Thanks!

Let's hope that this fix lasts and that we can start using those stats with a bit more confidence.

Of course they won't use DDR5, but how long will it take for NAND makers to launch a low power version of it for smartphones?

And I didn't say that DDR4 is great, just that a change right now would screw up the market even more than it already is.

I'll stick to mouse aiming .

But I could use it for 2D games as Nintendo's D-pad has always been great. Too bad it's so expensive.

Thursday news!

SALES & "SALES"/DEALS

GOG's daily deal is Battle Chasers: Nightwar, 33% off: https://www.gog.com/promo/20180503_daily_deal_battle_chasers

At Steam, the Early Access title Production Line: Car factory simulation is the daily deal, 33% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/591370/Production_Line__Car_factory_simulation/

At Fanatical, there's a new Bumper Pick & Mix bundle. Pick any of the 58 game for 0.49€, or ten for 1 € (or whatever they charge in your currencies): https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/bumper-pick-mix-bundle

SOFTWARE

PC gaming subscription service, Utomik, officially launches today with 750+ games and 100+ publishers
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/pc-gaming-subscription-service-utomik-officially-launches-today-featuring-750-games-and-100-publishers/
Utomik has announced that its PC gaming subscription service, Utomik, officially launches today. Utomik features a library of over 750+ games and 100+ publishing partners in a little over 2 years, including Warner Bros, Disney, SEGA, THQ Nordic, Epic Games, Curve Digital, IO Interactive and many more.

MODS/EMULATORS

-empty-

GAMING NEWS

Midair, Tribes-inspired fast-paced jetpack shooter, goes free to play on May 3rd
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/midair-tribes-inspired-fast-paced-jetpack-shooter-goes-free-to-play-on-may-3rd/
Archetype Studios has announced that its fast-paced jetpack shooter that is heavily inspired by Tribes, Midair, will release as a free to play title on Steam on May 3rd. In order to celebrate this announcement, the team has released a brand new trailer that you can watch below.

New screenshots released for third-person survival game, Lost Region
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/new-screenshots-released-for-third-person-survival-game-lost-region/
Farom Studio has released some new screenshots for its upcoming third-person survival game, Lost Region. These new screenshots showcase some of the animals that will be featured in it (like bears and wolves) as well as the game’s environments.

Paladins leaves Steam Early Access and fully releases on May 8th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/paladins-leaves-steam-early-access-and-fully-releases-on-may-8th/
Hi-Rez Studios has announced that its free to play hero shooter, Paladins, will leave Steam Early Access on May 8th. Paladins currently has over 25 million players and Hi-Rez Studios aims to continue supporting it post launch.

SoulCalibur 6 – Taki joins the game’s roster, first screenshots and trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/soulcalibur-6-taki-joins-the-games-roster-first-screenshots-and-trailer/
Bandai Namco has announced the addition of Taki as a playable character in SOULCALIBUR VI. In order to celebrate this announcement, the publisher has released some new screenshots and a trailer that you can find below.

Disgaea 5 Complete has been delayed until Summer 2018
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/disgaea-5-complete-has-been-delayed-until-summer-2018/
According to the publisher, the development team came across a new issue that requires additional attention that will take more time to resolve. As such, the team will miss its May 21st release and now targets for a Summer 2018 release date.

Major update for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is now available to everyone
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/major-update-for-playerunknowns-battlegrounds-is-now-available-to-everyone/
Bluehole has released a new major update for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. PC Patch 12 adds better in-game descriptions for all of the new grips and attachments, re-balances a lot of weapons, and adds a new weapon, a new vehicle for Miramar, and a ton of new weapon attachments.

Here are 9 minutes of gameplay footage from Valve’s upcoming card game, Artifact
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-9-minutes-of-gameplay-footage-from-valves-upcoming-card-game-artifact/
Eurogamer has shared a video, showing 9 minutes of gameplay footage from Valve’s upcoming DOTA 2-themed card game, Artifact. As said, Artifact is a card game that is heavily based upon and features many elements from DOTA2.

Vampyr gets a brand new gameplay trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/vampyr-gets-a-brand-new-gameplay-trailer/
Focus Home Interactive has released a new gameplay trailer for Vampyr that explores tortured protagonist Dr. Jonathan Reid’s growth in power through savage combat. By sacrificing the very citizens Reid swore to protect, players will learn and evolve powerful vampire abilities in their struggle to defeat London’s deadly foes.

