Ok, here are some other articles that didn't fit in the gaming news:

Intel Nova Lake dual-tile CPUs reportedly support 474W PL2 power target
https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-nova-lake-dual-tile-cpus-reportedly-support-474w-pl2-power-target

I'm not sure if Jizz posted it or not a few days ago, but curiosity got the better of me and I checked the CPU cooler reviews from Techpowerup, and there's not a single 360 AIO cooler that can deal with more than 375W before the CPU throttles down.

I understand that 52 cores are a lot, but what kind of cooler (and cases!) does Intel think users have?

'No bloat, no telemetry, no nonsense.' Former Microsoft coding wizard makes an OG Notepad clone that's just 2,686 bytes in size
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/no-bloat-no-telemetry-no-nonsense-former-microsoft-coding-wizard-makes-an-og-notepad-clone-thats-just-2-686-bytes-in-size/
Once nothing more than a basic text editor, Windows Notepad has been expanded in recent years to become almost a fully-fledged word processor. For some people, the little tool has become synonymous with Microsoft's penchant for bloat and unnecessary changes, so one former Redmond coder decided to do something about it.

The person in question is Dave Plummer, and we've written about his past work and exploits many times over the years. These days, he regularly posts videos on his YouTube channel, Dave's Garage, and earlier this week, he showed how he created an app that replicated the original Notepad, with the goal of keeping everything under 4 kB.

Google kills yet another API, shutting out all non-Google platforms from favoured gif database
https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/google-kills-yet-another-api-shutting-out-all-non-google-platforms-from-favoured-gif-database/
I'm told that the youths of today find using animated gif reactions 'cringe'. As a millennial who misspent her youth on Tumblr, reacting to good game news with a gif of The Arm from Twin Peaks rubbing his hands together has become an unfortunate part of my idiolect. Before I break out the folder of Supernatural gifs and probably curse us all, it's worth noting that finding the perfect gif for your posts to X and Discord has become that much harder— because Google has killed the Tenor API.

Developers have known this was coming since at least January, as fresh API key sign-ups and new integrations stopped being accepted back then. Google shared via a support article that, "As part of an ongoing effort to focus resources on enhancing our core products, we've made the decision to sunset the Tenor API on June 30, 2026."

Don't worry, all those oddly satisfying Opus Magnum gifs aren't yet going anywhere—for now. To be clear, you can also still visit the Tenor website and peruse its gif wares there. The API is what accessed this vast library and made it possible to post your reactions to the latest episode of The Vampire Lestat with the appropriate flourish.

^ This is the Librarian

Thanks. I didn't know about this game.

*Edit* I don't think it's my kind of game, but there are lots of people that love it:

I can relate to the first comment. It happens to me everytime I see a gameplay video of an upcoming game and the dev playing it just doesn't do it right. Ugh!

Terrible news (at least for me) about Exodus :

Xbox may let players digitize Xbox One and Series physical libraries, with licenses tied to each disc

https://videocardz.com/newz/xbox-may-let-players-digitize-xbox-one-and-series-physical-libraries-with-licenses-tied-to-each-disc

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090D becomes first Blackwell GPU to reach 4 GHz

https://videocardz.com/newz/nvidia-geforce-rtx-5090d-becomes-first-blackwell-gpu-to-reach-4-ghz

Noctua roadmap lists new AM5 low-profile cooler and new Seasonic PSUs for 2027

https://videocardz.com/newz/noctua-roadmap-lists-new-am5-low-profile-cooler-and-new-seasonic-psus-for-2027

Intel reportedly restarts 13th and 14th Gen Core CPU production for China DIY market

https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-reportedly-restarts-13th-and-14th-gen-core-cpu-production-for-china-diy-market

Redditor finds Radeon RX 7900 XTX prototype with only 16GB memory enabled

https://videocardz.com/newz/redditor-finds-radeon-rx-7900-xtx-prototype-with-only-16gb-memory-enabled

Samsung & SK Hynix Go Into Hyperdrive With A Massive Fab Expansion Plan In Korea Worth Over $800 billion

https://wccftech.com/samsung-sk-hynix-go-into-hyperdrive-with-a-massive-fab-expansion-plan-in-korea/

Intel Raises MSRP of Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and Core Ultra 5 250K Plus

https://www.techpowerup.com/350465/intel-raises-msrp-of-core-ultra-7-270k-plus-and-core-ultra-5-250k-plus

The Thursday gaming news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

The next seven days, the Epic Store will give away these two games:

• I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream : https://store.epicgames.com/p/i-have-no-mouth-and-i-must-scream-95c5c2
• River City Girls 2 : https://store.epicgames.com/p/river-city-girls-2-77af3a

Next week, the free games will be Nova Lands and Tattoo Tycoon .

