The third post of the gaming news:

As Krafton evolves into an 'AI-first company', the boss of the recently acquired Last Epoch studio says he doesn't think the 'doom and gloom' is warranted
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/as-krafton-evolves-into-an-ai-first-company-the-boss-of-the-recently-acquired-last-epoch-studio-says-he-doesnt-think-the-doom-and-gloom-is-warranted/
Nothing about PUBG and Subnautica 2 publisher Krafton's recent decision to become an "AI-first company" look good. The company plans to drop over 130 billion won ($88 million) into the project, recently stopped hiring new employees, and started a voluntary resignation program for its employees in South Korea this week.
Far down the ladder from these decisions is Eleventh Hour Games, the developer behind Last Epoch, which Krafton acquired in July. The timing couldn't have been worse as it happened right after the founders of Subnautica developer Unknown Worlds were unceremoniously fired for what they claim was a move to avoid paying a $250 million earnout.
(...)
In light of today's news about Krafton, Cobler broke his silence to remind fans on the game's subreddit that the studio is still actively hiring new employees. And in a reply to a Reddit user lamenting the acquisition, he explained the situation EHG was in when the deal was struck.

This Rust 'Blood Club' lures an entire server inside before pulling the literal floor out from under the party and exploding
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/this-rust-blood-club-lures-an-entire-server-inside-before-pulling-the-literal-floor-out-from-under-the-party-and-exploding/
Rust is home to some of the most creatively antagonistic building designs in any survival crafting game, but that's mostly out of necessity to deter thieves from stealing precious metals and weaponry. But then there's another type of base architect, the type who builds a trap base just to lure you in… then kill you.
Or you could be a third, secret type of diabolical mastermind like ZChum, who crafted an incredible multi-level "Blood Club" and lured his entire server inside with promises of a wild dance party and musical performances from BBNO$ and MrWobbles. Seems innocent enough, assuming you look past his plot to blow his guests up at the end.

The Witcher 3 didn't originally make you choose between romancing Yennefer or Triss: 'This decision was made pretty late'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/the-witcher-3-didnt-originally-make-you-choose-between-romancing-yennefer-or-triss-this-decision-was-made-pretty-late/
Adam Badowski, joint CEO of CD Projekt Red, doesn't look back fondly on the collectible-card romance options in The Witcher 1. "It was childish in the beginning," he says when the topic comes up. He's much more pleased with how things turned out in The Witcher 3, which did justice to what he calls "the emotional aspects of the characters from the books."

Players flood back to co-op survival RPG Enshrouded as the new 'Wake of the Water' update gets everyone wet
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/players-flood-back-to-co-op-survival-rpg-enshrouded-as-the-new-wake-of-the-water-update-gets-everyone-wet/
It's a great time to dive back into co-op survival RPG Enshrouded. That's because the world finally has a feature players have been asking for since it first arrived in early access nearly two years ago: water.
The Wake of the Water update arrived this week, bringing a new high-level biome to the already massive Embervale map. Veilwater Basin is a tropical jungle filled with lakes, waterways, and sunken ruins to explore, and the region is also perfect for building a new base because you can put all that water to use.

Resident Evil Village harkened back to Resident Evil 4, but what about Resident Evil Requiem? 'Resident Evil 2', says producer
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/resident-evil-village-harkened-back-to-resident-evil-4-but-what-about-resident-evil-requiem-resident-evil-2-says-producer/
Resident Evil Requiem is the first entry in the series to be set in Raccoon City since Resident Evil 3, though Resident Evil 6 dipped its toes in the setting. As a result, Requiem is already looking very different to its two immediate predecessors: instead of seedy backwaters and toothless hicks, the footage we've seen thus far takes place in the claustrophobic environs of faceless high rises and labyrinthine halls. In that sense, it's quite reminiscent of Resident Evil 2.
During a chat with Requiem producer Masato Kumazawa, I noted the shared DNA in Resident Evil 4 and Village, and asked if Requiem might have a similar relationship with any older entry in the series. He confirmed my theory with no hesitation: "I believe in that regard, it's very close to Resident Evil 2," he said.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure's next update adds a load of content, but I’m mainly excited to turn myself into a frog
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/life-sim/hello-kitty-island-adventures-next-update-adds-a-load-of-content-but-im-mainly-excited-to-turn-myself-into-a-frog/
Hello Kitty Island Adventure is set to roll out Content Update 4 this month and, as announced to the official Discord server, a lot of exciting new stuff is coming. This will introduce new quests, visitors, furniture, and the most exciting part: at least two new avatars for your character. That's right, you're no longer limited to the set of animals you can pick from at the start of the game, we're getting a pair of amphibians.

Peak's newest patch update buffs one of the game's most exploited items, and finally resolves an issue it's had since launch
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/peaks-newest-patch-update-buffs-one-of-the-games-most-exploited-items-and-finally-resolves-an-issue-its-had-since-launch/
Co-op climbing simulator Peak is one of those games players just love to exploit. Whether that's using the environment to throw yourself into space, or various items in ways they're not really meant to be used in, I'm always impressed with just how quickly everyone else seems to find these loopholes. With that being said, Peak's newest patch update has decided to encourage players to continue doing this by buffing one of the game's most exploited items - the Scout Cannon.

New Arc Raiders patch makes crafting cheaper, Arcs scarier—and fixes one of the worst PvP issues
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/new-arc-raiders-patch-makes-crafting-cheaper-arcs-scarier-and-fixes-one-of-the-worst-pvp-issues/
It's been a busy few days for Arc Raiders—players have been crawling for their lives, and Embark announced a new community event to unlock the next map, Stella Montis. But amid all that, we've got a set of patch notes which also look pretty stacked.
The 1.20 update doesn't just add Stella Montis into the mix, but it also adds two new arcs, the Matriarch and Shredder, alongside making crafting cheaper, buffing some little arcs, and fixing one of the most annoying issues with PvP fights.
>> They’ve also nerfed one skill (link), and the players have unlocked Stella Montis (link).

