master Chief Collection.

This Budget Gaming PC Is AWESOME

$500 PC with a 2060? Fuck yes! Although I would pay the extra $40 to get a 6 core 12 thread i5 instead of the quad core i3. And get a different case after watching the video. But it feels good to talk about budget PCs again after essentially 2 years of getting shat on.

GeForce GTX 1630, An Insult To Gamers

TLDW: It's shat. All 3 options are awful but the 1630 is the bigger turd. I think the best budget GPU should start with a 2060 if you can find one for less than $200 or go up to a 3050. Buying 1630 or 6400XT or A380 is setting yourself up for disappointment.

Intel 1260P Vs. AMD 6800U - GPD Win Max 2 Benchmark Comparison. THE BEST GAMING HANDHELD!

Intel can't catch a break. Essentially a generational leap in performance if you go AMD and they both cost the same!

Intel 14th Gen Meteor Lake Mobility CPU Details Leaked: Coming In 2H 2023 With Triple Hybrid-Core Design, Up To 14 Cores, Xe-LPG GPUs & LPDDR5X-7467 Support

https://wccftech.com/intel-14th-gen-meteor-lake-mobility-cpu-details-leaked-coming-in-2h-2023-with-triple-hybrid-core-design-up-to-14-cores-xe-lpg-battlemage-gpu-lpddr5x-7467-support/

I haven't really kept up with SSD tech and prices lately. Now a good time to buy? These two caught my eye but I'm open to input:

https://www.newegg.com/samsung-2tb-980-pro/p/N82E16820147796
https://www.newegg.com/western-digital-2tb-black/p/N82E16820250182

I'd wait for Prime day and see if any go on sale but yea, can't really go wrong with either. I basically spent double when I bought the SN850 lol. Curse you early adopter tax.

It feels like SE's marketing Div is completely dethatched from reality from their Dev Div, because the devs know what's in the game and how it looks/runs, yet their marketing is like "this looks fine, we'll do it live", and they do it live and well... it looks like PS3 era visuals/combat, and like you said they are charging 70 for this which for a new IP that looks this dated is a bit insano in the braino. 

I think Guardians is the one IP that's managed to escape unscathed in terms of sales/consumer praise.

I'm in the same boat, I really don't see that IP being successful, like at all. We have seen some female protag games do well before, but I don't think Forespoken is gonna be one of those, I feel like it's gonna be more like ME "my face is tired" type (I'm also fully expecting the PC port to run like garbage or demand far more power, like Chaos did). 

I check PC parts price every now and then, and $260 for any of those 2TB drives is a great price.

Well, the Steam Summer Sale is over. Overall, it wasn't a bad sale, but I ended getting only 3 games:

• Black Mesa
• Feudal Alloy
• Kid Chamaleon (for my Mega Drive collection)

There were others games that were on the verge of being bought, but they had bigger discounts in other sales so I'll wait for another time. And hey, at least I managed to finally check more about some games I was following... and now I'm not interested in them anymore.

Ever since Valve/Steam introduced a new currency for my region, it got pretty cheaper than the other regions and it's total messed up. Oh well. lol

This is it, guys. The Friday news!

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

The Humble Store has a new sale: the Nacon Connect Sale with up to 90% discounts during 6 days. There are keys for Steam and EGS: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/nacon-connect-sale/.

Fanatical has a new bundle: the Platinum Collection BYOB for July, with 18 games to choose for your 3, 5 or 7 games bundle: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/platinum-collection-build-your-own-bundle.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Steam's most wishlisted game gets knocked over by a cat
https://www.pcgamer.com/steams-most-wishlisted-game-gets-knocked-over-by-a-cat/
The Day Before, an open-world zombie survival game, isn't the most original idea for a videogame ever, but it definitely managed to capture the imaginations of an awful lot of gamers: For a long time it sat atop the list of most wishlisted game on Steam. But in May, The Day Before was delayed by nearly a year, and now it's been surpassed on the chart by Stray, the game about a cat making his way in a city inhabited by robots.
Here's how the top ten currently shakes out:

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

This Counter-Strike: Global Offensive map defies what should be possible in Source
https://www.pcgamer.com/this-counter-strike-global-offensive-map-defies-what-should-be-possible-in-source/
I am not a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player. Despite this, I keep a close eye on the scene entirely due to the way it's kept Source mapping alive well into the 2020s, pushing the boundaries of the engine that powered Half-Life 2—and a toolset I'm intimately familiar with.
CS:GO mappers have taken Source to absurd lengths, but an upcoming wingman map looks set to put even the community's high standards to shame.
Created by 3D artist Will Granda, de_prime doesn't look like any Counter-Strike map before it. It's absurdly dense with detail that source shouldn't be able to support, lighting density well beyond the norm, and dynamic environments well beyond the static arenas of CS:GO norm. It's not quite cutting-edge by today's standards, but it looks more akin to a Titanfall 2 map than anything out of CS:GO.

