MP only? Yikes...good luck especially with Sea of Thieves.

Yeah, it has taken them so long that others have launched their own games around the same idea.

So true:

https://youtube.com/shorts/jWYx4aWZW48?si=7_dVc6UIg3IBjK7q

The part at the end where the customer is all happy and delighted they finally got what they wanted, is exactly why this keeps happening, and it's hilariously accurate. 

Also they didn't get their coloured fork, which also feels accurate lol.

Only games I pre-order are the ones I know I am going to sink a hundred hours into.

I.E. Zelda, StarCraft, Homeworld etc'.

Otherwise Pre-orders are destructive to the industry.

I only do pre-orders if its a game I know I'll play day 1.

Case in point for Super Mario RPG and Super Mario Bros Wonder - both which I have finished within 10-15 days after its release lol.

I was originally going to grab HW3 when it comes out, but after they went back and injected EoS (Epic Online Services, Epic's form of "crossplay") into HWDoK and the remaster collection (basically rendering the two as online based games that I can no longer play offline properly), I've decided to pass on it, and have since uninstalled the previous two games. 

Personally I think the only game I have ever pre-ordered was a few WoW expansions back in the day, but outside of that, I've normally bought games a week or two after release (mostly to watch the dust settle and see how X/Y game turns out).

The Monday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

GOG has a new giveaway and three deals of the day:

• The GIVEAWAY is Lost Ruins, free to get during 70 hours: https://www.gog.com/en/game/lost_ruins https://www.gog.com/en/game/lost_ruins
• These are the DotD, all of them are from Ubisoft and will last 46 hours:
  • Far Cry is 75% off: https://www.gog.com/en/game/far_cry
  • Rayman 2: The Great Escape gets a 76% discount: https://www.gog.com/en/game/rayman_2_the_great_escape
  • Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc also has a 76% deal: https://www.gog.com/en/game/rayman_3_hoodlum_havoc

Steam has two new deals:

• Ghostrunner 2 gets a 30% discount until the 21st: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2144740/Ghostrunner_2/
• MY HERO ONE'S JUSTICE 2, that has a demo, will be 85% off until the 24th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1058450/MY_HERO_ONES_JUSTICE_2/

Humble Bundle has the In Your Face VR Encore Bundle, with 8 items to get during 27 https://www.humblebundle.com/games/in-your-face-vr-holiday-encore"> https://www.humblebundle.com/games/in-your-face-vr-holiday-encore.

Fanatical has a Star Deal, a free game and a new contest:

• The FREE GAME is Ultimate Zombie Defense, and it will be free if you subscribe to their newsletter during the next 7 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/ultimate-zombie-defense
• The Star Deal is Outward Definitive Edition, it started yesterday, but there's 24 hours left to get it: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/outward-definitive-edition
• Yesterday they launched a contest to win a Cloud Stinger S Headset Plus, VEGAS Pro 19 Edit, and MAGIX MUSIC MAKER 2022 PREMIUM Edition: https://gleam.io/MTeJP/chance-to-win-a-hyperx-cloud-stinger-s-headset-plus-vegas-pro-software-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Nintendo has taken down the PC remaster of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/nintendo-has-taken-down-the-legend-of-zelda-links-awakening-dx-pc-remaster/
A couple of days ago, we informed you about a fan-made remaster of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX for PC. And, unfortunately, Nintendo has sent a letter to itch.io to remove it. As such, the game is no longer available for download.
The issue with the unofficial PC version of Zelda was that it had everything in it. Unlike other remakes or remasters, it didn’t need the original ROM file. This meant it was distributing copyrighted material. And yes, that’s most likely why Nintendo took action.
>> It was bound to happen.

This mod brings high-quality volumetric mist/fog effects to Skyrim
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/this-mod-brings-high-quality-volumetric-mist-fog-effects-to-skyrim/
Modder ‘Dr Jacopo’ has released a new mod for Skyrim Special Edition that brings to it high-quality volumetric mist/fog effects. This mod is basically a remake of the Volumetric Mists Mod that came out in 2019.
As the modder noted, the original mod had some banding issues in the sky and excessive proximal haze. The Azurite Mists Mod fixes this by using new transparent models. Additionally, it brings back proximal detail while obscuring distant landscapes. Plus, it adds more mist in specific places in Skyrim, especially in the valleys and the Sea of Ghosts.
This mod is compatible with all weather mods and HD Texture Packs. As such, you can use it with all the HD Texture Packs we’ve shared. You can find all of them in our Best Skyrim Mods article. So, be sure to check it out.
>> There are no screenshots nor videos.

First version of The Witcher 3 NextGen HD Reworked available for download
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/first-version-the-witcher-3-nextgen-hd-reworked-download/
Modder ‘Halk Hogan PL’ has released a new preview video for The Witcher 3 NextGen HD Reworked. This video compares the game’s default rock textures with the new ones that will be included in this upcoming HD Texture Pack. So, be sure to watch it!
>> The video is over 3 minutes long.