Arrowhead CEO wades into the messy Arc Raiders AI debate: 'Would it have been better if Arc Raiders failed and it didn't use AI?'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/arrowhead-ceo-wades-into-the-messy-arc-raiders-ai-debate-would-it-have-been-better-if-arc-raiders-failed-and-it-didnt-use-ai/
Another week, another flare up in the AI discourse. Spurred on by Eurogamer's fascinating, polarising Arc Raiders review (penned by PC Gamer contributor Rick Lane), Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani gave his take on the game's use of AI, the broader discussion surrounding the technology, and how it relates to Helldivers 2.

Let’s wrap the gaming news looking at what Steam has for us during the weekend, since GOG has no new deals:

+Steam

• Hades II will be 20% off until the 20th of November: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145350/Hades_II
• Arma Reforger increases that to a 30% discount until the same 20th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1874880/Arma_Reforger
• And APE OUT pushes the deal to 80% off until the same 20th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/447150/APE_OUT
• The Baby In Yellow , still in Early Access, will have a 25% discount until the 27th of November: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2291340/The_Baby_In_Yellow
• Contraband Police, that has a demo, will be 55% off until November 27: https://store.steampowered.com/app/756800/Contraband_Police
• Cassette Beasts gets a 60% discount until the 27th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1321440/Cassette_Beasts
• Potion Permit will also be 60% off until the 27th, but it also has a demo: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1337760/Potion_Permit
• And this is the only sale:
  • Publisher Marvelous/XSEED Games shows some of its upcoming games and puts its titles on sale with up to 88% discounts until November, the 27th: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/marvelous2025

This is it for this week. Until the next time, I wish you a happy and gaming weekend.

To be fair, Turing had the necessary hardware to do this on dedicated cores... RDNA1, 2 and 3 don't have dedicated cores for A.I Ray Reconstruction/Regeneration, where RDNA4 does... So while it sucks not having features rolled back to earlier RDNA hardware, it does make sense why there is a line drawn in the silicon based sand, sometimes... Especially if the hardware is incapable of doing it.

It’s time for the Monday gaming news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

Slot machine roguelike CloverPit sells 1 million copies, and its developer celebrates the payout by adding its 'most requested feature yet'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/slot-machine-roguelike-cloverpit-sells-1-million-copies-and-its-developer-celebrates-the-payout-by-adding-its-most-requested-feature-yet/
Spooky gambling roguelike CloverPit has hit the jackpot for developer Panik Arcade, selling a million copies since it was released at the end of September. Seems a lot of people can't resist the allure of playing with a cursed one-armed bandit in a dingy basement that's possibly also in hell.
"Thank you so much for all your incredible support! We still can't believe how the launch went," wrote Panik Arcade in a Steam post. "We are truly in shock and deeply grateful to all of you who have supported us on this wild ride."
There's more to the post than just gratitude, however. Alongside celebrating the sales milestone, Panik Arcade released a new update for CloverPit, one that primarily introduces a hard mode to the game. This mode unlocks once players win their first run with a rules-modifying memory card, giving you the option to play that run again while doubling the deadline amount, yielding a special reward if you succeed.

Dispatch is set to hit its fantasy 'Bull case' 3-year sales target in just 3 months, and players have gone gaga for its episodic release structure
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/adventure/dispatch-hit-its-fantasy-bull-case-3-year-sales-target-in-just-3-months-and-players-have-gone-gaga-for-its-episodic-release-structure/
I've not gotten around to it yet, but it's my understanding that Telltale-style superhero sim Dispatch is really rather good. So good that it won the heart of our Fraser Brown, who scored it 89% in his Dispatch review and called it "one of the best superhero TV shows around." And that's without all the sex scenes the devs apparently cut. Sic transit gloria mundi.
It's not just us singing the game's praises, though (but we are definitely singing them in a cooler way than everyone else). At the time of writing, Dispatch has an enviable Overwhelmingly Positive rating in its Steam reviews, numerous games crit garlands and, probably most significantly for its devs, it's set to hit its best-case-scenario three-year sales target in, oh, about three months.
That's per Michael Choung, Dispatch's executive producer, who told GI.biz that, pre-release, AdHoc Studio had nurtured a dream "bull case" for the game's sales that it hoped to reach over the game's entire lifetime (which the studio's numbers guys put at three years). "We're on track to do that in three months," said Choung.
>> A shame that he didn’t provided any numbers, tho.

Black Ops 7's launch day Steam player count is significantly lower than last year's Call of Duty, suggesting Arc Raiders and Battlefield 6 ate a hefty portion of its lunch
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/call-of-duty/black-ops-7s-launch-day-steam-player-count-is-significantly-lower-than-last-years-call-of-duty-suggesting-arc-raiders-and-battlefield-6-ate-a-hefty-portion-of-its-lunch/
It's Call of Duty launch day—the yearly festival in which millions of eager revelers are presented with a fresh crop of maps, weapons, and killstreaks to enjoy as they slide, wallhop, and twitch their way through combat in a pseudonarcotic mania. This year's paramilitary bacchanal, however, seems a more muted celebration: On Steam, Black Ops 7 is drawing Call of Duty's lowest launch day player count since the series made its return to the Valve storefront in 2022.
According to SteamDB, which uses public data from the Steam API, there are 81,000 users playing Call of Duty on Steam at time of writing—well below the player counts of Arc Raiders and Battlefield 6, which are currently drawing around 370,000 and 236,000 simultaneous players, respectively. This does place Call of Duty in the top 10 of most-played games on Steam. But in comparison, when a similar amount of time had passed since Black Ops 6's midnight launch in 2024, Call of Duty was being played by almost 230,000 players on Steam.
In other words, Black Ops 7 is generating roughly one third of the launch day interest on Steam that Call of Duty had mustered last year.
>> Could it finally be the beginning of the end for CoD? Well, with things like the Drone Pod (link), maybe. Also:

