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AppWizard

August 20, 2026

Sony may be discontinuing video game discs — but there’s still a way to get physical copies

Sony will phase out physical discs for new PlayStation titles starting January 2028. GOG reassures gamers of ownership rights, allowing them to own and preserve purchased games on physical media. The Tomb Raider I-VI Remastered bundle is available for purchase, featuring enhanced versions of the classic series. All games on GOG are DRM-free, enabling players to download and burn titles onto discs. The process for burning games involves logging into the GOG library, downloading the offline installer, and burning the game file onto a disc. GOG also offers alternatives for game storage, such as external hard drives and cloud storage, ensuring long-term ownership without reliance on a launcher or internet connection. GOG has a selection of over 5,200 DRM-free games available for purchase.

AppWizard

August 20, 2026

Cursed Doll Horror Game Baptiste Hits Switch 2, PS5, Xbox, and PC This Fall

Spanish publisher Firenut Games and co-developer Digital Dreams™ announced the psychological horror game Baptiste, set to launch in fall 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam. The announcement was made on August 19, 2026, alongside a gameplay trailer and a free demo available on Steam. The game follows Tom, a teenager dealing with his father's death, who discovers a cursed doll in a mansion that leads to supernatural events. Baptiste features a darkness mechanic that intensifies horror elements based on the protagonist's exposure to darkness. The game requires high-performance hardware, with recommended specs including an Intel i9 processor, 32 GB of RAM, and an Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU. Baptiste successfully raised €6,118 through a Kickstarter campaign in October 2025. It will support audio in English and Spanish, with interface and subtitle options in 11 languages. A free demo is currently available on Steam, covering the first 30 minutes of gameplay.

AppWizard

August 20, 2026

Aussie developer Monomyth Games announces Photo Roboto: A Timesnap Adventure for PC

Monomyth Games has announced its new title, Photo Roboto: A Timesnap Adventure, marking its first game since 2018's Need to Know. Players will take on the role of Peppino the Roboto, who operates a time-warp photography business on an Italian island. Key features include the Timewarp Camera for capturing images from different time periods, running a photography business, exploring the island of Pallacanezza, helping locals, experiencing a handcrafted narrative, trying new camera modes, and personalizing the shop and character. The game is set for release on PC via Steam in 2027.

Winsage

August 20, 2026

Microsoft probes reports of games taking exception to Windows 11’s August update

Microsoft is investigating reports of game stability issues following the August Patch Tuesday update for Windows 11, specifically the release of KB5121003 for versions 24H2 and 25H2. Users have reported that certain games may become unresponsive, unexpectedly close, or trigger an "EXCEPTIONACCESSVIOLATION" error, leading to device restarts. Affected titles include ARC Raiders, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and The Finals. Microsoft has not confirmed if the issues are caused by their update but is looking into the situation. The update addressed 421 Microsoft CVEs, with 236 affecting Windows systems. Microsoft has also tightened its stance on outdated kernel drivers and initiated the Driver Quality Initiative to enhance OS stability.

Winsage

August 20, 2026

Windows 11 is getting a much-needed change to privacy settings — but it’s something Microsoft should have sorted a long time ago

Microsoft is introducing per-app permissions for all desktop applications in Windows 11, allowing users to revoke access to the camera and microphone on a per-app basis, including for Win32 applications. This feature was previously limited to apps from the Microsoft Store. The latest Experimental Insider Build (26340.9212) includes smartphone-style permission prompts for managing app access. Additionally, Microsoft is removing the drag tray feature due to user feedback indicating it obstructed access to target folders. The company is committed to refining user experience based on real-world feedback.

Tech Optimizer

August 20, 2026

Surfshark Antivirus Review 2026: Test Results and Costs

Surfshark offers a cybersecurity package called Surfshark One, which includes antivirus capabilities and a VPN service. The overall rating for Surfshark is 4.1/5, with specific ratings of 3.7/5 for protection, 4.5/5 for performance, 3.3/5 for features, 5.0/5 for support, and 4.5/5 for value. The antivirus component has a 93.44% malware detection rate and a 95% phishing detection rate with no false alarms. Surfshark One costs .79 per month and includes features like real-time protection, scheduled scans, breach alerts, a private search engine, and webcam protection. The One+ tier adds Incogni data removal and identity theft insurance. Surfshark Antivirus is not available as a standalone product and lacks features such as a firewall, password manager, and parental controls. It is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Android. Surfshark provides a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans.

