Gamescom has started and boy, it brings a ton of news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

GOG has two new sales for us:

• New Weekly Deals bring games up to 90% off during 6 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20250820_weekly_deals_4_august
• Paradox Publisher Sale features games with up to 90% discounts during 6 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20250819_paradox_publisher_sale

Steam has a couple of new deals and lots of sales/events:

• PICO PARK 2 will be 40% off until August 26: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2644470/PICO_PARK_2
• Hollywood Animal, still in Early Access, has a 25% discount until the 27th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2680550/Hollywood_Animal
• And these are the sales/events (please note that this time they’re listed without any order or purpose):
  • First off, there is a Gamescom 2025 Hub will many upcomng titles and some deals: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/gamescom-2025
  • There is also a Find Your Next Game Gamescom Showcase. The page will be up until the 24th and it’s all upcoming games except for one… and you may recognize some faces present in that game: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/Find-Your-Next-Game-at-gamescom
  • Raw Fury has a Gamescom Sale with upcoming titles and some of their catalog on sale with up to 60% discounts: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/28981418/sale/Gamescom2025
  • ESDigital has a Gamescom Sale, with games up to 75% off: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32941917/sale/ESDigitalGamesGamescomMadness
  • The Cube Game Publisher Sale has games on sale with up to 82% discounts: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/CubeGamePublisherSale2025
  • Publisher Ash Games celebrates its 40th Anniversary puting its games up to 80% off: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/AshGamesPublisherSale2025
  • MicroProse puts its games on sale with up to 55% discounts: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/microprosepublishersale2025
  • LEGO games based on WB franchises are on sale, up to 90% off: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/34133273/sale/legofranchisesaleaug25
  • And the Dying Light franchise Sale features up to 80% discounts: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/33025758/sale/dyinglight

The Humble Store has two sales:

• Prince of Persia franchise will be 80% off during 4 days. All the keys are for UbiConect: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/prince-of-persia-franchise-sale
• Koei Tecmo Gamescom Sale has NINJA GAIDEN: Master Collection (regular and Deluxe editions) 50% off during 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/koei-tecmo-gamescom-sale

And Fanatical has three new 24h Flash Deals:

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has a 23% discount: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/clair-obscur-expedition-33
• Mortal Kombat 1 is 71% off: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/mortal-kombat-1
• And Digimon World: Next Order features an 87% discount: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/digimon-world-next-order

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

The teams behind two of Dawn of War's big overhaul mods are working to update them for the Definitive Edition
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/the-teams-behind-two-of-dawn-of-wars-big-overhaul-mods-are-working-to-update-them-for-the-definitive-edition/
One of the low-key most exciting changes in Dawn of War: Definitive Edition is the shift to a 64-bit exe, which makes it a more stable platform for modding. Dawn of War is beloved for its sense of scale, and being able to expand that even further with massive numbers of enemies on screen and even more factions is the promise of mods like Unification.
If you're all keyed-up to install Unification right away, however, maybe hold off on that a minute. You might encounter a few problems, like not being able to pan the screen left or right with the cursor, or graphical issues with the Unification campaign map. Over on the Unification Discord, a modder called Kekoulis, Shogun of Unification, has explained the team is waiting for the Definitive Edition to be patched before releasing an update for the mod.
The schedule for that has moved forward, however. Relic had communicated that the Definitive Edition's second patch, planned for September, would be the one to wait for. Now it's looking like the first major patch will include the fixes modders are waiting on, "So we will wait for that to test and see if we can release earlier than the 2nd major patch", Kekoulis writes. "We have already made some progress on updating the UI as well as the rest of the elements, so the patch is proceeding as planned."
Back in the day, my preferred wide-scale overhaul for Dawn of War was the Ultimate Apocalypse mod, which is also having some issues with the Definitive Edition—in particular with the UI. Its maps also look rough compared to the upscaled originals. Fortunately the team currently in charge of that mod is also working on a compatibility update.
The same can't be said for the Crucible mod. Its creators have put together a lengthy document detailing their issues with the Definitive Edition, and said on their Discord that, "Right now there are only a few minor positives to moving to DE, and multiple major negatives, so on balance we will continue modding legacy DOW until DE is up to scratch."

Take-Two lawyers give Mafia nude mods the cement shoes treatment, DMCA projects that had the Don's daughter parading in the buff
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/take-two-lawyers-give-mafia-nude-mods-the-cement-shoes-treatment-dmca-projects-that-had-the-dons-daughter-parading-in-the-buff/
You mess with the Don's daughter, you pay the inevitable price. That price being a strongly worded letter from videogame publisher lawyers, you see. Take-Two has gone after NSFW mods for Mafia: The Old Country, DMCA'ing a pair of mods out of existence that stripped Isabella Torrisi down to her birthday suit. Which is a great way to get sunburn. The UV index in Sicily is very high, you know.
Nexus Mods, which hosted the projects in question, announced that it had received a stern letter from Take-Two lawyers in a post on its forums last week. "A takedown/DMCA request was issued by Lisa Deere [on behalf of Take Two Interactive Software, Inc] on 12/08/2025," wrote a Nexus customer support specialist.
"We were able to internally verify the legitimacy of this claim through the requesting of additional evidence to prove the identity of the claimant and the rights they hold over the content in question." And so, off into the void went the Nude Isabella mod and the Extended Textures for Nude Isabella mod, by author norskpl.

GAMING NEWS

First-person sci-fi survival horror game, Routine, is coming to PC in late 2025
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/first-person-sci-fi-survival-horror-game-routine-is-coming-to-pc-in-late-2025
After five whole years, Lunar Software has broken its radio silence and announced a release window for its first-person sci-fi survival horror game, Routine. Routine will be coming to PC in early 2025. Moreover, Raw Fury released a new gameplay trailer that you can find below.

First gameplay footage for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/first-gameplay-footage-for-call-of-duty-black-ops-7
Activision has shared the first gameplay footage for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. To be more precise, Activision shared two videos. The first is a gameplay reveal trailer. The second is a 17-minute Direct Video, in which we get to see some more gameplay footage.
>> There are a lot more articles about CoD: BO 7 in the PCGamer part of the news.

Outlaws + Handful of Missions: Remaster Releases on November 20th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/outlaws-handful-of-missions-remaster-releases-on-november-20th
LucasArts and Nightdive Studios have announced a remaster of the classic western FPS, Outlaws. This remaster will come out on November 20th, and below you can find its debut trailer.
>> Couldn’t they find someone better for the gameplay parts?

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Dragon Pearl of Destruction is a cool retro-inspired 2D brawler
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/he-man-and-the-masters-of-the-universe-dragon-pearl-of-destruction-is-a-cool-retro-inspired-2d-brawler
Now here is something that caught me off guard. Limited Run Games has announced a new 2D retro beat ’em up He-Man game, called He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Dragon Pearl of Destruction. This comes after the highly anticipated Terminator 2D: NO FATE. So, let’s take a look at it.

CI Games has officially announced Lords of the Fallen 2
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/ci-games-has-officially-announced-lords-of-the-fallen-2
CI Games has officially revealed Lords of the Fallen 2 with a CG trailer. The game will come out in 2026, and it may be exclusive to the Epic Games Store. I’m saying this because right now, there is only an EGS page, and not a Steam page.
>> But the creative director, art director, and executive producer left the studio earlier this year.

Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War 4 Officially Announced, Coming to PC in 2026
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/warhammer-40k-dawn-of-war-4-officially-announced-coming-to-pc-in-2026
Deep Silver and KING Art Games officially unveiled Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War 4 at Opening Night Live at Gamescom. The long-awaited new entry into the iconic real-time strategy series will be arriving on PC in 2026. Below, you can also find its debut trailer.

Gamescom 2025 trailers for Resident Evil Requiem, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Silent Hill f and more
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/new-trailers-for-resident-evil-requiem-onimusha-way-of-the-sword-hollow-knight-silksong-silent-hill-f-and-more
A lot of trailers aired during the Gamescom 2025 Opening Night Live event. As such, I’ve decided to collect those I haven’t shared in one big article. So, below you can find the Gamescom 2025 trailers for Resident Evil Requiem, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Silent Hill f, and more.
>> There are 19 trailers. Some (but not all!) of them have a PCGamer article down below.

Here are almost two hours of gameplay from Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-almost-two-hours-of-gameplay-from-vampire-the-masquerade-bloodlines-2
YouTube’s ‘theRadBrad’ has shared a video, showcasing almost two hours of gameplay from Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. This video is a must for everyone who has been looking forward to it. So, be sure to watch it after the jump.
>> This is the good news of this game...

Black Myth: Zhong Kui is the next game from the devs of Black Myth: Wukong
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/black-myth-zhong-kui-is-the-next-game-from-the-devs-of-black-myth-wukong
Game Science, the devs behind Black Myth: Wukong, have announced their latest game. Black Myth: Zhong Kui is the second entry in the Black Myth series, and it was officially unveiled today with its first CG teaser trailer at the Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025.

Historical grand strategy game, Europa Universalis V, to be released on November 4th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/historical-grand-strategy-game-europa-universalis-v-to-be-released-on-november-4th
Paradox Interactive has announced that its historical grand strategy game, Europa Universalis V, will be released on November 4th. To celebrate this announcement, the publisher shared a new trailer, as well as the game’s PC requirements.

Where Winds Meet Releases on November 14th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/where-winds-meet-released-on-november-14th
NetEase has announced that Where Winds Meet will be released on November 14th. To celebrate this announcement, the team shared a new trailer that you can find below.

Valor Mortis is a first-person action Souls-like game from the creators of Ghostrunner
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/valor-mortis-is-a-first-person-action-souls-like-game-from-the-creators-of-ghostrunner
Lyrical Games has announced Valor Mortis, a first-person action Souls-like game from the creators of Ghostrunner. This new Souls-like game will come out on PC in 2026, and below you can find its debut trailer.

Paradox Interactive is trying to kill the momentum and hype for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 by locking two of its clans behind paid DLC
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/paradox-interactive-is-trying-to-kill-the-momentum-and-hype-for-vampire-the-masquerade-bloodlines-2-by-locking-two-of-its-clans-behind-paid-dlc
You know what? I don’t get it. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 has been in development hell for a long time. It was so bad at one point that Paradox Interactive had to replace the studio working on it. So, you’d assume the publisher will opt for a consumer-friendly approach. But nope. Instead, Paradox Interactive is doing everything it can so that it can kill the momentum and hype for it.
Yesterday, Paradox Interactive announced that Bloodlines 2 will come out on October 21st. We also got an extended gameplay video for it. And yes, this might not be up to the ludicrous standards you may have set for Bloodlines 2. But hey, at least the game is now going to come out.
In a truly bizarre marketing move, Paradox Interactive has already announced a day-1 paid DLC. This DLC will unlock two distinct and powerful vampire clans, each with unique abilities and playstyles, as well as a total of eight new outfits. So, yes. Paradox has locked two vampire clans behind a paid DLC. This is hilarious.
>> … This is the bad news.

Wednesday gaming news, the long second part:

Fallout creator Tim Cain does the impossible, makes me shift my opinion on respecs just a little bit, because fine, I guess it does sometimes turn bad design 'into a player problem'
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/game-development/fallout-creator-tim-cain-does-the-impossible-makes-me-shift-my-opinion-on-respecs-just-a-little-bit-because-fine-i-guess-it-does-sometimes-turn-bad-design-into-a-player-problem/
I don't like paid respecs. In fact, I think respecs should be straightforward, unlimited, and free. A bright future for all respecs! Allow me to explore and adore your game's many intricacies without starting multiple playthroughs! Viva la build! Unfortunately, Tim Cain, the OG lead on Fallout and a longtime CRPG (and MMORPG) developer besides, has ruined me.
The weapon? A perfectly reasonable argument from a seasoned developer explaining the pitfalls of free respec systems. Curses. That's per a recent video on his YouTube channel, where he fields questions from budding game developers.

Team Cherry will be making a 'Special Announcement' about Silksong on Thursday, and—wait, is it finally over? Can we all go home?
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/team-cherry-will-be-making-a-special-announcement-about-silksong-on-thursday-and-wait-is-it-finally-over-can-we-all-go-home/
Silksong is at Gamescom—this much we knew—but after years of silence Team Cherry is finally saying something. Not buried away in Discord, not via an advertisement for a handheld console, but an actual, honest-to-Hornet announcement. Like, on its YouTube channel and everything.
You can see the livestream here, but the atmosphere is electric. At the time of writing we've still got 47 hours to go, but I can't keep up with the chat scroll. The exact times are August 21, 7:30 pm Pt, 10:30 am ET, and 3:30 pm BST.

BioShock 4 studio lays off staff as former Diablo boss Rod Fergusson returns to get things back on track
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/bioshock-4-studio-lays-off-staff-as-former-diablo-boss-rod-fergusson-returns-to-get-things-back-on-track/
When former Diablo boss Rod Fergusson announced his departure from Blizzard earlier this month, my PC Gamer compatriot Tyler Colp put forth an interesting, amusing theory: He was headed back to 2K Games to get BioShock 4 back on track, just as he did with BioShock Infinite. And he called it: As confirmed by his LinkedIn page, Fergusson is now "senior vice president, head of the BioShock franchise at 2K."

Denshattack is a game where you do Tony Hawk stunts with Japanese trains whose developers would not confirm whether I can make a train do a Christ Air
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sports/denshattack-is-a-game-where-you-do-tony-hawk-stunts-with-japanese-trains-whose-developers-would-not-confirm-whether-i-can-make-a-train-do-a-christ-air/
For years, one of the most spiritually potent images on the internet was Multi-Track Drifting: It's a pair of double-page splash panels from the doujin parody manga Densha de D, depicting with mythic intensity a singular moment of locomotive stuntcraft. During a virtual preview event, developer Undercoders said it's channeling that same spirit of train stunt spectacle for Denshattack, a game where you can do sick Tony Hawk tricks with railway engines.

