No silly intros today, just the news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Steam's Top 10
 
(Click here for the top 100)

GOG has launched a new Weekly Sale, with up to 90% discounts during 7 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/weekly_deals_2_january_2024.

Steam has new deals, including new weeklong deals:

• Loddlenaut will be 25% off until the 22nd: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1644940/Loddlenaut/
• BOKURA gets a 40% discount until next Monday: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1801110/BOKURA/
• Developer KT Racing puts its games on sale with up to 90% deals until Monday, the 22nd: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/Nacon_KTSale_2024
• And here's a small sample of the weeklong deals:
  • FatalZone, still in Early Access, will be 20% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2488510/FatalZone/
  • Deadlink, that has a demo, is going to be 30% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1676130/Deadlink/
  • Batman: The Enemy Within - The Telltale Series has a 50% deal: https://store.steampowered.com/app/675260/Batman_The_Enemy_Within__The_Telltale_Series/
  • Majotori gets a 60% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/588730/Majotori/
  • And the last one, In Sound Mind, features an 89% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1119980/In_Sound_Mind/

Fanatical doesn't have a new deal, but yesterday I forgot to mention that, along with the January Savers Sale, they have scratchcards to get extra rewards with your purchases. Learn more here: https://www.fanatical.com/en/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-our-scratchcards.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

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MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

GTA: Vice City looks glorious with RTX Remix Path Tracing
https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/gta-vice-city-rtx-remix-path-tracing/
PC_Focus has shared some screenshots and a video from an upcoming RTX Remix Path Tracing Mod for GTA: Vice City. This mod hasn’t been released yet to the public but as you’ll see, it already greatly improves the game’s graphics.
Now as with all of the RTX Remix Mods we’ve shared these past few days, these screenshots are not from the upcoming Open Beta Build of NVIDIA RTX Remix. In other words, they are based on the NVIDIA RTX Remix Runtime that came out last year. So, in theory, this mod will look even better once NVIDIA launches the Open Beta phase of RTX Remix. That is of course if its creator, jewgibor, will keep working on it.
Taking a look at the screenshots and video, we can immediately notice the improved lighting effects. You can also notice more accurate shadows and better AO effects. However, the assets seem similar to those of the original version. I mean, look at the grass at 0:41. It looks so low-res. You can also spot shadows forming in the distance. My guess is that the BVH for Path Tracing is a bit limited.
Anyway, for a WIP project, this RTX Remix Path Tracing Mod looks great. And yes, I’d love to play this classic GTA with this mod. In theory, we should get one soon. On January 22nd, modders will gain access to the full set of NVIDIA RTX Remix. So, we can expect some incredible mods in the coming months.
>> The article has some screenshots and a video. In any case, I wouldn't hold my breath for this mod becase, given how Rockstar and Take Two act, the modder will get a C&D letter very soon.

Dying Light 2 just got an AMD FSR 3.0 Frame Generation Mod
https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/dying-light-2-amd-fsr-3-0-frame-generation-mod/
NexusMods’ member ‘dragoncosmico’ has shared an AMD FSR 3.0 Frame Generation Mod for Dying Light 2. This mod is based on the FSR 2.0 to FSR 3.0 bridge by LukeFZ, which basically replaces FSR 2.0 with FSR 3.0.
Now I don’t really know whether LukeFZ has given his permission to dragoncosmico to share this FSR 3.0 Mod. From what I know, this FSR 3.0 is still in the beta phase (and behind a Patreon wall). So, make sure to download it while you still can.
Contrary to the previous DLSS 3 to FSR 3.0 Mod we shared in December 2023, this one works on all AMD GPUs. It should also work on NVIDIA’s GPUs. As such, owners of an RTX20 or RTX30 series will be now able to enable Frame Generation in Dying Light 2.
As with most mods, this FSR 3.0 implementation has some issues. According to its description, there are artifacts on texts and HUD. There is also a little but noticeable input lag. In short, don’t expect it to be as good as the native support we got in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.
>> There are no screenshots nor video of the mod.

