1) I am aware of the past but am not living in it.  Prices, performance changes, and the reliance on features is just different now so how I make my buying decisions now are different.  Features now are just more of a factor in my buying decision with the current market, same goes with long term support.

2) I glad they catching up and I see great potential in their next architecture and I hope they build upon it this time instead of starting all over again but I buy the best the product for me not the most improved.

3) I not missing the point, I am disagreeing with the point.  I believe a feature coming to a new generation that a past generation can support should be implemented.  If there a major architecture shift that prevent the change or it not possible, I will make a judgement on how often this happen whether it acceptable to me or not.  I also fundamentally disagree that a customer should rely on a third party to get new features for a product.

Call it Entitled if you want but AMD or any company is not Entitled to have me as a customer and I get to make my own decision on where I spend my money and for what reason.  I do not believe any company owe me anything but if one company going to give me new features and one not historically then you right, I feel entitled to not spend my money with one of those companies.   I not complaining about a product I own, I make a buying decision on what am going to buy in future and I do believe customers are entitled to make that decision anyway they want.

4)

Everything I said applies regardless if it called RDNA 5 or UNDA.  Also, things changes and I read that article back when it was release and it was not 100% clear exactly when they would move to a unified platform.  As in the QA section

"PA: So, this merging back together, how long will that take? How many more product generations before we see that?

JH: We haven’t disclosed that yet. It’s a strategy. Strategy is very important to me. I think it’s the right strategy. We’ve got to make sure we’re doing the right thing. In fact, when we talk to developers, they love it because, again, they have all these other departments telling them to do different things, too. So, I need to reduce the complexity."

Either way Major architecture shift, going in P6/next box, RDNA 4 getting skipped in integrated graphics was the point the name does not matter.

I did not forget, ZEN 1/1+ was flawed products in a couple way but my point was they supported those products and Zen 2 build upon the same architecture and fixed the bugs.  It was only after Zen 2 released did I buy my first AMD CPU since pre intel core DUO.

A new week, a new round of gaming news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

Steam has three new deals and two sales:

• Cozy Caravan will be 20% off until the 14th of January: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2788520/Cozy_Caravan/
• Barn Finders has a demo and a 75% discount that will last until January, the 18th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/991170/Barn_Finders/
• Rusty Lake Paradise is going to be 80% off until the 18th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/744190/Rusty_Lake_Paradise/
• And these are the sales:
  • WeissGarden Publisher Sale puts its games up to 35% off until January 19: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/36388611/sale/WeissGardenPublisherSale
  • For the release of its latest game, the Pathologic franchise Sale features up to 90% discounts. The deals will end between the 19th and the 23rd of this month: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/26684285/sale/pathologicfranchise

Humble Bundle presents the D3 Waifus 4U Bundle, with up to 9 games to get during 18 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/d3-waifus-4u.

And Fanatical has these:

• The new Star Deal is Frostpunk: Game of the Year Edition, with a 93% discount during 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/frostpunk-game-of-the-year-edition
• CI Games puts its games on sale, up to 92% off duirng 7 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/ci-games
• The BYO Pedal to the Metal Bundle - New Year Edition features 17 titles to choose from for your bundles of 3+, 5+ or 7+ games during 34 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-pedal-to-the-metal-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Steam sets a new record with over 42 million concurrent players
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/steam-sets-new-record-with-over-42-million-concurrent-players/
Steam has just set a new record of concurrent players. Earlier today, Valve’s service passed over 42 million concurrent players. To be more precise, it hit 42,042,778 concurrent players. This right here shows why a lot of publishers want their games on Steam.
>> Chrkeller has made a thread about this feat.

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Quake 3: Arena RTX Remix Path Tracing Mod Released
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/quake-3-arena-rtx-remix-path-tracing-mod-released/
Modder ‘woodboy90’ has just released the first version of his RTX Remix Path Tracing Mod for Quake 3: Arena. This mod adds real-time Path Tracing to this iconic multiplayer Quake game. So, if you are a fan of it, you should definitely check it out.
This first version of the mod remasters 3 maps. These are the Q3DM1, Q3DM6, and Q3DM10. It also brings modern PBR-style textures and ray-tracing compatible materials to the game.
In future versions, the modder plans to remaster all the remaining maps. He also plans to add some high-quality 3D models for players and objects, as well as remaster the UI/HUD textures.
>> There is an over 1 minute video in the article.

