It’s Monday and these are the gaming news:
SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS
With its Winter Sale over, GOG has two new sales/promos:
The Humble Store has two new sales:
Fanatical has also ended its Winter Sale, but it has new deals:
SOFTWARE & DRIVERS
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MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS
First Public 2026 Build of RPCS3, the Best PS3 Emulator, Is Now Available to Download
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/first-public-2026-build-of-rpcs3-the-best-ps3-emulator-is-now-available-to-download/
The RPCS3 team has just released the first public 2026 build of its popular Sony PlayStation 3 emulator, RPCS3. This build comes with numerous tweaks and fixes. So, this appears to be a great time to experiment with it.
From what I can see, Uncharted 2 and Uncharted 3 appear to be playable with it. God of War 3 also appears to be running better than ever. The Prologue fight with Poseidon seems to be perfectly emulated. There might be some glitches in later levels, but this is the best I’ve seen God of War 3 running on it.
But what about some other PlayStation 3 exclusives? Metal Gear Solid 4 still seems to have visual glitches and performance issues. That’s a bummer but perhaps by the end of 2026 we might be able to fully enjoy it. There are also rumors that Konami may include this MGS game in the second part of its Legacy collection.
Heavenly Sword is in a much better state. This PS3 exclusive has been playable on RPCS3 for a couple of years. Not only that, but PC gamers can use a patch to unlock the framerate and enjoy it with 60FPS. This is currently the best way to experience Heavenly Sword.
Last month, the RPCS3 team revealed that Motorstorm was playable with its emulator. PC gamers with a high-end rig can enjoy it with 60FPS. This is another PS3 exclusive that shines with RPCS3. So, if you’ve always wanted to experience it, you can do so with its latest build.
Perhaps the most demanding PS3 game I’ve seen running is Killzone 2. Even with an AMD Ryzen R7 9800X3D, the game still drops below 60FPS. So, it will take a while until we can see it running on mid-tier PCs. According to the official compatibility list, both Killzone 2 and 3 are not playable. So, it appears you can’t play them from start to finish.
Finally, Demon’s Souls has been playable for a long time on RPCS3. Right now, you can play it from start to finish. This latest build does not bring anything new to the table. Still, if you’ve always wondered, you can now rest assured that you can play it.
>> The article has several videos.
Cyberpunk 2077 Got Classic FPS Free Leaning Mechanics
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/cyberpunk-2077-got-classic-fps-free-leaning-mechanics/
Modder ‘Karner4on’ has released a new mod for Cyberpunk 2077 that brings classic FPS free leaning mechanics to it. With this mod, you will be able to lean left and right at free will, just like you could in all the classic old-school FPS games.
For those who did not know, you could lean in Cyberpunk 2077 when you were behind cover. However, I’m certain that a lot of players would have wanted the classic leaning mechanics of the old-school FPS games. In those games, you could lean left and right by pressing a button. And that’s precisely what this mod adds to CP2077.
The mod features two leaning modes. You can either hold a key to lean, or you can press a key to lean (and then press that key again to reset). You can use whichever suits you best.
As I said, this is a simple mod. Still, I’m certain a lot of Cyberpunk 2077 fans will find it cool. And I know for a fact that I’ll be using it in my third playthrough. Those interested can go ahead and download it from this link. To install it, you’ll have to first extract the archive. Then, you’ll have to copy the “FreeLean” folder to: Cyberpunk 2077binx64pluginscyber_engine_tweaksmods . Finally, you can launch the game and bind your keys in CET.
>> The article has no media.
Grand Theft Auto 4 RTX Remix Update 1.1.6 Released & Detailed
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/grand-theft-auto-4-rtx-remix-update-1-1-6-released-detailed/
Modder ‘xoxor4d’ has released Update 1.1.6 for his amazing RTX Remix Path Tracing Mod for Grand Theft Auto 4. So, let’s see what this update brings to the table.
Update 1.1.6 turns off a game feature that shows projected light coronas because they are currently broken. It also makes the corona texture visible again. The update tags more decal textures and increases the sun’s default volumetric strength to 2. On top of that, it fixes a problem that caused glowing objects to flicker, and it also fixes the issue where the “disable raindrops” option didn’t work on see-through car windows.
And there’s even more. This update adds a new option that lets you limit how bright bloom effects can get at night. It also ignores an old rain particle texture that was causing visual problems. Plus, there are two new settings. One lets you turn on or off a heavy rain-collision test. The other lets you enable wetness occlusion checks and smoothing for wet surfaces. Keep in mind that occlusion testing can slow the game down a lot, so only use it if you have a powerful GPU.
