https://store.steampowered.com

Some good prices. What to buy is a tough choice.

It always is.

If it helps, you can use SteamDB to check the deals (well, "price changes") any game has had in the past. This way you'll be able to see if the current deal is exceptional or if it's the common discount it has on any sale. You can use it to decide if you must get it now or if it can wait for another time.

Nope, not looking at the Steam Summer Sale. They aren't getting me this year.

Yeah, just about everything I wanted to buy is on my backlog already. Not doing sales until I've cleared at least a few of them.

Let’s go with the Friday news!

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Despite all the difficulty grousing, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree has sold 5 million copies in less than a week
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/despite-all-the-difficulty-grousing-elden-ring-shadow-of-the-erdtree-has-sold-5-million-copies-in-less-than-a-week/
I don't want to sound hasty, but I'm starting to suspect that people are pretty into this Shadow of the Erdtree business. It's just a hunch I have, based largely on a tweet from the official Elden Ring Twitter account thanking Tarnished around the globe, who in less than a week since the DLC's release have purchased more than 5 million copies. I'm sure Miquella's flattered by all the attention. 

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's Steam numbers have dwindled into the low hundreds, placing it side-by-side with Gotham Knights
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/suicide-squad-kill-the-justice-league-s-steam-numbers-have-dwindled-into-the-low-hundreds-placing-it-side-by-side-with-gotham-knights/
I confess, I have not set my eyes on Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's Steam numbers for a while. I've been predominantly busy with Shadow of the Erdtree and, today, Final Fantasy 14.
Rocksteady's ill-fated live service shooter had mostly slipped my mind and, with fellow PC Gamer writer Morgan Park's assertion that it was, against all odds, a harmless bit of middle-of-the-road fun, I'd at least assumed it would've garnered a modest but tidy audience. Too humble to make up for a $200 million loss, sure, but enough to keep its gears running.
Jeez, though. Things are a lot worse than I imagined.
Looking at the stats SteamDB over the past 3 months, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has endured a steady decline from a still-not-great 2,700 players in March. By the end of April, only 170 people were playing it on Steam. This rose to about 500 again in May with the advent of Season 1, Episode 2, but soon returned to numbers that're almost hamlet-sized. At the time of writing, its 24-hour peak is 210 players. That's around the same as Gotham Knights right now, a similar faux pa that came out two whole years beforehand.
>> I hope this game doesn’t kill Rocksteady.

The Humble Store has a new sale, with the Assetto Corsa franchise on sale with up to 75% discounts during 3 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/assetto-corsa-sale-2024/.

Fanatical has a charity bundle, the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) Charity Bundle has 16 games: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/nspcc-charity-bundle.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 24.6.1 driver
https://videocardz.com/driver/amd-radeon-software-adrenalin-24-6-1

Highlights
New Game Support

• The First Descendant
• Once Human

Expanded HYPR-Tune Support

• HYPR-TUNE Profiles
  • Like a Dragon 8: Infinite Wealth
  • Overwatch® 2
  • The First Descendent
  • F1® 24
  • Outpost: Infinity Siege
• Enable HYPR-RX and get an instant boost in performance of up to 149% on the Radeon™ RX 7800XT GPU across games like Baldur’s Gate 3, F1 23, Resident Evil 4 and more!

Expanded Operating System Support

• Support for Windows 11, version 24H2.

AMD Radeon™ Anti-Lag 2 Support for Counter-Strike 2
Takes responsive gaming to the next level by introducing an in-game option to optimally pace frames, further reducing input lag on AMD RDNA™ architecture-based discrete and integrated graphics products.

• Get a decrease in latency in Counter-Strike 2 of up to 40% with AMD Radeon™ Anti-Lag 2 at 4K on the AMD Radeon™ RX 7900 GRE graphics card.
• Get a decrease in latency in Counter-Strike 2 of up to 27% with AMD Radeon™ Anti-Lag 2 at 1080p on the AMD Ryzen™ 7 8700G processor with AMD Radeon™ 780M graphics.

AI on Radeon

• Performance improvements and memory footprint reduction for Large Language Models (LLMs) thanks to 4-bit quantization acceleration support for all RDNA™ series discrete graphics products and RDNA™ 3 series integrated graphics products running ONNXRuntime with DirectML.

AI Development on Radeon

• Technology Preview for Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL 2) enabling PyTorch users with supported hardware to develop with AMD ROCm™ software on a Windows system, eliminating the need for dual boot set ups.

