ZOTAC presents GeForce RTX 4090D PGF Spider-Man modded GPU

https://videocardz.com/pixel/zotac-presents-geforce-rtx-4090d-pgf-spider-man-modded-gpu

Weird that it says Spiderman and Superman even though only spiderman is there.

Beelink open-sources its GPU docking station for Mini-PCs: full specs, 2D models free to grab and use

https://videocardz.com/newz/beelink-open-sources-its-gpu-docking-station-for-mini-pcs-full-specs-2d-models-free-to-grab-and-use

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D spotted on Geekbench with 5.3 GHz clock

https://videocardz.com/newz/amd-ryzen-7-9800x3d-spotted-on-geekbench-with-5-3-ghz-clock#disqus_thread

AYANEO Radeon RX 7600M XT Graphics Dock with 120W Turbo Knob and OCuLink set to launch at $599

https://videocardz.com/newz/ayaneo-radeon-rx-7600m-xt-graphics-dock-with-120w-turbo-knob-and-oculink-set-to-launch-at-599

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D full specs leak: 8 Zen5 cores, 120W TDP, 96MB L3 Cache and unlocked multiplier

https://videocardz.com/pixel/amd-ryzen-7-9800x3d-full-specs-leak-8-zen5-cores-120w-tdp-96mb-l3-cache-and-unlocked-multiplier

Latest AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D 3D V-Cache CPU Benchmarks Show Single-Core Perf On Par With 9950X, Multi-Thread Close To 14700K, Up To 25% Faster Than 7800X3D

https://wccftech.com/amd-ryzen-7-9800x3d-3d-v-cache-cpu-benchmarks-single-core-on-par-9950x-multi-thread-close-14700k/

I'd take it with a grain of salt due to geekbench

Intel Might Merge Memory Controller Onto The Compute Die With Panther Lake, Attempting To Fix Deep-Rooted CPU Latency Issues

https://wccftech.com/intel-merge-memory-controller-compute-die-panther-lake-fix-deep-rooted-cpu-latency-issues/

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 mobile series Device IDs revealed: RTX 5050 to RTX 5090 Laptop GPU listed

https://videocardz.com/newz/nvidia-geforce-rtx-50-mobile-series-device-ids-revealed-rtx-5050-to-rtx-5090-laptop-gpu-listed

Intel Files a Patent For “Disaggregated GPU” Design, Are We Going To See “True” Multi-Chiplet GPUs Soon?

https://wccftech.com/intel-files-patent-disaggregated-gpu-design-true-multi-chiplet-gpus-soon/

Intel Core Ultra 9 285K Sold Out In a Flash In Japan & Out of Stock In US Too, Retailers Confirm Supply Is Low

https://wccftech.com/intel-core-ultra-9-285k-sold-out-in-flash-japan-out-of-stock-us-retailers-supply-low/

Sounds like they knew it was gonna be a shit show

A new week, a new round of gaming news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Dead Island 2 has hit a record ten million players
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/dead-island-2-has-hit-a-record-ten-million-players/
Deep Silver has announced that Dead Island 2 has hit a record ten million players. The game came out in April 2023, meaning that it took it almost one and a half years to hit that goal.
The milestone was reached on the same day that Dead Island 2 Ultimate Edition launched. The Ultimate Edition is a free upgrade to all Gold Edition owners, granting them access to all the content HELL-A has to offer.
Do note that these are not sale numbers. Dead Island 2 is available on Game Pass. This means that a lot of gamers were able to play it without buying it. So, while this is a huge milestone, it’s not a huge commercial success.

The boxing game that only exists because most big publishers won't touch the sport has now sold over a million copies
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sports/the-boxing-game-that-only-exists-because-most-big-publishers-wont-touch-the-sport-has-now-sold-over-a-million-copies/
Undisputed is a game that exists because, for far too long a time, there simply wasn't another big boxing game around. Ash Habib, a boxing fan from Sheffield in the UK, found himself wondering why games like the Fight Night series had disappeared (the last was in 2010), with big publishers having seemingly decided there was no future in the genre.
Such thoughts eventually led Habib and his brothers Asif and Asad to found Steel City Interactive in 2020, which has since enjoyed significant venture investment and four years on boasts around 70 employees. Undisputed launched in early access in 2023, and PCG's own slugger Tyler Wilde calls the game "an aggressively complex boxing sim", with a focus on authenticity and a large licensed cast of real world fighters (both contemporary and historical).
Undisputed left early access and launched on Steam October 8. Steel City Interactive has now announced that the game has sold over a million copies. Game Developer reports this was achieved in one week, though I'm curious as to how many of those may be early access purchases: I've asked the studio to clarify, and will update with any response.

