Monday news, the long part two:

Grizzled CS:GO vets can now buy a locker packed with glitter stickers
https://www.pcgamer.com/grizzled-csgo-vets-can-now-buy-a-locker-packed-with-glitter-stickers/
A new Counter-Strike: Global Offensive update has added probably the feature that fans of this hardcore competitive FPS most wanted. Yes, praise Valve indeed, because now you can buy a storage unit packed with every glitter sticker from the upcoming Rio Major for the low price of $65.
Don't all rush at once! In all seriousness this is a fairly significant move for the game, though not an unprecedented one: way back in CS:GO's history Valve had allowed players to buy 'sets' of Major stickers, though it hasn't been like that for years. These stickers consist of team logos, event logos, and 'autograph' stickers with the John Hancock of various players.

Scorn's latest patch fixes the worst part of the game
https://www.pcgamer.com/scorns-latest-patch-fixes-the-worst-part-of-the-game/
On October 27, Ebb Software put out Scorn's first major patch since release, version 1.1.8.0. Among a swathe of quality of life changes, Ebb also tweaked Scorn's checkpoint and save system, fixing the biggest flaw of what is otherwise a fantastic survival horror game.

Gotham Knights re-added Denuvo a few hours after patching it out
https://www.pcgamer.com/gotham-knights-first-big-patch-removes-denuvo/
15 hours after Gotham Knights' first major patch removed Denuvo from its executable, a small follow-up patch added it back. What many players celebrated as a positive move was, apparently, an accident.

The most iconic Harvest Moon is getting a PC remake
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-most-iconic-harvest-moon-is-getting-a-pc-remake/
Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life, the farm and life simulation that I originally sold my soul to as a child, is being remade as Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life. And now, thank goodness, it's confirmed to be coming to PC too.

PC and Xbox players can't disable Modern Warfare 2 crossplay, but PS5 players can
https://www.pcgamer.com/pc-and-xbox-players-cant-disable-modern-warfare-2-crossplay-but-ps5-players-can/
Crossplay: Some people like it, some people don't. It's always nice having more people to play with, but console players will sometimes switch it off to avoid being mauled by the speed and accuracy of mouse and keyboard (or, you know, cheats); likewise, PC players sometimes prefer to avoid the accuracy-boosting aim assist offered by console shooters. But for Xbox and PC players on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, that is literally not an option.

Overwatch 2's first big balancing patch takes aim at problem heroes
https://www.pcgamer.com/overwatch-2s-first-big-balancing-patch-takes-aim-at-problem-heroes/
Overwatch 2's next patch will target some of the strongest heroes currently in the game. In a post on the Blizzard forums, Overwatch 2 community manager Andy "AndyB" Belford outlined a selection of nerfs set to take effect on November 15. The changes target Sombra, Genji, Zarya, D.Va, and the new ninja-themed support, Kiriko.

Ikea threatens to sue the maker of an 'infinite furniture store survival game'
https://www.pcgamer.com/ikea-threatens-to-sue-the-maker-of-an-infinite-furniture-store-survival-game/
The Store is Closed is an in-development survival game with a fun premise: You're stuck inside an "infinite furniture store," the mutant staff is trying to kill you, and the only way to stay alive is to explore the aisles and use the furniture to craft weapons and fortifications. If that description makes you think of Ikea, the famed Swedish purveyor of assemble-your-own furniture and oddly popular meatballs, you're not alone: In fact, creator Jacob Shaw referred to it as "an infinite Ikea game" on Reddit, as have some sites and streamers reporting on the project.
Unfortunately for Shaw, the project came to the attention of the real-life Ikea, and its legal representatives have sent him a letter demanding that the game be changed, and threatening a lawsuit if it's not.
>> Ikea is no fun.

Players cannot get enough of Modern Warfare 2’s exploding car map, but some pros absolutely hate it
https://www.pcgamer.com/players-cannot-get-enough-of-modern-warfare-2s-exploding-car-map-but-some-pros-absolutely-hate-it/
Modern Warfare 2 players are having a “blast” on Santa Seña Border Crossing, a new map centered around explosive close-quarters fighting on the US/Mexico border. While some pro gamers are confused by a map where everyone gets annihilated by explosions in the very first minute, Santa Seña has been welcomed by many players for its straightforward layout and tense gimmick.

