Some bad news for Intel:

Intel hit with billion dollar bill for CPU patent infringement
https://www.pcgamer.com/intel-hit-with-billion-dollar-bill-for-cpu-patent-infringement/
Intel has lost another lawsuit over CPU tech patent infringements with VSLI. This time around, the judgement is worth a cool $948.8 million (opens in new tab) and covers infringements contained in Intel's Cascade Lake and Skylake family CPUs (opens in new tab).

It's unclear whether the judgement covers all CPUs based on the Skylake architecture, which were produced right up to and including Comet Lake of 2020 (opens in new tab), or if it applies only to the original 2015 Skylake generation.

VSLI is a patent-holding company ultimately owned by Softbank Group, the Japanese conglomerate that also has a controlling stake in ARM, the UK CPU designer that dominates smartphones, tablets and other low power devices.

Inevitably, Intel "strongly disagrees" with the decision taken by a federal jury in Texas to award nearly $1 billion to VSLI and claims the decision demonstrates that the U.S. patent system is in urgent need of reform. Intel says it will appeal the decision.

In March this year, another case involving Intel and VSLI also went in the latter's favour, costing Intel an even heftier $2.2 billion. Further VSLI-Intel trials are due to be litigated in US courts later this year.

Intel will likely appeal the decision, but it's not really the best time for Intel to pay so much money.

And it's quite hypocrital from Intel to complain about a patent system they've used it in the past against other companies.

That demand lmao

Well, the 4080 only gives it better value so, if you have the money, it's the one to get from both 4000 cards available.

But it's incredible how many people have the funds to get this card.

The Thursday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

The Epic Store gives away two new games and a content pack:

• Dark Deity: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/dark-deity
• Evil Dead: The Game: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/evil-dead-the-game
• The Epic Cheerleader Pack for Rumbleverse: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/rumbleverse--epic-cheerleader-pack

Next week, the free game will be STAR WARS: Squadrons.

Steam has two new deals:

• Shady Part of Me will be 67% off until November 22: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1116580/Shady_Part_of_Me/
• Martha Is Dead gets a 30% discount until the 23rd: https://store.steampowered.com/app/515960/Martha_Is_Dead/

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Batman: Arkham City gets a 4.5GB HD Texture Pack, overhauling over 1000 textures
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/batman-arkham-city-gets-a-4-5gb-hd-texture-pack-overhauling-over-1000-textures/
In November 2017, we informed you about an HD Texture Pack for Batman: Arkham City. And today, we are happy to report that modders “GPUnity” and “Neato” have released its final version which overhauls over 1000 textures.
Going into more details, Arkham City Redux is the definitive HD Texture Pack for Batman: Arkham City GOTY. The pack features over a thousand upscaled, retouched, refined and manually improved textures. Additionally, it has complete DirectX 11 support and a straightforward, one-time installation.
This Texture Pack updates the visuals of the game’s characters and environments. What’s also cool here is that it keeps the game’s original aesthetics intact.

GAMING NEWS

In-engine teaser trailer for Unreal Engine 5 horror game, inspired by P.T.
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/in-engine-teaser-trailer-unreal-engine-5-horror-game-inspired-by-p-t/
Artur Laczkowski, former developer at Bloober Team, has shared an in-engine teaser trailer for a new game he and his team have been working on. This game will be using Unreal Engine 5, and will be inspired by P.T.

UNCHARTED: Legacy of Thieves November 16th Update adds support for non-AVX2 CPUs
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/uncharted-legacy-of-thieves-november-16th-update-adds-support-for-non-avx2-cpus/
Iron Galaxy has released the third patch for the PC version of UNCHARTED: Legacy of Thieves that removes the AVX2 CPU restriction. As such, owners of older CPUs, that do not support AVX2, can now launch and play the game.

Dead Island 2 has been delayed until April 28th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/dead-island-2-has-been-delayed-until-april-28th/
Deep Silver has announced that Dead Island 2 has been delayed by 12 weeks, and will now release on April 28th. The game was initially meant to come out on February 3rd, 2023.

