Complaining that a videogame is not historically correct is, indeed, ridiculous. But there will always be something to complain about. And while those who complain may the the usual groups, social media spreads those messages very fast, and in every group of friends there'll be someone that brings it up either to mock the complains or to join them, spreading that even further to people that wouldn't have known about it. And bad press isn't always a good thing.

In any case, it's a free game and you can either use it, give it away to someone who may like it or even try to sell it online (some people do it with the free games Nvidia and AMD give from time to time to get back some of the money they paid for the card).

Yeah, the fact that here the prices are final, with all the taxes included, give the impression that we're paying more for electronics than they do in the US. And don't get me wrong, sometimes that's the case, but it's easy to forget to include VAT when comparing prices.

Cards from third party brands usually cost more because the coolers tend to be bigger or have other characteristics or gimmicks to set them apart, like tweaking the card with a mild overclock so it runs faster while still be in warranty. Usually the coolers really do a better job in not just keeping the card cooler, but also with the noise. For example, from the Techpowerup review of the ASRock B580 card, we have this comparison:

The cooler from the ASRock card is noticeably better than the stock one from Intel, and it's also quieter. And for some reason the card also uses a bit less power.

But that doesn't mean that the extra price is always justified or worth it.

I'm not sure how long will the Limited Edition last. Last time around Intel also labeled some of their cards Limited Edition, but it just a marketing name and they kept selling them for many months. Or maybe the demand was low and they had too many in stock, it's hard to say.

As for how expensive the B580 is in Spain where I live... well, I can't tell you because none of the usual stores I check have listed the card yet. Hopefully by tomorrow they'll do it, but we'll see. I've used "Alternate" to compare prices because they operate in many EU countries (but not in Sweden, they only go as north as Denmark), and it's around the 310€ mark. Keep in mind that different countries have different taxes so the price will vary from one to another. Here in Spain the highest one is 21%, 4 points lower than yours.

Well, here in Luxembourg there are only 2 B580 cards "available" (as in both are sold out), and it's two ASRock cards, Challenger and Steel Legend, sold for 329€ and 339€ respectively.

For comparison, the 7600 is available starting at 285€, the RTX 4060 for 309€, the 7600XT for 359€, the 4060Ti for 400€ and the 7700XT for 440€. This also makes the 7700XT a bad buy right now since the 7800XT is now available for 489€, so less than 50€ extra over the 7700XT

However, I feel like the prices outside of the 7800XT and 7900XT (729€) are currently inflated somewhat due to the holidays, so January might bring in a clearer picture. The latter two being still down in price might be an indication that AMD wants to clear it's warehouses for the upcoming 8800 card, which would directly compete with both of them. 

I wonder bout those 4K results if there are any microstutters or frametimes being unstable. Average FPS may be fine but I suspect that the frametimes may have taken a hit already.

Any idea what you want to replace your current setup with?

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti to feature 16GB VRAM, RTX 5060 reportedly sticks to 8GB

https://videocardz.com/newz/nvidia-geforce-rtx-5060-ti-to-feature-16gb-vram-rtx-5060-reportedly-sticks-to-8gb

If true, then once again we have a situation where 60 class gets stuck with 8GB of vram and by this point, it's basically impossible to recommend it unless it's in the sub $200 price range which I doubt it will be. So Intels B580 just might have free reign but lets see if Radeon has something different up their sleeve.

GeForce RTX 5070 Ti reportedly features 16GB GDDR7 memory and GB203-300 GPU

https://videocardz.com/newz/geforce-rtx-5070-ti-reportedly-features-16gb-gddr7-memory-and-gb203-300-gpu

While good for the 5070 Ti as 4070 Ti originally launched with 12GB which was terrible for it's price, this likely means the 5070 will continue to have 12GB which is really lame. Ideally 5070 Ti and 5070 should have 16GB while 5060 Ti and 5060 should have 12GB. But alas, Nvidia likes their upsell.

