Yeah, I don't know what that PCGamer's wanker is talking about, dog was such a great feature.

Leaked chart suggests Ryzen 7 9850X3D is about 3% faster than 9800X3D in 1080p tests

https://videocardz.com/newz/leaked-chart-suggests-ryzen-7-9850x3d-is-about-3-faster-than-9800x3d-in-1080p-tests

OLED Monitor Panel Shipments Grew By 65% In 2025 And Are Expected To Continue Over 50% Growth Rate In 2026

https://wccftech.com/oled-monitor-panel-shipments-grew-by-65-in-2025/

“TSMC Is the De Facto Brake on the AI Buildout”, as Analyst Claims the Foundry’s Delay in CapEx Increase Could Cost Hyperscalers Billions in Revenue

https://wccftech.com/tsmc-is-the-de-facto-brake-on-the-ai-buildout/

NVIDIA RTX Remix update is now available with Logic triggers for dynamic effects

https://videocardz.com/newz/nvidia-rtx-remix-update-is-now-available-with-logic-triggers-for-dynamic-effects

NVIDIA FrameView 1.7 update adds a customizable overlay and improves 800+ FPS accuracy

https://videocardz.com/newz/nvidia-frameview-1-7-update-adds-a-customizable-overlay-and-improves-800-fps-accuracy

90% of users chose “No AI” in web search, DuckDuckGo poll shows

https://videocardz.com/newz/90-of-users-chose-no-ai-in-web-search-duckduckgo-poll-shows

Intel releases XeSS 3 with Multi-Frame Generation, now rolling out to Arc GPUs

https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-releases-xess-3-with-multi-frame-generation-now-rolling-out-to-arc-gpus

Exclusive: Intel Arc Pro B65 and B70 both feature 32GB memory, with 20 to 32 Xe2 cores configurations

https://videocardz.com/newz/exclusive-intel-arc-pro-b65-and-b70-both-feature-32gb-memory-with-20-to-32-xe2-cores-configurations

The Tuesday gaming news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

Steam’s Top 10

(Click here for the Top 100)

Steam has several new deals for us:

• Wayfinder is free to try during two days and will be 70% off until Monday: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1171690/Wayfinder/
• Foundation will have a 33% discount until the 9th of February: https://store.steampowered.com/app/690830/Foundation/
• Wobbly Life will be 35% off until the 9th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1211020/Wobbly_Life/
• Anonymous Hacker Simulator gets a 70% discount until February 9: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2487060/Anonymous_Hacker_Simulator/
• The NSFW SUCCUBUS (which I’m surprised it shows up without beign logged in), is going to be 85% off until the same February 9: https://store.steampowered.com/app/985830/SUCCUBUS/
• There are two new Sales:
  • Anshar Publishing puts its games on sale with up to 80% discounts until the 9th of February: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/41215820/sale/publishersalejanuary2026
  • THQ Nordic improves that putting its games up to 90% off until the same 9th: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/THQNordicPublisherSale2026
• And we can’t forget about the weeklong deals, can we?

There are three new deals at Humble:

• Humble Bundle presents the RollerCoaster Tycoon Collection 2026, with up to 5 games to get during 17 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/roller-coaster-tycoon-collection-2026
• Humble Store has two new sales:
  • Watch_Dogs Franchise Sale features up to 85% discounts during 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/watch-dogs-franchise-sale/
  • Bandai Namco puts its games up to 90% off during the next 13 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/bandai-namco-january-sale/

Fanatical has two new deals:

• The new Star Deal is Monster Hunter Wilds, 55% off during 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/monster-hunter-wilds
• The Casual Mystery Bundle has up to 4 unknown gmes to get in groups of 2, 3 or 4. There’s no word on how long it will last: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/casual-mystery-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

INTEL Arc Graphics 32.0.101.8425/8362 driver
https://videocardz.com/driver/intel-arc-graphics-32-0-101-8425-8362

HIGHLIGHTS
Launch driver for Intel Core Ultra Series 3 with built-in Intel Arc B390, B370 GPUs (Codename Panther Lake).

Intel XeSS 3 Support: Introducing Multi-Frame Generation

• XeSS Multi-Frame Generation builds upon XeSS Frame Generation by inserting up to 3 generated frames between two rendered frames, going from a 1:1 ratio to 3:1 for an ultra smooth gameplay experience.

FIXED ISSUES

Intel Arc B-Series Graphics Products

• PRAGMATA SKETCHBOOK Demo (DX12) may experience an application crash while launching the game.

Intel Core Ultra Series 2 with built-in Intel Arc GPUs

• PRAGMATA SKETCHBOOK Demo (DX12) may experience an application crash while launching the game.

Intel Graphics Software Fixed Issues

• Variable Refresh Rate range in Display page may show incorrect values.

