More like desperate. I don't like doing the gaming and the other news.

The Wednesday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

GOG has four new Deals of the Day that will last until Friday:

• Naheulbeuk's Dungeon Master can be yours with a 20% discount: https://www.gog.com/en/game/naheulbeuks_dungeon_master
• Claire's Quest: GOLD has a 35% discount: https://www.gog.com/en/game/claires_quest_gold
• THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD: Remake is going to be 75% off: https://www.gog.com/en/game/the_house_of_the_dead_remake
• And the last one, Soulless: Ray of Hope will be 80% off: https://www.gog.com/en/game/soulless_ray_of_hope

Steam has two new deals:

• Evil Genius 2: World Domination is going to be a massive 95% off until the 2nd of April: https://store.steampowered.com/app/700600/Evil_Genius_2_World_Domination/
• The newly released The Settlers®: New Allies gets a 67% discount until the 9th of April: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2750080/The_Settlers_New_Allies/

The Humble Store has the new 4-Pack Fiesta! Sale, with up to 85% discounts on several game packs for you and your friends during 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/fourpack-fiesta/.

Fanatical has a new Star Deal and a new bundle:

• The Star Deal is RAGE 2 - Deluxe Edition, 90% off during 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/rage-2-deluxe-edition
• The BYO Chaotic Bundle features 17 titles to choose from for your 3, 5 or 7 games bundle: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-chaotic-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Nothing to see here-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

This Dragon’s Dogma 2 Mod Improves Ray Tracing Quality and Reduces Smearing
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/this-dragons-dogma-2-mod-improves-ray-tracing-quality-and-reduces-smearing/
Yesterday, we shared a must-have mod for Dragon’s Dogma 2 that improved its mouse camera movement. And, here is another mod that pretty much all DD2 fans should use.
Created by modder ‘sjbox’, this mod improves the quality of ray tracing and reduces its smearing side effects. This mod will noticeably improve the game’s image quality. As such, we highly recommend downloading it from this link.
To make Ray Tracing better, the modder made two big changes. First, he bumped up the ray tracing resolution to full instead of 0.4 (which was the default value). Second, he turned off the awful denoiser that made things blurry when you moved around. This blurriness was really obvious, especially in grassy areas and forests.
Needless to say, this mod also comes with a performance hit. I mean, you can’t expect to get better-quality RT for free, right? So, make sure to keep that in mind. If your PC can barely handle Dragon’s Dogma 2 with RT in its vanilla mode, you should avoid it. At least until Capcom adds official support for DLSS 3 Frame Generation.
>> The article has two screenshots.

New Dragon’s Dogma 2 Mod Adds a Lock On Combat System
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/new-dragons-dogma-2-mod-adds-a-lock-on-combat-system/
It’s really funny but it feels like the modding community of Dragon’s Dogma 2 is doing its best to make me restart it. You see, the vanilla version had awful mouse camera controls and stiff combat mechanics. So, yesterday, we got a mod that improved its mouse camera movement. And now, we have a mod that introduces a lock-on combat system.
The vanilla version of Dragon’s Dogma 2 does not feature any lock-on combat system. As such, combat can feel a bit weird, especially when you’re facing a lot of enemies. This is also due to the weird keyboard and mouse controls. But now, thanks to this mod, you can lock on to an enemy.
Once installed, you can look towards an enemy and click on the right analog stick to lock on to them. Then, you can push the stick to the left to switch to another target to the left of your current one, or to the right for one to the right. You can also push the stick up and down to change which joint on the enemy is locked onto. Yes, by default the mod is customized for gamepads. However, you can easily edit it and replace the right analog stick with the mouse.
>> The article doesn’t have screenshots or videos.