Nintendo Switch 2 might be announced next month, leaker shares first-hand info

https://videocardz.com/newz/nintendo-switch-2-might-be-announced-next-month-leaker-shares-first-hand-info

Nothing too interesting in this leak

ZOTAC confirms GeForce RTX 5090 with 32GB GDDR7 memory, 5080 and 5070 series listed as well

https://videocardz.com/newz/zotac-confirms-geforce-rtx-5090-with-32gb-gddr7-memory-5080-and-5070-series-listed-as-well

Truist Securities: NVIDIA To Tap ~$35 Billion In New TAM By Launching A Client-Side CPU In 2025

https://wccftech.com/truist-securities-nvidia-to-tap-35-billion-in-new-tam-by-launching-a-client-side-cpu-in-2025/

PowerColor To Intro “Reaper” Series With The Launch Of AMD Radeon RX 8000 “RDNA 4” GPUs

https://wccftech.com/powercolor-reaper-series-launch-amd-radeon-rx-8000-rdna-4-gpus/

AMD’s CEO Lisa Su Refutes “Wild” Intel-AMD Merger Rumors, Comments On The Bright Future of AI As Well

https://wccftech.com/amds-ceo-lisa-su-refutes-wild-intel-amd-merger-rumors-comments-on-the-bright-future-of-ai-as-well/

Welcome to the Monday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

GOG doesn’t have new deals but, for fans of BROK the InvestiGator, there’s a freebie you may want to check: https://www.gog.com/en/game/brok_the_investigator_natal_tail_a_new_christmas.

Steam has three new deals for us:

• The Turn-Based-Tactics Bundle with three games and DLCs. There’s no mentin of how long it will last, but the individual games will be on sale until tomorrow: https://store.steampowered.com/publisher/daedalic/sale/TBTBundle
• The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, that seems to have improved and now it has a mixed rating, will be 90% off until Thursday: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1265780/The_Lord_of_the_Rings_Gollum/
• And MudRunner has an 80% discount that will last until December 29, surprisingly: https://store.steampowered.com/app/675010/MudRunner/

Humble Bundle has two short lives bundles:

• The Humble Heroines: Action, Adventure & Intrigue Encore Bundle includes 7 games and will be available during only 10 more hours: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/humble-heroines-action-adventure-intrigue-encore
• Meanwhile, the Mind-Bending Masterpieces Encore Bundle also features 7 games, but it will last a bit more, 34 hours: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/mindbending-masterpieces-encore

And Fanatical has a couple of deals:

• The Star Deal is STARFIELD - Premium Edition, it’s 46% off, started yesterday and will last another 24 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/starfield-premium-edition
• The Batman Arkham Collection is back and has an 88% discount for 17 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/batman-arkham-collection

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Does the NVIDIA App cripple your PC gaming performance?
https://www.dsogaming.com/articles/does-the-nvidia-app-cripple-your-pc-gaming-performance/
A story surfaced this weekend, suggesting that the NVIDIA App can cripple your PC gaming performance. As such, we’ve decided to test this on our main PC gaming system. So, can you really get over 20FPS by simply uninstalling the NVIDIA App? Let’s find out.
For our tests, we used an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D with 32GB of DDR5 at 6000Mhz, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. We also used Windows 10 64-bit, and the GeForce 566.14 driver. The OS we used may be crucial to the results. Moreover, we’ve disabled the second CCD on our 7950X3D.
The games we tested were Path of Exile 2, Red Dead Redemption, STALKER 2 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Path of Exile 2 was running at Native 4K with Max Settings, and Red Dead Redemption was running at Native 4K, Max Settings and DLAA (I’ve also unlocked its framerate). On the other hand, both STALKER 2 and Indiana Jones were running at 4K/Max Settings with DLSS 3 Quality and Frame Generation.
As we can see, there is a small performance hit with NVIDIA App. However, it’s nowhere close to what has been reported. On our PC system, it’s around 4-6%. And that’s mostly in CPU-bound areas. For instance, in Indiana Jones which is a GPU-bound game with Path Tracing, there isn’t any performance hit at all.
In a way, this kind of makes sense. NVIDIA App is a software running in the background at all times. So yes, it will consume some CPU cycles. It makes sense. This is why I’ve been saying you need to test and play games without any program running in the background. And believe me. Discord and Chrome (with lots of open tabs) can cripple your performance even more. Hell, even OSD programs can have a negative impact. This is nothing new.

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Portal 2 RTX got even better with Skurtyy’s PBR Pack
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/portal-2-rtx-got-even-better-with-skurtyys-pbr-pack/
Last month, we informed you about an amazing RTX Remix Mod for Portal 2 that added to Valve’s game real-time Path Tracing. And now, Portal 2 RTX has gotten even better with Skurtyy’s PBR Pack.
But what is Skurtyy’s PBR Pack some may ask? Well, this mod enhances Portal 2 with Physically-Based Rendering (PBR) textures, upscaled using PBRFusion by NightRaven109. It works seamlessly with Xorxor4d’s Portal 2 RTX Compatibility Mod, which reverse-engineers Portal 2 to work with the NVIDIA’s RTX Remix runtime.
Basically, it will make Portal 2 RTX look even more realistic than before. It will also greatly enhance its visuals. So, if you were planning to play Portal 2 with the RTX Remix, I highly recommend downloading this PBR Pack too. You can do so from this link.
>> The article has a 3 minutes video.

