The Thursday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Borderlands 2's Commander Lilith DLC is free on Epic
https://www.pcgamer.com/borderlands-2s-commander-lilith-dlc-is-free-on-epic/
Commander Lilith & the Fight for Sanctuary was an expansion for Borderlands 2 released in June of 2019 as a way of hyping up the release of Borderlands 3. It boosted the level cap to 80, added the option to start a new character at level 30 and skip the tutorial (hallelujah), threw in a new tier of weapons, and mainly just let you hang out with your favorite characters again while shooting up a slightly different variety of bad dudes.
It was free for its first month on Steam, and now it's free again on the Epic Games Store. Which is nice, because it's the one DLC that isn't bundled in with the Borderlands Handsome Collection they gave away for free in May. You've got until October 2 to add it to your account.

Steam has a new daily deal, Dark Devotion, with a 50% discount: https://store.steampowered.com/app/718590/Dark_Devotion/

And Fanatical has four new deals:

• The new Star Deal is Spintires, 85% off during the next 24 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/spintires
• 2K Games has its games up to 81% off during the next 8 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/2k-games
• STAR WARS Jedi: Fallen Order is 52% off during the next 13 days. The key is for Origin: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/star-wars-jedi-fallen-order
• And the new Indie Gems Bundle 2 brings 8 games with a 97% discount: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/indie-gems-bundle-2

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

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MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

You can now play as Ellie from The Last of Us 2 in Resident Evil 3 Remake
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/you-can-now-play-as-ellie-from-the-last-of-us-2-in-resident-evil-3-remake/
While The Last of Us 2 is not available on the PC, PC gamers can now get a taste of it via this character swap mod for Resident Evil 3 Remake. As the title suggests, this mod will allow you to play as Ellie from The Last of Us 2 in Resident Evil 3 Remake.
Similar to most other character swap mods we have shared, this one features full facial expressions. Furthermore, this pack comes with both Ellie’s Seattle and Winter costumes.
In order to instal this mod, you’ll need Fluffyquack’s Mod Manager. Once you have installed, you’ll have to copy Ellie_TLOU2_By_Darknessvaltier.rar in .modmanagerGamesRE3RMods and activate the mod. Afterwards, you can select the costume you want to use on the outfit select screen. The default costume is the Seattle costume, whereas the STARS costume is the Winter costume.
>> You can get this mod from Nexus Mods.

GAMING NEWS

Call of the Sea is a twist on the traditional H. P. Lovecraft’s material, gets new trailer
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/call-of-the-sea-is-a-twist-on-the-traditional-h-p-lovecrafts-material-gets-new-trailer/
Call of the Sea is a first-person adventure puzzle game, set in the 1930s, developed by Out of the Blue Games, and published by Raw Fury. The studio is based in Madrid, and this is their very first game.

Microsoft has released the first update for Microsoft Flight Simulator, and here are its patch notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/microsoft-has-released-the-first-update-for-microsoft-flight-simulator-and-here-are-its-patch-notes/
Microsoft has released the first update for Microsoft Flight Simulator. According to the team, this first patch addresses some installation issues that PC gamers have been experiencing. It also brings some stability improvements.

Here are some brand new screenshots from Medieval Dynasty
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/here-are-some-brand-new-screenshots-from-medieval-dynasty/
Toplitz Productions has released a brand new set of screenshots for its upcoming open-world medieval game, Medieval Dynasty. The game will be coming to Steam Early Access on September 17th.

Open-world JRPG, Edge of Eternity, fully releases on the PC in Spring 2021
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/open-world-jrpg-edge-of-eternity-fully-releases-on-the-pc-in-spring-2021/
Midgar Studio has announced that its open-world JRPG, Edge of Eternity, will leave Early Access and “fully” release in Spring 2021. As we’ve already reported, the game entered its beta phase last month, and below you can also find its latest trailer.

Official gameplay trailer for PvPvE co-op shooter from ex-Halo developers, Scavengers
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/official-gameplay-trailer-for-pvpve-co-op-shooter-from-ex-halo-developers-scavengers/
IGN and Midwinter have released a new official gameplay trailer for the upcoming PvPvE co-op shooter, Scavengers. Scavengers puts players in the role of young explorers working in opposing teams as they fight to survive in a future where cataclysmic events have triggered a new ice age.

Thursday news, part two:

Biographical adventure Welcome to Elk shares its unusual tales this month
https://www.pcgamer.com/biographical-adventure-welcome-to-elk-shares-its-unusual-tales-this-month/
Island exploration game Welcome to Elk is heading to PC on September 17, and if you've not heard of it before, it's definitely one to watch. The felt-tip pen art might make it seem whimsical, but it's a game that tells the stories of real people, and some of them are surprisingly dark.