Factorio's expansion is setting record high player counts yet again so I'm expecting the world's IT infrastructure to collapse and innovation to stagnate any day now
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/factorios-expansion-is-setting-record-high-player-counts-yet-again-so-im-expecting-the-worlds-it-infrastructure-to-collapse-and-innovation-to-stagnate-any-day-now/
I'm here today to announce a dire portent. An issue that may or may not be disastrous for modern technological society. The Factorio: Space Age expansion is doing very, very well. After peaking at a record-setting 91,801 players on launch week, this weekend we've hit 118,674 players—more than triple the total we saw when Factorio launched its 1.0 release in 2020. This most illustrious of factory-building games is like catnip for engineers, coders, systems administrators, process designers, IT personnel, and also me.
Sure, it's the weekend now and that's responsible for the spike in peak player count... but what happens when their minds turn to The Factory, And How It Must Grow come Monday morning when they're supposed to be working? In a year already overrun with good factory games—surely hindering their productivity to date—we are seeing yet another monumenal release. I fear we shan't survive.
So, with a grain of salt, I'd recommend we all prepare for the full-scale collapse of technological civilization as we know it. Engineering tasks shall go un-gineered. Code shall be un-coded. Systems un-administered. Processes? Unprocessed. And there's no way the underpaid IT staff at the local government admin is showing up when they could be building factories that build rockets to send space factories to other planets, each of which has its own unique challenges, and then also build factories there to make yet more rockets.
>> We’re doomed!

GOG starts the week with three new sales:

• GOG’s Halooween Sale is here and will last 7 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/2024_halloween_sale
• The NIS America Publisher Sale has also launched on GOG and will have up to 80% discounts until November, 8th: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20241025_nis_america_publisher_sale
• And the Neon Doctrine Publisher Sale has games up to 75% off during 14 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20241028_neon_doctrine_publisher_sale

Steam has two new deals:

• Carto, that has a demo, gets a 70% discount until the 3rd of November: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1172450/Carto/
• LISA: The Painful is going to be 40% off until November 10: https://store.steampowered.com/app/335670/LISA_The_Painful/

There are two new deals at Humble:

• Humble Bundle presents the House Flipper Humble Bundle, featuring up to 8 items (2 games & 6 DLCs) to get during 18 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/house-flipper
• Meanwhile, the Humble Store also brings the NIS America Publisher Sale, with up to 80% discounts during 11 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/nis-america-publisher-sale/

And last, but not least, there’s Fanatical has three new deals:

• The new Star Deal is Dying Light 2 Stay Human: Reloaded Edition, 66% off during 24 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/dying-light-2-stay-human
• Fanatical doesn’t have a Halloween sale… they have the FrightFest
• And the BYO Frightmare Bundle (Halloween 2024) features 19 games to choose for your 2+, 4+ or 6+ bundles: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-frightmare-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Here are three more DLC-sized mods for The Witcher 3 Next-Gen
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/here-are-three-more-dlc-sized-mods-for-the-witcher-3-next-gen/
These past couple of weeks we’ve shared a few fan expansions for The Witcher 3 Next-Gen. So, today, I’ve decided to collect three new DLC-sized mods and share them in one article. This should please a lot of our TW3 fans. So, let’s dive in.
Let’s start with Beast of the Blood. Created by Oleksandr Shapran, this mod adds two new quests, new dialogues, location, entity and new game creature. It’s a cool DLC-sized mod, and you can download it from this link.
Then we have Of Kings and Killers. In this new mod, you will hunt down a witcher assassin being trained by the king of wild hunt, Eredin himself. The mod features a hand-crafted fan-fiction questline that seamlessly integrates into the main quest of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. You can download it from this link.
Lastly, we have The Spider and The Wolf. This mod presents players with an intriguing new questline, centered around an old threat. It offers over two hours of new gameplay over the course of 2-3 quests. You can download it from this link.
>> The article has three videos, one for each mod.

You can now play Black Myth: Wukong in first-person with guns
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/you-can-now-play-black-myth-wukong-in-first-person-with-guns/
Now this right here is why we all love mods on PC games. Black Myth: Wukong is an amazing third-person action RPG, inspired by Dark Souls and Sekiro. The game relies on melee and magic attacks. But what if you could play it in first-person with guns? Well, thanks to this mod, it’s now possible to get that experience on PC.
Going into more details, the Gun Mod allows you to use AK47 rifles and AWP sniper rifles. You can also switch at will from a third-person to a first-person perspective.
But wait, there is more. Inspired by Max Payne and other shooters, this mod also has a Bullet Time mechanic. By hitting “C”, you’ll enter Bullet Time. Bullet Time has a 30-second cooldown, will clear all sticks, and will consume a certain amount of health and mana.
>> There’s an almost 2 minutes video.

