Monday, September 1st. Let’s check how many gaming news we have today:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

Report shows 90% of European gaming revenue in 2024 was digital purchases, but only 15% was on PC
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/report-shows-90-percent-of-european-gaming-revenue-in-2024-was-digital-purchases-but-only-15-percent-was-on-pc/
New data shows gaming revenue has moved almost entirely to digital purchases, at least in Europe, with PC and console purchases dwarfed by mobile gaming. The 2024 All About Video Games report, published earlier this month by Video Games Europe, showed sluggish growth for PC gaming in the EU and signaled the death knell for physical game sales.
According to the report, gaming revenue overall grew 4% in 2024. An overwhelming 90% of that revenue was digital, up 5% from 2023 and bringing physical purchases down to just 10%.
For context, physical purchases made up 20% of European gaming revenue in 2020, meaning physical game sales were cut in half in just four years, including a 5% drop in the last year alone. However, it's hard to say whether that decline is happening because gamers just prefer digital copies or because fewer games are getting released in physical format.
>> The article has other data, like growth or decline of the different sectors and the top 10 selling games, with some unexpected games making it to the list.

At GOG we find the Capcom Fire Deals, with up to 84% discounts during 8 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20250901_capcom_fire_deals

Steam has these deals and sales/events:

• KeyWe is going to be 85% off until Sunday: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1242980/KeyWe
• Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion will have an 80% discount until the 12th of September: https://store.steampowered.com/app/728240/Adventure_Time_Pirates_of_the_Enchiridion
• The Early Access title Quasimorph will be 30% off until September the 14th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2059170/Quasimorph
• En Garde! gets a 75% discount until the 14th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1654660/En_Garde
• And there are also these sales/events:
  • PAX West 2025 Expo has its own page, with upcoming games, demos and some discounts. There are up to 90% off deals, but the length pf those deals vary greatly from one to another: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/paxwest2025
  • Games From Poland PAX celebrates its 10th anniversary. There are a handful of deals, but they vary greatly in sum and length (some of them have already ended or will end later today): https://store.steampowered.com/curator/31459763/sale/GamesfromPolandatPAX
  • Publisher/Developer Digital Eclipse puts its games on sale, up to 55% off until September 6: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/DigitalEclipsePublisherSale
  • Publisher Toplitz Productions celebrates its Back to Schoold Sale with up to 80% discounts until the 11th of September: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/33018175/sale/ToplitzBacktoSchool2025

We have a new Humble Bundle: the Draknek & Friends Bundle, featuring up to 8 hames to get during 11 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/draknek-and-friends-12th-anniversary-celebration.

Fanatical has a couple of new deals:

• The Star Deal is Tavern Master. It started yesterday and will be 78% off during another 24 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/tavern-master
• Publisher 11 bit studios puts its games on sale with up to 92% discounts. The length of the deals vary, from one Flash Deal that will end in 23 hours to others that will last 6 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/11-bit-studios

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Starfield Got a Very Cool Weather Overhaul Mod
https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/starfield-got-a-very-cool-weather-overhaul-mod
Modder ‘EloiMods’ has released a very cool new mod for Starfield that aims to overhaul its weather system. This mod will allow you to enjoy Starfield under new and improved weather conditions. As such, it’s a must-have for those who want to improve the game’s overall immersion.
Going into more details, the mod adds lots of new weather types with fresh cloud designs. It also improves the look and sound of rain, lightning, and snow. On top of that, it gives many areas more weather variety, while still keeping the game’s original style.
The mod adds a variety of new cloud types: six partly cloudy, six cloudy, one overcast, and one rain formation. The partly cloudy and cloudy types even include different weather variations. Many of the new weather conditions also feature special versions for big cities and towns, each with its own lighting and atmosphere. All the original weather patterns remain in the game, but now there’s much more variety to enjoy.
And that’s not all. The mod also slows down the day-night cycle to 60% of the normal speed. This means sunrises and sunsets last longer, and the change from day to night feels smoother. It also changes how long weather can last, so weather will shift more often compared to the original game.
You can download the mod from this link. At the end of the article, you’ll also find a video comparing the vanilla rain, thunderstorms, and snow with the new modded versions.

Elden Ring Modder Is Porting the Entire World of Morrowind Into the Game
https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/elden-ring-modder-is-porting-the-entire-world-of-morrowind-into-the-game
Now here is something really cool. Modder ‘InfernoPlus’ is currently working on a mod that aims to bring the whole world of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind into Elden Ring. This mod has been in development for a few months, and below you can find a 15-minute gameplay video of it.
The goal of this mod is to mix the world and story of Morrowind with the combat of Elden Ring. Right now, the world map is finished, and each region has its own weather and lighting. However, a lot of work still needs to be done. For example, the lighting isn’t ready yet, and the world effects are only halfway done. Dialogue is partly working too. While all the dialogue is in the game, the scripted parts are missing, so every NPC shows every possible topic. The modder also plans to add voice acting, but that will come much later.
Right now, there is no ETA on when the mod will come out. From what I can see, the mod is in an advanced stage. So, hopefully, we’ll get a demo or a beta version at the start of 2026. Until then, you can enjoy the video at the end of the article.
All in all, this is a very ambitious project. I don’t believe FromSoftware or Bethesda will shut it down. Or at least I hope not. Unlike other companies, Bethesda has been very friendly to modders.