GOG owns up to its poor handling of Devotion's delisting in 2020: 'We acknowledge that this decision understandably damaged the trust our users have in us'
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/platforms/gog-owns-up-to-its-poor-handling-of-devotions-delisting-in-2020-we-acknowledge-that-this-decision-understandably-damaged-the-trust-our-users-have-in-us/
When Valve bizarrely vetoed the launch of horror adventure game Horses on Steam last year, its plucky competitor GOG was quick to swoop in. "We’re proud to give HORSES a home on GOG," announced the storefront, "giving players another way to enjoy the game. We’ve always believed that players should be able to choose the experiences that speak to them." In an interview this month, managing director Maciej Gołębiewski referred to Horses when he declared that "We as a company are always ready to take a stand on the right values".
That rankled some onlookers who remembered that, well, that wasn't always GOG's stance. In 2020, it came under fire for unceremoniously dumping Devotion, which had become subject of repression in China for memes seemingly mocking president Xi Jinping. In a new interview with Eurogamer, Gołębiewski chatted a bit about how GOG looks back on that episode.
"That situation remains difficult to reflect on," said Gołębiewski. "At the time, we made that decision in the context of very real business constraints, a limited understanding of the complex geopolitical factors at play, and a lack of good options that would both protect GOG and partners and allow the game to be released responsibly.
"In hindsight, we acknowledge that this decision—and the way we communicated it—understandably damaged the trust our users have in us."

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

This Oblivion Remastered Mod Adds Almost 2000 New Trees Into Cyrodiil
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/this-oblivion-remastered-mod-adds-almost-2000-trees-into-cyrodiil/
Modder ‘Ianjoseph1986’ has released a cool new mod for Oblivion Remastered that adds almost 2000 trees into Cyrodiil. This mod aims to make the game’s forests feel denser than those of the vanilla version.
All of the new trees were carefully hand-placed. As the modder noted, the performance hit of this mod is quite small. You can expect a 2-3FPS performance hit with it. However, since it makes the forests denser, it’s a hit I’ll gladly take.
>> The article has some screenshots.

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Rebirth 7.1 Available for Download
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/the-elder-scrolls-iii-morrowind-rebirth-7-1-available-for-download/
Modder ‘trancemaster_1988’ has released Version 7.1 for the amazing The Elder Scrolls: III Morrowind Rebirth project. The modder has also listed all the tweaks, fixes, and changes featured in it. So, let’s see what this new version of Morrowind Rebirth brings to the table.
Morrowind Rebirth 7.1 fixes a problem where a scripted plank from the character creation area was being duplicated in Fort Frostmoth. This caused it to randomly disappear from either Seyda Neen or Fort Frostmoth. It also fixes a bug where the ship at Fort Frostmoth had an extra trapdoor that actually belonged on a ship in Raven Rock. On top of that, the update fixes an issue where Temple-only spells (like Rilm’s Cure and Vivec’s Feast) were being sold by NPCs who were not part of the Temple.
And that’s not all. Version 7.1 also fixes two buildings in Suran that were supposed to have locked doors because their interiors were unfinished. One of these buildings didn’t even have a door at all. It also fixes a problem in Vivec’s Guild of Mages where one set of stairs wasn’t lined up correctly, leaving a small gap you could see through.
The update also fixes a bug where leaving Zalkin Grotto would trap the player inside the game’s geometry. Another fix corrects smoke effects from certain incense holders that didn’t show up because the texture had the wrong file name.
On top of that, it fixes an issue where leaving the top floor of the Seyda Neen lighthouse caused weird camera angles. A large Hlaalu-style pillar now has proper collision, and some small geometry problems in Bthusal have also been cleaned up.
Morrowind Rebirth 7.1 also includes a modified Dwemer tileset made by Darknut. According to the modder, this new tileset is much more detailed and complex than the original, which means you might notice a few small clipping issues. The modder has tried to fix most of them and plans to fix the rest over time. Future updates will also improve the UVs, since some of them still look rough. All quest items (vanilla ones for now) now have new icons with a “Q” in the top-left corner so they’re easy to spot. The modder also added a bit more clutter to the Ministry of Truth interiors, especially rocks in the cave sections, which originally looked too empty.
>> The article has the full patch notes, that includes some screenshots.

GTA 4 RTX Remix Looks Spectacular With New PBR Materials
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/gta-4-rtx-remix-looks-spectacular-with-new-pbr-materials/
By now, most of you are aware of the amazing RTX Remix Mod for Grand Theft Auto 4. This mod adds real-time Path Tracing to this beloved GTA game. And yesterday, modder xoxor4d released a new add-on that automatically gives all textures PBR materials.
According to the modder, they used a special version of the Remix runtime that let them collect textures while the game was running. The compatibility mod also helped by giving extra information about each texture through the remixApi. Using this info, the modder created texture groups and generated a USD file with the needed changes. He also processed the dumped textures afterward. Old DX9 normal maps were converted into normal maps that work with Remix, and the specular maps were turned into roughness maps using Python scripts.
What this basically means is that GTA 4 RTX Remix can now look better than ever. At the end of the article, you can find some screenshots with these PBR materials, courtesy of Resetera’s gabdeg. As you can see, the game now looks absolutely glorious. This is why PBR materials are a must for all RTX Remix Mods.
It’s also worth noting that last week, xoxor4d released Title Update 1.1.8 for GTA 4 RTX Remix. This new version enables remix’ horizon based fog and adds logic to increase the horizon height based on camera fog. It also fixes the phone screen smearing issue and reduced fov impact on phone size. This is huge as the game could be a pain the ass to play with the previous version. But now, the phone works the way it was meant to.

