The second part of the Monday gaming news:

Keeping us waiting, huh: Konami says the Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater multiplayer mode won't launch until fall
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/keeping-us-waiting-huh-konami-says-the-metal-gear-solid-delta-snake-eater-multiplayer-mode-wont-launch-until-fall/
For a very specific type of sicko, the most compelling part of the Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater remaster is Fox Hunt, a new multiplayer mode hearkening back to the bygone era of combative sneakery in Metal Gear Online. Unfortunately, it looks like we'll have to wait a bit longer to relearn the art of mid-combat cardboard box tech, because Konami says Fox Hunt won't be hitting until after MGS Delta's launch.

Don't worry, Battlefield 6 is only putting bots in your matches while the training wheels are on in your 'Training Grounds' playlists
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/dont-worry-battlefield-6-is-only-putting-bots-in-your-matches-while-the-training-wheels-are-on-in-your-training-grounds-playlists/
AI bots in shooters—they're becoming more commonplace, either to trick players into thinking they've broken a losing streak or to just, like, fill out matches. After some robot jumpscares worried Battlefield 6 players, however, EA's come out to clarify that it's only until the training wheels come off.

Former Blizzard president predicts Battlefield 6 is going to 'boot stomp' Black Ops 7 because Call of Duty has become 'lazy'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/former-blizzard-president-predicts-battlefield-6-is-going-to-boot-stomp-black-ops-7-because-call-of-duty-has-become-lazy/
Former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra spends his time these days heading up a technically-not-gambling daily fantasy sports company, but that doesn't mean he's bereft of thoughts on videogames. Late last year he opined that Marvel Rivals is just an Overwatch ripoff (which did not sit well with PC Gamer's Elie Gould) and now he's back to say that this year, Battlefield 6 is going to stomp Call of Duty's guts out.

Less than 2 months after releasing Tron: Catalyst, developer Bithell Games lays off the majority of full-time staff
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/less-than-2-months-after-releasing-tron-catalyst-developer-bithell-games-lays-off-the-majority-of-full-time-staff/
The videogame industry took yet another shot to the gut today as Bithell Games, the developer of John Wick Hex and Tron: Catalyst, announced that it is laying off 11 employees after being "unable to secure a new larger scale project." Studio founder Mike Bithell said the layoffs represent "the majority of our full-time staff."

Diablo boss Rod Fergusson is leaving Blizzard for a 'new adventure'
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/diablo-boss-rod-fergusson-is-leaving-blizzard-for-a-new-adventure/
Five years after leaving Gears of War studio The Coalition to take the reins of the Diablo series at Blizzard, Rod Fergusson is calling it a day.
"After five years driving the Diablo franchise with four big launches, it’s time to step away from Blizzard/Microsoft, sword in hand, and see what’s next," Fergusson wrote on Bluesky. "I’m proud of what we’ve built and excited for what’s ahead for Diablo, and for me."

Peak players have dust devils and deadly cacti to fear in its Mesa Update coming next week
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/adventure/peak-players-have-dust-devils-and-deadly-cacti-to-fear-in-its-mesa-update-coming-next-week/
Everyone's laughing until someone gets whisked away by a dust devil with a backpack full of food. This is how I imagine Peak's Mesa Update is going to go when it drops next week.
The goofy co-op climbing game will add the mesa biome to the rotation on August 11 along with new items, badges, and cosmetics—oh, and dynamite.

The Tencent survival game being sued by Sony quietly purges most Horizon-like content from its Steam page, bumps release date to late 2027
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/the-tencent-survival-game-being-sued-by-sony-quietly-purges-most-horizon-like-content-from-its-steam-page-bumps-release-date-to-late-2027/
We noted, when Light of Motiram was first unveiled in late 2024, that it looked a lot like Horizon: Zero Dawn—to the point that we also wondered whether it might earn the ire of Sony. It took the better part of a year, but sure enough, Sony eventually filed a lawsuit against Tencent, parent of Motiram studio Polaris Quest, calling the game a "slavish clone" of the hit Horizon games.
Tencent is a powerhouse and I'm sure it has at least a few lawyers on speed dial, but it's starting to look like it don't want Sony's smoke. As noticed by The Game Post, the Light of Motiram page on Steam has been dramatically updated over the past several days with new text and screenshots that make it look a whole lot less Horizon-like.

The most honest survival game I've ever played is this unemployment simulator
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/the-most-honest-survival-game-ive-ever-played-is-this-unemployment-simulator/
In real life I'm pretty sure I can't pick up a rock, grab a stick, collect some "plant fiber" (whatever the hell that is), then use those three items to craft an axe that can cut down a few dozen trees. Most likely, my "axe" would break on the first swing and I'd have better luck just punching the tree with my fist.
Even though the most realistic survival games aren't all that realistic, I've finally found one that at least feels honest. It's called Unemployment Simulator 2018, and its free Steam demo (this is an upcoming game, despite the name) doesn't take place on a mysterious island but in a tiny apartment. You don't collect rocks, you pick up empty beer cans. You don't build axes, you craft application letters.
>> I wish the devs the best of luck, but I don’t know if many people will be interested in the premise.

