GPU prices are out of control. Even Newegg is stocking Aorus cards up to 90% over MSRP; batshit crazy times.

I used to be pretty excited to read the hardware news in the past. These days, it's soooo depressing

Yeah. The fact that we're having PCB shortages is just nuts. What the F is going on?

But some are very happy anout the whole thing:

Samsung Continues DRAM Market Share Lead, Micron Is Catching Up, Notes Report
https://www.techpowerup.com/351380/samsung-continues-dram-market-share-lead-micron-is-catching-up-notes-report

Reading the article, it looks like Samsung and Micron's marketshare is growing, but SKNynix has gone from 39% to 26%. And well, now there's CXMT in the picture.

I would say it crossed the line of dumb on the way over shocking to downright hilarious 

Finally I completed my car collection and the LINK skills in Forza Horizon 6!

GeForce RTX 2080 Ti pre-modded cards sell for $499

https://videocardz.com/newz/geforce-rtx-2080-ti-pre-modded-cards-sell-for-499

ASUS preparing seven new OLED gaming monitors, including 4K 360Hz and FHD 560Hz models

https://videocardz.com/newz/asus-preparing-seven-new-oled-gaming-monitors-including-4k-360hz-and-fhd-560hz-models

Steam Deck user brings physical games back with floppy disks, sort of

https://videocardz.com/newz/steam-deck-user-brings-physical-games-back-with-floppy-disks-sort-of

Japanese retailer warns RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080 restocks are unstable, tells buyers to hurry

https://videocardz.com/newz/japanese-retailer-warns-rtx-5070-ti-and-rtx-5080-restocks-are-unstable-tells-buyers-to-hurry

NVIDIA CMP 170HX 8/10 GB Prices Explode From $100 to Over $1,000 Overnight After Tool Unlocks Hidden 64/80GB VRAM

https://wccftech.com/nvidia-cmp-170hx-8-10-gb-prices-explode-over-1000-usd-as-tool-unlocks-hidden-64-80gb-vram/

AMD Snaps Up Taalas Weeks After Cerebras Deal, Chasing Chips That Bake AI Models Into Silicon

https://wccftech.com/amd-snaps-up-taalas-weeks-after-cerebras-deal-chasing-chips-that-bake-ai-models-into-silicon/

RTX 5090 Owner Built An Open-Source Tool That Shuts Down PC If It Detects The 12VHPWR Cable Drawing Too Much Power, But It Can Only Work On Specific GPUs

https://wccftech.com/rtx-5090-owner-builds-open-source-tool-prevent-12vhpwr-connector-melting/

Arctic reduces PC hardware prices after US tariff refunds, while also investing in community initiatives

https://www.tweaktown.com/news/113019/arctic-reduces-pc-hardware-prices-after-us-tariff-refunds-while-also-investing-in-community-initiatives/index.html

Let’s go with the Friday gaming news:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

The Humble Store has two new sales:

• Survive the Summer Sale features games with up to 90% discounts and will last 6 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/survive-the-summer/
• Capcom Fire Deals will have games up to 88% off during 27 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/capcom-fire-deals/

Fanatical has four new deals:

• These are the new 24h Flash Deals:
  • Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Premium Edition is 57% off: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/indiana-jones-and-the-great-circle-premium-edition
  • SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS Digital Deluxe Edition has a 74% discount: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/sonic-x-shadow-generations-digital-deluxe-edition
  • Darksiders Blades & Whip Franchise Pack , with the three mainline Darksiders games, is 88% off: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/darksiders-blades-and-whip-franchise-pack
• And the BYO Fanatical Favorites Bundle (Summer 2026) features 20 titles for your 2+, 3+ or 5+ game bundles, It will last 34 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/fanatical-favorites-build-your-own-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Nothing today-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