For the first time ever, a new game in one of China's most popular videogame series will be released simultaneously in the West
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/for-the-first-time-ever-a-new-game-in-one-of-chinas-most-popular-videogame-series-will-be-released-simultaneously-in-the-west/
Revealed today at Gamescom's Opening Night Live showcase, Swords of Legends is a brand new singleplayer action RPG based on Chinese mythology, and if that title rings a bell you're very likely thinking of Swords of Legends Online, the Chinese MMO that came our way in 2021. But this is a completely separate and different thing.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 release date set for November
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/call-of-duty/call-of-duty-black-ops-7-release-date-set-for-november/
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 got its big campaign reveal trailer today during Opening Night Live, finally revealing what sort of movement gimmicks it's up to and shedding some light on the central characters.
And of course, we also got a release date: Black Ops 7 is coming November 14. If you're keeping up with the other big military FPS of the moment, that's just over a month after Battlefield 6 releases on October 10.
>> And there will be a Beta in October.

Final Fantasy 14 and Monster Hunter get together again for a crossover event swapping Omega and Arkveld
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/final-fantasy-xiv-and-monster-hunter-get-together-again-for-a-crossover-event-swapping-omega-and-arkveld/
It's been a while since Final Fantasy and Monster Hunter smashed their games together for a crossover event swapping some of their meanest beasties, but you've had eight years to get the Rathalos mount in Final Fantasy 14, so now it's time to move on to the next big grind.
During today's Opening Night Live, Square Enix and Capcom announced another crossover event between Final Fantasy 14 and the newer Monster Hunter Wilds with both games hosting their own interpretation of the other universe's creatures.
>> And you only need two things to take part in the collab: buy FF14 and... play around 500 hours until you’ve beaten the game.

Studio ZA/UM's Disco Elysium follow-up drops a reveal trailer at Gamescom, and boy it sure looks like Disco Elysium
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/studio-za-ums-disco-elysium-follow-up-drops-a-reveal-trailer-at-gamescom-and-boy-it-sure-looks-like-disco-elysium/
Studio ZA/UM gave us our first look at its anticipated follow-up to Disco Elysium at today's Opening Night Live showcase, "a story-rich espionage RPG" called Zero Parades—previously codenamed C4—in which you'll become "a brilliant but tormented operant on a desperate assignment."

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is finally launching on October 21, and yes you'll technically be able to play as a Malkavian vampire
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/vampire-the-masquerade-bloodlines-2-is-finally-launching-on-october-21-and-yes-youll-technically-be-able-to-play-as-a-malkavian-vampire/
It's been a long, long, long road, but Bloodlines 2 is almost upon us. Finally! At Gamescom's Opening Night Live, Paradox and The Chinese Room announced its October 21 release date, as well as sharing some secrets they've been hiding up their sleeves for ages.
So, yes, you'll be able to play as a Malkavian vampire. But there's a twist. See, you won't be able to make Phyre, the game's protagonist, Malkavian.

Silent Hill F dials down the action just a bit for a new story-focused trailer
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/silent-hill-f-dials-down-the-action-just-a-bit-for-a-new-story-focused-trailer/
It won't be long until Silent Hill F terrorizes us all from the comfort of home, but Konami debuted a new trailer during today's Opening Night Live with a smidge less gore and violent spearing than the last, in exchange for a more focused look at its story.

Wargaming is making a new World of Tanks for the Overwatch generation: A tank-y hero shooter with 'heroic tank gameplay'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/wargaming-is-making-a-new-world-of-tanks-for-the-overwatch-generation-a-tank-y-hero-shooter-with-heroic-tank-gameplay/
Of the many heroes from World War 2, none were greater than tank. Zinaida Portnova? Sophie Scholl? Lyle Bouck? Very few if any of them had a 76.2mm gun capable of piercing 60mm of armour at distances of up to a kilometer. And yet who do we fill our so-called 'hero' shooters with? Humans. It's a disgrace.
But no longer, because I guess there's a World of Tanks hero-shooter-type thing now? Okay! Announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live, World of Tanks: Heat promises to bring World of Tanks' "tactical tank combat into faster, more dynamic, and explosive grounds."

World of Warcraft: Midnight's new intro cinematic is overflowing with elves and their abnormally long eyebrows
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/world-of-warcraft/world-of-warcraft-midnights-new-intro-cinematic-is-overflowing-with-elves-and-their-abnormally-long-eyebrows/
World of Warcraft's next expansion is right around the corner, which means it was about time for Blizzard to drop a new cinematic.
Sure enough, we got our first look at what's going on in WoW: Midnight during the Gamescom Opening Night Live show, and it's a lot of elves with abnormally long eyebrows.
>> Midnight will also introduce a new Prey System.

Resident Evil Requiem video reveals the mom murder that kicks off this latest round of unpleasantness
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/resident-evil/this-new-resident-evil-requiem-video-reveals-the-mom-murder-behind-the-latest-round-of-unpleasantness/
This year's Gamescom Opening Night Live showcase concluded with a clip from Resident Evil Requiem (before the 'one more thing,' at least), and sets up the story of the ninth mainline Resident Evil game with a gruesome flashback.

Meet your snarky, sexy companions in The Outer Worlds 2: 'And no, you can't sleep with them'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/meet-your-snarky-sexy-companions-in-the-outer-worlds-2-and-no-you-cant-sleep-with-them/
The universe needs a hero, and every hero needs a trusty sidekick. Unfortunately for the universe in The Outer Worlds 2, instead of a hero, it's got you. Lucky for you, you've got them: a cadre of snarky, sexy companions who will follow you anywhere and kill anyone that gets in your way.

As Battlefield 6 commits to 'keeping it grounded' with skins, Call of Duty director makes an unconvincing promise to 'calibrate' cosmetics in Black Ops 7
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/call-of-duty/as-battlefield-6-commits-to-keeping-it-grounded-with-skins-call-of-duty-director-makes-an-unconvincing-promise-to-calibrate-cosmetics-in-black-ops-7/
We're set for another Call of Duty vs. Battlefield face-off this year, and it's already been fascinating to watch how these two military shooters present themselves. When it comes to one of the most incendiary topics in multiplayer games at the moment, the rising prevalence of goofy Fortnite-style skins, Call of Duty has become the poster child of ugliness run amok.
>> How much can we believe them when they also confirm that all Black Ops 6 skins will carry over to 7?

And here are the rest of the gaming news:

The new game from the makers of Delta Force looks like Hunt: Showdown moved to Silent Hill
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/the-new-game-from-the-makers-of-delta-force-looks-like-hunt-showdown-moved-to-silent-hill/
Project Spectrum is an upcoming "tactical thriller shooter" revealed tonight at Gamescom's Opening Night Live that sets players off into Ember Zones, where "unspeakable horrors await."

All the Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 announcements in one place
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/live/news/gamescom-opening-night-live-2025-everything-announced/
It's been barely a blink since we last gathered for an announcestravaganza with Summer Game Fest, but here we are again! Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025, Geoff Keighley's second big livestream of the year, aired on Tuesday with some of the biggest games of 2025 and beyond.
>> This is the livestream article they had during the show with all the announcements.

Over a decade later, a beloved, lost instalment in the Tales Of JRPG series is coming to PC
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/over-a-decade-later-a-beloved-lost-instalment-in-the-tales-of-jrpg-series-is-coming-to-pc/
Tales of Xillia released exclusively for PS3 in 2011, and it's been stuck there ever since. It's a widely loved instalment in the Tales Of series, which is no small feat when there are 17 of them. Xillia featured two protagonists for the first time in the series' history, and a combat system people still praise to this day. If you missed it back in the PS3-era, Tales of Xillia is now coming to PC in the form of Tales Of Xillia Remastered.

