So we can skip Windows 11? Nice!

Careful there. We don't know is Win12 is going to be worse. Everything is possible with MSoft..

Telemetry + AI = Disaster. 

Yep just install Linux!

As soon as I saw "AI", I knew it was going to be a shitshow.

Guess that's 2 OS's in a row for me that suck ass (yes I know 12 isn't out yet, but fuck AI reliance and even more added Telemetry).

I think it's time I start looking into Steam OS at this point. 

Can you imagine all the adds that 12 will include? Something gotta pay for the LLMs besides buying your Windows key, after all.

Or maybe it'll be subscription-based only like Adobe does these days.

Just use LTSC and nothing else. I do not plan on leaving windows 10 LTSC until 2025. By that time, I will jump on to windows 11 LTSC.

The Thursday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

This week, the Epic Store gives away two games:

• GigaBash: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/gigabash
• Predecessor: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/predecessor

The game for next week is a mystery.

GOG has one Deal of the Day: The Whisperer will be a massive 95% off during 22 hours: https://www.gog.com/en/game/the_whisperer.

Steam has two new deals:

• Builder Simulator, besides proving that the genre has no limits, is going to be 50% off until December, 13th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1120320/Builder_Simulator/
• And Rivals of Aether gets a 66% discount until the 16th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/383980/Rivals_of_Aether/

There's a new Humble Bundle: The Upload VR Showcase Winter 2023 Bundle features 8 items (one's a coupon) during 20 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/upload-vr-showcase-winter-2023.

Fanatical has a new Star Deal and a new bundle:

• The new Star Deal is Starfield, 36% off during 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/starfield
• The bundle is the BYO Best of Platinum Collection 2023 Bundle, with 20 titles available to build your 2, 3 or 5 games bundle: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/platinum-collection-build-your-own-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

World's biggest mod site shows no patience for bigoted mod that erased a queer relationship from Baldur's Gate 3, will keep banning mods that are 'deliberately against inclusivity and/or diversity'
https://www.pcgamer.com/worlds-biggest-mod-site-shows-no-patience-for-bigoted-mod-that-erased-a-queer-relationship-from-baldurs-gate-3-will-keep-banning-mods-that-are-deliberately-against-inclusivity-andor-diversity/
Nexus Mods, likely the most popular mod site on the planet and a place you're definitely familiar with if you've ever had cause to tinker with a Bethesda game, has banned a user for attempting to mod a same-sex pairing out of Baldur's Gate 3. Beware there are some very mild spoilers ahead for some act 2 characters.

New Starfield 4K Texture Pack Improves Most Common Furniture
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/new-starfield-4k-texture-pack-improves-most-common-furniture/
Modder ‘XilaMonstrr’ has released a new 4K Texture Pack for Bethesda’s latest game, Starfield, that improves a significant portion of the common furniture. This includes chairs, tables, benches, couches and more.
As the modder noted, the original textures were nearly all 1K with a few in 512 resolution. By using AI tools, though, he was able to upscale them to 4K. So now, you have crisper textures that retain the art style of the original ones.
>> The article has some comparison screenshots.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider Gets a 4K Texture Pack for Main NPCs
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/shadow-of-the-tomb-raider-4k-texture-pack-main-npcs/
Modder ‘Swiz19’ has released a new 4K Texture Pack for Shadow of the Tomb Raider that overhauls all of the game’s main NPCs. But what does the modder mean by saying main NPCs? Simply put, all the NPCs that appear in cut-scenes are the game’s main/story NPCs.
So, this 4K Texture Pack overhauls 10 main story NPCs. These are Jonah, Unuratu, Diminguez, Etzli, Richard Croft, Amelia Croft, Rourke, Uchu, Miguel and Abby. Additionally, it brings 3 new hairstyles for Jonah, Unuratu and Dominguez.
>> The article has some screenshots.

GAMING NEWS

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is one of the best-looking PC games to date, is the next “Crysis” game
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/avatar-frontiers-of-pandora-is-one-of-the-best-looking-pc-games-to-date-is-the-next-crysis-game/
Ubisoft has just released Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora on all platforms. The game is powered by the Snowdrop Engine, and it’s currently one of the best-looking games on PC. In fact, its open-world forest areas are so detailed that they will remind you of Crysis. Yes, Avatar’s forests feel like what Crysis 4 should look like.
>> There's a 10 minutes video in the article. I think it looks good, but not *that* good.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Story Trailer Has Been Leaked
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/prince-of-persia-the-lost-crown-story-trailer-has-been-leaked/
It appears that the story trailer for the next Prince of Persia game, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, has been leaked online. Additionally, it appears that a free demo for it will become available on January 11th.

Thursday news, part two:

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2's final clan reveal dashes the hopes of anyone wanting to play a Malkavian at launch
https://www.pcgamer.com/vampire-the-masquerade-bloodlines-2s-final-clan-reveal-dashes-the-hopes-of-anyone-wanting-to-play-a-malkavian-at-launch/
Vampire: The Masquerade's blueblood vamps, the Ventrue, are the fourth and final clan being unveiled for Bloodlines 2. Unlike the unexpected addition of the Banu Haqim, shown off during the PC Gaming Show, the Ventrue reveal has been easier to predict: these vamps are VTM's aristocracy, heavy hitters that often have important positions in the Camarilla, ruling vampire society. They were playable in the first Bloodlines and had been announced for the original version of Bloodlines 2.

