Ok, I'm quoting the article again because I've found some discussion online that shows, even more, how those specs requirements are BS:

1) It lists an i5 9500K as the mini. required CPU. The problem is that Intel released several 9500 CPUs, but none of them were a 9500K model. It literally doesn't exist.

2) Related to what we discussed in the thread yesterday, they list a 3060Ti or 6700XT GPUs for recommended specs along those 12GB of VRAM. The problem is that the 3060Ti only has 8GB, which goes against their own specs requirements. (Maybe that's why I kept using the 3060 in the discussion, because that card did have those 12GB).

So, it's either IOI using a dumb AI agent to come with those specs without checking the results or they put in charge someone quite incompetent to come up with those specs. Whatever the case, it puts them in a bad position, at least in my opinion.

Don't be surprised to see an updated version of those requirements before the game launches, hopefully also lowering the system RAM to 16GB.

I can come up with at least a couple of ways to utilize AI voices without them replacing people: adding voices that wouldn't exist otherwise, and prototyping. There might be even more, but there's definitely some legit possibilities there. As for your skepticism... I think I share it regardless, but I'm sure a lot of companies are honest about this stuff - I just don't know whether this particular one is.

The problem with your first point is that Sci-Fi movies have been giving aliens "voices" for decades, with plenty of them not being human at all. Prototyping could be an option, but then you find this from the time they launched The Finals: 

The Finals uses AI text-to-speech because it can produce lines 'in just a matter of hours rather than months', baffles actual voice actors

https://www.pcgamer.com/the-finals-uses-ai-text-to-speech-because-it-can-produce-lines-in-just-a-matter-of-hours-rather-than-months-baffles-actual-voice-actors/

Sounds like the skepticism was well-grounded then. I had already forgotten about The Finals AI voice thing.

Anyway, I meant voice acting that wouldn't have been done at all due to costs or whatnot, not e.g. alien voices. I think for a game like ARC Raiders, that's probably not much, because probably everything that isn't text in the game world gets voice acted, but I think it's still an interesting point. For example, a lot of older games have only partial voice acting, and some characters might not have any voice acting. AI could be used for voice acting in such instances without AI actually replacing people (if it's actually AI versus no voice, which is tricky to determine). Of course it's probably a thing mostly for indie games... but indie devs don't seem too excited about using AI regardless, so it's probably not a particularly relevant point in most cases.

AMD leaves the door open to FSR 4-like support on RDNA 3

https://videocardz.com/newz/amd-leaves-the-door-open-to-fsr-4-like-support-on-rdna-3

Remember kids, if Radeon is treating RDNA 3 users like shit, they will likely treat RDNA 4 users like shit when RDNA 5 comes out

GUNNIR presents tiny Arc Pro B50 Battlemage GPU with 16GB memory

https://videocardz.com/newz/gunnir-presents-tiny-arc-pro-b50-battlemage-gpu-with-16gb-memory

VLC shows AV2 video playback on a laptop at CES 2026

https://videocardz.com/newz/vlc-shows-av2-video-playback-on-a-laptop-at-ces-2026

GeForce RTX 50 SUPER release reportedly put on hold

https://videocardz.com/newz/geforce-rtx-50-super-release-reportedly-put-on-hold

Exclusive: Intel readies Core G3 Extreme and Core G3 “Panther Lake” chips for gaming handhelds, featuring 12 and 10 Xe3 GPU cores

https://videocardz.com/newz/exclusive-intel-readies-core-g3-extreme-and-core-g3-panther-lake-chips-for-gaming-handhelds-featuring-12-and-10-xe3-gpu-cores

SanDisk to double price of 3D NAND for enterprise SSDs in Q1 2026 — hyperscalers to pay top dollar for storage as AI continues to roll

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/ssds/sandisk-to-double-price-of-3d-nand-for-enterprise-ssds-in-q1-2026-hyperscalers-to-pay-top-dollar-for-storage-as-ai-continues-to-roll

DLSS 4.5 vs DLSS 4 Performance, There's Good News & Bad News

https://www.reddit.com/r/hardware/comments/1q850tw/dlss_45_vs_dlss_4_performance_theres_good_news/

According to reddit, it was a poorly done video and the computerbase one has more proper testing. The less than native performance on RTX 30/20 on quality mode isn't good but at least they are giving the option of choosing whether or not since if you choose performance or ultra performance, you can still get higher than native frame rate due to less performance penalty. The question of course is whether or not there's enough benefit to image quality to use it or just use DLSS 4 instead of 4.5.