Arc Raiders hits a new record after three weeks, scoring 480,000 concurrent players on Steam
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/arc-raiders-hits-a-new-record-after-three-weeks-scoring-480-000-concurrent-players-on-steam/
Arc Raiders has been on an upward trend over the last few weeks since its launch. Reaching an impressive 100,000 concurrent players in just the first half an hour and then doubling that within a day, it seems like everyone's hooked on raiding.
Three weeks after its launch, Arc Raiders is still not letting up, reaching a new high over the weekend of 481,966 concurrent players on Steam. This follows a gradual but steady increase in players since launch. If you check out the Steam charts, then you'll see that only small dips appear on Mondays after a strong weekend.
>> By the way, don’t repair your medium shields, it’s not worth it (link).

The best artillery-themed party game is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and you can get all the series' best entries for less than five bucks
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/the-best-artillery-themed-party-game-is-celebrating-its-30th-anniversary-and-you-can-get-all-the-series-best-entries-for-less-than-five-bucks/
You heard it here first: Mario Party is for scrubs, and Jackbox, well, Jackbox is pretty fun. But Worms is where it's at—the 2D tactics game might have started on the Amiga, but it's long been a multiplayer standard on PC where Team17 has pumped out sequels for three decades as of 2025. It's celebrating the occasion with a series-wide Steam sale where many of its best games can be bought for two or three dollars.

GOG starts the week strong, with quite a few sales/promos:

• Hypetrain Digital Publisher Sale features games with up to 80% discounts during 7 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20251117_hypetrain_publisher_sale
• Czech & Slovak Games Week will have games up to 90% off during the next 7 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20251117_czech_slovak_games_week
• Simulation Promo has up to 90% discounts during 7 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20251117_simulation_promo
• Surreal and Horror Promo will also have games up to 90% off during 7 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20251117_surreal_horror_promo
• Anything You Want Promo increases the deals to up to 91% discounts, during the same 7 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20251117_anything_you_want_promo
• Awesome OSTs Promo has games up to 95% off during 7 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20251117_awesome_osts_promo
• And the Tactical Promo is like the previous promo, with up to 95% discounts during the same 7 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20251117_tactical_promo

Steam has these deals and sales/events:

• The Early Access title Cabin Crew Life Simulator, that has a demo, is going to be 35% off until the 23rd of November: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2959610/Cabin_Crew_Life_Simulator
• The Last Stand: Aftermath gets a 66% discount until the 23rd: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1266840/The_Last_Stand_Aftermath
• I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream will b 70% off until the same November 23: https://store.steampowered.com/app/245390/I_Have_No_Mouth_and_I_Must_Scream
• Mini Motorways will have a 25% discount until the 30th of November: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1127500/Mini_Motorways
• Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator is going to be 60% off until November, the 30th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1926520/Ambulance_Life_A_Paramedic_Simulator
• And here are the other sales/events, other than the Worms one. Both have launched today, which means that more deals will get added later:
  • VR Games Showcase has several upcoming games and two deals between 20 and 45% off. The former will end on the 24th. And the later by today’s refresh: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45128337/sale/VRGamesShowcaseNovember2025
  • Dreamhack Stockholm 2025 Indie Playground has a few upcoming titles, some with demos, and one game on sale with a 50% discount until the 22nd of November: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1928540/Horticular_Build_a_Garden_Attract_Wildlife

Humble Bundle presents the Beyond Virtual Realities Bundle, with up to 10 games to get during 18 days : https://www.humblebundle.com/games/beyond-virtual-realities-bundle.

And Fanatical, that has gone back to normal, has these deals:

• The new Star Deal is PEAK, 45% off during 48 hours or until they run out of keys: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/peak
• And the BYO Titanium Collection (Winter 2025) features 16 titles to choose from for your 3+ or 5+ gamer bundles during 34 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-titanium-collection

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

PlayStation 4 Emulator shadPS4 0.12.6 Launches With Big Performance Upgrades
https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/playstation-4-emulator-shadps4-0-12-6-launches-with-big-performance-upgrades
The team behind the best PlayStation 4 emulator, shadPS4, has released a new version of it. Version 0.12.6 comes with big performance upgrades, especially in Bloodborne. As such, this is the perfect time to experience this PS4-only game on PC.
YouTube’s ‘ProteinGaming’ has shared a comparison video between V0.12.5 and V0.12.6. As we can see, Bloodborne runs significantly faster in version 0.12.6. In some cases, the performance doubles. Thus, owners of weaker GPUs will now be able to run and enjoy Bloodborne on their PCs.
>> The article has three videos.

