Monday gaming news, part two:

As Wardogs blows past 200k Steam concurrents, its developers are prepared for the day 'hype dies down'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/as-wardogs-blows-past-200k-steam-concurrents-its-developers-are-prepared-for-the-day-hype-dies-down/
The way our hobby talks about player counts is all sorts of messed up. Steam concurrents are a useful metric for gauging a game's general popularity, but they paint an incomplete picture. They're a single data point, yet have become the flimsy scaffolding on which the internet builds elaborate headcanon about a game's quality, viability, or deadness. Sometimes dogpiling is so successful, and the resulting perception so difficult to fight, that simply saying a game is dead is enough to help kill it.
It's a trend that annoys me to no end, so it's refreshing to see a developer speaking openly about concurrents—both about how many it considers "healthy," and why it's normal for the number to rise and fall. It's been a recurring topic for Wardogs developer Bulkhead, whose closed beta surpassed 200,000 concurrents today on Steam. Responding to a TimTheTatman clip on X, CEO Joe Brammer spoke on the milsim's unexpected popularity, and its inevitable (but healthy) decline.
"Wardogs will continue to lose players for months as the hype dies down," Brammer wrote. "Doesn't make it a bad game or even a problem, we planned for 5k players concurrent! It'll maintain a healthy playerbase and we'll continue to build the 1.0 version of the game then... it'll boom again :) And so the cycle continues :)"
>> Sounds very sensible to me.

This free lockpicking puzzler you can play in your browser is unexpectedly one of the most thrilling games I've encountered this year
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/puzzle/this-free-lockpicking-puzzler-you-can-play-in-your-browser-is-unexpectedly-one-of-the-most-thrilling-games-ive-encountered-this-year/
I love lockpicking minigames, especially when representatively they're as far away from the act of lockpicking as possible. While I admire the elegance of Bethesda's bobby-pin/screwdriver system seen in Fallout 4, I'm much more interested in the weirder solutions like Splinter Cell's baffling pin-flicking system, or Gothic Remake's absurdly elaborate sliding puzzle system.
I love how developers have tried so many ways to represent the act of lockpicking, and that despite this nobody has 'solved' the problem of virtual lockpicking yet (though Bethesda has arguably come closest). Inevitably, then, I was drawn to the idea of a game that is all about lockpicking. But I never expected that it could be as imaginative and thrilling as Lockpicks-11.

Peak studio Aggro Crab is publishing a sick-looking platformer about a blue collar guy doing dirty work on an alien world
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/peak-studio-aggro-crab-is-publishing-a-sick-looking-platformer-about-a-blue-collar-guy-doing-dirty-work-on-an-alien-world/
At the Game Developers Conference earlier this year, Aggro Crab developer Nick Kaman told me that he thinks there's a lot of meat left on the bone when it comes to co-op "friendslop" games, and that he wants to keep working in the space. Aggro Crab is still down to zig and not zag, though, and will be publishing and supporting a very different sort of game, the upcoming platformer Rebounder.

Civilization 7 will finally enter the atomic age in 2027, via a free update Firaxis says will be 'even bigger in scope' than last year's Test of Time
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/civilization-7-will-finally-enter-the-atomic-age-in-2027-via-a-free-update-firaxis-says-will-be-even-bigger-in-scope-than-last-years-test-of-time/
Despite more than a year of updates and at least one massive overhaul, Civilization 7 remains as stubbornly divisive as ever. May's enormous Test of Time update brought significant mechanical reworks and a fresh influx of players to Firaxis' latest entry in the 4X series. But with Steam reviews still sitting at 'Mixed', with 51% positive, it ultimately did little to shift player opinion.
This is partly because numerous aspects of Civ 7 are still rudimentary compared to previous games, including the ability to wage nuclear war. While Firaxis' latest allows players to drop atom bombs on their enemies via World War 2 bombers, its final, modern age ends in 1950, meaning many advanced technologies, including nuclear submarines and ICBMs, are not featured in the game.
Fortunately, this is going to change. Alongside the release of update 1.5.0—which adds features like improved resource generation and an Earth map where your faction starts at their historically-accurate location—Firaxis outlined its update plans for Civ 7 over the next year. This includes another free update that will finally drag the game into the age of the A-bomb.