Battlerite has 4 million unique players, will get a Battle Royale mode this Summer
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/battlerite-has-4-million-unique-players-will-get-a-battle-royale-mode-this-summer/
Stunlock Studios today revealed the first details of Battlerite Royale, a combination of an Action MOBA/Arena Brawler and the Battle Royale survival gameplay. Featuring spectacular fantasy landscapes on a map 30 times larger than the standard arena mode map, Battlerite Royale throws 20 players into a cutthroat island deathmatch, played “Free For All” or as a duo.

The rest of the news:

The Good Life, Swery's cats-and-dogs murder mystery game, is funded (Updated)
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-good-life-swerys-cats-and-dogs-murder-mystery-game-is-almost-funded/
Update: And just like that, it's done: The Kickstarter campaign is now sitting at $622,000 in backing on a roughly $619,000 goal. (The campaign's native currency is actually Japanese Yen, so the conversion can fluctuate somewhat.) That leaves a little over two days for the $800,000 Nintendo Switch stretch goal, which leads me to think that it isn't likely to happen. Assuming that's the case, White Owls said the overage will go toward creating extra content for the game, like more outfits, seasonal content, and music. Details on that will be revealed in a future update.

New Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset trailer details joining the Psijic Order
https://www.pcgamer.com/new-elder-scrolls-online-summerset-trailer-details-joining-the-psijic-order/
As well as jewellery crafting, wine and murder, the Psijic skill line is another notable part of the offering in Summerset, The Elder Scrolls Online's upcoming expansion. The trailer above details how players will travel to the island of Artaeum to join the Psijic Order, and what they'll be up against. This skill line opens up unique abilities for players, like being able to slow or freeze enemies, rewind time or meditate to give your health a boost.

This week's Far Cry 5 live event can net you a shovel gun
https://www.pcgamer.com/this-weeks-far-cry-5-live-event-can-net-you-a-shovel-gun/
Another week, another Far Cry 5 live event, and this one has a particularly goofy reward: a rocket launcher that distributes shovels instead of explosives. Once you've opted in for the event, which is called White Collar Job, go on the hunt for wolves using a bow and arrow. When you've bagged ten of them—and those can include Jacob's Judges (which are wolves but meaner)—you'll receive the Shovel Launcher.

The new Stardew Valley update calls you out for dating everyone
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-new-stardew-valley-update-calls-you-out-for-dating-everyone/
Stardew Valley's newly released multiplayer beta also introduced a smattering of singleplayer content, not the least of which is the option to build Pam a nice new house. Players have been racing to work out the rest of the new content and, as Polygon spotted, made an awkward discovery in the process: in the beta update, if you woo everyone in town, your heartbroken partners will gang up, shame you, leave you, and then avoid you around town.

Hearthstone will be giving out golden cards as part of the festival of Noblegarden
https://www.pcgamer.com/hearthstone-will-be-giving-out-golden-cards-as-part-of-the-festival-of-noblegarden/
The great feast of Noblegarden, an annual tradition in the World of Warcraft realm of Azeroth, is coming to Hearthstone next week. Beginning May 9 and running through May 13, the Tavern will offer special festive emotes, a free Golden Eggnapper and Golden Devilsaur Egg, and a new Tavern Brawl called "Everybunny Get In Here."

Free browser game Oni Hunter is a fun mix of Gunpoint and Mark of the Ninja
https://www.pcgamer.com/free-browser-game-oni-hunter-is-a-fun-mix-of-gunpoint-and-mark-of-the-ninja/
The long-running game jam Ludum Dare recently held its 41st event, which was dedicated to making games that combine two "incompatible" genres. As previously reported, Ludum Dare 41 spawned surreal adventure game You Left Me. It also gave us Oni Hunter, a 2D puzzle-stealth game about clearing groups of bad guys in an instant. You can play it for free in your browser here.

Beyond Good and Evil 2 will get a livestream update later this week
https://www.pcgamer.com/beyond-good-and-evil-2-will-get-a-livestream-update-later-this-week/
Despite a protracted period of off-and-on development, it looks like Beyond Good & Evil 2 is definitely, undeniably, 100 percentedly a focus for Ubisoft at present. The latest evidence of this is a promised livestream hosted by the publisher, which will take place on May 3 at 9am PDT, 12pm, ET, 5pm in London and 2pm on May 4 in Sydney.