One of Elden Ring's best overhaul mods just received a massive update that adds fully functional multiplayer
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/one-of-elden-rings-best-overhaul-mods-just-received-a-massive-update-that-adds-fully-functional-multiplayer/
One of the earliest and most ambitious mods for Elden Ring, which revised and remixed its core systems to facilitate more tailored runs through The Lands Between, has just got a huge overhaul.
Elden Ring: Reforged adds a vast array of new features like difficulty modes, runeforging, new combat mechanics like deflection and ducking, new weapons and bosses, and overhauled magic, weight and stamina systems to improve the viability of certain builds. It even introduces unique game modes.
One thing the original version of the mod didn't offer, however, is multiplayer, due to how FromSoftware prohibits modded games from connecting to official servers. But the recently released 2.0 version of Elden Ring: Reforged addresses this, with the team creating a custom server to enable fully functional, FromSoft-style multiplayer.
Update 2.0 introduces pretty much everything you'd expect from playing Elden Ring with other people. Summoning, invasions, and leaving messages for other players. According to Reforged's Nexus Mods page, it also offers "advanced seamless coop support", so playing with pals isn't limited to boss fights.
Reforged makes one other key change to Elden Ring's multiplayer, limiting PvP invasions to dungeon areas. The team has implemented this because it believes dungeon areas offer "more interesting invasion spaces where players may use the environment and enemies to their advantage".
Alongside multiplayer functionality, Update 2.0 also expands several environments. The Roundtable Hold has a new area called The Gilded Court, where players can participate in duels, while a new dungeon has been added beneath Mt Gelmir. Named the Serpentine Depths, it sees players delve into the history of Praetor Rykard.
There's a mountain of smaller additions too, like extra weapons, spirit ashes spells, including three incantations that come from the "Prince of Death" school. It also further complements Elden Ring's moveset with a sliding manoeuvre for additional evasion functionality.
>> The article has an over 2 minutes trailer of the new version of this mod.

Shortly after Concord's resurrection by fans, it looks like Sony might be about to kill it again: 'Due to worrying legal action we’ve decided to pause invites for the time being'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/shortly-after-concords-resurrection-by-fans-it-looks-like-sony-might-be-about-to-kill-it-again-due-to-worrying-legal-action-weve-decided-to-pause-invites-for-the-time-being/
Concord wasn't great, by our account. It was also one of the biggest black holes for development time and money in our medium's history, collapsing into dust a couple weeks after it came out following eight years of buildup. Its few fans brought it back though, despite all odds; but if you were interested in checking the game out as a result, it looks like the party might already be over.
As reported by The Game Post, which also shared the details on the original story about the fan revival, Sony has allegedly started cracking down on gameplay videos of the undead hero shooter. The Game Post article states that multiple videos uploaded by the team behind the revival have received DMCA strikes from MarkScan, a digital asset protection firm that has swung the enforcer bat for Sony in the past.
The article also relays a message from the project devs on Discord: "Due to worrying legal action we’ve decided to pause invites for the time being." It doesn't sound like Sony has come directly for the team or its fan revival at the time of writing, but this indicates it's likely already on the studio's radar and may not be long for this world.

The sequel to one of my favorite 3D platformers always had a janky PC port, but a huge fanmade patch just dropped in hopes to fix it
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/the-sequel-to-one-of-my-favorite-3d-platformers-always-had-a-janky-pc-port-but-a-huge-fanmade-patch-just-dropped-in-hopes-to-fix-it/
American McGee's Alice is simply sensational, what with its weird, janky hybrid of shooter-inspired action and surreal 3D platforming, and though the sequel Madness Returns didn't hit me quite as hard, it's still well worth your time. The problem, for PC gamers at least, is that Madness Returns has a pretty rough port that's only gotten harder to work with since its release in 2011; until now, anyway.
Modder Wemino has undertaken the noble task of brushing up the port themselves, and released the initial build of their custom MadnessPatch Friday. It's remarkably feature-rich for a fanmade patch: not only does it improve textures, force subtitles to scale correctly above 720p, and adjust the camera for ultrawide resolutions, it also addresses crashes, fixes up broken physics at high framerates, and helps the game run in windowed mode without it throwing a fit. In other words, it's hard to imagine going back to an unmodded build.
You might know Wemino from their other excellent patches: EchoPatch for best-in-class horror FPS F.E.A.R. and VorpalFix for the original Alice game, which I used (with great results!) for a recent playthrough. All three are extensive iterations, and this new mod isn't just turning heads among Alice fans; it's caught the eye of series creator American McGee, who expressed his approval on X with a succinct "Wonderful."
>> Sadly, the article doesn’t have any media of this patch.

I don't know how I missed this playable Windows 95-era 3D Maze screensaver, but it's making me feel like I'm tripping out, man
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/windows/i-dont-know-how-i-missed-this-playable-windows-95-era-3d-maze-screensaver-but-its-making-me-feel-like-im-tripping-out-man/
Have you ever come across something so deeply rooted within your childhood memories, it triggers a physical sensation? I have. It's this playable 3D Maze screensaver project, which allows you to fulfil the fantasy of controlling your way through a nightmarish tangle of Windows 95-era digital brick walls. Or my childhood fantasy, anyway. I was a weird kid.
X user x86matthew originally posted their work back in February of this year, but I've just stumbled across it like a suddenly-remembered fever dream. It's the result of a reverse-engineered binary of the original screensaver, too, so it's not like the browser-based recreations you can find on some websites—this is as close as you'll get to the real deal beyond booting up an older machine yourself.
On their GitHub page, x86matthew reveals that the project wasn't particularly difficult, as the core game logic already existed within the original 3D Maze screensaver executable file, which debuted with Windows 95 in, well, 1995. Rather than being controlled by the computer, though, this version allows keyboard inputs via the injection of an extra DLL.
Which means you can control your jaunt around the computing version of a liminal space yourself, which feels like some sort of violation of the space time continuum. As does the inclusion of the occasional rat sprite, which gave me something of an internal jump scare when I first came across one.
>> The article has some screenshots and video.