Cyberpunk 2077 Gets Fully Functional Fuel System Thanks to New Mod
https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/cyberpunk-2077-gets-fully-functional-fuel-system-thanks-to-new-mod
Modder ‘elminister’ has shared a really cool mod for Cyberpunk 2077 that adds a working fuel system to the game. This mod changes how you explore the world because now your cars need gas. It makes driving feel way more realistic since you’ll actually have to refuel.
Every vehicle in the game now has its own fuel tank. Cars and bikes come with default tank sizes and fuel use, but you can change these settings if you want. Each vehicle has a base fuel use that you can keep or tweak in the config. How much fuel you burn depends on your speed – if you drive faster, you’ll use more gas. For example, if you go over 150 km/h, your fuel will run out much quicker.
To refuel, you’ll have to drive to a gas station. When you’re near a pump, refueling starts automatically at the current price (shown on the HUD). If your tank hits empty (0%), the vehicle stalls and you’ll only creep forward in sad little bumps. Even if you destroy or respawn the car, it stays stalled.
The mod also adds an odometer. This tracks how far you’ve driven, but it won’t match your in-game speedometer exactly. Both the odometer and fuel level are saved for each vehicle in every playthrough, making them unique to that car or bike.
>> The article has an almost 20 minutes video.

Here are the first 15 minutes from Skyblivion
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-the-first-15-minutes-from-skyblivion
The modding team behind Skyblivion, the fan remake of Oblivion in Skyrim, has shared a new gameplay video for it. This video shows the first 15 minutes of the game. So, make sure to watch it if you are looking forward to it.

One of the best RPGs of all time is getting its 'first ever unofficial DLC' that adds a whole new region and restores cut content
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/one-of-the-best-rpgs-of-all-time-is-getting-its-first-ever-unofficial-dlc-that-adds-a-whole-new-region-and-restores-cut-content/
While it may not have been as popular as Fallout or Baldur's Gate, Planescape: Torment is often regarded as the zenith of the CRPG's golden age. Its bizarre setting, kooky characters, and emphasis on solving quests through dialogue rather than combat set it apart from its RPG brethren, and you can trace its influence all the way through to modern roleplaying games like Disco Elysium.
Yet despite its legacy, new adventures in the world of Planescape are thin on the ground. The closest you'll get is its spiritual successor Torment: Tides of Numenera, and even that has a completely different setting to Planescape. But a group of Polish modders has set out to change that, and are on the cusp of releasing a massive expansion to Black Isle's beloved RPG.
Described by its creators as the "first ever" unofficial Planescape DLC, Blizzard in Baator will see The Nameless One and his motley crew travel to a new region of Sigil, descending through Planescape's Nine Hells down to the Frozen Wastes of Cania. Here, they'll become embroiled in an endless cold war between the Lords of the Nine, the titular Blizzard in Baator.
The mod adds far more than a chunk of new places to explore, too. In an interview with Polish roleplaying website girmuar.pl, the modders reveal that the expansion will add two new recruitable characters, new planar creatures to encounter, original music, and even new cinematics.
At the same time, the mod also restores a bunch of stuff cut from the original Planescape. This includes voice lines, lost items, and even some graphical elements hidden away in the game's files. The modders say these resorted elements are "minor details", and that "the vast majority" of stuff in the mod has been created by the team.
>> There is a less than 2 minutes video in the article.

GAMING NEWS

Yooka-Replaylee will be released on PC on October 9th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/yooka-replaylee-will-be-released-on-pc-on-october-9th
Playtonic Games has announced that Yooka-Replaylee will be released on October 9th. To celebrate this announcement, the devs have shared a new trailer that you can find below.

Here’s how you can enable Hardware Lumen Ray Tracing, Ray Reconstruction, and Frame Generation in Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/heres-how-you-can-enable-hardware-lumen-ray-tracing-ray-reconstruction-and-frame-generation-in-metal-gear-solid-delta-snake-eater
A few days ago, we shared a mod that lets you unlock the framerate in Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. And now, we’ve got some tweaks that let you turn on Hardware Lumen Ray Tracing, Ray Reconstruction, and Frame Generation. These options should have been in the game’s settings. After all, this is an 80-euro game. But hey, at least there’s now a way to enable them.
>> They’re not mods, just changes to the ,ini file.

Lords of the Fallen 2 won’t come to Steam, will require an Epic ID, gets official PC requirements
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/lords-of-the-fallen-2-wont-come-to-steam-will-require-an-epic-id-gets-official-pc-requirements
CI Games has confirmed that Lords of the Fallen 2 will not come out on Steam at launch. Instead, the game will be released exclusively on the Epic Games Store. Moreover, it will require an Epic ID to play. Plus, we’ve gotten its official PC system requirements.
>> The system requirements won’t be the biggest problem this game will have to succeed.

Here’s why Battlefield 6 will not have Ray Tracing or Path Tracing
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/heres-why-battlefield-6-will-not-have-ray-tracing-or-path-tracing
In an interview with Comicbook, Christian Buhl, the Technical Director at Ripple Effect, explained why Battlefield 6 won’t have Ray Tracing. He said the team wanted to focus on making the game run smoothly, instead of adding flashy graphics features like Ray Tracing or Path Tracing.