Sonic Adventure 2 Unreal Engine 5 Remake Demo Released
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/sonic-adventure-2-unreal-engine-5-remake-demo-released/
A few days ago, we informed you about a fan remake of Sonic Adventure 2 in Unreal Engine 5. And, as promised, a free demo of it has been released. So, if you are a Sonic fan, you should definitely download and try it.
For those unaware, Sonic Adventure 2 Redux is a ground-up reimagining of the 2001 classic in UE5. This fan remake comes with a branch of Velocity+. The Azure Framework will overhaul the physics, camera, controls, UI and much more. As its creator noted, this will provide a unique and brand new Unreal Engine 5 Sonic experience.
The demo lets you play City Escape and Metal Harbor. It also features two bosses. Those are Bigfoot and Shadow. Yep, you read that right. Shadow is in the remake.
This is one of the best fan remakes in UE5. This is exactly what a lot of Sonic fans have been asking all these years. And, since SEGA does not plan to remake Sonic Adventure 2, JeliLiam decided to do it himself. The end result is incredible. Not only does the remake improve the game’s graphics but it also retains the style of the original game. This is crazy good.
>> In the article you’ll find a shorter than 2 minutes video.

This cool mod introduces dynamic stealthy takedowns to Fallout 4
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/this-cool-mod-introduces-dynamic-stealthy-takedowns-to-fallout-4/
Now here is something really cool. Modder “bp42s” has released a mod that adds stealthy takedowns to Fallout 4. This mod aims to make stealth much better in the game. As such, it’s perfect for players who want to replay Fallout 4 in a fresh, new way.
With this mod, players can sneak up on enemies with their weapon ready and take them down silently. This won’t alert other nearby enemies. To use takedowns, you must be hidden from the enemy and have the Mister Sandman perk at level 1 or higher.
What’s really cool is that the takedown animations change based on the weapon you’re using and your camera view. For example, fists and hand-to-hand weapons have normal takedown moves. Rifles use a gun bash, while pistols use a pistol whip. Knives have slashing animations. One-handed and two-handed weapons have their own unique moves. And finally, special weapons like power fists also have custom animations.
It’s also worth noting that this mod is compatible with both the original and the next-gen version of Fallout 4. As such, you won’t have to downgrade the game’s version to use it.
>> You’ll find a slightly over 5 minutes video in the article.

This STALKER 2 Mod allows you to fast-travel anywhere on the map
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/this-stalker-2-mod-allows-you-to-fast-travel-anywhere-on-the-map/
A number of players were unhappy that STALKER 2 did not have a fast-travel option. So, if you felt the same way, you’ll be glad to know that a new mod has been released to fix this problem.
Created by modder ‘lopsi’, the following mod allows you to fast-travel anywhere on the map. All you have to do is hover over any marker on the map, including your own, and press Z. And that’s it.
Now I know this doesn’t make a lot of sense for a STALKER game. However, it’s a cool QoL improvement, especially for those who want to loot enemies and return to camps to sell them.
In my opinion, a better solution would be to only teleport in specific towns/villages. But hey, this is at least an improvement for those who were put off by the lack of a fast-travel option.
Do note that depending on where you teleport to (if there are many buildings/objects around) you may get stuck. If this happens, you can use the console command “XSetNoClipGSC true 500” to get out, and then “XSetNoClipGSC false” to disable again. You can download the mod from this link. To use it, you’ll also need to install UE4SS. Otherwise, the mod will not work. You can find an installation guide on its NexusMods page.
>> The article has no media.

