July feels like an odd month to launch a new generation of CPUs. It would also give board partners little time between Computex and launch to showcase their motherboards.
The number of cores per CPU isn't much of a surprise, to be honest.

The leak about that R9 Zen5 seems promising, but it's hard to get excited with only one benchmark result.

The Wednesday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

MultiVersus relaunch attracts over 110K concurrent players on Steam
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fighting/multiversus-relaunch-attracts-over-110k-concurrent-players-on-steam/
Free-to-play fighting game MultiVersus—most easily described as 'Smash Bros but it's Warner Bros characters'—is having a pretty good launch day, becoming the third most populated Steam game at the moment with a peak of over 110,000 concurrent players. That's actually a little lower than MultiVersus's all-time peak of 153,044 Steam concurrents, which it hit in 2022 during its open beta, but it's a respectable start—or, restart, really.

GOG doesn’t have any new deals today, not even Deals of the Day. Strange, but it could be anything.

Steam does have two new deals:

• UNDYING will be 40% off until the 4th of June: https://store.steampowered.com/app/638990/UNDYING/
• And Amnesia: The Bunker gets a 50% discount until June, 11: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1944430/Amnesia_The_Bunker/

Fanatical presents the Aspyr Games Publisher Sale, featuring up to 85% deals during the next 7 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/aspyr.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

INTEL Arc Graphics 31.0.101.5534 driver
https://videocardz.com/driver/intel-arc-graphics-31-0-101-5534
Highlights
Intel® Game On Driver support on Intel® Arc™ A-series Graphics GPUs and Intel® Core™ Ultra with built-in Intel® Arc™ GPUs for:

• F1 24
• MultiVersus

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

-Empty-

GAMING NEWS

PALEOPHAGE is perhaps the closest we’ll ever get to a new Dino Crisis game
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/paleophage-is-perhaps-the-closest-well-ever-get-to-a-new-dino-crisis-game/
It’s no secret that we all want a new Dino Crisis game. And, since Capcom is not willing to reboot the franchise, we can solely rely on indie devs to satisfy our dino needs. So, today we present you PALEOPHAGE, a game that its creator describes as “Resident Evil with dinosaurs“.
Now, since this is an indie game from one dev, I suggest tempering your expectations. Do not expect a triple-A game. Still, I’m certain that a lot of Dino Crisis and Resident Evil fans will find it interesting.
>> The models for the dinos look good, but it’s clear that it’s not a big budget game.

ZERO PROTOCOL and CONSCRIPT are two “retro” horror games that you should definitely check out
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/zero-protocol-and-conscript-are-two-retro-horror-games-that-you-should-definitely-check-out/
Now here are two games you should not sleep on. ZERO PROTOCOL and CONSCRIPT are two horror games with retro pixelated graphics that have free demos on PC, and you should definitely try them.

The second part of the news:

Larian says it started 'pushing around ideas for Baldur's Gate 4' but 'we didn't have the fire'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/larian-says-it-started-pushing-around-ideas-for-baldurs-gate-4-but-we-didnt-have-the-fire/
In case you missed it, Baldur's Gate 3 is one of the all-timers. Not just a brilliant RPG, and a near-perfect return to a gaming touchstone, but a game that over-delivered while knowing exactly when to call it a day. Developer Larian was almost built to make this but, after a hugely successful launch followed by a bow-tying epilogue, it knew where to draw the line: CEO Swen Vincke announced at GDC earlier this year that it was done with Baldur's Gate. No DLC, no sequel, just a dream project perfectly executed.
So it's up to Wizards of the Coast, or Hasbro if you prefer, to work out what the future looks like for Baldur's Gate. But that doesn't mean Larian never thought about it, and in a new interview Baldur's Gate 3 narrative director Adam Smith told GamesRadar+ about how the studio was "pushing around ideas for Baldur's Gate 4" but "we didn't have the fire."