Monday gaming news, part two:

HoYoverse has revealed its next game and I think this is just auto-battler Pokémon
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/hoyoverse-has-revealed-its-next-game-and-i-think-this-is-just-auto-battler-pokemon/
"The wealth of those societies in which the capitalist mode of production prevails, presents itself as 'an immense accumulation of Pokémon.'" So remarks Marx in volume one of Capital, and he was right. Joining Palworld, Temtem, Cassette Beasts, Coromon and, well, like 400 Pokémon games is Honkai: Nexus Anima, HoYoverse's just-announced creature-hoarding sim.

EA tells Battlefield Labs testers not to leak Battlefield 6's new big map, so of course they leaked it immediately
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/ea-tells-battlefield-labs-testers-not-to-leak-battlefield-6s-new-big-maps-playtest-so-of-course-they-leaked-it-immediately/
Surprising absolutely no one, the latest Battlefield 6 Labs playtest was live for just minutes this morning before people started leaking it onto the internet. Players in the test are the first to get to see and try out two of the large maps launching with Battlefield 6: Operation Firestorm (a remake of a Battlefield 3 map) and Mirak Valley, the largest of the pool.
>>***com***

Path of Exile 2 players prepare for 'the coming war' between pets as the devs add an infamous singing goblin troupe and a bird made to kill them
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/path-of-exile-2-players-prepare-for-the-coming-war-between-pets-as-the-devs-add-an-infamous-singing-goblin-troupe-and-a-bird-made-to-kill-them/
Most Path of Exile players agree that premium cosmetics should carry over between the two games, but they also agree that adding the annoying goblin troupe pet will be a blight on every town and player hideout as soon as today's update goes live.
But just when everyone was dreading having to hear the little band's one song setlist, Grinding Gear Games swooped in with a solution: pets with a taste for goblins.

Borderlands 4's new endgame mode will let you skip the campaign so you're ready for the next year of seasonal events and bosses
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/borderlands-4s-new-endgame-mode-will-let-you-skip-the-campaign-so-youre-ready-for-the-next-year-of-seasonal-events-and-bosses/
Like any good loot-based RPG, Borderlands 4 won't be over after it drops in a few weeks. Gearbox has a big plan to release a mix of free and paid DLC over the next year to keep the game's extensive endgame fresh.
The first concrete details about the endgame and the next year of updates was revealed during a panel at PAX West today.

NetEase closes studio founded by Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies veteran before it can release a single game
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/netease-closes-studio-founded-by-ultima-online-and-star-wars-galaxies-veteran-before-it-can-release-a-single-game/
T-Minus Zero Entertainment, the NetEase first-party studio founded in 2023 by veteran MMO developer Rich Vogel, has closed its doors just two years after it was founded, and without releasing a single game. NetEase told Game Developer that it has had to "reassess our business priorities," and has thus ended funding for the studio.

To help speed up unlocking those Battlefield 6 items, Battlefield 2042 is turning on the double XP hose every weekend until the new game launches
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/to-help-speed-up-unlocking-those-battlefield-6-items-battlefield-2042-is-turning-on-the-double-xp-hose-every-weekend-until-the-new-game-launches/
As Battlefield fans far and wide channel their Battlefield 6 anticipation into revisits of older chapters of the series, only one is offering goodies usable in the new game. Battlefield 2042 is hosting a "Road to Battlefield" event with a free battle pass offering new guns and 24 exclusive cosmetics for Battlefield 6.

Auto-run is enough to get me to reinstall Dune: Awakening, but customization do-overs and trainer fashion sweeten the deal
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/auto-run-is-enough-to-get-me-to-reinstall-dune-awakening-but-customization-do-overs-and-trainer-fashion-sweeten-the-deal/
I will neither confirm nor deny that I was among those miffed that a powerplanning mistake got their base pillaged and destroyed in Dune: Awakening, but I will say auto-run sure could make the recovery process from such an error less painful. Funcom must've heard that complaint more than once too, as Dune: Awakening has a new auto-run toggle on the way.

Schedule 1's Rival Cartel update solves its biggest problem, and the patch is live now
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/schedule-1s-rival-cartel-update-solves-its-biggest-problem-and-the-beta-is-available-now/
Recent updates
August 29, 2025: The Schedule 1 Rival Cartel update is finally live, so you can swap over from the beta and back to the main build. If you need help with the process, I've updated our guide below with those steps, along with updates to our list covering what's new.
>> This is an update to an article posted last Tuesday.

Darkest Dungeon 2's latest update adds bloodsucking bug-people to its grand campaign mode, and you can try the sequel for free this weekend
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/darkest-dungeon-2s-latest-update-adds-bloodsucking-bug-people-to-its-grand-campaign-mode-and-you-can-try-the-sequel-for-free-this-weekend/
Darkest Dungeon 2 has spent the last year plus change building out its Kingdoms mode. This transforms the party-based roguelike into a more open-ended strategy experience, folding in several features from the original game in the process. It's gone down relatively well with players, helping to bridge the divides in opinion over some controversial design decisions Red Hook made for the sequel.
Now, the developers have released a new update for Darkest Dungeon 2, which primarily adds a new module (campaign) to the Kingdoms mode. Curse of the Court sees your Kingdom infested by vampiric bug-people with a taste for haemoglobin, Regency-era attire, and giving the people they feed on a horrible curse. The module challenges you to find a cure for the curse and oust the bloodsuckers from your lands before they drain your Kingdom dry (and exhaust your supply of powdered wigs).
>> The free weekend ends later today, but I already told you about it last Friday.

