Nice congrats on the new build I wouldn't worry to much about power consumption a mid range PC isn't much more than modern console these days.

I also got inpatient when I saw a 9070 for a real good price the lowest I've ever seen it actually and pulled the trigger on it which in turn led to me buying parts for a full build which I did want to do eventually but didn't think I'd be doing it yet so I should start building my "Steam Machine" tomorrow :D

That's very cool! Congratulations for gettins a deal on the 9070 (and my condolences to your wallet for the rest of the components).

Building your Steam Machine is awesome

Awesome, good luck with building it =p.  Now I just some good sales for some of the games I 'finally' can play =p.  

Just head over to IsThereAnyDeal and most games are usually on sale somewhere if not on Steam itself.

Exactly what I thought immediately, too. No more hassle to find someone from the same region to gift them something.

NVIDIA Reflex 2 remains unreleased 18 months after announcement, RTX owners still waiting

https://videocardz.com/newz/nvidia-reflex-2-remains-unreleased-18-months-after-announcement-rtx-owners-still-waiting

MSI and Colorful announce RTX 50 price increases for distributors, RTX 5070 Ti now starts 38% over MSRP

https://videocardz.com/newz/msi-and-colorful-announce-rtx-50-price-increases-for-distributors-rtx-5070-ti-now-starts-38-over-msrp

Minecraft Java Edition raises recommended memory to 16GB ahead of Vulkan transition

https://videocardz.com/newz/minecraft-java-edition-raises-recommended-memory-to-16gb-ahead-of-vulkan-transition

NVIDIA uses its own Vera CPU to build future CPUs and GPUs

https://videocardz.com/newz/nvidia-uses-its-own-vera-cpu-to-build-future-cpus-and-gpus

Valve can’t catch a break: Qualcomm announces Snapdragon price hike before Steam Frame release

https://videocardz.com/newz/valve-cant-catch-a-break-qualcomm-announces-snapdragon-price-hike-before-steam-frame-release

Modders turn the 2011 PS Vita into an Xbox Cloud Gaming handheld

https://videocardz.com/newz/modders-turn-the-2011-ps-vita-into-an-xbox-cloud-gaming-handheld

Intel Bets on Premium Chips, and the Gamble Pays Off With Server Prices Jumping 48% in Q2

https://wccftech.com/intel-bets-on-premium-chips-and-the-gamble-pays-off-with-server-prices-jumping-48-in-q2/

NVIDIA & AMD Graphics Card Prices See Massive Increase in China As GDDR6 & GDDR7 Costs Continue To Climb, & Shops Begin Stockpiling GPUs As Memory Faces Further Hikes

https://wccftech.com/nvidia-amd-gpu-prices-massive-increase-in-china-gddr6-gddr7-costs-climb-intensively/

Welcome, another Monday, to the gaming news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

Games industry analyst says Meccha Chameleon's June revenue on PC was second only to Fortnite
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/games-industry-analyst-says-meccha-chameleons-june-revenue-on-pc-was-second-only-to-fortnite/
They say money can't buy happiness, so I guess Meccha Chameleon creators lemorion_1224 and Haganeiro will have to get a yacht instead. Much has been said about the ludicrous success of the hide-and-seek game, but a recent figure from Newzoo (shared by GamesIndustry.biz) further puts things into perspective: for June revenue on PC in a handful of western countries, it came second only to Fortnite.
Newzoo analyst Mert Şahin told GamesIndustry.biz that the game's sudden and huge success "shows that lower-budget, socially driven multiplayer experiences can achieve significant commercial results." The game's low barrier to entry, both price and spec-wise, alongside all the viral popularity it experienced on social media sites like YouTube, certainly helped it along.
The full list offers the top 20 games by revenue in the US, UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy, and after Meccha Chameleon comes Counter-Strike 2, Valorant, and League of Legends. There's a list for console games as well that looks quite different, though Fortnite is the uncontested king of both rings. Other common threads include usual suspects like Minecraft and Marvel Rivals.
>> On another note, the game has been updated to fix a vulnerability that allowed malware to be installed through Steam Workshop maps (link).