Play Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone with Path Tracing
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/play-harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone-with-path-tracing/
Modder ‘mmdanggg2’ has updated his Unreal Engine 1 RTX Remix Renderer, adding support for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. This means that you can now play this 2003 Harry Potter game with Full Ray Tracing/Path Tracing.
To showcase the game with these new Path Tracing effects, NVIDIA’s Jacob Freeman shared the following screenshots. These shots will give you an idea of the visual improvements that the renderer brings to the table.
As we can see, the lighting has been completely overhauled. And while the game looks better than its vanilla version, it still needs A LOT of work.
For starters, the textures have not been improved. Thus, they still look blurry and they lack any PBR values. As we’ve seen, PBR materials are a must for games that get Ray Tracing/Path Tracing support. Also, since this is an old game, its devs used a lot of “fake” light sources to light up the scenes. For Path Tracing to look right, modders will have to remove those fake lights.
All in all, while it’s cool, it’s still a very early WIP state. It’s also not representative of what RTX Remix is really capable of. At least right now. Still, if you want to try it, you can go ahead and download the Unreal Engine 1 RTX Remix Renderer from this link.
>> In the article you’ll find four screenshots.

The GTA Trilogy's excellent SilentPatch just got a big update and went open-source
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/grand-theft-auto/the-gta-trilogys-excellent-silentpatch-just-got-a-big-update-and-went-open-source/
You may know Silent from patches like the one that restores product placement and makes analog controls work properly in Crazy Taxi, or the one that restores Deus Ex: Human Revolution's piss filter. Perhaps even more essential is the SilentPatch for the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy, which just got a significant update and went open-source to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
The GTA SilentPatch fixes numerous issues in the PC ports of GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas, many of which weren't present in the console originals. It's not a patch for the Definitive Edition rerelease, however, which is a whole different kettle of fish with its own well-documented problems.
Among the fixes the SilentPatch now adds for all three games are fix for the issue where cars could blow up twice if you bailed out during the explosion, a restoration of the PS2 version's random chance that some drivers wouldn't turn on their lights in the rain or fog, metallic vehicle extras now appearing properly shiny rather than weirdly matte, the credits scrolling at the correct speed (they used to go slower at high resolutions), and the mission completion text likewise leaving the screen at the correct speed (again, it was linked to resolution).
There are also a significant number of changes specific to individual games. For instance, the SilentPatch now gives GTA 3 proper boat-sitting and driving animations rather than having Claude simply sink through the seat, pedestrians dive away from your vehicle instead of toward it, and severed limbs use the proper model rather than being weirdly doubled up so you'd see two hands on each severed arm. Oh, and NPC drivers can turn right on one-way roads now, something they couldn't do before.
Meanwhile, a lot of the Vice City changes have to do with broken backface culling. If you're not familiar with it, culling is the way videogames save memory by not rendering things you can't see—like the backs of objects. Vice City had all kinds of problems with its backface culling, resulting in car windows and parts of Tommy's collar disappearing, among other things. That's all been fixed, as has assault rifle muzzle flashes being aimed the wrong way, and a separate patch for pedestrians and Tommy not talking as much as they were supposed to on the street has been incorporated into the SilentPatch.
Finally, in sunny San Andreas, CJ's clothes now move when he's riding the quadbike just as they do on regular bikes, and you can hover with the jetpack even if you're using keyboard controls (it defaults to Q+E, and makes the jetpack segments way less annoying). Those weird falling black dots have also been fixed—while conspiracy theorists have long theorized they were supposed to be flying saucers, Silent looked into the code and realized they were supposed to use the textures from clouds, but were taking the wrong part of it. They now look white as they were originally intended to and clearly appear as shooting stars. Mystery solved.
>> The article has no media.

Skyrim mod lets you shank NPCs as Agent 47 in a Hitman Contracts-style assassination mode
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/skyrim-mod-lets-you-shank-npcs-as-agent-47-in-a-hitman-contracts-style-assassination-mode/
The great thing about Skyrim is that, if you don't like Skyrim, by this point you can make it into pretty much anything else. The game now has a decent claim to be the most-modded of all time, with over 170,000 mods listed across the basic and Special Edition on Nexus Mods. Whether you fancy recreating World War 2 in Tamriel, guilt-tripping yourself over NPC deaths, or just chilling while the game plays itself, there's a good chance someone's way ahead of you.
The title of this one speaks for itself, kinda: Hitman Contracts for Skyrim. It is not a full conversion of the excellent 2004 Hitman: Contracts, but a single focused quest that casts you as Agent 47 with five unlucky NPCs on your to-do list. It's the work of modder Magickaless, who also posted the below video of 47 taking out some Skyrim residents.
"It includes an assassination quest, the classic suit and a few weapons," says the creator. "I used Book of Shadows for the subdue animation. It's not part of my mod but I wholeheartedly recommend it for anyone who likes stealth."
The mod starts with you having to find 47's suit, a kitchen knife, and a silver crossballer from Riften. After this you can find a note that has the details of your contract, and then it's time to shank-'em-up, albeit in a game that has a very basic vanilla stealth system. Luckily mods can help out there too, and the description for Hitman Contracts includes a few suggestions.

GAMING NEWS

Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered Official PC System Requirements
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/horizon-zero-dawn-remastered-official-pc-system-requirements/
Nixxes has shared the official PC system requirements for Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered will be available on October 31st, and it will cost $9.99 to those who already own the original version. So, let’s see what kind of PC you’ll need to run it.

