Well there are 23 items on my wishlist that are at 75% off or more, so probably not. The ones I am eyeing the most are Enter the Gungeon and Tower Princess.

Only 20% off for Baldur's Gate III. Was this game publsihed by Nintendo??

Yeah there has actually been quite a lot of 5070Ti and 5080's available this week with a few different 5070Ti's at £799 (£70 above MSRP) and easily available for £829 and I've seen 5080's buyable for £1150-1200 which is still bad but the 40 series still had these kind of prices 6 months after launch and the 4080/Super never really went below £1000 so maybe pricing won't get much better.

The 9070XT has been buyable at what AIB's have decided is the MSRP £669 (£100 above) at multiple sites since launch if your willing to pay that and I don't think we will see it go below that anytime soon at least in reasonable numbers but OC-UK say large shipments of the 9070XT are due over the next 1-2 weeks but all cards are priced above MSRP there also.

9070 is £20-70 above MSRP and lots of stock.

AFAIK the board partners can't really decide what the MSRP models should be priced at, unless they just refuse to supply many of them and only want to sell the models with an unnecessary amount of gizmos on them. Even the markups on those overpriced models should still mostly be up to the discretion of the retailers.

The Red Devil here was $1500 NZD at launch up $180 from the $1320 Sapphire Pulse, a 12% markup. And for a slight update, both the Powercolor Reaper and Sapphire Pulse are still available on backorder for that original $1320 price. They have increased the Red Devil to $1550 (also on backorder).

Meanwhile in the states on launch day, Microcenter had a lot more models available at the MSRP price but they were also marking up models like the Red Devil to something ridiculous like 40% above MSRP. That's not just on the AIBs but moreso the retailers feeling for demand on certain models and people still willing to buy them regardless of cost. A lot of those heavily marked up models were selling at Microcenter while they had MSRP models available. That's why I found Gamer Nexus' video on the topic slightly disingenous; you can say the retailers or the board partners don't have to supply so many of those extra models, but if they're also supplying more than enough MSRP models and people still choose to go another direction, who does that ultimately fall on?

By board partners deciding the MSRP I just meant they won't make the standard MSRP models but they will just produce the fancy cooler card and charge people $100 premium for it effectively become the standard price point for the GPU's.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 pricing affected by supply, greed and selective rebate system

https://videocardz.com/newz/amd-radeon-rx-9070-pricing-affected-by-supply-greed-and-selective-rebate-system

ASUS has a new revision of the PCIe Q-Release Slim, but didn’t mention this to anyone

https://videocardz.com/newz/asus-has-a-new-revision-of-the-pcie-q-release-slim-but-didnt-mention-this-to-anyone

AMD Board Partners Silently Increase Prices Of Radeon RX 9070 Series; Base Models Priced At Up To $130 Higher

https://wccftech.com/amd-board-partners-silently-increase-prices-of-radeon-rx-9070-series/

GeForce RTX 5070 vs Radeon RX 9070 (XT) Meta Review

https://www.reddit.com/r/hardware/comments/1j7fckq/geforce_rtx_5070_vs_radeon_rx_9070_xt_meta_review/

"Compilation of 14 launch reviews with ~8490 gaming benchmarks at 1080p, 1440p, 2160p"

These are the Friday gaming news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

The Humble Store has a new range of Weekly Deals, with 90% discounts during 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/on-sale-now/.

Fanatical has three Flash Deals and a new bundle:

• These are the new 24h Flash Deals:
  • SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS Digital Deluxe Edition is 35% off: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/sonic-x-shadow-generations-digital-deluxe-edition
  • ELDEN RING has a 47% discount: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/elden-ring
  • Persona 5 Royal gets a 65% deal: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/persona-5-royal
• The BYO Fusion Bundle comes with 14 games to choose for your 3+, 5+ or 7+ bundle during 34 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-fusion-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Go ahead and complain the discounts aren't as steep as they used to be, but Steam just had its biggest year ever for seasonal sales
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/go-ahead-and-complain-the-discounts-arent-as-steep-as-they-used-to-be-but-steam-just-had-its-biggest-year-ever-for-seasonal-sales/
Valve has posted its annual Steam Year in Review for 2024, which boasts that "2024 was our biggest year ever for the seasonal sales, with a 10% increase in revenue compared to 2023." The four seasonal sales are always noteworthy events, with the current Spring Sale having its own trailer, free stickers to earn by going through your discovery queue, and, oh yeah, deep discounts on various games. (Like Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous for 90% off.)
2024 was also the company's biggest year for its smaller themed sales, which focus on an individual genre or niche. These have been running since 2019, when there were just six of them. This year there are going to be 18 themed sales, and you'll need Steam's 2025 upcoming events calendar to keep track of them.