Ubisoft says the Black Flag remake has exceeded 'annual expectations' in just two weeks, shortly after it laid off a number of the people who made it
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/assassins-creed/ubisoft-says-the-black-flag-remake-has-exceeded-annual-expectations-in-just-two-weeks-shortly-after-it-laid-off-a-number-of-the-people-who-made-it/
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, a game with a title that feels like it ought to have a colon or an em dash somewhere in there, is finally here and it's selling like whatever the nautical equivalent of hotcakes is. Hardtack, I guess. Not only did it sell 2 million copies in a single day, a recent financial report includes Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot saying "Two weeks in, the title has already exceeded the annual expectations we had."
"The strong launch of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced in early July by Vantage Studios is an encouraging proof point," he said. "The game is the highest-rated Assassin's Creed title since the original Black Flag, and we are very pleased with the praise it received from players … I would like to warmly thank the teams whose talent and dedication brought it to life."
>> If feels like they had low expectations for the game.

Steam has new deals and sales:

• Evil West will be 80% off until July 30: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1065310/Evil_West/
• Dino Crisis will have a 50% discount until the 3rd of August: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4249130/Dino_Crisis/
• Maneater is going to be 85% off until the 9th of August: https://store.steampowered.com/app/629820/Maneater/
• Poly Bridge will also have a 90% discount until the 9th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/367450/Poly_Bridge/
• Valfaris is another game that will be 90% off until August 9: https://store.steampowered.com/app/600130/Valfaris/
• And these are the two new sales:
  • The Room Franchise Sale features between 75 and 80% discounts and will last until Saturday: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/theroomfranchisesale2026
  • Nutaky Waifu Awards, **NSFW warning**, shows upcoming titles and has games and DLCs up to 37% off. The deals will end between the 5th and 6th of August: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/46140895/sale/NutakuWaifuGala

Humble Bundle has a couple of new deals for us:

• Animal Style Bundle has up to 9 items ( 8 games + 1 coupon( to get during 18 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/animal-style-bundle
• Idlers & Desktop Companions Bundle has up to 13 games to grab during 18 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/games/idlers-and-desktop-companions

Fanatical has two new deals:

• The new Star Deal is WARTILE , 86% off during 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/wartile
• BYO Wholesome Collection (Summer 2026) comes with 21 titles to choose from for your 3+, 5+ or 7+ game bundles, and will last 34 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-wholesome-collection

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Nothing-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Thief Gold Path Tracing RTX Remix Mod V1.0.0 Released
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/thief-gold-path-tracing-rtx-remix-mod-v1-0-0-released/
Thief fans, get ready for a treat. An RTX Remix Mod has just been released for Thief Gold, allowing you to play the entire game with real-time path tracing. So, let’s dive in.
So, what does this RTX Remix mod actually do right now? The mod uses stable-hash polygons from the game’s world data to rebuild the environment. It also uses the game’s original textures and engine lights to power the path tracer.
The mod copies the game’s original dynamic lighting data into RTX Remix every frame. This allows RTX Remix to recreate lights more accurately, including effects like flickering torches that change brightness over time.
It also keeps the original lightmap colors and brightness values. This means areas that were meant to look dark in the original game will still remain dark instead of becoming overly bright with the new ray-traced lighting.
On top of that, the HUD works correctly, and characters and objects are rebuilt every frame using the game’s live render camera. The sky has also been enhanced and is now handled by RTX Remix.
Since this is the first public version of this RTX Remix Mod, you should temper your expectations. From what I know, it does not bring any PBR materials to the game. So, while you can play the entire game with Path Tracing, it’s still not fully complete.
>> Besides what you need to install the mod and the instructions to do it, the article also has a very short video.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Just Got an Over-The-Shoulder Third-Person Camera Mode
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/baldurs-gate-3-just-got-an-over-the-shoulder-third-person-camera-mode/
Baldur’s Gate 3 fans, here is something special for you today. Modder ‘Relysia’ has released a new mod that adds an over-the-shoulder third-person camera to the game. This will completely change the way you experience this RPG. As such, I highly recommend trying it.
In this over-the-shoulder mode, the camera stays close behind the player to keep a consistent third-person view. During actions such as aiming spells, jumping, or inspecting objects, the camera briefly switches back to the standard view. As soon as the action ends, it automatically returns to the over-the-shoulder view.
The mod also includes a dynamic field of view (FOV). The camera smoothly zooms out while you run, making movement feel faster and more natural.
The camera also adjusts its height automatically when your character crouches or stands up. In addition, it changes its height to match the size of your character, helping the view feel more natural for different character heights.
Finally, according to its creator, the mod is best experienced with a controller. However, it also works great on keyboard & mouse.
All in all, this is a really cool mod that most of you should try. You can go ahead and download it from this link. At the end of the article, you can also find a video for it.