Helldivers 2 boss turns to the community for an Eagle stratagem brainstorming session: 'This is way more fun than a conference room'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/helldivers-2-boss-turns-to-the-community-for-an-eagle-stratagem-brainstorming-session-this-is-way-more-fun-than-a-conference-room/
Even if Arrowhead is signaling a move towards a slower, more sustainable pace of Helldivers 2 updates, you can never have too many ideas to work with when you're dreaming up the next installment of Super Earth ordinance.  Arrowhead chief creative officer Johan Pilestedt seems to think so, at least. Taking to Twitter over the weekend, Pilestedt put out a call asking for the community's best ideas for Eagle air support stratagems.

The Witcher 4 is 'the largest' game in development at CD Projekt 'by the size of the team, but also by the progress of ongoing work'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-witcher/the-witcher-4-is-the-largest-game-in-development-at-cd-projekt-by-the-size-of-the-team-but-also-by-the-progress-of-ongoing-work/
CD Projekt says Polaris, the next game in the new Witcher trilogy—which we are calling The Witcher 4 until somebody makes us stop—is now the studio's biggest project, both in terms of the number of people working on it and how far along it's come.
>> And, for some reason, they’ve also had to say that they’re not threatened by Larian opening a studio in Warsaw. But it was during an investors call so, anyone could be fool enough to make that question.

The next anime action game from the maker of Genshin Impact is coming in July
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/the-next-anime-action-game-from-the-maker-of-genshin-impact-is-coming-in-july/
Apologies to anyone struggling to keep track of MiHoYo's anime gacha games because another one is coming out on July 4. This one is Zenless Zone Zero, an "urban fantasy action RPG," which essentially looks like Genshin Impact with street wear and asphalt.

If you never get an easy opponent in XDefiant, you're the easy opponent, suggests producer
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/if-you-never-get-an-easy-opponent-in-xdefiant-youre-the-easy-opponent-suggests-producer/
A somewhat unusual feature of XDefiant is the absence of skill-based matchmaking in its casual playlists (except one introductory playlist). That means that, unlike many of today's other competitive multiplayer games, the new free-to-play shooter doesn't try to put you into matches with similarly-skilled players unless you're playing ranked, so you should face the full spectrum of skill levels, from beginners to MLG pro types.
It follows, then, that if it always feels like you're the least-skilled player in your matches, it just might be that you're one of the least-skilled players overall—sorry to say!

In this new No Man's Sky update you can 'explore an abandoned universe' alone with 'no other lifeforms, no shops, no help'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/in-this-new-no-mans-sky-update-you-can-explore-an-abandoned-universe-alone-with-no-other-lifeforms-no-shops-no-help/
Remember when Thanos snapped his fingers and killed half the life in the universe? Well, imagine he had Infinity Gauntlets on both hands, and maybe Infinity Booties on his feet, and he just kept snapping, tapping, scatting, and bebopping like crazy until all life in the universe was nothing but dust. Everything except you.
That's the tone in Adrift, a new Expedition for No Man's Sky, where you'll "explore an abandoned universe" all by yourself, with "no other lifeforms, no shops, no help." Those cute little aliens? Gone. Bustling space stations? More like busted. You're on your own, Traveler. Have a look at the unsettlingly lonesome trailer above.

Well, since our news captain isn't here yet, here's a couple of articles that may interest you:

MaxSun reveals its Intel Z890, B860 and AMD B850 next-gen motherboard lineup
https://videocardz.com/newz/maxsun-reveals-its-intel-z890-b860-and-amd-b850-next-gen-motherboard-lineup
MaxSun, a Chinese manufacturer, has nearly 80 motherboards to the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). These include models designed for Intel’s upcoming Core Ultra 200 series, also known as Arrow Lake-S.