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 now has Steam Workshop support, and of course one of the first mods lets you adjust the 'jiggle physics'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/kingdom-come-deliverance-2-now-has-steam-workshop-support-and-of-course-one-of-the-first-mods-lets-you-adjust-the-jiggle-physics/
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's big 1.2 update is now live, and that means official modding support through Steam Workshop is now available. And that means, as one player put it, "It's about to get a lot more naked in here."
"Bohemia is yours to shape—official modding support for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is now live on Steamworks!" developer Warhorse Studios said. "Whether you want to tweak mechanics, expand the world, or forge entirely new adventures, the tools are in your hands."
Or, you know, nude mods. Somewhat surprisingly, given that it's been a few hours since Steam Workshop support went live, there don't appear to be any clothing-optional mods just yet. But you can transform all the characters in the game to skeletons (which is sort of nude, I guess), turn chickens into dinosaurs, keep NPCs from hassling your dog, or adjust (ie, increase) the jiggle physics, which should surprise none of us.
A number of mods for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 have already been available at Nexus Mods, but Steam Workshop support should greatly simplify the process of finding and installing them. It should also offer mod makers more flexibility than they've had previously. The toolkit will give players the ability to modify over 300 game elements, "from UI and combat mechanics, to RPG elements, and AI behavior," Warhorse said. "Whether making subtle tweaks or complete overhauls, the possibilities for customization are vast."
>> The article has no mods related media. You can find an article talking about what else comes with this update down below.

GAMING NEWS

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Patch 1.2 Released, Is 62GB, Packs Over 1000 Fixes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/kingdom-come-deliverance-2-patch-1-2-released-is-64gb-packs-over-1000-fixes/
Warhorse Studios has released the highly anticipated Title Update 1.2 for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. This patch has over 1000 fixes, tweaks and changes, and it is around 62GB in size on PC.
>> The size of that patch is insane.

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 3 is in active development
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/warhammer-40k-space-marine-3-is-in-active-development/
Focus Entertainment and Saber Interactive have announced that Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 3 is officially in active development. According to Saber, Space Marine 3 will offer even more spectacular and more large scale battles.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 PC Patch 5 Released, Bringing Various Performance & Optimization Improves
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/marvels-spider-man-2-pc-patch-5-released-bringing-various-performance-optimization-improves/
Nixxes has released Title Update 5 for the PC version of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and shared its full patch notes. According to the changelog, Patch 5 comes with numerous performance and optimization improvements. So, let’s take a closer look at what it brings to the table.

SILENT HILL f gets official PC system requirements
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/silent-hill-f-gets-official-pc-system-requirements/
Konami has revealed the official PC system requirements for its new SILENT HILL game, SILENT HILL f. Moreover, the publisher has shared a new in-engine trailer, which you can find below.
>> Shikamo has made a thread about this.

Rise of the Ronin March 14th Update Released, Full Patch Notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/rise-of-the-ronin-march-14th-update-released-full-patch-notes/
Team Ninja has released the March 14th Update for the PC version of Rise of the Ronin, and shared its full patch notes. So, let’s see what this latest patch brings to the table.
The March 14th Update, also known as Patch 1.09.0.1, adjusts the in-game graphics settings. Settings that heavily affect performance have been adjusted within the preset. Still, players will be able to manually increase individual settings. Moreover, it adds a new recommended preset. This preset will be the most suitable based on the specifications of your PC.

Avowed Patch 1.3.0 Released, Featuring Over 350 Fixes & Tweaks
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/avowed-patch-1-3-0-released-featuring-over-350-fixes-tweaks/
Obsidian has released Title Update 1.3.0 for Avowed, which has over 350 fixes and tweaks, and shared its full patch notes. So, let’s take a look at some of its improvements, shall we?

