Emulator development sure can take an insane amount of time. Kudos to the developers for so long.

No worries, man. Take care!

Several hours later, but now that Internet has come bac, here are the Monday gaming news, posted on Tuesday:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

Steam has new deals and bundles:

• Nine-Ball Roulette is going to be 20% off until the 1st of March: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3376250/NineBall_Roulette/
• Figure Shop Simulator , still in Early Access, will have a 50% discount until March, 1st: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3604560/Figure_Shop_Simulator/
• Fear the Spotlight , that has a demo, will be 75% off until the same 1st: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1959390/Fear_the_Spotlight/
• And these are the two new sales/events that launched during the weekend:
  • Rhapsody Action RPG Showcase 2026 features lots of upcomng games, some with demos, but it also has some games on sale with up to 75% discounts. The deals will end between later today (not anymore) and February 26: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45906429/sale/RhapsodyActionRPGShowcase2026
  • 2026 Made in Japan Collection has games up to 85% off. The deals will end between February 23 and the 1st of March: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/44279446/sale/2026MADEINJAPANCOLLECTION

Humble Bundle has two new deals:

• theHunter: Call of the Wild 9th Anniversary Bundle features up to 38 items to get, most of them DLCs, during 18 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/call-wild-9th-anniversary
• Overwhelmingly Positive bundle has 8 games and will last 18 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/overwhelming-positive-games-bundle

Fanatical has these two deals:

• The Star Deal is Age of Mythology: Retold Premium Edition, 58% off. It started yesterday and will last another 24 hours more like 8 hours or so now: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/age-of-mythology-retold-premium-edition
• BYO 3D Platformer Bundle features 18 titles to choose for your 3+, 5+ or 7+ game bundles during 34 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-3d-platformer-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Nintendo is trying to shut down almost all Switch Emulators, including Eden, Citron, Kenji-NX, and MeloNx
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/nintendo-is-trying-to-shut-down-almost-all-switch-emulators-including-eden-citron-kenji-nx-and-melonx/
It looks like Nintendo is now trying to shut down almost all of the remaining Nintendo Switch emulators. The developers of the Eden emulator confirmed that they received a DMCA takedown notice. And they aren’t the only ones. Citron, Kenji-NX, and MeloNx have also received DMCA takedown notices.
This isn’t the first time Nintendo has tried to take down Nintendo Switch emulators. In March 2024, Nintendo took down the most popular Nintendo Switch emulator, Yuzu. Then, in October 2024, it attempted to take down Ryujinx.
Since then, the big N has not paid any attention to all the other Switch emulators that arose from Yuzu’s and Ryujinx’s ashes. Until now. Citron and Eden are currently the most popular Nintendo Switch emulators for PC. For mobiles, the most popular are Kenji-NX and MeloNx. And, as I’ve said, Nintendo is trying to take down all of them.
For what it’s worth, the repositories of these emulators are still online. However, we don’t know what may happen a week or a month from now. So, I highly recommend downloading them.
>> Nintendo doing Nintendo things.

Resident Evil 2, 3, and 4 Remakes Now Playable With Path Tracing
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/resident-evil-2-3-and-4-remakes-now-playable-with-path-tracing/
Resident Evil fans, here is something special for you. Modder ‘praydog’ has released a new version of REFramework that lets you enable Full Path Tracing in Resident Evil 2, 3, and 4 Remakes. This is a dream come true for a lot of Resident Evil PC fans. So, let’s dive in. The latest version of REFramework can enable Path Tracing. Naturally, Path Tracing requires a high-end GPU. The good news is that REFramework also supports NVIDIA DLSS 4.5. So, owners of NVIDIA RTX GPUs can use it to boost their performance. YouTube’s ‘MxBenchmarkPC’ has shared a video for this mod. Thankfully, when activating Path Tracing, the modder was able to go back and forth. As such, we have some direct comparisons of the benefits of Path Tracing. In one scene in Resident Evil 2 Remake, we get way more detailed shadows and reflections. A lot of objects that did not cast shadows will now cast them. We also get a bit better lighting. Overall, Path Tracing is a good improvement over the vanilla version. Things are not looking that great, though, in Resident Evil 3 Remake. In the comparison shots, the vanilla version actually looks better. The biggest issue with the path-traced mod is the lack of shadows, which becomes even more noticeable in the scene at 8:33. This clearly shows that the Path Tracing implementation still needs more work. However, it’s unclear whether praydog plans to improve it further. But what about Resident Evil 4 Remake? Well, it’s a mixed bag. Some things look better with Path Tracing, but there also seem to be some major visual issues. For some strange reason, white dot artifacts appear all over the door stones. On an NVIDIA RTX 5070 with DLSS 4.5 Performance Mode, Resident Evil 2 Remake runs with 70FPS with Path Tracing. In Resident Evil 4 Remake, things go downhill. In this game, the NVIDIA RTX 5070 is unable to provide a smooth experience, even with DLSS 4.5 Performance. Overall, this is a really cool mod. You can go ahead and download it from this link. Since it’s a mod, you should keep your expectations in check. As I said, right now it has some visual issues. So, it will need a lot of extra work so that it can look as good as Native Path Tracing.
>> Besides the video, the article also has some comparison screenshots.

