Archived News:
Friday, Feb 09, 2024
Play DNF Duel for Free [7:53 pm ET] – Share – 5 Comments
DNF Duel is free to check out for Windows
on Steam for
the next two days, offering the chance to kick ass and take names in this
fighting game without kicking in or taking out your wallet (thanks
SteamDB via Ant). This puts combatants in
control of characters from the Dungeon and Fighter RPG series (sorry
Duke Nukem Forever fans). If the sample inspires you to join this anime
variant on Fight Club, it's on sale for 60% and all its DLC is discounted as
well. Here's the original
Official Launch Trailer and more on the game:
Action fighting at its extreme! One of the most popular and widely played RPGs in the world, Dungeon and Fighter is now back as a 2.5D action fighting game. Choose from 16 charming characters, each with their distinct skills and personalities. Outsmart, outplay, or downright beat up your opponents and become the master of the Ultimate Will!Continue here to read the full story.
West Hunt Free Weekend [7:53 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Another free weekend is underway
on Steam,
this one is for West Hunt, the social deduction game set in the old west.
In classic westerns, the bad guys are easy to tell by their black hats and
their, well, badness. In West Hunt they play things closer to the vest,
requiring the wisdom of the crowd to suss out evildoers. The free promotion runs
for the next five days, and the game is on sale for half-off if you end up sold
on it. And this
post notes that the top three players on the game's leaderboard for the free
week will receive free Steam keys to use or give away. Here's the
most recent update video and here's word:
West Hunt is a 1-6 player social deduction game set in the Old West! Among the hardworking townsfolk hides an Outlaw or two causing mischief and mayhem across town. Luckily, there are eagle-eyed Sheriffs ready to sniff them out! No matter what role you play, you're sure to have a hog-killin' time!Continue here to read the full story.
More Planned Overwatch 2 Changes [7:53 pm ET] – Share – 4 Comments
A Director's Take
on the Overwatch Website has a follow-up to
yesterday's post on revitalizing
Overwatch 2. This post from game director Aaron Keller adds more details to
the plan based on feedback to the initial announcement. He also outlines changes
coming with a few key goals: To make shooting feel better and more consistent,
to reduce the effectiveness of both burst damage and in-combat healing, and to give
damage heroes more agency in securing eliminations. Here's a bit more on these
plans to reinvigorate the multiplayer shooter:
We've made changes to address each one of these. We've added health to all heroes in the game in order to reduce the effect of burst damage, as well as reduce the number of heroes that can effectively one-shot each other. In addition, we've made most of the projectiles in the game slightly larger, which makes it easier to land a shot on other players. This was partially done to compensate for the health increase - to spread damage out to make it feel more consistent. Additionally, Overwatch is a fast-paced game, our heroes are incredibly nimble, and landing shots can feel inconsistent.
We've also added a new passive to the Damage Role that decreases healing done to players that they've damaged recently. The idea here is to give Damage players an increased ability to secure kills as well as to mitigate the abilities of Support heroes to keep targets alive. This should also give Damage heroes an advantage when facing off against Supports.
Evening Patches [7:53 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Official patches.
Evening Multiplex [7:53 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Evening Tech Bits [7:53 pm ET] – Share – 2 Comments
- Global Semiconductor Sales Hit $526.8 Billion in 2023.
- Who makes money when AI reads the internet for us? Who'll make money when AI does everything for us?
- AI Deepfakes Are Everywhere and Congress is Completely Out of Their Depth.
Into the Black [7:52 pm ET] – Share – 3 Comments
Last Link of the Day:
Unusually Big Sunspot Cluster Now Visible, Posing Risk of Powerful Solar Flares.
A mere 12 Earths across.
Jagex Being Acquired [12:59 pm ET] – Share – 4 Comments
CVC Capital Partners and Haveli Investments announce an agreement to acquire
Jagex, developer and publisher of Runescape, although terms are not being
disclosed. If it's not clear from their names, the purchasers are a pair of private equity
firms, so the announcement is more focused on metrics and leveraging than
creation, though this fits in with an existing (and growing) Gaming Fund at
Haveli. Here's word:
CVC Capital Partners, headquartered in Luxembourg, is one the world’s largest private equity firms, with over €188bn assets managed within its portfolio. With investments in the global sports field, such as the Gujarat Titans, LaLiga, Lique De Football Professionnel, Premiership Rugby and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), CVC Capital Partners has rich form in growing fan-focused businesses on the global stage. CVC Capital Partners will support Jagex by leveraging its expertise and resources to assist the company’s continued subscriber and revenue growth, alongside its community driven philosophy as it looks to build upon the success of RuneScape and Old School RuneScape and create more forever games under the Jagex brand.