GAMING NEWS

Electronic Arts has removed Denuvo from A Way Out
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/electronic-arts-has-removed-denuvo-from-a-way-out/
Now here is a pleasant surprise. Electronic Arts has removed the Denuvo anti-tamper tech from its co-op adventure game, A Way Out. EA is not known for removing Denuvo from its older titles. So, this removal does come as a shock.

Take-Two has sued Remedy over its new studio logo
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/take-two-has-sued-remedy-over-its-studio-logo/
After chasing and suing modders, Take-Two went one step further. Yeap, as the title implies, Take-Two has sued Remedy Entertainment. The reason you may ask? The use of the letter “R” in its new logo. And no, that’s not an out-of-date April’s Fools joke.

Frostpunk 2 gets an official gameplay trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/frostpunk-2-gets-an-official-gameplay-trailer/
11 bit studios has released an official gameplay trailer for its upcoming city-survival game, Frostpunk 2. This trailer will give a glimpse at the game’s graphics, so be sure to watch it if you are a fan of it.

Here’s the launch trailer for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/launch-trailer-suicide-squad-kill-the-justice-league/
Warner Bros has just released the official launch trailer for Rocksteady’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The game launches on February 2nd, meaning that this “launch” trailer came out two weeks before it.

The news, part two:

This Pac-Man inspired one-button corridor-gobbler just ate several hours of my day
https://www.pcgamer.com/this-pac-man-inspired-one-button-corridor-gobbler-just-ate-several-hours-of-my-day/
"Kenta Cho?" I take a slow puff on my pipe as I stare into the distance. "Now there's a name I haven't heard in a long time…" Way back when I was obsessed with 2D schmups, I'd tell anyone with ears to check out Kenta Cho's amazing games: often small, often built around a single smart idea, and always worth playing. Perhaps his best-known game is rRootage (which is now available as a Remastered version) but, honestly, everything this guy makes is worth the time.
So it was that I went to play Paku Paku, which was released last year but has only recently attracted the attention it deserves, and realised with delight it's another Cho special. Cho's games really are about the table-flip, the one mechanic or idea that everything else in the game revolves around, and that's a natural fit for Pac-Man, which itself is built on the table-flipping mechanic of running from the ghosts then chasing them when you're powered-up.

GTA 5 actor goes nuclear on AI company that made a voice chatbot of him: 'I'm not worried about being replaced... I just hate these f**kers'
https://www.pcgamer.com/gta-5-actor-goes-nuclear-on-ai-company-that-made-a-voice-chatbot-of-him-im-not-worried-about-being-replaced-i-just-hate-these-fkers/
Ned Luke, the actor whose roles include GTA 5's Michael De Santa, has gone off on an AI company that released an unlicensed voice chatbot based on the character, and succeeded in having the offending bot nuked from the internet (first spotted by PCGamesN).

Former Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 devs officially reveal their first game, and yeah it sure looks like vampires
https://www.pcgamer.com/former-witcher-3-and-cyberpunk-2077-devs-officially-reveal-their-first-game-and-yeah-it-sure-looks-like-vampires/
In February 2022, a group of CD Projekt veterans headed up by Witcher 3 director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz announced the launch of a new studio called Rebel Wolves and teased its first project with a bit of concept art that Rich Stanton said gave him "strong vampire vibes." Today, two years later, the studio finally dropped the game's title and some new art, and you know what? It's giving me very strong vampire vibes.

Overwatch 2 director apologizes for the way self-healing heroes in Season 9 was announced: 'It was a mistake to talk about this lone change out of context'
https://www.pcgamer.com/overwatch-2-director-apologizes-for-the-way-self-healing-heroes-in-season-9-was-announced-it-was-a-mistake-to-talk-about-this-lone-change-out-of-context/
Overwatch 2 game director Aaron Keller has apologized for last week's announcement of upcoming changes that will grant every tank and DPS hero a self-healing ability, saying that there's a whole host of changes coming to the game in season 9 and talking about this one out of context "was a mistake."

