Steam

A brand-new Steam release is 100% free for interested players to try out now, with no strings attached. Players on the platform have a whole bunch of options that they can play entirely for free if they aren’t keen on spending money. From demos to free games and 100% off titles, there’s always something to play. You can, for example, play a 9/10 game for free on Steam that was just recently added to the platform, and fans of investigation games won’t regret it. View the full article

Genshin Impact has officially kicked off its drip marketing for Nicole, revealing new lore about the Voiceless Angel and confirming her release date for the first half of Version 6.6. With Version 6.5 underway, Genshin Impact players have sunk their teeth into Dornman Port and the Temple of Space, two zones that introduced a much-needed expansion to Mondstadt – the game's oldest region. Version 6.5 also saw the debut of Linnea, a Fae with ties to the Adventurers' Guild, and a 5-Star Geo Bow that serves as the capstone for Lunar-Crystallize teams. By contrast, Version 6.6 promises a pivot in an entirely different direction. View the full article

Note: This update is for the Steam Deck Beta and Preview channels, and includes new features that are still being tested. You can opt into this in Settings > System > System Update Channel. These notes contain all changes since the current stable SteamOS 3.7 release, with those additional changes since the previous 3.8.1 Beta: New in 3.8.2 Fixed a regression that could cause Borderlands 2 to ****** on startup on certain systems Fixed trackpad losing functionality after sleep/resume on the Legion Go Security updates to Flatpak, libpng and openssl General Fixed a case where WiFi performance could become degraded until the device was put to sleep or manually reconnected Fixed excessive trackpad sensitivity on certain early Steam Deck LCD models Initial support for upcoming Steam Machine hardware Updated Arch system base Updated graphics driver with performance and stability fixes Fixed a case where per-app performance settings would intermittently fail to apply when launching a game Improved support for the screencasts in Game Mode (e.g. OBS/Discord) Fixed dropdown menus not appearing in some games Improved VRR frame pacing Fixed FSR badge remaining off in the performance overlay, even if it was actually active Improved support for games that attempt to open PDF files in external viewers Fixed an issue affecting certain titles (such as "SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide") where the game window could have an incorrect position Fixed closing certain titles (such as "STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor™") and Starfield resulting in a session ****** Improved support for certain USB racing wheels and USB devices that boot in a non-standard mode Frequently these are devices that appear as USB storage devices with a driver installer, and must be switched to their normal mode by the OS Steam Deck controller firmware updates now display update progress on the splash screen Fixes issue on specific Steam Deck revisions where firmware updates could render the left controller inoperative for that session Numerous stability and security updates Bluetooth Re-re-enable Bluetooth Wake for Steam Deck LCD Fix for more spurious wake issues that were present in earlier attempts Audio Detect HDMI channel count and expose surround configuration if available Add a setting to allow using Bluetooth headset mics (Bluetooth playback quality will be worse while capture is active) Restore internal audio device on reboot if set to "Off" in desktop mode Increase suspend timeout for HDMI devices so initial audio isn't cut off after a few seconds of inactivity Fixed a bug with switching input devices when a wired headset is plugged in Fixed an issue where audio underruns could be experienced after sleep/resume Accessibility Added an option to force mono audio output Desktop Mode KDE Plasma updated to version 6.4.3 from 6.2.5, and now uses wayland by default Fixes several cases of reduced performance in Desktop Mode compared to Game Mode Improved support for rotated displays Better scale factor out of the box on TVs Adds support for external HDR displays Adds support for VRR displays Adds support per-display scale factor For more information, see Plasma release announcements [Hidden Content] [Hidden Content] Keyboard layout and language are now obeying Game Mode settings Improved windowing behavior for games running in Proton System Firmware Includes Steam Deck LCD BIOS v133 Security updates Added "Memory Power Down" setup option Preliminary support for hibernation Includes Steam Deck OLED BIOS v114 Security updates Charging LED now changes color when charge limit is reached, rather than only at 100% Non-Deck Improved compatibility with recent Intel and AMD platforms Greatly improved video memory management with discrete GPU platforms Fixed a compatibility issue with the SteamOS chainloader that could cause a boot failure on some desktop systems with recent UEFI firmware Power button short and long presses now supported across a wide variety of devices Improved controller support for OneXPlayer F1 series, GPD Win 5, GPD Win Mini, Anbernic Win600, OrangePi NEO, and Lenovo Legion Go Added controller support for OneXPlayer X1 series and Lenovo Legion Go 2 Added system and controller firmware update support for the Lenovo Legion Go 2 Added preliminary charge limiting support for Legion Go, Legion Go S, and Legion Go 2 - currently only accessible in Desktop Mode Added controller RGB LED color settings for the Lenovo Legion Go 2 Added controller, TDP control, and speaker audio support for the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally series Reduced handheld controller input latency from 5-8ms to 100-500us Night mode, color vibrance, and color temperature sliders in Steam now work on Z2E and later AMD APUs Seamless boot fixes for Z2E and later AMD APUs Automatically handle internally rotated display for some third-party handhelds Improved motion control support for handhelds with BMI260 IMUs SD card reliability improvements for some third-party handhelds, including ASUS ROG Xbox Ally, Legion Go 1, Legion Go S, Legion Go 2, and MSI Claw Fixed washed out colors for Zotac and OneXPlayer handhelds with OLED Fixed some GPU hangs on Phoenix APU devices (Tales of Arise, Octopath Traveler II) Fixed ASUS ROG Ally power consumption from fingerprint reader while shut down Developer Desktop Mode now uses Wayland by default X11 support may still be selected via Steam developer settings, or via `steamosctl` Updated Linux kernel to 6.16 Steam now uses steamos-manager to query available desktop sessions and trigger desktop session switching Added support for setting the desktop password in developer settings Initial support for running as a Virtual Machine guest (virtio guest drivers) Added support for third-party devices to trigger the SteamOS boot menu via EFI variable Added `custom-update` verb to `atomupd-manager` for easier testing of specific builds System reports now include more audio debug information Initial support for LAVD CPU scheduler via `steamosctl set-cpu-scheduler lavd` View the full article