Haveli Investments is an Austin-based private equity firm that seeks to partner with innovative companies, entrepreneurs and management teams. Haveli’s Gaming Fund has previously invested in London-based Omeda Studios, whose title Predecessor is currently in Early Access, Montreal-based Behaviour Interactive, the developer and publisher behind the hit online, genre-leading horror game Dead by Daylight and Tel Aviv-based Candivore, the developer and publisher of the category leading mobile hit Match Masters.
Jagex was acquired by Carlyle in 2021, supporting Jagex with the acquisitions of Pipeworks and Gamepires in 2022, while Jagex continued to deliver year-on-year performance gains.
HELLDIVERS 2 Known Issues [12:59 pm ET] – Share – 11 Comments
A
post from Arrowhead Game Studios has a list of current known issues in
HELLDIVERS 2, the third-person shooter that
launched yesterday with a few issues
(thanks
MP1st). This rundown of problems includes suggested workarounds for now
along with details on what has been done or is still to do on its end to put
things right. Topic include quickplay not working, crashes after successful
matchmaking, problems with AMD Radeon 7000-series GPUs, getting stuck on "Press
Any Button" on the splash screen, and the game failing to launch for a small
percentage of players due to GameGuard false positives. DRM-induced problems are
among those for which gamers have the least patience/sympathy, so here's more on
what's going on with GameGuard:
What We’ve Done / Are Doing: We’re working with the anticheat vendor to see what adaptations we can make. When we do have solutions, those will be rolled out automatically via the anticheat on game start.
What Players Can Do: We’ve learned that one workaround is to close other running software. We’ve found that the game has a particular challenge running alongside antivirus, fan cooling, or streaming video overlay programs. We would love to have some community support here. If you identify programs that the anticheat software can’t get past, can you let us know? We can work on getting those legitimate programs whitelisted so you can keep them on and still run the game.
NVIDIA GeForce Hotfix Drivers [12:59 pm ET] – Share – 3 Comments
NVIDIA announces the release of new version 551.46 GeForce Hotfix drivers
for running NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards under Windows (thanks
DSOGaming). These are based on the latest Game Ready Driver 551.23, and
among other things, address micro-stutters when VSYNC is enabled:
This hotfix addresses the following issues:
- Some users may experience intermittent micro-stuttering in games when vertical sync is enabled [4445940]
- Potential stutter may be observed when scrolling in web browsers on certain system configurations [4362307]
- [Red Dead Redemption 2][Vulkan] Stutter observed on some Advanced Optimus notebooks [4425987]
- [Immortals of Aveum] Addresses stability issues over extended gameplay [4415277]
Intel Graphics Drivers [12:59 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Intel now features new version 31.0.101.5194/31.0.101.5252 Windows
drivers for Arc A-Series graphics cards, Iris Xe graphics cards, and Core Ultra
Processors with integrated Intel Arc graphics. These include bug fixes and
performance improvements for several games. They also add support for some new
releases:
Intel® Game On Driver support on Intel® Arc™ A-series Graphics for:
- Helldivers 2
- Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
- Skull & Bones
Intel® Game On Driver support on Intel® Core™ Ultra with Intel® Arc™ Graphics for:
- Helldivers 2
- Skull & Bones
Fate/Samurai Remnant DLC Released [12:59 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
KOEI TECMO America, Omega Force, TYPE-MOON, Aniplex (and perhaps others)
announce the release of the first DLC for Fate/Samurai Remnant, the
recently launched action/RPG. The title
Additional Episode 1 "Record's Fragment: Keian Command Championship" is
a little clunky, but does give an idea of what to expect. The DLC is not
discounted, but the base game, which is required, is currently on sale for 30%
off (and the recent demo is still available). The
DLC Vol. 1 Trailer takes a look, offering English subtitles for its Japanese
dialog. Here's more:
In “Record’s Fragment: Keian Command Championship”, the boss of Babyloni-ya summons Masters and Servants to a mysterious arena, where he suddenly announces the commencement of the Keian Command Championship. In addition to Iori and Saber, players will be able to control the other characters, including the newly playable Rider, enabling everyone to experience the tournament from different perspectives that were not depicted in the main story. Between matches, players will discover new cutscenes and learn more about the characters – and if they manage to win the tournament, players will unlock an ending sequence unique to each team.Continue here to read the full story.
