We all know that the availability of both the 6000 and 3000 series cards will slowly drie out, making it a short term problem.

Meanwhile, the 7900XT launched for $900 and now can be found around the $750 mark. I'm sure AMD would have liked to launch the rumored 7900 or 7800XT for around $700, which now would be impossible. And that scales down for the other unreleased 7000 cards.

But, as I said, that's a problem for AMD, not for us.

I've found some games with recaps before, and some of them don't make the events of the game/franchise any favors. I don't know if the one in Gears 5 falls int othat category, but it's always better to have played the game to have all the little details.

I appreciate your enthusiasm, but you won't be able to make me change my mind.

The article itself especulates about that:

"17,000 endings doesn't mean 17,000 radically different experiences. What's more likely is that your choices will factor into an end-game epilogue of some description, similar to the one we got at the end of Divinity Original Sin 2.

Time for some speculation: let's say there's 10 lines of dialogue with 2 variations each that can present in Baldur's Gate 3's ending—the ways in which you can arrange those lines would add up extremely quickly. They'd each technically create a bespoke cinematic, even if they weren't that unique from a player's standpoint."

It's the most sensible approach, because any other options would be too complicated and involve way too much work.

Boom Watch a lets play?. Or do like me and just use Gamepass to play 4 (I really enjoyed 4 btw).

These are the news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

GOG has launched two new Deals of t he Day, available until Friday:

• Prodeus will be 30% off: https://www.gog.com/en/game/prodeus
• Syberia: The World Before gets a 65% discount: https://www.gog.com/en/game/syberia_the_world_before

Steam also has two new deals:

• LISA: The Painful will be 20% off until the 25th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/335670/LISA_The_Painful/
• The second deal is The Chant, with a 60% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1577250/The_Chant/

The Humble Store features the Hooded Horse Summer Sale, with up to 80% discounts during 6 days. There are keys for Steam and EGS: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/hooded-horse-summer-sale/.

And Fanatical has a new Star Deal, a new sale and a bundle:

• The new Star Deal is Thymesia, 40% off during 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/thymesia
• Versus Evil puts its games on sale with up to 92% discounts during 7 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/versus-evil
• And the Rimworld with all expansions bundle is back, with a 17% discount for the next 6 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/rimworld-with-all-expansions

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Dark Souls 2 will soon get a new lighting overhaul mod
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/dark-souls-2-will-soon-get-a-new-lighting-overhaul-mod/
Earlier this month, we shared a 24GB HD Texture Pack/Mod for Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin. Created by modder ‘fromsoftserve’, that pack overhauled all of the game’s textures. And, from the looks of it, fromsoftserve is now working on a new lighting overhaul mod for this FromSoftware game.
This mod will be called Scholar of the Second Sin Lighting Overhaul Mod and will be based on the Lighting Engine Mod. The mod will also feature the aforementioned Texture Pack, meaning that you can get both of them in one package.
>> There's an over 15 minutes video of the mod.

New gameplay video for The Last of Us Part I’s first-person mod
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/new-gameplay-video-for-the-last-of-us-part-is-first-person-mod/
YouTube’s Voyagers Revenge shared a new video, showcasing the WIP first-person mod for The Last of Us Part I. This video will give you an idea of what The Last of Us could look like with an FP camera/perspective.
This WIP mod brings you closer to the action and works surprisingly well. In fact, it looks as good as an official first-person mode. Still, and despite how incredible the mod looks, Voyagers Revenge claims that it is currently unstable and crashes the game multiple times. Moreover, the mod does not support the game’s latest version.
Unfortunately, there is also no ETA on when the mod will come out. And, to be honest, I don’t expect this to release in the foreseeable future. Its first video surfaced in April 2023 and after three months, the mod is still in a really buggy state. Or at least that’s what its creator claims.
>> There's an almost 9 minutes video of the mod.

GAMING NEWS

EA Sports FC 24 gets PC Requirements & Gameplay Trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/ea-sports-fc-24-gets-pc-requirements-gameplay-trailer/
Electronic Arts has revealed the official PC system requirements for EA Sports FC 24. Moreover, the company shared an extended gameplay trailer for its upcoming soccer game that you can find below.

Star Wars Jedi Survivor Patch 6.5 released and detailed
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/star-wars-jedi-survivor-patch-6-5-released-and-detailed/
Electronic Arts has just released Patch 6.5 for Star Wars Jedi Survivor, and shared its complete changelog. According to Respawn, this is a small update that addresses some bugs. Therefore, you should not expect any major performance improvements or optimization enhancements.