Modders are remaking Red Dead Redemption 1 in RDR2
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/modders-are-remaking-red-dead-redemption-1-in-rdr2/
Now here is something that passed under my radar. For over four years, a team of dedicated modders has been working on remaking locations and missions from the first Red Dead Redemption in RDR2.
Called Project New Austin 1907, this mod brings back locations from RDR1. All of these locations are as detailed as all the other locations of Red Dead Redemption 2. Each location has unique NPCs with dynamic schedules, MLO locations, and plenty of secrets for players to uncover.
For instance, Macfarlane’s Ranch, the Serendipity, and the Morning Star Ferry look better than ever. You’ll also get to explore the Oil Refinery, Tall Trees, and the Armadillo.
Project New Austin 1907 also adds a brand-new railroad system. With new custom fast-travel points, players can use the train for everyday travel — but be careful, because NPCs can set traps to rob it. The mod also includes new gang hideouts you can run into while exploring. On top of that, it adds basic amenities, such as new mini-games and newspaper vendors.
The latest version of Project New Austin 1907 came out in September 2025. Version 2.3 brought quality improvements to all the models, with new textures, decals, furnishing improvements, and exterior AMVs. It added new content to the game, as well as better LOD levels, which should greatly improve performance. Furthermore, it fixed some broken scenario points, and it added a bunch of other general optimizations.
All in all, this is one of the most complex mods I’ve seen for Red Dead Redemption 2. So, if you’ve ever wanted to experience Red Dead Redemption with the level of quality found in RDR2, you should definitely give it a try. You can download the mod from this link.
>> The article has 4 videos.

Fallout: The New West Announced – Massive Fallout: New Vegas Total Conversion Mod Inspired by Van Buren
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/fallout-the-new-west-announced-massive-fallout-new-vegas-total-conversion-mod-inspired-by-van-buren/
In 2021, The United West Team announced its plans to remake the canceled Fallout: Van Buren game in Fallout: New Vegas. Well, after five years, the team decided to change its name and reintroduce it to the public with a new teaser trailer.
As the team has noted, Fallout: The New West will adapt the main story ideas from Van Buren and expand them into a complete, fully playable experience. Built on the Fallout: New Vegas engine, the project will combine modern gameplay systems, deeper role-playing options, and the classic Fallout tone and mechanics fans love.
Fallout: New West aims to bring together the many unfinished story ideas from the original Van Buren design documents. This includes major plot points like the NCR–Brotherhood conflict, the Great Tribal War between Caesar’s Legion and the Daughters of Hecate, and the struggle for control of the Mormon State. The goal is to turn these scattered concepts into a unified, satisfying narrative that stays true to the original vision.
Players take on the role of a new protagonist, “the Prisoner,” who is released from captivity in 2253. The story takes place in an alternate timeline that comes before, and reimagines, the events of Fallout: New Vegas.
According to its official FAQ, the team plans to release an alternate start demo shortly. They will then follow it up with the entirety of Act 1 of the game as a vertical slice. Sadly, though, there is no ETA for when the demo will come out.
>> At over 3 minutes long, this teaser is longer than some trailers.

Cyberpunk 2077 Gets New Area to Explore & Brand New Quest
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/cyberpunk-2077-gets-new-area-to-explore-brand-new-quest/
Nox, MrBilL61 and TPMG have released a new cool mod for Cyberpunk 2077. This new mod adds a new location to explore, a new safehouse, and a brand new quest. So, let’s take a closer look at it, shall we?
The APEX – Sonora Canyon and Safehouse Mod adds a new location to the Badlands. Players can explore this new area and unlock a safehouse via a new quest. The safehouse features unique interactions, a new weather event, and more.
As the modders have noted, the mod is designed to blend seamlessly with the base game. It’s also lore-friendly, something that may please a lot of Cyberpunk 2077 fans.
The mod adds a safehouse you can unlock, featuring a unique mix of Militarism and Nomad-style design. It also includes a large garage where V can summon their currently active vehicle. Several smaller buildings are scattered around the area as well, and all of them can be explored for useful loot. It also introduces many custom interactions, both newly created and reworked from the base game. You can cook food, watch movies in bed, and even use a fully functional shooting range and stash system.
All in all, this is a cool mod that adds new free content to the game. Those interested can go ahead and download it from this link. Do note, though, that you’ll also need to have the Phantom Liberty DLC. Otherwise, the mod will not work.
>> The article has some screenhots.

Unreal Tournament 2004 is now available for free thanks to its fan community, and they've even updated the game for modern PCs: 'This is the first public patch for Unreal Tournament 2004 in over 20 years'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/unreal-tournament-2004-is-now-available-for-free-thanks-to-its-fan-community-and-theyve-even-updated-the-game-for-modern-pcs-this-is-the-first-public-patch-for-unreal-tournament-2004-in-over-20-years/
Epic Games may have since left the BSP-carved valleys of Unreal in favour of the cartoonish hills of Fortnite, but at least it hasn't locked the series that put the company on the map deep in a digital vault somewhere. In the last few years, it has given permission for the Internet Archive to assume hosting duties for its older shooters, which is why you can download both Unreal Gold and the original Unreal Tournament from archive.org.
Now, the latest of these rehabilitated shooters has been released into the wild, bounding across the fields in search of flags to capture. Yep, Unreal Tournament 2004 is available to download for free, with Epic's approval.
This was made possible by OldUnreal, a long-running community support project dedicated to keeping Epic's early shooters alive. The plans for reviving UT 2004 were announced at the end of last year, detailing a simultaneous game release and a community patch.
Grabbing the game for yourself is slightly more complicated than usual. Like Unreal Gold and OG UT, the original disc image for UT 2004 is hosted on the Internet Archive, as OldUnreal is not allowed to host the game outright. But it is allowed to host an installer that will download the game from said archive, which you can access here.
Once you've downloaded the installer and retrieved the full game, you then need to mosey on over to GitHub to pick up the OldUnreal community patch for UT 2004. This spruces the game up for modern operating systems, including Windows, Linux and Mac OS.
>> The only media in the article is the 2003 trailer of UE 2004.