Humble Bundle presents the Let’s Go Gambling! Aww… Dang it Bundle, with up to 8 games to get during the next 20 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/lets-go-gamblingaw-dang-it

And Fanatical has the Platinum Collection - Build your Own Bundle (July 2026) , with 17 games to pick from for your 3+, 5+ or 7+ bundles. It will last 34 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/platinum-collection-build-your-own-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

-Also empty-

GAMING NEWS

Onimusha: Way of the Sword’s Release Date Pushed Forward
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/onimusha-way-of-the-swords-release-date-pushed-forward/
Capcom has announced that the release date for Onimusha: Way of the Sword has been pushed forward. The game was meant to come out on September 25. However, it will now be released on September 4.

Turok: Origins Gets Official Gameplay Trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/turok-origins-gets-official-gameplay-trailer/
Saber Interactive has released a brief official gameplay trailer for Turok: Origins. This trailer is only 1-minute long and shows some of the takedowns that players can execute, some cut-scenes, and some gameplay footage. In all honesty, this should be called an “in-engine” trailer and not a “gameplay” trailer. But hey, at least the trailer confirms that the game will have both third-person and first-person perspectives.

Death Stranding 2 Update 1.10 Released – Full Patch Notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/death-stranding-2-update-1-10-released-full-patch-notes/
Kojima Productions and Nixxes have released Title Update 1.10 for Death Stranding 2 and shared its full patch notes. So, let’s see what this new patch brings to the table.

The second part of the gaming news:

Xbox reportedly wants to put a stake in Blade and sell off Arkane, even though Todd Howard says development is going well
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/xbox-reportedly-wants-to-put-a-stake-in-blade-and-sell-off-arkane-even-though-todd-howard-says-development-is-going-well/
Microsoft has been extremely busy lately, taking a well-earned break from polluting the world with AI to eviscerate the videogame industry. The reports of potential layoffs and closures—coupled with the short-sighted strategies of other publishers, including main rival Sony—are devastating. And the bad news just keeps coming.
According to The Verge, Arkane's Blade is now on the chopping block as well. This wasn't entirely unexpected, granted. While Arkane's games tend to be critically acclaimed, immersive sims continue to be a hard sell. Dishonored 2 and Prey didn't meet Bethesda's sales expectations, and Redfall was just a complete mess.

Reinstated Subnautica 2 studio CEO immediately peaces out after Krafton agrees to pay the developer bonuses it went to court to avoid
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/reinstated-subnautica-2-studio-ceo-immediately-peaces-out-after-krafton-agrees-to-pay-the-developer-bonuses-it-went-to-court-to-avoid/
Culminating a messy, year-long legal spat, Krafton has agreed to pay bonuses to the studio staff of Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment, having reached a settlement with the studio's leadership—including ousted-and-subsequently reinstated-by-court-order CEO, Ted Gill.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Gill said he has voluntarily resigned as studio executive, having "mutually agreed to part ways" following the settlement agreement.

'There’s something we’ve been dying to tell you': The best city builder of 2023 is getting a survival game set in the same world
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/theres-something-weve-been-dying-to-tell-you-the-best-city-builder-of-2023-is-getting-a-survival-game-set-in-the-same-world/
Ever play a game set in a world so intriguing and enjoyable you wish there were other games, even of a different genre, that took place in the same setting?
Eremite Games, the studio that created roguelike city builder Against the Storm, has announced just that. "There’s something we’ve been dying to tell you," the studio said on Steam: it's been working on a new game that is "slowly taking shape as a survival game set in the Against the Storm universe."