Super Mario 64 Co-Op Deluxe Is a Must-Play for All Mario Fans
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/super-mario-64-co-op-deluxe-is-a-must-play-for-all-mario-fans/
Now here is something that passed under my radar. It appears that a co-op mod has been released for the unofficial PC port of Super Mario 64. This is a must-play for all Mario fans. So, let’s take a closer look at it.
Super Mario 64 Co-Op Deluxe is an online multiplayer mod for the Super Mario 64 PC version. It syncs every level and every object so multiple people can play together smoothly. The mod supports up to 16 players at once and includes a growing Lua modding system. This lets modders and players enjoy Super Mario 64 in new, easier, and more creative ways.
For those who don’t know, there have been other attempts in the past to add multiplayer to Super Mario 64. However, those older mods did not sync enemies or events correctly. This new mod does. It keeps enemies and world events in sync for all players, so everyone can interact with the same world at the same time.
Super Mario 64 Co-Op Deluxe was first released in 2024. However, it just got a new update last week. Version 1.4.1 fixes several problems. It fixes a rare bug where Mario becomes intangible when he respawns, and it fixes a memory issue in the player menu. It also fixes a 4-bit texture problem in DJUI, some texture-scrolling issues, and a bug with OpenGL shaders. Finally, it also fixes a few crashes related to DynOS.
>> The article has an over 10 minutes video.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Now Supports DLSS 4.5 via Mod
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-now-supports-dlss-4-5-via-mod/
PureDark has released a new version of his Upscaler All-In-One for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim that adds support for DLSS 4.5. This mod will let you use the newest DLSS 4.5 models, Preset M and Preset L, in Skyrim.
NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 features a 2nd generation Transformer Model. As such, it offers better temporal stability, reduces ghosting, and does a better job at smoothing edges. This new Transformer Model is available for all RTX GPUs. For those who don’t know, Skyrim Upscaler All-In-One Build is a mod that adds support for all major PC upscalers. Alongside DLSS 4.5, it adds support for AMD FSR 4.0 and Intel XeSS 2.0. Not only that, but it supports all 3 framegen techs, including DLSS Multi-frame Generation for RTX 50 and the new XeFG, which works for all vendors’ GPUs.
It’s also worth noting that this new version of the mod adds support for FSR4 Redstone. This means that there is support for the FSR Frame Generation 4.0 ML-based and FSR4 Upscaling FP8 version.
>> There is no media in the article.

Here’s a new look at The Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project NextGen Edition 2026
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/heres-a-new-look-at-the-witcher-3-hd-reworked-project-nextgen-edition-2026/
Modder ‘Halk Hogan’ has released a new video for The Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project NextGen Edition 2026. This video compares some of the vanilla textures with the new ones that will be featured in this upcoming version.
The Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project improves the game with top-notch textures that look great and run smoothly, without needing more VRAM. If you’re already playing on Max settings, you’ll be able to use this mod. The pack will include high-quality, accurate normal maps, many of which are made from detailed 3D models. The project also brings better LODs for objects, as well as a better view distance.
In the 2026 version, many objects will no longer be static and will now have wind simulation. All characters will also be reworked, along with all armor and equipment for Geralt and Roach. As such, everything will now be much more detailed.

GoldenEye 007 N64 Got a Must-Have 4K Texture Pack
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/goldeneye-007-n64-got-a-must-have-4k-texture-pack/
Modder ‘intermissionfb’ has released a must-have 4K Texture Pack for the Nintendo 64 classic FPS, GoldenEye 007. This is a must for everyone who wants to replay this James Bond FPS on PC in 2026.
One of the biggest issues with GoldenEye 007 in 2026 is its textures. Since this game came out on Nintendo 64, it looks really blurry. But by using this 4K Texture Pack, you’ll get a crisper and more detailed image.
From what I’ve seen, this pack retains the original art style of the vanilla textures. Therefore, I highly recommend it to everyone who wants to experience GoldenEye 007 on PC in 2026.
For your interest, modders are already working on an unofficial PC port of GoldenEye 007. This PC port is not out yet, meaning that you can use this 4K Texture Pack with a Nintendo 64 emulator. You’ll also need GLideN64 to use it.
In theory, this pack should be compatible with the upcoming PC port. Once it’s out, it will be the best way to play GoldenEye 007 on PC. It will also open the doors for a Ray Tracing Mod for it.
>> There is an over 10 minutes video in the article.

