Steam

Last year's Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical is getting story-focused DLC in the form of Stray Gods: Orpheus, which will star the titular mythical bard rather than base game protagonist Grace. Coming back to earth for a new story, Orpheus will once again be played by Anthony Rapp, the ********* actor and singer best known for his performance in the original run of the musical Rent, the film version of the same show, and most recently (and to most of you, my fellow nerds) in Star Trek: Discovery... Read more.View the full article

Throughout its three acts, Baldur's Gate 3 throws an overwhelming number of choices at the party, all while they try to focus on saving Faern. While some might seem small at first, they can have a large impact on a playthrough later down the road. Some other decisions might not directly affect the party but will have negative consequences for other characters or even the world. View the full article

Ghost of Tsushima is on the verge of release for PC, and a new Nvidia GPU driver is ready for it. The Nvidia GeForce driver will help Ghost of Tsushima players to make the most of their Nvidia graphics cards to deliver visually impressive graphics and a smooth frame rate. View the full article

Bungie's first real shooter hit, Marathon, has been released on Steam for modern hardware as Classic Marathon, a fan-led port that has Bungie's blessing to release. Classic Marathon is completely free, letting you have the rare experience of playing a classic game not only easily but with zero time spent hunting down an old copy and fighting with compatibility... Read more.View the full article

Even with its shortcomings at launch, I was always strongly affected by Cyberpunk 2077's portrayal of living on borrowed time. The denial, the bargaining, the pills you're prescribed that barely seem to do anything: it's all cut from a very real cloth, one I know well after a half year of preparing for something only marginally better than my central nervous system getting slow-cooked by a neuro-degenerative **********. Thankfully, my prognosis looks less grim now, but I'll never forget experiencing the two side by side... Read more.View the full article