The iconic look of BioShock's Big Daddy has its roots in System Shock 2's low polygon counts: 'If you embraced your designing limitations on that stuff, you'd end up with a better model'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/the-iconic-look-of-bioshocks-big-daddy-has-its-roots-in-system-shock-2s-low-polygon-counts-if-you-embraced-your-designing-limitations-on-that-stuff-youd-end-up-with-a-better-model/
BioShock's Big Daddy is one of gaming's most iconic enemy designs. The drillbit-wielding, diving-helmet wearing protectors of Rapture are synonymous with Irrational's classic shooter, to the point where they were plastered all over the game's box-art when it launched back in 2007.
But it turns out that, like so much else about BioShock, the Big Daddy was directly inspired by System Shock 2. The appearance of BioShock' most dangerous foe derives from the technical limitations of making 3D games back in the 90s.

The follow-up to one of the decade's best detective games will have you selling cursed antiques to Victorian weirdos next month
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/puzzle/the-follow-up-to-one-of-the-decades-best-detective-games-will-have-you-selling-cursed-antiques-to-victorian-weirdos-next-month/
Like a diabolical shopkeeper awaiting his first victim—sorry—customer of the day, I've been eagerly anticipating the release of Strange Antiquities since it was announced last year. The follow-up to 2022's Strange Horticulture lets players get their Needful Things on, selling eldritch antiques to an array of weird townsfolk. And it turns out the Lake District's most accused curiosity shop is opening its doors sooner than I expected, as Strange Antiquities launches next month.

Absurd Japan-themed delivery sim Promise Mascot Agency just added a whole bunch of grinding, but don't worry, it's the good, Tony Hawk kind of grinding
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/absurd-japan-themed-delivery-sim-promise-mascot-agency-just-added-a-whole-bunch-of-grinding-but-dont-worry-its-the-good-tony-hawk-kind-of-grinding/
Promise Mascot Agency was already wonderfully weird when it released back in April, so when I saw that its latest update adds Tony Hawk-style grinding tricks into its bizarro Japanophile delivery sim, my instant reaction was, "Oh yes, of course." If anything, I'm surprised the game launched without the ability to propel your van along a steel road barrier in a glorious shower of sparks. Shame on you, Kaizen Game Works, for not thinking of this sooner!

'Let's just kill everyone on the station:' The videogame audio log was apparently invented to avoid 'awkward' RPG dialogue trees
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/lets-just-kill-everyone-on-the-station-the-videogame-audio-log-was-apparently-invented-to-avoid-awkward-rpg-dialogue-trees/
In a recent episode of Nightdive's Deep Dive podcast, Looking Glass Studios programmer Marc LeBlanc shared his recollection of how the team came up with the audio logs in System Shock, which are now a ubiquitous game design standby.

And this is the third, and final, part of the gaming news:

'You'll now be at the mercy of what loot you can find': Rust's latest update brings back hardcore mode tougher than ever, removing the ability to craft guns entirely
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/youll-now-be-at-the-mercy-of-what-loot-you-can-find-rusts-latest-update-brings-back-hardcore-mode-tougher-than-ever-removing-the-ability-to-craft-guns-entirely/
Rust has been playing with its parameters a lot lately (which mum once told me can make you go blind). Back in February, developer Facepunch introduced a medieval-themed Primitive, while April saw Rust's softcore mode become even softer. But just in case you suspect Rust is losing its edge in its advancing years, the survival sim's latest update goes in the complete opposite direction. Hardcore mode is back, baby, and it's less forgiving than ever.

'The prejudice against turn-based RPGs isn’t completely gone': despite Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's massive success, its director reckons real-time action games still have an easier time
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/the-prejudice-against-turn-based-rpgs-isnt-completely-gone-despite-clair-obscur-expedition-33s-massive-success-its-director-reckons-real-time-action-games-still-have-an-easier-time/
The runaway success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been exhaustively documented by this point. But the game's ecstatic reception by players came as a surprise not only because the game was made by a small (though not that small) team, but also because it's a turn-based RPG at a time when the market is dominated by roguelites and soulslikes and real-time action, with even Final Fantasy shifting toward fluid, reaction-based combat systems in recent years.

New study shows that Gen Z is spending way less money on videogames than older gamers
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/new-study-shows-that-gen-z-is-spending-way-less-money-on-videogames-than-older-gamers/
Young people are so strapped for cash that even video games are getting too expensive for them. A June study by Circana, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, found that spending among 18-to-24-year-olds dropped by 13% from January to April 2025 compared to last year. Video game purchases were hit particularly hard, falling nearly 25% according to a chart Circana's Mat Piscatella shared on BlueSky.
>> Well, most cell-phone games are “free”, and the $80 per game the industry is adopting doesn’t help.