Sony’s PSVR 2 PC adapter might be on the horizon
https://www.club386.com/sonys-psvr-2-pc-adapter-might-be-on-the-horizon/
So far, PSVR 2 has been something of a disappointment. Despite decent features, the virtual reality headset costs a chunk of change and has few games to show for it. Breaking free from the confines of PlayStation 5 is the first step in reforming the device, and the PC adapter you need could be here sooner than you’d think.
Discovered by VR enthusiast Brad Lynch, the Korean Radio Research Agency has issued a new certification for “PlayStationVR2 PC adapter.” It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what the regulatory body is referring to. Sony’s upcoming link that’s at least three months in the making will let you use the headset with Steam.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition rumored to feature dual-slot and dual-fan cooler

https://videocardz.com/newz/nvidia-geforce-rtx-5090-founders-edition-rumored-to-feature-dual-slot-and-dual-fan-cooler

Perhaps going back to power efficiency route

ZOTAC teases ZONE gaming handheld with 7-inch AMOLED display

https://videocardz.com/newz/zotac-teases-zone-gaming-handheld-with-7-inch-amoled-display

Handheld market becoming quite saturated

SK hynix To Integrate Computing & Caching Functionalities With Next-Gen HBM4E Memory

https://wccftech.com/sk-hynix-to-integrate-computing-caching-functionalities-with-next-gen-hbm4e-memory/

Ah, sh*t. I spoke a bit too early..

Regarding the 5090 article, we now have two sources saying that it will be a dual slot card. We'll see what magic can Nvidia do.

And who is missing from the handheld PC craze at this point? Are all the AIB parters going to make them now? First Asus, then MSI and now Zotac. How long until Gigabyte comes with one of their own? Or maybe Asrock?
Yeah, the market will soon get a bit too crowded.

The Thursday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

'Banana', a game where you rapidly click on a jpeg of a banana and nothing else, has an all-time peak of 31,124 players on Steam—here's why
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/banana-a-game-where-you-rapidly-click-on-a-jpeg-of-a-banana-and-nothing-else-has-an-all-time-peak-of-31124-players-on-steamheres-why/
If you happen to check the SteamDB charts from time to time, you might be wondering why Banana, a free-to-play game where you apparently just click on a jpeg of a banana and nothing else, is currently sat at number 47—just four ranks shy of Cyberpunk 2077, and ranking above actual videogames like Fallout 76, Diablo 4, and Slay the Spire.
So was I. So were all of us at PC Gamer, actually, sitting in a call this morning, staring baffled at tens of thousands of active players all clicking a jpeg. Because my torrid work is never finished, I bravely jumped on the grenade and did a little digging—turns out, there's a whole genre of these things, which I shall henceforth dub "egglikes" because I have lost my mind.

The Epic Store givers away Chivalry 2: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/chivalry-2.
The game from next week is a mystery once again.

Today GOG brings four DotD and a new sale:

• These are the Deals of the Day, that will end tomorrow:
  • Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance is 12% off: https://www.gog.com/en/game/terminator_dark_fate_defiance
  • RimWorld gets a 20% deal: https://www.gog.com/en/game/rimworld
  • Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition features a 75% discount: https://www.gog.com/en/game/icewind_dale_enhanced_edition
  • The last one is Space Trader: Merchant Marine, 85% off: https://www.gog.com/en/game/space_trader_merchant_marine
• And Publisher Focus Entertainment puts its games on sale with up to 87% discounts during the next 11 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20240530_focus_publisher_sale

Steam has three new deals:

• Besiege will be 75% off until Sunday: https://store.steampowered.com/app/346010/Besiege/
• Port Royale 4 gets a 75% deal until the 5th of June: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1024650/Port_Royale_4/
• And Lost in Play features a 60% deal until the 12th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1328840/Lost_in_Play/

Humble Bundle has launched the Let’Em Cook Bundle, with up to 9 items to get during the next 20 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/let-em-cook.