Here's 10 more minutes of the most interesting game shown at this year's Opening Night Live
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/heres-10-more-minutes-of-the-most-interesting-game-shown-at-this-years-opening-night-live/
I was largely nonplussed by Gamescom's Opening Night Live, particularly its relentless barrage of identikit fantasy action games that I struggled to tell apart. But one game stood out like a rat-powered computer in an elven glade, and that was Ontos, Frictional Games' latest horror adventure/existential crisis generator.
The Gamescom trailer was a barrage of unsettling, distinctive imagery, from rodent server-racks to slack-jawed dudes with electrodes protruding from their heads. I was instantly intrigued and keen to learn more, so I was delighted to discover that Frictional graced us with a longer look at Ontos in action.

Blending Deus Ex with Escape from Butcher Bay, Deficit is one of the best-feeling indie immersive sims I've played—even if the stealth system needs serious work
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/blending-deus-ex-with-escape-from-butcher-bay-deficit-is-one-of-the-best-feeling-indie-immersive-sims-ive-played-even-if-the-stealth-system-needs-serious-work/
Immersive sims like Deus Ex and Dishonored are among the hardest kinds of games to make, so I always try to be supportive when an indie developer takes on the absurd challenge of creating one. Yet while there have been some good examples in recent years like Skin Deep and New Blood's early access Thief-like Gloomwood, a lot of the experiments in indie imsim design have been simply too janky for me to enjoy.
Part of the problem is I'm a highly tactile player, and my primary concern when playing any game is whether it feels good beneath the fingers. If a game falls at that initial hurdle, then it's likely (though not inevitable) that I'll drop it pretty quickly. Fortunately, I had the opposite experience with Deficit, an indie imsim with such a strong sense of physicality that I kept playing the demo despite some clear issues.

The Halloween game has a sex minigame in it, except no it doesn't, because it was apparently removed
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/horror/the-halloween-game-has-a-sex-minigame-in-it-except-no-it-doesnt-because-it-was-apparently-removed/
If you've seen any slasher flick, you know the drill: every youth is horny, and the horny must die. Despite Halloween not being quite as trope-riddled as some of its stabbiest contemporaries, its recent asymmetrical PvP adaptation did include a minigame where two players could slip into a closet and bang each other for buffs—but after only a few days in a deluxe edition-exclusive early access, the feature has reportedly been removed.

GSC Game World says there's a reason it didn't give Stalker 2 more time in the oven: 'To make something better, you need to receive feedback, and this feedback should be fresh'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/gsc-game-world-says-theres-a-reason-it-didnt-give-stalker-2-more-time-in-the-oven-to-make-something-better-you-need-to-receive-feedback-and-this-feedback-should-be-fresh/
Like a lot of survival games, Stalker 2 had a long journey from janky larva to playable, easily recommended butterfly. It's tempting to say that these games ought to just stay under wraps until they're done and relatively bug-free—but at Gamescom 2026, GSC Game World CEO and head of game direction Ievgen Grygorovych told PC Gamer's Joshua Wolens that deciding when to release is a more complex consideration than you might think.
As for why the studio didn't just wait to release the game until it was in the state it is now, Grygorovych cited both creative and financial reasons. "To make something better, you need to receive feedback, and this feedback should be fresh. From a business perspective, it's also impossible, because it's very expensive to do two years of additional work … in most cases, it's unrealistic."
>> You’ve heard it, guys. Playtesting your game is now impossible and very expensive.