GAMING NEWS

18 minutes of new gameplay footage from Resident Evil Requiem, featuring both Leon and Grace
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/18-minutes-of-new-gameplay-footage-from-resident-evil-requiem-featuring-both-leon-and-grace/
YouTube’s ‘Punish’ has shared a video, showcasing 18 minutes of new gameplay footage from Resident Evil Requiem. This gameplay video features both Leon S. Kennedy and Grace Ashcroft. As such, it can give you a glimpse at the two different gameplay styles that this new RE game will have.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake Pre-Alpha March 2024 Presentation Leaked Online
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/prince-of-persia-the-sands-of-time-remake-pre-alpha-march-2024-presentation-leaked-online/
It appears that the pre-alpha March 2024 presentation for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake has been leaked online. An hour ago, someone on YouTube leaked the entire presentation. At first, I was hesitant to share it as I wasn’t sure whether it was legit. But then, Ubisoft went ahead and took it down, which basically confirms that this is the real thing.

Let’s go with the second part of the gaming news:

This obsessively detailed rocket flight sim finally lets me cause historic spaceflight disasters from the comfort of my own home
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/this-obsessively-detailed-rocket-flight-sim-finally-lets-me-cause-historic-spaceflight-disasters-from-the-comfort-of-my-own-home/
The thing they don't tell you is: it's easy, this astronaut lark. Oh, sure, they make it look hard—all dials and knobs and switches that have protective covers over them, but it's just theatre. Easiest job in the world, really: you just go up.
Such was my attitude when I fired up Reentry – A Space Flight Simulator—a videogame you know is good because it kicks off with archival audio of John F Kennedy—but it was an attitude I was quickly disabused of.
Reentry is, more or less, a flight sim, insofar as belting yourself into a missile is a kind of flight. It's one of those grognardy flight sims, too. No arcade-y get-up-and-go here; your craft's panels vibrate with twiddly switches and inscrutable gauges. Successful flight, when you come to it, relies on you completing an exhaustive series of checklists: does the radio work? Does the radio work at ultra-high frequency? Does it work at low-power ultra-high frequency? Does it work at high frequency (non-ultra edition)?

InXile's steampunk RPG Clockwork Empires aims to 'bring the level of reactivity from our isometric titles into something first-person,' Brian Fargo says, calling it the studio's 'most ambitious title'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/inxiles-steampug-rpg-clockwork-empires-aims-to-bring-the-level-of-reactivity-from-our-isometric-titles-into-something-first-person-brian-fargo-says-calling-it-the-studios-most-ambitious-title/
In June 2025, after two years of virtual silence, we got our first up-to-date look at InXile Entertainment's upcoming steampunk RPG Clockwork Revolution. And then, well, it was back to silence. That may be because Clockwork Revolution is the studio's "most ambitious title, probably by a factor of 10," InXile head Brian Fargo said in a new interview with GamesRadar, and that sort of ambition takes time.

Highguard devs promise it won't have gaudy crossover skins or bombard players with constant ads: 'We want to leave you the hell alone'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/highguard-devs-promise-it-wont-have-gaudy-crossover-skins-or-bombard-players-with-constant-ads-we-want-to-leave-you-the-hell-alone/
After playing a few hours of Highguard at a hands-on event in Los Angeles last week, I don't think it's my next FPS obsession. I do, however, respect the stance its developers at Wildlight Entertainment are taking with their debut game's business model.
Highguard is free-to-play, it has cosmetic-only battle passes that never expire, new heroes and maps are free for all, and the most expensive items⁠in its store at launch—like a legendary bear mount—are $20.
"We wanted to make a store that we as players want to experience. That means cosmetic only, direct purchase only, no FOMO, no pay for power. No pay to win, pay walling, no RNG, no loot boxes," said VP of product and publishing Jason Torfin in a group interview with press.
>> But wait! There’s more: DSOG has tested the game, that uses UE 5,3,2, and ssays there’s no stutter (link); they claims that they don’t need “super huge” player counts to be successful (link); and they also reflect on the TGA trailer (link)

The next Arc Raiders update adds Solo vs Squad matchmaking for PvP masochists and an exciting new map condition: Birds
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/the-next-arc-raiders-update-adds-solo-vs-squad-matchmaking-for-pvp-masochists-and-an-exciting-new-map-condition-birds/
It's been just under two weeks since the end of Arc Raiders' Cold Snap event, and Embark isn't wasting any time before rolling into the next phase of feature additions. Today, the studio released details about the Headwinds update arriving this week as the Rust Belt emerges from the depths of winter.