For Honor is free to try this weekend
https://www.pcgamer.com/for-honor-is-free-to-try-this-weekend/
What's on your agenda this weekend? Catch ups with friends? Dinner with the family? Historically inaccurate warring between samurai soldiers, medieval knights and burly vikings? If the latter's your bag, Ubisoft's For Honor is free to try for the next few days.

Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia's launch trailer wants you to rewrite history
https://www.pcgamer.com/total-war-saga-thrones-of-britannia-launch-trailer-wants-you-to-rewrite-history/
Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia marches into battle today, and tasks players with conquering the British Isles. In doing so, perhaps you'll side with Alfred the Great and overthrow with force. Perhaps you'll strategise with a Gaelic warlord. Perhaps you'll force divorce upon untrustworthy allies before murdering them while their sulking backs are turned. Each to their own, I guess.
To mark the occasion, Thrones has a launch trailer.

If Nvidia develops a wonderful, open technology that runs poorly on AMD's cards.
AMD need to work harder on their GPUs.
If AMD's open tech performs poorly on Nvidia cards.
Nvidia need to improve their GPUs.

As long as players are given the option to disable the tech (as in, the tech is additive to the base experience), no one was really harmed.
Players should be able to use Hairworks and/or TressFX according to their personal tastes/requirements.
It doesn't seem reasonable to expect developers to try to force effects perform equally on two different architectures (the both have strengths and weaknesses, and aren't really directly equal).

"where do they benefit?"
AMD, Intel, and Nvidia all benefit from a stronger PC platform.

AAA studios have money and staff.
They should be able to handle working with three or more parties, they do it on consoles.

Well. Some Smartphone manufacturers are still running with LPDDR3.
It would reduce the demand on DDR4 for a short time... But then pricing will increase as manufacturing shifts away from DDR4.

I guess I just like my new and shiny... And it would be a stupidly massive benefit for integrated graphics... At the moment with about 40-50~ GB/s of bandwidth they are good for 720P gaming, double that to 80-100GB/s and 1080P starts to look more realistic.

With that in mind... DDR5 slated for next year.
https://www.anandtech.com/show/12710/cadence-micron-demo-ddr5-subsystem

DDR5 4400Mhz looks bloody tasty... And that would just be the start with potential for 6400Mhz or more.

HEXUS has a new contest!

Win a Western Digital SSD upgrade
http://hexus.net/tech/features/storage/117710-win-western-digital-ssd-upgrade/
Want to give your PC a speed injection? Then we have just the competition for you! In partnership with Western Digital, HEXUS is giving all our fabulous readers the chance to win an SSD upgrade that includes a 500GB M.2 variant of the award-winning WD Black NVMe drive, as well as WD Blue and WD Green drives in a range of capacities.

First Prize: Black NVME 500GB M.2 + Blue 3D 500GB 2.5 + Green 120GB 2.5

Second Prize: Blue 3D 500GB 2.5 + Green 120GB 2.5

Third Prize: Blue 3D 250GB M.2 or Green 120GB 2.5

The 120GB Green SSDs are a bit pointless, right? but it's not a bad contest. To enter, you'll need an e-mail and answer a very, very simple question.

Oh, and we got the guaterly Blackblaze HDD data:

Backblaze Releases Q1 2018 Hard Drive Longevity, Reliability Stats
https://www.techpowerup.com/243840/backblaze-releases-q1-2018-hard-drive-longevity-reliability-stats

"The 120GB Green SSDs are a bit pointless, right?"
No, they are pretty cheap.
They make great gifts.

The new WD Black SSDs do look to be, very nice.
https://www.anandtech.com/show/12543/the-western-digital-wd-black-3d-nand-ssd-review

Maybe I haven't expressed myslef as I sould: The 120GB Green SSDs are pointless compared to the bigger and better SSDs you can also get if you're one of the three lucky winners.

I could have understood a prize with, for example, a 120GB M.2 Black with a 500GB SSD Green, but the other way around leaves me wondering why they've chosen these prizes and in these sizes.

Friday news!

SALES & "SALES"/DEALS

Offworld Trading Company is free to play this weekend on Steam
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/offworld-trading-company-is-free-to-play-this-weekend-on-steam/
Stardock has announced that Offworld Trading Company is free to play starting today on Steam until May 6th, 1PM ET. Offworld Trading Company is a fast-paced economic real-time strategy from Civilization IV lead Designer, Soren Johnson.
This free to play offer features both the single-player campaign and the multiplayer modes. Furthermore, the game comes with a 50% discount during this free to play period.