Friday news, part number two:

The PC Gaming Show returns this June
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-pc-gaming-show-returns-this-june/
The PC Gaming Show will return this year with another blockbuster broadcast on Twitch, YouTube, X and Steam on June 8, 2025.
The first of two shows planned for 2025—with Most Wanted also set to return later this year—June’s showcase will spotlight over 50 games on PC, Steam Deck, Linux and MacOS while celebrating all things PC gaming.

Venerable browser-based MMO Urban Dead is closing this week after a 20-year run, not with a bang but with a whimper
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/venerable-browser-based-mmo-urban-dead-is-closing-this-week-after-a-20-year-run-not-with-a-bang-but-with-a-whimper/
Urban Dead, the browser-based MMO that nearly got me kicked out of college, is shutting down this week after 19 years, 8 months and 11 days.
The MMO, which put players in control of either survivors or zombies in the fictionalised city of Malton, played out in real time, with players given one "tick" of activity every 30 minutes. Sessions could be wrapped up in about 10-15 minutes, but players soon grouped together to take their actions at the same time, injecting a large-scale strategic element into the action, and the early IRC chat around the game meant it could become all-encompassing.
(...)
The final destruction of Malton isn't down to a new zombie mutation or a win for the scant few survivors remaining, though. The blame is, instead, the UK's Online Safety Act which comes into effect later this month. In an update on the website, creator Kevan Davis writes, "With the possibility of heavy corporate-sized fines even for solo web projects like this one, I've reluctantly concluded that it doesn't look feasible for Urban Dead to be able to continue operating."
>> Well, that’s a shame.

Rainbow Six Siege is getting its first permanent mode in 10 years, and it throws every Siege rule out the window
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/rainbow-six-siege-is-getting-its-first-permanent-mode-in-10-years-and-it-breaks-every-siege-rule-in-the-book/
When you've been playing Rainbow Six Siege as long as I have, it's hard not to reflexively snarl at your first round of Dual Front: a new permanent, 6v6 mode coming in Year 10 Season 2.
In development for years as part of Siege X, the tactical FPS's "not quite a sequel" refresh coinciding with its 10th year of updates, Dual Front goes beyond a gimmicky event mode. It throws all the rules of its time-tested, highly competitive Bomb format out the window, expanding the lobby size by two, enabling respawns, and most heretical of all, letting attackers and defenders play on the same team.
>> Another change: it’s going partially free to play.

Fate: Reawakened gives the nostalgic 20-year-old action RPG series a new lease on life
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/fate-reawakened-gives-the-nostalgic-20-year-old-action-rpg-series-a-new-lease-on-life/
Who here remembers WildTangent? Back when digital distribution seemed like a novel idea and Steam was a new and unproven storefront, it was one of the bigger distributors of games online, and a cute little Diablo and Nethack-inspired dungeon crawler named Fate was its flagship title. Smash-cut twenty years ahead to the present day, and it’s rolling out now on Steam for one last tour as Fate: Reawakened, a polished-up remaster that incorporates the original Fate along with its three formerly standalone expansions.

Hello Sunshine is a desert survival sandbox where you live in the literal shadow of the colossus
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/hello-sunshine-is-a-desert-survival-sandbox-where-you-live-in-the-literal-shadow-of-the-colossus/
How do you follow up a nordic noir mystery, followed by an anti-fascist pop-punk road trip? With a game about hiking through a post-apocalyptic desert and dodging sunburn in the shadow of your giant war-bot buddy, of course. Hello Sunshine is the next game from Norwegian indie outfit Red Thread Games (led by Longest Journey and Dreamfall director Ragnar Tørnquist) and looks to be an interestingly different take on the survival sandbox.

This RuneScape-looking 'simulated MMORPG' has all the nostalgia without the drama because all the other 'players' are NPCs
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/this-runescape-looking-simulated-mmorpg-has-all-the-nostalgia-without-the-drama-because-all-the-other-players-are-npcs/
The ideal MMO experience is one where everyone is happy to join your party and your teammates never stand up to go take a dump during a raid—which is exactly the idyllic throwback MMO-like experience filled by Erenshor, the "singleplayer simulated MMO" where all the other players around you are NPCs. It's got a demo out now and a newly announced early access launch date too.