First screenshots from the triple-A open-world game from the creator of Just Cause
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/first-screenshots-from-the-triple-a-open-world-game-from-the-creator-of-just-cause/
Christofer Sundberg, co-founder of Avalanche and creator of Just Cause, has shared the first screenshots from his next triple-A game. This new game will be an open-world title, created by Sundberg’s new studio, Liquid Swords.

God of War Ragnarok Patch 6 improves performance on AMD Zen1 and Zen2 CPUs
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/god-of-war-ragnarok-patch-6-improves-performance-on-amd-zen1-and-zen2-cpus/
Jetpack Interactive has released Title Update 6 for the PC version of God of War Ragnarok. This patch brings visual improvements and performance increases on AMD’s older Zen CPUs. So, let’s take a closer look at it.

EDENS ZERO gets official PC system requirements
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/edens-zero-gets-official-pc-system-requirements/
Konami has revealed the PC requirements for the 3D action RPG based on the space fantasy comic/anime EDENS ZERO by Hiro Mashima, EDENS ZERO. The game will come out on PC in 2025, so let’s see what PC system you’ll need to run it.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 October 26th Patch Released & Detailed
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/call-of-duty-black-ops-6-october-26th-patch-released-detailed/
Treyarch has released the first post-launch update for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. The October 26th Patch is around 500MB in size on PC, and below you can find its complete changelog. So, let’s take a look at what it brings to the table.

A PC port for Halo 5 was canceled due to technical issues
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/a-pc-port-for-halo-5-was-canceled-due-to-technical-issues/
When Microsoft released Halo 5: Forge on PC in 2016, a lot assumed that its single-player campaign would also find its way to the PC. And yesterday, Tyler Owens, a former Halo 5 dev confirmed that there were plans to bring it to the PC. However, Microsoft has decided to cancel that PC port due to some technical issues.

Alan Wake 2 Title Update 1.2.3 Released, Full Patch Notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/alan-wake-2-title-update-1-2-3-released-full-patch-notes/
Remedy has released Title Update 1.2.3 for Alan Wake 2. According to the release notes, this patch fixes a number of bugs that plagued the main game and its latest DLC. So, let’s take a closer look at what it fixes.

Monday news, the long second part:

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 includes an arachnophobia setting that plucks all the zombie spiders' legs and leaves them as floating, horrible leeches
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/call-of-duty-black-ops-6-includes-an-arachnophobia-setting-that-plucks-all-the-zombie-spiders-legs-and-leaves-them-as-floating-horrible-leeches/
Arachnophobia is an unfortunate burden to bear when spiders happen to be one of the standard stock enemy types that game designers reach for when they need to fill a cave or spooky ruin, even if we all might be getting a bit tired of dealing with the associated poisons, webs, and spiderling-stuffed egg clutches. Thankfully, it's only getting more common for developers to address spider concerns—whether with arachnophobia modes, or simply deciding to skip spiders entirely—and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is following suit.

Deadlock adds 6 new heroes only available for veteran players, but none of that matters anymore because Valve has renamed Slork
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/moba/deadlock-adds-six-new-heroes-only-available-for-veteran-players-but-none-of-that-matters-anymore-because-valve-has-renamed-slork/
Deadlock's recent patch is a big one. There are big hero changes, map redesigns, and six new heroes for players to check out if they've got 50 games under their belt. Although these won't be added to ranked or casual play for some time, don't worry—you won't be at a disadvantage.
The six new heroes added are Calico, Holliday, Magician, Viper, Wrecker, and Fathom, who was originally named Slork. It was a bold and innovative name, and I can't figure out why Valve had decided to change it, but there's no use crying over spilled milk, so we'll all just have to make the best of the situation and promise to only refer to him as Slork.

Deadlock's latest patch buffs three of the most annoying heroes but manages to leave out the biggest thorn in my side
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/moba/deadlocks-latest-patch-buffs-three-of-the-most-annoying-heroes-but-manages-to-leave-out-the-biggest-thorn-in-my-side/
Valve is forever dishing out small patches for Deadlock as the devs try to balance all the new heroes and team compositions. After a major update, which saw six new heroes added to the Hero Labs, we've got a small update that strengthens a few heroes and weakens a few others.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is effectively banned in Kuwait, so Activision is issuing refunds for pre-orders: 'We remain hopeful that local authorities will reconsider'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/call-of-duty-black-ops-6-is-effectively-banned-in-kuwait-so-activision-is-issuing-refunds-for-pre-orders-we-remain-hopeful-that-local-authorities-will-reconsider/
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is finally here, but if you live in Kuwait you won't be able to play it, at least not legally: Activision has confirmed that the Kuwaiti government has not approved the new shooter for sale in the country.
>> I don’t think it affects any of us here in the thread, but it’s always curious to see how these things still happen in countries other than the usual ones.

