achievement Archives

AppWizard

July 16, 2025

Metaphor: ReFantazio hits 2m sales

Metaphor: ReFantazio has sold over two million copies, as announced by developer and publisher Atlus. The game sold one million units on its first day and reached the two million mark nine months after its release. It debuted in October 2024 and became the third highest-grossing game on Steam during its launch week.

AppWizard

July 15, 2025

7 games that are perfect for handheld gaming PCs — with my favorite Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and Legion Go titles

Handheld gaming devices have gained popularity, allowing players to enjoy games comfortably. However, not all games are suitable for these platforms. Notable games that perform well on handhelds include: - Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom: A Metroidvania game where players control Jin, who must reverse a spell that transformed people into animals. It features charming animations and engaging combat with low graphical demands. - Blue Prince: A 3D puzzle adventure where players inherit an estate and must solve puzzles in various rooms using a roguelike mechanic involving card drawing. - Immortals Fenyx Rising: An open-world RPG set in Greek mythology, where players save the gods from Typhon. It combines exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving, though it can drain battery life. - Stardew Valley: A farming and life simulation game where players inherit a farm and engage in farming, raising animals, and building relationships. Its pixelated graphics ensure smooth performance on handhelds. - Baldur's Gate 3: A turn-based RPG set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, known for its immersive storytelling and character interactions. It performs well on handhelds but may drain the battery. - Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition: An open-world RPG set in a post-apocalyptic world, manageable for handheld devices due to its age. - Age of Empires: A real-time strategy game with a 4K Definitive Edition, suitable for handheld play with optimized controls for solo and multiplayer experiences. Handheld gaming PCs support a variety of genres, particularly those with simpler 2D graphics, which enhance battery life and gameplay smoothness.

AppWizard

July 15, 2025

Ancient Aliens vs Predator game briefly resurrected by Steam player thirst for Six Packs

A dormant space hulk on a forgotten planetoid contains remnants of a past era, including desiccated hand monsters and abandoned Pulse Rifles. The vessel is identified as the 2010 sequel to Alien Vs Predator, which has seen a resurgence in player engagement, reaching around five thousand concurrent players due to a community-run server. This revival is partly driven by the pursuit of a rare achievement called The Six Pack, which requires players to participate in a ranked match with six friends. The original multiplayer scene struggled, with only 2.2% of players achieving this milestone. The resurgence highlights the positive impact of proactive measures by publishers to sustain online games post-official support. The 1999 installment of Alien Vs Predator is noted for its atmospheric lighting and iconic film set adaptations, while the 2010 version has received mixed reviews, with some players expressing renewed interest due to community initiatives. The game has garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam, with humorous commentary suggesting a more accurate title reflecting the player demographics.

Winsage

July 14, 2025

Windows 7 runs natively on the Steam Deck — desktop OS enthusiast aims to push beyond portrait mode-only limit

Bob Pony revealed on Twitter/X that Windows 7 can run natively on the Steam Deck. The Windows 7 interface appears in portrait mode due to compatibility issues with the Steam Deck's Van Gogh APU, which requires drivers for Windows 10 and 11. Pony has hinted at testing Temple OS next, and previously showcased Windows 8.1 on the Steam Deck. Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 are considered retro, with Windows 10 expected to join them soon. Valve may launch SteamOS for desktops in 2025, coinciding with the retirement of Windows 10.

AppWizard

July 13, 2025

‘A game, once sold, belongs to the customer’: Prominent EU politician stands up for Stop Killing Games

Nicolae Ștefănuță, Vice President of the European Parliament, publicly supported the Stop Killing Games initiative by signing its petition and advocating for the cause. The initiative has surpassed 1 million signatures but still needs to meet minimum thresholds in several EU member states before moving to verification and a meeting with the European Commission. Video Games Europe has expressed opposition to the initiative.

AppWizard

July 11, 2025

Lords of the Fallen hits 5.5m players

Lords of the Fallen has attracted over 5.5 million players since its launch in 2023. This figure does not equate to sales, as the game is also available via Xbox Game Pass. The game sold one million copies within the first ten days of its release.

AppWizard

July 10, 2025

Peak hits 4.5m sales

Peak has sold over 4.5 million copies within three weeks of its launch on June 16th. It sold two million copies in nine days and reached a peak of 114,492 concurrent players on Steam. The studio broke even within the first few hours of release and reached 1.6 million copies sold within the first week. The team attributes their success to community support, referred to as the Power of Friendship.

BetaBeacon

July 10, 2025

The Best Roguelike Games: the best roguelites, deckbuilders, RPGs, auto-shooters, and more

- Rogue is a genre-defining RPG that introduced gameplay mechanics enjoyed in modern games. It has been released on different platforms over the years, including a recent remaster on PC and a retail version on Nintendo Switch. - Caves of Qud is a modern interpretation of the original ASCII style of roguelike games, offering a game world full of intrigue and adventure. It recently came out of Early Access after more than a decade of development, with character creation tools allowing for experimentation. - Dwarf Fortress, developed over more than 20 years, has a detailed tile-set and rich world simulation that has influenced other games. It offers both a sandbox fantasy simulator and an Adventure Mode for RPG fans. - Path of Achra is a stripped-down roguelike game set in a dark fantasy version of ancient Earth, where players face fearsome challenges while staying ahead of rising flood waters. Character creation allows for extensive build options and upgrades throughout the game.

Winsage

July 8, 2025

Microsoft Edge sets a new standard for speed and responsiveness

Microsoft Edge has achieved a global First Contentful Paint (FCP) time of under 300 milliseconds, reflecting a commitment to enhancing user experience through speed. This milestone was influenced by research indicating that delays beyond 300 to 400 milliseconds can negatively impact user satisfaction. Load times have been reduced by an average of 40% across 13 key browser features, including Settings, Read Aloud, Split Screen, and Workspaces. Future performance enhancements are expected for features like Print Preview and Extensions. FCP measures how quickly the various feature UIs of Microsoft Edge visually load.

AppWizard

July 7, 2025

‘Lilo & Stitch’ Passes ‘Minecraft’ as Hollywood’s Highest-Grossing Film of 2025

Disney's live-action remake of “Lilo & Stitch” has surpassed Warner Bros./Legendary’s “A Minecraft Movie” in global theatrical earnings, reaching a total of 8.5 million in the U.S. and 7.7 million worldwide. “A Minecraft Movie” concluded its run with a global tally of 4 million. “Lilo & Stitch” is on track to potentially become the first film to cross the billion-dollar mark since “Ne Zha 2.” Disney's first half of 2025 faced challenges, with “Mufasa” earning million globally, and Marvel films “Captain America: Brave New World” and “Thunderbolts” earning million and million, respectively. Pixar’s “Elio” grossed only .8 million globally over three weekends. Upcoming releases include “Zootopia 2,” “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” and “The Fantastic 4: First Steps,” which is projected to open with over 0 million.