Let’s see what we have for today’s gaming news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

Steam’s Top 10

(Click here for the Top 100)

GOG has gone mad with 5 new promos:

• Let’s start with the jRPG & Visual Novels Promo, featuring up to 90% discounts during 7 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20250610_jrpg_visual_novels_promo
• Make Your Choice Promo also has games up to 90% off during 7 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20250610_make_your_choice
• The Strategy Games Promo, like the other two, has up to 90% discounts during 7 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20250610_strategy_promo
• Turn for the Gaming Heatwave Promo, with games up to 92% off during 7 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20250610_gaming_heatwave_promo
• And the Fantasy & Medieval Promo features up to 95% discounts during the next 7 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20250610_fantasy_medieval_promo

Steam has new deals and sales/events:

• A Plague Tale: Requiem is going to be 65% off until the 16th of June: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1182900/A_Plague_Tale_Requiem/
• Soulmask, still in Early Access, gets a 30% discount until the 19th of June: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2646460/Soulmask/
• Planet of Lana will be 75% off until June, the 22nd: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1608230/Planet_of_Lana/
•  Wall World, that has announced a sequel, features an 80% discount until the 23rd: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2187290/Wall_World/
• Chivalry 2 is going to be 80% until June 26: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1824220/Chivalry_2/
• These are the Sales/Events:
  • Spike Chunsoft celebrates a Mid Year Sale and puts its games up to 90% off until the 15th of June: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32618574/sale/SCMY25
  • The Construction Simulator franchise is on sale, up to 50% off until the 16th of June. Also, the base game is free to try during 6 days: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32942452/sale/constructionsimulator2025
  • To celebrate the announcement of a new game, the Super Meat Boy franchise is on Sale, with up to 88% discounts. Two deals will last until the 16th while the thirs one will last until the 23rd: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/super-meat-boy-franchise-sale
  • Publisher Koei Tecmo puts its games on sale with up to 90% discounts until the 23rd of June: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/KOEIpubsale2025
  • Last, but not least, there’s Devolver Digital Next Fest, which is just a list of the 5 demos they have for the Steam’s Next Fest plus a video: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/6638525/sale/DevolverNextFest-Jun25
• And there’s also the new weeklong deals, of course.

We have three new deals at Humble;

• At Humble Bundle we find the IGN Live 2025 Bundle, with up to 8 games to get during 10 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/ign-live-bundle-2025
• And at the Humble Store there are two new sales:
  • The Dragons & Destinies Sale has games up to 92% off during another 2 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/dragons-destinies/
  • And the Koei Tecmo Publisher Sale features up to 90% discounts during 13 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/koei-tecmo-publisher-sale/

And at Fanatical, we find this:

• The new Star Deal is Viewfinder, with a 66% discount during the next 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/viewfinder
• Publisher Koei Tecmo also celebrates a Sale here, with its games up to 87% off. Some deals will end in 7 days while others will last 13: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/koei-tecmo-games-co-ltd
• The BYO Tabletop and Deckbuilder Bundle has 18 games to choose from for your 2+, 3+ or 5+ bundles during 33 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-tabletop-and-deckbuilder-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

INTEL Arc Graphics 32.0.101.6881 driver
https://videocardz.com/driver/intel-arc-graphics-32-0-101-6881

Fixed Issues

Intel Arc A-Series Graphics Products:

• Overwatch 2 (DX12) may experience an application crash while launching game with High or Ultra graphics quality settings.

>> It’s a Beta driver so, unless you play Overwatch, just skip it.

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

The Garden of Eyes Mod for Elden Ring just got a public demo
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/the-gardern-of-eyes-mod-for-elden-ring-just-got-a-public-demo/
The modding team behind the ambitious overhaul mod for Elden Ring, The Garden of Eyes, released a public demo for it. This demo will give you a taste of the tweaks, changes and improvements this mod brings. So, let’s take a look at it.
The Garden of Eyes is an overhaul mod for Elden Ring that adds lots of new stuff to the game. It includes brand-new bosses, custom weapons, special spells, and new places to explore. The mod also has exciting new ways to fight, new character classes, and more content that’s still being worked on.
The demo lets you explore cool and reimagined places like the Guardians’ Garrison, Port of Tidetail, Illo Telurat, and the Table of Restored Grace. You’ll also face many new bosses and mini-bosses. Some of them include the Leashed Demon of Helphen, Godskin Enforcer, and Promised Consort Malenia. There’s even a secret boss called the Revamped Mohg, Lord of Blood.
The demo includes 6 unique starting classes. Each of the showcases the new weapons, spells, and mechanics from the mod. So, you can choose between Drake Slayer, Forsaken Guardian, Nox Water Sorcerer, Time Seer, Enshrined Dragonpriest and Giantsflame Votary.
And that’s not all. The demo packs some new features that will change the way you play Elden Ring. For instance, there is a Gun Parrying. There is also an ability to transform into a boss. You can do so by using some new “Amulet” items. There are also new horse mounts. Plus, there is a new time-of-day option that transforms the Lands Between into a dark, immersive, and realistic world.
>> The article has a trailer of the mod.