There are two new deals at Fanatical:

• The star deal, for 24h, is Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor, 90% off: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/diaries-of-a-spaceport-janitor
• The other sale is, finally, a Star Wars themed one, up to 78% off: https://www.fanatical.com/en/franchises/star-wars

SOFTWARE

NVIDIA GeForce Hotfix Driver 397.55 released, fixes GTX1060 crashing issues
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/nvidia-geforce-hotfix-driver-397-55-released-fixes-gtx1060-crashing-issues/
Last month, NVIDIA released a new driver for its graphics card, the NVIDIA GeForce 397.31 WHQL. Among other things, that driver came with a developer preview for NVIDIA RTX ray tracing technology for DirectX 12, as well as official support for Vulkan 1.1. However, it was reported that this driver introduced some crashing issues in systems equipped with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX1060 graphics card. And thankfully, the green team released a new hotfix that addresses these issues.

>>Download them from here.

MODS/EMULATORS

Fallout Liberty Hell is a Fallout 4 mod, aiming to recreate Philadelphia, new screenshots
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/fallout-liberty-hell-is-a-fallout-4-mod-aiming-to-recreate-philadelphia-new-screenshots/
Liberty Wastes Beautification Committee is currently working on a new mod for Fallout 4 that will create a post-apocalyptic Philadelphia and its surrounding area. This mod has been under development for two years, and the team has released some new screenshots and a trailer.

This Dark Souls mod makes the game more like Breath of the Wild
https://www.pcgamer.com/this-dark-souls-mod-makes-the-game-more-like-breath-of-the-wild/
Named The Breath of the Soul, FTRicher's latest adds new items by way of buffs and healing components. It allows weapons to be upgraded, but only by virtue of souls. It makes changes to the movesets of certain weapons. It employs new starting classes, and new starting gifts. It makes enemies drop weapons more frequently. And, the biggie, it makes the map more explorable from the outset.

GAMING NEWS

Demo available for survival/management game with RPG elements, Dead In Vinland
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/demo-available-for-survival-management-game-with-rpg-elements-dead-in-vinland/
Playdius has announced that a free demo for its upcoming survival management that features some RPG elements, Dead In Vinland, is now available on Steam. As the press release reads, the Demo will allow players to experiment the first days on Dead In Vinland’s “cursed island, struggling for their survival with a deep management & crafting system and getting through strained and deadly battles.”

Gray Dawn is a new first-person horror game, releases in Q2 2018, first screenshots
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/gray-dawn-is-a-new-first-person-horror-game-releases-in-q2-2018-first-screenshots/
Interactive Stone has announced that its new first-person horror game, Gray Dawn, will release in Q2 2018. In this first-person atmospheric thriller, you play as Father Abraham, a Swedish-born priest who is suspected of murdering one of the altar boys.

Second patch for Radical Heights adds new gadget & extended customization, packs performance improvements
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/second-patch-for-radical-heights-adds-new-gadget-extended-customization-packs-performance-improvements/
Boss Key Productions has released the second big patch for its free to play battle royale game, Radical Heights. According to the release notes, this patch adds a new gadget, the Scanner, introduces more ways to customize your characters and adds new bike ramps.

Call of Duty: WWII Multiplayer is free to play this weekend
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/call-of-duty-wwii-multiplayer-is-free-to-play-this-weekend/
Activision has announced that the multiplayer mode for Call of Duty: WWII is free to play this weekend. According to the team, all progression will carry over from free trial to full title once purchased and all inventory items and unlockables will carry over from free trial to full title once purchased.

Activision promises to dedicate significant resources to the PC version of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/activision-promises-to-dedicate-significant-resources-to-the-pc-version-of-call-of-duty-black-ops-4/
During its financial conference call for investors and analysts, Activision Blizzard’s Chief Operating Officer, Coddy Johnson, said that the publisher will dedicate significant resources to the PC version of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 in order to offer a great PC product.

Pro Cycling Manager 2018 releases on June 28th, first screenshots unveiled
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/pro-cycling-manager-2018-releases-on-june-28th-first-screenshots-unveiled/
Focus Home Interactive has announced that Pro Cycling Manager 2018, the official Tour de France 2018 video game, will release on June 28th. In order to celebrate this announcement, the publisher has released its first screenshots that you can view below.