GAMING NEWS

Battlefield 6 Season 2 Update 1.2.1.0 Detailed, Brings Over 240 Improvements, Full Patch Notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/battlefield-6-season-2-update-1-2-1-0-detailed-brings-over-240-improvements-full-patch-notes/
Season 2 for Battlefield 6 will launch on February 17th via Title Update 1.2.1.0. So, today, DICE revealed its full patch notes. According to the devs, Patch 1.2.1.0 comes with over 240 gameplay improvements. So, let’s take a closer look at it.

Monday gaming news, the long part two:

It turns out Saber's John Wick game is coming to PC at the same time as PlayStation
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/space-marine-2-dev-saber-is-making-an-untitled-john-wick-game-with-keanu-reeves-reprising-the-role-but-its-a-playstation-exclusive/
At Sony's latest State of Play showcase, we got a first look at the second John Wick videogame, currently billed as "Untitled John Wick Game." The adaptation is in development at Saber Interactive (Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2).
February 13, 2026: According to a Saber Interactive press release, Untitled John Wick Game is in development for PC and Xbox Series consoles, as well as PlayStation 5. The initial version of this story reported Untitled John Wick Game as a PS5 exclusive based on the "Currently in development for Sony PlayStation 5" message in the trailer, as well as the lack of pages for the game on PC storefronts.

I can now say I've been killed by a nonogram thanks to this roguelike that turns Picross into a dungeon crawler
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/puzzle/i-can-now-say-ive-been-killed-by-a-nonogram-thanks-to-this-roguelike-that-turns-picross-into-a-dungeon-crawler/
Nonograms are like Sudoku's chiller cousin: They offer all the satisfaction of doing grid-based number puzzles, but without as much of a risk of encountering combinatorial mathematics. They've evolved in all sorts of delightful directions with permutations like Picross, which rewards you for your square-counting skills with a lovely little picture.
More recently, they've undergone an exciting new evolution: Now nonograms can kill you! CiniCross is a new roguelike that hit Steam this week, and it turns nonograms not into pictures, but into a dungeon crawler—complete with collectible artifacts, class progression, and the thrill of slowly bleeding out because your brain doesn't handle numbers particularly quickly.

Den of Wolves studio 10 Chambers announces 'significant restructuring' and layoffs, 'including several of the studio’s co-founders'
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/den-of-wolves-studio-10-chambers-announces-significant-restructuring-and-layoffs-including-several-of-the-studios-co-founders/
10 Chambers, the developer of GTFO and the upcoming Den of Wolves, has confirmed a "large number" of layoffs at the studio as a result of restructuring, including several of its co-founders.

Sandfall Interactive continues its Larian-like ways as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 wins Game of the Year and four other trophies at the DICE Awards
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sandfall-interactive-continues-its-larian-like-ways-as-clair-obscur-expedition-33-wins-game-of-the-year-and-four-other-trophies-at-the-dice-awards/
The 29th annual DICE Awards, honoring game makers "whose work pushed the boundaries of interactive storytelling, technical innovation," went down last night, and you'll never guess who took home the big prize for game of the year. I'll give you a hint: They're French.

Three years after its last update, the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance gets a new patch that includes a new caparison for your horse
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/three-years-after-its-last-update-the-original-kingdom-come-deliverance-gets-a-new-patch-that-includes-a-new-caparison-for-your-horse/
Eight years after it launched, and three years after its most recent update, Kingdom Come: Deliverance—the original—has been given an all-new patch that addresses numerous stability and gameplay issues, and will even give you a new caparison for your horse.

This horror sim is like running a food truck in Fallout: cook questionable meals for mutants, monsters, and the occasional alien
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/this-horror-sim-is-like-running-a-food-truck-in-fallout-cook-questionable-meals-for-mutants-monsters-and-the-occasional-alien/
The world has ended. Civilization has fallen. The country is an irradiated hellscape. But that doesn't mean all those shambling mutations miserably wandering the wasteland don't need something to eat.
If you've ever wondered what it's like to have a job in the world of Fallout, Wasteland Bites might be just what you're looking for. It's a post-apocalyptic food truck simulator where you're a short order cook feeding hungry mouths—even if some of those mouths have jagged, bloodstained teeth. There's a demo available on Steam, and the full game is due out in April.

Bloodlines 2's Valentine's patch adds further customisation options and lootable blood bags, because nothing says 'I love you' like the vampire equivalent of a ready meal
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/bloodlines-2s-valentines-patch-adds-further-customisation-options-and-lootable-blood-bags-because-nothing-says-i-love-you-like-the-vampire-equivalent-of-a-ready-meal/
Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines 2 may not have been the success Paradox Interactive hoped, but the publisher has committed to standing by the troubled sequel, and developer The Chinese Room has been doling out updates for the game since launch. December brought a vaguely holiday-themed update that added custom difficulty settings and a Santa-ish skin to let you get your Jolly Saint (Artery) Nick on, festively delivering teeth into the necks of snowbound Seattle's citizenry.
Now, The Chinese Room has released another update that is notionally related to Valentine's Day. The primary feature of the patch is enemy loot, letting rooftop-dwelling vampires and ghouls carry useful items such as restorative elixirs and newly introduced blood bags. These can either be pickpocketed from unwitting foes or scavenged from their corpse after you've beaten them to a pulp and lapped up all the juice.