Stellar Blade already has a nude mod that you can download
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/stellar-blade-already-has-a-nude-mod-that-you-can-download/
The moment Shift Up announced Stellar Blade would be coming to PC, we knew that among its first mods would be a nude mod. And, although the game hasn’t been released yet, you can download a proper nude mod for it.
Now, why do I call this a “proper nude mod”? Well, you see, a lot of nude mods when a game comes out are just re-textures of the base outfits. This makes them look awful as everything is stretched. However, in this case, we got a proper naked 3D model for Eve.
To be honest, this is one of the best nude mods for a game. Its latest version has the appropriate colors, meaning that you won’t notice any weird neck seams. This looks as good as it can get. Well, at least for now. You can download it from this link.
Now, if you don’t want Eve to be fighting her enemies naked, you can try some other outfits mods. For instance, we have a latex battlesuit mod that is crazy detailed. This could have easily passed as an official outfit. The reason I’m saying this is because the game itself already has some sexy outfits.
Then we have a Sexy Sweater Mod, a Club Dress Mod and a “Deathbringers” Mod. All of them look great. So, be sure to check them out.
>> The article has no screenshots or videos, for obvious reasons.

GAMING NEWS

MARVEL Tokon: Fighting Souls is a new 4v4 fighting game, coming to PC in 2026
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/marvel-tokon-fighting-souls-is-a-new-4v4-fighting-game-coming-to-pc-in-2026/
Marvel Games and ARC System Works have announced a new 4v4 tag team fighting game, MARVEL Tokon: Fighting Souls. This new fighting game feels exactly like what you’d expect from a new Marvel vs Capcom game.

ILL just got a brand new 2-minute raw gameplay trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/ill-just-got-a-brand-new-2-minute-raw-gameplay-trailer/
A couple of days ago, we shared a new trailer for the first-person horror game, ILL. And today, IGN shared a new trailer for it, showcasing 2 minutes of raw gameplay footage.

Steam Demos for DEFICIT, Rogue Point, UFL, Ferocious, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound & more
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/steam-demos-for-deficit-rogue-point-ufl-ferocious-ninja-gaiden-ragebound-more/
Valve has launched Steam Next Fest June 2025, and a lot of demos have been made available. Now I know that I can’t share all of them. So, instead, I’ve decided to share the ones I thought deserve the spotlight.

Here are the official PC requirements for Jurassic World Evolution 3
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/here-are-the-officla-pc-requirements-for-jurassic-world-evolution-3/
Frontier has just revealed the official PC system requirements for the next part in its Jurassic World Evolution series, Jurassic World Evolution 3. So, let’s see what PC you’ll need to run it.

Digimon Story Time Stranger coming to PC on October 3rd, will support 60FPS only on PC
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/digimon-story-time-stranger-coming-to-pc-on-october-3rd-will-only-support-60fps-on-pc/
Bandai Namco has announced that Digimon Story Time Stranger will be coming to PC on October 3rd. What’s also interesting here is that the PC version will be the only one to support 60FPS (or higher framerates).

Elden Ring Nightreign Update 1.01.2 Released, Full Patch Notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/elden-ring-nightreign-update-1-01-2-released-full-patch-notes/
FromSoftware has released Title Update 1.01.2 for Elden Ring Nightreign and shared its full patch notes. So, let’s see what this new update brings to the table.

Tuesday gaming news, part two:

The Witcher 3 once had a suicide mission ending 'inspired by Mass Effect 2,' a quest where Geralt joined the Wild Hunt, and a version of its vampire-focused Blood and Wine DLC without vampires
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-witcher/the-witcher-3-once-had-a-suicide-mission-ending-inspired-by-mass-effect-2-a-quest-where-geralt-joined-the-wild-hunt-and-a-version-of-its-vampire-focused-blood-and-wine-dlc-without-vampires/
The Witcher 3 was, you may have heard, a large game. But it was once an even larger game. When it was still cooking over at CD Projekt Red, dev brains bubbled over with designs for questlines, cutscenes, and all sorts of other stuff that ended up on the cutting room floor before it released. Naturally, when I visited the studio for The Witcher 3's 10th anniversary, I asked for all the deets on the stuff we never got to see.

Of course, Team Cherry didn't deign to tell anyone that Hollow Knight: Silksong is arriving before Christmas in a weekend of showcases—but via a random Discord message
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/of-course-team-cherry-didnt-deign-to-tell-anyone-that-hollow-knight-silksong-is-arriving-before-christmas-in-a-weekend-of-showcases-but-via-a-random-discord-message/
At this point, I'm starting to think that Team Cherry, developer of Hollow Knight: Silksong, is either completely allergic to building up hype for its game or, alternatively, it may just be in on the joke.
(...)
Rather than deign to do something as pedestrian, as expected as, say, using Team Cherry's official X account, we are instead relying on a Discord message by the developer's head of marketing and publishing. Something I'm only even remotely aware of because of the diligent work of Silksong's eternal vigil-keeper Araraura, who did the developer's work for them.
"I confirmed BEFORE Holiday—we are not tied to a console release," Matthew Griffin writes in the midst of fan speculation, later clarifying that means before "Christmas yes".