New Halo: Campaign Evolved Mods Add Dynamic Time of Day & Dynamic Point Lights That Cast Real Shadows
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/new-halo-campaign-evolved-mods-add-dynamic-time-of-day-dynamic-point-lights-that-cast-real-shadows/
Two new cool mods have been released for Halo: Campaign Evolved, aiming to further enhance its visual quality. The first mod adds a full dynamic time-of-day system, and the second adds dynamic point lights that cast real shadows.
Let’s start with the first mod. Created by ‘LewdSCP1471’, this mod makes every level have a dynamic day and night cycle. Players are also able to adjust the sky brightness, giving every level a very different feel as time progresses naturally.
To use it, you will need US4SS. Once installed, you can increase or decrease the speed at which time changes via the UE4SS external console.
TrueLight Shadows replaces non-shadowing Niagara simple lights from muzzle flashes, plasma projectiles, energy swords, shields, and other combat effects with dynamic point lights that cast real shadows.
TrueLight Shadows detects supported Niagara effects and replaces their simple lights with dynamic point lights. The new lights match the color, brightness, size, and other settings of the original Niagara effects. They also move and update in real time as the effects play. When supported by Unreal Engine, the mod enables dynamic shadows and uses the MegaLights rendering system. This makes lighting look more natural and realistic.
>> The article has a less than 1 minute video of the first mod.

New Glorious Screenshots for Need for Speed: Carbon RTX Remix Path Tracing
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/new-glorious-screenshots-for-need-for-speed-carbon-rtx-remix-path-tracing/
Modder ‘galagandaniloff’ released some new glorious screenshots for the new version of his RTX Remix Path Tracing Mod for Need for Speed: Carbon. These screenshots will give you a glimpse of what V0.3 aims to achieve. So, if you are an NFS fan, you should definitely check them out.
What’s interesting here is that this is the second RTX Remix Mod for Need for Speed: Carbon. In February 2026, we shared the RTX Remix Mod for this game, created by modder ‘xoxor4d’. However, that version has not received any new updates since then. So, this upcoming version from galagandaniloff may be the best way to re-experience NFS: Carbon.
Sadly, there is no ETA for when Version 0.3 will come out. However, you can go ahead and try its previous version. Alternatively, you can download and use the mod from xoxor4d.

This Doom II Remake for Doom 3 Is a Cool Way to Celebrate QuakeCon 2026
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/this-doom-ii-remake-for-doom-3-is-a-cool-way-to-celebrate-quakecon-2026/
Doom 2 for Doom 3 Remake is a project that aims to bring all maps from Doom 2 to the Doom 3 Engine. This project started in 2010, and last month, a new unofficial version of it was released. And with QuakeCon 2026 now underway, this is a fun way to celebrate it and revisit one of the greatest classic shooters.
In total, the mod appears to have 10 maps. From what I’ve heard, though, only the first three to four maps are fully playable. Later levels have glitches and visual issues. So, consider this a demo or a beta. It will not allow you to play the entirety of Doom 2 in Doom 3.
As a concept, this is really cool. At least for something that has been in development for over 10 years. Doom II for Doom 3 feels like a perfect mix between Doom 2 and Doom 3. The mod has the levels, music, and sound effects of Doom 2 with Doom 3’s aesthetics.
If you are not a Doom 3 fan, this project may not feel special. However, for everyone who loved Doom 3, this is something they will find cool to play.
Frankly, I don’t expect this project to ever be complete. While it has been receiving some unofficial updates, it has not received any major official update. So, I believe it will remain a cool concept project, and nothing more. Or at least that’s my take on it.
>> The article has three videos.

Canceled Quake 4 Expansion The Awakening Released by Fan
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/canceled-quake-4-expansion-the-awakening-released-by-fan/
In May 2026, we shared a video showcasing 10 minutes of gameplay from the canceled expansion of Quake 4, The Awakening. And, surprisingly enough, a fan got access to an alpha version of it and decided to release it.
This isn’t an out of date April’s Fools’ joke. This is the real deal. Apparently, the expansion was on a hard drive on a vintage PC computer that jmarshall23 bought off Amazon. It sounds crazy, but I’ve downloaded it, and yes, this is the alpha version of The Awakening.
I strongly suggest downloading it while it’s still available. You can go ahead and get it from here. Since it contains copyrighted material, I won’t be surprised if it is taken down in a matter of hours. Especially if the story goes viral. So, waste no time and download it while you still can.
In case Bethesda takes it down, I’ve included below a gameplay video for it. This video contains the first three missions, where you can watch two new weapons in action and two new Strogg enemies.
>> The link is to Github and it was still available while I was doing the gaming news.