This Amazing STALKER 2 Mod Adds a Cool Blood VFX System
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/this-amazing-stalker-2-mod-adds-a-cool-blood-vfx-system/
Modders ‘Cazanu’ and ‘Shay’ have released an amazing new mod for STALKER 2. This mod adds a cool Blood VFX system to the game, making your firefights feel more tense and gory than before. This is a mod that I highly recommend downloading. So, let’s take a closer look at it.
The BloodFX Overhaul Mod adds much more realistic blood effects to the game. Now, when you hit an enemy, blood will spray in the right direction and leave splashes and droplets on walls and floors. The mod also adds a dynamic blood pooling system. This means blood will slowly collect on the ground under the enemy’s wound.
The mod also adds a new wound-trailing system. This means badly injured enemies, stealth knife kills, and headshots will leave a trail of blood behind them. Explosive kills will now create a brutal shower of body parts and blood. However, the explosion gore is still experimental and can be a bit buggy. The modders plan to fix and improve it in future updates and optional versions of the mod.
>> The article has an over 4 minutes video.

You'll never guess what the 'Random Heart Attacks' mod for Red Dead Redemption 2 does
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/youll-never-guess-what-the-random-heart-attacks-mod-for-red-dead-redemption-2-does/
Yeehaw varmints, have I got the most rootinest-tootinest shiny new mod for y-
That was the final sentence written by Rich Stanton before a 1 in 500 chance of a heart attack triggered and killed him. RIP.
Naturally I'm joking, although no doubt if you google me the AI summary will soon be telling everyone I've carked it. And the occasion for such self-sacrifice is one of the most inexplicable mods I've ever seen cross my desk: Random Heart Attacks for Red Dead Redemption 2.
Don't go looking for any clues about the motivation behind this in the mod description. Creator IdontHaveAname clearly likes an element of mystery, and provides only the most basic and functional of outlines: "Every 5 minutes there is a 1 in 500 chance that the player will have a heart attack and die."
>> The article has a couple of screenshots, but not of the mod.

A classic space sim conceived by Star Citizen's creator just got an unofficial sequel after 15 years of development: 'The project was based on the crazy idea that Microsoft "axed" Chris Roberts' Freelancer'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/a-classic-space-sim-conceived-by-star-citizens-creator-just-got-an-unofficial-sequel-after-15-years-of-development-the-project-was-based-on-the-crazy-idea-that-microsoft-axed-christ-roberts-freelancer/
Before he spent thirteen years struggling to finish Star Citizen, Chris Roberts spent six years struggling to finish Freelancer. Digital Anvil's third-person space-sim was conceived by Roberts in the late nineties. But after blasting through both Freelancer's budget and its planned two-and-a-half-year development cycle, Digital Anvil was acquired by Microsoft. Roberts left the company shortly after the buyout—though he remained involved with Freelancer as a creative consultant.
Freelancer eventually released in 2003, more than three years later than originally planned. Its cinematic, arcade space combat was generally well liked. But the game was also criticised for being simplistic compared to other space sims—a consequence of Microsoft scaling down the project following their acquisition of Digital Anvil.
There's always been a cohort of fans who have wondered what Freelancer might have looked like if Roberts realised his initial vision. Now, a subset of that cohort has just released its own, unofficial sequel to Freelancer, developed over a timeframe that makes the original game's creation look rapid by comparison.
Created over 15 years by "a bunch of obsessed fans", Freelancer: The Nomad Legacy was built upon the curious premise that "Microsoft 'axed' Chris Roberts' Freelancer"). It's designed to be a fully-fledged sequel to the 2003 game, one that aims to restore ideas that didn't make it into the original and expand upon those that did.
Chiefly, the Nomad Legacy introduces a big chunk of space featuring multiple new star-systems, designed "so you can not just fly around, but also explore". The campaign features 13 missions that apparently range from stealth infiltrations to combat scenarios that pit you against vast space cruisers. All of this is presented in redrawn HD graphics.
The project's leader, who goes by Jelder, claims that the difference between the original Freelancer and the Nomad Legacy is like "GTA 4 vs GTA 3", which is quite the claim. But it certainly seems like the mod aims to improve some of Freelancer's fundamentals. The Nomad Legacy reworks Freelancer's progression system, encouraging players to purchase ship upgrades, while also restoring ship animations that were cut from the original game and introducing numerous space stations for you to visit, including "mega-bases".
There's one caveat I should point out, however. While The Nomad Legacy has partial human voice recording in Russian, the latter missions use AI voices, while the English translation is completely generated by neural networks. Jelder states the team tried using English actors for the translation but struggled due to "cultural differences" saying he "couldn't coach English-speaking actors to use the right intonations", which culminated in those actors leaving the project. I hope the team reconsiders this, as it seems a shame to have come so far to fall back on AI at the final hurdle. Personally, I'd much rather hear an oddly-intoned human voice than a nondescript, anodyne robot.
>> The article has an over 15 minutes video.