Move over Ashcroft, Resident Evil 9 will have its T-virus poster boy back in the limelight according to notable Resi leaker: 'Leon Kennedy is not the only playable character but he is the main character'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/move-over-ashcroft-resident-evil-9-will-have-its-t-virus-poster-boy-back-in-the-limelight-according-to-notable-resi-leaker-leon-kennedy-is-not-the-only-playable-character-but-he-is-the-main-character/
I have some very mixed feelings about the trailer for Resident Evil 9. Don't get me wrong, I'm incredibly happy to see it in the flesh, and the idea of returning to some iconic places fills me with nervous joy, but I'm also left wondering if we'll ever see some of my favourite characters again.
(...)
We didn't all miss a Leon cameo hidden within the trailer, but some signs are pointing towards the return of everyone's favourite backflipping hero, including a theory posted by well-known Resi leaker, Dusk Golem: "Resident Evil 9 will only have one campaign. Leon Kennedy is not the only playable character, but he is the main character."

Atlus promises it hasn't forgotten how to make new Persona games, says it's 'actively preparing for' something I'd bet money is Persona 6
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/atlus-promises-it-hasnt-forgotten-how-to-make-new-persona-games-says-its-actively-preparing-for-something-id-bet-money-is-persona-6/
One of the games industry's many badly kept secrets broke cover yesterday when Atlus finally came out and admitted that, yup, it sure is remaking Persona 4. In a trailer operating at the very limits of 'telling us nothing at all,' we got a glimpse of good ol' Inaba in scintillating ultra-HD.
(...)
Cue the usual stuff about how excited the devs are about P4R. But there, at the end, is a faint ember of future possibility: "Additionally, we are actively preparing for the future development of the Persona series as a studio. We are working hard to meet the expectations of fans around the world and our work is progressing well."

The absence of Marvel's Blade during the Xbox Games Showcase has left me worried about Arkane—after a rough couple of years it needs a win
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/the-absence-of-marvels-blade-during-the-xbox-games-showcase-has-left-me-worried-about-arkane-after-a-rough-couple-of-years-it-needs-a-win/
Blade was the only thing I was really looking forward to seeing in last night's Xbox Games Showcase. I ended up being pleasantly surprised by Grounded 2, at least, but when we finally got to the end of the barrage of trailers I was still waiting for my vampire fix.
I'm mostly just bummed out by its absence, but I'm also a wee bit worried.

Drywall Eating Simulator is a game about 'interacting with society' that takes me back to my retail days
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/drywall-eating-simulator-is-a-game-about-interacting-with-society-that-takes-me-back-to-my-retail-days/
There were an awful lot of games revealed across a plethora of Summer Game Fest showcases over the past weekend-plus, some big, some small, and none more immediately intriguing, for me at least, than one revealed at the Women Led Games Showcase on June 8. It's called Drywall Eating Simulator, and as far as I can tell it is exactly what it says on the box.

Techland boss says Dying Light 2 'forgot' what made the series special, but Dying Light: The Beast gets back on track: 'For us, this really is Dying Light 3'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/techland-boss-says-dying-light-2-forgot-what-made-the-series-special-but-dying-light-the-beast-gets-back-on-track-for-us-this-really-is-dying-light-3/
My first surprise of Summer Game Fest came with the very first game I played. Dying Light: The Beast looked excellent in my hour-long demo, which I did not expect coming off Techland's previous disappointing sequel, Dying Light 2: Stay Human.
The Beast is leaving everything distinctly Dying Light 2 behind—its crowded city, characters, and wonky dialogue choices—and instead making a direct follow-up to the original Dying Light, with its main character Kyle Crane returning. In an interview with PC Gamer at Summer Game Fest, Dying Light franchise director Tymon Smektała was humble about Techland's missteps with Dying Light 2.
>> He also explains why guns are back.

At Fate's End is a gorgeous action adventure where you can pull a 'legendary God Sword' from your throat to work through family trauma in duels with siblings who use their own spines as weaponry
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/at-fates-end-is-a-gorgeous-action-adventure-where-you-can-pull-a-legendary-god-sword-from-your-throat-to-work-through-family-trauma-in-duels-with-siblings-who-use-their-own-spines-as-weaponry/
At the 2025 Xbox Games Showcase, Spiritfarer developer Thunder Lotus announced At Fate's End, "an action-adventure game where you fight the ones you love and your skill tree is your family tree." The reveal trailer is a roughly two-minute fever dream of young women pulling swords made of light out of their throats, dudes ripping their spines out to use as chainblades, and messy demigod family drama.