Cult of the Lamb has revealed a huge DLC coming next year, finally letting us explore the towering mountain from the back of the map which has been bugging me since launch
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/cult-of-the-lamb-has-revealed-a-huge-dlc-coming-next-year-finally-letting-us-explore-the-towering-mountain-from-the-back-of-the-map-which-has-been-bugging-me-since-launch/
Whenever you're shown a map for a game, you probably start scouring it for any areas that could hint towards updates in the future. No? Just me? Okay. Well, I definitely did this with Cult of the Lamb when I first played back in 2022, and the haunting mountain in the background seemed like the perfect candidate for a future DLC. I started to lose hope as the years passed, but at long last my wishes have come true and a journey to the mountain has been revealed.

I hope you like Black Ops 7, because it's upping the grind (again) so you'll be playing it forever
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/call-of-duty/i-hope-you-like-black-ops-7-because-its-upping-the-grind-again-so-youll-be-playing-it-forever/
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is interesting, to say the least. It's a sequel to both Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 6, while also making the former mostly non-canon, and we weren't even expecting another direct sequel in the same vein as 2023's Modern Warfare 3 to begin with. Nevertheless, it's doing the usual business of the annual CoD release: a new campaign, refreshed multiplayer and zombies modes, and a few other bits and bobs. And I hope you like how it's shaping up already, because you'll be playing it forever (at least until the next game releases). Oh, and potentially meta items are locked behind a lengthy and repetitive new grind, because of course they are.

The Sims 4 has finally added the ability to disable your hundreds of DLC packs which feels like both a good and bad thing
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-sims/the-sims-4-has-finally-added-the-ability-to-disable-your-hundreds-of-dlc-packs-which-feels-like-both-a-good-and-bad-thing/
As someone who played The Sims 3 on a tragically specced laptop, I'll always remember feeling mildly guilty whenever I ignored its suggestion to "select only a couple of packs at a time to ensure the best game experience," checking every box for every DLC I owned and hearing the whirr of my fans desperately fighting for their lives.
Thankfully that's not an issue I've had with The Sims 4—the power of a better-optimised game not shackled to a 32-bit prison—but I've certainly had moments where I wished I could disable a pack or two here and there without having to faff around with the EA app's advanced launch options. Well, after almost 11 years, I finally can.

'To put it bluntly, it was copying others': Former Dragon Quest producer says he left Square Enix because the developer was too focused on making 'safe' games
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/to-put-it-bluntly-it-was-copying-others-former-dragon-quest-producer-says-he-left-square-enix-because-the-developer-was-too-focused-on-making-safe-games/
Former Dragon Quest producer Ryutaro Ichimura says he left Square Enix because the developer and publisher was too focused on making "safe" games.
In a recent episode of ReHacQ (translated by Automaton), Ichimura says he had always planned to go independent eventually, but Square Enix's way of handling things sped that process up significantly. According to him, the publisher has been pretty focused on "safe" projects over the last several years, which he wasn't too keen about.

Intel’s Next-Gen AI Chip Jaguar Shores ‘Test Vehicle’ Surfaces Online, Showcasing A Gigantic Chip Package That Could Mark A ‘Make-Or-Break’ Moment For Its AI Business

https://wccftech.com/intel-next-gen-ai-chip-jaguar-shores-test-vehicle-surfaces-online/

AMD FidelityFX SDK 2.0 & FSR 4.0.2 Now Available, Next-Gen Neural Rendering Technologies & FSR Redstone Ready For Devs

https://wccftech.com/amd-fidelityfx-sdk-2-0-fsr-4-0-2-now-available-next-gen-neural-rendering-technologies-fsr-redstone-ready-for-devs/

China’s Policymakers Are Reportedly Pushing to Completely Ban NVIDIA’s AI Chips in the Country, But Weak Domestic Alternatives Are Holding Them Back

https://wccftech.com/china-policymakers-are-pushing-to-completely-ban-nvidia-ai-chips-in-the-country/

Samsung Reportedly On-Track to Supply HBM4 to NVIDIA After Passing Initial Quality Tests; Korean Giant Also Offers Up An Attractive 30% Discount on HBM3E for H20 AI Chip

https://wccftech.com/samsung-reportedly-set-to-supply-hbm4-to-nvidia-after-passing-initial-quality-tests/

Thanks, Nvidia: SK hynix dethrones Samsung as world's top DRAM maker for first time in over 30 years

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-08-15/business/tech/Thanks-Nvidia-SK-hynix-dethrones-Samsung-as-worlds-top-DRAM-maker-for-first-time-in-over-30-years/2376834

Kioxia Achieves Successful Prototyping of 5TB Large-Capacity and 64GB/s High-Bandwidth Flash Memory Module

https://www.kioxia.com/en-jp/about/news/2025/20250820-1.html

3DMark Solar Bay Extreme now available, cross-platform raytracing GPU benchmark

https://videocardz.com/newz/3dmark-solar-bay-extreme-now-available-cross-platform-raytracing-gpu-benchmark

Samsung Seeking To Woo Trump Administration By Investing In Intel After Softbank, Says Report

https://wccftech.com/samsung-seeking-to-woo-trump-administration-by-investing-in-intel-after-softbank-says-report/

The Thursday gaming news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

The Epic Store gives away:

• Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/kamaeru-0c301e
• Strange Horticulture: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/strange-horticulture-360e80

Next week, the free games will be Machinarium and Make Way.

Steam has four new deals and several Sales/Events:

• The Early Access game Critter Cove has a demo and a 35% discount until the 27th of August: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1631470/Critter_Cove
• Kingdom, Dungeon, and Hero also has a demo, and it will be 50% off until the same 27th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2572400/Kingdom_Dungeon_and_Hero
• Paleo Pines is another game with a demo, and it also has a 70% discount until the 3rd of September: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1202200/Paleo_Pines
• Tormented Souls makes the poker of games with demos, and it will be 90% off until September 3rd: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1367590/Tormented_Souls
• And these are the new Sales/Events:
  • The Future Games Show has a page with all the upcoming games as well as some already available titles, two of which are on sale, 25 and 30% off: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/futuregamesshow
  • World of Tanks celebrates its 2,0 update putting three of its DLCs on sale between 15 and 540% discounts until the 2nd of September : https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32977250/sale/wot_2_0
  • To celebrate the new announcement (check the PCGamer articles for that), the Hell Let Loose franchise goes on sale with up to 60% discounts until the 3rd of September: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32941731/sale/HellLetLooseAnnouncementSale
  • Total War franchise celebrates its 25th anniversary puting its games up to 80% off until the 4th of September: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32528477/sale/TW25

Humble Bundle presents the IGN Gamescom Bundle 2025, with up to 7 games to get during 20 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/gamescom-bundle-2025.