Expanded Agility SDK Support
Introducing support for Agility SDK 1.613 and Microsoft’s Agility SDK 1.614.0 functionality:

• Microsoft DirectX 12 Work Graphs 1.0 API
  D3D12 Work Graphs support for AMD Radeon™ RX 7000 Series graphics cards, learn more HERE
• GPU Upload Heaps
  See the DirectX Blog HERE, or our GPUOpen Blog post on GPU Upload Heaps HERE.
• Shader Model 6.8 – Including Wave Size Range and Expanded Comparison Sampling
  See Shader Model 6.8 specification for more information.
• R9B9G9E5 Support for Render Targets and UAV
  See Microsoft’s Agility SDK 1.614.0 for more information.

Fixed Issues

• Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas may fail to launch.
• Improvement to intermittent driver timeout or application crash experienced while playing HELLDIVERS™ 2 on AMD Radeon™ RX 7900 series GPUs.
• AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition Performance Metrics may intermittently fail to update while playing HELLDIVERS™ 2.
• Intermittent system freeze or low FPS on hybrid graphics notebooks pairing certain FreeSync enabled displays.

>> The driver could have launched earlier this week, but the guy that has to write the notes needed more time.

INTEL Arc Graphics 31.0.101.5593 driver
https://videocardz.com/driver/intel-arc-graphics-31-0-101-5593

Highlights
Gaming Highlights:
Intel® Game On Driver support on Intel® Arc™ A-series Graphics GPUs and Intel® Core™ Ultra with built-in Intel® Arc™ GPUs for:

• Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail
• The First Descendant

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

-Nothing-

GAMING NEWS

Ubisoft is working on multiple Assassin’s Creed Remakes
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/ubisoft-is-working-on-multiple-assassins-creed-remakes/
Ubisoft’s CEO, Yves Guillemot, confirmed that its company is working on multiple remakes of older Assassin’s Creed games. Yep, Ubi will do its best to capitalize on this franchise so that it can boost its revenue. This, of course, shouldn’t surprise anyone as every company is remaking its older titles.
>> Wanna guess which ones? I’d say that Black Flag is a given.

Alkahest is another indie action adventure RPG that is heavily inspired by Dark Messiah of Might and Magic
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/alkahest-is-another-indie-action-adventure-rpg-that-is-heavily-inspired-by-dark-messiah-of-might-and-magic/
A couple of days ago, we informed you about an indie first-person action game that is heavily inspired by Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, called The Nightscarred: Forgotten Gods. And today, we have another similar indie game, called Alkahest.
Developed by Push On, Alkahest is an action adventure RPG that is inspired by Dishonored, Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, Kingdom Come: Deliverance.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 has a two-hour free trial on PC until July 18th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/dragons-dogma-2-has-a-two-hour-free-trial-on-pc-until-july-18th/
Capcom is currently offering a free trial for Dragon’s Dogma 2 on PC for a limited time. Until July 18th, PC gamers can download and enjoy the game’s first two hours for free.

FromSoftware dev warns about mouse software potentially causing framerate stutters in Elden Ring
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/fromsoftware-dev-warns-about-mouse-software-potentially-causing-framerate-stutters-in-elden-ring/
With the release of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC expansion for Elden Ring, a lot of reports surfaced about the game’s performance. Numerous people have reported stuttering issues in it. According to the reports, these stutters can occur randomly. And from the looks of it, mouse control software can potentially harm the game’s performance. Or at least that’s what the official FromSoftware player support “X/Twitter” account claims.

Konami has showcased all the color filters of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, including its iconic Legacy Mode
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/konami-has-showcased-all-the-color-filters-of-metal-gear-solid-delta-snake-eater-including-its-iconic-legacy-mode/
Konami has just showcased all the available color filters that will be available in Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. Players will be able to use four color filters. These are Normal, Legacy, Retro and Sepia.

Friday news, part two:

The latest attempt to revive Tribes looks cooked after three months
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/the-latest-attempt-to-revive-tribes-looks-cooked-after-three-months/
Tribes 3: Rivals got everyone excited with an excellent Steam Next Fest demo this February that suggested, maybe this time, the revival would stick. The game launched into early access on March 12, 2024, promising a "rebirth" of the beloved first-person sport-slash-shooter with a simple business model: $20 upfront price, and no microtransactions.
It hasn't gone well. Per SteamDB, there are currently 27 players in Tribes 3: Rivals. The greatest number of simultaneous players the game has had was at launch: 890.
Now there's a strangely titled post on the Tribes 3: Rivals Steam page that appears to be even worse news for players: "Giving Back to Tribes 3 & Starsiege: Deadzone Players." The note is addressed to the community and is essentially a way of saying the loud part very quietly.