Medieval Dynasty fans should check out this third-person medieval city builder that just got a demo on Steam
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/city-builder/medieval-dynasty-fans-should-check-out-this-third-person-medieval-city-builder-that-just-got-a-demo-on-steam/
How do you like building your cities? There's real appeal in a godlike, top-down view as you become a sort of all-seeing invisible mayor in a city builder. But there's definitely something engaging about having your boots on the muddy ground as you carve a town out of the wilderness and fill it with citizens you can look right in the eye.
Noble Legacy is of the second variety: a medieval city builder where you play as a person (in third-person) and not a ghost mayor. You arrive in a tiny, neglected little town of just a few grubby citizens, and start cleaning the place up: collecting resources, building structures, and putting the villagers to work while attracting new ones to your growing city.

'If Hitman is a single-minded killer and basically the bad guy of the game, Bond is the hero': IO Interactive talks about shifting priorities for its upcoming 007 game
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/if-hitman-is-a-single-minded-killer-and-basically-the-bad-guy-of-the-game-bond-is-the-hero-io-interactive-talks-about-shifting-priorities-for-its-upcoming-007-game/
In some ways, 007 First Light looks like an easy step sideways for IO Interactive. Agent 47 is basically Bond anyway, minus the hair, turbocharged sex drive, and occasional witty (or groan-worthy) quips, right? So just add those things and you're halfway finished. Except as the studio explained in an exclusive interview with PC Gamer, it's not quite that simple, because 47 and Bond really aren't alike at all.

And here’s the third part of today’s gaming news:

Elden Ring Nightreign has an ultra-rare item with a 0.035% chance to drop and players are convinced it's the key to the game's biggest secret
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/elden-ring-nightreign-has-an-ultra-rare-item-with-a-0-035-percent-chance-to-drop-and-players-are-convinced-its-the-key-to-the-games-biggest-secret/
Dark Souls players spent months trying to figure out if the pendant that's in your inventory when you start the game unlocked something secret. Even though it's literally labeled "useless," people were convinced there had to be more to it. It turned out to be just a joke, but you can't blame anyone for being curious, especially when FromSoftware is known for hiding all kinds of stuff in its games.
Now that word has gotten out that Elden Ring Nightreign has a super rare drop that opens a secret door, I'm firmly in the camp that believes we haven't completely solved it yet.

13 years after it was first teased, and 2 months after committing to a 2025 release, Mewgenics is delayed into 2026
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/13-years-after-it-was-first-teased-and-2-months-after-committing-to-a-2025-release-mewgenics-is-delayed-into-2026/
The "endless cat breeding RPG" Mewgenics showed up at the PC Gaming Show yesterday with another bizarre trailer and a new release date: Instead of arriving in 2025 as planned, it's now set to arrive on February 10, 2026. And there's actually a pretty good reason for the delay.

Lisan al-Gaib! Sandworm-riding isn't a feature in Dune: Awakening, but players are doing it anyway
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/lisan-al-gaib-sandworm-riding-isnt-a-feature-in-dune-awakening-but-players-are-doing-it-anyway/
Sandworm-riding isn't part of Dune: Awakening, at launch, anyway. As creative director Joel Bylos told Eurogamer last year, Funcom looked into it but decided the technical cost was too steep and "it needs a purpose." In the movies, sandworms are ridden through the otherwise impassable southern sandstorms and used to attack Arrakeen. You don't do either of those things in Dune: Awakening, at least not yet.
So sandworm-riding isn't an official feature—but some very brave Dune: Awakening players are doing it anyway. Just take a look at this amazing clip SgtDolphin posted to reddit.

I grabbed the free demo of dark new fantasy RPG The Fall of Avalon: Tainted Grail and, boy, does it take Bethesda back to school
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/i-grabbed-the-free-demo-of-dark-new-fantasy-rpg-the-fall-of-avalon-tainted-grail-and-boy-does-it-take-bethesda-back-to-school/
I didn't like Starfield for many reasons, but the two biggest were how safe and bland the futuristic world of Bethesda's latest RPG is and, also, just how dull its opening is. The Bethesda magic of old just isn't evident in my eyes in Starfield and jumping back into one of its former greats in Oblivion Remastered has confirmed that to me. Oh yeah, this is what Bethesda RPGs used to feel like!
Which is why I've been so drawn in and impressed playing the free demo of The Fall of Avalon: Tainted Grail, a dark new fantasy RPG that feels in many ways like a love letter to great Bethesda RPGs of old, such as Morrowind and Oblivion. And, what's more, Tainted Grail does so while also addressing my two biggest problems with Starfield, being both wonderfully weird and immersing me muchly out of the gate.