Fanatical’s Summer Sale is over. Back to the usual stuff, starting with a new Star Deal: [NINJA GAIDEN: Master Collection] NINJA GAIDEN Σ will be 58% off during 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/ninja-gaiden-master-collection-ninja-gaiden-2.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

-Also Empty-

GAMING NEWS

First gameplay footage of Resident Evil Requiem with Path Tracing
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/first-gameplay-footage-of-resident-evil-requiem-with-path-tracing
At Gamescom 2025, NVIDIA had a playable demo for the PC version of Resident Evil Requiem with Path Tracing. Resident Evil Requiem is the first game using the RE Engine that supports Path Tracing, and below you can find two gameplay videos from that demo.
>> One of the videos is from Digital Foundry.

Neverness to Everness will have Full Ray Tracing/Path Tracing
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/neverness-to-everness-will-have-full-ray-tracing-path-tracing
NVIDIA has revealed that Neverness to Everness, the new supernatural urban open-world RPG powered by Unreal Engine 5, will have Full Ray Tracing/Path Tracing on PC. The green team has also shared a trailer dedicated to the game’s path-traced version that you can find below.

Here are 15 minutes of gameplay from the Gamescom 2025 Demo of PRAGMATA
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-15-minutes-of-gameplay-from-the-gamescom-2025-demo-of-pragmata
GameSpot had the chance to play the Gamescom 2025 demo for Capcom’s PRAGMATA, and shared a video for it. This video showcases 15 minutes of new gameplay footage. So, if you are interested in it, you should definitely check it out.

Here are the official PC requirements for NINJA GAIDEN 4
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/here-are-the-official-pc-requirements-for-ninja-gaiden-4
Microsoft and PlatinumGames have revealed the official PC system requirements for NINJA GAIDEN 4. NINJA GAIDEN 4 will use Platinum Games’ in-house engine. So, let’s see what PC system you’ll need to run it.

Here’s the full Gamescom 2025 demo for Black State
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/heres-the-full-gamescom-2025-demo-for-black-state
SECTOR has shared a video, showcasing the full-length Gamescom 2025 demo of Black State. This demo is from an alpha build, meaning that it does not represent the quality of the final product. So, make sure to keep that in mind while watching it.

First Mafia: The Old Country Hotfix Patches Released and Detailed
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/first-mafia-the-old-country-hotfix-patches-released-and-detailed
Hangar 13 has released the first two hotfix patches for Mafia: The Old Country. These are small updates that will fix a few bugs. They will not add new content or bring any major overhauls to it. So, let’s take a closer look at them.

Gamescom 2025 trailers for Kaidan, Halloween, Active Matter, Den of Wolves, Hell is Us, and more
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/gamescom-2025-trailers-for-kaidan-halloween-active-matter-den-of-wolves-hell-is-us-and-more
A new set of Gamescom 2025 trailers aired during the Future Games Show 2025 event. Thus, I’ve decided to collect and share all of them in one big article. So, go ahead and watch the trailers for Kaidan, Ta-Miu, Den of Wolves, Hell is Us, Active Matter, and more.
>> The article has 25 videos. Like yesterday with a similar article, some of them have their own PCGamer article.

Story-Driven Sci-Fi Action RPG The Expanse: Osiris Reborn Looks Gorgeous in Latest Trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/story-driven-sci-fi-action-rpg-the-expanse-osiris-reborn-looks-gorgeous-in-latest-trailer
Owlcat Games has released a new trailer for its story-driven sci-fi action RPG, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn. This trailer shows off some of the game’s environments. And, as you will see, it looks gorgeous.
>> There is also some gameplay of our character walking in those environments, which gives us an idea of how the camera will be.

Here are 12 minutes of gameplay from the Gamescom 2025 demo of Onimusha: Way of the Sword
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-12-minutes-of-gameplay-from-the-gamescom-2025-demo-of-onimusha-way-of-the-sword
Capcom had a playable demo of Onimusha: Way of the Sword at Gamescom 2025. So, below you can find a video showcasing 12 minutes of gameplay footage from it.

Thursday gaming news, part two:

Playstack, not content with obliterating my free time via Balatro, is publishing another roguelike about coin pusher machines
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/playstack-not-content-with-obliterating-my-free-time-via-balatro-is-publishing-another-roguelike-about-coin-pusher-machines/
I'm not a full-time Balatro player, but I do have occasional spells where Jimbo lunges from my screen and throttles me until I've sunk about 50 extra hours into it. My doctors tell me that's a 'hallucination' and a 'deflection from me avoiding my responsibilities', but Jimbo tells me they're lying, so I'm not sure who to believe.
Anyway—Playstack, the company what published Balatro, has gone ahead and done it again. The only thing stopping me from falling into a void and devouring more of the new coin-pusher roguelike Raccoin is the fact it's merely in playtesting. Phew! Close one.

Hyper Light Breaker has shadow dropped a new update with floating islands, difficulty modifiers, a beefy new tank character, and a challenging duo boss that's 'technically 4 bosses' depending on what order you beat them in
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/hyper-light-breaker-has-shadow-dropped-a-new-update-with-floating-islands-difficulty-modifiers-a-beefy-new-tank-character-and-a-challenging-duo-boss-thats-technically-4-bosses-depending-on-what-order-you-beat-them-in/
In a new trailer at the Gamescom edition of the Future Games Show, Heart Machine simultaneously revealed and launched the latest early access update to Hyper Light Breaker, which includes new systems, a playable character, a fresh boss, and floating islands in the open world. I got a chance to see the new additions in a hands-off gameplay presentation last week, and here are the topline changes: (...)

If EA won't make another Battlefield Vietnam, Hell Let Loose: Vietnam is here to pick up the slack
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/if-ea-wont-make-another-battlefield-vietnam-hell-let-loose-vietnam-is-here-to-pick-up-the-slack/
Hell Let Loose, the decently popular WW2 milsim that's been plugging along since 2019, is getting a proper sequel set in a theatre of war that videogames rarely visit. Hell Let Loose: Vietnam is bringing back the 50v50 skirmishes of the original with new maps, weapons, and most importantly, vehicles of the era.

Resident Evil Requiem's protagonist is 'an introverted and fearful character,' but to be fair there's a giant monster chasing her
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/resident-evil/resident-evil-requiems-protagonist-is-an-introverted-and-fearful-character-but-to-be-fair-theres-a-giant-monster-chasing-her/
Resident Evil Requiem protagonist Grace Ashcroft is "an introverted and fearful character, which is unusual for this series," said producer Masato Kumazawa (translated from Japanese) during a segment in the Future Games Show's Gamescom showcase.

Mount and Blade 2's massive War Sails expansion delivers viking death metal in this new trailer—and don't worry, it's not delayed again
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/mount-and-blade-2s-massive-war-sails-expansion-delivers-viking-death-metal-in-this-new-trailer-and-dont-worry-its-not-delayed-again/
War Sails, the big naval expansion to Taleworlds' strategy RPG Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord, turned up at the Future Games Show today with a new trailer depicting the arrival of the new viking-inspired Nord faction. And hoo boy was it loud.