Pokemon Black & White 3D Remake Demo in Unreal Engine 5 Available For Download
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/pokemon-black-white-3d-remake-demo-unreal-engine-5-download/
ArcSin Jesse has released two Pokemon demos on PC, using Unreal Engine 5. The first one remakes N’s Castle from Pokemon: Black & White, whereas the second demo remakes the Sinnoh region. These demos have proper gameplay mechanics. So, make sure to try them if you are a die-hard Pokemon fan.
For those unaware, Sinnoh is where Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl, and Legends: Arceus take place. On the other hand, N’s Castle is the headquarters of Team Plasma in Pokémon Black/White. So, consider these demos as a taste of what modern remakes of these games could look like.
As said, these demos have proper gameplay mechanics. In other words, you’ll be able to find and fight other Pokemon. So yes, these fan projects have working battle system mechanics. The fact that only one person has managed to create them is also commendable. And, since we’ll never get official Pokemon games on PC, you should definitely try them.
>> The article has two videos, one for each mod.

AMD FSR 3.0 Mods Released for The Last of Us Part I & Dead Space Remake
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/amd-fsr-3-0-mods-the-last-of-us-part-i-dead-space-remake/
Modder ‘LukeFZ’ has just released AMD FSR 3.0 mods for both The Last of Us Part I and Dead Space Remake. These mods are available on LukeFZ’s Patreon right now, though we should also expect to see them on NexusMods in the coming days.
YouTube’s ‘Macer’ has also shared a video, showcasing these AMD FSR 3.0 mods in action. With an AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and an AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT the user saw a 60-70% performance boost in The Last of Us Part I.
What this means is that at 1440p, the aforementioned PC system can hit framerates higher than 140fps. Since the baseline framerate was also higher than 70fps, we can assume that there aren’t any major latency issues. More powerful GPUs will also be able to hit higher framerates at 4K.
>> The article has a less than 3 minutes long video.

You can now enable AMD FSR 3.0 in all PC games that support DLSS 3
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/you-can-now-enable-amd-fsr-3-0-in-all-pc-games-that-support-dlss-3/
Now here is something for everyone who wanted to try AMD’s FSR 3.0 Frame Generation. Modder ‘Nukem9’ has shared a mod that replaces NVIDIA DLSS 3 Frame Generation with AMD FSR 3.0 FG. And, what’s amazing here is that this mod works in all the games that currently support DLSS 3.
So, you can basically use this mod in order to enable FSR 3.0 in games like Cyberpunk 2077, Layers of Fear, The Talos Principle 2, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Starfield, Alan Wake 2 and more.
Do note that this mod is not as good as a native FSR 3.0 implementation. For instance, in Cyberpunk 2077, there are noticeable ghosting issues. Still, it can allow all PC gamers to use Frame Generation to further boost their gaming performance.
>> Videocardz has an article about it with a step by step guide to install the mod/replace the DLSS3 files.

GAMING NEWS

Here are the next games that will support AMD FSR 3.0
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/here-are-the-next-games-that-will-support-amd-fsr-3-0/
AMD has shared a new slide in which it has revealed the next PC games that will support AMD FSR 3.0. So, let’s take a look and see which of the recently released and upcoming games will support it.
>> They're 15 titles.

STALKER/Metro-inspired MMORPG, PIONER, gets new gameplay video
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/stalker-metro-inspired-mmorpg-pioner-gets-new-gameplay-video/
GFA Games has shared a short but sweet gameplay video for its upcoming MMORPG that is visually inspired by the STALKER and Metro games, PIONER. Moreover, GFA Games hinted at more news to be shared on December 20th.

After over a decade, the Unreal Engine 3 Samaritan Tech Demo still looks impressive in 4K/60fps
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/unreal-engine-3-samaritan-tech-demo-impressive-4k-60fps/
Epic Games originally showcased the Samaritan Tech Demo for Unreal Engine 3 in 2011. That tech demo used to its fullest the raw power of PC GPUs and looked phenomenal. And now, after over a decade, this tech demo still looks great.

Monday news, part two:

Bayonetta director Hideki Kamiya sheds light on why he left Platinum, the company he co-founded: 'Without that element of trust, I couldn't continue working there'
https://www.pcgamer.com/bayonetta-director-hideki-kamiya-sheds-light-on-why-he-left-platinum-the-company-he-co-founded-without-that-element-of-trust-i-couldnt-continue-working-there/
Hideki Kamiya—director of Bayonetta and Okami, co-founder of PlatinumGames, "unemployed man," and guy who has you blocked on Twitter—is making the rounds again, and this time he's ready to spill the beans. Sort of. In a recent chat with IGN, the legendary developer shed some light on his departure from Platinum in October, telling the world that he just didn't like the way the company was going.