PC Gamers Can Now Play Fan Remasters of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and Return of the King
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/pc-gamers-can-now-play-fan-remasters-of-the-lord-of-the-rings-the-two-towers-and-return-of-the-king/
Many fans consider The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King to be two of the best Lord of the Rings games ever made. And now, both games have received a visual upgrade thanks to new HD texture packs. These fan-made remasters make the games look sharper while keeping the original style.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King originally launched on the PS2, Xbox, and GameCube. By today’s standards, their textures look dated. And that’s where these HD texture packs come in.
Created by modder The128ReBits, these HD texture packs enhance every texture in both games. The modder claims that these aren’t mindless “one-click” upscales. Instead, every environment, character texture, and UI element has been treated with care to ensure the result feels like a natural evolution of the original vision.
These packs are for the Nintendo GameCube versions. To use them, you’ll first need the GameCube PAL ROM files for these LOTR games. You can then download the packs from here and here.
>> The article has the instructions to install the texture packs using Dolphin as well as two videos, one for each game.

This Must-Have Palworld Mod Fixes a Lot of Stuttering Issues
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/this-must-have-palworld-mod-fixes-a-lot-of-stuttering-issues/
Modder ‘SolTeLu’ has released a must-have mod for Palworld. According to its description, this mod addresses several specific stutters in Palworld. So, if you are currently playing it, I highly recommend using it.
Going into more details, this mod fixes stutters when collecting dropped items or large amounts of mined resources. It also fixes stutters when opening and looting field treasure chests, as well as when using Aim + Sprint together (RMB + Shift). Finally, it fixes the stutters that could occur when firing weapons or hitting Pals, especially while Pals are in your party.
Do note that this mod only fixes the above stutters. It will NOT fix any other stutters, like traversal stutters. Still, by using it, you can experience a more stable and less stuttery game.
Now I know that we’ve seen similar mods for other titles that were simply placebos. However, that’s not the case here. In fact, the modder went into more details about how he was able to fix the above stutters.
According to SolTeLu, this is a UE4SS C++ mod that reduces unnecessary game updates that can cause stuttering.
>> Unfortunately, the article doesn’t have any media.

Far Cry 3 Project Medusa Will Restore Cut Content From the Alpha and Beta Versions
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/far-cry-3-project-medusa-will-restore-cut-content-from-the-alpha-and-beta-versions/
Modders Scar and MysteryGamerPL are working on a big new mod for Far Cry 3, called Project Medusa. This mod aims to restore content that was cut from the alpha and beta versions. And although there is no ETA for when it will come out, Scar has shared a trailer for it.
Far Cry 3 Project Medusa will restore the visuals, UI, vegetation, materials, textures, and enemies of the alpha and beta versions. It will also have the old player model for Jason, new weapons, various models that were cut from the final version, as well as scripts and sound effects.
>> The trailer is a bit over 1 minute long.