Path of Exile 2's next major update lands next week, adding a new campaign act, a massive list of buffs, and—yes, finally—a way to trade while the other player is offline
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/path-of-exile-2s-next-major-update-lands-next-week-adding-a-new-campaign-act-a-massive-list-of-buffs-and-yes-finally-a-way-to-trade-while-the-other-player-is-offline/
It's probably fair to say Path of Exile 2's previous update wasn't received well. On Steam, reviews were pretty negative—players upset by a series of nerfs that made the game harder, the combat slower and loot more of a grind. Despite the wave of positivity that welcomed the game when it first launched into early access, it felt like the momentum had been taken out of the ARPG sequel's sails.
The thing with balance, though, is it can change. The bones of PoE2 remain strong, so as long as Grinding Gear can find a combat pace that resonates with players, there's still the potential to capitalise on its early heyday. While I can't say yet if next week's update, called The Third Edict, will successfully do that, it does feel like things are moving in the right direction.
>> The plan, they claim, is to fix every problem anyone has with that update.

The Subnautica legal dispute takes a surprise twist as Unknown Worlds—not Krafton—sues its former bosses for stealing confidential material on their way out the door
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-subnautica-legal-dispute-takes-a-surprise-twist-as-unknown-worlds-not-krafton-sues-its-former-bosses-for-stealing-confidential-material-on-their-way-out-the-door/
The legal dispute between Krafton and the former heads of Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds took an unexpected turn today as Unknown Worlds—not Krafton, but Unknown Worlds specifically—has sued its former bosses for abandoning their responsibilities to the studio and Subnautica 2, breaching their employee agreements by stealing confidential materials prior to their dismissal, and damaging the reputation of the studio and the next Subnautica game.

Randy Pitchford says Borderlands 4 is worth $200, but he wishes 'they'd give it away'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/randy-pitchford-says-borderlands-4-is-worth-usd200-but-he-wishes-theyd-give-it-away/
Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford ruffled some feathers recently with the comment that a "real fan" would pay $80 to play Borderlands 4, if it happened to cost that much, and then somewhat unruffled those feathers with the reveal that it won't cost that much. Borderlands 4 will be $70, like most other games from big publishers right now.
Speaking to GamesRadar, Pitchford now says that $200 would be a fair price for Borderlands 4, but he wishes it were free.
>> Someone should get a muzzle for Pitchford.

Goodbye Jason Voorhees, hello Michael Myers: Friday the 13th developer and publisher return with a new multiplayer survival horror game based on Halloween
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/goodbye-jason-voorhees-hello-michael-myers-friday-the-13th-developer-and-publisher-return-with-a-new-multiplayer-survival-horror-game-based-on-halloween/
Seven years after IllFonic and Gun Media had to say farewell to their hit multiplayer survival horror game Friday the 13th, they're back—except this time, it's Halloween. Announced at today's Future Game Show, Halloween is a "one-versus-many stealth horror experience" in which players don the creepy mask of Michael Myers to hunt down the citizens of Haddonfield, or work together as his potential victims in a desperate effort to stop him.

The roguelike Prince of Persia platformer is now out of early access and feature complete, though it may get more content if it 'gets popular'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/the-roguelike-prince-of-persia-platformer-is-now-out-of-early-access-and-feature-complete-though-it-may-get-more-content-if-it-gets-popular/
The Rogue Prince of Persia launched into early access in May 2024 and, by all reports, was pretty good even in its not-finished state. As the name suggests, it wraps the Prince's balletic action in a roguelite cloth, with plenty of bloodletting combat and illogical platforming gauntlets to tackle. It looks brilliant in movement: the character animations look like hi-octane interpretations of the old PC classic, with backflips and cartwheels thrown in.
After a modest 15 months spent in early access, The Rogue Prince of Persia has officially launched into 1.0 on Steam and consoles (it's also available on Game Pass, if you have it), which means you can dive in and potentially finish it without worrying about hitting a wall. The big final update adds two new biomes in the form of the Port of Ctesiphon and the Besieged Palace, as well as the final boss and story act.

And here’s part three of the gaming news:

Stardew Valley is making an incredibly rare collaboration appearance in a cosy gacha game of all places
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/adventure/stardew-valley-is-making-an-incredibly-rare-collaboration-appearance-in-a-cosy-gacha-game-of-all-places/
Okay, so I recently wrote about how I'm kind of over the Fortnitification of everything, but Infinity Nikki collaborating with Stardew Valley is one videogame crossover I can abide by.
The two cosy games are colliding in an update set to land on September 1. It's not 100% what Stardewy things will be making an appearance in Miraland yet—we get to see a junimo being flung from Pelican Town over to Infinity Nikki's world before bouncing off, but there's little more beyond that.

We have a Kickstarter for an entirely different game to thank for Dawn of War 4
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/we-have-a-kickstarter-for-an-entirely-different-game-to-thank-for-dawn-of-war-4/
Dawn of War 4's inception goes all the way back to 2018, only a year after the arrival of Dawn of War 3. King Art Games had just launched the Kickstarter for Iron Harvest, an alt-history WWI with mechs and bears.
As soon as King Art started to show off Iron Harvest, Dawn of War developer Relic kept coming up. This new RTS had a lot in common with the veteran studio's games, and as one of the few major developers trying to keep the genre alive, a new studio with similar priorities was an exciting prospect.

Vampire Survivors developer Poncle has just shadow-dropped its latest publishing effort, where you murder sentient bricks with your living bullets
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/vampire-survivors-developer-poncle-has-just-shadow-dropped-its-latest-publishing-effort-where-you-murder-sentient-bricks-with-your-living-bullets/
Kill the Brickman, which publisher Poncle and developer Doonutsaur just shadow-dropped this afternoon, is one of those games that defies a simple, clean description. It's a bit of a weirdo. But it's a weirdo you can play right now for a meagre £4/$5, so it might be worth taking a punt on.

I hope everyone is ready to thirst over Resident Evil characters again because Jill Valentine is being immortalised in a gooner gacha
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/i-hope-everyone-is-ready-to-thirst-over-resident-evil-characters-again-because-jill-valentine-is-being-immortalised-in-a-gooner-gacha/
I look at the time where we all collectively thirsted over Lady Dimitrescu through my fingers with mild embarrassment. It was Covid, we were all losing our minds… it made sense at that moment, alright?
I wouldn't say we've stopped going googly-eyed for horror waifus, but we've certainly become more conservative about it. Perhaps not for long, though, since gooner gacha game Nikke: Goddess of Victory just revealed a Resident Evil collaboration.

Caribbean commie city builder Tropico is getting a new game featuring a 'reworked military system' and a new council of whiny citizens
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/city-builder/caribbean-commie-city-builder-tropico-is-getting-a-new-game-featuring-a-reworked-military-system-and-a-new-council-of-whiny-citizens/
I was going to start this article by writing about how I feel like there's a new Tropico entry every time I return my attention to the series. I was going to write about how it wasn't that long ago I was pouring many hours into Tropico 3, and now there's apparently a seventh game on the way. I was going to write that they should clearly pump the brakes on this thing.
And then I recalled that Tropico 3 came out in 2009 and the previous game in the series released six years ago. Help. Tell me I'm still young and beautiful.
But enough about my swiftly encroaching demise. Kalypso has announced Tropico 7, the latest in its long line of autocracy sims, due for release some time in 2026. This one seems just a smidge less autocratic than previous entries, though—the headline feature is a new political council system, which will see you browbeat and cajole various faction reps in order to bring your island to heel.