Warhammer 40: Darktide gets official full PC system requirements
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/warhammer-40-darktide-gets-official-full-pc-system-requirements/
Fatshark has revealed the official PC system requirements for Warhammer 40: Darktide. The team has also confirmed that the game will support DLSS 3 at launch, and will have Ray Tracing effects for Global Illumination and Reflections.

Tower of Fantasy Update 2.1 detailed, releases on November 22nd
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/tower-of-fantasy-update-2-1-detailed-releases-on-november-22nd/
Level Infinite and Hotta Studio provided the first details on what will be featured in the Tower of Fantasy’s 2.1 Update. This 2.1 update Confounding Labyrinth, arriving on November 22, will introduce a brand-new map Confounding Abyss filled with menacing bosses, exciting challenges and the new simulacrum, the powerful Lin.

Goat Simulator 3 has hilarious references to other triple-A games, including Skyrim & P.T.
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/goat-simulator-3-has-references-to-a-lot-of-triple-a-games-including-skyrim-p-t/
Goat Simulator 3 releases later today and IGN has shared a video, showcasing its first 16 minutes of gameplay. From the looks of it, the game will have many references to other triple-A games. Right from the start, we get a Skyrim-like easter egg and later we get a P.T.-inspired level.

Saints Row November Update released, has over 200 improvements, full patch notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/saints-row-november-update-released-has-over-200-improvements-full-patch-notes/
Volition has just released the November Update for Saints Row, which features over 200 improvements, fixes and tweaks. The team has also implemented important new quality-of-life features for vehicles, combat, UI and other parts of the game.

EA’s hunting game, WILD HEARTS, gets a new amazing gameplay trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/eas-hunting-game-wild-hearts-gets-a-new-amazing-gameplay-trailer/
Electronic Arts has released a brand new amazing gameplay trailer for its upcoming hunting game, WILD HEARTS. The trailer shows off the ancient Karakuri technology that players will have access to.

The news, part two:

Microsoft pledges annual harassment report after audit sparked by complaints and Bill Gates allegations
https://www.pcgamer.com/microsoft-pledges-annual-harassment-report-after-audit-sparked-by-complaints-and-bill-gates-allegations/
Microsoft is promising a suite of adjustments to its sexual harassment and gender discrimination policies following the conclusion of a third party investigation. ArentFox Schiff LLP—a law firm—was contracted by Microsoft to review the company's policies regarding harassment and discrimination after a shareholder vote in November last year, triggered in part by the allegations against (and subsequent investigation of) Bill Gates in 2019.
>> Without knowing how many of those complains were in the gaming part of the company, this report may seem a bit useless, until you realize that they could force the same policies to Activision-Blizzard if the deal is approved.

Modern Warfare 2 competitive mode delayed hours before release
https://www.pcgamer.com/modern-warfare-2-competitive-mode-delayed-hours-before-release/
Modern Warfare 2's first season launches today. It was supposed to mark the arrival of both the hardcore Tier 1 mode and 4v4 ranked mode CDL Moshpit but unfortunately, the latter will take a little longer to arrive.

Bethesda rejects Mick Gordon allegations as 'distortion of the truth'
https://www.pcgamer.com/bethesda-rejects-mick-gordon-allegations-as-distortion-of-the-truth/
Bethesda Softworks has responded to allegations made last week by Doom Eternal composer Mick Gordon, saying that Gordon "mischaracterized and misrepresented" the situation "with a one-sided and unjust account of the facts of the case."

RimWorld modders are making their own colony sim with real-time tactics combat
https://www.pcgamer.com/rimworld-modders-are-making-their-own-colony-sim-with-real-time-tactics-combat/
The makers of the popular RimWorld mod Combat Extended have formed a studio, Vivid Storm Interactive, and have been hard at work making their own game. Ascent of Ashes is a colony sim set on an alien planet where you can build a base, grow crops, tame alien creatures, explore a procedurally generated post-apocalyptic landscape, and salvage technology to beef up your defenses.