On the 'deathiversary' of Star Wars Galaxies, the fan team keeping the MMO alive is launching its biggest update yet, which includes five new playable species
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/on-the-deathiversary-of-star-wars-galaxies-the-fan-team-keeping-the-mmo-alive-is-launching-its-biggest-update-yet-which-includes-five-new-playable-species/
Every update must be uniquely stressful for the people behind Star Wars Galaxies Restoration, the player-led revival of the MMO that died 13 years ago. After all, Star Wars Galaxies was the game with "the most infamous patch in videogame history", according to its original developers, who ascribe its cancellation largely to the unpopularity of the New Game Enhancements update.
The team who revived Star Wars Galaxies on a fan server don't seem phased, however. They've continued supporting its original direction with updates like the one that added planetary control mechanics, and even scheduled the latest update, Expanding Horizons, for the 13-year "deathiversary" of Galaxies.
"Instead of mourning the loss of Star Wars Galaxies," they write, "which 13 years ago on December 15 closed its doors forever, we invite fans from every corner of the galaxy to rejoice in the expanding horizons of the Restoration universe with a special Life Day event, where new players will be gifted special decorations that they may place in player-city life-day trees."
The big-ticket part of the update is the addition of five more playable species: the Nautolan, Chiss, Devoronian, Mirialan, and Bith. Players don't have to create a new character to try out a new species, and can swap by visiting an Image Designer. Other changes include revamped skill trees, 4K textures and a rebuilt x64 client, an added jewelry slot for earrings, and heroic challenges that reward complete jewelry sets, "perfect for end-game adventurers seeking the ultimate prize."
Vehicle customization is another significant addition, one that will let players "Craft the ride of your dreams with the new vehicle reverse engineering system. Loot parts, tinker, and toy with vehicles like never before! Change vehicle speed, maneuverability, durability, and add new abilities to outrun, disappear, or track down your targets."
Players in the droid engineer profession will be able to perform maintenance on droids to increase their base stats, with oil baths and a diagnostic minigame as new additions. And there's a new profession coming as well, the ranger. While there was a ranger profession in the original Star Wars Galaxies before the Combat Upgrade patch, this version will combine the abilities of that profession with the Combat Upgrade's sniper and the New Game Enhancement update's spy, "offering a unique gameplay experience tailored to the most versatile players."
>> The article has some screenshots and a trailer.

Here's a mod that gives Skyrim Special Edition its own Witcher-style bestiary
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/heres-a-mod-that-gives-skyrim-special-edition-its-own-witcher-style-bestiary/
Some mods fill obvious gaps. Others, you don't know you need until you discover they exist. For instance, I had no idea I needed a mod that gave me a randomized psychedelic experience every time I drank skooma until I learned it existed, and now it's an essential part of every playthrough.
The Dragonborn's Bestiary is in the same category. It's a mod that adds a new menu you bring up by pressing K, which keeps track of every creature you've encountered. Kill your first mudcrab or skeever and a pop-up appears telling you that you've unlocked the relevant entry, which contains info on what kind of loot they're likely to drop and any resistances or weaknesses they have.
Killing creatures isn't the only way to add them to the bestiary, however. You won't need to murder a dog just to complete your Skyrim Pokédex. Interacting with pets adds them to the bestiary, and you can also fill it out by summoning certain creatures, transforming into them, or reading books about them.
It's not the kind of mod that overhauls Skyrim in a drastic way, but it's a subtle addition that enriches the experience. There's a little counter keeping track of the number of each creature you kill too, so if you needed more motivation for your mudcrab murder spree, here it is.
>> There is a single screenshot.

This mod brings Screen Space Global Illumination to Skyrim
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/this-mod-brings-screen-space-global-illumination-to-skyrim/
Skyrim fans, here is something cool for you today. ProfJack and the CS Team have released a new mod for Skyrim which simulates ambient occlusion (AO) and indirect lighting (IL) using screen space information. This mod aims to greatly improve the game’s visuals. So, let’s see in more detail what it does.
This mod requires the Community Shaders for Skyrim, and adds support for both SSAO and SSGI. SSAO stands for Screen Space Ambient Occlusion, whereas SSGI stands for Screen Space Global Illumination.
AO produces the darkening effect around objects that occlude ambient light. In exteriors, it applies only to ambient light sources and not to direct light sources like sunlight. In interiors, it applies to everything to compensate for the lack of shadowed interior lights.
SSGI simulates lights bouncing on diffuse surfaces, and emitted from emissive objects. It includes a very rough specular IL that approximates the indirect lighting on specular material from True PBR or Dynamic Cubemaps.
Since we’re talking about an SS solution, the mod utilises what is available on your screen. This means that AO/IL may pop in and out depending on your view, or be occluded by objects closer to the camera.
For those wondering, this appears to be a similar solution to what we’ve already seen with ENBSeries and Reshade. However, if for some reason you did not like them, you can try this one.
>> Not only is the article informative, but it also has three comparion gifs showing the base game with the modded one.