Eastasiasoft and Idea Factory will release Death end re;Quest: Code Z for Switch in Asia with English support this year. View the full article

Rumors have spread across the Fortnite community regarding the possibility of karaoke coming to the Fortnite Festival game mode. There are so many gameplay possibilities in Fortnite that nearly every type of gamer will find something for themselves when playing it. While Battle Royale is considered the main game mode in Fortnite, there are several official game modes that may suit players' preferences better and even be more enjoyable to play. Additionally, there are also thousands of Creative maps that come in all shapes and sizes, making it possible for players to select any type of game. View the full article

"So lame it's unbearable"View the full article

Cyberpunk 2077 has become one of the most popular and impressive open-world sci-fi games since its release back in 2020, with several substantial updates to keep the experience fresh over the years. After confirmation that Cyberpunk 2077's official sequel is in development under the code-name Project Orion, hype over the future of the franchise is at an all-time high. View the full article

XA day ahead of its self-imposed April 14 ransom deadline, ShinyHunters, the group that breached Rockstar Games last week and made off with an undisclosed trove of data, has released that data to the public. Members of the GTA Forums (via Kotaku) are now tearing through it, and it looks like anyone hoping for significant insights into Grand Theft Auto 6—or any relevant information at all, really—are going to be disappointed... Read more.View the full article