WoW: Dragonflight's Dracthyr are more evidence that RPG players just want to make characters
https://www.pcgamer.com/wow-dragonflights-dracthyr-are-more-evidence-that-rpg-players-just-want-to-make-characters/
For as long as World of Warcraft has existed, players have been asking Blizzard for the opportunity to play as dragons, bipedal or otherwise. There are still forum posts and interviews as old as 2009 with discussions about how to get playable dragons into the game

Rainbow Six Siege's secret new anti-cheat tactic is causing a stir
https://www.pcgamer.com/rainbow-six-sieges-secret-new-anti-cheat-tactic-is-causing-a-stir/
A rumor about the secret workings of Ubisoft's latest Rainbow Six Siege anti-cheat system has begun to give the new tactic a heroic aura on the internet. The claim going around on Twitter is that Ubisoft is doing something deviously simple: updating the Rainbow Six Siege executable every two hours, forcing cheat makers to keep up with an endless treadmill of cheat-breaking changes.
There are reasons to doubt the specifics of that explanation, but one anti-cheat expert tells PC Gamer that it actually is a viable anti-cheat method. And even if Siege isn't actually being reborn every two hours, something similar may be happening.

Most of Blizzard's games won't be available in China as of next year
https://www.pcgamer.com/most-of-blizzards-games-wont-be-available-in-china-as-of-next-year/
Since 2008, Blizzard's games have been published in mainland China via licensing agreements with NetEase. Those licensing agreements are set to end on January 23, 2023, and won't be renewed, Blizzard has announced. Game services for World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Overwatch, Diablo 3, the StarCraft series, and Heroes of the Storm will be ending in China on the same date.

Saints Row developer is being shifted to Gearbox following tepid launch
https://www.pcgamer.com/saints-row-developer-is-being-shifted-to-gearbox-following-tepid-launch/
After a lukewarm reception to the Saints Row reboot, Embracer Group has announced that it'll be plucking Volition from Plaion (formerly Koch Media) and handing it to Gearbox instead.
>> The official explanation is that, since both are based in the US, it makes sense to "give" Volition to Gearbox.

Chinese state media changes its mind, suggests videogames are good actually
https://www.pcgamer.com/chinese-state-media-changes-its-mind-suggests-videogames-are-good-actually/
It must be a wild ride working in the Chinese games industry. One minute you're riding high, the next your colossal firm is suddenly less valuable than a liquor company. The Chinese government's tech crackdown, and its long standing suspicion of videogames as a medium, makes China's domestic games market a notoriously choppy one to navigate, even though companies like Tencent and NetEase are major international players.
No wonder, then, that Chinese games companies are cautiously welcoming a recent editorial in the state-run People's Daily newspaper, arguing that, just maybe, this whole 'videogames' thing might have some value to it after all. Spotted by Reuters tech correspondent Josh Ye (via The Gamer), an article titled "Deeply exploring the value of electronic games industry is an opportunity we can't miss" has called for China to dedicate more attention to developing its games industry, potentially signalling a sea-change in the government's hostile attitude. Chinese gaming stocks rose significantly on the news.

PCGamer had 5 different articles about Warzone 2. Because that's a lot of artciles about one single game on a single day and because not everybody is interested in it, I've decided to put them all on its own post, for an easier read/skip:

New Modern Warfare 2 gun can only be unlocked by playing Warzone 2
https://www.pcgamer.com/call-of-duty-warzone-2-m13b-unlock-guide/
Warzone 2 launched today alongside Modern Warfare 2's Season 1 update, joining the latest premium Call of Duty game at the hip with its free-to-play battle royale sibling. The two games share a lot: weapons pools, progression systems, and battle pass progress are all synced between both games. Traditionally, it's possible to unlock everything by playing either normal multiplayer or Warzone, but one of Season 1's new guns is locked behind a Warzone-exclusive challenge.