The next Helldivers 2 Warbond is going full baddies mode with armor and weaponry from the Ministry of Truth
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/the-next-helldivers-2-warbond-is-going-full-baddies-mode-with-armor-and-weaponry-from-the-ministry-of-truth/
I wouldn't say this where any of the Super Earth censors could hear it, but I've begun to suspect that the Ministry of Truth might not be the nicest guys. I can't prove it, of course, but when I look at the offerings arriving next week with Truth Enforcers, Helldivers 2's next premium Warbond, I can't help but feel a little afraid about what truth I might receive from the folks in bright crimson armor plating who're toting shotguns that shoot flechette rounds.
Maybe it's the fact that the new armor cosmetics look like the kind of guys who tend to get cut up by lightsaber-wielding protagonists in Star Wars movies? Could be coincidence, I guess.

Helldivers 2 gave players a deliberately awful, crusty rifle from 1903 but they love it because they can bayonet charge bugs like sci-fi Waterloo
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/helldivers-2-gave-players-a-deliberately-awful-crusty-rifle-from-1903-but-they-love-it-because-they-can-bayonet-charge-bugs-like-sci-fi-waterloo/
Another liberty day has come and gone in the world of Helldivers 2, with the patriotic citizens of Super Earth rewarded by developers Arrowhead Game Studios with a throwback to the first Helldivers and the game's first melee weapon: The 2124 Constitution rifle and the armor set from the original game. A thinly-disguised M1903 Springfield, the American rifle of choice in the First World War, the Constitution is described in-game as the rifle given to all citizens of Super Earth at the age of 16 and in the timeline of Helldivers 2 is a design nearly 300 years old. Suffice to say that with its five-round magazine reloaded one bullet at a time and bolt action, it is basically terrible... but unlike every other gun in the game so far, it has a bayonet on it.

Cancel your weekend plans because this cozy cowboy life sim just went into open beta and you can play it for free
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/life-sim/cancel-your-weekend-plans-because-this-cozy-cowboy-life-sim-just-went-into-open-beta-and-you-can-play-it-for-free/
Imagine if Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2 visited Stardew Valley. Actually, don't imagine that because he'd probably rob the train and shoot the mayor dead and drag Pierre through the town behind his horse. How about this: imagine Arthur Morgan had a twin brother named, um, Garthur, and Garthur Morgan wasn't a violent bank-robbing outlaw but a nice gentle farmer who enjoyed a quiet life of fishing and crafting and chatting with townsfolk. And he only occasionally shot a few bandits and cattle rustlers.
That's what you'll find if you mosey on over to Cattle Country on Steam: a cozy cowboy life sim where you plant crops, raise livestock, go fishing, romance the locals, and sometimes get into a few scraps. And guess what, partner? Cattle Country has just entered open beta so you can play it for free.
>> Needless to say, this article is from Friday.

US copyright law 'forces researchers to explore extra-legal methods' for game preservation, say historians who are 'disappointed' after being denied a DMCA exemption
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/us-copyright-law-forces-researchers-to-explore-extra-legal-methods-for-game-preservation-say-historians-who-are-disappointed-after-being-denied-a-dmca-exemption/
The Video Game History Foundation says it is "disappointed" by the US Copyright Office's refusal to grant a new Digital Millennium Copyright Act exemption to help support videogame preservation, saying the game industry's resistance to the proposed change "forces researchers to explore extra-legal methods to access the vast majority of out-of-print video games."

This surrealist horror game made entirely in PowerPoint will get your Halloween started right
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/this-surrealist-horror-game-made-entirely-in-powerpoint-will-get-your-halloween-started-right/
If you glanced at the dismal nightmare of Roche Limit, with its empty pixel art landscapes and figures, you probably wouldn't know it's all running in PowerPoint. Leaves fall, eyes blink, and trees writhe in a way that is far beyond anything I thought was possible in a piece of organizational software I have successfully avoided since high school. I remember thinking dissolve transitions were cool, but I guess an entire horror game is too.
Quietly released in 2022 but recently gaining buzz, developer Jack Strait stitched together the "one-thousand-something slide presentation" using gifs and hyperlinks, according to a 2023 interview with him on Game Developer. His first game, The EdCo Incident, was also made in PowerPoint because he lost his copy of Gamer Maker a few years prior.

Diablo 4 boss asks if the new class dealing billions of damage should be 'fixed' or not
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/diablo-4-boss-asks-if-the-new-class-dealing-billions-of-damage-should-be-fixed-or-not/
Diablo boss Rod Fergusson made a very brave decision yesterday and dropped a "non-binding" poll for his thousands of X followers on whether or not Blizzard should "fix" the bugs that cause its newest class to vastly outperform the others.
"I'm not saying we're doing anything, I'm just saying that a class that's been out for 3 weeks versus 16 months is going to have some issues that need to be addressed," he wrote. "Real question is when."

You're not going to see 'Peter Griffin or anime characters coming to Hunt,' says Crytek in response to fears that its Scream crossover means it's Fortnite now
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/youre-not-going-to-see-peter-griffin-or-anime-characters-coming-to-hunt-says-crytek-in-response-to-fears-that-its-scream-crossover-means-its-fortnite-now/
Hunt: Showdown 1896's first premium crossover cosmetic didn't go over well with a lot of players, who feel that the mask from Scream doesn't quite fit into a paranormal extraction shooter set over 100 years in the past. Is the Ghost Face Rampage DLC the beginning of the Fortnite-ification of Hunt? Crytek says no.
In an email correspondence with PC Gamer, the developer said that it plans to do more collaborations "with IPs and personalities that have ties to the world of Hunt," but that "you won't see Peter Griffin or anime characters coming to Hunt any time soon."