After 10 months, SAG-AFTRA union has reached a 'tentative agreement' with major companies including EA, Warner Bros, and Epic over AI voice acting protections
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/after-10-months-sag-aftra-union-has-reached-a-tentative-agreement-with-major-companies-including-ea-warner-bros-and-epic-over-ai-voice-acting-protections/
SAG-AFTRA, a large US-based union covering a ton of performing talent across multiple industries, has finally reached a "tentative agreement" with a series of major companies after 10 months of strike action.

Post-Larian Wizards of the Coast threatens us with more 'CRPGs that are going to be as serious as BG3'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/baldurs-gate/post-larian-wizards-of-the-coast-threatens-us-with-more-crpgs-that-are-going-to-be-as-serious-as-bg3/
Larian is, as you've no doubt heard, done with Baldur's Gate 3. There's no DLC in the pipeline, no sequel around the corner. Swen and co are off to pastures greener, creating something they're all very happy to tantalise us about while giving no details at all. I've decided it's Knights of the Old Republic 3, personally (it is not).
But if you think that means Baldur's Gate-style RPGs are over, then I've got news for ya, buddy. BG3 made somewhere in the region of eight hundred gazillion bucks, so you bet the suits at Dungeons and Dragons owner Wizards of the Coast are trying to figure out how to keep that golden goose a-layin'.

Wow. Gamernexus' Steve having fun in a video? And with a product that has a great name? Unbelievable!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAmu_HnQAo8

Not that surprising, and I bet AMD did the same thing, just at a much smaller scale, of course.

The Q2 numbers will hopefully give us a better picture of what's going on.

So it's time for demos again? Let's see...I've played only two so far:

Hell is Us - I had to check this out due to recent system requirements "controversy" (any controversy is marketing)...nothing to write about in that regard, it runs perfectly fine. But I was surprised with game - I didn't like the setting (civil war of some sort, with what are, presumably, some demonic aliens), but as Soul-ish game, it focuses way, way more on exploration than on combat for combat's sake, as is the case with many Souls-likes these days. It has "your current health is your max stamina" mechanics, which some people might not like, but I find it refreshing.

Forgotlings - this is 2D side perspective..hm...I don't know what genre this is actually - there is action, adventuring, puzzle platforming, apparently RPG elements as well... I really liked this one a lot for it's gameplay, characters, atmosphere, world building and beautiful Studio Ghibli styled art.

AMD’s Instinct MI350 Series AI Accelerator To Launch This Week; Team Red Targets a Whopping 30x Increase In Energy Efficiency By 2025

https://wccftech.com/amd-instinct-mi350-series-ai-accelerators-to-launch-this-week/

Micron Ships Next-Gen HBM4 Memory To Key Customers: Offering 36 GB Capacity & Over 2 TB/s Bandwidth

https://wccftech.com/micron-ships-next-gen-hbm4-memory-36-gb-capacity-over-2-tbps-bandwidth/

EVGA Z690 and GeForce RTX 50 series incompatibility can be “fixed” with a kapton tape

https://videocardz.com/newz/evga-z690-and-geforce-rtx-50-series-incompatibility-can-be-fixed-with-a-kapton-tape

AMD confirms 1400W peak board power for Instinct MI355X GPU

https://videocardz.com/newz/amd-confirms-1400w-peak-board-power-for-instinct-mi355x-gpu

Gaming laptops with GeForce RTX 5050 GPU showing up at retailers and laptop makers

https://videocardz.com/newz/gaming-laptops-with-geforce-rtx-5050-gpu-showing-up-at-retailers-and-laptop-makers

The Wednesday gaming news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

Steam has two deals and a sale. Oh! And there’s also a free game!

• The Free Game is Hellslave, and will be free to keep until June 16: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1608450/Hellslave/
• The SLUDGE LIFE: BIG MUD Master Tape Bundle, with the two games and soundtracks, is 62% off. The individual games are also on sale until the 17th of June: https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/36688/SLUDGE_LIFE_BIG_MUD_Master_Tape/
• Styx: Master of Shadows gets a massive 90% discount until the 24th of June: https://store.steampowered.com/app/242640/Styx_Master_of_Shadows/
• And Publisher/Developer Cosmo Machia celebrates its 15th anniversary puttings its games up to 60% off until June, the 22nd: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/44012443/sale/CosmomachiaAnniversarySale

The Humble Store puts the Resident Evil games on sale, up to 75% off during 5 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/resident-evil-franchise-sale/.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

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MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

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GAMING NEWS

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Patch 1.3.0 Released & Fully Detailed
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/clair-obscur-expedition-33-patch-1-3-0-released-fully-detailed/
Sandfall Interactive has just released Title Update 1.3.0 for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and shared its full patch notes. So, let’s see what this new update brings to the table.

First Screenshots for Resident Evil Requiem Leaked Online
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/first-screenshots-for-resident-evil-requiem-leaked-online/
It appears that the first screenshots for Resident Evil 9, Resident Evil Requiem, have been leaked online. These screenshots show the main protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, an enemy, and some of the game’s environments.