New Starfield Mod Overhauls Your Crew and Companions
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/new-starfield-mod-overhauls-your-crew-and-companions/
Modder ‘SenterPat’ has released a new mod for Starfield that aims to completely overhaul its crew and companions. This mod will completely change the way you experience Bethesda’s space title. So, let’s take a closer look at it.
In a nutshell, this mod extends the functionality of companions and crew. It also adds some QoL improvements and improves the stat/skill levels for high-level gameplay.
Going into more details, it increases the default number of crew assignable to ships by 5. It also modifies the Ship Command perk to allow for 5 additional ship crew per level, and it increases the number of crew allowed by crew stations to 5 per station.
Companions and hired crew members have a 5% chance to level a skill every week. Also, when loading a new game, each companion’s skills will be randomly leveled up to rank 4. And that’s not all. Taking a follower to an Enhance! location will give them a new dialogue option, allowing you to alter their appearance to your liking.
Your crew members now have a better chance of finding more people to join your team wherever you go. Furthermore, your crew can now spawn in additional places like small towns or outposts. And now, you can quickly check out what your crew is carrying and help them gear up with weapons and armor. The mod also expands the potential list of crew members, with higher-level ones having extra skills or stronger abilities.
>> The article doesn’t have screenshots or videos.

Open Beta Testing Begins for Gothic Remastered in Unreal Engine 4
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/open-beta-testing-begins-for-gothic-remastered-in-unreal-engine-4/
Hey Gothic fans, we have some exciting news for you today. Modder Dmitry Kalyuzhny is working on bringing the first Gothic game to Unreal Engine 4. And guess what? The first beta version is out now. Even better, it’s available to everyone who owns Gothic on Steam. So, want to know how to get your hands on it? Keep reading.
Just a heads up before we go further though. This project isn’t related in any way to the official Gothic remake that’s on its way. So, don’t expect a huge visual makeover. The purpose of this project is to bring the first Gothic to a modern engine like Unreal Engine 4. This means it’ll run smoother than before, but the graphics won’t change drastically.
>> The article has an over 40 minutes video… in I think it may be russian.

GAMING NEWS

Diablo 4 Ray Tracing Update 1.3.5 Available Now for Download
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/diablo-4-ray-tracing-update-1-3-5-available-now-for-download/
Blizzard has just released Title Update 1.3.5 for Diablo 4 which adds official support for Ray Tracing. To be more precise, Blizzard has used Ray Tracing in order to enhance the game’s shadows and reflections.

KRAFTON has removed Denuvo from The Callisto Protocol
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/krafton-has-removed-denuvo-from-the-callisto-protocol/
Now here is a pleasant surprise. KRAFTON has just released a new update for The Callisto Protocol that removes the Denuvo anti-tamper tech from it.

Marvel Rivals is a new hero team-based PVP shooter, PC requirements revealed
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/marvel-rivals-is-a-new-hero-team-based-pvp-shooter-pc-requirements-revealed/
NetEase Games has just announced a new superhero team-based PVP shooter based in the Marvel IP, called Marvel Rivals. Marvel Rivals sounds like an Overwatch clone with Marvel’s superheroes. And below, you can find its debut trailer, as well as its official PC requirements.

Second part of the news:

Once upon a time Baldur's Gate 3 let you recruit JK Simmons to your side, before Larian snipped it along with a visit to the series' origins
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/baldurs-gate/once-upon-a-time-baldurs-gate-3-let-you-recruit-jk-simmons-to-your-side-before-larian-snipped-it-along-with-a-visit-to-the-series-origins/
In Baldur's Gate 3, the real game is the friends you make along the way. I mean, there is the whole brainworms thing, but really you're just there to spend more time with its merry band of charming wackadoos. Apparently, that cast list was once even longer, as Swen Vincke revealed at this year's GDC that Ketheric Thorm—BG3's Act Two big bad—was once going to be a potential party member. Spoilers ahead for BG3's second act onwards.

Developer of survival MMO Last Oasis explains why they're launching a new early access survival game before they finish their last one: 'It was either that or shutting down'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/developer-of-survival-mmo-last-oasis-explains-why-theyre-launching-a-new-early-access-survival-game-before-they-finish-their-last-one-it-was-either-that-or-shutting-down/
Survival MMO Last Oasis has had a bumpy ride in early access. Launched in 2020, the nomadic MMO where players construct massive walking bases to travel across a dying planet instantly became a Steam top seller—but it had so many server problems its developer, Donkey Crew, had to take it offline for a week. 
(...)
Today Last Oasis is still in early access with no 1.0 version in sight, but last year Donkey Crew announced it was developing a new early access open world survival game: medieval village-building RPG Bellwright. This announcement doesn't sit well with some Last Oasis players, who wonder: why is Donkey Crew making another early access survival game when their first one isn't finished yet?