Half-Life remake Black Mesa is getting a remake… in the original Half-Life engine
https://www.pcgamer.com/half-life-remake-black-mesa-is-getting-a-remake-in-the-original-half-life-engine/
The modders behind Black Mesa (originally Black Mesa: Source) spent around 15 years remaking Half-Life in Valve's Source engine. It was a massive and ambitious undertaking, and it was—to borrow a line from another Valve game—a huge success. While Black Mesa sticks to the structure of Half-Life it also expands the game, adding far more detail and drama, and even redesigning many of the levels. It's both a worthy tribute to and a masterful reimagining of the classic sci-fi shooter.
Now another group of modders is taking Black Mesa and… let me just check that I've got this right… remaking it in Half-Life 1's engine?
Yep. This is a thing that is happening. The mod is called Black Mesa Classic, and it's a demake of the Black Mesa remake, bringing the updated version of Half-Life back into the original game's engine. That's… interesting.

GAMING NEWS

First in-engine trailer released for RoboCop: Rogue City, releases in June 2023
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/first-in-engine-trailer-released-for-robocop-rogue-city-releases-in-june-2023/
NACON has released the first official in-engine trailer for RoboCop: Rogue City. In addition, the publisher revealed that the game will release in June 2023.
In RoboCop: Rogue City, you’ll become the iconic hero whose part man, part machine, all cop. As such, players will attempt to bring justice to the dangerous, crime-ridden streets of Old Detroit.

Here is your first look at Ubisoft’s Skull and Bones
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-is-your-first-look-at-ubisofts-skull-and-bones/
Ubisoft has revealed the first gameplay trailers for its upcoming pirate game, Skull and Bones. In addition, the company revealed that the game will be indeed coming out on November 8th.

NACON has announced a new Terminator game, Terminator Survival Project
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/nacon-has-announced-a-new-terminator-game-terminator-survival-project/
NACON announced a new game based on this iconic franchise, called Terminator Survival Project. And although the publisher did not reveal any additional details, it did share a teaser trailer for it.
>> Alien Isolation but with a T-1000?

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown gets a new in-engine trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/test-drive-unlimited-solar-crown-gets-a-new-in-engine-trailer/
NACON has released a new trailer for Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown that packs a few seconds of in-engine footage. This isn’t a gameplay trailer, and you should not expect much from it.
>> And here are some new screenshots that show off the environments.

New trailers for SteelRising, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, Ad Infinitum, Hell is Us and more
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/new-trailers-for-steelrising-the-lord-of-the-rings-gollum-ad-infinitum-hell-is-us-and-more/
A lot of trailers aired during the Nacon Connect 2022 event. As such, we’ve decided to collect most of them and share them in one big article. So, without further ado, you can find below the trailers for SteelRising, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, Ad Infinitum, Hell is Us and more.
>> The "and more" means 10 other games: WRC Generations, Session: Skate Sim, Blood Bowl 3, Gangs of Sherwood, ParadiZe Project, Clash: Artifacts of Chaos, Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator, Crown Wars - The Black Prince, Ravenswatch and War Hospital.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum and SteelRising will have Ray Tracing effects on PC
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/the-lord-of-the-rings-gollum-and-steelrising-will-have-ray-tracing-effects-on-pc/
NVIDIA has announced that both The Lord of the Rings: Gollum and SteelRising will have Ray Tracing effects on PC. Additionally, both of these games will support its Deep Learning Super Sampling tech (also known as DLSS).

Friday news, part two:

PAX organizers to bring E3 back in 2023
https://www.pcgamer.com/e3-returns-in-2023/
E3 will return next year. The games industry's traditional summer showcase event is scheduled to be held in June 2023 under a partnership between the Entertainment Software Association and ReedPop (the organizer of PAX and numerous other pop culture conventions). The show will take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center, where it had been held since 1999 until the pandemic hit.

Baldur's Gate 3 finally includes D&D's objectively best race
https://www.pcgamer.com/baldurs-gate-3-finally-includes-dandds-objectively-best-race/
Knowing that Baldur's Gate 3 won't be finished until 2023 makes every update bittersweet, but I'm still pretty excited about the one that's gracing Larian's RPG today because it finally adds gnomes and, to sweeten the deal, bards. It's a good day for lovers of tiny troubadours.