GAMING NEWS

New trailers for Solasta 2, Den of Wolves, The Outer Worlds 2, Catly & more
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/new-trailers-for-solasta-2-den-of-wolves-the-outer-worlds-2-catly-more/
A lot of new trailers were released during the TGA 2024 event. As such, I’ve decided to collect those I haven’t posted in separate articles and share them in one big article.
>> Some of them were posted Friday, but not all of them. There are 16 videos in the article.

DEEPEST FEAR, sci-fi horror FPS with a retro-future aesthetic, gets a 7-minute gameplay trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/deepest-fear-sci-fi-horror-fps-with-a-retro-future-aesthetic-gets-a-7-minute-gameplay-trailer/
Variable State has released a 7-minute gameplay trailer for its upcoming sci-fi horror FPS, DEEPEST FEAR. The game has a retro-future style, and the trailer shows off its intense action, scary monsters, and the tight, creepy setting of a deep-sea facility. So, let’s see what it’s store for us.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Update 1.004 Released, Full Patch Notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/final-fantasy-7-remake-update-1-004-released-full-patch-notes/
Square Enix has just released a new update for Final Fantasy 7 Remake. According to the team, Patch 1.004 adds a brand new start mode, as well as a fast-forward function for event scenes.

Shiver is a new indie survival horror game using Unreal Engine 5
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/shiver-is-a-new-indie-survival-horror-game-using-unreal-engine-5/
Team Nocebo has announced a new great-looking survival horror game that will be using Unreal Engine 5, called Shiver. The game promises, among other things, to have weather and inhospitable environments. So, let’s take a closer look at it.

Pearl Abyss has shared the PC requirements for Crimson Desert
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/pearl-abyss-has-shared-the-pc-requirements-for-crimson-desert/
Although Crimson Desert targets a late 2025 release date, Pearl Abyss has shared its official PC system requirements. So, let’s see what PC system you’ll need in order to run it.

The second, but not last, part of the Monday news:

The Game Awards 2024 results: All the winners
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/the-game-awards-2024-results-all-the-winners/
As you would expect for its tenth anniversary, The Game Awards was absolutely packed. We got a new Witcher reveal, an Elden Ring spinoff, the Illuminate in Helldivers 2, a first look at Borderlands 4, new stuff from gen Design and Naughty Dog, Swen Vincke telling it like it is, and a whole bunch more—if you missed it, here's our rundown of the 11 biggest announcements at the show.
And yes, there were awards, too. The big winner of the night was the PlayStation 5 exclusive Astro Bot, which claimed four wins including Game of the Year, followed by Metaphor: Refantazio, which took home three trophies. The much-loved card game Balatro also scored three times, and it pleases me greatly to say that after dominating the 2023 Game Awards, Baldur's Gate 3 came back to snipe another one, taking home the title for Best Community Support.
The full list of winners, and all the nominees, is below.
>> I know, I know, it’s a bit late for this.

Helldivers 2's new Warbond lets you kit out as Spartan super-soldier
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/helldivers-2s-new-warbond-lets-you-kit-out-as-spartan-super-soldier/
(...)
Following on from yesterday's massive Omens of Tyranny update that reintroduced the Illuminates faction from the original game among many many other things, Arrowhead Game Studios have now released a new Warbond package for Super Earth's finest.
The Urban Legends Warbond debuts the game's first ever melee secondary weapon, the SQC-19 Stun Lance, which lets you poke at invaders from a decent range and stop them in their tracks with electrical zaps. While there's been a throwing knife and a crappy bayonet rifle in the game for a while now, this marks the first instance of a proper, dedicated lance provided to the soldiers of super earth. This pairs particularly well with the new SH-51 Direction Shield stratagem, which offers you a solid range of protection while you prod aliens with the Stun Lance.
>> And the update also brought a change, you can now buy weapons from the game’s Superstore.