Underrated hack 'n' slash Blades of Fire heads to Steam with a 2.0 update, bringing new game plus and 'expanded death and mutilation variations' for you sickos out there
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/underrated-hack-n-slash-blades-of-fire-heads-to-steam-with-a-2-0-update-bringing-new-game-plus-and-expanded-death-and-mutilation-variations-for-you-sickos-out-there/
I was extremely excited for Blades of Fire when it was announced last year, mainly because it was clearly MercurySteam's spiritual successor to ye-olde hack 'n' slash Blade of Darkness.
At least, from my perspective it was clear. I was possibly the only person in the entire world eagerly awaiting a Blades of Darkness successor. This might be why Blades of Fire arrived to all the fanfare of a tax audit.
(...)
But I do think Blades of Fire was better than many reviews believed, a full-throated slice of blockbuster spectacle with grisly combat, a novel weapon-crafting mechanic, and some intriguing set-piece design. And MercurySteam's passion project may yet receive a second chance at glory too, as Blades of Fire is coming to Steam in May accompanied by a major update.

The Overwatch dating sim and its associated rewards are back for a limited time, but it's still got far fewer romances than its China-exclusive counterpart
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/the-overwatch-dating-sim-and-its-associated-rewards-are-back-for-a-limited-time-but-its-still-got-far-fewer-romances-than-its-china-exclusive-counterpart/
Loverwatch—the cheeky browser-based dating sim where you win the hearts of various Overwatch heroes—is back. It first appeared as an impromptu Valentine's Day celebration in 2023, and back then you could romance Genji, Hanzo, or Mercy. Last year, western Overwatchers howled in lonely despair as China got an exclusive sequel of sorts to the event which included a different, larger selection of heroes, and even though the sim's back, the lonely howling will continue..
For the first time since 2023, you can play the dating sim again, but it doesn't come bearing any new romance paths. You can, however, get the rewards you might have missed the first time around: a few profile icons and titles, as well as the Cupid's Kiss highlight intro for Hanzo. If you want to find love by following a written guide instead of your heart, we have the technology for that.

That new Metal Gear Solid collection won't include Metal Gear Online, but it will have Peace Walker's essential online co-op
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/that-new-metal-gear-solid-collection-wont-include-metal-gear-online-but-it-will-have-peace-walkers-essential-online-co-op/
During last week's PlayStation State of Play, a new Metal Gear Solid collection including MGS 4 and the PS3 HD version of Peace Walker was announced. It's great news if you've been holding out for PC ports of these games all these years, but it doesn't mean you can expect the full experience people originally got—Metal Gear Online, the multiplayer spinoff which came bundled with MGS 4 back in the day, won't be included.

'We lost things such as physics in games:' The dev behind my most anticipated RPG thinks players are craving more interactive games, not just 'moving around in a static 3D environment'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/we-lost-things-such-as-physics-in-games-the-dev-behind-my-most-anticipated-rpg-thinks-players-are-craving-more-interactive-games-not-just-moving-around-in-a-static-3d-environment/
Csaba "ForestWare" Székely's Sword Hero is one of the most exciting upcoming games: An ambitious, open-ended RPG with complex NPC behaviors, physics interactions, and emergent gameplay⁠—the Hungarian developer affectionately referred to it as a "eurojank" game, a label applied to ambitious, but often flawed attempts by European developers to replicate or advance '90s PC design sensibilities.

As the Legacy of Kain remasters continue, a new game emerges—a 2D action-platformer
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/as-the-legacy-of-kain-remasters-continue-a-new-game-emerges-a-2d-action-platformer/
I first played a Legacy of Kain game when Soul Reaver came out, which at the time was considered a Tomb Raider for goths, only with better controls and some annoying block-pushing puzzles. It was the atmosphere that sold it rather than the genre—so dark and portentous it could shit bats.
Which is why I'm not bothered to see the newly announced Legacy of Kain: Ascendance is changing genres and will instead be a pixel-art 2D action-platformer with a story told in the visual novel-style, with some first-person 3D bits thrown in for the PS1 vibe. But mostly it'll be 2D action.

Seafaring survival sim The Last Caretaker gets a big update that adds a speedy jet ski and lets you customise your base-boat
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/seafaring-survival-sim-the-last-caretaker-gets-a-big-update-that-adds-a-speedy-jet-ski-and-lets-you-customise-your-base-boat/
Who cares for The Last Caretaker? Channel 37, that's who! The Finnish developer— cofounded by the creators of the Trials series—has been diligently maintaining its oddball survival sim since it splashed into Steam early access last year.
The game, which sees you play as a robot tasked with saving the human race by artificially growing people and launching them into space, received its first major update in December. This added a forklift truck, unlocked a giant warehouse for players to explore, introduced new systems like composting, and added a basketball minigame.
Arriving earlier this week, The Last Caretaker's second major patch is similarly expansive. The chief addition is another new vehicle—the CS-17 Courier Skimmer. This is a jet ski that offers a faster travel alternative to your main boat (which also serves as your base). Handy if you want to do a quick run to a location without bringing your whole-ass base.

