Monday news, part two:

Overwatch 2 Season 13 is introducing map changes, which means that one of the worst maps ever may finally be fun to play
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/overwatch-2-season-13-is-introducing-map-changes-which-means-that-one-of-the-worst-maps-ever-may-finally-be-fun-to-play/
Overwatch 2 Season 13 is only a few days away, and there is a shed load of new content and changes for players to get their heads around before it begins. Blizzard has already teased a new hero, and gave us a look at some fantastic upcoming shop and battle pass skins, but what I'm really excited about is all the map changes. 

'We are experimenting with a different approach': Valve finally adds ranked play to Deadlock, and the countdown for the first match starts now
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/moba/we-are-experimenting-with-a-different-approach-valve-finally-adds-ranked-play-to-deadlock-and-the-countdown-for-the-first-match-starts-now/
Deadlock's been receiving loads of fantastic patches recently, and heroes get buffed and nerfed so quickly that a real meta hasn't even formed yet. However, the latest update is probably the game's biggest so far because we've finally got ranked play. 

This is the Disco Elysium successor to get excited about: Multiple writers from the original announce a manifesto to create an RPG 'with complexity and ambition to rival our wretched and wonderful world'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/a-third-disco-elysium-successor-studio-has-gone-public-today-but-this-is-the-one-to-get-excited-about-multiple-writers-from-the-first-game-and-a-manifesto-to-create-an-rpg-with-complexity-and-ambition-to-rival-our-wretched-and-wonderful-world/
As the inimitable V.I. Lenin once said, "There are decades where nothing happens, and days when way too many Disco Elysium spiritual successors get announced." Well, we've got one more studio of former Disco devs laying their cards on the table, but Summer Eternal is actually telling us who's involved: Heavy hitters from the development of the original game setting up an ambitious, crowd-funded artist's collective. The members announced so far include:

This murder mystery farm sim will let you accidentally romance the killer, but I might just do it on purpose
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/life-sim/this-murder-mystery-farm-sim-will-let-you-accidentally-romance-the-killer-but-i-might-just-do-it-on-purpose/
In case yesterday's spooky Stardew-like game wasn't enough for you, don't worry, there's another one. Grave Seasons is also a cute farming sim where you start putting down roots in the countryside, dating around, and—wait, hold on—finding out that there's been a streak of murders in town. You know, like small town farmers do every Tuesday.

The sequel to one of the best murder mystery games ever is only a month away, and there's a new demo out now
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/puzzle/the-sequel-to-one-of-the-best-murder-mystery-games-ever-is-only-a-month-away-and-theres-a-new-demo-out-now/
Grisly, innovative, and fascinating, The Case of the Golden Idol is one of my favorite mystery games of all time. The individual murders you have to solve are incredibly satisfying as you pore over all the details, search the crime scenes for clues, and even lift items right from the suspects' pockets, and the overarching story of the mysterious relics that links all these murders together is worthy of its own page-turning novel.

CD Projekt boss pushes back on 'conspiracy theories' against diversity in gaming: 'We live in times where anyone can record complete nonsense and make a story out of it'
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/cd-projekt-boss-pushes-back-on-conspiracy-theories-against-diversity-in-gaming-we-live-in-times-where-anyone-can-record-complete-nonsense-and-make-a-story-out-of-it/
CD Projekt joint CEO Michał Nowakowski has issued a strongly worded response to accusations that the studio "is in a lot of trouble right now" because of "diversity hires," saying the people peddling such nonsense need to "stop looking for conspiracy theories."

Lead Skyrim designer argues that Bethesda's primeval Creation Engine is 'perfectly tuned' to the studio's needs, so an Unreal switcheroo probably isn't in the cards
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-elder-scrolls/lead-skyrim-designer-argues-that-bethesdas-primeval-creation-engine-is-perfectly-tuned-to-the-studios-needs-so-an-unreal-swaparoo-probably-isnt-in-the-cards/
In an interview with VideoGamer, ex-Bethesda developer Bruce Nesmith defended the studio's continued use of its proprietary Creation Engine and predicted that the RPG giant would likely stick with the tech in the future, even as more big name devs like BioWare, CD Projekt, and Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) trade in their bespoke engines for Epic Games' ubiquitous Unreal.

The developers of the final 2D Fallout game had no idea their publisher was gasping for air: 'We weren't told anything about Interplay's financial problems'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fallout/the-developers-of-the-final-2d-fallout-game-had-no-idea-their-publisher-was-gasping-for-air-we-werent-told-anything-about-interplays-financial-problems/
Similar to beloved classic PC developer Looking Glass Studios, '90s RPG powerhouse Interplay's legacy seems defined almost as much by its persistent financial difficulties as its great games. In an interview with PC Gamer contributor Jeremy Peel for a wider retrospective on Fallout Tactics, the game's lead designer, Ed Orman, recalled how that instability trickled down to the studio he worked at, Micro Forté.