Over the weekend, hackers breached GTA 6 developer Rockstar Games and threatened to share confidential company information should their demands remain unmet by April 14. Rockstar responded, dismissing the hack’s impact, and now, those same hackers are making good on their promise. ShinyHunters, the group responsible for the hacking, released the data on its website, which is located on the dark web, alongside a message that denied previous reports that the data was ever for *****. “Your Snowflake instances metrics data was compromised thanks to Anodot.com," the message reads. "We do not operate a Telegram channel and this data was never for ***** like reported on X (formerly Twitter) for $200k. It is now leaked. How does it feel to be the headline?” The leaked data allegedly includes financial information about the online modes for both GTA and Red Dead, as well as the spending data for various countries. According to a report from Kotaku, the data claims the GTA 6 developer makes over $1 million a day from GTA Online. The data does not, however, include any information regarding GTA 6’s source code or other assets from the upcoming game, initial reports suggest. ShinyHunters was able to pierce Rockstar’s defenses by exploiting a vulnerability in Anodot, an AI analytics tool used by various companies. The hacking group originally demanded the GTA 6 developer reach out to them by April 14 or have the data leaked. In response to the initial demands, Rockstar released the following statement on the same day as the original hacking: “We can confirm that a limited amount of non-material company information was accessed in connection with a third-party data breach,” the company wrote. “This incident has no impact on our organization or our players.” This is a developing story. Additional information will be added as we learn more. The post ShinyHunters leaks Rockstar financial data, but GTA 6 appears untouched appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

Narrative FPS adventure title INDUSTRIA 2 is coming to PC, and not long is left for it to go live. The release date was confirmed earlier in April by developers Bleakmill. Let's look at when you can jump in if you've been excited to try out this game. Table of contentsINDUSTRIA 2 release countdownWhat to expect from INDUSTRIA 2INDUSTRIA 2 release countdown INDUSTRIA 2 will be released worldwide on Wednesday, April 15. The following countdown will expire once the launch happens. [hurrytimer id="1204397"] The countdown is based on the following timings. 7am PT9am CT10am ET3pm UTC4pm CET The timings are based on the information available on SteamDB. Any changes before launch will be updated in this guide. What to expect from INDUSTRIA 2 INDUSTRIA 2 is a direct sequel to the first game, where you play in the boots of Nora. Unfortunately, she has been pulled back into the mess created by ATLAS just before she can escape the dimension and head back home. As a player, you need to interact with the environment and craft different items to help your journey. You'll meet memorable characters on your journey as you progress through the main story. While there are dangerous enemies out there to hunt you down, you can find and upgrade five different weapons with attachments. INDUSTRIA 2 is a slow-paced, narrative-rich adventure that you can play at your own pace. If you're still unsure, you can always check out the demo that's available on Steam. The post INDUSTRIA 2 release countdown: Exact date and time appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

1997 Cloud just hits differentView the full article

If you were working a retail job at a movie rental store in the early '90s, there's a decent chance you couldn't wait to clock out for the day and escape from the daily grind with a mindless video game. Here in the 2020s, on the other hand, at least one mindless video game is striving to re-create the daily grind of working at a video rental store. Retro Rewind: Video Store Simulator is the latest in a burgeoning field of "work simulators" that has found indie success on Steam. And while the depth of the game's overall retail simulation is pretty shallow, there is a sort of soothing, zen comfort to be found in the repetitive nostalgia of that menial workaday world of the past. Working 9 to 5 Unlike simulations that rely heavily on menus or spreadsheets, Retro Rewind puts you in the first-person perspective of the manager of a small local VHS rental joint circa 1990. That means you have to run around doing everything from buying the tapes to laying out the furniture and decorations in the store. And while you can technically display those tapes out on any shelf you want, grouping them together by genre makes for both a better customer experience and helps to quiet those *****-retentive organizational voices in your head. Read full article Comments View the full article

Ahead of our full comparison covering all consoles and PC, we check out Pragmata on Nintendo Switch 2 docked and handheld to cover its image quality, performance, gyro support, and more. View the full article

Capcom's Pragmata is a truly inventive & surprisingly emotional take on the sci-fi shooter, and another tremendous outing in the company's ongoing hot streak. View the full article

We compare Hades II across PS5, Xbox Series X, Switch 2, Switch 1, PC, and Steam Deck going over visuals, performance, load times, and features to help you find the best version for you. View the full article

Developer Embark Studios has revealed the first official teaser for the next ARC Raiders map, which will release later this month as part of the game's Riven Tides update. A new email sent to players includes the first official images of the new ARC Raidersmap, as well as a few lines of text that tease its arrival in a couple of weeks' time. View the full article