Niche strategy sickos rejoice, Dominions 6 will let you cook up bizarre gods shortly
https://www.pcgamer.com/niche-strategy-sickos-rejoice-dominions-6-will-let-you-cook-up-bizarre-gods-shortly/
Long-running strategy series Dominions gets a new entry this week, as Dominions 6: Rise of the Pantokrator will launch on January 17, 2024. The Dominions series has players take on the role of a powerful demigod-creature attempting to become the next god of gods, the Pantokrator. The deep, complex strategy games are known for their wild variety of pretender gods, units, factions, and magic spells.

Diesel-powered city builder New Cycle invites you to rekindle hope after a solar flare wrecks the world
https://www.pcgamer.com/diesel-powered-city-builder-new-cycle-invites-you-to-rekindle-hope-after-a-solar-flare-wrecks-the-world/
Dieselpunk city builder New Cycle will release this week on January 18, 2024, challenging you as the leader of a band of survivors trying to rebuild Earth's civilization following a series of devastating solar storms that obliterate our societal and technological infrastructure.

Cities: Skylines 2 studio boss warns that growing toxicity could force developers to 'pull back our engagement' with the community
https://www.pcgamer.com/cities-skylines-2-studio-boss-warns-that-growing-toxicity-could-force-developers-to-pull-back-our-engagement-with-the-community/
Cities: Skylines 2 was not in great shape when it launched in 2023. The underlying game was quite good but it was plagued with performance problems and missing a number of features, most notably an editor. That sparked a quick backlash on Steam, visible in the "mixed" user rating, but it also kicked off what Colossal Order CEO Mariina Hallikainen described as "a growing tendency of toxicity in our community."

Ark: Survival Ascended gets powerful mod tools this month, expansion maps in February and April
https://www.pcgamer.com/ark-survival-ascended-gets-powerful-mod-tools-this-month-expansion-maps-in-february-and-april/
Dinosaur survival game remaster Ark: Survival Ascended will get massive improvements to its development kit this month, letting modders do much more than they can now. Developers Studio Wildcard have also announced a release window and date for delayed expansion maps The Center, by the end of February, and Scorched Earth on April 1st.

The latest Baba Is You spinoff injects it with Into the Breach to create Mobile Suit Baba
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-latest-baba-is-you-spinoff-injects-it-with-into-the-breach-to-create-mobile-suit-baba/
Beloved puzzle game Baba is You is back with another weirdo spinoff: Mobile Suit Baba, which puts the titular star and friends in giant mecha versions of themselves to engage in tactical, turn-based puzzles all about predicting how enemies move, knock them around, and in true Baba is You fashion change the fundamental rules of the cosmos by rearranging phrases.

Embracer-owned Lost Boys Interactive reportedly undergoes 'sizable' layoffs
https://www.pcgamer.com/embracer-owned-lost-boys-interactive-reportedly-undergoes-sizable-layoffs/
Lost Boys Interactive has reportedly become the latest Embracer-owned studio to undergo layoffs, as former producer Jared Pace said on LinkedIn (via Game Developer) that "a sizable portion" of its workforce has been let go.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER Graphics Cards Review Roundup

https://videocardz.com/171379/nvidia-geforce-rtx-4070-super-graphics-cards-review-roundup

Pretty good performance uplift. 4070 being $50 less is dumb so most likely, it will go down to $500. 7800XT may need a discount although the difference is $100 so not the end of the world for AMD if they leave it where it is.