Last December, Ubisoft announced it was delisting its MMO racing game The Crew from all digital storefronts but shutting down the servers on March 31, 2024. Weeks after the servers were slated to shut down, Ubisoft began notifying players who owned a copy of The Crew that it was removing it from their Ubisoft accounts. Though Ubisoft is not the first company to shut down servers for an online-only game, the recent closure of The Crew’s online servers has inspired one individual to push for legal and government intervention to address the ever-growing industry trend. It's a trend that has sparked even debate in the industry after Microsoft announced the closure of Arkane Studios, the developer behind Redfall. This decision has led to the cancellation of future updates and planned DLC for this online-only game. Although Redfall's servers are still operational, its long-term support ******** uncertain, as it ******** to be seen how long Microsoft will keep the servers up and whether or not it will provide an offline mode once it finally sunsets its support for Redfall. "Due to the game's size and France's strong consumer protection laws, this represents one of the best opportunities to hold a publisher accountable for this action,” Scott wrote on the official website for Stop ******** Games. “If we are successful in bringing charges against Ubisoft, this can have a ripple effect on the videogames industry to prevent publishers from destroying more games.” If you REALLY think about... if The Crew franchise continues to have vehicle transfer it's THE biggest cop out to shut the games down "oh well we're shutting this one down but your cars did and will import to the next games so who cares right?" [Hidden Content] — SidWaj (@WajSid) December 18, 2023 The Crew is shutting down next year and since it's online-only, it will be ***** for good. Looks like I was off by 2 years. It's still one of the largest open world driving games made. What a great business model throwing all that effort into the trash.[Hidden Content] — Accursed Farms (@accursedfarms) December 14, 2023 In a statement sent to IGN, a Ubisoft spokesperson told IGN it had “no further comment” regarding The Crew's shutdown. The spokesperson reiterated that although the news could disappoint players, “it was necessary” for Ubisoft, citing server infrastructure and “licensing constraints.” The painful limits of online games Scott’s efforts are an attempt to address a trend that has been going on for years now, but in recent years has only become more acute Newzoo Senior Market Analyst Michael Wagner says that in the past, it was common for games to lose online support after a certain *******, usually when the “player bases move on to other titles.” Still, extra features would keep the game playable, like a single-player campaign, local multiplayer, and the option to set up private servers. However, in recent years, the idea of online games being completely unplayable has become “a fairly new phenomenon,” Wagner explains. According to Wagner, publishers shut down games because of dwindling player bases and the need for more profitability of upkeep when newer entries are released in existing franchises, with examples including Battlefield and Call of Duty. Wagner explains how older games could threaten the newer games’ ability to turn a profit. “Players may continue with older iterations but may not spend within the game the new game. Removing functionality, in theory, means increased revenues for the new title.” Liam Deane, principal analyst at Omdia, shares similar sentiments, noting “almost all online-only games have a finite lifespan.” While there are a few rare exceptions, most notably Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft, Deane reiterates Wagner’s comments on player bases dwindling after a few years as a main reason for publishers shutting down servers. “Almost all online-only games have a finite lifespan.” “Until the mid-2000s or so online games typically allowed players to host private servers,” Deane explained. “But these days, the publisher usually shoulders the cost of maintaining the game servers. At some point, this is a cost which they are going to want to stop paying once a game’s player base drops below a certain level.” With an increase in live service games and in-game purchases becoming a big source of revenue, the worrying trend of online-only games will continue for the foreseeable future. Deane explains that “across the entire industry,” 54% of revenue comes from microtransactions or in-game purchases, according to his research. The proportion is “obviously even higher” for live service games, where it’s common to have a surplus of microtransactions or in-game items purchasable for players. When the player base dries up, so does the revenue, and with it, the chances of a game’s survival. Nevertheless, the games industry is industry placing more and more emphasis on multiplayer games, particularly live service titles, such as Fortnite, Palworld, and Helldivers 2. These projects not only rely on a player base consistently coming back to play the game, but also on players being online to access this content. When they shut down, they take their communities with them. Friday the 13th, which will have its servers permanently turned off on December 31, 2024, is just one game suffering this fate. Scott explains that while licensing agreements can prevent companies from selling additional companies of a game once the license expires, it does “not prevent existing buyers from continuing to use the game they have already paid for.” Yet, the ownership of some games ******** a gray area, especially in the ******* States, where legal precedent has significantly stripped consumers of their rights. The most significant legal case impacting this is ProCD, Inc. v. Zeidenbger, which reworked U.S. Contract Law, allowing the courts to defer to End User License Agreements. Essentially, the case meant that these agreements allow publishers to be absolved of any accountability and obligation owed to consumers who purchased a product and assert authority over when their online-only games become unplayable once support ends. "If you bought a game, if you made a game, if you love a game, technology shouldn't get in the way. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has led the ****** for ownership rights in the since 1990, with the agency mainly focusing on advocating for creators, technologists, and technology users' digital rights. As Cory Doctorow, EFF Special Advisor, emphasizes, "If you bought a game, if you made a game, if you love a game, technology shouldn't get in the way of that game's ongoing existence. Instead, technology should preserve that game for players who love it today, for the people who are proud of making it, for players who come later, and for games makers of the future." However, the challenge is wider than the ******* States. In countries like Canada and the ***, there is little precedent preventing companies from revoking a purchase post-*****. In contrast, the EU and Australia need help getting a governmental examination of the issue. One common global challenge is lobbying groups' influence, particularly in the gaming industry, which may work to maintain the status quo of an uneven balance of power between game companies and consumers. A domino effect Nevertheless, despite the varying degrees of laws influencing consumer rights worldwide, Scott explains that this proposed domino effect of filing complaints to the DGCCRF would still have a worldwide impact. For example, in 2014, when the *********** Competition and Consumer Commission sued Valve for not providing customers an option to refund games on Steam, the company had no choice but to modify its policy to allow refunds on Steam in Australia and other countries like the ******* States. Ultimately, Scott and Doctorow encourage individuals to advocate for the change they want. They encourage fans to file complaints and force governments to examine the company's behavior and practices. In the meantime, Scott's initiative is gaining momentum in raising awareness and urging players to defend their rights and challenge this frustrating trend dictated by publishers. “I think by taking the customer's money, that creates an obligation for publishers to give customers a reasonable expectation to run the game in some fashion,” Scott says, “even after support ends.” Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster. View the full article

Photo by IDA MARIE ODGAARD/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images GameStop, the used video game retailer that’s become increasingly associated with other kinds of speculative investments, wants to cash in on the resurgent card collecting craze — staffers have told Pokébeach, Polygon, and The Verge that stores will begin buying and selling rare Pokémon cards, and possibly other cards, as soon as next week. GameStop apparently doesn’t want just any cards, though: employees across multiple states say they’ll only be buying cards that have already been graded by Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) at an 8, 9, or 10, meaning they’re in near-mint condition or better with only slight imperfections. And yet, GameStop won’t accept the rarest cards valued at over $500, either, Pokébeach and Polygon report.... Continue reading… View the full article