Hellscreen, the FPS with a rear-view mirror, has left Steam early access two episodes short of its original plan: 'This is a bittersweet experience for me'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/hellscreen-the-fps-with-a-rear-view-mirror-has-left-steam-early-access-two-episodes-short-of-its-original-plan-this-is-a-bittersweet-experience-for-me/
Adding a rearview mirror to a first-person shooter might sound like a daft gimmick, but as PC Gamer's Ted Litchfield discovered three years ago, the defining mechanic of Hellscreen is anything but: "You have a mini, lower-res screen in the upper quadrant of your view at all times, and can blow it up and shrink it back down with the shift key," he wrote after taking the early access shooter for a spin 2023. "Left click fires forward, while right click fires backwards and does quadruple damage while you're in motion."
(...)
At the end of last week, however, Hellscreen suddenly released into 1.0, while developer Jamie D explained exactly what had gone down during the game's long silence.
"This is a bittersweet event for me," he wrote on the subject of Hellscreen's launch. "The game was to have three episodes but I had to cut it to one due to budget reasons." This echoes the updated early access disclaimer on Hellscreen's Steam page: "Due to the game's sever[e] under performance and external funding being non-existent, I am unable to fully realise the full version of Hellscreen as originally intended."

Absolum's first update dares you to unravel the threads of fate, introducing rule modifiers, corrupted biomes and improved mounts into 2025's best beat 'em up
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/absolums-first-update-dares-you-to-unravel-the-threads-of-fate-introducing-rule-modifiers-corrupted-biomes-and-improved-mounts-into-2025s-best-beat-em-up/
It's a testament to the quality and inventiveness of Absolum that it stood out as strongly as it did when it released in October last year, a month that also brought us Battlefield 6, Bloodlines 2, and a little game called Arc Raiders. Absolum's roguelite twist on a classic beat 'em up format was exactly the citrus twist the genre needed, yielding glowing reviews and, as of 17 days ago, half a million players.
Slightly belatedly, developer Guard Crush Games (who were co-devs on Streets of Rage 4 alongside LizardCube) released Absolum's first major update Threads of Fate, which pistons a fistful of new features straight into the base game's jaw.

Silent Hill 2 Remake dev Bloober Team's Valentine's Day reveal turned out to be Layers of Fear 3
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/silent-hill-2-remake-dev-bloober-teams-valentines-day-reveal-turned-out-to-be-layers-of-fear-3/
A website from horror game purveyors Bloober Team with a bizarre url surfaced near the end of 2025: remosdneulserorehsoovamceyerd.com. The page had an image of a bloody rose, a countdown to Valentine's Day, and a cryptic quote. Bloober had been awfully busy up to that point, fresh off Cronos: The New Dawn and still working on another Silent Hill remake, so it was hard to guess at exactly what this might be. Well, now we know: Layers of F3ar.

Solid Snake is coming to Rainbow Six Siege in March with David Hayter reprising the role, and a new trailer shows Snake and stealth game rival Sam Fisher finally squashing the beef
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/solid-snake-is-coming-to-rainbow-six-siege-in-march-with-david-hayter-reprising-the-role-and-a-new-trailer-shows-snake-and-stealth-game-rival-sam-fisher-finally-squashing-the-beef/
Spider-Man is a Magic: The Gathering Card, Eric Cartman pilots a cardboard mech in Fortnite, and once the new season drops March 3, Solid Snake will be an operator in Rainbow Six Siege. A teaser foreshadowing the news dropped back in January, and now a full reveal trailer has dropped alongside a Year 11 roadmap forecasting the coming year of Siege.

The best Smash Bros.-like on Steam just added a character who can shop for items and go fishing in the middle of a match, in case you thought fighting games were too one-note
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fighting/the-best-smash-bros-like-on-steam-just-added-a-character-who-can-shop-for-items-and-go-fishing-in-the-middle-of-a-match-in-case-you-thought-fighting-games-were-too-one-note/
The worst part of Smash Bros. is that it's not on PC, and the best part of Rivals of Aether—aside from platform-generating rhinoceros beetle Kragg—is that it is on PC. But the excellent sequel, Rivals of Aether 2, lacks the character I got on with most in the short time I played the original game: Shovel Knight.
Yacht Club Games' signature dude was a gimmick-laden agent of chaos who pounded gems out of his foes and used it to shop for upgrades mid-match. To my delight, that playstyle is finally returning, with a few fishy twists.

Again, my excuses for those on mobile.

Since the second post was starting to get too bit, here’s part three with a mix of news in both full and short format:

We'll be able to hit zombies with meat in singleplayer medieval survival sim God Save Birmingham
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/well-be-able-to-hit-zombies-with-meat-in-singleplayer-medieval-survival-sim-god-save-birmingham/
There's something extremely English about the slack-skinned medieval peasantry of God Save Birmingham. They all look like they ate a lot of sausage sandwiches in their time. And soon, food will be able to have its revenge—one of the new weapons being added to the survival/crafting sim is a big old haunch of meat.

'Our team is still fully committed and working hard on 2XKO' says Riot as it announces two new characters days after mass layoff announcement
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fighting/our-team-is-still-fully-committed-and-working-hard-on-2xko-says-riot-as-it-announces-two-new-characters-days-after-mass-layoff-announcement/
Just a couple of days after announcing it was slashing the 2XKO team in half, Riot says it's "still fully committed and working hard" on the game, and to prove that? Two new characters and the promise to iron out some of its more glaring issues.

The Dawn of War 4 team isn't worried about Total War: Warhammer 40k: 'This is definitely a case of holy s***, it's two cakes'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/the-dawn-of-war-4-team-isnt-worried-about-total-war-warhammer-40k-this-is-definitely-a-case-of-holy-s-its-two-cakes/
It's rare for us Warhammer fans to have a really big 40k game on the horizon, so having two inbound at the same time, and both strategy games at that, is a pretty notable occurrence. Both Dawn of War 4 and Total War: Warhammer 40k are set to drop in the not too distant future—but is King Art Games worried about sharing the 40k strategy spotlight with Creative Assembly?
>> Dawn of War 4 will have a way to multi-attack enemies using a dragbox (link).

