Yea I am not buying it right away but rather preparing a list of parts to look out for over the next couple months. If I see a similar Asus mobo for example on amazon for cheaper price, then I'll just snag that one.

The 4070 prices are falling and soon they will be as low as 3070 msrp so I am keeping my eye out for that, especially with summer game bundles that usually happened before covid cucked everything lul.

Yes I agree.

I prefer the "anime" look of the characters in the previous Final Fantasy. FF16 still have that anime look tho. It's like I prefered DMC 4 anime style look intead of DMC 5...

Nero on DMC 4 :

Nero on DMC 5 : 

The Tuesday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Steam's Top 10

(Click here for the Top 100)

Steam has several deals and new weeklong deals:

• Sifu will be 25% off until Thursday: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2138710/Sifu/
• Ship of Fools gets a 35% discount until the 29th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1286580/Ship_of_Fools/
• Dark Deity is going to be 75% off until Thursday, 29th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1374840/Dark_Deity/
• The Sinking City features an 85% discount until June, 29th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/750130/The_Sinking_City/
• The Koei Tecmo Summer Sale features up to 75% discounts until the 13th of July: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/KoeiTecmoSummer2023
• There's also Wingspan, 50% off, but there's no info about how long it will last: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1054490/WINGSPAN/
• Unsurprisingly given that Steam's Summer Sale starts this Thursday, there are vfery few weeklong deals. Therefore, you'll be better checking the link above.

The Humble Store has two new sales:

• The Pixelation Power Sale features up to 90% discounts during 6 days. There are keys for Steam and GOG: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/pixelation-power-sale/
• And the Koei Tecmo Summer Spotlight Sale comes with up to 75% discounts during 16 days. The keys are all for Steam: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/koei-tecmo-summer-spotlight/

Fanatical has a new Star Deal is Tales Of Arise - Ultimate Edition, 66% off during ... 32 hours? That's weird: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/tales-of-arise-ultimate-edition.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Classic shooter Descent gets an amazing Ray Tracing Mod
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/classic-shooter-descent-gets-a-ray-tracing-mod/
Descent is a classic shooter game for PC that came out in 1995. And, as we saw with Doom and Quake, this classic shooter has just gotten an amazing Ray Tracing mod that overhauls its entire lighting system.
Going into more details, DXX Raytracer is a fork of the DXX Retro project for Windows. DXX Raytracer uses modern raytracing techniques to update the graphics of the beloved retro game known as Descent.
DXX Raytracer feature physically-based rendering, as well as soft shadows and path-traced global illumination. Furthermore, players can expect bloom and motion blur effects, as well as support for TAA.
From what we know, Descent RTX (that’s what we’ll be calling it) does not support any upscaling techniques like DLSS 2/3 or FSR 2.0. As such, you may need a powerful GPU in order to run it at resolutions higher than 1080p, even though this is a really old PC game.
>> There's a less than one minute trailer of the mod.

Max Payne 3 gets a 3.5GB 4K Texture Pack
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/max-payne-3-gets-a-3-5gb-4k-texture-pack/
Max Payne 3 is considered by many as one of the best third-person shooter games. Developed by Rockstar, this third part in the Max Payne series featured amazing shooting mechanics. And today, we bring you a 4K Texture Pack for it.
This 4K pack is 3.5GB in size and upscales all the 3D models for Max Payne. In other words, this pack only overhauls the main character and not the game’s environments. The modder has not shared a comparison video, though we have the following three screenshots that you can view.

Fallout New Vegas gets new DLC-sized Mod, featuring 6 new quests, 17 new weapons and 800+ lines of dialogue
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/fallout-new-vegas-gets-new-dlc-sized-mod-featuring-6-new-quests-17-new-weapons-and-800-lines-of-dialogue/
Modder ‘NKFC’ has released a new DLC-sized mod for Fallout New Vegas, called Out of Bounds. This mod is based off of the Backrooms, and comes with new content, quests and dialogue lines.
In this mod you get all your stuff taken away forcing you to scavenge for resources in order to make weapons to fight the many entities of the Backrooms.
According to the modder, Fallout New Vegas: Out of Bounds features 6 new quests, 17 new weapons and 4 new settlements to explore. Players can also expect 40+ new voice-acted characters, and 800+ lines of dialogue.
>> There's a short trailer of the mod.