It’s also worth noting that Update 1.1.6 adds a feature that creates a secondary set of lights (sphere lights) on sirens to slightly illuminate the sirens themselves. It is still not looking perfect. However, it’s better than nothing. Below, you can find a GIF that shows off these new siren effects.
***gif goes here***
Finally, Update 1.1.6 shortens the asset paths to fix issues with the installer. It fixes an issue where taxis appeared too metallic, and it brings some rain particle tweaks. Furthermore, it fixes the particle system TLAS collision code, and it adds per-drawcall support for an emissive scalar on translucent materials. It also comes with multiple mesh and glass fixes. You can find some of those fixes in the following shots.
>> Besides the mentioned gif, there are also a series of screenshots.
Battlefield 2142 Project Remaster V17B2 Showcased in New Video
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/battlefield-2142-project-remaster-v17b2-showcased-in-new-video/
The modding team behind the Battlefield 2142 Project Remaster Mod has released a new video that shows off its latest beta version. This video will give you a glimpse at some of the new features that will be coming to it.
For those who don’t know, Battlefield 2142 Project Remaster is a fan mod for Battlefield 2142. This mod offers new and improved visuals, textures, animations, weapons, and equipment.
Bloodborne PC Remaster Mod Renamed to Shadows of the Hunt – New Version Available for Download
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/bloodborne-pc-remaster-mod-renamed-to-shadows-of-the-hunt-new-version-available-for-download/
Remember the Bloodborne PC Remastered Mod? Created by fromsoftserve, this mod aimed to significantly improve the visuals of Bloodborne. From the looks of it, the modder has renamed it to Shadows of the Hunt and has released a brand new version of it.
For those wondering, you can run Bloodborne on PC via the shadPS4 emulator. With this emulator, you can also enable this mod to remaster it. Plus, you can use another mod that unlocks its framerate. These two mods are essential for those who want to play Bloodborne on PC.
Bloodborne – Shadows of the Hunt adds dynamic shadows to everything in the game and changes some settings to improve shadow distance and stability. It also adds parallax occlusion mapping to many surfaces, making them look more detailed. The mod includes new point lights for things that originally had no light, like candles and lamps. It also fixes objects that were floating in the air. On top of that, it adds new color grading using alternate FromSoftware color filters.
This new version brings major visual improvements to Central Yharnam, Old Yharnam, Hemwick Charnel Lane, and the Hunter’s Dream. As mentioned before, the mod already upgrades the whole game. It adds dynamic shadows everywhere, improves indirect lighting, and adds parallax occlusion mapping to many surfaces. PC players also get higher-resolution skyboxes. On top of that, the mod replaces the low-quality distant models in Central Yharnam and Cathedral Ward with their full-quality versions, making the areas look much better.
>> The article has 2 videos.
Quake modders banded together to release the third Brutalist Map Jam, with two campaigns' worth of FPS goodness in 'a megalithic community project more than a year in the making'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/quake-modders-banded-together-to-release-the-third-brutalist-map-jam-with-two-campaigns-worth-of-fps-goodness-in-a-megalithic-community-project-more-than-a-year-in-the-making/
At some point, fan retoolings of classic games are just whole new games in their own right. In 1996, Quake released with 32 levels and 6 deathmatch maps. Today, Quake Brutalist Jam 3 released with a ludicrous 77 maps tributing both id's classic shooter and brutalism, an architectural style defined by moody harshness and concrete.
You can find the project on the Slipseer website alongside an explanatory blog post. "The goal for QBJ3 was to make something uniquely ambitious for the community to build with us. Beginning production in the winter of 2024, the team slow-cooked a total conversion mod in (semi) secret," the announcement reads.
"The community came out in force, producing an unprecedented 77 maps, pushing the limits of the Quake engine to bring the oppressive, gritty, and beautiful aesthetic of brutalism to life."
>> The article has a slightly over 1 minute trailer.
GAMING NEWS
Former Elder Scrolls Online chief confirms Microsoft's 2025 bloodbath drove his departure from ZeniMax: 'Project Blackbird was the game I had waited my entire career to create'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/former-elder-scrolls-online-chief-confirms-microsofts-2025-bloodbath-drove-his-departure-from-zenimax-project-blackbird-was-the-game-i-had-waited-my-entire-career-to-create/
Former Elder Scrolls Online director Matt Firor has revealed his reason for unexpectedly leaving ZeniMax Online Studios in July 2025 after nearly 20 years with the company, and it will probably come as no surprise that Microsoft's summertime bloodbath is to blame.