Windrose might get wind
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/windrose-might-get-wind/
As a survival game, Windrose is an extremely forgiving one. Your weapons and gear never degrade. If your pirate ship sinks you can rebuild it with a mere 20 pieces of wood. You can't die of hunger or thirst, and your NPC pirate crew, well… they can't die at all.
It's such a streamlined survival experience that when you're sailing your ship across the sea, you can go in any direction you want at top speed at all times. That's because despite the title of the game, there is no actual wind in Windrose.
That might change in the future, says Kraken Express. In a devlog posted today, the studio outlined the first major update to the early access pirate survival game that includes a new biome, new pirate ship classes, more of the main story and sidequests, and yep, wind. Maybe.

Valheim will get a 50% price hike when it hits 1.0, and no changes to the ocean biome
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/valheim-will-get-a-50-percent-price-hike-when-it-hits-1-0-and-no-changes-to-the-ocean-biome/
Just over five years since its early access launch, Valheim will hit 1.0 on September 9. When that happens, the $20 Viking-themed survival crafting game will cost $30, and a new ice-themed Deep North biome will be added.
Iron Gate has confirmed as much in a new FAQ addressing most of the community's pertinent questions, among these being: does this spell the end of major content updates? The answer is ambiguous, verging "yes".

Blood Bowl's videogame rights have been acquired by Slitherine and at this point I'll take any change as a good sign
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sports/blood-bowls-videogame-rights-have-been-acquired-by-slitherine-and-at-this-point-ill-take-any-change-as-a-good-sign/
Slitherine, the publisher of the Panzer Corps series as well Warhammer 40,000 games like Battlesector and Gladius, has picked up the rights to publish the Blood Bowl series of fantasy sports parodies.

I'm learning to love autobattlers and it's because this Steam demo let me build a gnarly squad of combat freaks out of weird meat and goblin blood
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/im-learning-to-love-autobattlers-and-its-because-this-steam-demo-let-me-build-a-gnarly-squad-of-combat-freaks-out-of-weird-meat-and-goblin-blood/
Having been playing games almost as long as I've been alive, I've fought and killed more goblins than I could ever hope to count. While MMOs, RPGs, RTSes, and all kinds of other acronyms have happily enabled my lifelong war with goblinkind, Flask—an autobattler that just released a demo on Steam—is the rare sort of game that's prompted me to ask instead what's in a goblin's heart.

WoW's bug-filled April patch was actually from trying to fix too much too fast, says director Ion Hazzikostas—like an elevator from 13 years ago that blew up housing
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/world-of-warcraft/wows-bug-filled-april-patch-was-actually-from-trying-to-fix-too-much-too-fast-says-director-ion-hazzikostas-like-an-elevator-from-13-years-ago-that-blew-up-housing/
World of Warcraft caught some heat earlier this year for a messy patch that broke a whole lot of stuff. Patch 12.0.5 was a bit of a disaster, taking an accidental wrecking ball to multiple systems and allowing some long-flagged issues to sneak their way into the game.
The takeaway that I—and many other players—had was that Blizzard's rapid patch cadence was impacting its QA, and while I still do partially wonder if that's to blame, at least in the case of problems that were long-flagged, Ion Hazzikostas has peskily introduced some nuance to my grand narrative. Gee darnit.

And here's the third part:

Dragon Age setting creator says AI push is a delusion of the executive class that's a 'virulent plague' on games
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/dragon-age-setting-creator-says-ai-push-is-a-delusion-of-the-executive-class-thats-a-virulent-plague-on-games/

Former Unreal Engine director retires after 15 years at Epic
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/former-unreal-engine-director-retires-after-15-years-at-epic/
>> It's Nicholas Penwarden.

'They refuse to offer a meaningful alternative': Game preservation leader agrees that piracy is the only preservation option for a discless future
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/they-refuse-to-offer-a-meaningful-alternative-game-preservation-leader-agrees-that-piracy-is-the-only-preservation-option-for-a-discless-future/

Rockstar UK employees say the GTA 6 developer's still plagued by gender pay gaps, crunch, and vague bonuses which make them 'as pliable as possible to their boss's whims'
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/rockstar-uk-employees-say-the-gta-6-developers-still-plagued-by-gender-pay-gaps-crunch-and-vague-bonuses-which-make-them-as-pliable-as-possible-to-their-bosss-whims/

While they should be criticized for promising one feature and not deliver on it, I personally don't have a problem with not having a character creator. Yes, it would be cool to have one, but it's not the end of the world.

I hate Jun vanilla face...