Here's that noir thriller built in the original Half-Life engine you asked for
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/heres-that-noir-thriller-built-in-the-original-half-life-engine-you-asked-for/
There's been a surprisingly strong run of Half-Life total conversions of late, by which I mean there have been two of them. November brought us Diffusion, a massively ambitious sci-fi adventure with some truly eye-popping environment design, especially considering the age of its tech. Yes, it featured some terrible AI generated text-to-speech. But its creator is working on fixing that and recently revealed some of the human cast for its English dub.
Now, the GoldSrc engine has been given a lick of black paint in the pulp noir thriller The Last Goodbye. Created by Half-Life mod team Guild of Inventors, The Last Goodbye puts you in the stiletto heels of Lucille, a gun-for-hire nicknamed The Banshee who takes on a job to assassinate the deadliest gangster in the City of Prava, a cigar-chomping criminal mastermind known as Bullseye. Between you and your target is an army of pipe-wielding, pistol toting goons desperate to wrap their lips around the barrel of your shotgun.
While The Last Goodbye clearly has Half-Life in its DNA, its creators say the mod is as much of a puzzle and exploration game as it is a shooter. The Last Goodbye places a big emphasis on storytelling, featuring both in-game dialogue and cutscenes relaying the tale. The latter have a hyper-specific inspiration, namely Tele-snap reconstructions of missing Doctor Who episodes.
Naturally, though, the game sees you get involved in plenty of scrapes, using pistols, shotguns, and even dynamite to thin the ranks of Bullseye's henchmen. Combat's designed to be challenging, with Lucille lacking the protection afforded Gordon Freeman by his HEV suit. Lucille seems a bit more nimble than Gordon, however, and is also capable of socking enemies in the jaw with her fists.
The trailer above shows the mod in action. I'm a big fan of the Tim Burton-era Gotham City vibe that Prava has to it, a moodily-lit blend of Victorian gothic townhouses and art-deco skyscrapers drenched in sultry neon lighting. I'm also impressed the modders managed to create a convincing looking cat out of GoldSrc-era graphics. Hammering those polygons into place must've taken some effort.
You can download The Last Goodbye on ModDB, although currently the build only includes one of a planned three acts. The modders say that development of act two is "already well under way, with levels and models being prioritised at the moment", and will bring three new enemy types and two new weapons.

GAMING NEWS

Where Winds Meet Update 1.2 Released – Full Patch Notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/where-winds-meet-update-1-2-released-full-patch-notes/
This weekend, Everstone Studio released the highly anticipated Title Update 1.2 for Where Winds Meet and shared its full patch notes. So, let’s see what Patch 1.2 brings to the table.

The Holidays are over and PCGamer has gone back to having a ridiculous amount of news. Here are the more interesting ones, at least to me:

The PvPvE extraction shooter where you build and drive a huge stompy mechanical base across a ruined planet gets a Steam release window
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/the-pvpve-extraction-shooter-where-you-build-and-drive-a-huge-stompy-mechanical-base-across-a-ruined-planet-gets-a-steam-release-date/
I love the idea of building a huge mechanical mobile base and using it to stomp my way around a post-apocalyptic landscape on giant metal legs. Throw in a PvPvE system where I can battle other players' bases and raid ruined cities for resources, and set the whole thing in an "industrial alternate history of 1910" ruled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire... yeah, Sand: Raiders of Sophie is ticking a lot of boxes for me.
The open world FPS from Ukrainian developer Hologryph has been on my radar for a while (it was just called Sand until late last year), but I've stupidly managed to miss all of the playtests it's had during development. It won't be much longer until I finally do get to try it out, though: Sand: Raiders of Sophie is stampeding its way onto Steam for a release in March. There's a new trailer to gawp at, too.