AppWizard

August 20, 2026

Epic Games Store PC Weekly Free Games 20/08/2026

The Epic Games Store is offering two free titles, Cardpocalypse and the Epic Mage Bundle, from 4 PM BST on August 20, 2026, until 4 PM BST on August 27, 2026. Cardpocalypse, developed by Gambrinous and published by Versus Evil, follows a 10-year-old girl named Jess who causes a collectible card game to be banned at her school. The Epic Mage Bundle, developed and published by Sandbox Interactive GmbH, includes various cosmetic items and rewards for players in Albion, such as a complete Mage Wardrobe, Armored Horse Mount Skin, Spellbook Weapon Skin, and additional tokens and potions to enhance gameplay. Players must have the base game to access the bundle's features.

AppWizard

August 20, 2026

‘I would love that but we’re cheap and poor’: Jeff Kaplan speeds through everything players should know about his upcoming cowboy survival game, The Legend of California

Jeff Kaplan discussed Kintsugiyama's upcoming game, The Legend of California, set in gold-rush-era California around 1849. It is an open-world survival multiplayer game that combines exploration and player interaction, categorized as a first-person shooter rather than a simulation or traditional MMO. Players can engage in activities typical of a cowboy's life, such as trading, fishing, mining, and ranch building. Private servers will allow for player-versus-environment settings, while public servers can host up to 100 players, featuring competition and combat, but not building destruction. Server resets will occur monthly, changing the locations of key points of interest while retaining player unlocks. Future enhancements may include holiday events, pets, and horse breeding, with the potential for a "Toys to Life" concept. The game will undergo at least two more alpha phases before early access.

BetaBeacon

August 20, 2026

Payday: Aces High first impressions: VR is so back, baby!

The game Payday: Aces High is the fourth entry in the Payday series, where players choose one of the Aces to seek revenge on billionaire Warren Jupiter. The game features six missions with randomized objectives, immersive VR mechanics, and a high level of replayability. It will be available on Meta Quest 3 and Steam VR with full crossplay between platforms.

Winsage

August 20, 2026

Microsoft brings improved Windows 11 hardware monitoring with upgraded Task Manager

Microsoft released a guide to optimize internet bandwidth usage for Windows 11 update downloads, focusing on policy settings for network efficiency. Enhancements to Task Manager include new columns for monitoring NPU (Neural Processing Unit) and NPU Engine usage, allowing users to see which applications leverage the neural processor. Additional columns for NPU Dedicated Memory and NPU Shared Memory provide insights into memory consumption for AI workloads. Neural engines in GPUs will also be visible on the Performance page. An optional Isolation column has been added to help users evaluate AI workload management. Applications optimized for NPUs will show specific designations in Task Manager, while high CPU usage with idle NPU indicates underutilization of dedicated AI hardware. Users can activate new metrics by right-clicking on column headers in Task Manager.

Winsage

August 20, 2026

ShieldBreak: The Windows Defender Zero-Day With No Patch — Detect It, Mitigate It, With Qualys

ShieldBreak, identified as CVE-2026-69414, is a zero-day vulnerability in the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine that allows low-privileged local attackers to escalate privileges to SYSTEM. The public proof of concept was released on August 12, 2026, and Microsoft recognized the CVE on August 14, 2026. No patch is currently available. ShieldBreak exploits an elevation-of-privilege vulnerability by manipulating file processing during the cloud-file hydration process in Microsoft Defender, allowing attackers to control processes with elevated privileges. The exploit is functional on Windows 11 25H2 and Windows Server 2025. Qualys VMDR can detect this vulnerability using a specific query, and organizations can use Qualys TruRisk™ Eliminate for mitigation until a patch is released.

Winsage

August 20, 2026

Windows 11 August Update is Breaking Games, Microsoft Investigates

Microsoft has acknowledged that the Windows 11 August update is causing significant gaming performance issues for several popular titles, including ARC Raiders, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and The Finals. Users are experiencing problems such as forced crashes, random freezes, and unexpected device restarts. Symptoms include unresponsive game applications, applications closing without notice, the error message "EXCEPTIONACCESSVIOLATION," and unexpected device restarts. Microsoft is investigating these disruptions and encourages affected users to report their experiences through the Feedback Hub.

Winsage

August 20, 2026

The man behind PowerToys is most excited about these features that ship next week

PowerToys will soon introduce several enhancements, including a compact option for the Command Palette and a ripple effect for the Mouse Highlighter. The Command Palette will improve user interaction by allowing faster access to applications and settings, while the Mouse Highlighter will provide a more subtle method for locating the cursor. Additionally, PowerToys will incorporate Phi Silica to enhance features like Click to Do and on-device rewriting in applications such as Word and Outlook. The update will also simplify access to preview updates and include a comprehensive change log detailing fixes and enhancements. Users can expect a smoother Shortcut Guide, improved performance, and a new utility in the upcoming release.