Hytale update adds a new weapon for summoning undead hordes, but keep your early access expectations in check
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/hytale-update-adds-a-new-weapon-for-summoning-undead-hordes-but-keep-your-early-access-expectations-in-check/
I may have missed out on the original Minecraft era, but I'm not making that mistake a second time as Hytale accounted for most of my gameplay hours within the last two weeks. It's good stuff, albeit largely unfinished good stuff, but the updates are slowly trickling in, and I'm all about this new necromancy grimoire in the latest patch.

Indie devs should avoid 'most indie publishers' says Manor Lords indie publisher Hooded Horse: 'The vast majority of indie publishers are predatory and opportunistic'
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/indie-devs-should-avoid-most-indie-publishers-says-manor-lords-indie-publisher-hooded-horse-the-vast-majority-of-indie-publishers-are-predatory-and-opportunistic/
From Manor Lords to Against the Storm to Terra Invicta, indie publisher Hooded Horse has enjoyed an incredible run since it was founded in 2019. With a bunch of big successes under its belt, you might expect CEO Tim Bender to be looking to expand, swallowing up more and more indie games to increase his chances of finding another hit.
But not only is he completely disinterested in publishing more than around 10 games a year, focusing on stability over growth, his advice to indie developers is to avoid indie publishers entirely.
"People can hate me for this if they want," he says, "but most indie publishers are not people indie developers should work with. The vast majority of indie publishers, in their whole structure, are predatory and opportunistic."
>> I’m posting this article here instead of in the third post because of the linked article, which is kind of an interview from last Thursday. So take this as a two in one article.

And here's part three:

Nightdive boss says no one's making immersive sims because they appeal to 'a very small, niche group' and tend to 'come together at the 12th hour,' even though it's obviously the best genre
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/nightdive-boss-says-no-ones-making-immersive-sims-because-they-appeal-to-a-very-small-niche-group-and-tend-to-come-together-at-the-12th-hour-even-though-its-obviously-the-best-genre/

Ubisoft hopes 200 employees at its Paris HQ will agree to quit so it doesn't have to lay them off the regular way
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/ubisoft-hopes-200-employees-at-its-paris-hq-will-agree-to-quit-so-it-doesnt-have-to-lay-them-off-the-regular-way/

Instead of difficulty, Obsidian designer Josh Sawyer thinks in terms of 3 RPG player archetypes: 'What are they trying to get out of this game?'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/instead-of-difficulty-obsidian-designer-josh-sawyer-thinks-in-terms-of-3-rpg-player-archetypes-what-are-they-trying-to-get-out-of-this-game/

Deadlock's next character fan vote has been won by the littlest guy around, Rem: 'May god have mercy on us all'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/moba/deadlocks-next-character-fan-vote-has-been-won-by-the-littlest-guy-around-rem-may-god-have-mercy-on-us-all/

I was surprised by that as well, because players usually likes companion animals, but I haven't played the game. I tried to see what the comments in the article said, but I couldn't see them, either because Firefox doesn't play nice with PCGamer or because you can't see them unless you're signed in.

I'm on Firefox and not signed in and i can see the comments.

Intel says more Arc GPUs will get XeSS 3 Multi-Frame Generation next month, including Arc B580

https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-says-more-arc-gpus-will-get-xess-3-multi-frame-generation-next-month-including-arc-b580

Impressive that MFG is coming to not only battlemage but the alchemist as well. This is the type of support an underdog should be giving it's users.

Intel replaces Core Ultra 9 285K “premium” box with simpler carton design

https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-replaces-core-ultra-9-285k-premium-box-with-simpler-carton-design

European Commission to review “Stop Destroying Videogames” after 1.29 million validated signatures

https://videocardz.com/newz/european-commission-to-review-stop-destroying-videogames-after-1-29-million-validated-signatures

GOG adds Linux focus to GOG GALAXY engineering role, “Linux is next major frontier”

https://videocardz.com/newz/gog-adds-linux-focus-to-gog-galaxy-engineering-role-linux-is-next-major-frontier

Google Aluminium OS leak shows new operating system for PCs running on HP 12th Gen Core Chromebook laptop

https://videocardz.com/newz/google-aluminium-os-leak-shows-new-operating-system-for-pcs-running-on-hp-12th-gen-core-chromebook-laptop

Windows 10 clawing back market share as Windows 11 growth stalls, Statcounter reports

https://videocardz.com/newz/windows-10-clawing-back-market-share-as-windows-11-growth-stalls-statcounter-reports

AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D Review Roundup

https://videocardz.com/220379/amd-ryzen-7-9850x3d-review-roundup

NVIDIA Looks to Intel’s 18A/14A Process and EMIB Packaging for Next-Gen Feynman AI Chips, Signaling a Major Foundry Shift Beyond TSMC

https://wccftech.com/nvidia-is-set-to-adopt-intel-18a-14a-process-emib-advanced-packaging-for-feynman-chips/