It's not the news we wanted but it's what we expected: EA has finally admitted Project Rene is a 'mobile-first' game
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-sims/its-not-the-news-we-wanted-but-its-what-we-expected-ea-has-finally-admitted-project-rene-is-a-mobile-first-game/
I'm going to hold your hand when I say this: Project Rene is a mobile game. When EA first teased the next Sims game, we understandably thought the pretty new lighting engine shots it showed off meant we were looking at The Sims 5. After a couple agonizing years of leaks, silence, rumors, and speculation, EA has finally just admitted what we'd all figured out: Project Rene is a "social multiplayer" mobile game.
>> Worry not, because “over half of The Sims development team is working on The Sims 4 and 'the next evolution'” (link)

Competitive demon slaying is about to take over Diablo 4 as its next update finally adds official leaderboards
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/competitive-demon-slaying-is-about-to-take-over-diablo-4-as-its-next-update-finally-adds-official-leaderboards/
It's not enough to slay thousands of monsters simply for the fun of it. What if all that bloodshed was to show off how much better you are at it than the rest of them? After years of asking for it, Diablo 4 players are finally getting leaderboards—and a new mode to go with them—in its next update.

If for some reason you can't get enough of Stranger Things' Vecna, you can now play as him in Dead by Daylight's latest crossover
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/if-for-some-reason-you-cant-get-enough-of-stranger-things-vecna-you-can-now-play-as-him-in-dead-by-daylights-latest-crossover/
I can't pretend to be anything other than relieved that Stranger Things is over. While I enjoyed the first few seasons of its pulpy Spielberg pastiche, it ultimately became far too big for its Nike high tops. But if you still haven't had enough of the gang explaining its preposterously convoluted plans to kill Vecna, you can carry on the adventure via Dead by Daylight, in the latest crossover for Behaviour Interactive's multiplayer slash 'em up.

Valorant's latest update adds a new pistol to spice up early rounds, as Riot plans to take 'a holistic look' at the shooter's arsenal through 2026
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/valorants-latest-update-adds-a-new-pistol-to-spice-up-early-rounds-as-riot-plans-to-take-a-holistic-look-at-the-shooters-arsenal-through-2026/
When Valorant launched back in 2020, it was pitched as Counter-Strike with added superpowers, a combination that proved irresistible for shooter expert Morgan Park in PC Gamer's Valorant review. Over the last few years, however, the emphasis has gradually shifted to the point where Valorant has turned into superpowers with added Counter-Strike.
This problem came to a head last year, with Riot promising to cut back on supplementary utility powers to reorient Valorant back around gunplay. This initiative is set to continue through 2026, with Valorant's latest patch introducing a new gun as Riot promises more extensive weapon reworks in the future.

If you've got a spare 200 hours, the massively ambitious sci-fi grand strategy from the creators of X-COM: The Long War just launched out of early access
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/if-youve-got-a-spare-200-hours-the-massively-ambitious-sci-fi-grand-strategy-from-the-creators-of-x-com-the-long-war-just-launched-out-of-early-access/
I have a theory, which is that video games ultimately exist to create the most complex simulation of defending Earth against alien threats possible, so that in the event aliens really do invade Earth, there will be people who know exactly how to respond. Is this theory plausible? Unlikely. Have I just made it up right now? Maybe. Is it a fun way to introduce the most complex variant of such simulations yet created? Hopefully!
Terra Invicta, if you're not already aware, is a blend of X-COM and grand strategy games like Crusader Kings 3. Developed by the creators of X-COM: The Long War, Terra Invicta asks "What if that war was even longer?". It's a dazzlingly complex geopolitical simulation that starts with real world conditions, demanding that you prepare Earth for alien invasion while contending with the full force of regular Earth politics. To succeed, you need to sufficiently align Earth with your chosen goal before the aliens arrive in force, whether that's resisting the Xenos, exterminating them, submitting to them, or escaping them by evacuating Earth.
And when I say real-world conditions, I mean it. The 1.0 update's chief addition is a 2026 start condition, which reflects events like the ongoing war in Ukraine. It also adds text localisation for five new languages, namely Czech, Italian, Korean, Russian and Ukrainian.