The first big Enshrouded update has 'a brand new spooky NPC,' also you can sit on toilets now
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/the-first-big-enshrouded-update-has-a-brand-new-spooky-npc-also-you-can-sit-on-toilets-now/
A couple weeks ago co-op survival RPG Enshrouded laid out its grand roadmap for the rest of the year, and the first big hunk of it arrived today. Among the highlights of the update, called "Hollow Halls," are new dungeons to explore, new monsters to fight within them, and a new survivor to rescue and bring back to your base. 

Cities: Skylines 2's first post-launch DLC, Beach Properties, is out now and players aren't happy: 'This is a disgrace'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/cities-skylines-2s-first-dlc-beach-properties-is-out-now-and-players-arent-happy-this-is-a-disgrace/
Cities: Skylines 2 didn't have a great start last year. When it launched in October, the sequel to the best city builder around garnered a mountain of criticism thanks to its wonky simulation and significant performance issues. There were a plethora of great ideas buried inside it, but it definitely didn't put its best foot forward. Improvements have been made since then, but this week's launch of the first bit of post-launch DLC, Beach Properties, has just riled players up again. 
(...)
Granted, at $10/£8.49, this was not going to be a beefy expansion. And it's probably better for Colossal Order to work on getting the game in a better state than shifting to developing brand new features. Even with that in mind, though, players haven't been too impressed with the value on offer here. "There is nothing in this DLC that justifies it costing a fifth of the price of the base game," one review reads. "This is a disgrace. The assets look nice, but for 10 euros, there is way too little in this DLC," reads another. 

The latest Helldivers 2 order finally gives us a break from squashing bugs and turns us west to stop the Automatons enacting 'the reclamation' and... oh, oh no
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/the-latest-helldivers-2-order-finally-gives-us-a-break-from-squashing-bugs-and-turns-us-west-to-stop-the-automatons-enacting-the-reclamation-and-oh-oh-no/
The latest Helldivers 2 major order has just gone up—and it's a simple, in-and-out mission to liberate Troost, a planet that's currently under Automaton control. This should be a nice vacation, seeing as the last handful of major orders have all been bug-related—even if bots are a lot less popular than bugs.

Mass Effect 5 exec producer re-emphasises to fans that all the game's senior leads are trilogy veterans, and here's who they are
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/mass-effect-5-exec-producer-re-emphasises-to-fans-that-all-the-games-senior-leads-are-trilogy-veterans-and-heres-who-they-are/
Believe it or not, it's been almost four years since Bioware released the first teaser and various pieces of art for the next entry in the Mass Effect series. The game will be the fifth mainline entry and is yet to be named, though the mood music is unmistakeable: following on from the botched fresh start of Mass Effect: Andromeda, widely disliked by series fans (though I thought it was alright), this is going to give the people what they say they want. Returning characters? Check. N7 logo? Check.
(...)
This weekend Bioware's Michael Gamble was prompted into offering some reassurance to fans, who were basically arguing over whether the new game was being led by "original trilogy veteran devs" (thanks, GamesRadar+). Gamble has been on the series since 2010, and replied to this saying that the "[Executive Producer], Art Director, Creative Director, Game Director are all trilogy vets."

RuneScape creators' new MMO has an unorthodox solution for the inevitable waves of bots: Giving you a 'legitimate way' to bot the game yourself
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/runescape-creators-new-mmo-has-an-unorthodox-solution-for-the-inevitable-waves-of-bots-giving-you-a-legitimate-way-to-bot-the-game-yourself/
23 years after creating RuneScape, Andrew and Paul Gower are back with a new MMO. Brighter Shores, which has been in development for 10 years at the Gowers' studio Fen Research, looks like an attempt to reimagine RuneScape for the year of our Lord 2024, and in a way that avoids some of the flaws and pitfalls that have marked their original game over the decades. Such as bots, which have long been legion in RuneScape.

Destiny 2 is bringing back 12 fan favorite guns, including monsters like The Recluse and Luna's Howl, and a meme that could now be OP
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/destiny-2-is-bringing-back-12-fan-favorite-guns-including-monsters-like-the-recluse-and-lunas-howl-and-a-meme-that-could-now-be-op/
One of the defining attributes of a Destiny 2 lifer is the ability to get excited about shooting old guns with new perks. Last week, we found out that the free Into The Light update, aimed at keeping players occupied until the June 4 release of The Final Shape expansion, will include a new horde mode called Onslaught. Today, as part of another livestream, Bungie revealed the loot on offer, which comprises a dozen fan favourite weapons reprised with a sexy new paint job and perk combos. And although I've shot quite literally hundreds of thousands of aliens with these guns, you'd better believe I am ready to shoot some more.