Riot co-founder doesn't think 2XKO was 'a mistake' but perhaps a tough sell: 'You're not just competing against games, you're competing against everything'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fighting/riot-co-founder-doesnt-think-2xko-was-a-mistake-but-perhaps-a-tough-sell-youre-not-just-competing-against-games-youre-competing-against-everything/
After years of development, a shaky launch, and layoffs a mere three weeks later, the inevitable came for Riot's tag fighter 2XKO in August: shutdown of future development after this year, and refunds for everyone who had made in-game purchases up to that point.
In its announcement post, Riot admitted that it was unable to find the momentum to keep 2XKO sustainable, a sentiment that co-founder Marc Merrill echoed during a panel at PAX West this weekend. When asked about mistakes the developer has made over the years—while tangentially mentioning the tag fighter—Merill responded: "Well first of all, I wouldn't characterise 2XKO as a mistake."

And here’s the third part of the gaming news:

After a massive 2021 office expansion, Bungie is now trying to sublease its 211,000 square foot headquarters
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/after-a-massive-2021-office-expansion-bungie-is-now-trying-to-sublease-its-211-000-square-foot-headquarters/
>> That was before Sony bought Bungie in 2022.

Left 4 Dead 2 writer says Valve intentionally 'leaked' its cinematic trailer to get around ESRB rules: 'I think we can't get trouble for that now'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/left-4-dead-2-writer-says-valve-intentionally-leaked-its-cinematic-trailer-to-get-around-esrb-rules-i-think-we-cant-get-trouble-for-that-now/

Kingdom Come: Deliverance director says DLSS 5 does right by KCD 2, 'people are crazy' for thinking it's AI slop
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/kingdom-come-deliverance-director-says-dlss-5-does-right-by-kcd-2-people-are-crazy-for-thinking-its-ai-slop/

Saber CCO Tim Willits blames layoffs on games industry overspecialization: 'Studios that have a couple hundred employees that work on one game are going to struggle'
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/saber-cco-tim-willits-blames-layoffs-on-games-industry-overspecialization-studios-that-have-a-couple-hundred-employees-that-work-on-one-game-are-going-to-struggle/
>> He had more things to say in a PCGamer interview not linked in the article: 1-They’re not changing the “comms strategy” even after the Rideshare Stimulator controversy (link); 2- He’s still bullish about the use of AI, even if he’s worried about the environmental impact (link); 3- and despite that, he said in another IGN interview that there’ll be no generative AI in Space Marines 3 (link).

8-year Old School RuneScape saga comes to a close with former dev sentenced for stealing $400K in gold and items from players
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/8-year-old-school-runescape-saga-comes-to-a-close-with-former-dev-sentenced-for-stealing-usd400k-in-gold-and-items-from-players/

Dwarf Fortress co-creator Tarn Adams was amazed other devs had heard of his game the first time he went to a convention: 'I didn't know that anyone knew what we were doing'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/dwarf-fortress-co-creator-tarn-adams-was-amazed-other-devs-had-heard-of-his-game-the-first-time-he-went-to-a-convention-i-didnt-know-that-anyone-knew-what-we-were-doing/

Ex-BioWare designer says doom and gloom about the next Mass Effect is overstated: 'I think that they can do it'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/ex-bioware-designer-says-doom-and-gloom-about-the-next-mass-effect-is-overstated-i-think-that-they-can-do-it/

The Tetris Company confirms it had nothing to do with the White House's racist rip-off: 'we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them'
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/the-tetris-company-confirms-it-had-nothing-to-do-with-the-white-houses-racist-rip-off-we-believe-in-the-power-of-connection-and-bringing-people-together-not-dividing-them/

Square Enix wants Final Fantasy 7 to be an 'IP with an ever-evolving future', which is strange to say about a franchise that's already ever-evolving
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/final-fantasy/square-enix-wants-final-fantasy-7-to-be-an-ip-with-an-ever-evolving-future-which-is-strange-to-say-about-a-franchise-thats-already-ever-evolving/
>> Isn’t it already a multiple-game franchise inside the FF franchise?