And Fanatical has three new deals:

• The Star Deal is A Plague Tale Bundle, 61% off during 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/a-plague-tale-bundle
• The Team 17 Publisher Sale features up to 92% discounts during 7 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/team17-digital-ltd
• And the BYO Tabletop Wargame Bundle has 26 games for your 4+, 7+ or 10+ bundles: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-tabletop-wargame-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Nothing to see here-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Lego Island 2 RTX Remix Path Tracing Mod Available for Download
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/lego-island-2-rtx-remix-path-tracing-mod-available-for-download/
Modder ‘skurtyyskirts’ has just released an RTX Remix Mod for Lego Island 2 that adds full Ray Tracing/Path Tracing support. This mod will improve the game’s graphics, allowing PC gamers to re-experience it on current-gen hardware.
As the modder noted, Lego Island 2 RTX has been in development for quite some time now. This mod takes advantage of PBRify. PBRify can upscale textures, and add normal and roughness maps. This is a crucial tool for creating proper RTX Remix Mods.
Now the good news here is that Lego Island 2 RTX Remix does not suffer from the issues I mentioned in my previous article about the RTX Remix Mods for Half Life 2 E1 and E2. The game does not suffer from “plastic” looks. From what I can see, this is a great example of how RTX Remix Path Tracing can enhance the graphics of an old game.
>> A bit ironic that a game about LEGO doesn’t look “plastic”. Anyway, there’s a video of it in the article.

GAMING NEWS

It Takes Two does no longer require the EA Launcher on Steam
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/it-takes-two-does-no-longer-require-the-ea-launcher-on-steam/
Electronic Arts and Hazelight have released a new update for the Steam version of It Takes Two that removes the requirement for the  EA Launcher. As such, Steam gamers will now be able to launch and play the game without having to run the EA Launcher.
>> The bad news is that this update to makes it verified for Steam Deck also broke cloud saves. Oops! EA has a workaround.

The latest update for Alone in the Dark adds Photo Mode and New Game+, brings QoL, performance, combat and gameplay improvements
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/the-latest-update-for-alone-in-the-dark-adds-photo-mode-and-new-game-brings-qol-performance-combat-and-gameplay-improvements/
Pieces Interactive has just released a major update for the remake/reboot of Alone in the Dark. This patch adds a Photo Mode and a New Game+ mode. Moreover, it brings numerous QoL, visual, combat and gameplay improvements.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown will be officially released on September 12th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/test-drive-unlimited-solar-crown-will-be-officially-released-on-september-12th/
NACON has just announced that Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown will be officially released on September 12th. To celebrate this announcement, the publisher has also shared a new trailer that you can find below.

Thursday news, part two:

Sony apologizes for Sony interview with Sony developer Neil Druckmann
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/sony-apologizes-for-sony-interview-with-sony-developer-neil-druckmann/
Sony has apologized to Naughty Dog studio boss Neil Druckmann for "misrepresenting his words" in a recent promotional interview, which it acknowledged contained "several significant errors and inaccuracies." The interview has now been taken down.

Gen Z and Gen Alpha crave games with 'more meaning' and 'personalisation across everything' according to PlayStation exec—who implies that (you guessed it) AI is the answer
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/gen-z-and-gen-alpha-crave-games-with-more-meaning-and-personalisation-across-everything-according-to-playstation-execwho-implies-that-you-guessed-it-ai-is-the-answer/
Sony's been on a bit of a bender with AI stuff recently, huh—as I'm sure a recently-misrepresented Neil Druckmann will tell you. AI—or I should specify, generative AI—may prove valuable in game development, but as with a lot of new technologies the actual use cases devs are finding clash severely with the executive pipe dream of paying fewer voice actors and writers in the name of "reactivity". 
Flying under the radar of the Druckmann controversy (though nonetheless spotted by IGN) is another ream of buzzwords courtesy of head of PlayStation productions and product Asad Qizilbash, who has a brave new angle on the tech via an interview on Sony's website: You see, AI's got what the kids crave for more reasons like—uh, personalisation, and reactivity, and meaning, and stuff.
>> Sounds a bit like BS to justify their push for AI.