Dragon's Dogma 2 players have found a way to cooperatively print money with pawns—it's just impossible to explain without making it sound like a pyramid scheme
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/dragons-dogma-2-players-have-found-a-way-to-cooperatively-print-money-with-pawnsits-just-impossible-to-explain-without-making-it-sound-like-a-pyramid-scheme/
The pawn system in Dragon's Dogma 2 is neat—and pawn quests are neater still. In case you're uninitiated, when you create your "main pawn" in the game, that pawn will be hired by other players running about in their own game worlds. In other words, you're hiring other players' main pawns, and you're leasing yours out all the time.
Every time you wake up in an inn room, your main pawn will come back to you with their haul—usually an item or a gift. You can also set a 'quest', which allows you to offer a reward from your own inventory for any number of tasks, with some being as simple as, say, finding a cyclops. This is where the MLMM (mass lackey money-making) bit comes in. Hey where are you going? This isn't a pyramid scheme, I swear!

The award for Dragon's Dogma 2's biggest jerks goes to the griffins
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/the-award-for-dragons-dogma-2s-biggest-jerks-goes-to-the-griffins/
Not since Elden Ring have players been posting as many Ls as they have with Dragon's Dogma 2. It's another open world RPG where everything can and will go wrong. If it's not pawns, the game's clumsy NPC party members, getting themselves killed, it's players minding their own business when a griffin swoops in for a surprise boss fight.
Actually, most of the clips are about the griffins, Dragon's Dogma 2's biggest jerks. They do not care what quest you are on, what state your party is in, or how long you've spent with your current pawns. They always find you when it's the least convenient.

And the third, and final, post of news:

Midnight Suns devs 'absolutely' knew cards would be a controversial choice, but they were also 'absolutely the right fit for this game and our design goals'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/midnight-suns-devs-absolutely-knew-cards-would-be-a-controversial-choice-but-they-were-also-absolutely-the-right-fit-for-this-game-and-our-design-goals/
In a talk at last week's Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Firaxis game director Joe Weinhoffer broke down the evolution of Marvel's Midnight Suns' tactical combat and explained the thinking behind the game's most polarizing element: using cards to represent superhero powers.

Larian Studios' Swen Vincke does see potential uses for AI, but: 'We're hiring writers, not having ChatGPT write their dialogues'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/baldurs-gate/larian-studios-swen-vincke-does-see-potential-uses-for-ai-but-were-hiring-writers-not-having-chatgpt-write-their-dialogues/
AI's been a fraught conversation in videogames. Heck, it's even reared its head in Dungeons & Dragons, the ruleset Baldur's Gate 3 was built on top of—especially after some recent comments by Hasbro's CEO about "leveraging" all of its previous works. Swen Vincke, the founder and CEO of Larian Studios is a lot more level-headed about the tech's use cases.

Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail is having server queue issues months before it's even out, as Square Enix's online store crashes under the weight of pre-orders
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/final-fantasy/final-fantasy-14-dawntrail-is-having-server-queue-issues-months-before-its-even-out-as-square-enixs-online-store-crashes-under-the-weight-of-pre-orders/
Final Fantasy 14's expansions, uh, tend to break a little when they first launch. (...)
Game director Naoki Yoshida (Yoshi-P) says his team has braced for impact at a recent PAX talk, but that's an impact in late June/early July. Turns out, Dawntrail's having server issues right now. Its online store is, well, a little on fire. Failed card payments, broken buttons, 404 codes, the works. 

Stardew Valley players have found yet another horrifying addition in 1.6, and this time, it could take the clothes right off your back
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/life-sim/stardew-valley-players-have-found-yet-another-horrifying-addition-in-16-and-this-time-it-could-take-the-clothes-right-off-your-back/
Ever since Stardew Valley's new 1.6 patch dropped last week, tons of players have been grinding through the cosy farming sim to try and discover as much new content as possible. And as more is uncovered, I'm slowly realising that Eric Barone definitely didn't explain all the creepy new additions in the patch notes.
>> And it turns out that drinking mayo is a great source of energy.