The Witcher 4 might be getting some of that Cyberpunk 2077 freedom in making your own builds
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/the-witcher-4-might-be-getting-some-of-that-cyberpunk-2077-freedom-in-making-your-own-builds/
Ahhh that's more like it. Watching that Witcher 4 trailer reminded me of what matters to me in an RPG: the NPCs have pockmarked faces and broccoli noses, and the whole thing looks like it smells of manure, burned wood, and fermented cabbage. Its grimy world is a breath of fresh, briney air after the spate of squeaky-clean RPGs like Dragon Age: The Veilguard and (sorry, I love it, but still…) Baldur's Gate 3.
Beyond the fact of it starring Geralt's protege Ciri as a now fully-fledged witcher, we don't know that much about The Witcher 4, so are foraging every quote and comment from CDPR to get a better picture. In an interview with IGN, Witcher 4 Game Director Sebastian Kalemba drew some interesting parallels between The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2077, suggesting that CDPR might be looking to offer more diverse build options for Ciri than Geralt ever had.
>> Regarding Ciri, she now has a new voice actor.

Elden Ring: Nightreign will include a character built around Shadow of the Erdtree's parry mechanic
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/elden-ring-nightreign-will-include-a-character-built-around-shadow-of-the-erdtrees-parry-mechanic/
When I played Shadow of the Erdtree ahead of release, there was one thing I kicked myself for missing early on in the giant expansion—a crystal tear that essentially gave you Sekiro-style parrying in the Elden Ring combat system. A certain subset of FromSoft devotees were very excited to discover that feature, as it makes blocking and parrying way more viable on a dual-weapon build (or really any build not using a shield). If you're one of those folks, good news: there's going to be a character just for you in Elden Ring's new co-op roguelike spinoff Nightreign.
>> Sadly, the Network Test from February will be exclusive to consoles.

My favorite little Elden Ring: Nightreign feature is the first evolution of FromSoftware's iconic 'bloodstains' since 2009's Demon's Souls, and has roots in a roguelike from way back in 1987
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/my-favorite-little-elden-ring-nightreign-feature-is-the-first-evolution-of-fromsoftwares-iconic-bloodstains-since-2009s-demons-souls-and-has-roots-in-a-roguelike-from-way-back-in-1987/
(...)
I love the bloodstains in Souls games. They're one of FromSoft's subtle-but-brilliant online features, even if you're not engaging with the multiplayer systems directly. They've also been essentially the same for 15 years now, from Demon's Souls up through Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. That's fine, but I'm psyched to see the new Elden Ring spin-off Nightreign doing something new with them. Or, rather, something very, very old.
Nightreign is a fully co-op roguelike, with none of the usual online features that define From's RPGs: no PvP multiplayer, no invasions, no temporarily summoning other players for a single boss encounter. You're in a three-person squad for each roguelike session, and as I wrote about in my hands-on feature, you're moving fast, without the time to linger and appreciate the ghostly deaths of other players. But you know what you can appreciate about other players in a fast-paced roguelike? Their loot.

Borderlands 4's new vault hunters get a mixed reaction from fans: some say they're 'bland,' others defend their excitement
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/borderlands-4s-new-vault-hunters-get-a-mixed-reaction-from-fans-some-say-theyre-bland-others-push-back-and-defend-their-excitement/
What struck me about the Borderlands 4 trailer shown at The Game Awards is that the graphical fidelity has advanced so far that the comic book art style that defined the first game is fading away. It looks like the characters are doing Borderlands cosplay, with black Sharpie lines on foam props, and in the daytime scene at the start of the trailer, the signature Borderlands style is almost entirely absent from the rocky terrain.
I still think it looks great, even if the style that once set the series apart—one of the most successful pivots in videogame history—is becoming vestigial. Borderlands fans, however, had their eyes fixed on more substantial matters: the new vault hunters, whose reveal has divided opinions. The Borderlands subreddit is currently awash with both posts that call the new protagonists "bland" and counter-posts declaring that everyone is being too negative.

Larian brings back the Baldur's Gate 3 advent calendar to tease its next game
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/larian-brings-back-the-baldurs-gate-3-advent-calendar-to-tease-its-next-game/
Larian Studios has brought back its Baldur's Gate 3 advent calendar, promising 12 days of "wonders, music, and cheer" that kicks off with a tease—a not very informative tease, I'll tell you up front, but a tease nonetheless—of its next game.

In what will surely come as no surprise at all, the end of Suicide Squad means layoffs at Warner Bros.
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/in-what-will-surely-come-as-no-surprise-at-all-the-end-of-suicide-squad-means-layoffs-at-warner-bros/
As predictably as night following day, the last gasps of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has seemingly resulted in lost jobs. A CBC Radio Canada report says WB Games Montreal has eliminated 99 jobs, primarily among Keywords subcontractors working on its QA team.