They could have used the 9070 to add a bit of variety while get similar results and show a card that was cheaper on both Australia and the US.

My precious and overpriced rig finally crapped out Friday night. Took all weekend to fix. I ended up in a crash loop that nothing would fix. Fortunately the culprit wasn't something REALLY expensive like my GPU, SSD's, or RAM; just my CPU (what a sign of the times...). Unfortunately all those crashes ended up corrupting my main drive beyond recognition. Fortunately I didn't keep much irreplaceable data on there (mostly redownloadable programs and games) and what data was there I was able to move over to my other drives. Ended up upgrading to a 5800X3D (not worth changing the socket for anything newer). Reinstalling Windows was way more fucking hassle than it had any right to be, though. MS's own Media Creation Tool kept failing. Had to use a third party tool (Rufus) to finally get it done. Even then my system must have restarted a dozen times before I reached the desktop and a dozen more to finish the rest of the updates. I don't remember it being this bad when I 'upgraded' from W10 some years ago. Fuck MS and fuck Windows. Can't wait for Linux to become a fully viable replacement. Whole three day weekend gone but I'm finally back and hopefully better than before with a new CPU and clean install. 

*exhales* 

Arm proposes DLSS 5-like neural graphics for mobile GPUs with frame generation and ray reconstruction

https://videocardz.com/newz/arm-proposes-dlss-5-like-neural-graphics-for-mobile-gpus-with-frame-generation-and-ray-reconstruction

Modern SLI? Modder runs DLSS 5 across two RTX 5060 Ti GPUs, with one dedicated to Neural Rendering

https://videocardz.com/newz/modern-sli-modder-runs-dlss-5-across-two-rtx-5060-ti-gpus-with-one-dedicated-to-neural-rendering

DLSS 5 Autopilot brings Neural Rendering to more games with lower performance cost

https://videocardz.com/newz/dlss-5-autopilot-brings-neural-rendering-to-more-games-with-lower-performance-cost

Japanese retailer warns GPU prices have not finished rising

https://videocardz.com/newz/japanese-retailer-warns-gpu-prices-have-not-finished-rising

Intel reportedly plans another 10% PC CPU price increase for October 5

https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-reportedly-plans-another-10-pc-cpu-price-increase-for-october-5

GeForce RTX 5070 reportedly getting second GPU variant based on GB203

https://videocardz.com/newz/geforce-rtx-5070-reportedly-getting-second-gpu-variant-based-on-gb203

RPCS3 now plays PS3 games directly from physical Blu-ray discs

https://videocardz.com/newz/rpcs3-now-plays-ps3-games-directly-from-physical-blu-ray-discs

First user reports RTX 5090 with melted connector after testing DLSS 5

https://videocardz.com/newz/first-user-reports-rtx-5090-with-melted-connector-after-testing-dlss-5

NVIDIA is back in selling RTX 50 at MSRP, but only if you attend their special event

https://videocardz.com/newz/nvidia-is-back-in-selling-rtx-50-at-msrp-but-only-if-you-attend-their-special-event

The Tuesday gaming news. Surprisingly all in one post:

SALES/PLAYER COUNTS & DEALS

Steam’s Top 10

(Click here for the Top 100)

Capcom expresses continued interest in 're-activating IPs' as the first new Onimusha game in 20 years surpasses 1 million sales on launch day
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/capcom-expresses-continued-interest-in-re-activating-ips-as-the-first-new-onimusha-game-in-20-years-surpasses-1-million-sales-on-launch-day/
Samurai adventure Onimusha: Way of the Sword notched over a million sales on its launch day, Capcom has announced.
The success is deserved, per our reviewer Wes, who said that Way of the Sword "whips ass" in his 83/100 review. (And if the demo had you worried that it wouldn't be much of a challenge, Wes says not to fret too much: "I died plenty, particularly to bosses that ruthlessly punished my poor parry timing or overeager button mashing.")
According to Capcom, the one million launch day sales for Way of the Sword has put the Onimusha series as a whole at 10 million lifetime sales. The last new game in the main series was Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams, which released 20 years ago.
"In addition to regularly releasing major new titles each year, Capcom is focusing on re-activating IPs that haven't had a new title launch recently," the developer said. "The company is working to further maximize corporate value by leveraging its rich library of content, including this title."
>> The article mentions Lost Planet, but I’ll go with the usual Dino Crisis.