Manor Lords' dev is experimenting with a new trading system that allows for 'deliberate economic strategies', including establishing monopolies on resources
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/city-builder/manor-lords-dev-is-experimenting-with-a-new-trading-system-that-allows-for-deliberate-economic-strategies-including-establishing-monopolies-on-resources/
Medieval city-builder Manor Lords had a quiet 2025, as its developer adjusted to the game's enormous success following its release into Steam early access in 2024. Things picked up speed toward the end of the year, however, with a major patch arriving in December that introduced a rework to core systems and an overhaul to castle construction.
It seems Slavic Magic and publisher Hooded Horse are keen to maintain that momentum in 2026. In a Steam update, Hooded Horse's CEO Tim Bender provided a detailed rundown of what's coming to the management sim this year.

The Witcher 3's former lead quest designer says 'of course' there is romance in upcoming vampire RPG The Blood of Dawnwalker: 'You can expect to build relationships with characters'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/the-witcher-3s-former-lead-quest-designer-says-of-course-there-is-romance-in-upcoming-vampire-rpg-the-blood-of-dawnwalker-you-can-expect-to-build-relationships-with-characters/
The Witcher 3 may notionally be about helping Ciri defeat The Wild Hunt, but real heads know CD Projekt's RPG is really about mending Geralt's fractured relationship with Yennefer with the help of a stuffed unicorn. Navigating the love triangle between Geralt, Triss and Yen was a big part of CDP's 2015' masterpiece, so naturally fans are curious about what role, if any, romance will play in The Blood of Dawnwalker, the new game from The Witcher 3's director and lead quest designer, the brothers Konrad and Mateusz Tomaskiewicz
Indeed, this question was posed directly to Rebel Wolves creative director Mateusz Tomaskiewicz this week. In an interview during the New Game + Expo, Tomaskiewicz was asked by streamer Luality if romance will feature in The Blood of Dawnwalker.

Hytale launch times and release date
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/hytale-launch-time-release-date/
After seven years of waiting, the Hytale launch times and release date are almost here, a moment that wasn't quite so certain only a few months ago. For those unaware, development began in 2015 with funding from Riot Games, who would go on to acquire the team in 2020, only to pull the plug in June 2025, then be revived by its original founder in November.
Even after all this time, it's safe to say that there are a lot of people eager to check out what this crack team of Minecraft modders has been up to. Below I'll go over the Hytale launch times in your region so you know if you need to book the day off work or call in sick.
>> Two moere things: one of the devs has shown that you can even make a side-scroller with its creative tools (link) and they’ve secured funding for the next 2 years of development (link).

Arc Raiders is finally dishing out bans for cheaters, but some players think the punishment is too lenient: 'Anyone with cheats active just gets non-stop arc spawning on them'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/arc-raiders-is-finally-dishing-out-bans-for-cheaters-but-some-players-think-the-punishment-is-too-lenient-anyone-with-cheats-active-just-gets-non-stop-arc-spawning-on-them/
The day of reckoning has arrived. Those who have been cheating in Arc Raiders (or at least some of them) have been handed down their sentence: a 30-day ban. Embark promised last week that it would begin dealing with cheaters, and now the "significant changes" to the detection and ban systems have arrived.

And here are the rest of the news:

Elder Scrolls fans are taking it well after Microsoft says it's a 'big year for games ending in 6' ahead of its upcoming Xbox Direct showcase: 'I'm practically living off hopium and copium at this point'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/elder-scrolls-fans-are-taking-it-well-after-microsoft-says-its-a-big-year-for-games-ending-in-6-ahead-of-its-upcoming-xbox-direct-showcase-im-practically-living-off-hopium-and-copium-at-this-point/

Deadlock dev teases the community over its favorite hero that was briefly tested and removed: 'We made delicious stock out of his bones and meats'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/moba/deadlock-dev-teases-the-community-over-its-favorite-hero-that-was-briefly-tested-and-removed-we-made-delicious-stock-out-of-his-bones-and-meats/

'Every year they got f***ing chocolates that we didn't': Valve gives a box of sweets to Steam's biggest breadwinners every year, and Peak's devs finally got one after years of jealously watching their Slay the Spire office mates enjoy GabeN confections
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/every-year-they-got-f-ing-chocolates-that-we-didnt-valve-gives-a-box-of-sweets-to-steams-biggest-breadwinners-every-year-and-peaks-devs-finally-got-one-after-years-of-jealously-watching-their-slay-the-spire-office-mates-enjoy-gaben-confections/
>> He also commented on its rapid development cycle (link).