Dustgrave: A Sandbox RPG splices Baldur's Gate 3 with Mount & Blade, and you can grab it in early access for less than $20
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/dustgrave-a-sandbox-rpg-splices-baldurs-gate-3-with-mount-and-blade-and-you-can-grab-it-in-early-access-for-less-than-usd20/
Most RPGs have you out to save the world, or at least resolve some personal stakes, claim a macguffin or complete a prophecy. Dustgrave: A Sandbox RPG (just launched into early access) seems happy to let you pick your own goals in a procedurally generated world, as morally questionable as those goals may be.

Tower of Mask amps up Legend of Grimrock-style dungeons with soulslike aggression
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/tower-of-mask-amps-up-legend-of-grimrock-style-dungeons-with-soulslike-aggression/
There was once a dark time when truly retro dungeon crawlers—especially those descended from the more action-oriented Dungeon master—seemed practically extinct. But ever since Legend of Grimrock, they've had a resurgence and we've been spoiled with choice. The latest indie challenger to the real-time looting and levelling crown is Tower of Mask, from Japanese solo developer Papertip Studio, and despite being a lower-budget production, it might just have The Juice, plus a bit of FromSoftware inspiration going on.

And the third part of the news:

In a sea of Game Awards announcements, you probably missed the debut trailer for Covenant, a gnarly 'FPS Soulslike' from veteran shooter devs looking to 'provide more than what seems possible for the price'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/in-a-sea-of-game-awards-announcements-you-probably-missed-the-debut-trailer-for-covenant-a-gnarly-fps-soulslike-from-veteran-shooter-devs-looking-to-provide-more-than-what-seems-possible-for-the-price/
You might be all trailered out after one of the most exciting Game Awards lineups in the show's 10-year history, but one of the coolest game announcements of the past week actually happened outside Geoff Keighley's gameapalooza: Covenant, a dark fantasy, first person FPS-RPG whose devs boast some impressive shooter bona fides, as well as an aggressive, ambitious vision of how extensive the game can be.

Rogue Trader gets a fat patch adding and reworking cutscenes, voiceover, and more
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/rogue-trader-gets-a-fat-patch-adding-and-reworking-cutscenes-voiceover-and-more/
Planet-hopping PRG Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader has received its third big update, this one focusing on a revamp of cutscenes across the game alongside multiple new cutscenes in various places—some that enhance the plot, and several others that help better introduce interesting major characters. The patch also includes voiceover reworks for companion banter, cutscenes, and more to fix pronunciations and balance levels on voiced lines.

Take your friends airship scavenging and moth fishing above a ruined earth with the co-op update to Forever Skies
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/take-your-friends-airship-scavenging-and-moth-fishing-above-a-ruined-earth-with-the-co-op-update-to-forever-skies/
Have you heard of Forever Skies, the game where you're trawling above a ruined earth swathed in poison fog in a tricked-out airship? Where you fish for giant moths and deconstruct the ruin-tops of skyscrapers for parts? Where "we salvage every scrap and make every drop of water count?"
Well, with its recent World Evolved & Co-op Update it truly is we doing the salvaging now, as you can take to the hazy beyond with up to four people on your very own futuristic skyship. In addition to the co-op, the update really revamps the world you're exploring and how you explore it by adding a built-in 3D printer to your suit for crafting on the go, alongside a much more powerful hand extractor to let you gather resources manually.

Ahead of its January launch, one of the best city builders around is getting a free demo that 'allows you to play endlessly' with some of the new features coming next year
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/ahead-of-its-january-launch-one-of-the-best-city-builders-around-is-getting-a-free-demo-that-allows-you-to-play-endlessly-with-some-of-the-new-features-coming-next-year/
Medeival city builder Foundation will exit nearly five years of early access development when it releases on January 31, 2025. To celebrate, the developers have released a free demo that lets you check out the game's unique gridless playstyle that has you zone areas for your villagers to make their own choices in and forge their own roads across, while you focus more attention on customizing the town's biggest buildings like churches, castles, forts, and monasteries.

Pilot a submarine, clean up evidence, swim for your lives in this latest blend of horror comedy and chaos co-op
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/pilot-a-submarine-clean-up-evidence-swim-for-your-lives-in-this-latest-blend-of-horror-comedy-and-chaos-co-op/
If you, like me, love to get together with your friends and scream, have I got a game for you. Murky Divers follows the vein of Lethal Company to deliver a bit of co-op horror that you'll enjoy very much (while doing some screaming). Murky Divers has been hanging around in early access for about six months now, but with its 1.0 launch this week has taken off to very positive reviews—93% of recent ones on Steam.