WoW's player housing feature will have an import function, letting you save and share houses—and potentially furnishings—with each other
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/world-of-warcraft/wows-player-housing-feature-will-have-an-import-function-letting-you-save-and-share-houses-and-potentially-furnishings-with-each-other/
I'm always astonished at the ingenuity players can wield when given a solid house-building system. Heck, even when I was playing City of Heroes: Homecoming, fans were wrangling a decades-old base builder to make some true works of art out of scraps. World of Warcraft, however, appears to be making a proper effort to do so wrangle-free.
While my colleagues are at Gamescom and still in the process of getting their hands in it, streamer AnnieFuschia was able to pull an answer from a dev (thanks, WoWHead) on whether or not an import function, "kinda like how we share talents", would be coming along with the feature in Midnight.

Silksong finally has a release date, officially, from Team Cherry and everything—putting an end to over half a decade of Silksanity
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/silksong-finally-has-a-release-date-officially-from-team-cherry-and-everything-putting-an-end-to-over-half-a-decade-of-silksanity/
After six long years of waiting, Silksong finally has a release date—as announced on Team Cherry's YouTube channel. It's my pleasure to inform you that Silksong will finally be arriving to PC on September 4, marking an end to years of waiting for the Hollow Knight sequel and, tragically, over half a decade of top-tier Silkposting.

The problem with shaders is so bad that even MSoft is trying to fix it. We'll see if they can do it, tho their recent track record isn't very inspiring.

And here's another example:

Microsoft August 2025 Update Breaks Windows Reset and Recovery Tools
https://www.guru3d.com/story/microsoft-august-2025-update-breaks-windows-reset-and-recovery-tools
A new day, a new Windows Bug. Microsoft’s August 2025 cumulative update has caused unexpected problems for Windows users, specifically with system recovery features. After applying the latest Patch Tuesday release, some people have discovered that their system reset and restore options are no longer working. In fact, Microsoft has confirmed that using these tools on certain versions of Windows can result in serious system failures that may not be repairable. The issue doesn’t affect every version of Windows, but the list of impacted builds is significant. Windows 11 users running versions 23H2 and 22H2 are included, as are those on Windows 10 version 22H2. In addition, several long-term support releases are affected, such as Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021, Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021, and both Enterprise and IoT LTSC 2019 editions. What stands out is that Windows 11 version 24H2 is not impacted. Microsoft has been marketing this release as its most reliable Windows build yet, and in this case, it seems to have avoided the reset and recovery bug.

First Case of Melted 16-Pin Connector Reported On AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT GPU

https://wccftech.com/first-case-of-melted-16-pin-connector-reported-on-amd-radeon-rx-9070-xt-gpu/

TSMC Caught in the Crossfire as U.S. Officials Weigh Stakes in CHIPS Act Beneficiaries; Domestic Media Calls It ‘Highway Robbery’

https://wccftech.com/tsmc-under-pressure-as-u-s-officials-weigh-stakes-in-chips-act-beneficiaries/

ASUS Launches The GeForce RTX 5080 Noctua OC Edition At A Whopping $2300

https://wccftech.com/asus-launches-the-geforce-rtx-5080-noctua-oc-edition-at-a-whopping-2300/

AOOSTAR Launches World’s First AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D MoTD Motherboard: 16 “Zen 5” CPU Cores With 3D V-Cache For $650 US, 9955HX For $500

https://wccftech.com/aoostar-launches-worlds-first-amd-ryzen-9-9955hx3d-motd-motherboard-16-zen-5-cpu-cores-3d-v-cache-650-usd/

Microsoft Xbox PC app adds third-party storefronts, pushing toward a unified gaming hub

https://videocardz.com/newz/microsoft-xbox-pc-app-adds-third-party-storefronts-pushing-toward-a-unified-gaming-hub

AMD confirms FSR4 ‘open-source’ release was a mistake, but the MIT license may be hard to undo

https://videocardz.com/newz/amd-confirms-fsr4-open-source-release-was-a-mistake-but-the-mit-license-may-be-hard-to-undo

Let’s go with the Friday gaming news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

Fanatical has the new BYO Titanium Collection, with 22 games to choose for your 3+ or 5+ bundles during 37 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-titanium-collection.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

inFamous Second Son, Driveclub, and Killzone Shadow Fall Running on PC via Latest Version of PlayStation 4 Emulator shadPS4
https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/infamous-second-son-driveclub-and-killzone-shadow-fall-running-on-pc-via-latest-version-of-playstation-4-emulator-shadps4
YouTube’s ‘BrutalSam’ has shared a video showing inFamous Second Son, Driveclub, and Killzone Shadow Fall running on the latest version of the PlayStation 4 emulator, shadPS4. So, let’s take a look at them, shall we?
All of these three games display proper graphics. Emulation is not 100% accurate in inFamous: Second Son or Killzone: Shadow Fall, but things are WAY better than they were a couple of months ago.
The game that is close to being 100% emulated is Driveclub. I’m pretty sure there are still some bugs, but Driveclub feels like a game can finally enjoy with this emulator. From what I could see, there aren’t any major visual glitches or artifacts. You can wait a couple of months to get a more polished experience. But if you can’t wait, you can go ahead and play it.
It’s also worth noting that shadPS4 can also launch The Order: 1886. The Order: 1886 is one of the best-looking PS4 games to date. Sadly, the emulator still needs more work. So, it might take some time before we can play it smoothly. Still, I’m really excited to try it once it is fully working.
Some other PS4 exclusives that can run on shadPS4 are Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise, Alienation, and The Witch & The Hundred Knight 2. Plus, the emulator can launch God of War 3 Remastered.
>> The video is almost 11 minutes long.

I wouldn't have thought I'd be playing Starfield again in 2025, but this Star Wars total conversion mod is a real blast(er)
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/i-wouldnt-have-thought-id-be-playing-starfield-again-in-2025-but-this-star-wars-total-conversion-mod-is-a-real-blast-er/
I know Starfield has kind of a bad reputation these days, but I never thought it was a bad game. It's a good game, and I should know: I played over 100 hours of it when it launched.
But it's not a great game, and it simply doesn't have the staying power of other Bethesda RPGs like the Fallout and Elder Scrolls games. I can always find a reason to hop back into Skyrim or Fallout 4, but I kinda figured when I was done with Starfield, I'd stay done with it.
To my surprise, here I am in 2025 playing Starfield again, and it's all thanks to a mod. More specifically, a whole bunch of mods. There's a modlist called Star Wars Genesis that collects hundreds of Star Wars mods and rolls them up into one big total conversion, transforming Starfield into a huge hunk of the Star Wars galaxy.
I haven't played a ton of Genesis yet, but whether I'm following a quest chain or just freewheeling around the dozens of star systems, it's a delight to see just how much Star Wars is packed into this thing. One of the first things I did was visit Tatooine and land at Mos Eisley. You know the place: scum, villany, hive, wretched, yadda yadda yadda.
Just walking around and spying a Gonk Droid here, a pack of jabbering Jawas there, and maybe one of those awesome hammerhead alien dudes from the cantina scene in A New Hope—it was so enjoyable, even for a lapsed Star Wars fan like me. Within a minute or two the modded version of Mos Eisely became a better place to hang out than any city in vanilla Starfield.
In fact, before I even started playing the mod properly, it was a delight just to see a choice of aliens in the character creator. You can play as a Rodian (like Greedo), Trandoshian (like Bossk), Duros (the classic-looking blue-headed alien dudes from the cantina), Mon Calamari (it's a trap!), and a bunch more. Yes, you can even be a Gungan, if your dream has always been to inhabit Jar-Jar Binks. I suspect that isn't your dream.
It really highlights that baffling decision Bethesda made with Starfield to have a galaxy full of only human characters. This is the company that made us fall in love with Argonians and Khajiit. But going humans-only in a game with 1,000 alien planets? It's still a head-scratcher to me.
>> The article has several screenshots.