The Outer Worlds deliberately doesn't do racial or gender discrimination in order to zero in on class, but 'that made the tone of the game feel off,' says director Tim Cain
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/the-outer-worlds-deliberately-doesnt-do-racial-or-gender-discrimination-in-order-to-zero-in-on-class-but-that-made-the-tone-of-the-game-feel-off-says-director-tim-cain/

Mewgenics co-creator Edmund McMillen says 'people need to get more creative with their hate' in response to disappointment over controversial cameo meows
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/mewgenics-co-creator-edmund-mcmillen-says-people-need-to-get-more-creative-with-their-hate-in-response-to-disappointment-over-controversial-cameo-meows/

Divinity: Original Sin 2 easter eggs hinting Baldur's Gate 3 would be Larian's next game had to be toned down: 'Originally the reference to BG3 was very explicit'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/baldurs-gate/divinity-original-sin-2-easter-eggs-hinting-baldurs-gate-3-would-be-larians-next-game-had-to-be-toned-down-originally-the-reference-to-bg3-was-very-explicit/

The cozy game boom is the clearest trend on Steam over five years of data
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/life-sim/the-cozy-game-boom-is-the-clearest-trend-on-steam-over-five-years-of-data/

The modder who saved Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 1 has been showing off a treasure trove of material from the canceled version of Bloodlines 2
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/the-modder-who-saved-vampire-the-masquerade-bloodlines-1-has-been-showing-off-a-treasure-trove-of-material-from-the-canceled-version-of-bloodlines-2/

Shutaro Iida, Konami veteran and programmer for the Castlevania and Metal Gear series credited as 'Curry The Kid', has died at the age of 52
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/shutaro-iida-konami-veteran-and-programmer-for-the-castlevania-and-metal-gear-series-credited-as-curry-the-kid-has-died-at-the-age-of-52/

I am not exactly happy about the genre-shift, but I am still looking forward to it.

No idea if anybody is into emulation. But N64 Recomp is curious. My understanding is the decompile to understand the code, then rewrite using PC language so the game runs native on PC. I just played Banjo and it run incredibly well, got 120 fps at 4k. Mario Kart 64 has some impressive texture packs and runs great too. Star Fox 64, again 4k at 120 fps. Majora's texture pack in particular is absurd compared to the original. Really cool work going on.

The Tuesday gaming news, hopefully posted on Tuesday:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

Steam’s Top 10

(Click here for the Top 100)

Steam has one new deal and several sales:

• Deadzone: Rogue will be 35% off until the 2nd of March: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3228590/Deadzone_Rogue/
• And now, the Sales/Events:
  • Once again, like last Friday, there’s too many to post them, 11 in total if you count the Steam Lunar New Year Sale that’s in the front page but not in the Sales page of the store. You’ll find sales from Crytek, D3Publisher, Fulqrum, Cosmo Machia, Tripwire, Rusty Lake or Ankama, that celebrates its 25th anniversary, plusthe Guildford and Quebec Festival and Capcom doing a second sale with its Monster Hunter games. You can find them here: https://store.steampowered.com/news/collection/sales/
• And we can’t forget about the weeklong deals, right?

Fanaticals new Star Deal is Stellar Blade™ Complete Edition, with a 35% discount during 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/stellar-blade-complete-edition

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

INTEL Arc Graphics 32.0.101.8509 driver
https://videocardz.com/driver/intel-arc-graphics-32-0-101-8509

HIGHLIGHTS
XeSS 3: Multi-Frame Generation Extended Platform Support
This release extends support beyond the Intel Arc GPUs in Intel Core Ultra Series 3 listed products to include:

• Intel Arc B-Series discrete GPUs (Codename Battlemage)
• Intel Arc A-Series discrete GPUs (Codename Alchemist)
• Intel Arc GPUs in Intel Core Ultra 2 series processors (Codename Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake H)
• Intel Arc GPUs in Intel Core Ultra processors (Codename Meteor Lake)

FIXED ISSUES
Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3 with built-in Intel® Arc™ GPUs:

• Ghost of Tsushima* (DX12) may exhibit color corruption on terrains during gameplay.
• Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord* (DX11) may experience an application crash during game launch.

Intel® Arc™ B-Series Graphics Products:

• Ghost of Tsushima* (DX12) may exhibit color corruption on terrains during gameplay.
• GPU 3D utilization in Task Manager may show inconsistent metrics.

Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 2 with built-in Intel® Arc™ GPUs:

• Ghost of Tsushima* (DX12) may exhibit color corruption on terrains during gameplay.
• GPU 3D utilization in Task Manager may exhibit inconsistent metrics.

Intel® Graphics Software Fixed Issues:

• Combined Display may intermittently not function as expected while combining displays or resetting settings.

>> I forgot to post about it yesterday.