Modding wizard creates Grand Theft Auto multiverse that lets players travel instantly between Rockstar's first three games: 'We got inter-GTA portals before GTA 6'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/grand-theft-auto/modding-wizard-creates-grand-theft-auto-multiverse-that-lets-players-travel-instantly-between-rockstars-first-three-games-we-got-inter-gta-portals-before-gta-6/
As a series, Grand Theft Auto has spent decades cycling between the same three locations, with each variation of Liberty City, Vice City and San Andreas being more detailed than the last. But players haven't been able to explore all three locations at once since the release of the original.
Until now. A modder has done what Grand Theft Auto hasn't since 1997, creating a mod that lets players travel instantaneously between the settings of Grand Theft Auto 3, Vice City, and San Andreas. And it's all thanks to that most underutilised of game technologies—portals.
Veteran Grand Theft Auto tinkerer DryxioGTA posted a video of the mod—which is still in development and doesn't seem to have a proper name yet—on YouTube (via GamesRadar) The clip shows the player travelling between three brightly coloured portals located in San Andreas' Grove Street. Walking through each portal transports the player instantly to the relevant game and location, switching to the appropriate player character in the process.
>> I don’t know if Jizz already posted it in his news, as the project has been quite popular. If you have, my apologies. The article has the video mentioned, which is less than 2 minutes long.

Modder restores missing PS2-era visual effects to Metal Gear Solid 2, including 'a ton of things that were literally left marked as BLUEPOINT TO-DO still in the source code'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/modder-restores-missing-ps2-era-visual-effects-to-metal-gear-solid-2-including-a-ton-of-things-that-were-literally-left-marked-as-bluepoint-to-do-still-in-the-source-code/
I've said it before and, in all likelihood, will say it again several more times: one of the best things about PC gaming is that modders can come in long after a game has been set aside by its developers, and proceed to clean up all the nagging bugs and imperfections that continue to linger.
Take, for example, MGSHDFix, which sprang into existence not longer after the initial launch of the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol 1 to spruce up MGS1 and 2 (plus MG1 and 2) ports that were, at the time, lackluster. Konami's done a lot of work on the games since then, and they're in a good state, but there's always work to be done. That's why MGSHDFix 4.0.0 released over the weekend.
It's a doozy. "With MGSHDFix 4.0.0, MGS2 is effectively restored back to its original pre-HD Collection state," writes author Afevis. "All of MGS2's graphical effects that Bluepoint left unimplemented (there was a ton of things that were literally left marked as 'BLUEPOINT TO-DO' still in the source code that are still untouched to today), have been fully restored (either through the game's own rendering system, or in some cases, through modern custom D3D11 recreations.)"
While Bluepoint's 2011 HD-ifications of Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3—which are what the Master Collection versions are based on—are generally well-regarded, that doesn't mean there weren't some regressions from the original games. MGSHDFix de-regresses them. For instance, both games' depth of field rendering now actually works, and scales properly with modern resolutions.
MGS2 got most of the game-specific love here—a meaty list of PS2-era effects that were missing from the Bluepoint versions have been restored, like certain water effects, cutscene filters, motion trails, crossfade camera transitions, bloodstains on guards and more. It's a lot of stuff that you might not notice is missing, but which is certainly nice to have. And in games that have the kind of strong directorial vision that MGS does, it's sure nice to feel like you're getting the visual experience the original designers intended.
>> The article has no media.