Eric Barone says that Stardew Valley 1.6 has to be 'bug-free and out to all platforms' before work on Haunted Chocolatier can continue
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/life-sim/eric-barone-says-that-stardew-valley-16-has-to-be-bug-free-and-out-to-all-platforms-before-work-on-haunted-chocolatier-can-continue/
Stardew Valley's 1.6 update launched last week, and despite it being available to play on PC, Eric Barone says the work's not over yet, and that he doesn't want to carry on with other projects until everything to do with 1.6 is done and dusted. 
In response to a fan asking whether there would be any more updates about Haunted Chocolatier (Barone's next upcoming game), he simply replied: "I am eager to get back to work on it. But I have to see Stardew 1.6 settled, bug-free, and out to all platforms first." 

Ken Levine reveals why everyone hates you so much in Judas
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/ken-levine-reveals-why-everyone-hates-you-so-much-in-judas/
Judas, creative director Ken Levine's follow-up to BioShock Infinite, has been in development for years, but we knew very little about it until the basics were laid out in a story trailer in January: Players will wield a mix of weapons and not-plasmid powers aboard a giant spaceship called Mayflower, while trying to stay alive in a society run by the "Big Three" that doesn't appear to be doing especially well. 
Now we've got more of idea what to look forward to thanks to an in-depth new interview with IGN, in which Levine revealed who the Big Three are, what you did to make them (and everyone else) so angry, and why you need to mend some fences if you don't want to end up dead.
>> Also, here’s what the “narrative Legos” that Levine mentioned 10 years ago are.

No Man's Sky finally has ship customization
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/no-mans-sky-finally-has-ship-customization/
Hello Games may be working on Light No Fire, but they're not done updating No Man's Sky either. The latest update is its 27th and it's called Orbital because it overhauls the game's space stations. In addition, it contains what Hello Games calls "our most requested feature of all time", a ship editor for customizing your shiny space vehicle.

Dune: Awakening wants to 'pull people away from competing and fighting over bases' and have them battle over spice instead
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/dune-awakening-wants-to-pull-people-away-from-competing-and-fighting-over-bases-and-have-them-battle-over-spice-instead/
Earlier this month we learned a bit more about survival MMO Dune: Awakening's base-building system—namely, that to claim a piece of Arrakis for yourself, you have to pay the emperor for it. Yep, even 20,000 years in the future on an alien planet, you've still gotta pay taxes.
Last week at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, we learned even more about Dune: Awakening's player bases. While base invasions by other players is a feature in a lot of multiplayer games like Rust, Ark, and DayZ, Funcom wants to encourage players to clash in other ways.
>> Another bit of info: you won’t be able to toggle the size of your *thing* like in Conan Exiles. I’m sure it’s a major disappointment to some of you.

I'm not so hot on Judas - I've been waiting for Ken Levin's "narrative LEGO" ever since he announced it, oh so long ago, but honestly, from what little I've seen, Judas' setting doesn't draw me in right off the bat. Hopefully, I will like it, cause idea that there is no fixed narrative and being somewhat of a rogulite is very interesting for such a, decidedly, Bioshock-y game.

I'm not a big fan of Bioshock. The game was fun, sure, but did it deserve all the praise and cult it has? Not in my opinion.

Judas seems to be just another Bioshock, but this time in space.

IMO, Bioshock was good - not as good as System Shock.

And the thing about Judas that puts me off slightly is exactly that it looks like Bioshock in space. But on the other hand, that idea of no fixed narrative and some of rougelite mechanics is what keeps it on my radar.

Anyway, I don't know how I missed this one - Witcher 3 meets Dragon's Dogma meets Assassin's Creed meets RDR meets...list goes on.

2025 probably

Here are the Thursday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

The Epic Store is giving away Islets: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/islets-5f2670.
Next week, they’ll give away The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition and Thief.

Steam has 20XX on sale, 80% off until April, 10th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/322110/20XX/.

There’s a new Humble Bundle: the Spring Screams Bundle features up to 8 games to get during 20 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/spring-screams.