In addition to the seven different teams already participating, a new Servant will join the Keian Command Championship: the Divine Spirit Ibuki-Douji! Depending on the team players choose to play as, they may also be able to directly control Ibuki-Douji and fight their way to victory. And once players meet a certain condition, they will even be able to recruit Ibuki-Douji and the boss of Babyloni-ya as Rogue Servants in the main story.
Dead Cells Content Support Ending [12:59 pm ET] – Share – 6 Comments
A super-late (we know) update on Dead Cells has "an important
announcement" from Motion Twin about the future of the roguelite metroidvania. It entered Early Access in 2018 and currently boasts an Overwhelmingly Positive rating based on over 125K reviews. Word is that while quality of life updates and bug fixes will continue, after its next patch the game will stop receiving new content.
Or as the post puts it: "Update 35 for Dead Cells marks the end of our creative
journey on the game." It goes into detail on how the team wants to avoid putting
out "more of the same" content, saying: "it's crucial not to overextend and risk
diminishing the unique charm that makes Dead Cells special to us all." Here's
the outlook it shares on the future:
With all that said, we are committed to continuing the journey in this amazing world with some really cool new stuff outside of the original game, so that more and more people can enjoy Dead Cells in totally new ways. Stay tuned for more updates about the Animated Series, the Board Game and… the Beheaded appearing in another world?!
In closing, we are wishing the best to Evil Empire on their upcoming projects and want to express our deepest gratitude to you, the players, for your unwavering support and passion for Dead Cells. Your enthusiasm fuels our commitment, and we're eager to embark on the next chapter of this journey together.
OUTRIDERS COMPLETE EDITION Released [12:59 pm ET] – Share – 5 Comments
This post on Steam announces the release of OUTRIDERS COMPLETE EDITION,
a bundle of this action/RPG from Square Enix and People Can Fly along with all
its post-release content. Here's a
new
trailer to celebrate the news. Here's what this includes:
The Outriders Complete Edition includes all released content for the game:Continue here to read the full story.
- Outriders
- Outriders Worldslayer Expansion
- Hell's Rangers Content Pack
- Five exclusive emotes
Quoteworthy [12:59 pm ET] – Share – 1 Comment
- GTA 6 Is Aiming For "Perfection," Take-Two Says.
- GTA 6 release expected after April 2025 and will be "positive" for the industry, Ubisoft says. No word from Rockstar on when to expect Assassin's Creed Infinity.
On Sale [12:58 pm ET] – Share – 6 Comments
- Diablo IV Red Lilith 12in Statue – Blizzard Gear Store. Save 25% with the code LILITH25.
Biz Buzz [12:58 pm ET] – Share – 5 Comments
- Disney's Epic deal shows sharp cut in Fortnite maker's valuation.
- Take-Two earnings guidance ‘means no GTA 6 before April 2025’, analysts say.
- Why is the $180bn games industry shedding thousands of staff?
- Video game publisher Take-Two's quarterly booking forecast disappoints.
- European video game sales dip by over 7% in January - European Monthly Charts.
- GTA 5 closes in on 200m copies sold.
Subscriptions, Clouds, & Streams [12:58 pm ET] – Share – 3 Comments
- How to watch Super Bowl 2024 for free. The magic of the ancient over-the-air TV business model.
Morning Multiplex [12:58 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Official trailer.
Morning Postmortems/Retrospectives [12:58 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Morning Consolidation [12:58 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
- In Support of UNICEF - Outright Games' Nickelodeon Kids Bundle.
- New Gran Turismo DD Extreme Wheel System Announced From Fanatec.
- New Inclusive, Accessible, Easy-Going Games Revealed for Xbox During the Whitethorn Winter Showcase.
- Xbox Insider Program 10th Anniversary Hub.
- Xbox Insider Release Notes - Alpha Skip-Ahead (2408.240204-2200).
- Xbox Insider Release Notes - Beta (2402.240206-2000).
- Xbox Insider Release Notes - Omega (2402.240207-1700).
- Xbox Insider Release Notes - Delta (2402.240207-1700).
- Xbox Insider Release Notes - Beta (2402.240207-1700).
Morning Metaverse [12:58 pm ET] – Share – 2 Comments
- Bluesky CEO Jay Graber Says She Won’t ‘Enshittify the Network With Ads’ (may require registration or subscription).