This mod mashes up five factions from Command and Conquer's past into one giant brawl
https://www.pcgamer.com/this-mod-mashes-up-five-factions-from-command-and-conquers-past-into-one-giant-brawl/
Soviets, Allies, GDI, Nod, and the Scrin: Five factions from the history of Command & Conquer that franchise fans can't help but recognize. There's one problem: They're spread across two different series—the Red Alert games and the Tiberian universe. Since 2018, one mod has sought to do the unthinkable: Smash 'em all together into one big, vicious brawl.
Command & Conquer: Combined Arms is just that mod. Complete with singleplayer missions, cooperative multiplayer missions, and the crown jewel of C&C, multiplayer skirmish, Combined Arms uses the OpenRA engine to recreate factions and units from the spectrum of C&C titles in stretching all the way to Tiberian Sun and Red Alert 2. Soviet Kirovs? Absolutely. GDI Titan mechs? Yes. The Grand Cannon? For sure. It also updates the original Command & Conquer timeline factions with the upgrade trees that the Red Alert games introduced—stuff like Tech Centers, Support powers, and Navies.
Combined Arms released an update just last week that adds a whole pile of new features, artworks, and sounds. It's frankly glorious stuff if you grew up on the pixelated tanks and FMV era of RTS games, watching units from games separated by years of time . They've also integrated an entire unit update system to enable you to retrofit existing units
>> There's a 2 minutes video of the mod.

GAMING NEWS

Atomic Heart Patch 1.8.0.0 released, adds New Game+ Mode
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/atomic-heart-patch-1-8-0-0-released-adds-new-game-mode/
Mundfish has just released patch 1.8.0.0 for Atomic Heart which adds a New Game+ Mode to this first-person shooter. In this mode, enemies have new abilities, such as immunity to certain attacks of the player or new attack effects against the player.

Starfield’s PC physical copies will only have a code, no game disc
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/starfields-pc-physical-copies-will-only-have-a-code-no-game-disc/
Starfield is currently one of the most highly anticipated games on PC. However, it appears that the PC physical copies will not have any game discs. Instead, all PC physical copies, including the premium versions, will have a game code.
>> Shame.

GlitchStorm is a new classic arena shooter in Unreal Engine 5
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/glitchstorm-is-a-new-classic-arena-shooter-in-unreal-engine-5/
Quake 3 and Unreal Tournament fans, rejoice. GreyArea Games is currently working on a classic arena shooter in Unreal Engine 5, called GlitchStorm.

Platforms revealed for IO Interactive’s fantasy game, Project Dragon
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/platforms-revealed-for-io-interactives-fantasy-game-project-dragon/
Project Dragon is a new online fantasy RPG from IO Interactive, the makers of the Hitman series. And, thanks to emails published by the FTC Discovery, we finally know the platforms on which this new game will come out.

AMD announced that it will be Starfield’s exclusive PC partner
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/amd-announced-that-it-will-be-starfields-exclusive-pc-partner/
AMD has just announced that it will be Starfield’s exclusive PC partner, and shared an announcement video. In this video, Todd Howard confirms that Starfield will be using Creation Engine 2; an enhanced version of the engine used in Bethesda’s previous games.
>> I guess that means no DLSS for the game.

Tuesday news, part two:

GTA Online is still leaving PC players in the dust with baffling console-exclusive updates
https://www.pcgamer.com/gta-online-is-still-leaving-pc-players-in-the-dust-with-baffling-console-exclusive-updates/
It's not a common feeling as a PC gamer to be excluded from updates on multi-platform games—console exclusives are one thing, but we're otherwise used to life in the fast lane. Unfortunately, GTA Online still has a host of updates ranging from graphical tune-ups to new features that just aren't available to anyone playing the PC version.

That's all folks! MultiVersus is officially dead but promises a 2024 comeback
https://www.pcgamer.com/thats-all-folks-multiversus-is-officially-dead-but-promises-a-2024-comeback/
Smashlike platform fighter MultiVersus is officially offline after 11 months in open beta, with a full release anticipated sometime in 2024. Developer Player First Games announced the shutdown back in March, before pulling the game from Steam's store in April and gradually winding down its content until its closure on June 25.

Cities: Skylines 2's simulation is so realistic that all the young people are broke
https://www.pcgamer.com/cities-skyline-2s-simulation-is-so-realistic-that-all-the-young-people-are-broke/
As we get closer to the October 24 release of Cities: Skylines 2, Paradox Interactive is sharing more about how the city builder sequel works. Today in a new video and development diary we learned a lot about how traffic will find its way through the cities we build using a new AI pathfinding system.

Valve collector shares his treasure trove of never-before-seen Half Life 2: Episode 3, 'Alyx & Dog,' and Stars of Blood concept art
https://www.pcgamer.com/valve-collector-shares-his-treasure-trove-of-never-before-seen-half-life-2-episode-3-alyx-and-dog-and-stars-of-blood-concept-art/
Following the release of its documentary on canceled Valve games, DidYouKNowGaming has made a collection of previously-unavailable Valve concept art free to download on the Internet Archive. The trove comes courtesy of David McGreavy, a games industry professional and self-professed Valve superfan.

Court emails reveal Bethesda's confusion at Microsoft's special treatment for COD while Starfield goes Xbox-exclusive: 'What's the difference?'
https://www.pcgamer.com/court-emails-reveal-bethesdas-confusion-at-microsofts-special-treatment-for-cod-while-starfield-goes-xbox-exclusive-whats-the-difference/
If you ask me, we should send major corporations to court more often. It always seems to turn up no end of interesting tidbits. This time, the trial between the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Microsoft has revealed a February 2022 email from Bethesda exec Pete Hines, in which he voices his confusion and frustration about Microsoft's stated decision to keep Bethesda games exclusive to its console platform while staying "committed to Sony" in regards to Call of Duty.