Sea of Thieves will let you become a dog owner on September 9
https://www.pcgamer.com/sea-of-thieves-will-let-you-become-a-dog-owner-on-september-9/
I promised myself I'd stop buying Sea of Thieves pets after I spent actual money on a cat that I hate, but then Rare went ahead and just forced me to go back on that promise by announcing dogs. Of course I'll bloody get a dog. The pooches were unveiled at Gamescom and will be part of a larger update, Vaults of the Ancients, shown off today.

Chinese open-world RPG Sands of Salzaar is getting an English release this month
https://www.pcgamer.com/chinese-open-world-rpg-sands-of-salazaar-is-getting-an-english-release-this-month/
The Chinese open-world RPG Sands of Salzaar launched on Steam in January and became an immediate hit, selling an estimated 50,000 copies in its first week. Its reach into English-language audiences was limited by the fact that it was only available in Simplified Chinese, although an English translation was listed as a "top priority."
Today Han-Squirrel Studio and XD Network announced that the English-language release will come to Steam Early Access on September 22, finally making it fully accessible to players in North America and Europe.

Rocket League is getting a new competitive rank: Supersonic Legend
https://www.pcgamer.com/rocket-league-is-getting-a-new-competitive-rank-supersonic-legend/
Starting soon, Grand Champion will no longer be the highest competitive rank in Rocket League. When the free-to-play update hits, Grand Champ will be split into three tiers like the other ranks, and a new top rank will be added: Supersonic Legend.

No Man's Sky studio Hello Games is working on a 'huge, ambitious game'
https://www.pcgamer.com/no-mans-sky-studio-hello-games-is-working-on-a-huge-ambitious-game/
Hello Games recently released The Last Campfire, a very different and much smaller sort of experience, but the studio isn't sticking to that style of game alone from here on. Founder Sean Murray told Polygon that the studio is currently planning another "huge, ambitious game like No Man's Sky." He didn't reveal anything about it (except for the detail that some people at the studio are currently working on this "big" game), but he did share some thoughts on lessons learned from the launch of No Man's Sky, including that, in the end, he didn't really regret the path it took.

Rockstar surprises players who exploited a GTA Online glitch by wiping their accounts completely
https://www.pcgamer.com/rockstar-surprises-players-who-exploited-a-gta-online-glitch-by-wiping-their-accounts-completely/
Rockstar recently dropped a very big hammer on GTA Online players who took advantage of an exploit that enabled them to get very rich, very quickly. As Polygon explains, the "apartment garage glitch" enabled players to purchase properties and then, through trickery (which was apparently a pretty simple process), quickly turn it into millions of in-game dollars.
Obviously this is against the rules of the game, and it's not surprising that Rockstar took steps to shut it down. Instead of simply taking away the ill-gotten gains, though, Rockstar is resetting the accounts of cheaters entirely.

Fall Guys is planning to add a huge spinning hammer called Big Yeetus
https://www.pcgamer.com/fall-guys-is-planning-to-add-a-huge-spinning-hammer-called-big-yeetus/
The official Fall Guys Twitter account has been posting non-stop about a new addition to the bumble royale called Big Yeetus. It's a spinning candy-cane cartoon hammer that will randomly appear to yeet players across the level. Yeet, for our older readers, is the opposite of yoink.

Mike Pondsmith, Sid Meier, and Tony Hawk headline PAX Online x EGX Digital
https://www.pcgamer.com/mike-pondsmith-sid-meier-and-tony-hawk-headline-pax-online-x-egx-digital/
The physical versions of noted meatspace conventions PAX West, PAX Australia, and EGX were all cancelled this year thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a nine-day online event announced as a replacement. It's a shame to not have the opportunity to see people face to face, but it'll be free and available to everyone with an internet account, streaming 24 hours a day for its nine-day duration, with a Discord server to fill the social gap.

Iron Harvest is getting campaign co-op, ranked mode and new maps this month
https://www.pcgamer.com/iron-harvest-is-getting-campaign-co-op-ranked-mode-and-new-maps-this-month/
Iron Harvest launched this week, giving RTS fans a rare opportunity to be excited about something. It's a good 'un, with 30 hours of explosive spectacle and colliding mechs in the campaign, along with plenty of multiplayer and skirmish diversions. And it's already poised to grow quite a bit larger this month.