Morning Tech Bits [12:58 pm ET] – Share – 2 Comments
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman seeks $5 to $7 trillion to build a network of fabs for AI chips and Sam Altman's OpenAI Aims To Earn $4 Billion In Sales In 2025 - Report. Sounds like the world's worst Shark Tank pitch.
- AMD's Radeon 780M integrated graphics hits 3.15GHz in Ryzen 7 8700G overclocking test.
- Nvidia RTX 4080 Super is the latest casualty to GPU scalpers.
- Destroy your angled Nvidia GPU adapter now, says CableMod. When the cure becomes the disease.
- India to make its digital currency programmable. Can it play Crysis?
- Alphabet's Culture Issue Is Worse Than Its Earnings Issue. Thanks Max.
- FileZilla Client v3.66.5. Thanks Ant.
Morning Safety Dance [12:58 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Morning Legal Briefs [12:58 pm ET] – Share – 9 Comments
- Florida Joker Abandons GTA 6 Lawsuit But He Still Wants A Voiceover Role In The Game.
- King Charles owns half the Discworld video game rights. Probably entitled to sleep with the developer's spouses too.
- Climate scientist awarded $1m from right-wing bloggers who defamed him.
- Virgin Media probed over digital switchover rules. Like a virgin. Switched for the very first time.
Game Reviews [12:58 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Hardware Reviews [12:58 pm ET] – Share – Post a Comment
Thanks Neutronbeam.
- Headset/Earbuds: Sineaptic SE-1 Ribbon Driver Wireless Headphones Review - TechPowerUp.
- Keyboard: Corsair K70 Core Review - APH Networks.
- Laptop: Alienware M18 R1 -AMD Advantage- Gaming Laptop - TweakTown.
- Laptop: Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2024) review- Gaming laptop with RTX 4090 and mini-LED panel - NotebookCheck.net Reviews.
- Laptop: Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 2024 review - The gaming-multimedia laptop with Ryzen 8000 and G-Sync OLED - NotebookCheck.net Reviews.
- Misc: Plugable TBT4-UD5 review- A slim Thunderbolt dock for your office setup - XDA.
- Monitor/Projector: BenQ SW272U review- A tack-sharp, paper-like 4K monitor - PCWorld.
- Monitor/Projector: Mobile Pixel Geminos T Monitor Review- Dual 24-inch Displays and Touch for Windows and macOS - Tom's Hardware.
- PSU: MSI MEG Ai1300P PCIE5 Netzteil - OCinside (German).
- VR/AR HMD: Apple Vision Pro review- Beta testing the future - Engadget.
Out of the Blue [12:58 pm ET] – Share – 17 Comments
Wow am I ever captivated by Masters of the Air, the Apple TV+ series
about the allied air campaign in Europe during World War II. I grew up
fascinated by aircraft and read a lot about World War II aerial combat, though
this was more about the war in the Pacific since my other fascination was
aircraft carriers. There are so many external details about how
things played out in the ETO that make for drama. But it is oh-so terribly
tragic. Seeing recreations of the bravery and dedication to each other of these
airmen showed is staggering, especially knowing they suffered such a
overwhelming casualties. This is hard to watch, but it's impossible to turn
away.
Round-up
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.Breakfast Link
- 11 best prog rock tracks to test your hi-fi system. Not actually from 1978.
Stories
- Alabama station in disbelief after 200-foot radio tower stolen. Prime suspect: A REALLY big guy. Thanks The Flying Penguin.
- Mexico tops China as the leading exporter of goods to the US.
- Foundation cast ‘sent home’ from filming as Apple TV+ production is suddenly ‘postponed.’
Science
Thanks Max.
- 1.63-billion-year-old fossil may rewrite the history of multicellular life.
- Massive hydrogen reservoir discovered beneath an Albanian mine could be an untapped source of clean energy.
- Augmented-cotton bandage kills bacteria without using antibiotics. Thanks Roddy.
Image
- The Collector; (Gesturers) “Beautiful!” Thanks A.C.M.
Media
Thanks RedEye9.
- Dune- Part Two - Extended Sneak Preview.
- Make Perfect Eggs Every Time With Sohla - Cooking 101.
- Why It Was Almost Impossible to Make the Blue LED. And almost impossible for the creator to be compensated. Thanks Simon.
- Funny Video 🤣😄 (NSFW).
Creature Features
- Wild Squirrel Introduces Her Baby To Her Favorite Dog.
- Did you know that Bald Eagles like Spirit are culinary adventurers? Thanks RedEye9.
- Mountain lion walks past live reporter. Thanks VideoSift.
Follow-up
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