Costco Starts Removing RAM And GPUs From Display Units As A Theft Prevention Measure

https://wccftech.com/costco-starts-removing-ram-and-gpus-from-display-units-as-a-theft-prevention-measure/

New Mesa Linux Patches Reportedly Deliver Up To 260% Performance Boost On Intel Alchemist Graphics

https://wccftech.com/new-mesa-linux-patches-reportedly-deliver-up-to-260-performance-boost-on-intel-alchemist-graphics/

NVIDIA Has a Single Point of Failure, and That Is Jensen Himself; as Questions Mount Over Team Green’s Missing Successor

https://wccftech.com/nvidia-has-a-single-point-of-failure-and-that-is-jensen-himself/

It's true. I'd look at how many failed projects Apple as racked up recently where it feels like without Steve jobs, there isn't a clear direction and same will be if Jensen ever leaves Nvidia.

Gamers Ditch GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB As Prices Skyrocket, Crossing $700 At Retail

https://wccftech.com/gamers-ditch-geforce-rtx-5060-ti-16-gb-as-the-gpu-soars-in-price-significantly/

Here come the gaming news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

Steam has new deals and sales:

• Painkiller (the new one) is going to be 50% off until February 10: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2300120/Painkiller/
• GODBREAKERS has the same 50% discout until the same 10th of February, but it also has a demo: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2687400/GODBREAKERS/
• The Battle of Polytopia will be 70% off until the 10th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/874390/The_Battle_of_Polytopia/
• And these are the two sales:
  • Publisher Toplitz Productions puts its games on sale with up to 75% discounts until February 3: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/33018175/sale/January2026
  • Electronic Arts celebrates a Lunat New Year Sale putings its gams up to 90% off until February, the 10th: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/36135791/sale/lunar-new-year-2026

Fanatical has the new BYO Very Positive Bundle (New Year 2026), with 17 titles available for your 2+, 5+ or 7+ game bundles during the next 34 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-very-positive-bundle

SOFTWARE, DRIVERS & STORE NEWS

NVIDIA GeForce Game Ready 591.86 driver
https://videocardz.com/driver/nvidia-geforce-game-ready-591-86

HIGHLIGHTS
Game Ready for ARC Raiders: Headwind Update
This new Game Ready Driver provides the best gaming experience for the latest new games supporting DLSS 4 technology including ARC Raiders: Headwind Update and Arknights: Endfield. In addition, there is Game Ready support for Highguard which features DLSS Super Resolution.

FIXED ISSUES
Fixed Gaming Bugs

• Total War: Three Kingdoms: Artifacts may be observed during gameplay when Screen Space Reflections is enabled [5745647]

Fixed General Bugs

• Color banding observed with SDR content when Windows Automatic Color Management enabled [5754551]
• Asus G14 may freeze on startup when Asus Ultimate Mode is enabled [5754849]

$900 million lawsuit accusing Steam of overcharging gamers in the UK and 'abusing a dominant market position' will proceed after Valve loses appeal against it
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/usd900-million-lawsuit-accusing-steam-of-overcharging-gamers-in-the-uk-and-abusing-a-dominant-market-position-will-proceed-after-valve-loses-appeal-against-it/
Valve is facing a new legal headache as a tribunal in the UK has ruled that a lawsuit filed against it in 2024, accusing the company of using Steam's dominance of the PC gaming marketplace to overcharge gamers and muscle out competition, can move ahead.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of children's digital rights campaigner Vicki Shotbolt as a collective action—functionally similar to a class action—representing an estimated 14 million consumers in the UK. Very briefly, it alleges that Valve prevents game makers from offering their products at lower prices on other platforms, requires that all add-on content for games purchased on Steam also be purchased through Steam, and that Valve's "excessive commission" has resulted in inflated prices.

Valve needed to 'verify' footage of the 'alien orgy' in Earth Must Die before it was allowed to launch on Steam
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/adventure/valve-needed-to-verify-footage-of-the-alien-orgy-in-earth-must-die-before-it-was-allowed-to-launch-on-steam/
I sometimes wonder how Valve, which released over 20,000 new games on Steam in 2025 alone, can possibly be checking every single one of those games for potentially questionable content before they go up for sale. That's almost 400 new games per week to keep an eye on—a task that would require a whole lot of eyes.
Someone at Valve does seem to be watching, though. Case in point: comedy adventure Earth Must Die from Size Five Games, which launches today. As noted on its Steam page, the game contains "an alien orgy depicted as a gyrating lump on the floor," and that description seems to have raised at least one questioning eyebrow at Valve HQ.
According to publisher No More Robots, Valve needed to know more about this orgy. In fact, Valve needed to see this orgy. For reasons.