No More Room in Hell 2 delays its 1.0 launch into 2026, confirms that 'child zombies will not be present in the final product' just in case you were wondering
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/no-more-room-in-hell-2-delays-its-1-0-launch-into-2026-confirms-that-child-zombies-will-not-be-present-in-the-final-product-just-in-case-you-were-wondering/
Torn Banner has delayed the 1.0 launch of No More Room in Hell 2, the cooperative zombie survival sim that was released into early access in October last year. Originally slated to shamble out of alpha development exactly one year later, it'll now see its full launch in the first half of 2026.

Atomfall's second story DLC will see you hunted by an absolutely furious robot among some War of the Worlds-style red weed
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/atomfalls-second-story-dlc-will-see-you-hunted-by-an-absolutely-furious-robot-among-some-war-of-the-worlds-style-red-weed/
Atomfall is getting a second helping of story DLC in September, following the release of its Wicker-Man themed Wicked Isle. Titled The Red Strain, this time War of the Worlds seems to be the British cultural touchstone developer Rebellion is riffing off, as the expansion sees you investigating a "highly confidential new location" infested by strange crimson vegetation.

A Star Trek: Voyager survival strategy game (yes, Voyager) is coming that lets you 'what if?' the series
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/a-star-trek-voyager-survival-strategy-game-yes-voyager-is-coming-that-lets-you-what-if-the-series/
You probably couldn't have predicted this one. Of all the things Star Trek that could be a game, it's 24-years-gone series Star Trek: Voyager that's getting the treatment with a game that'll put you in charge of the lost ship's journey home.

Chill simulation strategy game Plan B: Terraform has hit 1.0
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/chill-simulation-strategy-game-plan-b-terraform-is-out-now-has-you-take-a-planet-from-bare-rock-to-flourishing-with-life/
Sometimes you don't want to go too hard, you just want a nice little game where you transform a million hexagons of barren oblate spheroid into a lush new home for humankind with an atmosphere, plants, and animals. Is that too much to ask? It's not, it turns out, because after a couple years in early access Plan B: Terraform has hit 1.0.

Astroneer is getting an expansion that'll let you build huge megastructures
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/astroneer-is-getting-an-expansion-thatll-let-you-build-huge-megastructures/
Approaching its tenth year out, exploration and crafting hit Astroneer shows no signs of slowing down as developer System Era Softworks has announced a new full, paid expansion called Astroneer: Megatech. It's due out this November, with an accompanying free update, and will bring a new scale of construction to your exploratory infrastructure.

'I would like to make a different game using this IP': Dave the Diver dev hints at possible spin-off or sequel
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/i-would-like-to-make-a-different-game-using-this-ip-dave-the-diver-dev-hints-at-possible-spin-off-or-sequel/
A new game set in the same universe as Dave the Diver could be in the works at developer Mintrocket. In an interview with 4Gamer at the Nexon Developers Conference, Mintrocket CEO Jaeho Hwang dove into the studio's future, including its plans for Dave the Diver, which seem to extend beyond DLC.

And here comes the third, and last, part of today’s gaming news:

Bless him, Eric Barone cannot stop updating Stardew Valley, has announced version 1.7 is coming
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/life-sim/bless-him-eric-barone-cannot-stop-updating-stardew-valley-has-announced-version-1-7-is-coming/
"I'm committed to not working on Stardew Valley until I'm done with Haunted Chocolatier," Eric 'ConcernedApe' Barone told us earlier this year. And that commitment lasted all of four months, I guess.
At one of the recent Stardew Valley Symphony of Seasons live concerts, Barone addressed the audience to say that after the 1.6 update he wasn't sure if he'd ever do another, but more recently he'd changed his mind. "I wanted to share something with you tonight, it's kind of a secret," he continued. "There's going to be another update."

'That was my first experience with PvP,' Naoki Yoshida's love for game design all started with a tragic Mario Brothers bait and switch
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/final-fantasy/that-was-my-first-experience-with-pvp-naoki-yoshidas-love-for-game-design-all-started-with-a-tragic-mario-brothers-bait-and-switch/
Ask anyone who even dabbles in Final Fantasy 14's most laid-back fights to explain a mechanic, and you'll quickly understand how the MMO's encounters can go from exercises in teamwork to all-out PvP brawls. After listening to FF14 director and producer Naoki Yoshida explain where his love for videogames started, that all makes more sense.

FBC: Firebreak's latest patch lets you turn off enemy health bars, which should be mandatory for all first-person shooters
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/fbc-firebreaks-latest-patch-lets-you-turn-off-enemy-health-bars-which-should-be-mandatory-for-all-first-person-shooters/
Remedy's imaginative yet muddled shooter FBC: Firebreak is spooling up for a major update in September, one which will add a new mission to the game and plans several much-needed mechanical adjustments. But in the meantime, the cooperative Control spinoff has released one last quality-of-life patch to set the stage for next month.

After nearly three years, Terraria's 1.4.5 update is totally, definitely, indisputably almost finished: 'We are in the endgame now'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/after-nearly-three-years-terrarias-1-4-5-update-is-totally-definitely-indisputably-almost-finished-we-are-in-the-endgame-now/
Terraria has been nearly finished for around half a decade now. Developer Re-Logic began the process of rounding out its 2D survival game way back in 2020, and it's been almost three years since the most recent update—1.4.4. Now though, it really does seem like the end is nigh. Re-Logic has assured players that it is in the final, closing, penultimate stages of development of what may well be the game's last update.