Fanatical has launched its BYO Play on the Go Bundle – Spring Edition, featuring 21 titles to choose for your 3, 5 or 7 games bundle: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-play-on-the-go-bundle.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Nope-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Dragon’s Dogma 2 Just Got Its First 4K Texture Packs
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/dragons-dogma-2-just-got-its-first-4k-texture-packs/
Modder ‘CnRJay’ has just released the first 4K Texture Packs for Capcom’s latest action RPG, Dragon’s Dogma 2. These packs will overhaul all of the game’s VFX, as well as all its tattoos.
To install these packs, you’ll also need the Fluffy Mod Manager. Once you’ve downloaded it, you can get the 4K Texture Packs from here and here. From what I know, the VFX pack includes the 4K textures that the modder released earlier this month for Fire and Smoke. As such, you won’t have to download that one.
For those wondering, no. There aren’t currently any 4K Texture Packs for characters or vegetation. As soon as they pop up, though, we’ll be sure to share them.
Alongside these packs, you can also use this mod that improves the water resolution. By default, water quality is at half resolution. So, by using this mod, you can bump up the water resolution to full.
>> There are no screenshots nor videos for any of the mods.

GAMING NEWS

First Horizon Forbidden West PC Patch Released & Detailed
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/first-horizon-forbidden-west-pc-patch-released-detailed/
Nixxes has released the first title update for the PC version of Horizon: Forbidden West, and shared its full patch notes. According to the devs, this update includes crash fixes, various bug fixes, and improvements based on player feedback.

Monster Hunter Wilds may be targeting a Q1 2025 release date
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/monster-hunter-wilds-may-be-targeting-a-q1-2025-release-date/
Industry insider ‘Dusk Golem’ has revealed that Capcom is aiming to release the next Monster Hunter game, Monster Hunter Wilds, in Q1 2025. Dusk Golem also shared some additional details about the game, so let’s take a look at them.

Thursday news, part two:

V Rising gets the crossover every self-respecting vampire wants: Castlevania's Simon Belmont is coming to try and kill you
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/v-rising-gets-the-crossover-every-self-respecting-vampire-wants-castlevanias-simon-belmont-is-coming-to-try-and-kill-you/
The vamp-em-up V Rising remains in early access, even though it's already pretty good, and is scheduled for its full release later in the year. Before that, though, developer Stunlock Studios has announced the crossover any pasty-faced garlic hater wants to see: Legacy of Castlevania arrives May 8, and per the teaser will let players battle Simon Belmont.

17 years after Hellgate: London fizzled out, one of the original creators is bringing the series back for an all-new 'triple-A' game
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/17-years-after-hellgate-london-fizzled-out-one-of-the-original-creators-is-bringing-the-series-back-for-an-all-new-triple-a-game/
Hellgate: London is the game that will not die. It first launched in 2007 as an action-RPG set in a demon-infested London, but developer Flagship Games went under in 2008 and the game was closed the following year. It re-emerged in 2011 as a free-to-play MMO in South Korea, then took a run at Steam Greenlight in 2014 (which I don't think went anywhere), and then finally launched on Steam several years later, where it continues to get not much attention. And now, for some reason, it's coming back again in Hellgate: Redemption.

Baldur's Gate 3 has at least 24 ways Shadowheart can hurl the main MacGuffin at you as part of Larian's New Vegas-Style 'n+1' system for players who ignore the plot: 'It might be even more'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/baldurs-gate/baldurs-gate-3-has-at-least-24-ways-shadowheart-can-hurl-the-main-macguffin-at-you-as-part-of-larians-new-vegas-style-n1-system-for-plot-oblivious-players-it-might-be-even-more/
Baldur's Gate 3 is bafflingly reactive. You can't drop-kick an owlbear without the ripples spreading out and causing some kind of reaction later on down the line. But it goes even deeper than I knew: In a recent interview, Larian CEO Swen Vincke shed some light on the studio's "n+1" design philosophy, and revealed just how far it goes to create solutions for times when "the player fucked up everything."
>> Ken Levine may have narrative LEGOs, but Larian has n+1. What’s better?

Baldur's Gate 3's latest hotfix declares 'No more free lunches' as it stops you bamboozling merchants with boxes, confusingly also makes it easier to literally give people free lunches
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/baldurs-gate/baldurs-gate-3s-latest-hotfix-declares-no-more-free-lunches-as-it-stops-you-bamboozling-merchants-with-boxes-confusingly-also-makes-it-easier-to-literally-give-people-free-lunches/
Larian is done with Baldur's Gate 3, but Baldur's Gate 3 isn't done with Larian. The studio just put out the game's 23rd hotfix, fixing a bunch of crashes and bugs and, notably, declaring "No more free lunches!" which is—in the case of this specific patch—metaphorically true, but entirely inaccurate in a literal sense.