Xbox boss says regulator concerns around Activision acquisition are fair
https://www.pcgamer.com/xbox-boss-says-regulator-concerns-around-activision-acquisition-are-fair/
CEO of Microsoft Gaming Phil Spencer has said that his discussions with various regulators around the world have been "fair and honest" as pertains to the company's acquisition of Activision Blizzard King, the video game publisher responsible for titles as diverse as Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Candy Crush.
>> It's not like he can say something else without looking suspicious, right?

Go spearfishing and run a sushi restaurant in this weird little game
https://www.pcgamer.com/go-spearfishing-and-run-a-sushi-restaurant-in-this-weird-little-game/
A weird little game picking up some steam recently, Dave the Diver has players as Dave, a spearfisher by day, restauranteur by night who dives to fill out the menu at the sushi joint he runs alongside some friends. The restaurant sits on the side of the mysterious Blue Hole, a vast ocean pit alongside an island that has many mysteries to explore.

Build big, stupid custom spaceships with friends in Cosmoteer
https://www.pcgamer.com/build-big-stupid-custom-spaceships-with-friends-in-cosmoteer/
Space, strategy, sandbox, and building nerds, have you seen Cosmoteer yet? It's a starship designer-simulator that puts you, or you and some friends, in a big universe to command an ever-growing custom built fleet against a variety of AI or player opponents.

The next Dota 2 hero is a ghostly gunslinger named Muerta
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-next-dota-2-hero-is-a-ghostly-gunslinger-named-muerta/
Dota 2 has announced a new hero at world championship The International 11, with the revenant gunslinger Muerta set to bring the moba's hero total up to 124 early next year. She's a black-and-gold creature, maybe some kind of automaton, that wields a pistol and deals in travel between life and death. For now, all we've got is a trailer, but that trailer's packed with some neat details.

This solo-developed, Indonesian FPS has the best portals I've seen since Portal
https://www.pcgamer.com/this-solo-developed-indonesian-fps-has-the-best-portals-ive-seen-since-portal/
The Doom engine's flexibility is legendary at this point, with source ports like GZDoom facilitating ambitious FPS campaigns like Selaco or The Golden Souls. Solo developer Sanditio Bayu is throwing his hat in the ring with a new total conversion of Doom, Mala Petaka, first spotted by Alpha Beta Gamer.

Amsterdam hotel could take legal action over appearance in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
https://www.pcgamer.com/amsterdam-hotel-could-take-legal-action-over-appearance-in-call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2/
An Amsterdam hotel is displeased with its ersatz inclusion in the latest Call of Duty, and Dutch media reports it's considering legal action against developer and publisher Activision Blizzard. Though the Conservatorium Hotel appears under the name "Breenbergh" in-game, it's undeniably the same building.

Crawl down a toilet in the demo of adventure game Endacopia
https://www.pcgamer.com/crawl-down-a-toilet-in-the-demo-of-adventure-game-endacopia/
You too can crawl down a toilet and go on an adventure that may nor may not be worth going on, friend, in the demo for surreal point-and-click game Endacopia. It's a game filled with surreal, offbeat humor that at any time threatens to verge into violent, dark, traumatic horror.

Remedy says Alan Wake 2 is on-track for next year, and its co-op Control spinoff already 'feels fun'
https://www.pcgamer.com/remedy-says-alan-wake-2-is-on-track-for-next-year-and-its-co-op-control-spinoff-already-feels-fun/
Remedy has released its latest business review, in which it discusses a bunch of its upcoming projects, and confirms that the studio's "next major game launch, Alan Wake 2, [is] taking place as planned in 2023."

Looks much smaller than the 4090. Is this triple-slot or 3.x slots?

Wasn't Meteor Lake originally supposed to have 8 P-cores and 32 E-cores?

Coming with just 22 cores total looks like a very steep cut compared to what was originally expected.

It's interesting that AMD has walked the extra mile to give the cooler a bit of a style instead of a "plain box" like they use to, specially given that, unlike Nvidia, AMD barely cares about its coolers and usually leaves the work to its partners. I'm not sure yet if I like it or not, but I like how the fan blades connect to make that triangle. And they seem to be a tiny bit bigger as well.