Cars replace horses: GTA 6 development means no more 'major' Red Dead Online content updates
https://www.pcgamer.com/cars-replace-horses-gta-6-development-means-no-more-major-red-dead-online-content-updates/
With work on Grand Theft Auto 6 ramping up, Rockstar is making some changes to how it will support Red Dead Online in the future, and the short version is that no further "major themed content updates" are going to be released.

The new videogame marketing tactic: Pretending an old game is brand new
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-new-videogame-marketing-tactic-pretending-an-old-game-is-brand-new/
When a new multiplayer shooter launches on Steam, one of two things usually happens: It either captures the attention of a dedicated playerbase, or fizzles out into a wasteland of empty servers. As brutal as it can be, this is how PC gaming's fickle digital marketplace works. You get one chance to launch a game and make your first impression. Or do you?
There's another maneuver that a few developers have tried lately, and it's working pretty well so far: Pretend your old game is new and try not to mention that it previously failed.

Hearthstone players are getting up to 150 free packs as a welcome back gift
https://www.pcgamer.com/hearthstone-players-are-getting-up-to-150-free-packs-as-a-welcome-back-gift/
A fortunate handful of Hearthstone players who've spent time away from Blizzard's card game/wallet vampire are finding a bundle of free card packs waiting when they fire up Battle.net. Here's a player who got 150 packs as a 'welcome back gift', and another who thought it was fake until they logged in and found 150 packs waiting for them as well. Not everyone's been receiving the same unusual amount of generosity. This player only got 20 packs, which is still nothing to sneeze at.

One of Elden Ring's boss fights was originally dreamed-up for Dark Souls 3
https://www.pcgamer.com/one-of-elden-rings-boss-fights-was-originally-dreamed-up-for-dark-souls-3/
One of the real treats of contemporary gaming is the disparate global army of tech-heads and coders who like to tinker with games, and find out how the magical sausage is made. As a longtime Souls-lover I've learned an enormous amount over the years from one ZullieTheWitch, a Dark Souls hacker who digs through the game's files and shares their most interesting findings.
(...)
Zullie's latest discovery is a perfect example of this, focusing on the Elden Ring boss Rennala, bearer of a Great Rune, and what it implies about a major Dark Souls 3 NPC, Rosaria. The video above walks you through it.

The Crisis Core remake’s battle system is going to be more like the Final Fantasy 7 remake's one
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-crisis-core-remakes-battle-system-is-going-to-be-more-like-the-final-fantasy-7-remakes-one/
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion was recently announced at the FF7 25th anniversary livestream, since when Square Enix has been dripfeeding nuggets of information about how the project's being approached. Most distressingly, for fans of vaguely pachinko-like roulette systems, they're taking the shears to the game's unique battle system.

And here are the GOG and Steam deals for the weekend, now that both have fionished its Summer Sales:

+GOG

• The first Deal of the Day (because flash deal is boring) is Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls, 40% off during 70 hours: https://www.gog.com/en/game/wizardry_labyrinth_of_lost_souls
• The second Deal of the Day is War for the Overworld Ultimate Edition, gets a 68% discount until Monday: https://www.gog.com/en/game/war_for_the_overworld_the_ultimate_edition
• The third, and last, Deal of the Day is Hitman 3: Contracts, with an 80% discount until Monday: https://www.gog.com/en/game/hitman_contracts
• The Weekend Sale comes with up to 90% discounts during 3 days: https://www.gog.com/promo/20220708_weekend_sale
• There's a Special Sale featuring Square Enix games with up to 89% discounts until July 15: https://www.gog.com/promo/2022_square_enix_summer_sale
• And the Moon Festival Sale brings up to 90% discounts until the 16th of July: https://www.gog.com/promo/2022_moon_festival

+Steam

• The daily deal is Gordian Quest, 25% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/981430/Gordian_Quest/
• The first Weekend Deal is Stationeers, still in Early Access and 33% off until Monday: https://store.steampowered.com/app/544550/Stationeers/
• Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition will be free to try and 70% off during the weekend: https://store.steampowered.com/app/933110/Age_of_Empires_III_Definitive_Edition/
• Control Ultimate Edition also gets a 70% discount until Monday, 11th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/870780/Control_Ultimate_Edition/
• The Crew 2 is also free to try, but until July 13, and gets an 80% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/646910/The_Crew_2/
• The Leisure Suit Larry 35th Anniversary Sale brings up to 90% discounts until July 21: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/leisuresuitlarryanniversarysale
• And there's also some weeklong deals.

And just like that, we've come to the end of another week of news. Until next time, I wish you a happy and gaming weekend.