'I've spent my entire career trying to recreate the feeling I had when I played D&D for the first time,' says immersive sim godfather Warren Spector, with new game Thick as Thieves going multiplayer because 'you don't play D&D alone'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/ive-spent-my-entire-career-trying-to-recreate-the-feeling-i-had-when-i-played-d-and-d-for-the-first-time-says-immersive-sim-godfather-warren-spector-with-new-game-thick-as-thieves-going-multiplayer-because-you-dont-play-d-and-d-alone/
As part of a larger interview and preview of OtherSide Entertainment's upcoming multiplayer sneaker Thick as Thieves with PC Gamer strategic director Evan Lahti, company co-founder and immersive sim OG Warren Spector explained some of the studio's reasoning for splicing the classically single-player genre into a live service PvPvE multiplayer game.

Balatro dev swings at PEGI for rating it 18+ because of its 'evil playing cards', jokes that he should 'add microtransactions' like EA Sports FC 25 to 'lower that rating to a 3+'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/balatro-dev-swings-at-pegi-for-rating-it-18-because-of-its-evil-playing-cards-jokes-that-he-should-add-microtransactions-like-ea-sports-fc-25-to-lower-that-rating-to-a-3/
While I joke plenty about Balatro being a secret psychic prison that's claimed the minds, heart, and souls of about half of PC Gamer's staff, it's only in jest. Balatro is, up and down, exceedingly solid value for money—a modestly-priced indie game without microtransactions or paid DLC and, despite its poker aesthetic, zero interest in promoting gambling behaviour. Unless you ask the Pan-European Gaming Information rating system, which has rated it 18+.
Balatro's developer, LocalThunk, took to X late last week to tear into the decision, writing: "Since PEGI gave us an 18+ rating for having evil playing cards, maybe I should add microtransactions/loot boxes/real gambling to lower that rating to 3+ like EA sports FC."

It was down to the wire, but Helldivers 2 players are celebrating after giving the Illuminate the galactic boot on Calypso—though I've got a feeling they'll be back soon
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/it-was-down-to-the-wire-but-helldivers-2-players-are-celebrating-after-giving-the-illuminate-the-galactic-boot-on-calypso-though-ive-got-a-feeling-theyll-be-back-soon/
Helldivers 2 introduced the Illuminate, recently—aaand they're gone. No, really. While the Illuminate definitely are in Helldivers 2, you actually can't fight them right now, because Super Earth's finest gave them the boot so hard in Calypso that they've been stomped off the galactic map.
The Major Order, which came alongside the surprise update Omens of Tyranny, saw players defending the galaxy from an Illuminate attack on Calypso. Over 100,000 players leapt into action to do so—a 24-hour peak that the game hasn't seen since April—and thoroughly trounced the invading force.

Yeah, I've heard that more fans allow each fan to spin slower, producing less noise. Figured it'd keep the card a bit cooler. But didn't expect the difference to be as big as it is between the ASRock and base model. Also didn't think about lower power consumption.

The reason I like fewer fans may be an incorrect way of thinking, but I've had experiences where one fan malfunctions and starts spinning extremely fast and making terrible noises. So I figured the fewer the fans, the less likely it may be that one fan gets that issue. 

If it ends up at 310 Euro in Spain then it's in the ballpark of the prices here.

I see. Your 4060's seem notably lower than what I'm able to find them for here.
And it seems your alternate versions of B580 may also be notably marked up, like they generally are here. (Besides that one store I was able to find)

It's not just having more fans that helps keepinf the temperatures lower, the cooler is also bigger, helping dissipate the heat faster than with a smaller one. And that shouldn't have any effect on the power draw (besides improving efficiency), which is why seeing this card use a bit less power is weird given that it has two 2x8-pin power connectors instead of only on like the reference Intel card, allowing it to draw more power, not less.

As for fans malfunctionin or not working at all, yeah, it can happen. I replaced my former GPU because the fan started to fail, and Chazore also has experience with a fan failing on his GPU...

That sounds weird then, with the power draw.
Speaking of which, I saw Gamers Nexus compare the power efficiency of the card.

Starts at 29:52
That is one area where Intel has a lot of room for improvement. It's not terrible, but not good either.

I'll look into how difficult it is to replace a fan myself in case I get that issue again.
Although I suspect simply replacing the fan may not fix the problem since it may be an issue with something on the board.