Also, unless AMD has been working on two PCBs and coolers for its 7900 cards (which would be kind of dumb, but it's AMD), there doesn't seem to be room for a third 8-pin power connector, meaning that it should use roughly the same power as the 6900/6900XT cards, around 320-350W, 375W tops.

Well, we'll know more on Thursday, and from then it will be a matter of waiting a bit more until reviews to see how this compares to the 4080. And the battle at the top as well, of course.

There appears to be only two holes for the pcie braket screws, so I'd say that it's a 2.5 slot card.

Yea I personally like Nvidia FE coolers better design wise but yea as you said, it's still a lot better than the reference coolers of yester-years.

I personally hope they do otherwise the 7900XTX will be very power limited imo. AMD needs to make a good first impression with their reference design because that's how most people see their cards. If they show the 7900XTX being slower than 4090 and it's cause of the power limitation where as AIBs will unlock the full potential, then it may not be a good showing. Of course, there is also a lot of pricing involved since we seen with RDNA 2, the reference design had the MSRP but the AIB versions had even more of a premium cost even compared to Nvidia counterparts.

But yea, Thursday can't come soon enough.

Just because Nvidia has decided to increase the power concumption of their cards, that doesn't mean AMD followed the same route. It wouldn't be a complete surprise that AMD saw the 320 or so Watts the 6900XT used and decided that it was already too much... I know, I know, it's highly unlikely given the rumors we've had so far.

But if the 7900XTX will use more than 375W, then it's weird that AMD went with two different designs.

Also, AIB cards always cost more than reference ones, both for AMD and for Nvidia, and if Nvidia's cooler happens to be better and more expensive than AMD's reference one, then the custom cards will reflect that extra cost.

Yea but it feels like they are going to be sacking features to achieve that. Nvidia GPUs don't use more power or have a bigger die for no reason, they have Tensor Cores and RT cores take up a good chunk of the area that still use power even if you aren't using the features. It's one of the reasons why 6000 series was very power efficient compared to Ampere. RDNA 2 focused a lot on standard cores but basically left out dedicated Ai accelerators and more performant RT cores. Also using G6/TSMC instead of G6X/Samsung helped greatly too but now it's TSMC vs TSMC.

So it could be another case of competitive Raster but falls behind in a lot of other areas which would be lame but we will see this Thursday.

The Radeon RX 7900 still looks far les chunkier than the AIV Nvidia cards.

It's not that they are sacking features, it's just that they haven't added things like the Tensor Cores to do part of those features, at least so far. And while DLSS2 and now 3 will still be king, the truth is that for many FRS 2.1 looks almost the same, and it's extremely difficult to notice the difference while in motion.

After all, they don't need to copy all their festures to stay competitive.

There's also another thing to consider with RDNA3, and that is that AMD has, allegedly, managed to reduce the amount of redundant logic in the chip while moving of some others to the extra MCM dies. That, if true, will help AMD with its efficiency, reduce the wasted energy and increasing the useful logic in the chip.

But well, hopefully Thursday we'll know more and have a better idea of where the cards may end in all fronts.

Good morning, guys. Tell me, what's better than having one contest? If your answer is having two contests then congratulations, because that's what we have!

*** NEW CONTESTS***

Win an AMD Ryzen 7 7700X CPU and Radeon RX 6750 XT GPU
https://www.club386.com/win-an-amd-ryzen-7-7700x-cpu-and-radeon-rx-6750-xt-gpu/
or https://gleam.io/Mp6Rm/win-an-amd-ryzen-7-7700x-cpu-and-radeon-rx-6750-xt-gpu

The card is a Sapphire Radeon RX 6750 XT Nitro+ (click here for more details)

This contest is GLOBAL.

Win 1 of 3 Fractal Design case & cooler bundles
https://www.club386.com/win-1-of-3-fractal-design-case-cooler-bundles/
or https://gleam.io/UqcrY/win-1-of-3-fractal-design-case-cooler-bundles

The three winners will get a Fractal Torrent Compact RGB and a Fractal Celsius+ S28 Prisma AIO cooler.

Sadly, this contest is limited to those living in the UK and Europe.

Good luck!