Capricious Valve fixes 17 year-old Team Fortress 2 bug that made Scout's pants the wrong color, almost immediately un-fixes it
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/17-years-later-valve-fixes-team-fortress-2-bug-that-made-scouts-pants-the-wrong-color-bug-so-old-it-could-have-enlisted-with-parental-consent/
The dream team at Valve Software has done it again, adding another footnote to the definition of Valve Time by releasing a new update for Team Fortress 2 that corrects a 17-year old bug.
The update's notes contain the innocuous line "Fixed BLU Scout using the incorrect team color pants." The news that one of Team Fortress 2's characters has apparently been running around in the wrong trousers for such a long time has, needless to say, caused consternation, shock and awe around one of the most excitable-slash-resigned fanbases out there. It also has amusing implications about Scout's ability to get himself dressed.
Update 10/26/25: It's so over. The day after issuing this fix, and scant hours after this article was published, the Valve janitor sprang into action. A new patch for Team Fortress 2 has "reverted BLU Scout pants fix because it conflicts with too many existing cosmetics."
>> lol. The link in the update leads to another PCGamer article that explains the problem.

Multiplayer mech shooter Mecha Break teases a 'pilot combat mode' where you leave the cockpit and run around like reverse Titanfall
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/multiplayer-mech-shooter-mecha-break-teases-a-pilot-combat-mode-where-you-leave-the-cockpit-and-run-around-like-reverse-titanfall/
In a recent video from Mecha Break developer Amazing Seasun, company CEO Kris Kwok revealed that a "pilot combat mode" where you leave your mech and explore the battlefield on foot is part of the studio's long-term plan for the game after its release in 2025.

Hideo Kojima games have already gotten big reappraisals 5-10 years after release, now the auteur says he wants to make games that will impress space aliens centuries into the future
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/hideo-kojima-games-have-already-gotten-big-reappraisals-5-10-years-after-release-now-the-auteur-says-he-wants-to-make-games-that-will-impress-space-aliens-centuries-into-the-future/
Remember how everyone thought Raiden was stupid and dorky when Metal Gear Solid 2 came out, then ten years later the consensus was all of a sudden that MGS2 was a postmodern masterpiece? Well now we know what the endgame of that "Kojima Cycle" might look like: Future space aliens agreeing that you should absolutely give Death Stranding another shot.
Kojima's meditation on the potential afterlife of a piece of art comes from a fan Q&A organized by Anan News (by way of GamesRadar). In response to a question about the mindset a successful game developer needs to have, Kojima replied that it's "to make something that you're satisfied with. Or rather, you can't create something that you are not satisfied with.

Life is Strange co-creator says 'nothing justifies' the vitriol the series' current devs are getting while allowing that 'we would not have written things the same way'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/adventure/life-is-strange-co-creator-says-nothing-justifies-the-vitriol-the-series-current-devs-are-getting-while-allowing-that-we-would-not-have-written-things-the-same-way/
Life is Strange co-creator and Don't Nod creative director Michel Koch has taken to X, "The Everything App" to call for civility from Life is Strange fans upset with the series' current developer, Deck Nine. Though Deck Nine has been developing new Life is Strange games for some time, the recently released Double Exposure is the first to revisit the characters from the 2015 original, resulting in some controversy.

Even after that long second post, here’s a third one with more news:

Weird aesthetics abound in point-and-click comsic gothic Blood on the Thames
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/adventure/weird-aesthetics-abound-in-point-and-click-comsic-gothic-blood-on-the-thames/
Here's one for those of you that enjoy an odd little bit of indie storytelling: Blood on the Thames is a "murder mystery puzzle game with visual novel elements in a Gothic, Lovecraftian world." In it, your sleuth must solve a supernatural murder in a Victorian London still reeling from the Jack the Ripper murders.

Gear up to explore some sky whales, build a few towns when survival crafter Towers of Aghasba releases next month
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/gear-up-to-explore-some-sky-whales-build-a-few-towns-when-survival-crafter-towers-of-aghasba-releases-next-month/
We really loved the vibrant world of Towers of Aghasba when it was revealed earlier this year: Giant flying whales, rideable mouse-horse-things, a stunning variety of strange creatures and hairy tortoise things and interesting-looking stuff wielded and worn by the characters. The list just went on and on. Now, towers of Aghasba is nearing an early access launch on Novermber 19 with six regions, three ecosystems, and three villages for your junior architect to develop.