Cat-egorically cute farm sim Snacko stealth launched today and I'm already digging these cozy kittens
https://www.pcgamer.com/cat-egorically-cute-farm-sim-snacko-stealth-launched-today-and-im-already-digging-these-cozy-kittens/
If I had a nickel for every cozy farm sim I played this month with a Paper Mario visual design that begins with getting washed up after a shipwreck I'd have two nickels. One was Echoes of the Plum Grove, and this one is Snacko, the ridiculously cute cat-themed farm sim. Snacko turned up at the Wholesome Snack show today (how appropriate) and announced that it's launching into early access today. Surprise!

Sims 4 players have found what might be a build mode bug but we're all hoping is a new feature
https://www.pcgamer.com/sims-4-players-have-found-what-might-be-a-build-mode-bug-but-were-all-hoping-is-a-new-feature/
Ahead of The Sims 4: For Rent expansion launch tomorrow, Maxis has published a routine patch with small updates and fixes to the base game. But players have spotted at least one change that wasn't listed in the patch notes: We can finally edit the walls and windows on apartments from current game packs. It may even be an unintended bug, but we're all hoping that it's actually a feature.

Report: Embattled Bungie management insist fans 'still like us' in the face of plummeting staff morale
https://www.pcgamer.com/report-embattled-bungie-management-insist-our-fans-still-like-us-in-the-face-of-plummeting-staff-morale/
A new report from IGN says the situation at Bungie following layoffs and reports of sinking Destiny 2 player numbers and revenues is even more dire than is widely known. Morale at the studio has reportedly plummeted amidst what is described by IGN's sources as management indifference, and the report says Bungie could even be subject to a full Sony takeover if the upcoming Destiny 2 expansion The Final Shape fails to meet expectations.

One of the best RTS games we've played in years launched a crowdfunding campaign yesterday, and crushed its goal in just 15 minutes
https://www.pcgamer.com/one-of-the-best-rts-games-weve-played-in-years-launched-a-crowdfunding-campaign-yesterday-and-crushed-its-goal-in-just-15-minutes/
Back in 2020, a team of StarCraft 2 veterans announced the launch of a new outfit, Frost Giant Studios, with the stated goal of creating "the next great PC real-time strategy game." We got our hands on that effort, called Stormgate, earlier this year, and it certainly looked like Frost Giant was on track to deliver that promise, with a debut effort that's "shaping up to be a brilliant blend of modern and classic RTS."
Clearly we're not the only ones excited for it: Frost Giant launched a $100,000 Kickstarter campaign on December 5 to support the development of Stormgate, and it was fully funded in just 15 minutes.

Exploring the seas on a magic surfboard looks awesome in this 16-player co-op survival game from former Riot devs
https://www.pcgamer.com/this-beautiful-16-player-co-op-survival-game-from-former-riot-devs-just-got-a-new-trailer-and-an-official-name/
I know it's hard to believe but GTA 6 isn't the only game that got a new trailer this week. Today the former Riot devs at Treehouse Games released their own trailer for 16-player co-op survival game Voyagers of Nera.
Coming to early access in 2024, you're invited to grab your friends, explore the world, battle monsters, and build a huge base together on your very own tropical island. Check out the trailer below, which was shown today at the Wholesome Snack showcase.

How in Avernus did I totally miss this secret treasure-stuffed shortcut to the Underdark in Act 1 of Baldur's Gate 3 no less than seven times?
https://www.pcgamer.com/how-in-avernus-did-i-totally-miss-this-secret-treasure-stuffed-shortcut-to-the-underdark-in-act-1-of-baldurs-gate-3-no-less-than-seven-times/
I've played Baldur's Gate 3 a lot now. And, let me tell you, I've played through Act 1 more times than a lot. I just can't help creating new characters! This restart-itus has become even worse recently, too, thanks to me delving into the world of Baldur's Gate 3 cosmetic mods, which are letting me take character aesthetics to a whole new level.
And, while I'm now overly familiar with Act 1 of Baldur's Gate 3, I'm still astonished that after playing through the game so many times, with so many different characters, I'm still being surprised by in-game content that I've never seen before, such as my recent discovery of a swag-laden shortcut into the Underdark that I'd totally missed on every other run to date. Naturally, spoilers now follow.

The Among Us crewmates are coming to Vampire Survivors as its developer booms 'no realm or plane of reality is off limits'
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-among-us-crewmates-are-coming-to-vampire-survivors-as-its-developer-booms-no-realm-or-plane-of-reality-is-off-limits/
Poncle have announced a new DLC for our best roguelike of 2022: Vampire Survivors, in collaboration with Innersloth's Among Us. This new DLC called Emergency Meeting is set to arrive on PC on December 18, 2023.

Since you all like the theme so much, here's the article from Guru3D, because it features a part that you'll all love, like you did with Win 8:

https://www.guru3d.com/story/windows-12-scheduled-for-june-2024-launch-becomes-aiintegrated-pc-platform/

...

Nadella also suggested that Windows 12 could revolutionize the user experience, possibly replacing the traditional Start button with the Copilot feature. Copilot, envisioned as an orchestrator of application experiences, could transform user habits by assisting in learning, querying, and creating. While it currently can launch most integrated applications, its functionality, especially in voice command and file explorer access, is anticipated to expand in Windows 12.

MSoft will make Win 11 look amazing compared to Win 12.