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Banjo-Kazooie Remastered on PC With HD Textures and Better Draw Distance
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/banjo-kazooie-remastered-on-pc-with-hd-textures-and-better-draw-distance/
Last month, we informed you about an unofficial native PC port of one of the best Nintendo 64 games, Banjo-Kazooie. And today, we have some exciting news for its fans.
Let’s start with the recomp. Banjo: Recompiled is a project that takes Banjo-Kazooie and turns it into a native PC port using N64: Recompiled. This new version adds many new features, improvements, and lots of mod support. It also uses RT64 as its rendering engine to give the game better graphics.
The cool thing about this PC version of Banjo-Kazooie is that it supports high framerates and high resolutions. This means you can play the game at more than 60FPS. There is also support for mods, as well as for ultra-wide screens. All the advanced visual effects, like the jigsaw puzzle screen transition and Bottles’ Moving Picture Game, work as intended.
The music and sounds are exactly like the original N64 version of the game. All of the audio processing works correctly, with no popping or stuttering. Any scenes that match sound to visuals have been fixed so the timing stays perfectly in sync, just like on the original hardware.
Two weeks ago, ProxyBK released a must-have mod for it. This mod extends the game’s draw distance, allowing you to see more of its world. This mod lets you enjoy Banjo-Kazooie even more than before.
Then, we have a new HD Texture Pack for it. Created by Granvillimus, this pack upscales all of the game’s textures. By using it, PC gamers can get a crisper and more detailed image.
With these two mods, Banjo-Kazooie has been fully remastered on PC. In my opinion, this is the definitive way to replay it. So, if you are a big Banjo-Kazooie fan, you should definitely try them.
You can download the Draw Distance Mod and the HD Texture Pack from here and here, respectively. Do note that you will also need the Asset Expansion Pak. This rewrites the asset management system of the game to allow direct asset in-memory replacements by other mods.
>> The article has a 10 minutes video.

Rockstar celebrates official GTA mod support by nuking non-official mod platform
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/grand-theft-auto/rockstar-celebrates-official-gta-mod-support-by-nuking-non-official-mod-platform/
Around a month ago Rockstar launched an official mod shop for Grand Theft Auto Online, with Cfx Marketplace coming three years after the studio's 2023 acquisition of Cfx.re, a GTA and Red Dead Redemption modding team. This is obviously something of a dry run for the company before the all-conquering arrival of GTA 6, with a new GTA Online presumably not far behind: Rockstar has seen that Roblox money, and would sure like some of it.
Now, and perhaps inevitably, comes the news that the GTA 5 multiplayer platform alt:V Multiplayer is going to be closing down this summer after nine years, apparently after Rockstar owner Take-Two started making threatening noises in its direction. The alt:V team describe their work as "a free modification for Grand Theft Auto 5 that lets you play on dedicated servers with custom gamemodes." In other words roleplay servers, and yes that's pretty similar to what FiveM offers.
"This is not an easy message to write," writes alt:V team member Vadzz on Discord (thanks, GamesRadar+). "For the past nine years, we've been building alt:V—starting as a small side project and growing into a full-scale multiplayer platform used by hundreds of servers and thousands of players around the world. It's been years of solving hard problems and trying new ideas."
But it seems like the alt:V team got an offer they couldn't refuse. "Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive have made it clear that FiveM is the only authorized platform for GTAV multiplayer modding, as defined in their Platform License Agreement (PLA)," continues Vadzz. "In accordance with that policy, and at Take-Two's request, alt:V will begin a structured shutdown process in 2026."
No new community servers will be accepted from March 2, and public access to the toolkit will be discontinued. The alt:V team recommend all server owners using it begin "planning their migration to FiveM as early as possible."
Come May 4, the public server listing will disappear, and by July 6, "all remaining community servers are expected to cease operations." All servers must have migrated by that point, because the "backend infrastructure will be permanently shut down."

GAMING NEWS

Here are the PC requirements for Metal Gear Solid 4
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/here-are-the-pc-requirements-for-metal-gear-solid-4/
Konami has shared the official PC system requirements for Metal Gear Solid 4, which will be included in the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.2. So, let’s see what PC system you’ll need to run it.
>> They’re quite low.

Assassin’s Creed: Shadows Update 1.1.8 Released – Patch Notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/assassins-creed-shadows-update-1-1-8-released-patch-notes/
Ubisoft has just released Title Update 1.1.8 for Assassin’s Creed: Shadows and shared its full patch notes. So, let’s see what this new update brings to the table.
>> You’ll now be able to jump!

The second part of the gaming news:

Crimson Desert is made by the devs of MMO Black Desert, but it won't have any non-preorder microtransactions on launch: 'This is the premium experience, that is the transaction'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/crimson-desert-is-made-by-the-devs-of-mmo-black-desert-but-it-wont-have-any-non-preorder-microtransactions-on-launch-this-is-the-premium-experience-that-is-the-transaction/
Crimson Desert, an upcoming singleplayer action RPG by the same studio that made Black Desert Online, is looking real promising. I've had the pleasure of playing it a couple of times myself, and while I can only speak for the combat, it's shaping up to be a textured, complex RPG with some fighting game-tier combo potential.
But it's also the first proper singleplayer effort from a studio known for Black Desert, which is a buy-to-play game with plenty of microtransactions in lieu of a mandatory subscription. Which might raise the question: Am I gonna have to grapple with a cash shop in my fully-priced singleplayer game?
No, says head of marketing Will Powers in a recent interview with the Dropped Frames podcast (thanks, GamesRadar).
>> Don’t expect to do an evil run in the game, tho (link)

Yakuza Kiwami 3's blunders have made it the worst-reviewed game in the series on Steam: 'Creatively bankrupt doesn't even begin to describe the current state of RGG'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/yakuza-kiwami-3s-blunders-have-made-it-the-worst-reviewed-game-in-the-series-on-steam-creatively-bankrupt-doesnt-even-begin-to-describe-the-current-state-of-rgg/
Yakuza Kiwami 3—seemingly the last in RGG Studio's series of Kiwami remakes—released last week, though not without controversy. Between some baffling cuts, strange retcons, and the casting of an actor, Teruyuki Kagawa, who confessed to sexual harassment in 2022, even stalwart series fans weren't predisposed to love Kiwami 3.
So it's no surprise they don't. In fact, at the time of writing, Kiwami 3 is the worst-rated game—by the metric of user reviews—of the entire series on Steam. Make no mistake, it's not been review-bombed and it's not universally loathed; Yakuza Kiwami 3 doesn't occupy the doldrums of an Overwhelmingly Negative user rating. Nevertheless, it's currently at a 63% 'Mixed' review score, putting it squarely bottom of the leaderboard relative to the rest of the games.