Here come the Friday gaming news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

The Humble Store presents the Rivalry & Revelry Sale, with games up to 90% off during6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/rivalry-revelry/

Fanatical has two new deals:

• The new Star Deal is Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii - Digital Deluxe Edition, with a 65% discount during only 24 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/like-a-dragon-pirate-yakuza-in-hawaii-digital-deluxe-edition
• The Mystery Box Bundle - New Year's Edition has 25 mysterious boxes to get in groups of 5. No mention of when it will end: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/mystery-box-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Steam Workshop just got version control, hopefully making it less of a headache when game updates break all our mods
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/platforms/steam-workshop-just-got-version-control-hopefully-making-it-less-of-a-headache-when-game-updates-break-all-our-mods/
It's a tale as old as time: A major update just dropped for one of your favorite games, bringing exciting new features and much-needed overhauls. But in the process, it's busted all your beloved mods and all your saves that rely on them, forcing you and countless Steam Workshop commenters to wonder how soon mod authors will push updates of their own.
Hopefully, that's a headache that just got a lot less splitting. Valve just launched new version control options for Steam Workshop, ideally making it much simpler for players to choose compatible mod and game versions—assuming developers and mod creators have configured the necessary options.
Steam has already given developers the option to provide access to different game versions, either letting players install beta branches to playtest upcoming features or older versions for mod and save compatibility. In a blog post, Valve announced new Steam APIs and Workshop options that "let game developers better define past game versions, and allow Workshop mod authors to specify compatibility of their mod versions with game versions."

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

-Not today-

GAMING NEWS

New gameplay footage from Project Shadowglass, a love letter to classic stealth games like Thief, Deus Ex, and System Shock
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/new-gameplay-footage-from-the-first-game-that-will-be-created-by-ai-project-shadowglass/
Starhelm Studios has released a new gameplay video for its new game, Project Shadowglass. This video shows off around 2 minutes of gameplay footage. So, if you are curious about it, you should definitely check it out.

New gameplay trailer for the Unreal Engine 5-powered futuristic western FPS, Exekiller
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/new-gameplay-trailer-for-the-unreal-engine-5-powered-futuristic-western-fps-exekiller/
Paradark Studio has released a new gameplay trailer for its upcoming Unreal Engine 5-powered futuristic western FPS, ExeKiller. This trailer packs over 3 minutes of gameplay footage. So, if you are a fan of indie FPS games, you should definitely check it out.

Dragontwin is a promising new indie game you should know about
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/dragontwin-is-a-promising-new-indie-game-you-should-know-about/
One of the coolest trailers that aired at the New Game Plus event was Dragontwin. Dragontwin is an upcoming open-world RPG/Strategy game in which the player shapes their destiny as a Dragontwin, a legendary mortal soulbound to a powerful dragon.

Dark Light: Survivor Reveals Official Trailer With Both Top-Down and Third-Person Gameplay
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/dark-light-survivor-reveals-official-trailer-with-both-top-down-and-third-person-gameplay/
Mirari&Co has released a new gameplay trailer for Dark Light: Survivor, a roguelike survival game that lets you play in both top-down and third-person views. In this game, players explore a post-apocalyptic, cyberpunk world filled with terrifying creatures, and the camera will switch between the two viewpoints during gameplay.

Official gameplay trailer for Duskfade, a love letter to classic 3D action platformers
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/official-gameplay-trailer-for-duskfade-a-love-letter-to-classic-3d-action-platformers/
Fireshine Games has released an official gameplay trailer for Duskfade. Duskfade is a love letter to classic 3D action platformers. So, if you are a fan of them, you should definitely check it out.
>> Hey, Zkuq, maybe this is the kind of Souls-like game you talked about last week.

Part two of the gaming news:

Dwarf Fortress kicks off another year of bonkers patch notes with the saddest 6-word story ever told: 'Mothers no longer seek ghostly babies'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/dwarf-fortress-kicks-off-another-year-of-bonkers-patch-notes-with-the-saddest-6-word-story-ever-told-mothers-no-longer-seek-ghostly-babies/
Fantasy megasim and mad magnum opus Dwarf Fortress has a long and cherished history of absurd patch notes and bug reports, having gifted us with bangers like "Made the corpses of small animals that die out of water stop teleporting" and "Bug: Ghost of vampires still drink blood." With its first patch of 2026, Dwarf Fortress is already hitting the ground running in what's likely to be another year of unhinged update literature.
However, while DF's patch notes often skew towards absurdist comedy, update 53.09 features a bugfix that's raw tragedy: "Mothers no longer seek ghostly babies." Sorry, baby shoes. We found a sadder six-word story.