Gears of War Reloaded vs Ultimate Edition Graphics Comparison
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/gears-of-war-reloaded-vs-ultimate-edition-graphics-comparison/
A couple of days ago, Microsoft announced a new remaster of its first Gears of War game, Gears of War Reloaded. This is the second remaster of GoW, as in August 2015, we got the Ultimate Edition. So, how does Reloaded compare to Ultimate Edition, and is it a meaningful upgrade?
>> Reloaded looks sharper.

Wednesday gaming news, part two:

Invincible VS might be hyperviolent, but the devs want to salve the sting of getting combo'd to death: 'We want you to be an active participant, even when you're getting hit'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fighting/invincible-vs-might-be-hyperviolent-but-the-devs-want-to-salve-the-sting-of-getting-combod-to-death-we-want-you-to-be-an-active-participant-even-when-youre-getting-hit/
If you've played Marvel vs Capcom, you may be aware of the touch of death: that most dreaded of fighting game combos where a single hit-confirm can take you from full health to the grave. It's an edge case, but an emblem of one of the big frustrations any arcade fighter novice has dealt with—getting hit in any game with a robust combo system means you'll spend a lot of time waiting and watching.
Mike Willette, once lead producer of 2013's stellar Killer Instinct reboot and now executive producer on Invincible VS, said the game is angled to balance out the breakneck pace of your average tag fighter with some tweaks that favor accessibility.

This medieval slasher looks like an '80s comic that inspired 100 death metal bands, and you should try its 10-minute Steam Next Fest demo
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/this-medieval-slasher-looks-like-an-80s-comic-that-inspired-100-death-metal-bands-and-you-should-try-its-10-minute-steam-next-fest-demo/
I'm brave enough to say it: I like it when a videogame looks cool. Cuphead? Banging. Holstin? What a looker. Metaphor: ReFantazio? Wowie zowie.
A sufficiently striking coat of paint can get me interested in a game before I know anything else about it. So it was with the Steam Next Fest demo for Black Raven, a "2.5D action-adventure rooted in Slavic Folklore," whose screenshots are such a vibe that I downloaded it sight-unseen.

I couldn't picture how Death Howl, a soulslike deckbuilder, could possibly marry the two genres—until I played its Steam Next Fest demo
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/i-couldnt-picture-how-death-howl-a-soulslike-deckbuilder-could-possibly-marry-the-two-genres-until-i-played-its-steam-next-fest-demo/
Death Howl's demo is part of Steam Next fest—which meant, after a glowing recommendation from PCG's Robin Valentine earlier this year, I was obligated to give it a try. Partially because I get paid a salary for this sort of thing, but also because I heard the words "soulslike deckbuilder" and thought nah, surely not.
I'm happy to report that, yeah, surely yes. Death Howl doesn't just work, it's extraordinarily clever in the way it captures a familiar soulslike loop within the framework of a deckbuilder.

If you've ever wanted to play an NPC in a Hitman level then do I have the Steam Next Fest demo for you
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/adventure/if-youve-ever-wanted-to-play-an-npc-in-a-hitman-level-then-do-i-have-the-steam-next-fest-demo-for-you/
There's a scene in Andor—the show that asks what if Star Wars read Gramsci—where the main character observes of the imperial ruling class that all you need is "a uniform, some dirty hands, and an imperial toolkit" to slip beneath the notice of the world's most powerful people. (...)
Even a humdrum gig like elevator operator offers the anonymous masses opportunities to subtly interfere with power. Or at least, that's my takeaway from the Steam Next Fest demo for Elevator Music, a game that puts you in the pressed bellboy uniform of, well, an elevator attendant. Your job is to make the room go up and down, picking people up, dropping them off, trying to move in the most efficient manner possible so as not to irritate your well-to-do clientele at the fancy fake-Swiss hotel you work at.

The Outer Worlds 2 game director says its writing has a 'less silly, darker tone' than the first game
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/the-outer-worlds-2-game-director-says-its-writing-has-a-less-silly-darker-tone-than-the-first-game/
In our Outer Worlds review back in 2019, we called Obsidian's sci-fi satire "a quirky romp across a solar system ruled by brutal corporations," but the zany ribbing about the excesses of corporate misconduct didn't land for everyone living in the world where the delivery drivers of major companies are pressured to pee in bottles to be able to make their quotas. In The Outer Worlds 2, Obsidian says that—while there'll still be plenty of humor—the writing will have a darker weight behind it.