GeForce RTX 4060 series has dethroned RTX 3060 series in the DIY Korean market

https://videocardz.com/newz/geforce-rtx-4060-series-dethrone-rtx-3060-series-in-the-diy-korean-market

Microsoft Starts Testing Next-Gen USB4 2.0 Standard For Windows 11, Up To 80 Gbps

https://wccftech.com/microsoft-starts-testing-next-gen-usb4-2-0-standard-for-windows-11-up-to-80-gbps/

I really hope they call it something else other than USB4 2.0

Lots of stealth and horror games, particularly Splinter Cell.

The 4070 Super looks good. We'll see hoe the other two fare.

No, no, no. Leave them go with USB4 2.0, or else they may come up with USB4.1 or other silly name like they've done in the past.

RTX remix is Nvidia's "ultimate" modding platform: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/rtx-remix/

I doubt that talented modding teams will only modificate games with clarified IP rights.

This bit of news is from yesterday, but it may be relevant:

AMD Zen 5 "Granite Ridge" CPUs Reportedly in Mass Production
https://www.techpowerup.com/317851/amd-zen-5-granite-ridge-cpus-reportedly-in-mass-production
AMD concentrated on the promotion of new Zen 4-based APU products at last week's CES trade show, and they even lobbed in a couple of new Zen 3 offerings for PC enthusiasts who are more than happy to stick with Team Red's last generation AM4 socket. Future-focused folks were a little bit disappointed with Team Red keeping quiet about their next-generation "Zen 5" CPUs at CES 2024—one seeker of information, Peter Weltzmaier, turned to a notorious source of hardware leaks on X. Kepler has a decent track record of providing accurate inside tracks—and they more than happy to address Weltzmaier's query regarding the status of AMD's upcoming "Granite Ridge" desktop CPU series.

If it's true I'll be surprised. If they're in mass production, then the engineering samples and tests have long been done and passed, yet we haven't heard any rumor or seen any leak from it? I'm not saying it's not possible, but it's certainly not the norm.

The best part about Lossless Scaling FG is that it works not just in Steam games, but in just about any application including emulators and even consoles (via OBS) while looking better than AFMF. It also upscales to fullscreen from lower resolutions better than most monitors can.

USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 was definitely peak naming.

The Wednesday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

GOG has put five new Deals of the Day for us that will last during 46 hours:

• Naheulbeuk's Dungeon Master - Steward Edition is 8% off: https://www.gog.com/en/game/naheulbeuks_dungeon_master_steward_edition
• Laika: Aged Through Blood, that has a demo, is 20% off: https://www.gog.com/en/game/laika_aged_through_blood
• RAILGRADE gets a 25% deal: https://www.gog.com/en/game/railgrade
• Ghoul Castle 3D: Gold Edition has a 48% discount: https://www.gog.com/en/game/ghoul_castle
• And the last one, Jazz Jackrabbit Collection, features an 82% discount: https://www.gog.com/en/game/jazz_jackrabbit_collection

Steam has two new deals:

• Occupy Mars: The Game, still in Early Access, will be 25% off until January, the 23rd: https://store.steampowered.com/app/758690/Occupy_Mars_The_Game/
• Book of Demons gets a 90% discount until the 30th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/449960/Book_of_Demons/

And Fanatical has two new deals:

• The new Star Deal is the Star Wars Collection, 81% off during 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/star-wars-collection
• The new Mystery Star Bundle has up to 20 unknown games to get: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/mystery-star-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

NVIDIA GeForce Game Ready 546.65 driver
https://videocardz.com/driver/nvidia-geforce-game-ready-546-65
Highlights
Game Ready for GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER
This new Game Ready Driver provides the best gaming experience for the latest new games supporting DLSS technology including Palworld which features support for DLSS 2.