AppWizard

August 20, 2026

Android 17 will “choke” RAM-hungry apps — and can kill them if they go too far

The Android Developers Blog has announced new features to enhance the developer experience and app performance, including advanced debugging tools to streamline troubleshooting and updates to the Jetpack libraries that simplify complex tasks. The team emphasizes community engagement and encourages developers to share their experiences and suggestions, with plans for regular webinars and workshops to facilitate knowledge sharing.

AppWizard

August 20, 2026

The latest Windows 11 update is borking some multiplayer games, but Arc Raiders’ developer has a quick workaround

Microsoft is investigating crashes affecting a limited number of games following a Windows update on or after August 11. Symptoms include unresponsive game applications, unexpected closures, the error message "EXCEPTIONACCESSVIOLATION," and unexpected device restarts. Confirmed crashes have been reported in games such as Arc Raiders, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and The Finals. Users are encouraged to provide feedback through the Feedback Hub app. A temporary workaround involves entering specific commands in Command Prompt to stop and delete the inpoutx64 driver. The update KB5121003, which includes over 400 security updates, may be related to these issues, and some users have resolved black screen problems by uninstalling it. Users can also roll back their Windows version by uninstalling update KB5120708.

AppWizard

August 20, 2026

Silent Hill: Townfall’s latest gameplay trailer reminds me why the series shouldn’t have guns

Recent gameplay footage of Silent Hill: Townfall features Simon Ordell navigating the eerie town of St. Amelia. The game showcases the franchise's signature atmosphere, unsettling settings, and grotesque creatures. Simon is seen wielding a revolver, which has sparked debate among fans regarding the inclusion of firearms in a series that traditionally emphasizes melee combat. The game is set a year prior to a handgun ban, suggesting that the town is unlikely to have many weapons available. The visuals in the trailer include blood-red fog and familiar streets, generating excitement for exploration.

AppWizard

August 20, 2026

Windows 11’s latest Patch Tuesday update is breaking games and turning off PCs — This temporary fix might get ARC Raiders and The Finals running again

A bug introduced in the Windows 11 update (KB5121003) has caused crashes for some users, specifically affecting installations of Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2 with OS builds 26200.9168 and 26100.9168. Embark Studios has acknowledged the issue, linking it to a change in the inpoutx64.sys file, and is working on a fix while providing a temporary workaround. The workaround involves stopping and deleting the inpoutx64 driver and removing the corresponding file from the system. Users can also choose to roll back to a previous version of Windows 11 until an official fix is released.

AppWizard

August 20, 2026

Gallipoli (PC) Review

BlackMill Games' World War I series has surpassed a decade of gameplay, with the latest installment, Gallipoli, focusing on the Gallipoli Campaign. This campaign aimed to capture the Dardanelles Strait and Constantinople but ended in a disastrous retreat for the Allies. Gallipoli features improved visuals, refined gunplay, and balanced mechanics, enhancing the gameplay experience. The game introduces new mechanics such as increased team sizes, a ticket system with unpredictability, realistic ballistics, a refined stamina system, and a suppression system that affects soldiers' performance. However, concerns exist regarding the limited rewards in the progression system, which may impact player engagement over time.

AppWizard

August 20, 2026

Bring the Fire: Play Games on GeForce NOW With New Firefox Browser Support

GeForce NOW has introduced support for Firefox, enabling gamers to play PC games directly from their browsers without downloads or installations. This integration allows access to high-performance gaming on various devices, with graphics powered by GeForce RTX at resolutions up to 1440p and frame rates of 120 fps for Ultimate members. Users can start gaming by downloading the latest version of Firefox and visiting play.geforcenow.com. The platform also offers cloud saves for seamless transitions across different devices. New game releases include Gallipoli, Stars Reach, The Sinking City 2, and more, with varying availability on GeForce NOW. Users can begin with a day pass, which can be credited toward a membership upgrade.

BetaBeacon

August 20, 2026

Gameloft and Tencent’s Mobile GTA Online Equivalent Released on iOS and Android

Publisher Level Infinite and Gameloft have launched Gangstar Mirage City, an open-world crime action game where players start as small-time criminals and work their way up to building their criminal empire. The game features player interaction, including teaming up for missions and engaging in PvP shootouts. Gangstar Mirage City was initially known as Codename Crime: Vice Open World and was rebranded after closed testing to become part of Gameloft's Gangstar series.