ColdRidge, the game about cowboys doing 4x-style exploration, hits release
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/coldridge-the-game-about-cowboys-doing-4x-style-exploration-hits-release/
French indie studio Frog Collective is set to drop their first game on October 28: ColdRidge, a wild west-set adventure that has your cowpoke adventuring out into the wilderness each spring in the hopes of scouting out resources that the guild needs—and making enough cash before winter comes to survive until you can work again. Otherwise, well, you're outside the walls when those world-scouring snowstorms come.

Vermintide 2 is getting a progression rework in time for the official release of Versus mode
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/vermintide-2-is-getting-a-progression-rework-in-time-for-the-official-release-of-versus-mode/
Darktide enjoyed a progression rework earlier this year, and it's Vermintide 2's turn next. As design director Joakim Setterberg explained in a developer blog, with Versus mode on the way Fatshark has decided to smooth out the way Vermintide 2 welcomes new players and how its progression mechanics keep them around.

JRPG Ys 10: Nordics comes to PC with a heap of PC-specific features
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/jrpg-ys-10-nordics-comes-to-pc-with-a-heap-of-pc-specific-features/
The Ys games (it rhymes with "peace", you're welcome) are a series of JRPGs that go back to 1987, and have recently begun receiving English localizations sooner than they used to. The latest example of that is Ys 10: Nordics, which just released in English following a Japanese/Korean/Chinese PC port in March of this year.

This visual novel about hunting supernatural oddities in urban environments will definitely be one for the Persona crowd
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/visual-novel/this-visual-novel-about-hunting-supernatural-oddities-in-urban-environments-will-definitely-be-one-for-the-persona-crowd/
The intriguingly-named Urban Myth Dissolution Center has that style of animation and use of color and typography that makes me immediately pay attention because, well: Not every developer does this, do they? That, and the occult investigation theme, make me immediatley curious at what this one's bringing to the table when modern fantasy juggernauts like Persona dominate the landscape.

Obsidian says choices both big and small will matter in Avowed, and 'the choices you get and the outcomes in front of you are going to depend on what you're able to find'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/obsidian-says-choices-both-big-and-small-will-matter-in-avowed-and-the-choices-you-get-and-the-outcomes-in-front-of-you-are-going-to-depend-on-what-youre-able-to-find/
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Pillars of Eternity 2 is one of my favourite CRPGs of all time, and one of the most underrated, too. That's in no small part down to the themes it takes on and the choices it lets you make. PoE2 is about imperialism, colonialism, how we construct and conceive of notions of 'progress,' and it's also about chasing an incredibly large green man across half the planet. The way you could define your character in relation to those themes, not according to some shallow binary, but in all sorts of weird, idiosyncratic and nuanced ways, is still impressive today.
Which is why, despite the weirdly timid marketing Obsidian has been doing for the game, I'm excited to get my hands on Avowed—set in PoE's universe after the events of the second game—this February. After all, the devs say they're thinking about choices just as must as they did in the isometric games. In a recent chat with Edge magazine (via GamesRadar), game director Carrie Patel said that one of the things Avowed is trying to emphasise is "giving the player moment-to-moment choices to express and explore where they're leaning."

Silly Polly Beast is a stylish, spooky survival horror game where you're packing some serious firepower
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/silly-polly-beast-is-a-stylish-spooky-survival-horror-game-where-youre-packing-some-serious-firepower/
While Steam Next Fest is over (for now), there are a whole heap of demos staying out after curfew, including the unusual Silly Polly Beast. This story-driven shooter is an intriguing mix of psychological and supernatural horror, teenage angst, stylish neon horror-punk aesthetics and aggressive twin-stick shooter combat.

Randy Pitchford appears to hint at 'seamless' loading in Borderlands 4, is asked to elaborate, says 'I will absolutely elaborate', doesn't elaborate, leaves
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/randy-pitchford-appears-to-hint-at-seamless-loading-in-borderlands-4-is-asked-to-elaborate-says-i-will-absolutely-elaborate-doesnt-elaborate-leaves/
The next Borderlands game is coming in 2025—and while the recent movie was an absolute financial and critical catastrophe, I'm actually still excited. (…)
I am, however, greatly amused by Randy Pitchford, developer Gearbox's founder, who has a habit of posting through it, like the whole movie thing, which culminated in him comparing the studio to The Beatles. (...)
He's now re-emerged with a twinkle in his eye (thanks, Gamesradar) to hint at an upcoming feature for Borderlands 4. Well, sort of. As Borderlands streamer JoltzDude139 was marvelling at the nearly-seamless loading that happens when you throw an SSD at a game that came out 12 years ago (it is a fun marker of how far we've come, don't get me wrong), Pitchford appeared and, typing with a mischievous twinkle in his eye and a click in his heels, replied: "Seamless, you say?"

Dead Estate wraps up 3 years of free expansions with a fond Good Night
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/dead-estate-wraps-up-3-years-of-free-expansions-with-a-fond-good-night/
Big guns, big pixels and… one particularly buxom witch—the calling cards of action roguelike Dead Estate. If you've missed out on it so far, now's a great time to check it out, because it just received its sixth and final update, freeing developers Milkbar Lads to finally explore other projects. Or just go outside.