Nvidia has started to test and verify its cooling modules for upcoming Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 series GPUs, which are codenamed "Blackwell." The new RTX 50 series GPUs are speculated to launch in the second half of 2024 at the very earliest, and a full reveal by Nvidia could happen as soon as Q3 2024 begins. View the full article

Animal Well is one of the top sellers on Steam a day after its launch. On September 21, 2022, popular internet personality Jason Gastrow, also known as Dunkey, announced that he was co-founding a video game publishing company named Bigmode with his wife, streamer and YouTuber Leahbee. Many reacted with cautious optimism, awaiting proof of concept, and that optimism grew when Bigmode's first release, Animal Well, was finally shown off. View the full article

Valve released an update to Proton Experimental for Linux and Steam Deck today which continues to expand the controller support available for various games launchers, amongst a bunch of other improvements. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

Electronic Arts is currently working on inserting more “dynamic” ads into its AAA titles, and this development has produced a lot of justified eye-rolling from gamers as a whole, despite how “thoughtful” CEO Andrew Wilson says the company is being about it. AAA games already cost a hefty $60 or $70 to buy, and as long as games have existed, not being served ads has always been included in that premium price. At the end of the day though, publishers like EA will consider anything that brings in more money over time. And for that reason, they should consider something I’ve been thinking about for some time, especially now that they want to include ads: make EA FC free-to-play. View the full article

The first hotfix for the 1.0 full-release version of V Rising is live with various bug fixes, including a solution for Rift Incursions not spawning on PvP servers. With a large amount of new content added to V Rising, bugs were expected. The quick release of the hotfix, as well as a list of known issues the team is working on, highlights the dedication to a proper functioning game for the community. View the full article

If you thought that you could take a break during one of the toughest boss fights in Hades 2, you’re wrong. Hades 2 players began to realize that pausing is impossible in the grueling Chronos boss ******.Chronos won’t let you pause his boss ****** in Hades 2In a viral video on Youtube from “VideoGameNews,” it was revealed that pausing is simply impossible while facing the grueling Chronos boss ****** in Hades 2. Chronos is the final boss of the Underworld section of Hades 2, just after the Infernal ****** and a few encounters through Tartarus.Image: “Video Game News”/YouTubeAs seen in the video, if you attempt to press the “Esc” key and pause your game, the Titan of Time doesn’t like the fact that you’re trying to control time yourself. Instead of seeing your normal pause menu, the screen goes dark and Chronos speaks to you directly. It’s almost like a fourth wall break when Chronos says the line “You d...View the full article

Working and gaming used to be strictly at-home activities. But in a world where traveling means both playing and grinding while out of the office or home-office, you need flexibility. When it comes to flexibility, the NuPhy Air60 V2 wireless mechanical keyboard is one of the better options I’ve used thus far for both work and play, and it’s something that deserves your attention regardless of whether you’ve heard of the company before. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Developer Slavic Magic has rolled out a major patch for Manor Lords, addressing numerous fixes, balancing tweaks, and introducing new cosmetics, among other enhancements. This Manor Lords update, labeled version 0.7.960 and available on the experimental branch, brings significant changes to gameplay mechanics, aiming to improve the player experience. View the full article

Thankfully, Little Kitty, Big City is not a large triple-A game where things might break at any moment. On the other hand, the indie game might run into smaller issues. One of which is breaking the game, but can be fixed easily by you. If you somehow landed on the outside of the map and have a hard time getting unstuck in Little Kitty, Big City, this guide might come in handy. Little Kitty, Big City: How to get unstuck outside the mapThis problem seems to happen at any moment. If you’re searching for the 42 hats, you can go through the level and get stuck and not move. This happened to me when I was finding the Shinies. I climbed up a pipe and was taken into a space that I couldn’t move around in. A Reddit user has also found out it happens when you walk out of the game world’s boundaries. However, you might think that closing the game and restarting might fix the problem. Some players have found that even if they load back into the game, our feline buddy is still w...View the full article

If you’re itching to complete the “Back of the Net” Achievement in Little Kitty, Big City, you must score on all four soccer goals. To help you gain this Achievement, here are all the soccer goal locations in Little Kitty, Big City.Little Kitty Big City: All soccer goal and ball locationsNot only do you have to find the soccer goals, but the ****** as well. The first two are the easiest to find, while the last two are pretty tough. Here’s where to look to score those goals.All locationsGreenPurpleBlueYellowGreen soccer goalScreenshot: PC InvasionThe first soccer goal you’ll pass by is at the start of the game. Luckily, the green ball is a few feet away from the goal, so you shouldn’t have a tough time spotting this one.Just use the “Q” and “E” keys to swing your paws and throw the ball into the net. This should start the quest for scoring the next three soccer goals.Purple soccer goalThe ...View the full article