Stop Killing Games is backing a new bill from Chris Ward, a member of the California State Assembly since 2020. Introduced earlier this year, the Protect Our Games Act would require gaming companies to make clear commitments to long-term support for "server-connected" video games. The bill has undergone a significant... Read Entire Article View the full article

A new free game on Steam has already gathered up 9/10 positive reviews, and if you’re interested in checking it out, you can download and keep it forever to play it at any time you want. Players on the gaming platform can find thousands of free options, be they demos or full games, from a variety of genres. Earlier this month, Steam added four free games that players can still claim and keep forever, catering to several different preferences. View the full article

The Shifting Sands DLC has added a fair amount of new mounts you can get in Soulmask, and they come in different shapes and sizes. The core process for getting the mounts is the same, but they all work differently. Let's find out how you can obtain these new mounts to traverse the sandy lands in Soulmask. Table of contentsHow to get the new mounts in Soulmask Shifting HandsDonkeysCamelsRhinoHow to get the new mounts in Soulmask Shifting Hands When I am talking of new mounts, there appear to be three available options. DonkeysCamelsRhinos There are big cats that you can find in the wild as well. However, I am extremely unsure if they can be tamed at all. Similarly, the update also has new pets for you to collect. However, this guide solely deals with the mounts that are available in Soulmask Shifting Hands. Donkeys Image via Qooland Games Donkeys are the easiest of all three new mounts to get. You can find them almost anywhere on the map. For better chances, you should look in the areas around the water resource in any oasis. Once you find a baby donkey, pick it up (be mindful of adult donkeys), and then raise it with food and water. Once the donkey is fully grown, you can use its inventory to carry extra items on your journey. Camels Image via Qooland Games If you want something that moves faster and carries more items than a donkey, you can get a camel as a mount. We already have a detailed guide on how to find and use one as a mount. In short, you can find them in different parts of the desert. You'll need a medium trap to capture a young one. Once done, feed the camel water and figs to help it grow. Then, mount a saddle, and you'll be able to use it as a mount on your travels. Rhino Image via Qooland Games If you want a tank (not a literal one), the rhino is perfect for you. While they don't have an exact location, you can find them around the water bodies in oasis areas. You'll need to trap a young one, or you can find them randomly from barbarian camps. Feed the required items and water for the young one to help it grow, and you'll be able to mount a saddle then to use it on your adventures. The rhino has the highest damage and base health among all available mounts, and you can whip it to make it run faster. The Shifting Sands DLC also has four new masks to find, and you can get them all quite easily if you know where to look. The post All mounts in Soulmask Shifting Hands and how to get them appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

.Acquisitions are arguably one of the most important elements in Skull Horde when it comes to determining your chances of success. The more weapons and armors you have, the more options you'll find during a run. While your options will be limited at the start, you can start unlocking them by completing different requirements. How to unlock all Acquisitions in Skull Horde The table below has a list of all the Acquisitions you can unlock, along with the requirements that you need to meet. AcquisitionHow to UnlockCarrion StrikeAmass 999 corpuscles across multiple runs. Rabbit's FootGet 10 Luck at any stage. Coin PuchReach the top recruitment rank across any run. RampageComplete and win a run in less than 10 minutes (any difficulty works). RotbornFinish a run with Adam as your main character. Mathusian ChartsFinish a run with The Many as your main character. ConcentrationStand still for 60 seconds. Be careful not to die. Unfinished BusinessRecruit three different top-tier Slayer units. UnderstudyKill 10 enemies using Musical Notes. Infested NestRecruit three top-tier Rats. Parting GiftRecruit five top-tier Petards. Appraisers LoupeReroll 100 times in one run. Mage ArmorRecruit two different top-tier Arcane units. Survivor's GuiltRecruit a top-tier Cleric. Rending SwipeRecruit a top-tier ChopperSpring LeverRecruit a top-tier SharpshooterShallow GraveWin a run with Blood BondIron ShroudHave five units with Invulnerable active simultaneously. SpectaclesHave a unit with 10 stacks of Incisive. Shadow VeilHave a unit with 10 stacks of Cloaked. ****** LedgerKill 750 enemies in a single run. Acquisitions aren't the only things you get to unlock. You can also unlock new troop types from Enlistments to empower your army while they participate in a raid. The post All Acquisitions (weapons and armors) in Skull Horde and how to get them appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