'Path of Exile 2 in some ways is less complicated than Path of Exile 1': Grinding Gear Games talks about why it created a WASD control scheme and other improvements in the sequel to its long-running ARPG
https://www.pcgamer.com/path-of-exile-2-in-some-ways-is-less-complicated-than-path-of-exile-1-grinding-gear-games-talks-about-why-it-created-a-wasd-control-scheme-and-other-improvements-in-the-sequel-to-its-long-running-arpg/
Last month Path of Exile 2 was selected as the #9 Most Wanted game in PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted. The sequel to the long-running ARPG Path of Exile is coming soon, and with work on Path of Exile 2 now well underway, we flew to New Zealand to talk to developers at Grinding Gear Games about how they're approaching a game that needs to be firmly rooted in the original while offering both new players and veterans something fresh and different.

Starfield is nominated for the Most Innovative Gameplay award in the 2023 Steam Awards
https://www.pcgamer.com/starfield-is-nominated-for-the-most-innovative-gameplay-award-in-the-2023-steam-awards/
The 2023 Steam Award nominations are out, meaning it's time to cast your ballots for your favorite games across categories ranging from Game of the Year to Best Game You Suck At.
Unlike most other awards programs, the Steam Awards limits nominees to a maximum of two categories, which presumably explains why Baldur's Gate 3, which has been a behemoth at awards shows throughout 2023, isn't set to run the table (again). Other two-category nominees include EA Sports FC24, Lethal Company, Hogwarts Legacy, and Resident Evil 4, while Starfield, which was shut out at The Game Awards, is getting a little recognition too: It's in the running for Most Innovative Gameplay.

Godus is deadus: Peter Molyneux's controversial Godus games are finally being taken off Steam
https://www.pcgamer.com/godus-is-deadus-peter-molyneuxs-controversial-godus-games-are-finally-being-taken-off-steam/
In the history of videogames, there are few botches more infamous than that of Godus. Envisioned as a god game in the style of Molyneux's earlier work on the groundbreaking Populous, it was also intended to be the home of the winner of Curiosity, the game about smashing away pieces of a cube to reach the mysterious prize inside—a prize that turned out to be godhood in Godus.
This was where things started to go wrong. Molyneux quickly began dialing back the scale of the promised "life-changing" prize, and then Godus itself turned out to be pretty much garbola, and then it was all abandoned (including the winner of the Curiosity prize) until 2016, when Molyneux's 22cans studio resurfaced with Godus Wars, a warfare-focused take on the idea of the original. Guess what? Also garbola, also abandoned.

This WW2 game just got rescued by the creators of Squad, and a huge new patch is live now
https://www.pcgamer.com/this-ww2-game-just-got-rescued-by-the-creators-of-squad-and-a-huge-new-patch-is-live-now/
It's been a while since I dove headfirst into a milsim, but Offworld Industries' bid to revitalize its WW2 spinoff of Squad makes me want to clear my calendar. Post Scriptum (2018) has been fully acquired by publisher and Squad developer Offworld Industries, who's slapped on a new label that better reflects what you're getting: Squad, but set in 1944.
But it's also been substantially updated. A huge patch yesterday added two new factions (the Greeks and Aussies), a map, seven weapons, and a bunch of balancing changes.

I should know better this early on, but Arkane's teaser and first concept art for Blade already have me unreasonably excited
https://www.pcgamer.com/i-should-know-better-this-early-on-but-arkanes-teaser-and-first-concept-art-for-blade-already-have-me-unreasonably-excited/
I really should know better than to lose my gourd over a game before it even has a gameplay trailer, but the first peeks we've gotten of Arkane's Blade adaptation already have me excited. In addition to the brief teaser at The Game Awards, Arkane Lyon art director Sebastien Mitton recently shared three pieces of concept art for the upcoming action game.
>> Don't be like the author of the article and stay cautious.

The original Fallout's pacifist playthrough was an 'accidental' inclusion, but its designers loved the idea so much they kept it in
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-original-fallouts-pacifist-playthrough-was-an-accidental-inclusion-but-its-designers-loved-the-idea-so-much-they-kept-it-in/
Long time RPG developer Tim Cain (Fallout, The Outer Worlds, Troika Games) has revealed another surprising fact about the Fallout series via his excellent YouTube channel. The games are known for their open-ended RPG gameplay and allowing player freedom, but according to Cain, one of their hallmarks, the so-called pacifist run where you don't directly kill enemies, was originally an accident.