Gaming Technology

• Adds support for the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER GPU

GeForce Experience updates

• Apocalypse Party
• Ash Echoes
• Escape from Tarkov: Arena
• House Flipper 2
• Pioneers of Pagonia

Fixed Issues
Fixed Gaming Bugs

• Cyberpunk 2077: GeForce Experience 1-click optimization not working with v2.1 game update. [4412456]

Fixed General Bugs

• Maxwell GPU: After multiple sleep/wake attempts, monitor may not wake up. [4351702]

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 PC Port Released, Weighing In at 256GB
https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/marvels-spider-man-2-pc-port-256gb/
And the moment has finally come. The team behind the unofficial PC port of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has released its first version. This version weighs in at 256GB and contains the full game. Yes, you read that right. The full game is now playable on PC via this unofficial port. That’s unheard of.
From what I know, this version has most of the game’s textures and shaders. Still, there might be some graphical/visual glitches. So no, don’t expect a 100% accurate PC port. Still, the fact that you can play the entire game is quite an achievement. At least for an unofficial PC port of a game that has not even been announced yet for the PC.
>> The article doesn't have screenshots, videos nor even links to where you may find it.

14 years in, modders have given me yet another reason to return to Fallout: New Vegas—an in-game multiplayer riddle contest with free games for the winner
https://www.pcgamer.com/14-years-in-modders-have-given-me-yet-another-reason-to-return-to-fallout-new-vegasan-in-game-multiplayer-riddle-contest-with-free-games-for-the-winner/
Steam informs me that Fallout: New Vegas is my second-most-played game of all time (after Crusader Kings 2), and I will still take any excuse to boot it up again. Lucky for me, then, that some enterprising modders have launched an ongoing online contest taking place entirely within the borders of NV's Mojave Desert.
Called Ready Courier One and created by a modder named TommInfinite, the mod is "an online contest for Fallout: New Vegas where anyone can win the prize." The contest centres around 26 riddles about various bits of Fallout lore. You install it, get presented with a riddle, and set out to press N on the answer—which can be anything from an NPC to a minor static object—somewhere in New Vegas or its DLCs, except Honest Hearts for some reason. It knows what it did.
But it's all online, you see. Your answers get sent off to some distant server which decides if they're correct or not, and you're in competition with every other player trudging across the desert. The first player to answer the 26th and final riddle will net themselves any three games from the Nexus Mods Donation Points store, which features stuff like Divinity: Original Sin 2, Resident Evil 2 Remake, Crusader Kings 3, and, uh, Fallout: New Vegas.
>> No screenshots nor videos of the mod are featured in the article.

After translating one cult PlayStation game after another, fan translation group Hilltop Works announces its most obscure game yet: 'a hidden gem of the highest caliber'
https://www.pcgamer.com/after-translating-one-cult-playstation-game-after-another-fan-translation-group-hilltop-works-announces-its-most-obscure-game-yet-a-hidden-gem-of-the-highest-caliber/
In November, fan translation group Hilltop Works released an English patch for Boku no Natsuyasumi 2 (aka My Summer Vacation 2), a beloved adventure/life sim that fans have been eager to play in English for more than 20 years. After that release Hilltop wasted no time leaping into its next project, which was announced today with an amusing trailer. Hilltop wasn't kidding when teasing it as a "hidden gem"—I sure hadn't heard of it myself.
"Rowdy Princess is a game by venerated game creator Shoji Masuda, the writer and director of cult darling Linda Cubed, all-time classic Tengai Makyō II: Manjimaru, and the beloved Oreshika series," Hilltop tweeted alongside the announcement. Hilltop went on to elaborate that translator Cargodin "has been championing this game for over 10 years," while graphics editing work is being handled by the same contributor who did a fantastic job with the legions of texture edits required for Boku no Natsuyasumi 2.
In an interview I did with Hilltop Works back in November, Hilltop said that he wants every game he does "to completely shock people and show them something they didn't even know they wanted, but here it is." He would only hint at Rowdy Princess at the time, but said that it's "one of the least popular, the most secret, underground games" they've done, and that it's a "tragedy" how unknown it is.