The deadliest weapon in Shadow of the Erdtree is a bottle of perfume that can evaporate the DLC's final boss in 13 seconds, thanks to hitbox buffoonery
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/the-deadliest-weapon-in-shadow-of-the-erdtree-is-a-bottle-of-perfume-which-can-evaporate-the-dlc-s-final-boss-in-13-seconds-thanks-to-hitbox-buffoonery/
Shadow of the Erdtree's been out for a week, and the theory crafters have already broken it with a bottle of perfume in hand. Yes, really. Turns out, the monstrosities of the Shadowed Lands and beyond are vulnerable to a cologne overdose. Violence has never smelled so good.

Hidetaka Miyazaki says Elden Ring might be as big a game as he ever wants to make: 'Where FromSoftware is right now, in terms of scale, I would say Elden Ring is really the limit'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/hidetaka-miyazaki-says-elden-ring-might-be-as-big-a-game-as-he-ever-wants-to-make-where-fromsoftware-is-right-now-in-terms-of-scale-i-would-say-elden-ring-is-really-the-limit/
FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki had a ton to say in a recent interview with The Guardian: While most of the focus has been on him claiming to "suck" at his own games, he also gave some clues about what to expect from FromSoftware in the future.

Yeehaw! 'Red Dead Redemption meets Stardew Valley' in cozy cowboy life sim Cattle Country
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/life-sim/yeehaw-red-dead-redemption-meets-stardew-valley-in-cozy-cowboy-life-sim-cattle-country/
Howdy, partner! Holster that six-shooter and belly up to the bar for a spell, I've got some news for a cowpoke like you. If you love horse-drawn wagons, shootouts with bandits, and dusty little frontier towns, you might want to lasso this new game and drive it into your corral (that's Old West talk for "add it to your Steam wishlist.")

Frostpunk 2 delayed because its developers want to add features 'you deserve to see in-game on day one, not in a patch added after the release'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/city-builder/frostpunk-2-delayed-because-its-developers-want-to-add-features-you-deserve-to-see-in-game-on-day-one-not-in-a-patch-added-after-the-release/
Back in April, 11 Bit Studios gave players who preordered the deluxe edition of Frostpunk 2 a little slice of the survival city builder to chew on. The week-long beta covered 300 in-game weeks of sandbox mode, and the reaction from players was generally positive, but they weren't over the moon about it either—not the sort of excitement you'd expect from the sequel to a beloved and highly influential city builder.
That muted response is part of the reason 11 Bit Studios has moved Frostpunk 2's release day from July 25 to September 20, saying "there was both a lot of praise" for the beta but also "many keen observations on areas we could improve or add to the final game."

Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail's 7.0 graphics update really is a game-changer—breathing life, colour, and atmosphere into the 11-year old MMO
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/final-fantasy/ff14-dawntrail-s-graphics-update-really-is-a-game-changer-breathing-life-colour-and-atmosphere-into-the-11-year-old-mmo/
One of the big-bill selling points of Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail—which just released in early access this morning—was its 7.0 graphics overhaul. As fellow PC Gamer writer Mollie Taylor noted back during the media tour those "small subtle tweaks across the board" really have pulled together to create something magnificent.

All Zenless Zone Zero codes from the 1.0 livestream
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/zenless-zone-zero-1-0-livestream-codes/
The first batch of Zenless Zone Zero livestream codes is a great way to get some extra Polychrome at launch that you can use to pull for characters. miHoYo's new action-fueled gacha game may be slightly different to its RPG counterparts like Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, but it's got a lot of the same systems with all new buzzwords.

I'm now hooked on Starfield, and it's all thanks to its recent game-changing upgrade
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/im-now-hooked-on-starfield-and-its-all-thanks-to-its-recent-game-changing-upgrade/
I tried to like Starfield when it first launched, I really did. I'd enjoyed all of Bethesda's past RPGs in some form or other but, as PC Gamer's Starfield review indicated could happen, I found myself oddly cold, held at arm's length from the developer's biggest-ever virtual creation.
(...)
But then, out of the blue, Starfield got the upgrade I'd seemingly been waiting for. Lost among the furore over the recently released $7 DLC mission was the game's new Creations centre, powered by Bethesda's release of the Starfield Creation Kit, a free piece of software that lets regular gamers make mods for the game and then share them with others.
(...)
Creations, though, solves that problem instantly. This is because when you download a mod from its in-game menu of Creations, it ties the mod in question to your Bethesda account. This then means that when you boot the game up on another system, and go ahead to launch your cloud save game, your list of Creations is automatically consulted and, if you don't have them installed on this machine, then you're simply offered the option to press a single button and have them all downloaded. 