Vampire Survivors' free-roaming online mode is available to play in beta now, and there's an official board game coming too
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/vampire-survivors-free-roaming-online-mode-is-available-to-play-in-beta-now-and-theres-an-official-boardgame-coming-too/
Vampire Survivors' long-anticipated online mode is finally here, sort of. Developer Poncle announced at the end of this week that online multiplayer has been implemented in the game's beta branch.

Team Cherry confirms Silksong price and launch times—it's definitely $20, and it won't be releasing at the stroke of midnight on Thursday
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/platforms/team-cherry-confirms-silksong-price-and-launch-times-its-definitely-usd20-and-it-wont-be-releasing-at-the-stroke-of-midnight-on-thursday/
Last week Gamestop appeared to reveal the price of Hollow Knight Silksong, listing $20 for the Nintendo Switch 2 version. While some suspected it was a placeholder price, it turns out the retailer was right: Team Cherry has confirmed a $20 price for Hollow Knight Silksong, alongside specific launch times for its September 4 arrival.

The Blood Ravens' Chapter Master Gabriel Angelos won't be in Dawn of War 4 so it can focus on relatively 'normal' heroes instead
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/the-blood-ravens-chapter-master-gabriel-angelos-wont-be-in-dawn-of-war-4-so-it-can-focus-on-relatively-normal-heroes-instead/
Jan Theysen, creative director of Dawn of War 4 at King Art Games, recently told IGN that Dawn of War's original protagonist Gabriel Angelos won't be returning for their sequel. "That was actually one of the decisions we made relatively early. We don't want Gabriel Angelos in the game," he said.
(...)
"For us, he felt a little bit overpowered," Theysen said. "It's a little bit weird to have either this slightly overpowered character from the beginning of the game, which is a little bit off, or you have to do, 'Oh, well, he lost his memory and he lost all his power,' which is also a weird trope."

'The Copper Age' marks the 3rd game drop for Minecraft this year, and according to the announcement post 'It's almost like we're entering a new Minecraft era'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/the-copper-age-marks-the-3rd-game-drop-for-minecraft-this-year-and-according-to-the-announcement-post-its-almost-like-were-entering-a-new-minecraft-era/
After a few teasers, Minecraft has shared the name for its next drop in a blog post. Now known as "The Copper Age", this one plans to add a huge amount of new content from weapons to mobs, alongside improvements to make your life as an adventurer a lot easier. According to the announcement , it took the team a while to figure out if there could be "more ways to use copper" before stating "we've finally cracked it! It's almost like we're entering a new Minecraft era?"

REPO has announced its next update, but we actually have a date this time, rather than a series of videos to slowly announce it
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/repo-has-announced-its-next-update-but-we-actually-have-a-date-this-time-rather-than-a-series-of-videos-to-slowly-announce-it/
REPO will be rolling out another update next month on October 30, and a new video uploaded to the official semiwork YouTube channel has revealed that the main focus will be on new monsters. In classic semiwork style, though, this is all that has been shared so far, and we've been left with the promise that more information is "coming very, very soon".

Escape from Tarkov finally puts on the big boy pants and announces a Steam release as it gears up for version 1.0
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/escape-from-tarkov-finally-puts-on-the-big-boy-pants-and-comes-to-steam-as-it-gears-up-for-full-release/
Escape from Tarkov, the influential extraction shooter from Battlestate Games, is coming to Steam after eight years in early access. The news was first teased by Battlestate head of studio, Nikita Buyanov, who posted a gif of some old chap pressing the steam button on an iron and looking pleased with himself.

'Magicka scares me', says Helldivers 2's Johan Pilestedt, since it was made at a time where Arrowhead was much smaller—but he'd still like to revisit the series 'at some point'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/magicka-scares-me-says-helldivers-2s-johan-pilestedt-since-it-was-made-at-a-time-where-arrowhead-was-much-smaller-but-hed-still-like-to-revisit-the-series-at-some-point/
Arrowhead's CCO (formerly CEO—and currently on a sabbatical from the game entire) Johan Pilestedt gave a heartfelt speech to the Helldivers 2 subreddit, recently, thanking them for their ongoing support and welcoming Xbox divers into the fold.
As spotted by our friends over at GamesRadar+, however, he also said that Helldivers 2 isn't the entire future for the studio—in fact, he might be interested in taking Magicka, another similarly friendly-fire filled co-op series where you trade the rifle for a staff, for a whirl. But not without some trepidation.

And there’s one more thing:

*** NEW COMPETITION ***

Win 1 of 3 Philips Evnia curved QD-OLED gaming monitors
https://www.club386.com/evnia-34m2c8600-giveaway/
or https://gleam.io/AZXy3/win-1-of-3-philips-evnia-curved-qdoled-gaming-monitors 

The prize is one of three Philips Evnia 34M2C8600 QD-OLED monitors.

The competition is limited to UK and Europe residents.

Good luck!