Asha Sharma apparently knows that players "need a better value equation"View the full article

Starfield developer Bestheda Game Studios has responded to the ongoing PS5 ****** issues with the open-world sci-fi game and narrowed down when PS5 owners can expect these issues to be fixed. Starfield coming to PS5 wasn't a big surprise, given Microsoft's recent pivot into more of a third-party publisher, but many fans were surprised by the state of the game. View the full article

Xbox Game Pass prices could change in the future, according to an internal memo from Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma that was leaked and posted on social media. Although any Xbox Game Pass price change is unlikely to happen quickly, Sharma's words could signal that Microsoft is at least contemplating it. View the full article

Ultimate Gauntlet 15 is now live in FC 26 as part of the Trophy Titans promo, and you can complete the tasks to get some amazing rewards. To win the rewards, you'll have to play and win a certain number of games across all the available rounds. Here are all the items on offer as part of the objective. How to get all FC 26 Ultimate Gauntlet 15 rewards The Ultimate Gauntlet 15 has 10 different tasks. You need to complete any nine of your choice to finish the entire objective. TasksRewardsWin 7 matches in Ultimate Gauntlet 152x 86+ Rare Gold Players PackScore at least 1 goal in 14 separate matches in Ultimate Gauntlet 152x 86+ Rare Gold Players PackWin 5 matches in Ultimate Gauntlet 15 to earn an EVO consumable. All EVO details can be previewedEvolutionWin 4 matches in Ultimate Gauntlet 15Riquelme Trophy TitansScore at least 1 goal in 6 separate matches in Ultimate Gauntlet 154x 85+ Rare Gold Players PackScore at least 1 goal in 5 separate matches in Ultimate Gauntlet 1510x 84+ Rare Gold Players PackScore at least 1 goal in 3 separate matches in Ultimate Gauntlet 15 to earn an EVO consumableEvolutionPlay 4 matches in Ultimate Gauntlet 151 of 3 86+ Rare Gold Players PickPlay 2 matches in Ultimate Gauntlet 151 of 4 85+ Rare Gold Players PickPlay 1 match in Ultimate Gauntlet 151 of 5 84+ Rare Gold Players Pick When you finish the full set, you'll also gett a 10 86+ Rare Gold Players Pack. With the TOTS season beginning soon, this is the perfect time to stack big packs in your club. You have a week to complete the tasks, and there are more bonuses based on how well you do in a given round. The post All FC 26 Ultimate Gauntlet 15 rewards and tasks appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