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

New Vegas modder fixes one of those glaring issues you'll never un-see once you notice it: Your pooch pal doesn't have a sneaking animation
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fallout/new-vegas-modder-fixes-one-of-those-glaring-issues-youll-never-un-see-once-you-notice-it-your-pooch-pal-doesnt-have-a-sneaking-animation/
Odds are solid that Fallout: New Vegas is your favourite Fallout. Hell, odds are good that it's your favourite game, period. It shouldn't be, though. I'm sorry to tell you that up until yesterday, Fallout: New Vegas has been unforgivably bad. The dirt-worst.
This is, of course, because up until yesterday New Vegas had absolutely no bespoke sneaking animation for its canine companion Rex. Unlike the game's human companions, whenever the player dropped into a crouchwalk while accompanied by Rex, the daft mutt would simply… remain standing, plodding along behind you like you were on a jolly in the park and not on a stealth mission of immense importance.
No longer. Thanks to a modder named Wombat, Rex's crippling leg-bone issues are a thing of the past. Once you've got Dog Sneak Animations installed, dropping into a crouch (so long as you're out of combat) will have your pooch friend join you, shuffling along the floor flat on his legs like he's sidling up to you to say sorry for eating the sofa cushions.
>> The article has one screenshot and an almost 2 minutes video.

Baldur's Gate 3 modder adds legally distinct Poké Balls so you can 'capture non-player characters inside a ball and free them later (or don't)'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/baldurs-gate/baldurs-gate-3-modder-adds-legally-distinct-poke-balls-so-you-can-capture-non-player-characters-inside-a-ball-and-free-them-later-or-dont/
In a game packed with interesting items that can be used for all kinds of productive and/or sinister purposes, one of Baldur's Gate 3's more flavorful bits of enchanted ephemera is the Iron Flask, an item you can find early in the game that, as its tooltip says, "can hold friends and foes." The only way to learn what it contains, however, is to throw it—at which point you'll discover the spectator that was imprisoned within is very much a foe to you and everything else in the vicinity. And then presumably you'd be hit with one of its many beam attacks.
Unfortunately, the Iron Flask's potential for Poké Ball shenanigans is limited by the fact that it's single use, dashing our collective hopes of collecting our least-favorite NPCs and forcing them to fight the game's most horrible creatures—until this week. Modder ForKiramay has released the Binding Arcane Lattice Lock, or "BALL," a throwable item allowing you to "capture non-player characters inside a ball and free them later (or don't)."
If you're wondering what kind of person would want to trap a Baldur's Gate 3 NPC in an orb just to carry them around indefinitely, just spend an hour or two on the BG3 subreddit. You'll learn plenty.
>> The article haws an over 1 minute video.

Baldur's Gate 3 mod restores more than 100 conversations and 1,000 lines of voiced dialogue from the early access version previously lost in the ethereal plane
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/baldurs-gate/baldurs-gate-3-mod-restores-more-than-100-conversations-and-1-000-lines-of-voiced-dialogue-from-the-early-access-version-previously-lost-in-the-ethereal-plane/
I played the first act of Baldur's Gate 3 a few times in early access, which is why I'm always slightly surprised on subsequent playthroughs that there aren't a bunch of mind-controlled anglers protecting the dying mind flayer you encounter near the start of the game. They were cut in the final release, along with a bunch of dialogue and scenes, much of which has now been restored by modder HyperspaceTowel.
"This mod brings over 100 conversations and more than 1000 lines of voiced dialogue back from the dead", says the description of Early Access Scenes Restored. It restores a lot of companion reactivity in particular, enabling extra responses to, er, what you see behind the barn door. It's mostly dialogue for Astarion, Shadowheart, Gale, and Lae'zel, since Karlach and Wyll had different voice actors in early access, though a smaller amount of their dialogue has been restored by splicing existing lines of audio.
HyperspaceTowel plans to continue work on this mod, restoring more scenes including the one with the thralls on the nautiloid from the tutorial—another thing I always forget was removed until I start a new game. I can see why you'd want the prologue to be shorter, given how much people complain about tutorials, but I do miss hearing the poor brainwashed suckers ramble about rats in the flour and bulls on the loose while dragons and imps battle around them.
Apparently one issue with this mod is that it can interfere with how Gale's beard looks, though that's fixed with a mod you should already have: Gale's beard fix, which prevents his chin from clipping right through his flavor-saver.
>> There’s an almost 2 minute video in the article.