TSMC is Set To Raise Prices of Cutting-Edge Chips By Up To 10%, As It Tries to Maintain Profit Margins With ‘Hefty’ US Tariffs

https://wccftech.com/tsmc-is-set-to-raise-prices-of-cutting-edge-chips-by-up-to-10-percent/

NVIDIA Claws Away More PC GPU Market Share From Intel & AMD As Shipments Reach 74.7 Million Units In Q2 2025

https://wccftech.com/nvidia-claws-away-gpu-market-share-intel-amd-shipments-reach-74-7-million-q2-2025/

Rapidus’ 2nm “2HP” Process Will Reportedly Compete With TSMC’s N2 in Logic Density, Also Beating Intel’s 18A by a Huge Margin

wccftech.com/rapidus-2nm-2hp-process-will-compete-with-tsmc-n2-in-transistor-density/

Linux Still Isn’t Ready To Give Up On 20-Year-Old ATI Radeon GPUs, As Open-Source Developers Push Out a New Update

https://wccftech.com/linux-still-isnt-ready-to-give-up-on-20-year-old-ati-radeon-gpus/

ASRock B850i Lightning WiFi Motherboard Kills Ryzen 7 9800X3D Twice For The Same User

https://wccftech.com/asrock-b850i-lightning-wifi-motherboard-kills-ryzen-7-9800x3d-twice-for-the-same-user/

Samsung Reportedly Plans To Launch 25-Inch OLED Gaming Display Next Year

https://wccftech.com/samsung-reportedly-plans-to-launch-25-inch-oled-gaming-display-next-year/

Triple-screen notebook powered by Intel Alder Lake CPUs starts at $700

https://videocardz.com/newz/triple-screen-notebook-powered-by-intel-alder-lake-cpus-starts-at-700

Samsung, SK Hynix & Intel Barred From Using U.S. Technologies in Chinese Facilities, Potentially Losing Access to the World’s Largest Chip Market

https://wccftech.com/samsung-sk-hynix-intel-reportedly-barred-from-using-us-technologies-in-chinese-facilities/

AMD’s Next-Gen RDNA 5 “Radeon” Gaming GPUs Could Pack Over 12K Cores, 128 Cores Per Compute Unit

https://wccftech.com/amd-next-gen-rdna-5-radeon-gaming-gpus-pack-over-12k-cores-128-cores-per-compute-unit/

We have had this rumor recurring for many years.
Would be nice to see 128 cores per compute unit, but depends on contention in the pipelines on whether it's feasible or not.

AMD FSR 4 Enabled on RDNA 3 GPUs In Clair Obscur, Delivers Over 100 FPS At 1440p Ultra Quality

https://wccftech.com/amd-rdna-3-gpus-run-fsr-4/

"Now the testing shows that without any upscalers, the RX 7800 XT was delivering around 95 FPS, but with FSR 4, it increased to over 100 FPS. The FSR 3.1 and XeSS delivered higher performance with nearly 120-130 FPS"

But keep in mind you can lower the rendering resolution with fsr4 while getting significantly better image quality.

Radeon RX 9070 GRE Price Drops By Around $100 Since Launch; Demand Is Much Weaker Compared To RX 9070 XT

https://wccftech.com/radeon-rx-9070-gre-price-drops-by-around-100-since-launch/

NVIDIA Reportedly Cuts RTX 5060 Series Supply To Its Board Partners To Maintain Pricing Stability

https://wccftech.com/nvidia-reportedly-cuts-rtx-5060-series-supply-to-its-board-partners-to-maintain-pricing-stability/

Intel Nova Lake-S Desktop CPU With Upto 52 Cores On LGA 1954 Socket Spotted, 4.8 GHz ES Clocks?

https://wccftech.com/intel-nova-lake-s-desktop-cpu-52-cores-lga-1954-socket-spotted-4-8-ghz-es-clocks/

Lenovo Legion Go 2 confirmed Ryzen Z2 and Z2 Extreme options, 1200p OLED display and 32GB LPDDR5X-8000 memory

https://videocardz.com/newz/lenovo-legion-go-2-confirmed-ryzen-z2-and-z2-extreme-options-1200p-oled-display-and-32gb-lpddr5x-8000-memory

The Tuesday gaming news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

Steam’s Top 10

(Click here for the Top 100)

GOG doesn’t have new deals, but it has new Mods: https://www.gog.com/en/news/stalker_anomaly_gmdx_realrtcw_and_more_join_gog_oneclick_mods.

Steam has a bunch of new deals and sales/events:

• Stray will be 40% off until the 6th of September: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1332010/Stray
• A Little to the Left gets a 50% discount until the 8th of September: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1629520/A_Little_to_the_Left
• BlazBlue Entropy Effect is going to be 35% off until the 15th of September: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2273430/BlazBlue_Entropy_Effect
• Star Trucker has a 50% discount until the 15th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2380050/Star_Trucker
• Shadows of Doubt will also be 50% off until the 15th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/986130/Shadows_of_Doubt
• Unspottable has a demo and a 60% discount until September 15: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1243960/Unspottable
• Ultimate General: Civil War is going to be 75% off until the same September, the 15th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/502520/Ultimate_General_Civil_War
• Here are the new sales/events:
  • The Anime Game Festival 2025 features upcoming games, demos and also has up to 80% discounts on some games. The event will last until the 8th of September, but the end of the deals vary between the 7th and the 10th: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/42119506/sale/AnimeGameFestival2025
  • The Sword Celebration is full of games with that weapon, has some demos and and there are games up to 80% off. The event will last until the 8th, but the deals will end between September 6 and September 15: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/44992016/sale/SwordCelebration2025
  • Indie Assemble The 123 Stars has upcoming games, demos and up to 80% discounts. The event will last until the 7th, but the deals (some shared with the previous one), will end between the 6th and the 15th: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/44717737/sale/The123Stars
• And there are, of course, new weeklong deals.