The Division 2's new mode sounds like The Raid but in a 100-story skyscraper
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-division-2s-new-mode-sounds-like-the-raid-but-in-a-100-story-skyscraper/
The Division 2 is getting a new PvE mode called Summit that will be free for all owners of Warlords of New York. You'll need to work your way through a building, clearing out enemy-infested floors and completing random objectives. It looks a bit like The Raid, but inside a 100-story skyscraper.

Rust's boat update sounds suspiciously relaxing
https://www.pcgamer.com/rusts-boat-update-sounds-suspiciously-relaxing/
Rust has a reputation for being a cruel and merciless sandbox, but you'd never know it from today's update. Apart from the bit where you can bludgeon someone to death with a paddle. Otherwise, it sounds very relaxing.

Ride giant, heavily-armed birds in The Falconeer's upcoming beta
https://www.pcgamer.com/ride-giant-heavily-armed-birds-in-the-falconeers-upcoming-beta/
The Falconeer straps pilots and guns onto giant birds and sends them into aerobatic dogfights with other falconeers, along with plenty of other flying menaces. It's a striking, agile aerial combat game, and it looks like there will be an opportunity to take it for a test flight, via a closed beta.

Some more interesting things from the QA:

Why only 10 GB of memory for RTX 3080? How was that determined to be a sufficient number, when it is stagnant from the previous generation?

[Justin Walker] We’re constantly analyzing memory requirements of the latest games and regularly review with game developers to understand their memory needs for current and upcoming games. The goal of 3080 is to give you great performance at up to 4k resolution with all the settings maxed out at the best possible price.

In order to do this, you need a very powerful GPU with high speed memory and enough memory to meet the needs of the games. A few examples - if you look at Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Metro Exodus, Wolfenstein Youngblood, Gears of War 5, Borderlands 3 and Red Dead Redemption 2 running on a 3080 at 4k with Max settings (including any applicable high res texture packs) and RTX On, when the game supports it, you get in the range of 60-100fps and use anywhere from 4GB to 6GB of memory.

Extra memory is always nice to have but it would increase the price of the graphics card, so we need to find the right balance.

Does Ampere support HDMI 2.1 with the full 48Gbps bandwidth

[Qi Lin] Yes. The NVIDIA Ampere Architecture supports the highest HDMI 2.1 link rate of 12Gbs/lane across all 4 lanes, and also supports Display Stream Compression (DSC) to be able to power up to 8K, 60Hz in HDR.

tldrdoto – Please clarify if the slide saying RTX 3070 is equal or faster than 2080 Ti is referring to traditional rasterization or DLSS/RT workloads?

Very important if you could clear it up, since no traditional rasterization benchmarks were shown, only RT/DLSS supporting games.

[Justin Walker] We’re talking about both. Games that only support traditional rasterization and games that support RTX (RT+DLSS). You can see this in our launch article here https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/introducing-rtx-30-series-graphics-cards/

Will Nvidia reflex work with pascal GPUs or is this only a Turing/Ampere feature?

[NV_Tim] It will work with 900 series + GPUs, including RTX 20-series.

Using the price as an excuse for less memory is a pretty dick move when there is a way too expensive card with 24GB, which according to him is way too much for anyone's needs.

To be fair he said more then you need for 4k which the target market for 3080.  They position 3090 in there marketing as a 8k card.  8k is 4 times more pixels then 4k.  6GB*4= 24GB.

VRAM usage does not scale that way with resolution. You would have to have an all 8k texture pack to fill that much.

But he's also using current games, actually ports from PS4/X1, to defend his statement when memory demand will increase in the near future as more and more games launch on the new consoles with 4K textures and assets.

The 3080 is a powerhouse, no doubt about that, but Nvidia has also made sure to fit just enough memory for today's needs so that many users will want to jump into the next gen of cards, with more memory.

Yea makes sense. The next gen GPUs will come in 2.5 years and by then, most games probably won't use that much Vram as a lot will still be cross gen. When the main next gen games comes around, they should start to use more Vram.

The RTX 3090 is targeted more towards the prosumers and enthusiasts. There's a reason why they showcased the RTX 3080 as their main consumer grade card instead of their flagship.

Nvidia can pretty much price those any way they want, since they offer the most amount of CUDA cores and copious amount of VRAM, which is needed for work and are willing to pay for it/invest in. But I should think that 10GB of ultra fast GDDR6X will be enough for next generation of 4K gaming.

For others on the edge, there are hints of more models in the future with more ram. I don't think its personally a big deal. The 8GB on the 3070 will limit that card however somewhat in the near future.