Beware gifts of counterfeit 'ferristones' in Dragon's Dogma 2—nothing bad'll happen if you use one, you'll just look stupid in front of all your gossipy pawns
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/beware-gifts-of-counterfeit-ferristones-in-dragons-dogma-2nothing-badll-happen-if-you-use-one-youll-just-look-stupid-in-front-of-all-your-gossipy-pawns/
Dragon's Dogma 2 lets you hire other players' main pawns for both pyramid scheme good and plague-spreading evil—both some pretty big extremes on the spectrum of compassion and injustice. Well, turns out there's a more chaotic neutral way to bother another player via pawns—nothing harmful, it's just kinda funny. Welcome to the wonderful world of counterfeit items.
>> And players have found new ways to explore the world.

After a bumpy entry, Capcom asks players for feedback on Dragon's Dogma 2 (and if they'd like some proper DLC) via an online survey
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/after-a-bumpy-entry-capcom-asks-players-for-feedback-on-dragons-dogma-2-and-if-theyd-like-some-proper-dlc-via-an-online-survey/
Dragon's Dogma 2, despite being a solid bit of action RPG fun, definitely has its problems. (…) I'm having a smashing time myself, but who knows. Maybe the 40 plus hour ennui hasn't set in, or maybe it's just a taste thing: there's no accounting for it, after all. Still, it looks like Capcom's been at least a little shaken by the backlash. A Dragon's Dogma 2 user survey has hit the web, asking for player feedback regarding what they did and didn't like about the game. 

After buying Nightdive and Digital Eclipse last year, Atari CEO says the company has 'already opened more doors and more opportunities' for both studios
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/after-buying-nightdive-and-digital-eclipse-last-year-atari-ceo-says-the-company-has-already-opened-more-doors-and-more-opportunities-for-both-studios/
Last year, after a reborn, retro-focused Atari acquired Nightdive Studios for $10 million, the PC remaster specialists tried to reassure fans that the deal was a good fit. (...) Then in November Atari purchased another retro-focused studio, Digital Eclipse, bringing the two game developers most focused on preserving and reviving gaming history under the same corporate roof.
(…)
(…) So at last week's Game Developers Conference, I asked Atari CEO Wade Rosen about what happens if the company ends up in dire financial straits, given how many other game companies are currently struggling and doing layoffs.

Overwatch 2's first free hero will be playable this weekend ahead of their season 10 debut
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/overwatch-2-dps-hero-venture-trial/
Overwatch 2's first free hero will be playable for a limited time—before their proper release in season 10—starting tomorrow and ending on Sunday, March 31.

Europa, the gorgeous indie platformer about the only human awake on a terraformed moon, is delayed
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/europa-the-gorgeous-indie-platformer-about-the-only-human-awake-on-a-terraformed-moon-is-delayed/
Puzzle-platformer Europa has associate editor Ted Litchfield excited, and for good reason: It looks and sounds fantastic, and the demo did not disappoint. But the April 16 release date that was announced at the end of 2023 isn't going to happen—instead, it'll probably be out sometime this summer.

The Taskmaster videogame has a creative mode so you can invent your own custom tasks and challenge your friends
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/vr/the-taskmaster-videogame-has-a-creative-mode-so-you-can-invent-your-own-custom-tasks-and-challenge-your-friends/
With comedy game show Taskmaster about to begin its 17th series later this week, I shudder to imagine how many people have suggested ideas for tasks to Little Alex Horne over the years. The number must be in the thousands, and I'll bet every Taskmaster fan has at least a few good ideas for tasks rolling around in their heads, even if they're never tried to put them directly in Horne's hands.
The good news is that if you've ever wanted to create a Taskmaster task and then harshly judge your family and friends on how poorly they completed it, you'll get your chance someday soon. Taskmaster VR has announced a Creative Mode that'll let you become the Taskmaster's Assistant's Assistant—so you won't just complete tasks for Lord Greg Davies in Taskmaster VR, you'll be able to invent your own.