Fanatical has these deals:

• The new Star Deal is Frostpunk 2, 52% off during 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/frostpunk-2
• The Elder Scrolls Online Games are on sale with up to 78% discounts during 6 days (and Oblivion is also on sale, but only for 2 days) : https://www.fanatical.com/en/franchises/the-elder-scrolls-online
• The Very Positive Mystery Bundle - September 2025 features 10 unknown games to get in 3 tiers (1, 5 or the 10 games), during 34 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/very-positive-mystery-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Cyberpunk 2077 Gets Cinematic Vehicle Explosion Smoke Effects
https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/cyberpunk-2077-gets-cinematic-vehicle-explosion-smoke-effects
Modder ‘cradilyex’ has shared a simple but cool new mod for Cyberpunk 2077. This mod adds cinematic vehicle explosion smoke effects to the game. As such, it can make the whole experience feel a bit more cinematic.
Going into more details, this mod greatly overhauls the smoke effects from exploded vehicles. The smoke now feels more cinematic than ever. In a way, it reminds me of the heavy smoke we saw in the E3 2000 trailer for Halo.
Like I said, this is a simple mod, but it can make the game look a lot better. The good news is that it doesn’t hurt performance, so you can use it without slowing down your game.
However, there are some problems. The mod doesn’t work with the Constant Rain Mod. Also, smoke can sometimes clip through things like bridges or parking garage floors. And if a car explodes and flips on its side or upside down, the smoke will go in the wrong direction.
>> The article has some comparison screenshots.

New Skyrim Mod Completely Revamps Solitude, the Capital City
https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/new-skyrim-mod-completely-revamps-solitude-the-capital-city
Modders ‘Drengin’, ‘ManuOstar44’, and Varangian94 have shared a new mod that aims to overhaul the capital city of Skyrim, Solitude. This is a cool mod that a lot of Skyrim fans will appreciate. So, let’s take a closer look at it.
The mod adds over 50 new characters with their own daily routines, activities, and tasks. It also adds around 20 new buildings, home to new citizens.
Players will also see a fully rebuilt Castle Dour with new NPCs and rooms. The Temple of the Nine Divines has also been updated, inside and out. It’s now bigger, with more NPCs, new decorations, and even a courtyard that overlooks Haafingar. On top of that, there’s a new small district before you enter the main part of the city, which includes a tavern and a blacksmith.
In future versions, the team plans to focus on the central part of the city, add a new small district near the Temple, write dialogues for the new NPCs, and even plan to create a few quests.
>> The article has an over 10 minutes video about several Skyrim mods.

GAMING NEWS

Capcom has removed Denuvo from Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster
https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/capcom-has-removed-denuvo-from-dead-rising-deluxe-remaster
Capcom has just removed the Denuvo anti-tamper tech from Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster. Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster came out on September 19th, 2024, meaning that it took Capcom almost a year to take it out.

Anno 117: Pax Romana PC Demo is available for download
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/anno-117-pax-romana-pc-demo-is-available-for-download
Ubisoft has released the PC demo for its new Anno game, Anno 117: Pax Romana. This demo will give you access to the early game portion, letting you experience the first two population tiers in both Latium and Albion in Sandbox Mode.
>> The demo is on Steam and the article also has the system requirements for the game.

Tuesday gaming news, part two:

Something Cyberpunk 2077 is happening on September 4 and that's all I can tell you because CDPR is a gold-medal vague-poster
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/something-cyberpunk-2077-is-happening-on-september-4-and-thats-all-i-can-tell-you-because-cdpr-is-a-gold-medal-vague-poster/
Big news, friends: something is happening with Cyberpunk 2077. On September 4, there will be an event, maybe, which could possibly feature some kind of news about the game. But maybe not.
If I sound like I don't know what's happening, it's because no one does. In an inscrutable post on social media, Cyberpunk 2077's various official organs posted an "Important message for NUSA Citizens from President Rosalind Myers." That's the sinister prez you spend a good chunk of the Phantom Liberty DLC helping out, if you forgot.
>> Maybe it’s a GOTY or Complete edition of the game?

2024's true GOTY was a Diablo-flavoured Vampire Survivors-like, and it just announced a big free update and an enormo-DLC
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/2024s-true-goty-was-a-diablo-flavoured-vampire-survivors-like-and-it-just-announced-a-big-free-update-and-an-enormo-dlc/
The best game of 2024 is getting DLC. No, not Balatro. I don't even know what that is. I mean Halls of Torment, the excellent Vampire Survivors-like (do we have a better name for these yet?) that I boldly and correctly made my personal game of the year for 2024.

'Gooning has been vaulted in Fortnite'—Epic stops certain emotes being used in proximity so that horny teenagers can no longer mock-hump each other
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/battle-royale/gooning-has-been-vaulted-in-fortnite-epic-stops-certain-emotes-being-used-in-proximity-so-that-horny-teenagers-can-no-longer-mock-hump-each-other/
Fortnite has finally taken action against the scourge of hormonal teens everywhere, and stopped certain emotes in the game being used in close proximity. The emotes in question are all moves that, when combined with certain other moves, may make it look like the avatars are engaging in a sexual act. Despite being fully clothed and having no genitalia.