Larian's big Q&A session on how it's using AI to help make its next game is happening tomorrow on Reddit
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/larians-big-q-and-a-session-on-how-its-using-ai-to-help-make-its-next-game-is-happening-tomorrow-on-reddit/
Following what you might call a sub-optimal response to its apparent enthusiasm for the use of AI in game development, Larian boss Swen Vincke promised an AMA in January to clarify where exactly the studio stands on the matter. A message on X has now nailed that little online tête-à-tête down to 5 am PT/8 am ET/2 pm CET on January 9, on Reddit.
>> The Q&A has already happened and here’s the first article about it, stating what they already said before (link).

Phasmophobia developer announces new indie publishing label: 'We’re now in the place where we want to support studios…and provide the support I'd have appreciated at the start of my journey'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/phasmophobia-developer-announces-new-indie-publishing-label-were-now-in-the-place-where-we-want-to-support-studios-and-provide-the-support-id-have-appreciated-at-the-start-of-my-journey/
Phasmophobia was an instant classic when it launched back in 2020, and it continues to be one of the top games on Steam to this day, having surpassed over 25 million copies sold in early access. It even spawned a wave of similarly successful hits like REPO and Lethal Company, playing its part in birthing the questionably-named friendslop genre (it's a co-op horror game, really).
It's safe to say that this success came as a surprise to the at-the-time solo developer Daniel Knight. Now a team of over 30 developers known as Kinetic Games, the studio has revealed the launch of its new publishing label, aptly named Kinetic Publishing.

SOMA studio says its next game is not 'stressful or scary' in the traditional sense, but it'll still mess you up real good: 'The goal is to evoke this deep existential terror that stays long after you finish playing'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/soma-studio-says-its-next-game-is-not-stressful-or-scary-in-the-traditional-sense-but-itll-still-mess-you-up-real-good-the-goal-is-to-evoke-this-deep-existential-terror-that-stays-long-after-you-finish-playing/
One of the reveals I was most jazzed for at The Game Awards 2025 was Ontos, the new thing from Frictional Games. I'm a fan of the studio's work in general, and I loved the way SOMA took the aging Amnesia formula and somehow made it better (and so much worse) by dialing back the in-the-moment horror of oh jeez gonna die and injecting a healthy dose of existential nightmares that's left me still occasionally thinking, more than 10 years later, man, what would I do?
In light of those good times, I'm very happy to hear that Ontos aims to go even harder on that more cerebral take on horror. "In your more standard horror game, say the first Amnesia, the focus is to have players survive in a scary environment. The intent is to evoke a very primal sense of fear," Frictional Games creative director Thomas Grip told GamesRadar.

After Activision promised Black Ops 7 skins would 'feel authentic to Call of Duty and its setting,' Fallout has arrived in Call of Duty
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/after-promising-black-ops-7-skins-would-feel-authentic-to-call-of-duty-and-its-setting-fallout-has-arrived-in-call-of-duty/
It's a significant day for Black Ops 7. Not only has its first midseason update arrived with a grip of new maps and modes, but it also marks Call of Duty's first big brand collaboration since last year's dustup over the series' major uglification problem.
For the next few weeks, Black Ops 7 is all about Fallout. The half-season-long celebration coincides with the Amazon show's second season with operator skins for the main cast, themed modes, and a special Vault-Tec Nuketown makeover.

Arc Raiders has a cheater problem, but Embarks says 'significant changes' are coming to detection and ban systems
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/arc-raiders-has-a-cheater-problem-but-embarks-says-significant-changes-are-coming-to-detection-and-ban-systems/
Like any multiplayer game newly minted with millions of players, Arc Raiders has a cheaters problem. But, as of today, Embark says it's on it.
"We’ve seen the discussion around the topic of cheaters in ARC Raiders. Please know that we are taking this issue very seriously and are listening to, and acting on your feedback," Embark said on the Arc Raiders Discord server.

'I f**king hate gen AI art,' Hooded Horse chief says: 'If we're publishing the game, no f**king AI assets'
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/i-f-king-hate-gen-ai-art-hooded-horse-chief-says-if-were-publishing-the-game-no-f-king-ai-assets/
Different game companies approach generative AI in different ways. Some, like Electronic Arts, embrace it; others, like Larian, take a more measured, cautious approach. And then there's Hooded Horse, the publisher of games like Endless Legend 2, Cataclismo, and the breakout hit Manor Lords, whose CEO Tim Bender recently told Kotaku, "I fucking hate gen AI art."