'My biggest fear is the direct comparison to Grounded 1': Grounded 2 executive producer opens up about the difficulty of following up an early access game with another early access game
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/my-biggest-fear-is-the-direct-comparison-to-grounded-1-grounded-2-executive-producer-opens-up-about-the-difficulty-of-following-up-an-early-access-game-with-another-early-access-game/
Grounded 2 was announced at the Xbox Games Showcase over the weekend, and it's releasing into early access next month—July 29, to be specific. Early access can be a real boon for games, as it enables developers to iterate with (hopefully) large-scale feedback toward a complete, as-good-as-it-can-be final release, but there are risks involved too, especially when you're following up on a big hit.
"When you're a sequel to a game that has completed early access, that had five years to iterate and grow, and then you're a sequel in early access, that's an incomplete game?" Obsidian's Marcus Morgan said in an interview with PC Gamer. "I'll be honest, my biggest fear is the comparison—the direct comparison—to Grounded 1."

Sizzle and Stack is a cooking strategy game which truly captures the chaos of making meals for angry customers like no other
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/sizzle-and-stack-is-a-cooking-strategy-game-which-truly-captures-the-chaos-of-making-meals-for-angry-customers-like-no-other/
I've been spending my free time sifting through all the new demos showcased in this month's Steam Next Fest. And while there's a whole host of incredible multiplayer games that are right up my alley I've landed on Sizzle and Stack, an infuriating, stress-inducing cooking card game.

Embracer CEO who oversaw the staggering $2B blunder that led to studio closures and layoffs is now set to become its executive chair, focusing on 'mergers and acquisitions and capital allocation'
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/embracer-ceo-who-oversaw-the-staggering-usd2b-blunder-that-led-to-studio-closures-and-layoffs-is-now-set-to-become-its-executive-chair-focusing-on-mergers-and-acquisitions-and-capital-allocation/
There are big changes afoot at Embracer Group, which has announced that company CEO Lars Wingefors is stepping down from the role. But he's not leaving! Instead, Wingefors is set to become the executive chair of the board, where he will focus on—believe it or not—"capital allocation, M&A [mergers and acquisitions], and strategy."
>> The article has a picture of the guy, and I’m not saying that he has a pretty punchable face and smirk, but...

Team Ninja says Ninja Gaiden 4 is all about 'bringing together the stylish qualities of Platinum while retaining that distinct Ninja Gaiden feel'—and the studios 'wouldn't hold back' critiquing each other's work
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/team-ninja-says-ninja-gaiden-4-is-all-about-bringing-together-the-stylish-qualities-of-platinum-while-retaining-that-distinct-ninja-gaiden-feel-and-the-studios-wouldnt-hold-back-critiquing-each-others-work/
Team Ninja is busy. On the heels of remaster Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, the studio is working on Nioh 3 for 2026 while also overseeing development of this October's Ninja Gaiden 4, which is in the works at PlatinumGames. Though they were once rivals for the fiefdom of Japanese character action games—Ninja Gaiden 2 and Platinum's Bayonetta came out about a year apart, and I remember fiercely arguing my allegiance to the former—now they're working together. And according to the developers, at least, it's been a very good match.

Despite its new easy mode, Lies of P will get a 'difficulty reduction' in a future update because too many players are getting wrecked by the DLC
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/despite-its-new-easy-mode-lies-of-p-will-get-a-difficulty-reduction-in-a-future-update-because-too-many-players-are-getting-wrecked-by-the-dlc/
The Pinocchio soulslike Lies of P got an easy mode alongside the release of Overture DLC last week, an entirely uncontroversial move that riled up absolutely no one. But the DLC also apparently introduced a major difficulty spike in the Legendary Stalker mode—previously the game's default—and it's bad enough that game director Ji Won Choi says developer Neowiz is going to make some adjustments.

And here’s the third part of today’s gaming news:

As far as action RPGs where you're a girl with a big sword go, this one isn't half bad
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/as-far-as-action-rpgs-where-youre-a-girl-with-a-big-sword-go-this-one-isnt-half-bad/
There are a lot of games where you play as a woman with a gigantic sword. Nier: Automata and Stellar Blade were breakouts in the genre, and now here's another hopeful: Vindictus: Defying Fate, which leans a little harder into soulslike territory than those games. Its big sword hits hard and slamming it down on enemies reminded me of playing Elden Ring, minus the part where my character looks like she's from a different universe.
>> There’s a demo on Steam.

Splitgate 2 boss apologizes for the 'division' caused by his MAGA-style hat but still insists it wasn't meant to be political: 'There's division in the community, and for that I am truly sorry'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/splitgate-2-boss-apologizes-for-the-division-caused-by-his-maga-style-hat-but-still-insists-it-wasnt-meant-to-be-political-theres-division-in-the-community-and-for-that-i-am-truly-sorry/
Four days after appearing on stage at Summer Game Fest in a MAGA-style "Make FPS Great Again" hat, Splitgate 2 boss Ian Proulx has posted a video apologizing for his poor judgment, although he still insists that there was no intentional political message behind it.