Bejeweled's designer releases free wrestling game where you can beat up Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg
https://www.pcgamer.com/bejeweleds-designer-releases-free-wrestling-game-where-you-can-beat-up-elon-musk-and-mark-zuckerberg/
Billionaire babies Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg are allegedly going to fight in a cage match because there's no end to the nightmare we're all trapped inside. There's a good chance all their vain posturing will lead to nothing because they are famously full of hot air, but even the possibility has been getting a lot of attention. If you can't wait to see two middle-aged crybabies try to fight, Blue Wizard founder, Bejeweled designer and Plants vs Zombies creative director Jason Kapalka has already made a free browser game that sees the pair go toe-to-toe in a wrestling match.

CD Projekt Red insists that Cyberpunk 2077's launch wasn't that bad, but 'it became a cool thing not to like it'
https://www.pcgamer.com/cd-projekt-red-insists-that-cyberpunk-2077s-launch-wasnt-that-bad-but-it-became-a-cool-thing-not-to-like-it/
Almost three years after its initial release, CD Projekt's VP of PR and communication thinks players were too harsh on Cyberpunk 2077 around launch, claiming that "it became a cool thing not to like it."
>> One thing doesn't exclude the other. It was a cool thing to hate it, but the game was worth the game given how it run like cr*p.

Before Activision-Blizzard, Microsoft was planning to buy Sega
https://www.pcgamer.com/before-activision-blizzard-microsoft-was-planning-to-buy-sega/
The US Federal Trade Commission is currently butting heads with Microsoft, as the regulatory body tries to block the software giant's proposed $65 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Xbox head honcho Phil Spencer was the latest executive to take the stand and deny ever thinking about stuff he wrote a few years ago, and as part of the hearings a tranche of internal emails were made public. One of which shows the suits in Redmond licking their lips at the prospect of acquiring the iconic Sega.
>> Sega among others.

Badlands Crew will let you build and operate your own adorable Mad Max war rig for tactical post-apocalyptic shenanigans
https://www.pcgamer.com/badlands-crew-will-let-you-build-and-operate-your-own-adorable-mad-max-war-rig-for-tactical-post-apocalyptic-shenanigans/
Runner Duck, developer of Space Crew and Bomber Crew, has revealed the next entry in its series of simmy roguelites: Badlands Crew. Badlands Crew will see you building and operating Mad Max: Fury Road-style war rigs as you ride out and pacify a post-apocalyptic wasteland, and it's set to launch some time in 2024.

Diablo 4's season 1 cosmetics will let you slap whatever on whoever
https://www.pcgamer.com/diablo-4s-season-1-cosmetics-will-let-you-slap-whatever-on-whoever/
Diablo 4 has been out for nearly a month now, so it's time to turn the whole thing on its head. Season 1 of Blizzard's loot-lusty ARPG is just around the corner—set to launch in a vaguely defined "mid to late July"—and it's meant to bring all sorts of stuff with it.

Stephen King gave the opening quote to Alan Wake for just one dollar, and it's not the first time he's done this
https://www.pcgamer.com/stephen-king-gave-the-opening-quote-to-alan-wake-for-just-one-dollar-and-its-not-the-first-time-hes-done-this/
Ina recent interview with Eurogamer, Sam Lake—creative director of Remedy Entertainment—revealed that prolific horror writer Stephen King granted Alan Wake's opening quote for just $1. Remedy is, of course, on the promotional circuit for the upcoming sequel to Alan Wake.

ATI Radeon HD 4870 and HD 4850 GPUs were released 15 years ago

https://videocardz.com/newz/ati-radeon-hd-4870-and-hd-4850-gpus-were-released-15-years-ago

4870 was the first Radeon GPU that I bought. Thing was a beast!

Apple To Reportedly Get A Discount For TSMC’s 2nm Orders In 2025, Wafer Price Said To Cost $25,000, Slightly Expensive Than 3nm

https://wccftech.com/apple-to-get-discount-from-tsmc-2nm-orders-wafer-cost-25000/

AMD to be Bethesda’s exclusive PC partner for Starfield, FSR2 support at launch

https://videocardz.com/newz/amd-to-be-bethesdas-exclusive-pc-partner-for-starfield-fsr2-support-at-launch

That means likely no DLSS or XeSS support, bloated Vram and little to no Ray Tracing. They should change their moto from "together we advance_" to "together we regress_"

Lol they missed the mark on so many of these

If that's legit, it's going to be a long generation

Man, the 4000 series from AMD was such an unexpected, and welcome, surprise. And the 5000 one was also amazing, but I'm not impartial about that.

As far as I can tell, that Maximum PC article only got two right, Spore and the multiple GPU cards.

10,000 Steam games now rated playable+ for Steam Deck:

The first 10k. Now for 20k.