Surprise! Baldur's Gate 3 got a fresh patch. Unsurprise! It's vanishingly small, but at least it repairs some corrupted saves
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/baldurs-gate/surprise-baldurs-gate-3-got-a-fresh-patch-unsurprise-its-vanishingly-small-but-at-least-it-repairs-some-corrupted-saves/
Baldur's Gate 3—a videogame about dressing up hot elves—had fans scratching their heads earlier today when it suddenly pulled down north of 100 MB with no explanation whatsoever. What could it be? What could it mean? What's Larian up to now?
(...)
It's just, you know, doing patch stuff: fixing crashes and ironing out glitches. Well. Fine.

Total War: Warhammer 3's first character pack stars an all-new legendary lord that puts the 'cat' in Grand Cathay
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/total-war-warhammer-3s-first-character-pack-stars-an-all-new-legendary-lord-that-puts-the-cat-in-grand-cathay/
Where are the cats? I'm saying this every time I boot up Total War: Warhammer 3, the map-painting strategy tour de force where you can play as every major Warhammer Fantasy faction under the sun. There's far too many ratlike Skaven in the game, though, and I've long yearned to see them get trounced by any animated rodent's natural enemy: the cat. Thankfully, Creative Assembly has finally delivered the goods in the form of a new character pack.

NetEase breaks up with another western studio, but it refuses to die and instead 'remains motivated and deeply committed to the incredible game we’re building'
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/netease-breaks-up-with-another-western-studio-but-it-refuses-to-die-and-instead-remains-motivated-and-deeply-committed-to-the-incredible-game-were-building/
NetEase's tumultuous relationship with its own western studios shows no sign of abating, as action-adventure studio Anchor Point declares it's parting ways with the corporation and going independent.
The shift was announced by Anchor Point CEO (and former lead designer on Remedy's Control) Paul Ehreth on LinkedIn (via Game Developer). "We will be transitioning to operate as an independent studio. This is a significant change for us, but one that we’re approaching with optimism, clarity, and excitement for what’s ahead."

Blizzard isn't going to let World of Warcraft players suffer from outdated character customization for long, but it's going to take some time to fix
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/world-of-warcraft/blizzard-isnt-going-to-let-world-of-warcraft-players-suffer-from-outdated-character-customization-for-long-but-its-going-to-take-some-time-to-fix/
One thing is immediately noticeable when you create a character in World of Warcraft as one of its newest races: The amount of customization options eclipses that of the older races.
Play an undead man and you get to change what hue your rotting skin looks like and what kind of malformed jaw you want. Meanwhile, on the newer races, you can change tiny details, like fur color and eyelash style.
Blizzard has been fairly open about the dramatic difference in the customization options in the past, but recently made it clear it wants to go back and improve things for the older races in an interview with Windows Central.

Lego Batman system requirements drop memory down to 16 GB, which I'm hoping becomes a trend now that memory is stuck up in the sky
https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/lego-batman-system-requirements-drop-memory-down-to-16-gb-which-im-hoping-becomes-a-trend-now-that-memory-is-stuck-up-in-the-sky/
If you're looking forward to Lego Batman and are worried that the whopping 32 GB memory system requirement is too rich for your blood, I've got some good news. In a pleasant surprise, that figure has halved, going down to just 16 GB.
>> How the F did a Lego game came to need 32GB of RAM?!

And here's the third part:

Lead story designer on the first Witcher game just rolled credits on a full playthrough, and you can watch the whole thing on YouTube
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-witcher/lead-story-designer-on-the-first-witcher-game-just-rolled-credits-on-a-full-playthrough-and-you-can-watch-the-whole-thing-on-youtube/

Stardew Valley fan left their Switch running for 'over 3 weeks straight' to sleep for 1,000 years, waking up to immortal villagers, giant mushrooms and debris everywhere
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/life-sim/stardew-valley-fan-left-their-switch-running-for-over-3-weeks-straight-to-sleep-for-1-000-years-waking-up-to-immortal-villagers-giant-mushrooms-and-debris-everywhere/
>> I thought some of you may be curious about this one.

MMO Ashes of Creation spirals into a legal dumpster fire, as investor claims creative director Steven Sharif siphoned millions away from the company while it was drowning in debt
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/mmo-ashes-of-creation-spirals-into-a-legal-dumpster-fire-as-investor-claims-creative-director-steven-sharif-siphoned-millions-away-from-the-company-while-it-was-drowning-in-debt/

Bethesda originally thought Fallout 3's metro system should track to the surface world, then realised running through miles of tunnels was dull as hell: 'Being realistic sometimes isn't fun'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fallout/bethesda-originally-thought-fallout-3s-metro-system-should-track-to-the-surface-world-then-realised-running-through-miles-of-tunnels-was-dull-as-hell-being-realistic-sometimes-isnt-fun/

I can't say that I understand why some companies decide to make these 2D games out of 3D franchises, like Legacy of Kain or God of War. It's strange and doesn't feel right.

I already have a big enough backlog to also add emulator in the mix.

By the way, I don't know how you've played Banjo, but I hope the mods for it are a good excuse to give it another go at some point.