Crusader Kings 3 players have struck out on nearly 5 million seduction attempts, but we still don't know how many Popes have been kidnapped
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/crusader-kings-3-players-have-struck-out-on-nearly-5-million-seduction-attempts-but-we-still-dont-know-how-many-popes-have-been-kidnapped/
If you're ever in dire need of a laugh, just hit up the Crusader Kings subreddit and read people's honest discussion of the game. User mak112112, for instance, recently "discovered castration," and said that they're having the time of their life "lopping off people's fun bits." One of the sub's most famous posts from a few years back was titled "If you have a sick child, use them as bioterrorism weapons."
These anecdotes are the lifeblood of Crusader Kings. In the same way that The Sims is a comedy engine because of how badly you can screw up a facsimile of contemporary life, CK3's approximation of kingdom management in the Middle Ages is just detailed enough to make its awry moments both frequent and hilarious.
That's why I was disappointed to look over the yearly statistics Paradox released in a blog post celebrating CK3's five-year anniversary. Some of them are striking, like the fact that five million seduction attempts have faceplanted hard or that players have collectively sunk 110 million hours into the game in the last year alone. But the rest? We can absolutely do better.

Blizzard filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against one of World of Warcraft's biggest private servers, but the team behind it is putting on a brave face: 'Challenges come to us often, and each time we are prepared to face them'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/world-of-warcraft/blizzard-filed-a-copyright-infringement-lawsuit-against-one-of-world-of-warcrafts-biggest-private-servers-but-the-team-behind-it-is-putting-on-a-brave-face-challenges-come-to-us-often-and-each-time-we-are-prepared-to-face-them/
If you've played an MMO for very long, you've almost certainly heard the siren song of the private server. These fan-operated servers come in all varieties—some keep dead games alive, some provide a window to a past build of an aging game, and some have even gotten the green light to keep going from the game's publisher.
Historically, Blizzard has not been so keen on this practice which, in all fairness, involves making big parts of its game playable for free. Its action against Nostalrius, a server that took World of Warcraft back to a 2006 build before that option existed officially, is one of the more notorious private server closures in history.
There's nothing new under the sun, as Turtle WoW—a private server that launched in 2018 and has reached concurrent player peaks of over 70,000 since, according to its developers—was named in a complaint Blizzard filed Friday that claims the Turtle WoW team has "built an entire business on large scale, egregious, and ongoing infringement of Blizzard's intellectual property."

Final Fantasy 14's latest patch makes surprise nerf to an arduous 9-year-old dungeon grind, and I hope there's more like it to come
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/final-fantasy-14s-latest-patch-makes-surprise-nerf-to-an-arduous-9-year-old-dungeon-grind-and-i-hope-theres-more-like-it-to-come/
Final Fantasy 14's patch 7.31 releases today—and while you can usually set your watch to these updates (we've known there'd be a new relic weapon step and a new cosmic exploration planet for a while), it's always nice when Square actually does something surprising.
Tucked away in the patch notes, Creative Studio 3 has majorly improved the rate at which players earn Aetherpool Equipment in Palace of the Dead—a bit of content that was released way back in 2016.
>> And the director wants to make more crossovers.

Oscar-nominated actor and Red Dead Redemption 2 performer Graham Greene dies age 73
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/oscar-nominated-actor-and-red-dead-redemption-2-performer-graham-greene-dies-age-73/
Graham Greene, Oscar-nominated actor and—around our neck of the woods—voice and mocap performer for Rains Fall in Red Dead Redemption 2, has died in hospital after a long illness, Deadline reports. He was 73.
>> D.E.P.

Silksong's onslaught claims another head—Dorfromantik team's next game gets punted to escape the 'hype-supernova': 'Both games deserve their moment to shine'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/silksongs-onslaught-claims-another-head-dorfromantik-teams-next-game-gets-punted-to-escape-the-hype-supernova-both-games-deserve-their-moment-to-shine/
Will no one stop this mad beast? Can no wall hold against its offensive? Is there any hope for the 'umble indie game in this, our era of Silksong?
Well, no. Or if there is, it ain't for Star Birds, the base-building and resource management game from Toukana Interactive (who also made Dorfromantik). It's joined the legion of games that have scarpered from the shadow of Silksong's September 4 release date, postponing its early access launch from its original date of, ah, September 4 to the less foolhardy date of September 10. Probably reasonable.

There are 3 dream remasters Atari's CEO wants to work on, but he has no idea if they'd actually 'do well'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/there-are-3-dream-remasters-ataris-ceo-wants-to-work-on-but-he-has-no-idea-if-theyd-actually-do-well/
As a games writer I am, of course, unconscionably rich. Unfortunately, my assets are mostly tied up in procuring designer drugs and funding guerilla movements across the world, so I don't have quite the free reign on my wealth that some other folks do. Folks like Atari CEO Wade Rosen, for instance, who recently sat down with the good people at VGC to chat about the remaster "passion projects" he'd like to get the company to work on some day. Atari does own Nightdive, after all.

Sadly, Capcom added the Enigma DRM in its place.

The games for Humble Choice September 2025 have been revealed.

• Destiny 2: Legacy Collection
• Eastern Exorcist
• Grapple Dog
• The Plucky Squire
• Return to Monkey Island
• SpellForce: Conquest of Eo
• Warhammer 40,000: Speed Freeks
• WWE 2K25