Steam has all these new deals and sales/events:

• IT Specialist Simulator, still in Early Access, has a demo and a 25% discount that will last until next Monday: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3266090/IT_Specialist_Simulator/
• shapez 2 – Factory gets a 50% discount until the 18th of September: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2162800/shapez_2__Factory/
• Alchemy Factory is going to be 20% off until the 21st of September: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3669570/Alchemy_Factory/
• Wartales will be 72% off until September 21: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1527950/Wartales/
• Blair Witch has an 80% discount that will last until the same 21st: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1092660/Blair_Witch/
• Parkasaurus is going to be 90% off until the 21st: https://store.steampowered.com/app/591460/Parkasaurus/
• Transport Fever 2 will have a 90% discount until, yet again, the 21st : https://store.steampowered.com/app/1066780/Transport_Fever_2/
• These are the six new sales/events, in launch order :
  • Prismatic Indie Showcase features upcoming titles, demos and games on sale: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/46223259/sale/PrismaticIndieShowcase
  • Anime Game Festival 2026 mimics the showcase above with upcoming releases, demos and games on sale: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/46138335/sale/AnimeGameFestival2026
  • Stardock Publisher Sale shoes its two upcoming releases and has games up to 90% off: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/stardockpublishersale2026
  • The controversial AI Gaming Festical, with the goal of “Educating and showcasing how AI is used in games” has many upcoming titles and a few games on sale: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/46280965/sale/AIGamingFestival
  • The DIGIAGE Festival also has upcoming titles and a few games on sale: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/46158588/sale/DIGIAGECAMPECOSYSTEMSHOWCASE
  • Chilean Games Showcase has upcoming games and demos. It has launched today and there are no deals yet: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/46266968/sale/ChileGameShowcase
• And these are the new weeklong deals

And Fanatical has the new BYO Decks and Dungeons Bundle, featuring 19 titles for your bundles of 3+5+ or 7+ games. It will last 34 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-decks-and-dungeons-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Classic SNES Donkey Kong Country Trilogy Gets Unofficial PC Ports
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/classic-snes-donkey-kong-country-trilogy-gets-unofficial-pc-ports/
Donkey Kong fans, here is something special for you today. Brian Tate has released unofficial PC ports of the first classic SNES Donkey Kong Country games. So, if you’ve never experienced these platform games, I highly recommend trying them.
What’s really cool is that all three games support widescreen resolutions. The original games used a 4:3 aspect ratio. These unofficial PC ports fix that issue. And no, the widescreen view is not just a zoomed-in version of the 4:3 image. Instead, we get proper widescreen support.
As with all recompilations, these three PC ports do not contain any in-game assets. To use them, you’ll have to own the original games and provide your own ROM file.
>> The article has two videos, one for DKC 2 and the other for DKC 3.

Metal Gear Solid Co-Op Mod Alpha Trailer Released
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/metal-gear-solid-co-op-mod-alpha-trailer-released/
Last month, we informed you about an upcoming co-op mod for the first Metal Gear Solid game. And yesterday, modder Felipe released a trailer for its current alpha version. This trailer will give you a glimpse of the current state of the mod. So, if you’ve been hyped about it, you should definitely watch it.
According to the recently launched Patreon page, this co-op mod is 50% complete. So, it will be a while until we get our hands on it. Realistically, I don’t expect a public version in 2026. At best, we might get one in 2027.
It’s also worth noting that Felipe is working on a local co-op mod for Dragon’s Dogma 2. And, as he specifically said, all of his mods will be available for free to everyone. The same applies to their beta and demo builds. Nothing will be locked behind a Patreon wall.
This mod looks really cool. And this is one of the reasons we love PC modding. Mods can change the way you experience your favorite games. Some mods can overhaul the visuals. Others can add new game modes. And some can add new gameplay features.
>> The article has a 5 minutes video.