Starship Troopers: Extermination brings its chaotic 16-person bug fights to a 1.0 release
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/starship-troopers-extermination-brings-its-chaotic-16-person-bug-fights-to-a-1-0-release/
Cooperative first-person shooter Starship Troopers: Extermination has released out of early access and into 1.0, bringing its 16-person giant space arachnid/beetle/wasp/scorpion/bug shooting action to a state that developer Offworld considers properly done. Though development will continue, the core of the game is now out there complete with persistent corpses, six classes to play as, and a cooperative galactic front mode where players cooperate to win the war and can organize into in-game Companies.

Y2K beat em up Star Wars: Episode 1 - Jedi Power Battles is back for some inexplicable reason
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/y2k-beat-em-up-star-wars-episode-1-jedi-power-battles-is-back-for-some-inexplicable-reason/
Roughly 25 years after its PlayStation release back in April of the year 2000, Star Wars: Episode 1 - Jedi Power Battles will re-release on Steam this coming year: on January 25, 2025. Courtesy of publisher and game port specialists Aspyr, Jedi Power Battles is coming back. I'm not sure who was asking for this specific game to return in 2025, a classic movie tie-in from the era of every single major blockbuster having a game tie-in. Jedi Power Battles is a particularly difficult-at-times arcade-style couch co-op game from 2000—but going purely by comments on the YouTube trailer there are at least some people with copious nostalgia for it.

And the third part of today’s news:

Incredibly, you can now play Teardown in third person
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/incredibly-you-can-now-play-teardown-in-third-person/
"You can now play Teardown in 3rd person" reads the very short, succinct update from developer Tuxedo Labs that released this week for wildly popular, million-selling game Teardown about breaking things and/or breaking into things and stealing the other things you find inside. Which, I'm going to be very frank, is a remarkably humble way to say that you fundamentally rebuilt a massive part of your previously first-person videogame.

Check out the micro-strategic base defense action of Thronefall
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/check-out-the-micro-strategic-base-defense-action-of-thronefall/
Stratregy hit Thronefall has released its 1.0 update and is properly done, say developers GrizzlyGames, with the full release bringing three new levels, new equipment, and other excellent little game features. That's just gravy on what is already one of the best indie micro-strategy games of the past few years—a real gem from the emergent movement. Thronefall uses its simplicity well, letting you place buildings in specific spots on pre-made maps but letting you get creative with how you equip yourself, what your specialties are, and what order you build in.

Epic wants its Fortnite-Disney metaverse project to be 'what every Disney fan has ever wanted,' but don't expect Mickey Mouse to pick up an assault rifle
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/epic-wants-its-fortnite-disney-metaverse-project-to-be-what-every-disney-fan-has-ever-wanted-but-dont-expect-mickey-mouse-to-pick-up-an-assault-rifle/
In an interview with The Verge, Epic Games executive vice president Saxs Persson explained some of what we should (and shouldn't) expect from the publisher's partnership with Disney to create a "persistent world" for the media giant that will also connect with Fortnite.

Over a million players have flooded back into GTA Online to check out a new Call of Duty-like zombie mode
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/grand-theft-auto/over-a-million-players-have-flooded-back-into-gta-online-to-check-out-a-new-call-of-duty-like-zombie-mode/
Last week, Rockstar Games announced a new limited-time zombie mode for GTA Online that would see hordes of the undead let loose around North Yankton. This snowy town is from the beginning of GTA 5's story, a location that players haven't been let back into for a very long time (unless you could master a series of glitches to clip into the area). At first, players weren't quite sure what was in store for them, but now that the mode is out, it's clear that zombies are a recipe for success. 

Baldur's Gate 3 publishing director heaves a big sigh as scalpers predictably ruin it for everyone: 'All you’re doing is making someone sad'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/baldurs-gate/baldurs-gate-3-publishing-director-heaves-a-big-sigh-as-scalpers-predictably-ruin-it-for-everyone-all-youre-doing-is-making-someone-sad/
Baldur's Gate 3 has a snazzy collector's edition—good luck getting your mitts on it, though. As spotted by PC Gamer's own Robert Jones last year, resale prices (typically set by 'scalpers') have exceeded $2,000, which is more than a decent rig with which to play the damn thing might cost.
(...)
This doesn't just bum out consumers, though, it's also bumming out Larian Studio's director of publishing Michael Douse, who took to Twitter recently to highlight and express his frustration at the issue (thanks, Eurogamer).

Payday 3 dev reflects on 'disastrous' launch—'The game just felt unfinished… it was a bad experience'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/payday-3-dev-reflects-on-disastrous-launch-the-game-just-felt-unfinished-it-was-a-bad-experience/
Payday 3 is now just over a year old and, to put it mildly, has had a rocky start. The botched launch saw major server issues making the game almost unplayable, the overbearing monetisation hacked off all the Payday 2 vets Starbreeze was hoping to transfer over, and the cherry on the cake was a patch deployment issue that meant the first update took weeks to arrive. 
(...)
Starbreeze has a big rescue job on its hands, and lead producer Andreas Penniger alongside community lead Amir Listo recently spoke to PCGN about what went wrong with that launch, and where the game can go from here.