GAMING NEWS

After Its Disastrous Launch, Cities: Skylines 2 Changes Developers
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/after-its-disastrous-launch-cities-skylines-2-changes-developers
Colossal Order has announced that it will no longer be working on Cities: Skylines 2. Instead, Iceflake Studios will be handling its post-launch support (and development). Not only that, but Colossal Order has parted ways with Paradox Interactive.
>> I'm not surprised by the change of studios, but Colossal Order leaving Paradox is certainly unnexpected.

Monday gaming news, part two:

One small indie developer has accidentally saddled itself with almost 65,000 extra people to thank after initially asking for 100 names to pad out its credits
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/one-small-indie-developer-has-accidentally-saddled-itself-with-almost-65-000-extra-people-to-thank-after-initially-asking-for-100-names-to-pad-out-its-credits/
You know, if you're a small game development team it probably makes sense you'd want to pad out your credits lest you end up with a "produced, directed, written, and starring" situation. But I assume that Japanese indie studio ConnectedShadowGames wasn't exactly expecting over 60,000 people to request a special thanks as the credits roll.

'We resolved this misunderstanding': Misery returns to Steam after ending its Stalker DMCA spat with GSC Game World
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/we-resolved-this-misunderstanding-misery-returns-to-steam-after-ending-its-stalker-dmca-spat-with-gsc-game-world/
Just under a week after disappearing from store listings due to an alleged DMCA strike from Stalker series developer GSC Game World, Sovietcore postnuclear survival game Misery is once again available for purchase on Steam. In a Steam news post, Misery developer Platypus Entertainment said that the game has been updated to address GSC's DMCA complaints.

The life sim revolution may not be over but it will have to wait until 2026, because Paralives is delayed
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/life-sim/the-life-sim-revolution-may-not-be-over-but-it-will-have-to-wait-until-2026-because-paralives-is-delayed/
"The only thing left this year to save us from life sim malaise is Paralives, launching into early access on December 8," PC Gamer simmer-for-life Lauren Morton wrote earlier this month about the fizzled "life sim revolution" she was anticipating for 2025. And now here I am to make her year even worse: Paralives has been delayed into 2026.

'This was the wrong path for Destiny': After 4 months of dwindling players and community outrage, Bungie admits that The Edge of Fate's bold new vision for Destiny 2 was a mistake
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/this-was-the-wrong-path-for-destiny-after-4-months-of-dwindling-players-and-community-outrage-bungie-admits-that-the-edge-of-fates-bold-new-vision-for-destiny-2-was-a-mistake/
It's been a difficult few months for Destiny 2, ever since the release of The Edge of Fate expansion's Portal—a new progression system that replaced the old seasonal content model with, bluntly, a soulless and underbaked grind. I've written extensively about my problems with the Portal's many baffling design choices, but until now Bungie has only tentatively admitted to the size of the problem.
(...)
In a blog post last night, Bungie finally laid it all out.
>> Not all are bad news, tho. They’ve finally settled down a lawsuit over plagiarism (link).

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 under fire for using what sure looks like AI-generated Studio Ghibli-style calling card art
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/call-of-duty/call-of-duty-black-ops-7-under-fire-for-using-what-sure-looks-like-ai-generated-studio-ghibli-style-calling-card-art/
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is out today, and if you thought we were going to make it through the day without an AI-generated art scandal, I am here to tell you, hoo boy, you're living in the wrong year. I can't say with 100% certainty that there is generative AI art in Black Ops 7, but an awful lot of fans sure think there is, and with good reason.

7 years of delays kept this anime sports RPG from coming out until now, and players say it was worth the wait: 'This game didn't just score, it hit my soul with a fire tornado of nostalgia'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/7-years-of-delays-kept-this-anime-sports-rpg-from-coming-out-but-players-say-it-was-worth-the-wait-this-game-didnt-just-score-it-hit-my-soul-with-a-fire-tornado-of-nostalgia/
I'm simply not as strong as an Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road fan. I can barely wait 30 seconds to microwave something and these people have been waiting for a new entry in their favorite anime soccer RPG series for nine entire years.
(...)
The good news is that Victory Road's long road to release hasn't ended in disappointment for most players. On Steam, it's at an "Overwhelmingly Positive" rating with over 600 reviews. Most of those users are in love with it and fully believe the wait was worth it.

'I will probably never fully acknowledge whether or not everything has been solved' says Blue Prince creator: 'There are certainly mysteries still in the game'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/puzzle/i-will-probably-never-fully-acknowledge-whether-or-not-everything-has-been-solved-says-blue-prince-creator-there-are-certainly-mysteries-still-in-the-game/
When puzzle strategy roguelite Blue Prince launched in April, the singleplayer game quickly became a collaborative effort. Players shared more than just puzzle solutions online, they began piecing together the sprawling story that takes place outside the mansion's walls, which includes generations of history about the world of Blue Prince.
(...)
"There are certainly mysteries still in the game, and there will probably always be some mysteries in the game," Ros said. "And in order to preserve that mystery, I will probably never fully acknowledge whether or not everything has been solved.
>> Something else to keep in mind: the game won’t have a sequel (link).

Blizzard points to fish as the lead suspects in the case of the World of Warcraft: Midnight beta's borderline unplayable lag
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/world-of-warcraft/blizzard-points-to-fish-as-the-lead-suspects-in-the-case-of-the-world-of-warcraft-midnight-betas-borderline-unplayable-lag/
When I logged into the World of Warcraft: Midnight beta earlier this week, I couldn't play the game. Suddenly the MMO became turn-based as I clicked NPCs and waited a good 30 seconds for them to offer me a quest. The lag got even worse when I made it to the opening zone of the expansion and watched other players blink in and out of existence as the servers desperately tried to keep up with where they should be standing.
The problem? Fish, apparently.