Activision wins $14.5 million in lawsuit against Call of Duty cheat maker
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/activision-wins-dollar145-million-in-lawsuit-against-call-of-duty-cheat-maker/
Activision has won a judgment worth more than $14.5 million against cheat maker EngineOwning, which has also been ordered to stop making cheat software and to turn over its website to Activision's control.

The Sims 4 is about to launch a battle pass-like 'events' system to reward players with new items for logging in regularly
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-sims/the-sims-4-is-about-to-launch-a-battle-pass-like-events-system-to-reward-players-with-new-items-for-logging-in-regularly/
Our Sims 4 main menu experience is crowded enough already, but it's about to get more packed. This week players have managed to dig up proof of an upcoming "events" system that will dole out free rewards for logging in regularly. EA hasn't released any public information about the events feature yet, but there is, for now, an unlisted video on The Sims YouTube channel explaining it in full.

Kerbal Space Program developers confirm layoffs are coming at the end of June
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/kerbal-space-program-developers-confirm-layoffs-are-coming-at-the-end-of-june/
A month after a Bloomberg report claimed that Kerbal Space Program 2 developer Intercept Games would be closed at the end of June, multiple employees have confirmed that numerous workers, and possibly the whole team, are being laid off.

Diablo 4's strongest weapon isn't a weapon at all: It's a deadly potion capable of dealing billions of damage
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/diablo-4s-strongest-weapon-isnt-a-weapon-at-all-its-a-deadly-potion-capable-of-dealing-billions-of-damage/
Technically, Diablo 4's latest season doesn't have a unique power like season 2's vampiric abilities or season 3's robot spider pet. Instead, there are a couple seasonal elixirs that speed up the leveling process so that you can get your hands on the new crafting systems. But players who are pushing into the highest levels of The Pit, a new extremely challenging dungeon type, have discovered that one of those seasonal elixirs might be the strongest seasonal "power" the game has ever had.

If you love how Balatro mutates the game of poker, Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers is doing something similar to blackjack, and there's a demo you can try now
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/card-games/if-you-love-how-balatro-mutates-the-game-of-poker-dungeons-and-degenerate-gamblers-is-doing-something-similar-to-blackjack-and-theres-a-demo-you-can-try-now/
In poker roguelike Balatro, poker isn't poker for very long. After a few rounds your standard deck will be anything but, filled with glass cards and gold cards and a dozen or so aces of spades, while your bizarre collection of jokers enchant every hand you play into earning millions or even billions of points. By the time you're facing off against the big boss, what started off as poker has turned into something else entirely.
Now you can mutate and mangle the game of blackjack, too. Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers is a blackjack roguelike adventure where you sit down in a stinky tavern and try to play your way through the townsfolk, some of them drunker than others. As you and your opponent try to get as close as you can to 21 without busting, you chip away at each others' health and earn new magical cards to add to your deck.

Sony's Senior Vice President says the company's live service games will release 'simultaneously' with PC, but single-player launches are designed to 'bring new players' onto PS5
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/sonys-senior-vice-president-says-the-companys-live-service-games-will-release-simultaneously-with-pc-but-single-player-launches-are-designed-to-bring-new-players-onto-ps5/
Sony's policy toward PC has shifted noticeably over the last few years. The publisher has gradually been bringing more of its exclusive titles to PC, and more recently, launching games like Helldivers 2 concurrency on PC and PS5. Now, the company's soon-to-be co-CEO Hermen Hulst has outlined the whys and wherefores of its current strategy, and how we can expect them to approach releases in the future.