Original Fallout lead Tim Cain reckons vitriol around games has always been around, but it's 'more hostile' these days: 'I see lot of people arguing past each other, even if that means denying that the other group even exists'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/original-fallout-lead-tim-cain-reckons-vitriol-around-games-has-always-been-around-but-its-more-hostile-these-days-i-see-lot-of-people-arguing-past-each-other-even-if-that-means-denying-that-the-other-group-even-exists/

After Netflix pulled the rug from under Monument Valley 3 six months after launch, its developer says it's a 'PC first' studio: 'we can build more direct relationships with our audience and community'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/puzzle/after-netflix-pulled-the-rug-from-under-monument-valley-3-six-months-after-launch-its-developer-says-its-a-pc-first-studio-we-can-build-more-direct-relationships-with-our-audience-and-community/

Former Assassin's Creed director doesn't think the current way of making big budget games is 'tenable': 'I think the future lies in smaller teams'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/assassins-creed/former-assassins-creed-director-doesnt-think-the-current-way-of-making-big-budget-games-is-tenable-i-think-the-future-lies-in-smaller-teams/

Anthem players log in to say goodbye to the game they loved before it's gone forever: 'Strong alone, stronger together'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/anthem-players-log-in-to-say-goodbye-to-the-game-they-loved-before-its-gone-forever-strong-alone-stronger-together/

Last, but far from least, there are almost a dozen articles about Larian, Baldur’s Gate 3 or the Divinity games. Here are all of them in one place:

• Divinity will officially wave goodbye to Original Sin 2's broken armour system (link)
• 'I wish Wyll had gotten more content' says the Baldur's Gate 3 writer who wrote him, and splitting his story between devils and dads 'might have been a mistake in hindsight' (link)
• Larian's given us a single-word spoiler for Divinity, its next game, and for some reason it's 'alligator' (link)
• For all the Divinity dev details Larian isn't ready to comment on, we got a firm answer about the game's controls: the studio's sticking to its guns on no WASD movement (link)
• Divinity's reveal trailer was brutal and dark for a reason, Larian's writing director says: 'We want to give players the opportunity to be the light in that darkness' (link)
• Baldur's Gate 3 composer Borislav 'Bobby' Slavov is coming back for Divinity: 'We wouldn't be able to stop him even if we wanted to' (link)
• Baldur's Gate 3's lead writer hopes we won't want to save scum in Divinity: 'Our ambition is certainly to make failure more interesting' (link)
• 'I can finally do the thing I wanted to do in every previous game': Divinity's head of design teases a new mechanic without saying what it is (link)
• Larian's head writer has a simple answer for how AI-generated text helps development: 'It doesn't,' thanks to its best output being 'a 3/10 at best' worse than his worst drafts (link)
• Larian says Divinity's character customisation will be 'even better' than Baldur's Gate 3's: 'More colors, more options, more control' (link)
• Larian's learnt a lot from Baldur's Gate 3 going into Divinity, including the fact that hand-crafted loot is probably better: 'Randomization did not save us much time' (link)

Intel Panther Lake 30W Handhelds To Be Similar In Performance Versus Sony PS6 “Canis” Handheld at 15W

https://wccftech.com/intel-panther-lake-30w-handhelds-similar-performance-versus-sony-ps6-canis-15w/

Take it with salt

Dell tested NVIDIA N1X laptop just two months ago

https://videocardz.com/newz/dell-tested-nvidia-n1x-laptop-just-two-months-ago

Epic Games Store grew users by 173% over 6 years. Third-party game revenue grew 1.6%. They trained 295 million people to grab free games and leave.

https://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/1q6om9p/oc_epic_games_store_grew_users_by_173_over_6/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

ASUS quietly updated RTX 5090 Matrix liquid metal application after recall rumors

https://videocardz.com/newz/asus-quietly-updated-rtx-5090-matrix-liquid-metal-application-after-recall-rumors

AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965X3D CPU with 16 cores and 170W TDP spotted in shipping manifest

https://videocardz.com/newz/amd-ryzen-9-pro-9965x3d-cpu-with-16-cores-and-170w-tdp-spotted-in-shipping-manifest

Japanese retailer will buy almost any used gaming PC as new and used systems get harder to find

https://videocardz.com/newz/japanese-retailer-will-buy-almost-any-used-gaming-pc-as-new-and-used-systems-get-harder-to-find