And now, the GOG and Steam deals for the weekend:

+GOG

• GOG is running its own Summer Sale.
• There’s also one new Deal of the Day: Anno 1701 A.D., 50% off until Monday: https://www.gog.com/en/game/anno_1701_ad

+Steam

• You really want more than the Summer Sale? Really?

That’s all folks! Until next time, I wish you a happy and gaming weekend.

Bonus article:

1980s court documents show Nintendo considered 'Kong Dong' and 'Kong the Kong' before settling on the name Donkey Kong
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/1980s-court-documents-show-nintendo-considered-kong-dong-and-kong-the-kong-before-settling-on-the-name-donkey-kong/
In the early 1980s Universal was looking to get in on the videogames market, and its hard-nosed president Sid Sheinberg particularly noted the success of Nintendo's Donkey Kong. Sheinberg was a lawyer by training and, looking at Donkey Kong, he saw a potential infringement on Universal's copyright for King Kong: nevermind the name, both had gorillas and a damsel in distress. 

Sheinberg felt Universal was owed and began putting the squeeze on several videogame companies over King Kong, including Nintendo, but the Donkey Kong creator was the only one that didn't buckle. Instead Nintendo fought and, in a case that ran from 1982 with a final appeal in 1984, won a decisive victory: Donkey Kong did not infringe on Universal's copyright, and remained Nintendo's character.

As with any legal case on this scale, the documentation around it is voluminous and held in the National Archives. Several years ago gaming historian Norman Caruso visited the archives to look through, and posted scans of some curiosities he found therein (which were recently recirculated by Supper Mario Broth, and picked up by Eurogamer).

One amusing wrinkle about the case was that creator Shigeru Miyamoto, honest to perhaps a fault, admitted he'd considered the name King Kong at first, though this was offset by the argument that in Japan "kong" was used as a generic term for gorilla. Among Caruso's findings are a page of further alternative names that, per Nintendo, were considered as alternatives to Donkey Kong. 

Funny Kong; Kong the Kong; Jack Kong; Funky Kong; Bill Kong; Steel Kong; Giant Kong; Big Kong; Kong Down; Kong Dong (!); Mr. Kong; Custom Kong; Kong Chase; Kong Boy; Kong Man; Kong Fighter; Wild Kong; Rookie Kong; Kong Holiday; and finally, Donkey Kong. 

Kong Dong is the ludicrous suggestion that leaps out most, although the real stunner here is perhaps that Funky Kong, first introduced in Rare's Donkey Kong Country series, has roots going back further than I'd ever thought. There are many further tidbits in Caruso's posts, like this Miyamoto doodle of a bear, or the original 1933 copyright certificate for King Kong, though perhaps the prize find is Judge Sweet's summation of the differences between the two gorillas.

>> So we have to thank Universal for creating the litigious Nintendo of today.

Intel Battlemage “Xe2 GPU” Receives New Device IDs At Linux Ahead of Potential Late 2024 Launch

https://wccftech.com/intel-battlemage-xe2-gpu-new-device-ids-ahead-of-potential-late-2024-launch/

AMD Ryzen AI 300 “Strix Point” Launch Reportedly Moved To 28th July, Landing A Day Before Ryzen 9000 CPUs

https://wccftech.com/amd-ryzen-ai-300-strix-point-launch-moved-28th-july-day-before-ryzen-9000-cpus/

AMD X870E & X870 AM5 Motherboards To Launch On 30th September, USB4 Support & Upgraded Designs

https://wccftech.com/amd-x870e-x870-am5-motherboards-launch-30th-september-usb4-support-upgraded-designs/

AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D launches with MSI TITAN 18 Pro AMD Edition: up to 250W and RTX 4090

https://videocardz.com/newz/amd-ryzen-9-7945hx3d-launches-with-msi-titan-18-pro-amd-edition-up-to-250w-and-rtx-4090

What's going on on AMD's CPU side of the business? First we get the rumor thet they make change the specs of the 9700X to make it faster, and now they're changing the release date of the new mobile parts.

Are they spending too much time with the GPU guys or what?