Here Are 3 Hours of Gameplay From Left 4 Dead 2 With RTX Remix Path Tracing
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-3-hours-of-gameplay-from-left-4-dead-2-with-rtx-remix-path-tracing/
In March 2025, modder ‘xoxor4d’ released an RTX Remix Path Tracing Mod for Left 4 Dead 2. And just a couple of days ago, the modder released a new version of it. However, it appears that another modder aims to create an even better version. 
For the past two months, YouTube’s ‘GameTrek Adventures’ has been working on an RTX Remix Path Tracing Mod for Left 4 Dead 2. So far, he has manually placed all the lighting identical to the vanilla game across all 65 maps. He has also made PBR materials for over 405 textures with PBR Fusion 4.
Moreover, he has tweaked the fog, and he has added animated water and more than 100 emissive maps. Plus, he has replaced all L4D2 weapons with weapons from Modern Warfare, though this is something that he may remove.
Right now, the modder is working on adding more PBR materials for the rest of the textures. He is also remaking a bunch of models across all maps, and making the rest of emissive texture maps. Plus, the mod will be included in the official Left 4 Dead 2 RTX Steam release.
There is currently no ETA for when this new RTX Remix Mod will come out. At the end of the article, though, you can find a video featuring 3 whole hours of gameplay. In this video, we get to see the first 5 chapters.

GAMING NEWS

Here’s how you can disable Chromatic Aberration, Film Grain, and Mouse Smoothing in Halo: Campaign Evolved
https://www.dsogaming.com/articles/heres-how-you-can-disable-chromatic-aberration-film-grain-and-mouse-smoothing-in-halo-campaign-evolved/
Yesterday, Microsoft released Halo: Campaign for those who have pre-ordered its Premium Edition. And, as I’ve reported, the game appears to be running great, at least on a high-end PC system. However, it still has a few annoying issues. The good news is that there are simple workarounds for some of them.
As the title suggests, the game currently has Chromatic Aberration and Film Grain enabled by default. Sadly, there is no in-game setting to disable them. Not only that, but Mouse Smoothing is enabled. This is perhaps the only UE5 game in which I’ve seen Mouse Smoothing. So, I don’t know what the devs have been smoking.

Gears of War: E-Day Off-Camera Multiplayer Beta Footage Leaked
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/gears-of-war-e-day-off-camera-multiplayer-beta-footage-leaked/
A gameplay video from a pre-release version of Gears of War: E-Day has been leaked online. This video shows almost three minutes of gameplay from the multiplayer mode. However, this is an off-camera video, meaning that you won’t be able to appreciate it. Still, a leak is a leak, and some GoW fans may find it interesting.

The First Berserker Khazan Is the Latest Denuvo Game That Has Been Cracked
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/the-first-berserker-khazan-is-the-latest-denuvo-game-that-has-been-cracked/
The First Berserker Khazan is the latest victim of voices38, who has managed to crack its Denuvo anti-tamper protection. The game was released on PC in March 2025. From what I know, it was never cracked by EMPRESS. Thus, it took over a year to crack.

Crimson Desert Patch 1.15.00 Released & Detailed
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/crimson-desert-patch-1-15-00-released-detailed/
Pearl Abyss has released Title Update 1.15.00 for its latest action adventure game, Crimson Desert, and shared its full patch notes. So, let’s see what this new patch brings to the table.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Gets Official PC Requirements, Will Have Denuvo
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/ace-combat-8-wings-of-theve-gets-official-pc-requirements-will-have-denuvo/
Bandai Namco has revealed the official PC system requirements for Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. Moreover, the publisher has confirmed that the game will be using the Denuvo anti-tamper tech.

The second, and quite long, part of the Monday gaming news:

Minecraft Java Edition system requirements want 8/16 GB RAM for the first time, but it isn't more demanding now, Microsoft just hadn't updated the specs in a while
https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/minecraft-java-edition-system-requirements-want-8-16-gb-ram-for-the-first-time-but-it-isnt-more-demanding-now-microsoft-just-hadnt-updated-the-specs-in-a-while/
Minecraft has been out a whole 17 years now, which makes me feel very old as I played it as a teenager when it launched, using (I believe) an AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition and 9600 GT. Oh how times have changed. Now, Microsoft has updated its system requirements to 16 GB of RAM and an RTX 2060 or equivalent GPU for recommended performance in the Java version of the game.