Watching people trip over fruit isn’t just hilarious; it’s also the goal of the Fruit Fall Achievement in Little Kitty, Big City. For both achievement hunters and those looking for a laugh, this guide explains exactly how to make a human slip on a banana. How to earn the Fruit Fall Achievement in Little Kitty, Big CityThe Fruit Fall Achievement in Little Kitty, Big City requires you to “make a human slip on a banana.” There are multiple ways to do this, but the easiest is to grab and hold a banana from the corner store and run into a human. Screenshot: PC InvasionAnother method to earn Fruit Fall is to knock or place a banana on the floor in front of a person. Be wary of the shopkeeper, however, as she’ll pick up anything that drops from her stall.If you happen to be nearby, this Achievement can also be unlocked at the Supermarket (where you can also find a cool Onigiri hat) or anywhere where bananas can be found. You can even occasiona...View the full article

One player accidentally summoned Nibbles the Putrid Rat to their Castle in V Rising and ended up getting barred from entering the base. The rat sat in front of the doorway, blocking any sort of entry into the Castle. As a safe space from the sun, getting inside can mean life or ****** in V Rising. View the full article

When is Homeworld 3 coming out? The latest installment of the beloved sci fi strategy series, Homeworld 3, is just on the horizon, providing the first full sequel since Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak launched in 2016 and the first numbered entry since Homeworld 2 from 2003. The long wait for its arrival is about to pay off, as what looks to be one of the most involved and feature rich takes on the RTS series to date is out in a very short time. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Upcoming spaceship RTS Homeworld 3 has modding tools delayed Homeworld 3 will add three more playable factions in its first year Homeworld 3 release date, gameplay, trailers, news, and story View the full article

Just Cause 4 may not be as well regarded as Just Cause 2 and Just Cause 3, but it's still a fantastic option for anyone looking to spend a while flinging themselves across a sandbox world and blowing up nearly everything they see. Though it has a story and curated mission design not unlike Grand Theft Auto 5 or Saints Row 4, Just Cause 4 is also, like the similarly anarchic Red Faction: Guerilla, at its best when players let those aspects of the game take a back seat and revel in the chaotic potential of its more free form design instead. Anyone looking to do just that is in luck as the game is currently on a massive discount on Steam. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: A new Just Cause open-world game is in development This week's free Epic Store games are live, including a massive triple-A title John Wick creator hired to write a Just Cause movie View the full article

Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: One of the strangest MTG cards just got a 100% price spike Former DnD and MtG boss will soon rule over Funko Pops Underrated new MTG card sees foils spike 500% View the full article

I never thought about an RTS roguelike game, but man, this mode is fun – and really difficult. Give me a little break, Blackbird! Here is how to increase your War Games level in Homeworld 3.Homeworld 3: How to increase your War Games levelIncreasing your War Games level is both a simple task and yet complex to pull off. You will have to complete rounds of War Games which will in turn grant you a specific amount of XP. Collect enough XP and you will be able to level up, unlocking specific rewards such as new profile icons, starting fleets, as well as Artifacts – which are in-game modifiers, basic for any roguelike.Your XP gain, though, will be determined by two different things: your performance and your difficulty. Performance means how efficient and fast you are at completing objectives for each round – such as clearing ****** presence, capturing Control Modules, and protecting your Carrier while it moves to a certain location. The faster you complete each...View the full article

Image: Bungie Before there was Halo and Destiny, there was Marathon — and now Steam users can check out the classic sci-fi shooter for themselves. Bungie just announced that the first game in the original trilogy has surprise-dropped on Steam, and it’s available on both Mac and PC. Even better, you can play it for free. The game is actually credited to Aleph One Developers, which is described as an “open source continuation of Bungie’s Marathon 2 game engine.” In fact, the group has already made the entire trilogy available to download right here with support for Mac, PC, and Linux. But the Steam launch opens up the games to a big new audience of gamers, and Bungie says the plan is to bring both sequels — Marathon 2: Durandal and Marathon Infinity —... Continue reading… View the full article

WWE 2K24 has confirmed that CM Punk, when he launches in the ECW Punk DLC Pack on May 14, will have a 90 rating. It feels like a solid number for the Best in the World, but notably, it is also a single point higher than the former World Heavyweight Champion Drew McIntyre who has an 89 overall rating. View the full article