Can't invite friends in Warzone 2? You're not alone
https://www.pcgamer.com/call-of-duty-warzone-2-cant-invite-friends-bug-fix/
Call of Duty: Warzone 2 and Modern Warfare 2's social menu seems to be broken on the launch day of the battle royale sequel. Players are reporting that clicking on the social button on Call of Duty's main menu currently boots players right back to the main menu, locking them out of viewing their friend lists or grouping up.
I'm encountering the same issue, but thankfully, players have already figured out a reliable workaround (as shared by Netoxicky on Reddit) to invite friends to a group. It turns out the social tab isn't the only way to view your friends list—channels can do the trick, too.

Warzone 2 players are discovering the brilliance of proximity chat
https://www.pcgamer.com/call-of-duty-warzone-2-proximity-chat/
A single new feature in Warzone 2 is already changing how the game is played. Proximity chat, or the ability to hear the mic chatter of nearby enemies, is now on by default in all Warzone modes. You'll know you're hearing an enemy when you see a red chat indicator on the left of your HUD.

Now there's a Warzone 2 bug making players die instantly
https://www.pcgamer.com/now-theres-a-warzone-2-bug-making-players-die-instantly/
Normally when players are downed in Call of Duty: Warzone 2, they can still crawl around until either an ally revives them, or they roll a natural 20 on their next death saving throw (please fact-check this before publication). As GamesRadar spotted, not everybody has been getting to enjoy that period of rolling around on the floor trying to convince a team-mate to help them out.

Warzone 2 players like everything but the 'Microsoft Excel' looting
https://www.pcgamer.com/call-of-duty-warzone-2-players-like-everything-but-the-microsoft-excel-looting/
Call of Duty: Warzone 2 is here and, of course, the white-hot anticipation has now turned to grousing. Partly this is just the way of the world, because Warzone 2 is attracting so many players there will always be something to complain about, and indeed one of the difficulties in covering the original was working out what were genuine issues and what was just players having a moan.

Evil Dead game hasn't been out that long and it's already being given away for free on EGS, as well as it only being sold there on PC...

Honestly doesn't sound good if it's being given away that fast. 

NVIDIA Announces CES 2023 ‘GeForce’ Special Address on 3rd January

https://wccftech.com/nvidia-announces-ces-2023-geforce-special-address-on-3rd-january/

Likely in regards to re-launching the 4080 12GB under a new name and price tag along with their laptop variants and perhaps 4080Ti as well

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Rumored To Offer RTX 3070 Performance at RTX 3060 Ti Pricing

https://wccftech.com/nvidia-geforce-rtx-4060-rumored-to-offer-rtx-3070-performance-at-rtx-3060-ti-pricing/

That is pretty awful if true cause all that is a 3060 Ti getting a 10% uplift in performance

Alleged AMD Ryzen 7000 Non-X ‘Zen 4’ CPU Prices Leak: Ryzen 9 7900 $429, Ryzen 7 7700 $329, Ryzen 5 7600 $229

https://wccftech.com/amd-ryzen-7000-non-x-zen-4-cpu-prices-leak-ryzen-9-7900-429-ryzen-7-7700-329-ryzen-5-7600-229/

Much better pricing coming out in Q1 2023

A Plague Tale: Requiem Performance Improvements! PC vs PS5, Optimised Settings + More!

Very interesting to see how GPUs stack up in this game as it's largely GPU bound. Alex set all settings to match console quality and that is how they stacked up.

Those requirements are kinda funky for Radeon lol. "Without Ray Tracing 1080p 60fps Dlss-on FSR on: 3060/2060/6800XT"

The only good thing about that rumor is that it should use less power than a 3060. Everything else sucks. A 20% improvement to put it on par with the 3070 when we're used to see bigger improvements that put the new xx60 cards on par with the previous gen xx80 models; a bigger price for that less than stellar improvement and, on top of that, a June release? WTF Nvidia?!

It's very disappointing.

Better pricing, yes, but while the boost clocks aren't that far off from the -x models, the base clock is.

But well, given what we've seen from a power limited 7950X, these chips should be faster than its 5000 series counterparts.

Indeed, it's baffling. And it's not like the 2060 and 3060 are att he same level either.

But well, we get some games like that every now and then.