Tomb Raider: Catalyst delayed to 2028
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/tomb-raider-catalyst-delayed-to-2028/
Bad news for anyone looking forward to playing the new Tomb Raider game Catalyst next year: It's not going to be out until the year after that.
Word of the delay came from Amazon Gaming chief Jeffrey Gattis during an interview with The Game Business. Talking about Amazon's game investment strategy, Gattis said the company is into pretty much everything, "from what we call game night games, which are those phone-as-a-controller games, which I think of as single-A games that are in the single millions of dollars to develop, all the way up to triple-A."
Then, to provide an example of how Amazon remains committed to big-time, he dropped the news: "We've announced the two Tomb Raider titles—Atlantis comes February 12th of next year and then we'll follow on in 2028 with the next one."

Warhorse trademarks 'Kingdom Come Salvation' as fans pray in unison for another open-world RPG
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/warhorse-trademarks-kingdom-come-salvation-as-fans-pray-in-unison-for-another-open-world-rpg/
Leave it to trademark filings to publicly utter the name of a new videogame before anyone else: The next Kingdom Come will almost surely be called Kingdom Come Salvation. Huzzah.

MindsEye has multiplayer and a grenade football mode now, which the handful of people still playing it will no doubt be thrilled to hear
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/mindseye-has-multiplayer-and-a-grenade-football-mode-now-which-the-handful-of-people-still-playing-it-will-no-doubt-be-thrilled-to-hear/
Despite a poor reception, weak sales, and losing publisher IO Interactive, developer Build a Rocket Boy hasn't given up on its open world shooter MindsEye. Which might be commendable, were it not for the multiple rounds of layoffs, the wild conspiracy theories emanating from its executives, and allegations from former workers that spy tech was covertly installed on their machines.
But whatever's going on in and around the studio, MindsEye itself is still receiving updates. And the most recent update adds quite a lot of stuff, though whether it's stuff everybody wants is another matter.
Described as "one of the biggest yet" by BARB in a Steam post, Update 8 brings a major new component to MindsEye—multiplayer. Specifically, it adds a team-based mode called "grenade football", in which players apparently "swap their boots for launchers and bring the firepower to the pitch."

There's only one Jedi Operator in Star Wars Zero Company, and reckless players may end up with none at all: 'Be careful that nothing unfortunate happens to her!'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/theres-only-one-jedi-operator-in-star-wars-zero-company-and-reckless-players-may-end-up-with-none-at-all-be-careful-that-nothing-unfortunate-happens-to-her/
Jedi are a key ingredient in most Star Wars adventures, but a little bit of a Jedi also goes a long way. Put too many Jedi in your Star War and you end up with an Attack of the Clones or a post-New Game Enhancements Star Wars: Galaxies—the magic and mysticism of those berobed space wizards drowned in a sea of lightsabers.
With its upcoming tactics game Star Wars Zero Company, developer Bit Reactor appears to understand this well. According to a recent AMA hosted by the studio, there will only be one Jedi Operator in the entire game. What's more, if you act cavalier with them, you may end up with none whatsoever.

A crossover between Dungeons & Dragons and World of Warcraft has leaked
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/world-of-warcraft/a-crossover-between-dungeons-and-dragons-and-world-of-warcraft-has-leaked/
This year's Gen Con event is one Wizards of the Coast has said it's "pulling out all the stops for", with a keynote to be hosted by Theo Solomon (who played Wyll in Baldur's Gate 3) including a bunch of announcements about what's coming up for Dungeons & Dragons. One release seems to have been leaked early: a crossover with World of Warcraft.