A villain in Baldur's Gate 3 was originally guaranteed to kidnap whoever you romanced, 'which wasn't very popular'
https://www.pcgamer.com/a-villain-in-baldurs-gate-3-was-originally-guaranteed-to-kidnap-whoever-you-romanced-which-wasnt-very-popular/
In my first playthrough of Baldur's Gate 3, not long after making it to the city that makes up the massive RPG's final act, one of the villains kidnapped Lae'zel. And while I didn't put off rescuing her for too long, I also didn't rush it. Don't look at me like that, this was in-character—I was playing Shadowheart.
If my romance partner Gale was the one who got abducted, however, I might have got a wriggle on. In a recent interview with IGN, Larian's director Swen Vincke explained that was how it was first planned to play out. "Originally it was always your romantic partner," he said, "which wasn't very popular."
>> Meanwhile, other things barely changed, like Lae'zel. Oh, another thing: Dark Urge was originally going to be a paladin.

Blood Bowl 3 gets Shambling Undead team, and a sizeable patch
https://www.pcgamer.com/blood-bowl-3-gets-shambling-undead-team-and-a-sizeable-patch/
Each new season of fantasy football parody Blood Bowl 3 promises a new Blood Pass and a new team that can either be unlocked by paying for said Blood Pass or earning your way up to the top of its free tier. The first season's team, the Lizardmen, were given away for free, while the subsequent teams—the Underworld Denizens and now the Shambling Undead—will cost you either time or money.

I urge you to playtest Abiotic Factor, a survival game about scientists trapped in a vast underground black site
https://www.pcgamer.com/i-urge-you-to-playtest-abiotic-factor-a-survival-game-about-scientists-trapped-in-a-vast-underground-black-site/
So you're a scientist who works in one of those science-fictional giant underground research facilities—your Black Mesa, SCP Foundation, The Loop, what have you—and the day arrives where the big science catastrophe goes down and everyone's dying left and right and there's a horrible cascade of alternate dimensions and weird aliens pouring in. That's the setup for Abiotic Factor, an upcoming solo to six-player survival game that you can playtest for free, right now, via Steam.
>> Here's the link to Steam, and the playtest will last until the 1st of January.

Disappointingly, at least for me, there's a third part of the news. Thankfully, it's short:

Pirate stealth game Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew gets surprise modding tool
https://www.pcgamer.com/pirate-stealth-game-shadow-gambit-the-cursed-crew-gets-surprise-modding-tool/
Mimimi's swan song was supposed to be the two DLCs it released earlier this month for Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew—Yuki's Wish and Zagan's Ritual. But the studio dedicated to stealth tactics games has one last parting gift before closing its doors altogether.
Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew now has a modding tool for creating your own levels. This level editor lets you spawn NPCs, place objects, set interactions and animations, create patrol routes, and write dialogue boxes to make your own story moments.

Dyson Sphere Program's Dark Fog are here to blow up your space factories
https://www.pcgamer.com/dyson-sphere-programs-dark-fog-are-here-to-blow-up-your-space-factories/
Dyson Sphere Program is one of the best factory-building games out there, and it has picked up a lot of interesting features during its trek through early access development—but now the biggest game-changer of the planned features has hit. Rise of the Dark Fog, the update that adds an interplanetary menace to your game, has arrived.

Atomic Heart's next DLC looks even weirder, and will be out in February
https://www.pcgamer.com/atomic-hearts-next-dlc-looks-even-weirder-and-will-be-out-in-february/
When a game has multiple endings, that can cause problems for post-ending DLC. Do you canonize one ending, which risks alienating players who chose a different one? Make the story vague enough that it could follow on from any of the endings, which can mean tying yourself into narrative knots? Rewrite the ending and provide a whole new one, like Fallout 3 did with Broken Steel?
Atomic Heart has chosen the road less-traveled. The sci-fi FPS has completely separate DLC for each of its endings. The previous DLC, Annihilation Instinct, sent you back into the mysterious Facility 3826 and built on the lore around its fan-favorite sexy fridge, but the next DLC, Trapped in Limbo, goes somewhere even stranger than that.

No game captured what it's like being online in 2023 like Honkai: Star Rail
https://www.pcgamer.com/no-game-captured-what-its-like-being-online-in-2023-like-honkai-star-rail/
My Steam folder is stuffed with screenshots of Honkai: Star Rail. Every time I log in there's a new text message from one of the characters that I immediately have to share with everyone I know. Usually they message me to say hi and update me on what they've been doing since I last ran into them. One of the characters called me "Fam" and then asked me for career advice. Another one entered a group chat to greet everyone in full, grammatically correct sentences, and then signed off with a GIF of sparkling roses like a mom on Facebook.
I get to respond to all these messages as Star Rail's main character Stelle, who might be the most me a videogame protagonist has ever been. She lives to annoy her pals with deadpan humor and non sequiturs. She's the kind of girl who will say your photos look nice before you've even sent them just to see your reaction.