Someone made 'Probably the biggest map ever in videogame history' in Garry's Mod, a multiverse octillions of kilometres wide that's half-magic, half-maths, and wholly mind-boggling
https://www.pcgamer.com/someone-made-probably-the-biggest-map-ever-in-videogame-history-in-garrys-mod-a-multiverse-octillions-of-kilometres-wide-thats-half-magic-half-maths-and-wholly-mind-boggling/
Forget what the megacorps are doing. I'm fairly certain that, if a true artificial intelligence ever does spring from a digital chrysalis and kill us all some day, it'll be because someone got a bit too enthusiastic twiddling the dials in Garry's Mod. I say this because I've just finished fooling around with the sandbox's user-created 1:1 Multiverse (2048 Universes) map, and I'm more convinced than ever that mankind is playing with forces the gods usually keep for themselves.
Billed as "probably the biggest ever map in videogame history," 1:1 Multiverse comes courtesy of a modder named Alexandrovich, and claims to feature "2048 different rotated universes 880000000000000000000000000000km EACH". Don't worry, I've got your back: that's eight hundred and eighty octillion kilometres. Multiplied by two thousand and forty eight. Alexandrovich says the next update will add 2,048 solar systems to occupy it. Here it is in action.
>> The article has a couple of videos.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Just Got a Star Wars Lightsabers Mod
https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/baldurs-gate-3-star-wars-lightsabers-mod/
Modder ‘Palmaman33′ has just released a Star Wars Lightsabers Mod for Larian Studios’ latest RPG, Baldur’s Gate 3. This is a cool mod for all our Star Wars fans. So, if you are currently playing Baldur’s Gate 3, make sure to give it a go.
Going into more details, this mod adds a lightsaber with 5 color variants and 5 rarities. And yes, in case you are wondering, you will be able to use two-handed lightsabers.
What this mod doesn’t provide is a Star Wars class. It also does not feature any Star Wars clothes or armor. So yeah, it’s not a perfect Star Wars mod. So, here’s hoping that other modders will step in so that we can get a better Star Wars experience.
>> The article only one screenshot.

GAMING NEWS

STALKER 2 has been delayed until September 5th, gets new trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/stalker-2-has-been-delayed-until-september-5th-gets-new-trailer/
GSC GameWorld has announced that STALKER 2 has, once again, been delayed. The game will now target a September 5th release date, and you can find below a new trailer for it.

2K Games has just announced TopSpin 2K25
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/2k-games-has-just-announced-topspin-2k25/
2K Games has just announced TopSpin 2K25 with an in-engine teaser trailer. TopSpin is considered by many as the best tennis game ever made. This tennis game came out on PC, and other platforms, in 2003.

Fate/Samurai Remnant PC Demo Available for Download
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/fate-samurai-remnant-pc-demo-available-for-download/
Now here is a pleasant surprise. KOEI Tecmo has just released a PC demo for its latest action RPG, Fate/Samurai Remnant. PC gamers can visit its Steam page and download it.

Bodycam is a multiplayer body-cam shooter in Unreal Engine 5
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/bodycam-multiplayer-body-cam-shooter-unreal-engine-5/
Remember Unrecord? You know, that body-cam game that took everyone by surprise? For those unaware, Unrecord is a tactical shooter where players can expect an immersive and narrative experience. But what if it was a multiplayer game? Well, that’s what Bodycam aims to explore.

Forza Motorsport Update 4.0 Released & Detailed
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/forza-motorsport-update-4-0/
Turn10 has just released Title Update 4.0 for its latest racing game, Forza Motorsport, and shared its full patch notes. Patch 4 adds new free content to the game. So, let’s take a closer look at what it brings to the table.

The Finals Update 1.5.0 Released, Full Patch Notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/the-finals-update-1-5-0-released-full-patch-notes/
Embark Studios has just released Title Update 1.5.0 for The Finals, and it has shared its full patch notes. Among other things, this update adds a new game mode for a limited time. This new game mode is called Solo Bank It. So, let’s take a closer look at it.