Mecha Break will have interactive space toilets because its developer wants to emphasize that players 'are acting as a pilot and not the mech itself'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/mecha-break-will-have-interactive-space-toilets-because-its-developer-wants-to-emphasize-that-players-are-acting-as-a-pilot-and-not-the-mech-itself/
The developer of Mecha Break, an anime-inspired mech battler which recently had a popular beta on Steam, wants to make sure we feel like we're playing as mech pilots, rather than the mechs themselves. To that end, Amazing Seasun CEO Kris Kwok says that the studio is putting special attention toward building explorable, interactive hangars—with toilets that flush, as all videogame toilets should.

A big Civilization 7 update is on the way with 'large and huge maps,' Steam Workshop support, and a promise to keep working on it
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/a-big-civilization-7-is-on-the-way-with-large-and-huge-maps-steam-workshop-support-and-a-promise-to-keep-working-on-it/
A beefy new update for Civilization 7 is coming soon, featuring "several long-awaited features" including Large and Huge maps, new advanced game options, town specializations, and Steam Workshop support.

Dead as Disco is shaping up to be a Hi-Fi Rush successor worthy of the mantle—and it lets you dance, dance, bludgeon to your own custom tunes
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/dead-as-disco-is-shaping-up-to-be-a-hi-fi-rush-successor-worthy-of-the-mantle-and-it-lets-you-dance-dance-bludgeon-to-your-own-custom-tunes/
Hi-Fi Rush seems like it tapped into a new genre of game that hasn't quite been properly explored yet—that is, the 'rhythm beat-'em-up'. Turns out, if you snag the same 3D brawler mechanics that made Batman: Arkham Asylum sing, sync them up to a beat, and then give you points for fighting to that beat? You get a pretty handy game. Dead as Disco looks to carry on that legacy.
This deliciously stylish beat-'em-up has a demo available for Steam Next Fest, and if you enjoyed Hi-Fi Rush even a little bit, it's worth checking out. The core premise is the same: Hit enemies on the beat, and you get points.

Elden Ring Nightreign players have made the mother of all charts, listing every boss and all their resistances and weaknesses
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/elden-ring-nightreign-players-have-made-the-mother-of-all-charts-listing-every-boss-and-all-their-resistances-and-weaknesses/
I am far too stubborn for my own good. It took me several runs to cave into common sense and actually check out the Nightlord's weakness in the select menu of Elden Ring Nightreign, and a few more runs to try and create a build with this in mind. Now I'm finding out these bosses are weakened by more than one attribute—mind-blowing.
There's currently a chart floating around that lists everything you'd need to know about every Nightlord's weaknesses. It was initially made by a Japanese player, but has since been translated into English. "My own version of the chart I've seen a few times here because I couldn't find a good translation," CestLaDonut says. "Credit for the data goes to whoever made the original Japanese chart."
>> Or you can just ring a bell.

Haunted Chocolatier will be bigger than Stardew Valley, but that's all I can tell you because Eric Barone literally only said 10 words
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/haunted-chocolatier-will-be-bigger-than-stardew-valley-but-thats-all-i-can-tell-you-because-eric-barone-literally-only-said-10-words/
Every time any updates on Haunted Chocolatier drop I feel like I spend hours dissecting exactly what they mean. After all, when you're so desperate for a game to release and there's no sign of launch on the horizon, you'll do what you can to get your fix. But when creator Eric Barone decides to throw out an update on the game in a random Tweet consisting of ten words, there's only so much you can get out of it.
Thanks to a post made to X by Barone, it has been confirmed that the world of Haunted Chocolatier will be larger than Stardew Valley. But instead of drumming up more excitement by sharing any additional screenshots or videos to support this statement, that's literally all we've been given. It does make me think that what we have seen from Haunted Chocolatier so far is a mere fraction of what's to come, though. Especially since most of the screenshots we have seem to be from the same snowy location.

Rainbow Six: Siege X is out today, meaning one of the best tactical shooters ever made is now free-to-play
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/rainbow-six-siege-x-is-out-today-meaning-one-of-the-best-tactical-shooters-ever-made-is-now-free-to-play/
Ubisoft announced earlier this year that, as part of a massive overhaul, Rainbow Six Siege was becoming Rainbow Six Siege X, and adopting a free-to-play model to boot (which the publisher insists on calling "free to access", more on which later). Ever since release Siege has been one of the best tactical shooters out there: brutally unforgiving, heavily dependent on teamwork, and filled with unique abilities you don't see in other shooters.

They made Balatro for stock trading and I fear I may never write another article ever again
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/they-made-balatro-for-stock-trading-and-i-fear-i-may-never-write-another-article-ever-again/
There's something alluring about high finance, isn't there? Mostly, I suppose, it's the promise of generating absolutely enormous amounts of money for very little actual work, but it's undeniable that the industry—such as it is—has gone out of its way to cloak itself in a certain mystique.
(...)
All this is to explain why I continue to find myself suckered into any and every game that lets me pretend to be one of these masters of the universe, like the excellent Stonks-9800 and, now, the Steam Next Fest demo for Insider Trading. Much like its namesake, Insider Trading is fun, profitable, and victimless, and I strongly recommend you give it a try.