This asynchronous autobattler is like Backpack Battles meets FTL
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/check-the-demo-for-this-asynchronous-autobattler-thats-like-backpack-battles-meets-ftl/
Who among us doesn't enjoy cobbling together a ridiculous spaceship from spare parts and throwing it against a gauntlet of other spaceships to see which ship is the best?
Probably some of us actually, as that's pretty specific, but it does describe Down with the Ship, a game that released a nice little demo on Steam this week that'll let you fight for asynchronous autobattling PvP glory.

Much anticipated Persona-like RPG Demonschool finally has a release date
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/much-anticiapted-persona-like-rpg-demonschool-finally-has-a-release-date/
Tactical RPG Demonschool will release on September 3, 2025, just under a month from now. We've been looking forward to this one for years, since the first previews back in 2022, and though it was pushed back from 2024 it looks like we're finally, properly getting a crack at a good education and some demon battling via violent motion.

'Everyone's little monkey brains like shelter and food': Subnautica 2 designer says primal instinct is the reason we're so drawn to smashing blocks of wood into weapons
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/everyones-little-monkey-brains-like-shelter-and-food-subnautica-2-designer-says-primal-instinct-is-the-reason-were-so-drawn-to-smashing-blocks-of-wood-into-weapons/
As someone who typically takes a rather unga bunga approach to videogames, I must admit I finally feel rather seen by Subnautica 2 designer Anthony Gallegos proclaiming that we're all monkey-brained gamers who love survival crafting because of how they tap into our most primal instincts.

Take Endless Legend 2 for a spin ahead of its early access launch—you've got a week to conquer an alien world in the new demo, starting today
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/take-endless-legend-2-for-a-spin-ahead-of-its-early-access-launch-youve-got-a-week-to-conquer-an-alien-world-in-the-new-demo-starting-today/
Endless Legend 2's early access launch delay—it's arriving on September 22 now—is a less bitter pill to swallow thanks to the appearance of another demo today. It's a limited-time deal, giving you a week to "experience a taste of the full game".

I could not care less about Intel, the morally bankrupt corrupted company. Broadcom would probably buy them out anyway; I cannot think of any other companies.

Steam has a new sale:

https://store.steampowered.com/category/4x_strategy

Intel really needs to get its sh*t together, and fast.

Pat probably was too aggressive with the plants, overspending money building too many and too fast, but at least it looked like he had a plan. With this new guy the plan seems to be to cut, cut and cut even more, even if that may save Intel today at the expense of the Intel of tomorrow.

Good CPU, almost as good as the 5800X3D with better value. But it was going to happen sooner or later. 

I understand the feeling, but you should really care about it. Intel is the owner of the X86 IP, with AMD having a license to use it. If Intel disappears, we don't know what could happen with it, who could buy it and if it would renew the license to AMD (and VIA) or even sell more licenses to other companis (Nvidia wanted to buy one years ago, not sure if they would still be interested in it).

There is also the problem of patents, Intel and AMD have a bunch of them that they share with each others thanks to a cross-license agreement. And just like with the x86 license, if Intel's gone, what will happen with them?

And then there's the obvious reason: AMD is just another company. If they find themselves with a whole market to themselves, they'll behave just like Intel (and Nvidia in the GPU market). Think about it, when was the last time AMD launched a desktop Ryzen 3 CPU? I'll tell you, since the 3000 series. Since then, they haven't bothered with those low-end parts.

x86 is a standard whose original patents expired a long time ago. Even the x64 core ISA is public nowadays.

The Intel-developed modern extensions (like AVX/SSE) are probably the only thing that AMD requires licenses to. Or would have required, since they're probably exempt of these based on their past cross-patent agreements with Intel.

From my understanding, Intel owns x86 instruction set, and anyone that wants to make an x86 CPU needs to get a license from them.

AMD developed the x64 extensions that Intel uses them thanks to the cross-patent agreements that both companies have.

I don't know the situation regarding newer instructions/extensions.

Nope. x86 is an (loosely defined) instruction set, not an IP, and one that is public and throughly documented.

It's just that it would be almost useless for anyone else to build a x86 CPU with 2005 paradigms, which is how long behind one would be based on expired Intel/AMD patents.

Ok, thanks for the clarification.

This would end x86.

In case you don't know, the agreement over the architecture relies on BOTH AMD and Intel existing. If Intel goes under (even just as a subsidiary of another company), AMD's licenses with Intel would all expire, and vice versa. In other words, AMD wouldn't be allowed to produce their chips anymore, at least not with any Intel IP after the 486.