Players are up in arms after the WoW Mists of Pandaria: Remix team refuses to budge on the whopping 577,950 bronze cost to upgrade all your gear
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/world-of-warcraft/players-are-up-in-arms-after-the-wow-mists-of-pandaria-remix-team-refuses-to-budge-on-the-whopping-577950-bronze-cost-to-upgrade-all-your-gear/
Mists of Pandaria: Remix is great fun but, as I pointed out last week, it's also a prison of optimisation that's making some people genuinely very upset. The culprits? A couple of changes were made to the Cloak of Infinite potential pre-launch, Gulp Frogs caused huge balance problems between players and, right now, bronze is the source of all heartaches. The Sha are eating good.
In a recent post by community manager Kaivax to the Blizzard forums, the MoP: Remix team announced that it's got no plans to change upgrade costs for the event's end-game, which has led to a lot of booing.

Arrowhead's new CEO says the studio 'knew it would be impossible' to keep up with Helldivers 2's demand for new content, is now focussed on adjusting 'so that in the long term we can make more and better stuff'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/arrowheads-new-ceo-says-the-studio-knew-it-would-be-impossible-to-keep-up-with-helldivers-2s-demand-for-new-content-is-now-focussed-on-adjusting-so-that-in-the-long-term-we-can-make-more-and-better-stuff/
Following months spent reacting to Helldivers 2's unexpectedly huge success, developer Arrowhead Game Studios recently appointed a new CEO, Shams Jorjani, to replace Johan Pilestedt as part of broader structural changes to the company. Now, Jorjani has taken to reddit to introduce himself to the Helldivers 2 community, and outline the direction for the company going forward.
>> And it looks like Valve has banned 20,000 players from Russia and Belarus.

One of Larian Studios' next games has a codename—Excalibur, though 'if we're brutally honest, we're trying to figure out what the hell it is', says Swen Vincke
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/one-of-larian-studios-next-games-has-a-codenameexcalibur-though-if-were-brutally-honest-were-trying-to-figure-out-what-the-hell-it-is-says-swen-vincke/
Larian Studios is moving onto not one, but two new RPGs after its uproarious success with Baldur's Gate 3—and one of said RPGs has a codename to get all excited about: Excalibur.
In this year's Digital Dragons conference, Larian co-founder and CEO Swen Vincke revealed the project's working title. I wish I could tell you more about it, dear reader, but as it turns out that's still something Swen Vincke and his team are still working on.

'We're on solid moral ground': If you don't like Still Wakes The Deep's use of yellow paint, then take it up with OSHA and the HSE
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/were-on-solid-moral-ground-if-you-dont-like-still-wakes-the-deeps-use-of-yellow-paint-then-take-it-up-with-osha-and-the-hse/
I've always found yellow paint useful, whether that be for knowing where I can park my car or helping me figure out the best way to traverse an environment in a video game, but as some players have a problem with this bright signpost the developers from Still Wakes the Deep wanted to set the record straight. 

2024 Begins With Decreased CPU & GPU Shipments, AMD Faces Double-Digit Decline

https://wccftech.com/2024-begins-decreased-cpu-gpu-shipments-amd-faces-double-digit-decline/

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 To Feature Cut-Down GB202 GPU With 448-Bit Bus & 28 GB GDDR7 Memory

https://wccftech.com/nvidia-geforce-rtx-5090-cut-down-gb202-gpu-448-bit-bus-28-gb-gddr7-memory/

AMD MI300X AI Accelerator Demand Is “Soft” According To Analyst, MI350X Refresh Might Move To 2026 Launch

https://wccftech.com/amd-mi300x-ai-accelerator-demand-soft-mi350x-refresh-move-2026-launch/

NVIDIA might revive its 2017 “GeForce G-Assist” April’s Fools joke as a real technology

https://videocardz.com/newz/nvidia-might-revive-its-2017-geforce-g-assist-aprils-fools-joke-as-a-real-technology

DirectSR (Super Resolution) now available: single API enabling FSR, XeSS and DLSS

https://videocardz.com/newz/directsr-super-resolution-now-available-single-api-enabling-fsr-xess-and-dlss

Sucks to be AMD right now.

I do wonder if the lower demand for its MI300X is because the market has bought the Nvidia hype and refuses to buy AI products from other brands.