And here’s the third part, in short format:

VATS almost didn't survive the transition to Bethesda, says Fallout 3 dev: 'We only just got that working by the time we shipped'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fallout/vats-almost-didnt-survive-the-transition-to-bethesda-says-fallout-3-dev-we-only-just-got-that-working-by-the-time-we-shipped/

Fallout 3's lead artist says its 'sparse' vision of post-apocalypse is 'messy, and there's lots of inconsistency—but I like that, because it mimics the real world'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fallout/fallout-3s-lead-artist-says-its-sparse-vision-of-post-apocalypse-is-messy-and-theres-lots-of-inconsistency-but-i-like-that-because-it-mimics-the-real-world/

Witcher 3 DLC rumors pick up strength as IGN Poland says it knew about all of this years ago
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/witcher-3-dlc-rumors-pick-up-strength-as-ign-poland-says-it-knew-about-all-of-this-years-ago/

Attacks on Kingdom Come: Deliverance for gay romance, representation 'only mattered to a handful of terminally online culture warriors,' reckons KCD2's exec producer, and probably didn't impact the games' reception
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/attacks-on-kingdom-come-deliverance-for-gay-romance-representation-only-mattered-to-a-handful-of-terminally-online-culture-warriors-reckons-kcd2s-exec-producer-and-probably-didnt-impact-the-games-reception/

And these are the weekend deals at GOG and Steam:

+GOG

• Open World Promo features games up to 95% off during 9 days: https://www.gog.com/en/promo/20260108-open-world-promo

+Steam

• Kill It With Fire 2 will have a 40% discount until the 15th of January: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2357000/KILL_IT_WITH_FIRE_2/
• The White Door will be 70% off until the same 15th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145960/The_White_Door/
• A Plague Tale: Innocence is going to be 80% off until tJanuary 19th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/752590/A_Plague_Tale_Innocence/
• Othercide gets a 90% discount until the 19th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/798490/Othercide/
• shapez will also be 90% off until the 19th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1318690/shapez/
• Dome Keeper , that has a demo, is going to be free to try until Monday and will have a 60% discount until the 22nd of January: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1637320/Dome_Keeper/
• And these are the two sales/events:
  • New Game + Showcase features lots of upcoming titles and one single game, Atomic Heart, on sale with a 75% discount. The showcase and the deal will last until the 22nd of January: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45822208/sale/NewGameShowcase
  • Publisher Hooded Horse puts its games up to 90% off until January the 22nd. There are also some upcoming games to check out: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/HoodedHorsePublisherSale2026

And that’s it. Until the next time, I wish you a happy and gaming weekend.

Attention users of several Asus products:

Update your MyAsus software now because there's a fix for a nasty hack that could easily ruin your day
https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/motherboards/update-your-myasus-software-now-because-theres-a-fix-for-a-nasty-hack-that-could-easily-ruin-your-day/
If you have an Asus PC, laptop, AIO, or mini PC, you might want to make sure your pre-installed apps are up-to-date. That's generally always good advice, but with the patching of a high-severity exploit in Asus' MyAsus app, it's particularly true right now.

As posted to the Asus security board, "An uncontrolled DLL loading path vulnerability exists in AsusSoftwareManagerAgent." With this, an attacker could mess with the app, "potentially resulting in arbitrary code execution". From here, the attacker could have a pretty serious level of access to your rig.

As shared in the security record, this problem is of high severity, with a score of 8.5. Luckily, attackers need local access, so that certainly makes the exploit a little less worrisome. In this case, that severity is likely linked to how dire access would be, as opposed to how easy it is to pull off, as needing local access cuts out 99% of the world from your rig.

This vulnerability affects 64-bit machines before update v3.1.49.0 or before v1.1.37.0 and ARM machines before update v3.2.50.0. If you're looking to update your MyAsus, it should automatically do so via the Microsoft Store.

Keep in mind that only RDNA4 supports FP8 to make optimal use of FSR4.
RDNA3 can use the INT8 path, but it comes with a performance/visual quality tradeoff.

I don't think its about "treating RDNA3 users like shit" rather than there being genuine technical differences between the architectures, it's not like AMD made any promises that RDNA 1/2/3 would get the full blown FSR4 experience either.

I think what AMD needs to do is just make FSR open source and let the community handle it.