A classic Giger-inspired adventure game just got a sequel
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/adventure/a-classic-giger-inspired-adventure-game-just-got-a-sequel/
H. R. Giger's biomechanical nightmares have inspired plenty of videogames. If we go way back, his work was repurposed for baffling puzzle adventure Dark Seed, and more recently there was the fleshy horror of Scorn. Tormentum: Dark Sorrow was more in the vein of the former than the latter, a point-and-click adventure that took Giger's stylings (and those of Zdzisław Beksiński too) as inspiration for its hand-painted horrors.
A full 11 years after its release, and after eight years of development, Tormentum finally has a sequel. Tormentum 2 is a standalone game though, just one in a similar style, which is to say that it's full of bones and alien faces and naked people who are embedded in walls.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's beta will have low-SBMM playlists, as Activision continues to 'learn a lot about multiplayer matchmaking'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/call-of-duty/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-4s-beta-will-have-low-sbmm-playlists-as-activision-continues-to-learn-a-lot-about-multiplayer-matchmaking/
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was not the series' finest hour, but one aspect of the sequel that has gone down well with players is its experiments with matchmaking. For years, players have complained about the effects of skill-based matchmaking (SBMM), which is intended to level the playing field by sorting players into groups of similar skill. But some players claim that SBMM can outright flatten the experience, neutering much of the fun and unpredictability of arena shooting.
Until recently, Activision had tried to convince players of the merits of SBMM. But last year saw a change in attitude from the publisher. For Black Ops 7's multiplayer, it introduced an "open moshpit" playlist alongside its standard match allocator, wherein skill consideration was "drastically reduced in matchmaking".
It appears this option has gone down well with CoD players, as Activision has said it plans to carry low-SBMM playlists forward into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. This was revealed in a post on Call of Duty's official X account, where it explained its broader plans for multiplayer matchmaking going forward.

Helldivers 2 is giving players a free car in October, except for those who already earned it in June
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/helldivers-2-is-giving-players-a-free-car-in-october-except-for-those-who-already-earned-it-in-june/
One aspect of Helldivers 2 I've repeatedly lamented is how many of its new toys are locked away inside Warbonds, with too few new weapons, equipment and stratagems unlockable through regular play. Hence, it's worth giving Arrowhead credit when they do let you unlock a new toy through spending requisition slips and nothing else. Such is the case with the M-103 Supply FRV, which will become available for all Helldivers to unlock in October.

It's taken 13 years, but Final Fantasy 14 has finally broken the Sephiroth-shaped emergency glass
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/final-fantasy/its-taken-13-years-but-final-fantasy-14-has-finally-broken-the-sephiroth-shaped-emergency-glass/
Final Fantasy is very much a theme park for the series. It regularly references other games or weaves their themes into the very fabric of Eorzea and beyond. Occasionally, it straight-up implants entire characters or plots.
Despite all that, it's done surprisingly very little with the series' golden goose: Final Fantasy 7. Sure, there's the Gold Saucer. And materia melding. And Cloud's Advent Children fit. And the Fenrir motorcycle. But as for actual characters or dipping into the game's world? There's not all that much to be found.
Until now, that is. Director and producer Naoki Yoshida took to the stage at Berlin's Final Fantasy 14 Fan Festival this weekend to reveal that upcoming expansion Evercold is dedicating its eight-player raid series to Cloud and the gang.
>> More FF XIV articles: 1- There’s a new class: “a Viking with two shields, laser cannons, and Wolverine claws” (link); 2- Yoshi-P doesn't get the deal with Chort (a mini boss) (link); and 3- they’re planning 2 major overhauls to its housing system to catch up with World of Warcraft (link).

Capcom wants to release a Resident Evil every year and sees remakes as the way to make it happen
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/resident-evil/capcom-wants-to-release-a-resident-evil-every-year-and-sees-remakes-as-the-way-to-make-it-happen/
As part of an interview in the latest issue of GameInformer (spotted via GamesRadar), Capcom producer Masachika Kawata outlined the resurgent Japanese publisher's approach to Resident Evil: Quality and quantity, with remakes bolstering the process and helping fund the development of more adventurous projects.
According to Kawata, Capcom would like Resident Evil to be a fully annual franchise, but "producing a new entry in the Resident Evil series every year would be quite an undertaking and a difficult task." That's where the remakes come in.
>> This move never ends well.