One of my favorite indie RPGs is getting a follow-up made with FromSoftware's 25-year-old Super Mario Maker for first person dungeon crawlers
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/one-of-my-favorite-indie-rpgs-is-getting-a-follow-up-made-with-fromsoftwares-25-year-old-super-mario-maker-for-first-person-dungeon-crawlers/
The excellent 2023 first person RPG Lunacid is getting the last (but coolest) follow-up I ever would have expected. Lunacid: Tears of the Moon is a spinoff made with Sword of Moonlight, an incredible little game-making toolkit released by FromSoftware all the way back in 2000, and Tears of the Moon is releasing next month.

All Genshin Impact 5.5 livestream codes
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/genshin-impact-codes-5-5-livestream/
The Genshin Impact 5.5 codes are here. Yet another version has passed, and that means a new livestream detailing all the quests, events, and most importantly characters, set to arrive in the latest update. That's not all—as usual, miHoYo will drop three codes during the stream that provide materials, currency, and Primogems that you can use to wish for any new or returning characters.

Mass Effect's Jennifer Hale, who played femshep, 'saw no line' before she recorded them for Bioware's flagship trilogy: 'It was all cold reading on the spot'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mass-effect/mass-effects-jennifer-hale-who-played-femshep-saw-no-line-before-she-recorded-them-for-biowares-flagship-trilogy-it-was-all-cold-reading-on-the-spot/
Voice acting has been an underestimated profession for a while now—and, while things have certainly improved, there are new fights for voiceover artists to grapple with, like the knock-down, drag-out fight SAG-AFTRA is currently embroiled in over AI.
That's why Astarion's voice actor, Neil Newbon, has assembled a group of actors called the 'Pixel Pack', as revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. The full interview spans a few big-name talents like Matthew Mercer and Yuri Lowenthal, and is well worth a read—though one quote from Mass Effect's Jennifer Hale really stands as an example of how rough voice actors have had it.

The hooligan hacker guild that tore up WoW's newest raid (twice) just posted video evidence of the whole thing, and it's got me feeling weirdly nostalgic
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/world-of-warcraft/the-hooligan-hacker-guild-that-tore-up-wows-newest-raid-twice-just-posted-video-evidence-of-the-whole-thing-and-its-got-me-feeling-weirdly-nostalgic/
I want to open this article like a responsible adult and say that, generally-speaking, you shouldn't be trying to exploit, break, or hack an online videogame. I mean, you're (probably) an adult, you can make your own choices—it's just inadvisable, unless you want to get banned. In some cases you might even be staring down the barrel of legal action so, seriously: Don't.
That being said, RAoV Quality Assurance (or, I should say, "ecnarussAeR ytilauQ VoAR") have been on a near-impressive spree of digital hooliganism. To put a long story short, this guild gained "world first" on WoW's latest patch raid, Undermine(d), by taking advantage of some developer spells. They got banned, made new accounts, reversed their guild name, and did it again. Now, they've posted a video about it.

And these are the weekend deals at GOG and Steam. This will be quick:

+GOG

• Only one deal here, a Square Enix Publisher Sale, with games up to 90% off during 13 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20250314_square_enix_publisher_sale

+Steam

• This one is easy, just go and check the Spring Sale

Nothing else to add, except for wishing you all a happy and gaming weekend.

Lots of good deals so, it's understandable to be tempted. Well, you have some days to think about it.

Ha! If it was a Nintendo game, the discount would be 0%.

In seriousness, the game is relatively new and it still sells well. Larian has no pressure to make it cheaper yet.

I understand AMD not wanting to pay or subsidise for none MSRP cards, but it's not hard to guess how things will play out when you don't make reference cards.

And it's not like AMD is in a position to demand anything from AIBs. After all, with a 10% marketshare, it's a wonder how so many of them still bother making AMD cards, and if AMD went to add extra restrictions, Asus or GigaByte may say by and focus only on Nvidia. And now that I mentioned them, not even Nvidia, with its tighter grip, has done anything to force its partners to make more MSRP cards, at least that we know.

So yeah, it's a bad situation and we're basically screwed.

On another note, another round of news tomorrow or is this your last one before your vacations?