Diablo 4 Update 1.1.0a released and here are its full patch notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/diablo-4-update-1-1-0a-released-and-here-are-its-full-patch-notes/
Blizzard has just released Patch 1.1.0a for Diablo 4, which is 220MB in size, and shared its complete changelog. Update 1.1.0a adds 6 Unique Items and 7 New Legendary Aspects to the game. Moreover, it comes with a number of bug fixes and tweaks.
>> Unfortunately for barbarians, they'll now do less damage.

The Last of Us Part I Update 1.1.1 released, full patch notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/the-last-of-us-part-i-update-1-1-1-released-full-patch-notes/
Iron Galaxy and Naughty Dog released Patch 1.1.1 for the PC version of The Last of Us Part I, and shared its complete changelog. According to the teams, this latest update addresses several crashes and visual fixes.

The Witcher 3 Next-Gen Patch 4.04 released, fixes visual glitches, full changelog
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/the-witcher-3-next-gen-patch-4-04-released-fixes-visual-glitches-full-changelog/
CD Projekt RED has just released Patch 4.04 for The Witcher 3 Next-Gen, and shared its complete changelog/release notes. According to the patch notes, Patch 4.04 fixes a number of visual glitches and gameplay bugs in the PC version.

Part two of the news:

Counter-Strike 2 adds Wingman mode and 'our first overhauled map'
https://www.pcgamer.com/counter-strike-2-adds-wingman-mode-and-our-first-overhauled-map/
(...)
Ever since the announcement a limited test of Counter-Strike 2 has been ongoing, with Valve switching a small number of maps and features around as it fine-tunes the game for public release. Probably the funniest thing about this is that when distributing access Valve deliberately cut-out players with a record of cheating or griefing, but I digress, because now the developer's added two new maps, including one that's a full rework of an existing CS:GO map, and the 2v2 Wingman game mode. Wingman especially is a welcome addition that was first added to CS:GO in 2017, and offers a more bitesize experience as well as one it's much easier to assemble a team for.

Activision all-but-confirms Modern Warfare 3 will let players carry over their hard-won loot from its predecessor
https://www.pcgamer.com/activision-all-but-confirms-modern-warfare-3-will-let-players-carry-over-their-hard-won-loot-from-its-predecessor/
The technically-still-unannounced Modern Warfare 3 will most likely let you keep all of your hard-earned loot from last year's Modern Warfare 2. The official Call of Duty account Tweeted a "poll" the other day, asking players the following question: (...)

A Diablo 4 hero-scientist has tested every single dungeon to tell you which one you should grind
https://www.pcgamer.com/a-diablo-4-hero-scientist-has-tested-every-single-dungeon-to-tell-you-which-one-you-should-grind/
Diablo 4 can be a little opaque. Players roaming the wastes of Sanctuary often find themselves asking questions like "Why is that guy so big?" "Where can I get some pants?" and "What do the rats know?" But the question most people ask themselves, almost to the point of obsession, is "How do I level faster?" Well console yourself, traveller, because an absolute legend has figured it out using nothing but the scientific method and a superhuman level of dedication.

Cozy community MMO Palia turns fishing and cooking into co-op activities
https://www.pcgamer.com/cozy-community-mmo-palia-turns-fishing-and-cooking-into-co-op-activities/
Typically when I hear I'm getting a "gameplay first look" for an upcoming game I don't expect all that much: maybe a video lasting about five minutes showing some combat, a bit of exploration, possibly some building or crafting. But nothing too extensive: a first look is usually just a quick snack,not a banquet.
That wasn't the case this morning with cozy community MMO Palia. The gameplay first look was a huge hour-long presentation hosted by several members of Singularity 6's development team. This was a Starfield Direct-style affair, covering practically everything you might want to see in action: character creation, crafting, base-building, adventuring, quests, romance, plus two big life-sim staples: fishing and cooking.

Despite $500,000 win against abusive 'fan,' Destiny 2 developers are still being harassed 'just because they work at Bungie'
https://www.pcgamer.com/despite-dollar500000-win-against-abusive-fan-destiny-2-developers-are-still-being-harassed-just-because-they-work-at-bungie/
Bungie recently won nearly $500,000 in damages from a Destiny 2 player who subjected one of its community managers to repeated racist harassment and threats. The victory was hailed by developers at Bungie and beyond as a significant step forward in the effort to eliminate abuse from "fans": Kathryn Tewson, a paralegal who worked on the case, said the ruling in favor of Bungie "has created a path for those with the resources to identify stochastic terrorists and hold them accountable" in court.
That may be so, but it doesn't mean that the problem is going away anytime soon—in fact, Bungie recently said in the Destiny subreddit that developers, including some who aren't community managers, are still being harassed "just because they work at Bungie."
>> Seriously, some people should try to spend more time playing and less time being as*holes.