Friday news, part two:

PUBG's new 50-player deathmatch mode sets small squads loose in Miramar
https://www.pcgamer.com/pubgs-new-50-player-deathmatch-mode-sets-5-person-squads-loose-in-miramar/
Three weeks ago, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds dropped its first deathmatch-driven Event Mode. Named 'War', the limited-time venture was set in random corners of Erangel, within 15-minute bouts that hosted up to 30 players split into ten-person squads. Upon death, players respawned in a plane overhead—with the first team to reach 200 points declared winners.
Now, Desert Knights brings 50-player deathmatches to Miramar.

PUBG disables personal item trades to thwart third-party resellers
https://www.pcgamer.com/pubg-disables-personal-item-trades-to-thwart-third-party-resellers/
Personal item trading in PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds has been temporarily turned off according to a news post developers PUBG Corporation released through Steam today.

Battletech is getting more customization options and maybe an expansion or two
https://www.pcgamer.com/battletech-is-getting-more-customization-options-and-maybe-an-expansion-or-two/
Harebrained Schemes has shared its post-launch plans for Battletech, the giant fighting robot strategy game that launched to much acclaim last week. The studio said the positive response to the game means that "many things are now possible," including localization into other languages, more customization options, and possibly even some full-on expansions.

Monster mansion sim MachiaVillain is out this month
https://www.pcgamer.com/monster-mansion-sim-machiavillain-is-out-this-month/
Last month we gave away some beta keys for monster mansion sim Machiavillain, which Joe described as The Sims meets Dungeon Keeper meets Rimworld when developer Wild Factor announced it last year. Today, Wild Factor revealed its release date: MachiaVillain is coming to Steam on Wednesday, May 16 for $20.

Overwatch update replaces Hanzo's Scatter Arrow and introduces the new map Rialto
https://www.pcgamer.com/overwatch-update/
There's a new Overwatch update out today, and it has a big slate of changes to sort through. The biggest things are the new map Rialto, which we first played through in the PvE mission Retribution, and the long-awaited Hanzo rework, which replaces his Scatter Arrow with a new ability.

Destiny 2's big fall expansion will include a mode with a 'whole new style of play'
https://www.pcgamer.com/destiny-2s-big-fall-expansion-will-include-a-mode-with-a-whole-new-style-of-play/
Next week will see the release of Warmind, the second piece of DLC for Destiny 2, which is likely to improve but probably not radically alter the fate of Bungie's troubled, shared-world shooter. The reason being that although the developer has been busy absorbing feedback from its fairly cross community, it takes a while to turn that information into tangible features. For real systemic change, the signs all suggest we're going to have to wait until the major expansion scheduled for this fall.

Legendary Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is a playable captain in World of Tanks
https://www.pcgamer.com/legendary-italian-goalkeeper-gianluigi-buffon-is-a-playable-captain-in-world-of-tanks/
Gianluigi Buffon, for those unaware, is an Italian professional football/soccer player. He's a handsome, hugely successful goalkeeper and has played more than 500 games for Juventus over 17 years. Last month, he lost the plot and was sent off during a Champions League quarter final. This week, he's announced a partnership with World of Tanks that lets players recruit him as a tank commander.

Finally, let's see the rest of GOG and (specially) Steam deals:

+GOG
There are four GOG deals:

• The daily deal is 80 Days, 60% off: https://www.gog.com/game/80_days
• The weekly sale, Your mileage May vary: https://www.gog.com/promo/20180430_weekly_sale
• Of course, they have the Star Wars sale: https://www.gog.com/promo/20180501_star_wars_racer_tiein
• Finally, there's a special Interplay sale for its 35th anniversary: https://www.gog.com/promo/20180504_weekend_sale_interplay_35th

+Steam
Besides Offworld Trading Company going free to try and CoD WWII having a free multiplayer weekend, there are more deals:

• For Honor is also free to try, and 33% off if you decide to buy it: https://store.steampowered.com/app/304390/FOR_HONOR/
• XCOM 2 joins the free to try weekend, and is 67% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/268500/XCOM_2/
• Syberia 3 is the daily deal, 75% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/464340/Syberia_3/
• There's also the May the 4th Star Wars sale: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/star-wars
• And of course, we have the weeklong deals.

The last time XCOM 2 was free to try, I played a bit of it. I wonder if it will still remember my save... Can you imagine someone beating the game by just playing during these free weekends? lol

In any case, that's all the news for the week. I hope you have a happy and gaming weekend.