Nowadays, cheating in games is associated with an unfair advantage in competitive multiplayer, but there was once a golden age when cheating was all about harmlessly skipping the single-player grind or, better yet, giving yourself all sorts of hilarious perks. It's time we reminisce about that beautiful bygone era. Angry pedestrians always result in anarchy in GTA Image via Rockstar The GTA series is home to some of the best, most original, and most hilarious video game cheats of all time. You could come up with a huge list of the best cheat codes, and somebody totally did. Still, if we're about to find the funniest one of the bunch, I gotta go with angry pedestrians, a cheat code that starts an unprecedented civil war where every single person represents their own faction, and they all hate everyone else. One single cheat makes any GTA title double as an apocalypse scenario survival game, and there's no better way of blowing off some steam after failing to follow some damn train. The angry pedestrians' cheat is hilarious for all the unpredictable and hilarious chaos it spawns, and it also shows the inevitable endpoint of society in any of the cities in the Grand Theft Auto series, meaning it also carries big sociological and demographic lessons, if you happen to be in Liberty City for that. One of the reasons people are so hyped about GTA 6 is that fans associate it with a time when games were just more fun overall than they are now, and these types of cheat codes had a big role in making it so. Here's hoping the good people of Rockstar haven't forgotten about that lesson. Naughty players accidentally make Lara Croft explodehttps://youtu.be/-sajBY4HgJ4 As soon as Lara Croft showed up in the original Tomb Raider back in 1996, fans began to wonder if it was possible to get her in-game model to undress. You're just gonna have to imagine how vocal they were about it for their words to get into the developers' heads back before widespread internet or social media, but that totally happened. So, for Tomb Raider 2, they included a mysterious code, one that would supposedly get Lara to finally undress, but would actually have her in-game model explode into many tiny pieces, instead. Interestingly, the input for this cheat code is very similar to that of an actual useful cheat code in the game, meaning so many players got the fright of their lives, whether they deserved it or not, and that makes it even funnier for me. The more recent Lara outfit controversy had nothing to do with "Nude Raider", but I like to see it as divine punishment from all of the fans' past misdeeds on the subject. Age of Empires reveals history's secret weaponshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu-Pyxeivi4 When you read the name Age of Empires, I bet you'll picture a realistic game about strategizing your way to victory in ancient times, and that's, well, more or less true, or at least until you input the game's legendary cheat codes. Back in the good old days, typing the right words would grant players the ability to spawn Shelby Cobra cars with miniguns, babies with guns, or even super-powered monkeys who would destroy most enemies with one hit. The best part? For the HD remaster, the developers introduced the Sharkatzor, a laser-firing flying shark piloted by a cat. And, like, history is complicated. Many records have been lost, so who's to say stylish motorized vehicles and genetically enhanced apes, babies, cats, and sharks weren't the reality of prehistoric warfare? Turok's Disco modehttps://youtu.be/zPFh_-eM144 I used to see Turok as a very serious shooter for the longest time, until I found out it had a "Disco mode" that players could unlock via cheat codes. The effect of this cheat is as simple as it is hilarious. It spawns disco lights near the enemies, who'll quit everything they're doing just so they can dance it out. The lights don't affect the player in any way, meaning you're free to enjoy the show. Sonic 3D Blast's special menu Image via ***** Sonic 3D Blast doesn't really feature any out-of-this-world type of unlockable, but it does have the funniest "code input" I've ever seen in a game. To unlock the game's special menu that grants access to various secret levels, players just need to hit the Genesis cartridge while the game is running. No, I'm not trying to get players to destroy the cartridges of what's arguably one of the most disappointing games of all time; this really is how you do it. I remember coming across this secret menu when I bumped into the cartridge when I was just a kid, and spent a long time believing that must've been the most random thing ever, but it turns out it was actually by design. It turns out that to get the game approved for release at a time long before patches, the game had to pass a bunch of pretty demanding tests. Instead of fixing any of the game's issues, the developers just programmed any event that could cause the game to ******, like a kid falling headfirst into their console, to automatically trigger the "special" debug mode, a feature, not a glitch, and thus Sonic 3D Blast became ready to ship. Blood cheat in Mortal Kombat Screenshot by Destructoid Mortal Kombat is known for its gruesomely detailed violence, but that, somehow, wasn't always the case. When making its way to the more family-friendly Genesis and SNES home consoles, the devs thought it best to release a completely blood-free version of the game. Syke. For the Genesis port of the game, all it took was one secret input for the game to become just as gory as its arcade counterpart. The SNES version had no such toggle, which may or may not have been the reason why it got outsold three to one. And sure, violence in games is fun when these games are meant to be violent in the first place, but, as it turns out, it might prove even better in more innocent games. Dismemberment in Star Wars Jedi Knight 2https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6FSvFrRxOE Ever wondered what Star Wars would look like if the movies and games weren't made for kids? Well, you needn't look any further, as, because of an actual feature in the game, not a deranged fan mod. The dismemberment feature was originally going to be a part of the game, which is what you get when you hire Raven Software fresh off the Soldier of Fortune series to make your game, but the dismemberment feature didn't make it to release. Luckily, it too wasn't cut out at all, and anyone can enjoy the game as it should be, so long as they know the secret password (it's: g_saberrealisticcombat). The post [Hidden Content] appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article