Creative Assembly is revealing the numbers behind Total War: Warhammer 3, praise to Mathal, Chaos God of algebra
https://www.pcgamer.com/creative-assembly-is-revealing-the-math-behind-total-war-warhammer-3-praise-to-mathal-chaos-god-of-algebra/
There are a lot of things we do in Total War because they seem like common sense, even though we don't know if the systems behind the scenes really back them up. I put my archers on hills because I think I remember a loading screen tip saying that raised elevation increases your damage output, but by how much? And does it apply equally to melee attacks?
Fortunately, Creative Assembly recently began explaining what goes on under the hood of Total War: Warhammer 3 in a series of blog posts called the Feature Focus series, which are doing a great job translating those assumptions into actual numbers, even if they slip into algebra at times, like saying "coefficient" when they could just say "multiplier".

Baldur's Gate 3 character creation deep-dive reveals tailed dragonborn, flashy class intros, and bespoke genitals
https://www.pcgamer.com/baldurs-gate-3-character-creation-deep-dive-reveals-tailed-dragonborn-flashy-class-intros-and-bespoke-genitals/
A recent 11-minute preview of Baldur's Gate 3's full-release character creator dropped into the internet's collective lap the other day, courtesy of Kotaku, alongside an interview with lead character artist Alena Dubrovina.

Ratings board leaks suggest another classic Nintendo JRPG series is getting freed from its console prison
https://www.pcgamer.com/ratings-board-leaks-suggest-another-classic-nintendo-jrpg-series-is-getting-freed-from-its-console-prison/
Folks, they've done it again. A loose-lipped ratings board (via Gematsu) has leaked the existence of likely PC ports of the recently announced remasters of Baten Kaitos 1 and Baten Kaitos Origins, meaning the pair of classic GameCube JRPGs can join the Teapot Dome Scandal and the Vela Incident in the list of 'things governmental bodies have tried and failed to hide'.

AMD AGESA 1007B update improves high-speed DDR5 memory support for AM5 platform, 8000 MT/s teased on $223 B650 board

https://videocardz.com/newz/amd-agesa-1007b-update-improves-high-speed-ddr5-memory-support-for-am5-platform-8000-mt-s-teased-on-223-b650-board

Pretty great in theory but the Infinity Fabric speed takes a big hit so it will be interesting to see the penalty vs bandwidth. That isn't abnormal technically as Intel does this too with their 1:2 or 1:3 gear ratios but Infinity Fabric is usually a lot more detrimental for AMD. Hopefully we see some actual tests from reviewers. But the main benefit with this update for most people will be:

"It is confirmed that many Ryzen 7000 systems will now be able to run 6400 MT/s memory with a 1:1 IC ratio."

Samsung First To Develop GDDR7 Memory For Next-Gen GPUs, 32 Gbps Speeds & Up To 1.5 TB/s

https://wccftech.com/samsung-first-develop-gddr7-memory-for-next-gen-gpus-32-gbps-speeds/

5090 ready

ASUS newest STRIX RTX 4060 Ti GPU with 16GB memory costs more than many RTX 4070

https://videocardz.com/newz/asus-newest-strix-rtx-4060-ti-gpu-with-16gb-memory-costs-more-than-many-rtx-4070

Unsurprising from Asus

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 mobile emerges as a low-profile 65W desktop GPU

https://videocardz.com/newz/nvidia-geforce-rtx-3050-mobile-emerges-as-a-low-profile-65w-desktop-gpu

ASUS to sell, manufacture and develop Intel NUC systems moving forward

https://videocardz.com/newz/asus-to-sell-manufacture-and-develop-intel-nuc-systems-moving-forward

Its almost as if Nvidia are gaslighting its customers lol.

Least it's better than the Ampere generation lol

3050 8GB
3060 12GB
3060 Ti 8GB
3070 8GB
3080 10GB
3080 Ti 12GB
3090 24GB

Lol that true. You'd go up a tier and get less VRAM depending on what SKU. At least AMD are a bit more consistant across its stack. Here's hoping Nvidia learns from its mistakes for Blackwell because even AiB's are tired of this BS (looking at the reports/rumors for the 4060 Ti 16GB).

For next gen I want to see something like this

5050 8GB
5060 12GB
5070 16GB
5080 20GB
5090 24GB

Rather than the mess we have had the last couple generations. Its way less confusing for consumers/gamers and matches closer to the performance class and tier.

Watching other people play bores me to death. I only do it a little to find out more about a game, to see if I may like it or it's a pass.

And no, I won't use Gamepass. Why? Because I don't want to .