The game that coined the term 'visual novel' just got its first-ever fan translation for its 30th anniversary
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/visual-novel/the-game-that-coined-the-term-visual-novel-just-got-its-first-ever-fan-translation-for-its-30th-anniversary/
On Monday, a team of fan translators celebrated the birth of the visual novel with an English patch for 1996's Japanese PC-98 game Shizuku. In the mid-90s, recently established development studio Leaf—which at that point had only made a strip mahjong game and an adult JRPG—launched a "Visual Novel Series" of three adult games, beginning with Shizuku. Leaf's style of adventure game would soon become a phenomenon.
It feels a bit shakier to say that Leaf invented the visual novel, even if the studio coined the term. As talked about in detail in the video from YouTuber Bowl of Lentils above, Shizuku was heavily inspired by developer Chunsoft's "sound novels" for the Super Nintendo like Otogirisō, which were basically, well, simple visual novels. Chunsoft's adventure games placed text over static backgrounds and let you make choices at key narrative moments, much like other adventure games dating back to the 1980s. Audio was there to help heighten the storytelling despite the limited graphics.
Leaf's big "innovation" was to focus more on depicting its characters on-screen, which makes sense considering it was an erotic game. Shizuku was also predated by groundbreaking (and wildly popular) dating sim Tokimeki Memorial, which emphasized its graphics to similar effect. But "visual novel" was such a catchy name, it stuck with us for 30 years to become the de facto phrase to describe pretty much any adventure game that prioritizes text over interactivity.

GAMING NEWS

CODE VEIN 2 Shows PS3-Level Visuals in Some Areas Even on Max Settings
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/code-vein-2-shows-ps3-level-visuals-in-some-areas-even-on-max-settings/
Bandai Namco has released CODE VEIN 2 to those who have pre-ordered its Deluxe version. As such, I’ve tried the game on my main PC gaming system and… well… things are not that great. Why? Let’s find out.

Monster Hunter Wilds Got Its First Major 2026 Performance Patch
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/monster-hunter-wilds-got-its-first-major-2026-performance-patch/
Capcom has just released the first major 2026 performance patch for the PC version of Monster Hunter Wilds. Moreover, the devs have acknowledged the DLC bug that can increase the CPU requirements in the camps.

The gaming news, part two:

Highguard's output resolution is bizarrely tied to its post processing setting, which feels like a crunchy bug that needs squashing
https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/highguards-output-resolution-is-bizarrely-tied-to-its-post-processing-setting-which-feels-like-a-crunchy-bug-that-needs-squashing/
Word reached me this morning that hot new PvP raid shooter Highguard has an unusual bug. According to Steam user Captain_SmellyRat (excellent), the game's resolution is tied to its post processing setting, which means lowering it drops the output resolution in turn—despite reporting otherwise in the settings menu.

Redesigns for both Orgrimmar and Stormwind are on the table if World of Warcraft: Midnight's Silvermoon overhaul is well received
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/world-of-warcraft/redesigns-for-both-orgrimmar-and-stormwind-are-on-the-table-if-world-of-warcraft-midnights-silvermoon-overhaul-is-well-received/
World of Warcraft: Midnight, the incoming expansion for the two-decade-plus MMO, will be taking players back to Silvermoon—that's been known for some time, but it's also a bit of a continued experiment. (...)
Anyway, we know that we're going to get a redesigned Northrend again for the next next expansion, The Last Titan, but Blizzard's also considering taking a new lick of paint to some long-standing cities, too; beloved places that haven't seen an overhaul since Cataclysm which, not to make you feel old or nothin', came out 16 whole years ago.
>> And the trilogy that Midnight will start will also bring some big characters to die (link).

Arc Raiders' Headwinds update finally adds a new epic augment that lets you safely stow away your guns
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/arc-raiders-headwinds-update-finally-adds-a-new-epic-augment-that-lets-you-safely-stow-away-your-guns/
Arc Raiders' Headwinds update is finally live, and it's stacked with tons of updates and new features, including a new solo vs squads matchmaking, but most importantly, a couple of new epic augments.
The new Looting MK3 Safekeeper augment is currently the talk of the town with its 18 item slots, Heavy Shield compatibility, and, crucially, its "safe pocket that allows any item to be stored." Yes, you heard right, any item, which means players using this augment can now safely squirrel away any precious weapons they may have on them.
>> The update also brings improvements to the rubber ducks (link).

Get ready to battle bruxae and swipe sorceresses in Reigns: The Witcher, out next month
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/card-games/get-ready-to-battle-bruxae-and-swipe-sorceresses-in-reigns-the-witcher-out-next-month/
(...)
Remember Reigns? Nerial's game of Tinder-esque swipe-based monarchical decisionmaking was massive in 2016, followed by a sequel called Reigns: Her Majesty and spin-offs in other settings. Reigns: Game of Thrones seemed like a particularly perfect fit with its stories of bastardry and beheadings.
Next month, in collaboration with CD Projekt, Nerial will release Reigns: The Witcher. Rather than reliving the short-lived reigns of cursed royals, each run is one of Dandelion's ballads about Geralt's adventures. Only I guess the bard's in his tragic era, because they all end with Geralt's death. (After the barghest, I was killed by a gnomish prank.)

Cryptic rises again? Former CEO Jack Emmert returns to the Neverwinter, Star Trek Online, and Champions Online studio: 'It was just meant to be'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/jack-emmert-returns-to-cryptic-ceo/
One of the casualties of NetEase's retreat from overseas development was Jackalyptic Games, an Austin-based studio run by veteran MMO designer Jack Emmert. That studio's Warhammer project now lies in the unreleased MMO graveyard, but there is perhaps a silver lining for fans of the genre: Emmert has returned to his old job as CEO of Cryptic Studios, the creator of D&D MMO Neverwinter, Star Trek Online, and Champions Online.