Silent Hill 2 Remake dev Bloober Team kicks off 2026 by giving us 45 days to figure out what 'RemoSdNeulSerore-hsoOvamCeyerd' is
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/silent-hill-2-remake-dev-bloober-team-kicks-off-2026-by-giving-us-45-days-to-figure-out-what-remosdneulserorehsoovamceyerd-is/
Bloober Team has been on a roll these past couple of years, releasing the very popular and successful remake of Silent Hill 2, announcing a similar do-over of the original, and closing out 2025 with its own horror confection Cronos: The New Dawn. Now it seems to have something new in the works—but what, exactly, is RemoSdNeulSerorehsoOvamCeyerd?
2025 was so stacked with great games I missed the free, ass-kicking Christmas update to its best singleplayer shooter
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/2025-was-so-stacked-with-great-games-i-missed-the-free-ass-kicking-christmas-update-to-its-best-singleplayer-shooter/
The boomer shooter renaissance continues to ferment and flourish with great new games each year, and a particular highlight of last year was Cultic. PC Gamer associate editor Ted Litchfield called it "one of the best shooters of 2025" that, even among the Dusks and Turbo Overkills of the world, "distinguishes itself by executing everything at a very high level."
And there's been no better time to try it than right after Christmas—er, "Cultmas"—as the game's holiday update came with a host of changes and a bonus map called "I'll Be Home For Cultmas."
An entire intro where you play as Ashley was cut from the Resident Evil 4 remake
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/resident-evil/an-entire-intro-where-you-play-as-ashley-was-cut-from-the-resident-evil-4-remake/
It's not uncommon for Resident Evil games to open with a combat-free intro level—Resident Evil Village has two of them back to back. You play through a domestic scene at home and then walk through the night to the village where all the monster-murder finally kicks in. They're characterful ways to begin a horror game, though they do put you off replays given all that slow-paced atmosphere-building only really works once.
Resident Evil 4's remake would have had one of these intros, a Chapter 0 where you play Ashley in the moments leading up to her capture. You can see moments from it in the trailer, but it was cut at some point in development—perhaps due to complaints about how similar prologues messed with the pacing of other Residents Evil. (Capcom seems averse to giving players the option to skip stuff in replays, which you'd think would be an easy fix to the problem.)
Arc Raiders dev says it uses 'aggression-based matchmaking' to pair bloodthirsty, PvP-minded players with each other
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/arc-raiders-dev-says-it-uses-aggression-based-matchmaking-to-pair-bloodthirsty-pvp-minded-players-with-each-other/
Arc Raiders has gotten plenty of praise for being a touch more chill than other extraction shooters, and that's by design—right on down to the game's matchmaking system, which takes notice of how aggressive you are and tries to match you with like-minded players.
This was confirmed in an interview stream Games Beat conducted with Embark's CEO, Patrick Söderlund. He explained in the video that "the game isn't about shooting other players," though "you can do that if you want to." The PvP is largely a way to "add tension," and while that means players should always pose a threat to one another, the game actively works to match more peaceful players together.
If you're looking for a way to fill the Stranger Things-shaped hole in your heart, the new Minecraft DLC has you covered
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/if-youre-looking-for-a-way-to-fill-the-stranger-things-shaped-hole-in-your-heart-the-new-minecraft-dlc-has-you-covered/
The end of 2025 also brought the finale of Stranger Things, but while the adventures of Will, Eleven, Mike, and the rest of the gang wrapped up, that doesn't mean your time in Hawkins has to end entirely. Courtesy of Minecraft's newest DLC, a collaboration with the series, you can explore a blocky version of some of Stranger Things' most iconic events, which yes, includes Vecna and various demogorgon creatures to take down too.
Not only does Todd Howard not hate Obsidian, it was his 'only choice' to take up Fallout's reins in the wake of Fallout 3
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fallout/not-only-does-todd-howard-not-hate-obsidian-it-was-his-only-choice-to-take-up-fallouts-reins-in-the-wake-of-fallout-3/
There's a type of myth that survives not because there's any evidence for it, but because it flatters the preconceptions of a particular group of people. Take the notion that Todd Howard, head honcho over at Bethesda Game Studios, clearly seethes with resentment about how much Obsidian knocked Fallout: New Vegas out of the park. Is there evidence for this? Nope—quite the opposite, actually—but it endures because it jibes with the worldview of certain Fallout fans who see Bethesda as perverting the series.
Regardless, here's one more bit of evidence for the 'Howard doesn't hate Obsidian' pile: in a chat with Game Informer (via GamesRadar), Howard said that, when it came to a non-Bethesda studio making a Fallout game, it was Obsidian or bust.
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