That weird Pac-Man metroidvania just got a big update, adding a new mode that 'significantly lowers the difficulty of combat and exploration'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/that-weird-pac-man-metroidvania-just-got-a-big-update-adding-a-new-mode-that-significantly-lowers-the-difficulty-of-combat-and-exploration/
Part of me still believes Shadow Labyrinth is some sort of collective hallucination brought on by humanity's overconsumption of digital cherries, as the idea of a grimdark Metroidvania starring Pac-Man is just too ludicrous to comprehend. Nonetheless, the trailer, the Steam page, and our own Shadow Labyrinth Review all point to this being a real thing that happened.
Sadly, it seems Shadow Labyrinth landed with a bit of a thud (or perhaps that descending wailing noise Pac-Man makes when he dies). It only has a handful of Steam reviews, with many complaining about the experience being hindered by poor controls, sparse save points, and nasty difficulty spikes. But there is some good news. Bandai Namco has released an update aiming to address all these problems, while also adding a new mode that provides greater flexibility in play.

Fancy playing Sea of Thieves without the PvP? This pirate-themed survival game just left early access with a big update and a launch discount
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/fancy-playing-sea-of-thieves-without-the-pvp-this-pirate-themed-survival-game-just-left-early-access-with-a-big-update-and-a-launch-discount/
Released just as the survival craze was really kicking into high gear, Salt was a quietly enjoyable survival game about sailing through a virtual archipelago in your own personal pirate ship. It didn't break through in the same way as Subnautica and Raft did, perhaps because it was a little rough around the edges—particularly visually.
The sequel, Salt 2: Shores of Gold, made some big improvements in that regard, while also enhancing the series' PvE focus and adding an infinite, procedurally generated world to explore. After spending the last three years in early access—during which Salt 2 gained a main quest, cooperative multiplayer, skill trees and underwater exploration among other things—it has now left alpha development, blasting a broadside of new features into Salt 2's hull to round out the core experience.

Escape From Tarkov shoots to the top of Downdetector, debuts on Steam to ‘Mixed’ reviews as players struggle to log in: 'Best extraction shooter that you CAN'T play'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/escape-from-tarkov-shoots-to-the-top-of-downdetector-debuts-on-steam-to-mixed-reviews-as-players-struggle-to-log-in-best-extraction-shooter-that-you-cant-play/
Escape From Tarkov is the rare PC game to strike it big without a presence on big digital storefronts like Steam, in part because it helped prove the extraction shooter had legs. Demand was still high to get the game on Valve's absurdly popular platform, though, and the day has finally come—though it was a bumpy ride getting to this point. In fact, it's still pretty bumpy: the launch is rife with problems.
The Steam debut, which coincides with Escape From Tarkov's 1.0 release, has helped the game rocket to the top of Downdetector, which is showing hundreds of reported connection issues per hour beginning this morning. The user reviews on Steam are bringing the game's score to a "Mixed" rating as players describe their issues logging in. As user Icedecknight put it in their review: "Negative review until I can actually play the game."
>> And, for some reason, it has taken until today for some people to learn that the developers sympathize with the Russian invasion of Ukraine (link).

Former id Software artist argues performance and optimization are 'as much of an art problem' as a tech one: 'Killzone 2 looks incredible today. FEAR looks incredible today'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/former-id-software-artist-argues-performance-and-optimization-is-as-much-of-an-art-problem-as-a-tech-one-killzone-2-looks-incredible-today-fear-looks-incredible-today/
I recently sat down with Defect game director and former id Software artist, Emanuel Palalic, as well as composer Mick Gordon to discuss the upcoming cyberpunk FPS. One topic I wanted to get their thoughts on was optimization: Defect looks like a heavy game, but has surprisingly lenient specs⁠—RTX 2060 minimum⁠—and no mandatory ray tracing like we're starting to see in some games.
(...)
This isn't just a question of tech and optimization, according to Palalic."Good performance in a game isn't always a technical problem, it's as much of an art problem as well," he told me. "A really strong art team can work within any shading and rendering limitations that are presented and lean into those. When you look at older games, Killzone 2 looks incredible today. FEAR looks incredible today.

Almost 20 years since it hit Steam, Garry's Mod finally addresses 'lackluster support for weapons used by NPCs' and gives Dr Kleiner his gun license
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/almost-20-years-since-it-hit-steam-garrys-mods-finally-addresses-lackluster-support-for-weapons-used-by-npcs-and-gives-dr-kleiner-his-gun-license/
I'm always taken by surprise when Garry's Mod receives a new update. Since it came out when I was still a teenager, I just assume it's ancient history. Yet in reality, Facepunch's anarchic toolbox remains very much a going concern. With over 22,000 players in the last 24 hours, Garry's Mod is the 62nd most popular game on Steam by daily active users (according to SteamDB). That makes it more popular than Monster Hunter Wilds and Elden Ring Nightreign—at least as far as Steam is concerned.
In short, there's plenty of motivation for Facepunch to keep Garry's Mod fresh, and its latest patch livens up how it looks and functions in several ways. Primarily, the November update improves Garry's Mod's water visuals, introducing fluid rendering features from more recent Source engine games.