PS5 Emulator KyTyPS5 Can Now Run Demon’s Souls Remake
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/ps5-emulator-kytyps5-can-run-demons-souls-remake-all-the-way-to-character-creation/
In July 2026, we reported that SharpEmu could boot Demon’s Souls Remake and run it all the way to Character Creation. Now, it seems that its biggest rival, KyTyPS5, can also launch the game. But that’s not all. For the first time, we can see an emulator running the game past Character Creation. Yup, we finally have in-game footage.
What’s impressive here is that KyTyPS5 appears to display the full graphics, without any major visual issues. I was not expecting to see something like that. So, consider me impressed.
Sadly, though, performance is all over the place. On an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, it runs at 1FPS. Yup, you read that right. This isn’t playable in any way. Still, this is the first time we see in-game footage.
It’s also interesting to note that KyTyPS5 can launch and run Grand Theft Auto 5. This is utterly impressive for a 3D game. While performance is not that great, the fact that this PS5 emulator can run an advanced 3D game like GTA 5 is incredible.
As I’ve said before, you should temper your expectations. Both KytyPS5 and SharpEmu are in a very early development stage. So, don’t expect to be playing all the PS5 games that have not come out on PC anytime soon. Still, I’m utterly impressed by their progress. So, who knows? We might be able to play Marvel’s Wolverine or Intergalactic on PC via SharpEmu in a few years.
>> The article has two videos, one for Demon’s Souls Remake and the other is for GTA V.

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Got an Unofficial Fan Expansion
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/the-elder-scrolls-iii-morrowind-got-an-unofficial-fan-expansion/
Modder ‘Jyggalagpuff’ has released a new fan expansion for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, called Troxulgia. Troxulgia will take you to a vast and mysterious island far beyond the known shores of Tamriel. So, let’s take a closer look at it.
In this fan expansion, players will explore ancient forests, remote villages, dangerous waters, and forgotten ruins. Along the way, they will meet the strange people and creatures that live on the island.
Players will explore huge dungeons, learn about ancient religious traditions, and face strange new creatures. They will also uncover secrets hidden beneath the island and the seas around it.
According to the modder, the expansion offers more than 20 hours of gameplay. Its map is also more than twice the size of Bloodmoon’s map.
The game world is done. The story is done, too. There may still be room to add more dungeons, interiors, side quests, and other content in the future.
For now, the only things left are adding North Markers to every interior and adding ownership to all items in each NPC’s home. With that said, Troxulgia is now roughly 98% complete.
Since this is a fan expansion from a single modder, I suggest tempering your expectations. This fan expansion will most likely be rough around the edges. Still, this is new free content for those who are still playing Morrowind. So, if you are one of them, you might want to try it. You can go ahead and download it from here (Nexus Mods).
>> The article has a short trailer.

GAMING NEWS

Riot MMO's future is 'incredibly bright' despite co-founder likening its development to the grail: 'Many a brave knight are going to die'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/riot-mmos-future-is-incredibly-bright-despite-co-founder-likening-its-development-to-the-grail-many-a-brave-knight-are-going-to-die/
Despite a cloud of doom and gloom hanging over Riot's mysterious MMO in the wake of 2XKO's closure–including well-founded concerns from our own Harvey Randall—its co-founder seems confident in its ongoing development. At least, that's what I'm parsing from his relative non-answer when pressed about it during a panel at PAX West over the weekend.