One of the best shooters around just got a barely recognizable second episode, and it's only $12
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/one-of-the-best-shooters-around-just-got-a-barely-recognizable-second-episode-and-its-only-usd12/
New Blood's comic book golden age noir detective immersive sim shooter, Fallen Aces, just got a beefy new update: Its second episode, Shadow of Death, is playable right now, while the usually $15 game is on sale for $12 until August 8.
>> The link in the article is for the trailer. The link to the game is this one (link).

If you miss the straightforward action RPGs of the past, try the generous demo for Darkstone Restoration
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/if-you-miss-the-straightforward-action-rpgs-of-the-past-try-the-generous-demo-for-darkstone-restoration/
Before action RPGs relied on seasonal ladders and DLC treadmills there was Darkstone, a 1999 hack and slash where you clicked on things until they died and liked it. It had some interesting ideas, like the companion mode that lets you switch between two player-characters, the other controlled by the CPU while you took the lead, but it remained true to the basics of a genre I got into precisely because it was basic.
Now it's back, with a remaster in early access that improves the UI and controls (you can move characters with WASD now, or play with a controller), and the graphics (though I had to turn off volumetric fog and procedural grass for the sake of my poor framerate).
It's got a demo too, which lets you make characters from any of its eight classes and explore the early-game dungeons, letting you play three of its quests, which are selected at random each time you start a new game.

Stalker 2's engine upgrade and first story expansion are due out in August
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/stalker-2s-engine-upgrade-and-first-story-expansion-are-due-out-in-august/
The week I spent in Chornobyl in Stalker 2's pre-release review period is a demented blur in my memory at this point. I remember: gunfire randomly muting itself, multiple main quests that failed to progress until I ran about two kilometres away from them, bloodsuckers that required approximately 46,000 rounds to kill, and enemy corpses becoming nightmarish, distended and levitating things.
Despite it all, I loved it. Stalker 2 had the bones of something beautiful, just as soon as GSC could get around to, you know, finishing making it.
If that time hasn't arrived, I think it's fast-approaching. On August 20, almost two years after the base game's release, Stalker 2 will get its first expansion, Cost of Hope.

And here’s the third, and final, part of the gaming news:

Bethesda says layoffs haven't affected 'the roadmap' for The Elder Scrolls 6, it hasn't forgotten Oblivion Remastered, and it's not telling you this because Asha Sharma forced it to
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-elder-scrolls/bethesda-says-layoffs-havent-affected-the-roadmap-for-the-elder-scrolls-6-it-hasnt-forgotten-oblivion-remastered-and-its-not-telling-you-this-because-asha-sharma-forced-it-to/

Saudi Arabia's takeover of EA gets approval from European Commission
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/saudi-arabias-takeover-of-ea-gets-approval-from-european-commission/

Even Japan's patent officials seem exhausted with Nintendo's antics as they refuse its 'absurd' defense of a rejected Pokémon patent
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/even-japans-patent-officials-seem-exhausted-with-nintendos-antics-as-they-refuse-its-absurd-defense-of-a-rejected-pokemon-patent/

Silent Hill f producer says its writers were pushed 'to read at least 100 to 200 books a year'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/silent-hill-f-producer-says-its-writers-were-pushed-to-read-at-least-100-to-200-books-a-year/

Larian once again reminds us it's 'not involved in any BG3-related projects' in response to Karlach comic reveal
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/baldurs-gate/larian-once-again-reminds-us-its-not-involved-in-any-bg3-related-projects-in-response-to-karlach-comic-reveal/

Rockstar co-founder says 'I don't know if I personally care' if games release on disc, adds 'I love physical media'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/grand-theft-auto/rockstar-co-founder-says-i-dont-know-if-i-personally-care-if-games-release-on-disc-adds-i-love-physical-media/

https://videocardz.com/newz/microsofts-950-surface-laptop-with-8gb-ram-freezes-during-basic-multitasking

8GB only works well enough on Mac and Chromebooks. Anyone needing Windows should try and find at least 24GB.