The most promising Disco Elysium successor studio says workers must unite to topple Valve's 'digital fiefdom' of Steam
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/the-most-promising-disco-elysium-successor-studio-says-workers-must-unite-to-topple-valves-digital-fiefdom-of-steam/
According to his biographer, Max Brod, Franz Kafka once postulated over lunch that our world wasn't much more than "a bad mood of God, a bad day." When Brod asked if, then, that meant there was room for hope—perhaps God's bad mood could end—Kafka replied "Oh, hope enough, infinite hope—just not for us."
Which is pretty much the vibe I get from the devs at worker-owned studio Summer Eternal, one of the many Disco Elysium successor companies that popped up in the wake of ZA/UM's fracturing. In a recent chat with VG247, the devs at the studio were asked if they saw much chance of conditions in the industry improving following a devastating couple of years of layoffs. Their answer? "I think this ind
(...)
Then again, maybe I'll take that back. Gavrilović says he's "eagerly awaiting a second crisis, one which would spotlight the largest structural issue in game development - the fact that one third of all PC revenue from all developers (from indies to AAA) is syphoned to digital fiefdoms."
Digital fiefdoms like who, you ask, as if you don't already know the answer? "Valve is the most egregious example," says Gavrilović. He hopes for a future where devs, not digital feudal lords, have more power, "but I lack the imagination to envision the replacement of Valve with a community owned alternative. That 'winter castle' will not fall as easily, but we should at least start openly discussing alternatives."

Factorio is definitely making some big money they managed to get this far by never putting the game on sale and actually have only ever increased the price since it's early access and now the new expansion is as much as the game currently costs.

Saw this game a few weeks ago and it looks pretty cool I think I might give the demo a try.

Intel is in a bad spot, and that it's hard to understand how they let things go out of control to where they are now. And then, you read this:

Intel's former CEO pushed for the chip maker to buy Nvidia for $20 billion in 2005—the GPU company is now worth $3.5 trillion
https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/intels-former-ceo-pushed-for-the-chip-maker-to-buy-nvidia-for-usd20-billion-in-2005-the-gpu-company-is-now-worth-usd3-5-trillion/
As some hockey player once said, "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take". Or in Intel's case, you miss out on buying a company that's currently sitting second on the list of most valuable companies in the world, back when it was worth relatively little.

That's according to a report from the New York Times, detailing how Paul Otellini, Intel's chief executive from 2005 to 2013, presented the board with an idea to buy a little computer graphics company called Nvidia. This wasn't long after he'd taken the position, and the board apparently put up a significant amount of resistance, as (at a $20 billion value at the time), it would easily have been Intel's most expensive acquisition to date.

As a result, Otellini backed away from defending the purchase. One attendee at the meeting reportedly described it as "a fateful moment", and I should think so, too. Given that Nvidia has since positioned itself at the forefront of the AI boom, and currently has a market cap estimated to be around $3.5 trillion dollars, it does strike as one of those misses you'd kick yourself for.

It's a risky formula, but it works for some studios, especially if the games have a niche appeal of sorts. All the better to them.

And I didn't know the game had a demo. Thanks for pointing that out.

Also, for Steam Deck users:

New SteamOS makes Steam Deck a better machine with bug fixes, microSD improvements, and even 'improved battery life by up to 10%' in some situations
https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/handheld-gaming-pcs/new-steamos-makes-steam-deck-a-better-machine-with-bug-fixes-microsd-improvements-and-even-improved-battery-life-by-up-to-10-percent-in-some-situations/
The Steam Deck has been one of the best handheld gaming PCs basically ever since it launched yet finding a rogue software problem isn't unheard of. Valve has put out a new OS update that may just make the whole handheld a little better and squash a whole heap of bugs. 

SteamOS 3.6.19 has just launched and Valve put out notes on what it has changed. As well as fixing a whole host of issues like "the frame limiter not properly applying in certain situations" or "a rare issue where sound output could be corrupted on certain boots", it also improves general stability and comes with quality-of-life fixes. 

Interestingly, this update is said to improve the speed of future OS updates and even improves the "reliability of certain microSD card usage scenarios". This includes finding a problem where some SanDisk microSD cards were not picked up by the device.

I forgot to add this:

https://store.steampowered.com/category/scream

Now every store has its Halloween Sale live.

I do hope Intel changes their strategy going forward cause so far, it has been pretty shat with their cpu department. When Ryzen 1000 launched, that was slower than Intel in gaming and even various productivity benchmarks like Adobe. But AMD promised 4 years of cpu generations in a single socket and they gave more cores than Intels counterpart. It's time Intel stops the 1 socket 2 cpu gen bs. They need to get with the program and start supporting single sockets for 4+ years with 3-4 cpu generations at a minimum.

But what's crazy to me is they didn't learn from AMDs shortcomings before designing the core Ultra series. Chiplet has a latency penalty which has been know for quite sometime and the way that AMD gets around it is by adding in Vcache. Surely Intel could have added something similar but didn't.