DDR5 Memory Prices Are Insane Right Now In South Korea, 16 GB 5600 Modules Almost $300, 32 GB Modules Around $500 & Kits Nearing $600

https://wccftech.com/ddr5-memory-prices-are-insane-in-south-korea-16-gb-5600-modules-300-32-gb-modules-500-kits-nearing-600-usd/

Intel’s Leaked GPU Firmware Reveals BMG-G31 GPU, But Intel Keeps Avoiding Arc B770-Related Talks

https://wccftech.com/intels-leaked-gpu-firmware-reveals-bmg-g31-gpu/

 Nvidia’s New Rubin Architecture Thrives on Networking. Some computations happen while data is en route.

https://spectrum.ieee.org/nvidia-rubin-networking

The 5 Biggest No-Shows of CES 2026

https://www.techpowerup.com/345051/the-5-biggest-no-shows-of-ces-2026

I wonder if Kepler is talking about the performance target of the PS6 handheld or if AMD has already managed to produce some samples delivering that power at those watts. Because if it's the later, Intel is much more behind AMD than I thought.

It doesn't help the Epic Store to have Sweeney as its spokeperson, because he always seems to have something to say and that creates lots of PR disasters.

Here's his latest one:

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney argues banning Twitter over its ability to AI-generate pornographic images of minors is just 'gatekeepers' attempting to 'censor all of their political opponents'
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/epic-games-ceo-tim-sweeney-argues-banning-twitter-over-its-ability-to-ai-generate-pornographic-images-of-minors-is-just-gatekeepers-attempting-to-censor-all-of-their-political-opponents/

Any time Tim Sweeney has a hot take:

"Concurrent users" and "concurrent players" stats would be nice.

Narrow and fast vs. wide and slow, though. Most mobile gaming PCs are tiny chips clocked very high while something like the Switch family is the fundamental opposite.

OT - I'm going out on an early bet and say the Rubin GPUs will use the Ozaki scheme to massively inflate their FP32 raster performance. There's a lot of modern engine cases where this would have significant effects (nanites, volumetrics, physics, etc.)

If AMD isn't clever with UDNA they'll end up eating dust as usual, especially since the numbers comparison will look insane and we all know the average normie loves bigger numbers, much to Pemalite's despair.

AMD isn't the size of nVidia, they don't have the development resources to spend on older hardware, when they do... It comes at the expense of new hardware.
And AMD needs every piece of resource available on the leading edge to keep up with nVidia.

AMD has always been at it's best when it open sources it's technology, which enables wide industry adoption.
Remember G-Sync? - That had the market locked down until AMD came in like a wrecking ball with Freesync that was open source, which eventually forced nVidia's hand to implement Freesync into Gysnc which enabled wide adoption across all displays.

The issue is that RDNA1/2/3 are different at a hardware level compared to RDNA4 or even each other.
RDNA 2 came out 6 years ago, RDNA3 came out 4 years ago, that's plenty of support, AMD has to draw the line somewhere.

So the best approach for the industry and PC gamers is for AMD to make FSR open-source, it will enable the kind of adoption we saw with Freesync which has been a massive positive for variable refresh display support across all industried be it console, tablets, phones, laptops, handhelds, desktop PC's and more.

It is entitlement. 
You buy the hardware with the price/features/performance at the time of release and/or purchase, anything that comes after that (If it wasn't promised before hand) is just an added bonus.

You are free to spend your money elsewhere, that is your consumer right.

I never bought my Radeon RX 580 to get FSR4 support, I never bought my Radeon RX 6600XT for FSR4 support, FSR4 wasn't even a thing, so it was never on my radar.

However... You can use FSR4 right now. On old hardware. - It's just not an official AMD sanctioned release... And games that are locked down to DLSS or XeSS you can simply use Optiscaler to injected FSR4 into it via the INT pathway. (Which has visual and performance implications anyway, better to use XeSS)

XeSS 3 and the work Intel has done to reduce and minimize stutter plus dynamic frame-gen is absolutely freaking impressive, if I am going to buy a handheld, that's the chip I want at this stage unless AMD rolls out RDNA4/UDNA mobile hardware.
Intel has also been doing some impressive work on reducing shader compilation stutter by pre-compiling shaders and having them rolled into driver packages.

AMD will be ahead on performance, but Intel's chips should provide a better experience (Outside of driver issues that present things like graphics corruption).

Panther Lake in a handheld is set to deliver 80+ fps with XeSS 3 Quality at 1200P in Cyberpunk, that is more than double the Switch 2. Impressive stuff.