Arc Raiders' last live update until Frozen Trails releases today bringing players new rubber ducks and a reminder that you've one month to spend your expiring currency
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/arc-raiders-last-live-update-until-frozen-trails-releases-today-bringing-players-new-rubber-ducks-and-a-reminder-that-youve-one-month-to-spend-your-expiring-currency/
We're just a month away from Arc Raiders' major update Frozen Trails which promises new arcs, maps, and a movement overhaul. It sounds pretty impressive, and I'm excited to have a new reason to head Topside. But before we can enjoy the tundra Embark has one more small update for players, and it's live right now.
"Update 1.45.0 is going live right now and with it a number of fixes, a new Raider Project, the start of the fifth Expedition, the Hornet Hunter Set and changes coming to Cred," a blog post reads. "This will be our last Live Update before October 8, but we won't be going quiet in the meantime, a smaller update is still planned before then."

Don't Nod might not have enough cash to make it through January 2027, and even if it does, pulling up could 'involve the reduction of up to 90 positions'
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/dont-nod-might-not-have-enough-cash-to-make-it-through-january-2027-and-even-if-it-does-pulling-up-could-involve-the-reduction-of-up-to-90-positions/
Don't Nod, best known as the developers of Life is Strange 1 and 2, has been having a rough go of it, lately. In 2024, its games Jusant and Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden sold "well below expectations", causing it to pause development of two further games. Then, in 2025, it laid off several employees after Lost Records didn't quite make up the difference.
Based on this financial update (thanks, GamesIndustry.biz), its third-person adventure game Aphelion didn't pull things back from the brink, either. The developer reported a 56% decrease in operating revenue year-on-year, "amid systemic pressures in the video game industry, characterized by highly selective financing."
(...)
This is a dire forecast, as it means there's a "material uncertainty regarding the company's ability to continue as a going concern beyond January 31, 2027." In other words, Don't Nod is running out of money, and fast.
As a result, the studio's looking to reduce the amount of plates it's currently spinning: "Don't Nod is refocusing its operations in France around a single production line, bringing together the expertise required to launch new projects before the completion of current productions."
To do this, it'll be undergoing a hefty restructure that may well lead to layoffs. Or, in corporate speak, a "workforce adjustment in France that may involve the reduction of up to 90 positions." The project to do so has already been approved by its board of directors, and negotiations are in place with its union.
>> I feel like Don't Nod got lucky with two games and despite failing to repeat that success, they haven’t tried to do something else. I feel sorry for them, but I don’t think they’ll make it.

And the short ones:

Persona 1 and 2 remakes are something Atlus will 'probably eventually do', which is great, but the PS2-era Shin Megami Tensei games are sitting right there
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/persona-1-and-2-remakes-are-something-atlus-will-probably-eventually-do-which-is-great-but-the-ps2-era-shin-megami-tensei-games-are-sitting-right-there/

Former Skyrim co-lead says Bethesda making Starfield instead of TES6 came out of nowhere: 'It was very much: Guess what, team? We're making this space game'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-elder-scrolls/former-skyrim-co-lead-says-bethesda-making-starfield-instead-of-tes6-came-out-of-nowhere-it-was-very-much-guess-what-team-were-making-this-space-game/

Oh, wow. That sucks.

Congratulations for managing to find what was the problem, tho, even if that meant getting a new CPU (I don't think I could have).

GOG: gaming on Linux is growing and so we've decided to start working on how to bring GOG to Linux.

Epic: the Linux installbase is rapidly expanding, and because of that we've started work to bring the Epic Store to Linux.

...

Meanwhile:

Ubisoft's FOR HONOR will block SteamOS / Linux on September 10
https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2026/09/ubisofts-for-honor-will-block-steamos-linux-on-september-10/

Ubisoft always finds new ways to disappoint. I honestly can't imagine Linux cheaters being a significant issue.

It's an almost 10 years old game that, as far as I know, uses Anti-cheat... which is supported by Linux.

At this point I no longer know what Ubisoft is trying to do and why, but they're sure slowly getting closer and closer to be irrelevant.

Tho I have to admit that their turn-based Rainbow Six game, made by the studio thatdid the Mario & Rabbids games, looks good.