Games that 'look like they were designed by a bunch of people in a CEO boardroom' aren't exciting or interesting to Metaphor: ReFantazio's director
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/games-that-look-like-they-were-designed-by-a-bunch-of-people-in-a-ceo-boardroom-arent-exciting-or-interesting-to-metaphor-refantazios-director/
Metaphor: ReFantazio's done rather well for itself, hasn't it? It's one of the fastest-selling games in Atlus' (who also made the vaunted Persona games) history. I'm about 37 hours in myself at the moment, and as I correctly predicted it's gotten me, someone who hasn't even touched a Persona game, all-in on an Atlus RPG.
(...) Speaking on his successes to IGN, director Katsura Hashino says the secret sauce—the chemical X to pulling off successful RPGs consistently—is the human touch: "I want something—even if it’s not complete, even if it’s really rough, even if it’s something really unfinished—to give me a glimpse of the humanity behind it."

MSI leaks Ryzen 9000X3D: 2% to 13% higher gaming performance than 7000X3D

https://videocardz.com/newz/msi-leaks-ryzen-9000x3d-2-to-13-higher-gaming-performance-than-7000x3d

Wallet saved

NVIDIA Shield TV reaches 9 years of updates: time for new hardware?

https://videocardz.com/newz/nvidia-shield-tv-reaches-9-years-of-updates-time-for-new-hardware

Incredible amounts of hardware support

AMD Navi 44 “RDNA 4” GPU Appears To Have A Bigger Package Size Than Navi 24 “RDNA 2”

https://wccftech.com/amd-navi-44-package-size-29-x-29-mm-smaller-than-navi-33-bigger-than-navi-24/

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 GPU Won’t Have A Significant Price Increase Over RTX 4090

https://wccftech.com/nvidia-geforce-rtx-5090-gpu-wont-have-significant-price-increase-over-4090/

Whether it's MLID predicting the price will be high or these people predicting price won't change... Historically no one knows what the price will be until Jensen says so on the day of

TSMC 3nm Set To Witness Massive Adoption From AI Tech Giants; NVIDIA Rubin, AMD Instinct MI355X & Intel Falcon Shores

https://wccftech.com/tsmc-3nm-witness-massive-adoption-ai-tech-giants-nvidia-rubin-amd-mi355x-intel-falcon-shores/

AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE To Utilize The Same Navi 33 GPU As RX 7600 XT, Launches In Q1 2025

https://wccftech.com/amd-radeon-rx-7650-gre-to-utilize-the-same-navi-33-gpu-as-rx-7600-xt-launches-in-q1-2025/

As that article said:

https://store.steampowered.com/sale/nextfest

Well, at least it looks like it will have the same frequency as the non-3D  variants, so the chips should be quite faster than the 7000X3D and 5000X3D in the games that prefer higher frequencies over more cache.

It's worth keepig in mind that the package size doesn't always correspond to chip size. The same article at videocardz has pictures that show this. Still, we'll see how the GPUs perform.

I honestly find it difficult to beieve that Nvidia won't take this opportunity to raise the prices, even if it's only a bit. That doesn't sound like an Nvidia thing to do.

If it does use the same GPU, this card is a f*cking waste of time.

By the way, for those with Steam Decks, this may interest you:

This homebrew plugin that lets you install GOG and Epic games on your Steam Deck is getting a standalone Steam release
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/this-homebrew-plugin-that-lets-you-install-gog-and-epic-games-on-your-steam-deck-is-getting-a-standalone-steam-release/
Junk Store, a plugin for the open source Steam Deck homebrew launcher Decky Loader that allows the installation of games from non-Steam storefronts like GOG and Epic, is headed to Steam as standalone software. Theoretically, we could soon be in a world where Steam's providing you with software allowing you to play games you've acquired from its competitors, and—for now, at least—Valve seems cool with it.

Announced yesterday on Reddit, Junk Store's Steam release is "seamlessly integrated with Steam" according to its store page, where its developer SDK Innovation says it allows you to "install and launch games directly in Game Mode without switching to Desktop or relying on external launchers." Sounds pretty good to me, especially if you've been diligently collecting free Epic games every week and don't want to tangle with homebrew software.

I'd consider a $100 increase significant but I guess some people wouldn't blink at a $400 increase and shrug it off as inflation + performance gains on an already crazy priced card as not significant.

To be honest, a $100 increase with the most powerful card and literaly zero competition would actually be a "small" increase for Nvidia. And I'm far from being the target audience for such card.

But there's also what AIB partners will do, because they will surely try to take advantage of the situation to raise the prices even more.

It's all relative pricing. If a person is willing to spend $1600 already... spending $1700 is like 6-7% more. But if you were spending $700 and now the 80 class gpu is around $1200, that's like 70% price increase.

Considering the 5090 should be 820+ mm² (near maximum reticle size) and it's doubtful TSMC has made things any cheaper than they were two or three years ago... I don't see it as being less than $1999 unless Nvidia wants to take a smaller cut on profits.

Who knows, though, maybe defect density dropped enough for it to be slightly cheaper than that. Slightly.