Bluey, the inescapable Australian cartoon dog, is getting official Minecraft DLC
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/bluey-the-inescapable-australian-cartoon-dog-is-getting-official-minecraft-dlc/
I don't know what it's like anywhere else in the world, but Bluey is everywhere here in Australia. (...)
If you're sick of the blue-hued dog I wouldn't blame you. But it's incumbent on me to report, by dint of working for PC Gamer, that Bluey is going to make an official appearance in Minecraft soon.
The creatively titled Bluey DLC: Bluey's House is set in Bluey's house. "Players can meet Bluey, Bingo, Mum and Dad while reliving memorable moments from the series," the official Bluey spiel reads. "They will be able to search for hidden keys throughout the home, guided by Bluey and her family, unclocking new rooms and areas as they progress."

Grounded 2's first major content update delivers a new biome, bugs, a sweet new mount, and a really big snake
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/grounded-2s-first-major-content-update-delivers-a-new-biome-bugs-a-sweet-new-mount-and-a-really-big-snake/
The first major content update for the backyard survival sim Grounded 2 went live today with a new Garden Patch biome, new creatures (friendly and otherwise), and "the mysterious Tang effect," the result of an experiment gone wrong at Ominent Practical Technologies that's corrupting the soil, water, and unsuspecting creatures alike.

Terraria's ginormous, 3 years in the making 1.4.5 update is live—a full 15 years after the game was deemed finished
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/terrarias-ginormous-3-years-in-the-making-1-4-5-update-is-live-a-full-15-years-after-the-game-was-deemed-finished/
Terraria is one of those PC gaming mainstays whose death will probably only come about thanks to a global mass extinction event. It just received a major new update in the form of Terraria 1.4.5, which was announced in 2022 and scheduled to release in 2023. But, as is usually the case with Terraria updates, what was originally meant to be a fairly straightforward Dead Cells crossover pack turned into something much bigger, requiring just over three years to develop.

One of the strangest point 'n' click adventures of the '90s is getting a modern 'restoration' for Steam, making it easily playable for the first time this century
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/adventure/one-of-the-strangest-point-n-click-adventures-of-the-90s-is-getting-a-modern-restoration-for-steam-making-it-easily-playable-for-the-first-time-this-century/
The '90s were a great time to be a PC gamer, especially if you go in for weird shit. Some truly bizarre experiments emerged from the era, most of which I never got to play but faintly remember reading about in magazines. (...)
According to publisher GMedia, very few changes have been made to The Dark Eye: when it becomes available on Steam later this year it'll be exactly the game it was in 1995, aspect ratio and all. Except for one crucial difference: instead of The Dark Eye, it's now called Edgar Allan Poe's Interactive Horror: 1995 Edition.

Arc Raiders has been hit with 'extensive' and 'coordinated DDoS attacks' as Embark reassures players that it is working hard to mitigate the issues
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/arc-raiders-has-been-hit-with-extensive-and-coordinated-ddos-attacks-as-embark-reassures-players-that-it-is-working-hard-to-mitigate-the-issues/
It's only been a day since Arc Raiders' big Headwinds update launched, but unfortunately, it hasn't had the release Embark would've hoped for, as a massive DDoS attack has affected server stability.
"Both Arc Raiders and The Finals have been under extensive, coordinated DDoS attacks," one of Embark's community managers, Ossen, says in a post on the official Discord. "The strike team has been working hard on mitigations and solutions to fix the problem, and we are making good progress. But at this point in time, the attacks are still ongoing.

And these are the three that didn't get the full treatment:

Nearly 20 years ago, the makers of Age of Empires tried to make a Halo MMO, and then the studio closed: 'I still feel like no-one has really done the action MMO I see in my mind'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/nearly-20-years-ago-the-makers-of-age-of-empires-tried-to-make-a-halo-mmo-and-then-the-studio-closed-i-still-feel-like-no-one-has-really-done-the-action-mmo-i-see-in-my-mind/

Leon Kennedy's 'hot uncle' design in the new Resident Evil is thanks to the women on the dev team, says director, who 'would point out and comment on even the finest details like the wrinkles on his neck'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/resident-evil/leon-kennedys-hot-uncle-design-in-the-new-resident-evil-is-thanks-to-the-women-on-the-dev-team-says-director-who-would-point-out-and-comment-on-even-the-finest-details-like-the-wrinkles-on-his-neck/

Bethesda's former Elder Scrolls loremaster won't tell us where The Elder Scrolls 6 is set, but the team originally agreed on it way back in the Fallout 4 days
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-elder-scrolls/bethesdas-former-elder-scrolls-loremaster-wont-tell-us-where-the-elder-scrolls-6-is-set-but-the-team-originally-agreed-on-it-way-back-in-the-fallout-4-days/