Nightdive's System Shock 2 remaster now supports 26 years of mods and fan missions
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/nightdives-system-shock-2-remaster-now-supports-26-years-of-mods-and-fan-missions/
Tucked at the bottom of System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Edition's 1.2 patch notes is the whammy I'd been waiting for: "Added support for custom campaigns (fan missions)." Balance mods were good to go from launch, but now 'Shock 2's extensive back catalogue of modded missions and campaigns is fair game too.
The new "FMs" folder in the game's directory has cryptic instructions on how to install them, but the process is largely identical to installing other mods (like balance or QoL changes). Thanks to a brilliant help thread on the SystemShock.org forums from voodoo47 about installing non-FM mods, I was able to suss out my issues and get the well-liked Ponterbee Station FM working in the remaster.
Mods and fan missions both have to be in a ".kpf" file format unique to the SS2 AE. Mod authors can just release their new projects in .kpf format, but thankfully it's very easy to convert older projects to the new format. These instructions work for both mods and FMs, with the only differences being which folder you put them in, and how you activate them in-game. To convert the files to an uncompressed .zip format, I used the free, open-source 7-zip.
>> The article has a couple of screenshots, but they don’t show much.

'Legal inquiry' shuts down one of Final Fantasy 14's most popular mods, adding yet another blurry line in the sand from Square Enix
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/final-fantasy/legal-inquiry-shuts-down-one-of-final-fantasy-14s-most-popular-mods-adding-yet-another-blurry-line-in-the-sand-from-square-enix/
Square Enix is putting its foot down once again when it comes to modding in Final Fantasy 14. The creator behind Mare Synchronos—a player-made plugin for synchronizing and sharing appearance mods between FF14 players—is shutting the three-year-old project down after apparently receiving a cease and desist order from Square Enix. It's not the first mod to catch Square's ire this year, but its latest demand certainly seems like an escalation.
The tool's creator, DarkArchon, announced his decision to end Mare after he "received a legal inquiry concerning the project" and reviewed his options with counsel. The plugin is easily one of FF14's biggest in terms of both scope and popularity, as glamour mods are among some of the most popular player-made changes in FF14. It's an awfully big scene, and the Mare Synchronos Discord has just over 200,000 users at the time of writing.
While Mare isn't the main mechanism for adding things like modded hairstyles, outfits, and other visual changes to FF14, it is the tool for sharing those changes between users in-game. Using the plugin required a suite of other add-ons to work, in addition to completing a registration and verification process through Discord and FF14's Lodestone.
DarkArchon has already closed new user registration, and has removed the client, server, and API repositories. So if you were looking to try it out before tomorrow, you're out of luck. As for anyone hoping to have one last hoorah with the mod, DarkArchon gave a specific deadline:
"The server will continue to run until Friday, August 22, 2025 5:00 AM, after that, the server will shut down, and the main repository will be removed as well. Enjoy your last doomsday party."
This doesn't put an end to FF14 players modding their appearance, but it does effectively kill the easy way to see whatever outfits your buddies have put together. The game was filled with players modding their appearances long before Mare launched in 2022, but those client-side changes had no way to sync between users before DarkArchon's mod provided an intermediary.
>> The article only has one screenshot, the note that the author has posted.

I modded guns into Baldur’s Gate 3—and now I’m an unstoppable angel of death
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/i-modded-guns-into-baldurs-gate-3-and-now-im-an-unstoppable-angel-of-death/
As I passed 480 hours of playtime in Baldur’s Gate 3, messing around with a solo druid run, I realised that maybe it was time to put the best fantasy RPG of all time down. Simply put, I was getting serious déjà vu, and not in a good way.
While there are absolutely some things that I still haven’t seen in Larian’s masterwork, I suddenly found myself petering out on desire and willpower to re-run through parts of this magical fantasy adventure that I’d already run through countless times.
Because, despite running more than 50 mods on top of the base experience to add in extra content to keep new runs fresh, I think I reached a point where I had finally, after approaching three whole weeks of my life constantly playing Baldur’s Gate 3, burnt out on the game and its mechanics.
However, just as I was about to delete the game from my rig, I thought I’d go look one more time at the BG3 mod scene to see if there was anything that would relight that fire in my heart for another build and another run through The Sword Coast.
And then I found just what I was looking for—guns, LOTS of guns! And, as the video below shows, I’m now a repeating rifle-wielding angel of death, blasting my way through foes like the world’s foremost sharpshooter assassin.
The mod that has granted me my explosively lethal powers is the Vintage Firearms Pack from talented modder Skirbie. Skirbie’s fine work can be found both in the official Baldur’s Gate 3 in-game mod menu (just search for ‘Skirbie’ and it will pop up), as well over at mod.io, where it can be downloaded manually.
>> The article has some screenshots and an almost 3 minutes video.

GAMING NEWS

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection will include Mythologies Sub-Zero and Special Forces
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/mortal-kombat-legacy-kollection-will-include-mythologies-sub-zero-and-special-forces
Digital Eclipse has revealed the next two – and most likely final – MK games of the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection. So, MK fans. Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero and Mortal Kombat: Special Forces will be included in it.

Elden Ring Title Update 1.16.1 Released – Full Patch Notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/elden-ring-title-update-1-16-1-released-full-patch-notes
FromSoftware has just released Title Update 1.16.1 for Elden Ring and shared its full patch notes. So, let’s see what this new patch brings to the table.

Star Fox-Inspired Wild Blue Gets Extended Gameplay Trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/star-fox-inspired-wild-blue-gets-extended-gameplay-trailer
Humble Games has released an extended gameplay trailer for its upcoming on-rail shooter that is heavily inspired by Star Fox, Wild Blue. Wild Blue is basically a modern take on Star Fox. So, if you are fans of it, you should definitely check it out.

Here are 22 minutes of new gameplay from Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-20-minutes-of-new-gameplay-from-metal-gear-solid-delta-snake-eater
Metal Gear Network has shared a video showing 22 minutes of new gameplay footage from Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. Moreover, Konami has shared the game’s launch trailer, which you can also find below.

Here are 18 minutes of gameplay from the Gamescom 2025 demo of Directive 8020
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-18-minutes-of-gameplay-from-the-gamescom-2025-demo-of-directive-8020
SECTOR has released a video, showcasing 18 minutes of gameplay from the Gamescom 2025 of Directive 8020. Directive 8020 is a new sci-fi survival horror game from Supermassive Games. So, if you are interested in it, you should check it out.