GAMING NEWS

Quake Dawn of the Machine Is a Free Expansion, Available Now
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/quake-dawn-of-the-machine-is-a-free-expansion-available-now/
Now here is a pleasant surprise. MachineGames and id Software have released a new free expansion for Quake, called Dawn of the Machine. Dawn of the Machine is a brutal new episode building on id Software’s and MachineGames’ acclaimed work on Dimension of the Machine and Dimensions of the Past.

Alien Resurrection, Doom 3, and System Shock 2 Inspired FPS, DERELIKT, Gets New Gameplay Trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/alien-resurrection-doom-3-and-system-shock-2-inspired-fps-derelikt-gets-new-gameplay-trailer/
Visuwyg and Hyperstrange have released a new gameplay trailer for DERELIKT, a story-driven retro FPS inspired by PS1-era sci-fi horror. So, if you are a fan of these games, you should definitely check it out.

The gaming news, part two:

New Kingdom Come trademark filings mention 'online' virtual worlds—but we shouldn't assume Warhorse is making a multiplayer game just yet
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/new-kingdom-come-trademark-filings-mention-online-virtual-worlds-but-we-shouldnt-assume-warhorse-is-making-a-multiplayer-game-just-yet/
Last month, we covered Warhorse Studios' European trademark filings for Kingdom Come Salvation, which provided an early indication of what title we can expect for the third "Kingdom Come adventure" that Warhorse announced was in the works in May. Beyond the name, the filing featured tantalizing language about "services for matching users with computer games," leading to speculation that the next Kingdom Come could include online functionality.
This week, additional Kingdom Come Salvation trademark filings have emerged in the US (via Phrasemaker), containing expanded language about online services. But while it's tempting to read the trademark classification as a promise that there's jolly medieval Bohemian camaraderie in our future, we checked with a videogame IP expert who said we shouldn't get our hopes up.

Ghost Recon marks 25 years with a major update and free new missions for Wildlands, and a Ghost Recon: Future Soldier giveaway
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/ghost-recon-marks-25-years-with-a-major-update-and-free-new-missions-for-wildlands-and-a-ghost-recon-future-soldier-giveaway/
November 13 will mark the 25th anniversary of Ubisoft's Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, but Ubisoft is getting the celebration ball rolling a little early with a major update to Ghost Recon Wildlands featuring major visual and gameplay enhancements, and an all-new mission "set in a darker, more oppressive Bolivia."
(...)
Anyway, with the 25th anniversary more or less upon us, Wildlands is being updated on both PC and current-gen consoles for "smoother combat, improved distance rendering, enhanced lighting and shadows, and a sharper image targeting 4K resolution."
(...)
In any event, this isn't the only Ghost Recon freebie in the pipe. Wildlands and Breakpoint are both free to play for the weekend on Ubisoft Connect, and on sale for 95% off on Steam—that's $2.49 for Wildlands and $3 for Breakpoint, which are both really good deals. You can also snag the classic Ghost Recon: Future Soldier for free until August 13.
>> The article has links to UbiConnect but, because they’re broken in my browser, I haven’t shared them with you.

Devolver Digital wants to get off the stock market, because 'the ongoing challenge of delivering growth in line with market expectations' just isn't worth the headaches
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/devolver-digital-wants-to-get-off-the-stock-market-because-the-ongoing-challenge-of-delivering-growth-in-line-with-market-expectations-just-isnt-worth-the-headaches/
Five years after going public on the London Stock Exchange, indie publisher Devolver Digital wants to go back to being a private company. In a message posted on the company's website, Devolver's board of directors delivered a frank assessment of the company's current state, saying they believe it is undervalued—in large part because of inherent incompatibilities between the videogame industry and the stock market.
>> I hope it goes well for them.