The creators of zombie survival hit Vein say its launch was 'much larger than expected' and there will be 'a bit of a transition period' as it looks toward future updates
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/the-creators-of-zombie-survival-hit-vein-say-its-launch-was-much-larger-than-expected-and-there-will-be-a-bit-of-a-transition-period-as-it-looks-toward-future-updates/
Steam's endless torrent of new games means that far too many of them go overlooked, but it also means that surprise hits are being created pretty much every week. Such is the case with Vein, an early access zombie survival sandbox that aspires to be a hybrid of DayZ and Project Zomboid, and has quietly but consistently accrued an impressive following over the last few weeks.
(...)
Ramjet explained all this in its most recent weekly blog post (via PCGamesN) which also details what's coming to Vein next. At the outset of the update, Ramjet mentions that it is "still quite busy from the early access launch, which was much larger than we expected, but we're managing what we can."

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is 'definitely not competing for resources' with Space Marine 3, because the latter is still years away
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/warhammer-40-000-space-marine-2-is-definitely-not-competing-for-resources-with-space-marine-3-because-the-latter-is-still-years-away/
With over seven million copies of Tyranid-splatting action sold, it's safe to say that Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was a bit of a hit for developer Saber Interactive. Indeed, its success guaranteed there would be a sequel, and Saber made no attempt to hide the fact, announcing Space Marine 3 was in development just six months after launch.
But the reveal of another adventure for Titus led some fans to speculate about what that meant for ongoing support for Space Marine 2. Saber already quelled fears that the sequel would mean the end of major updates for Titus' second adventure. But the subject raised its head again on Games Workshop's Warhammer TV show, Deep Strike, with Saber's creative director Oliver Hollis-Leick being asked why Space Marine 3 had been announced ahead of, say, any single-player story DLC for Space Marine 2. In response, Hollis-Leick pointed out that the two aren't in direct competition, because they're in completely different phases of development.

And the third, and thankfully last, part of the gaming news:

Wuxia MMO Where Winds Meet is full of AI chatbot NPCs, and people are doing all the standard obscene stuff to them: 'I made him think that my character was pregnant with his child'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/wuxia-mmo-where-winds-meet-is-full-of-ai-chatbot-npcs-and-people-are-doing-all-the-standard-obscene-stuff-to-them-i-made-him-think-that-my-character-was-pregnant-with-his-child/
Where Winds Meet, the wuxia-themed soulslite multiplayer ARPG, is more than a little popular with around 190,000 concurrent players on Steam as I write this. It's also got more than a little of everybody's favorite novel-but-ruinous technology, as some of its NPCs appear to be powered by LLM chatbots. That means you can converse with them via written response or with your microphone, and just stop me if you've heard this one before.
Granted, I haven't seen anything so bad as Fortnite's Darth Vader fiasco just yet. These NPCs don't involve any legendary dead actors, and I've yet to see them utter a slur. Still, players are having their fun inducing hallucinations and making a mockery of the game's canon.

Ubisoft touches up AI art 'placeholder' that slipped into Anno 117, but fans are not happy it was there to begin with: 'Of all the video games, not Anno'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/city-builder/ubisoft-touches-up-ai-art-placeholder-that-slipped-into-anno-117-but-fans-are-not-happy-it-was-there-to-begin-with-of-all-the-video-games-not-anno/
Ubisoft has been caught with its hand in the generative AI jar again, continuing a multi-year streak of formal insistence by the publishing giant that AI and game development are destined to be together. Anno 117: Pax Romana is the first Ubisoft game to appear on Steam with an AI content disclosure, though the statement notes "the final product reflects our team’s craft and creative vision." It seems that vision includes some pretty janky background characters with nubs for hands, as players are spotting on Reddit.

The Blood of Dawnwalker's latest gameplay trailer starts out looking like a Witcher spinoff, then the main character starts walking on walls
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/the-blood-of-dawnwalkers-latest-gameplay-trailer-starts-out-looking-like-a-witcher-spinoff-then-the-main-character-starts-walking-on-walls/
The Blood of Dawnwalker⁠—a new vampire RPG from former CD Projekt devs⁠—has been half on my radar, but its latest gameplay trailer (following a first one in June) really has the sauce: There's a lot of very apparent Witcher 3 DNA on display, but that just seems to be a comfortable starting point for a very different kind of RPG.

XDefiant was originally going to be a new Splinter Cell, according to former Ubisoft devs who went on to make Dispatch, but the publisher changed plans to chase those big Call of Duty bucks
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/xdefiant-was-originally-going-to-be-a-new-splinter-cell-according-to-former-ubisoft-devs-who-went-on-to-make-dispatch-but-the-publisher-changed-plans-to-chase-those-big-call-of-duty-bucks/
XDefiant may not have been as spectacular a flop as Concord, but it was another stark example of how ephemeral online gaming can be in today's industry. Ubisoft's multiplayer shooter released in 2024 to not-insignificant critical acclaim, with PC Gamer's Jake Tucker calling it "a breath of fresh air" in a sphere dominated by Call of Duty. But it shut down less than a year later as its initially strong player count slid away all too quickly.
I always thought it a shame that XDefiant never got a proper chance to thrive, but I'm especially sad now that I've learned what XDefiant's failure cost us. Before they ended up making a live-service multiplayer shooter (and more recently, the superhero phenomenon Dispatch), the founding members of AdHoc Studio were originally working on a new Splinter Cell game.

Resident Evil Requiem didn't just start life out as an online multiplayer game, but still retains 'some remaining elements' to ensure it's fun to play
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/resident-evil-requiem-didnt-just-start-life-out-as-an-online-multiplayer-game-but-still-retains-some-remaining-elements-to-ensure-its-fun-to-play/
Resident Evil Requiem developers have made it abundantly clear that this game will be terrifying; no punches have been pulled. Taking its inspiration from Resident Evil 2, Requiem will put players in the unenviable blood-soaked shoes of Grace Ashcroft, but it wasn't always meant to be like this.
The first hint that Requiem was first intended to be an entirely different game came from producer Masato Kumazawa (via Press Start): "So looking back on the online multiplayer game, it’s been in development for around six years or so."
>> He also repeated that it will be a horror game, not an action one (link) and Capcom has said that it will run better than MH Wilds (link).