Diablo 4's newest class barely made a splash with Lord of Hatred, but it's shaping up to be king of the next season
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/diablo-4s-newest-class-barely-made-a-splash-with-lord-of-hatred-but-its-shaping-up-to-be-king-of-the-next-season/
Nobody is particularly surprised anymore when the newest hero or class added to a game ends up being its strongest by far. You can't really be the new flavor of the month without some extra sauce. But sometimes developers don't get the balance right and the new toy gets left on the shelf for other, more exciting options.
This is basically what happened when warlocks debuted in Diablo 4 alongside the release of its Lord of Hatred expansion earlier this year. Despite being a marquee feature of the expansion, warlocks were criminally underpowered compared to the rest of the roster. Other classes–with their newly juiced up skill trees—could smash their way through the game while warlocks were left to limp along in their wake.
(...)
Blizzard will be giving warlocks another chance next season. According to people like creator MacroBioBoi, the fussy skills are fixed and the buffs are huge. On the PTR, warlocks are capable of clearing out the hardest dungeon tier in the game even using severely unoptimized gear. In the current season, this was only really possible by exploiting bugs.

WoW's changing how world bosses work because they've 'really been a little bit lackluster' in recent years, says dev
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/world-of-warcraft/wows-changing-how-world-bosses-work-because-theyve-really-been-a-little-bit-lackluster-in-recent-years-says-dev/
World bosses have been a part of the World of Warcraft player's diet since classic—in case you haven't played the game, what separates a world boss from any other raid encounter is the fact that it's (self-explanatorily) out in the world, something you need to party up to defeat without going into a cave somewhere.
That's changing with WoW's next patch, Curse of Ula'tek, as world bosses are shifting to a "lair" format. Essentially, they'll function like one-boss delves with larger groups—that also gives them the benefit of having scaling difficulties, all the way up to 15-25 man Mythic. You can queue up for them like you would any other dungeon.

And here's the last part:

John Romero says id Software once sold empty Doom boxes to Taiwanese pirates so fans there could have legit copies: 'For us, it was distribution'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/john-romero-says-id-software-once-sold-empty-doom-boxes-to-taiwanese-pirates-so-fans-there-could-have-legit-copies-for-us-it-was-distribution/

Capcom says it wants Monster Hunter Wilds to outsell World 'over the medium to long term,' but it'll need to muster a lot of sales momentum to get there
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/capcom-says-it-wants-monster-hunter-wilds-to-outsell-world-over-the-medium-to-long-term-but-itll-need-to-muster-a-lot-of-sales-momentum-to-get-there/

And now, the weekend deals at Steam, because GOG doesn’t want to give me extra work today (they’ll save that for Monday, those b*stards):

+Steam

• The House of Da Vinci 2 is going to be 85% off until the 17th of August: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1259840/The_House_of_Da_Vinci_2/
• Deconstruction Simulator has a demo and a 40% discount that will last until August 20: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2487150/Deconstruction_Simulator/
• And these are the four new sales/events:
  • NSFW Hot Summer Festival 2026 also has upcoming releases, demos and games up to 70% off. Most deals will end on August 10, but some will last longer than that: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/46164069/sale/TheNSFWHotSummerFestival2026
  • BIC Festival 2026 features upcoming titles, demos and games up to 90% off. The length of the deals vary from the 10th to the 20th (from what I’ve seen): https://store.steampowered.com/sale/BICFestival2026
  • Wholesome Games Celebration 2026 also has upcoming titles, demos and games on sale with up to 75% discounts that will end between the 13th and the 20th: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/wholesomegames
  • Tiny Teams Festival 2026 has, yet again, some upcoming games, demos and titles on sale with up to 90% discounts. The dealswill end between the 13ht and the 20th: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/TinyTeams2026

And that’s it. Until the next time, I wish you a happy and gaming weekend.

Congratulations!

Artic AIO coolers are among the best, if no the best, yet they cost far less than those from competing brands, and while their fans aren't the best, it's hard to find ones that are better bang for buck than their P12. And now they do this.

Artic is a really cool brand (pun intended and yes, also lame).