FF14 director Naoki Yoshida has big plans for the MMO after Dawntrail's roughspots—hinting at A Realm Reborn-style overhaul
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/ff14-director-naoki-yoshida-has-big-plans-for-the-mmo-after-dawntrails-roughspots-hinting-at-a-realm-reborn-style-overhaul/
Final Fantasy 14 has been in a bit of a weird state. Endwalker's post-launch patches failed to hit the ground running, despite the main expansion absolutely nailing the climax of its 10-year story. Dawntrail carried these problems forward, and with a lukewarm main quest, it couldn't rest on that good ol' patch story hype to keep folks enthused.
Things have been improving, slowly but surely, with Creative Studio 3 seemingly keen to experiment and shake things up after years of a stale, sluggish formula—and it looks like those efforts are continuing.

2005 survival horror shooter ups and vanishes from Steam suspiciously soon after entering Nightdive's orbit
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/2005-survival-horror-shooter-ups-and-vanishes-from-steam-suspiciously-soon-after-entering-nightdives-orbit/
Bad news for the presumable legions of you that were just about to pick up 2005 survival horror shooter Cold Fear on Steam. You can't. It's gone. Vanished. Disappeared and absconded without so much as a how'd-you-do.
As of November 11 (per SteamDB), Cold Fear has been yoinked from Steam. The timing here is notable: back in August, the game slipped out of Ubisoft's hands and into Atari's, along with four other titles—I Am Alive, Child of Eden, Grow Home, and Grow Up. "We're excited to reintroduce these titles while also exploring ways to expand and evolve these franchises," Atari head honcho Wade Rosen said at the time.
Those other games are still available (save Child of Eden, which was never on PC). An obvious question arises: with Nightdive in Atari's embrace, has the studio been put to work on some kind of gussied-up version of the two-decade-old shooter?

Lots of game delistings announced.

ChuSingura46+1 S - base game free with additional chapters as DLC

JoJo Siwa: Worldwide Party - removal at end of December

The Addams Family: Mansion Mayhem - removal at end of December

Blaze and the Monster Machines: Axle City Racers - removal at end of December

Games Advent Calendar 2024 - removal 1st December 2025

Winter Games Collection - removal 1st December 2025

ComputerBase tests AMD FSR Ray Regeneration in COD: Black Ops 7

https://videocardz.com/newz/computerbase-tests-amd-fsr-ray-regeneration-in-cod-black-ops-7

Sounds like Radeon still has some work to do since according to the tests, Nvidia's solution is significantly more stable thus far. Still much better than the older denoiser.

Intel Xeon 600 “Granite Rapids-WS” series leaked, offering up to 336MB cache

https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-xeon-600-granite-rapids-ws-series-leaked-offering-up-to-336mb-cache

AMD rumored to raise GPU prices just as Radeon RX 9070 XT finally reaches MSRP

https://videocardz.com/newz/amd-rumored-to-raise-gpu-prices-just-as-radeon-rx-9070-xt-finally-reaches-msrp

Intel cancels 8-channel “Diamond Rapids” Xeon 7, shifts focus to 16-channel variants

https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-cancels-8-channel-diamond-rapids-xeon-7-shifts-focus-to-16-channel-variants

User chart breaks down Steam’s most common entry and mid-range GPUs, both segments average at 8GB

https://videocardz.com/newz/user-chart-breaks-down-steams-most-common-entry-and-mid-range-gpus

Intel’s ‘Advanced Packaging’ Attracts Attention From Apple and Qualcomm, Potentially Opening a New Frontier for the Foundry Business

https://wccftech.com/intel-advanced-packaging-attracts-attention-from-apple-and-qualcomm/

Memory Markets Have Entered a “Panic Buying” Phase as Vendors Like ASUS and MSI Rush to Stock Up on RAM Inventory

https://wccftech.com/memory-markets-have-entered-a-panic-buying-phase/

This AMD GPU Deal Will Make You Forget Every Other One Out There, as the Radeon RX 9070 XT Drops to Just $579.99 — Below MSRP

https://wccftech.com/this-amd-gpu-deal-will-make-you-forget-every-other-one-out-there/

Thanks for the heads up.

At least it's not even the release version of the denoiser, as it's version 0.9-something. We'll see if AMD can improve it once the 1.0 versin launches.

As for the other article, and as someone that wants affordable PC gameing hardware, Fuck that!

When it's not one thing it's the other, but "the market" always finds new ways to mess up prices.

Anyway, I want to let you all know that this December I'll be out for a few days. I've been informed at work that I'll have to go and help another of my bosses business, something that I already had to do a few years ago in what was supposed to be a one off thing. But here we are.

So, good news! You won't have to deal with my walls of news during a whole week.

But also bad news: it will happen in the third week of December, between the 15th and the 21st. The Steam's Winter Sale will start on the 18th, and that makes it a problem for me to host the Secret Santa event.

If someone is up to the task of taking the reigns this year, please let me know in case I can help you in any way. Otherwise, I don't think there'll be a PC Secret Santa event this year.

How expensive are AMD GPUs in the US? Even with such a deal it's still more expensive than the GPU costs in Europe.

In Germany for instance the 9070XT is available for 619€, which was pretty much below MSRP for the 9070 non-XT. Meanwhile a 5070Ti costs around 150€ more, as the cheapest one sets you back 776€.

So even if the price goes up somewhat, it would still be largely in from of the 5070Ti