active users Archives

AppWizard

January 2, 2026

Steam’s most popular survival game is now bigger than ever, and its developer has major plans for the year ahead

In 2025, Rust reached a peak player count of over 250,000 active users on Steam and logged 700 million hours by 5.8 million players in the past year. Facepunch Studios plans to introduce new features in 2026, including an expanded ecosystem, enhanced load times, and a potential battle pass system. The Naval update, set to launch on February 5, will introduce player-crafted boats for navigation and exploration. Other planned content includes new monuments, updates to player models and animations, and the introduction of new animals like cows and sheep with a breeding system. Facepunch aims to combat cheating, enhance performance, and explore DLC options, with a new anti-cheat layer in development. Performance improvements have reduced load and server connection times by approximately 65%. The team plans to continue releasing new DLC items monthly and is considering a battle pass system that aligns with the game's ethos. Test servers for upcoming features are available on the Rust staging branch.

AppWizard

January 1, 2026

Vietnam’s dominant messaging app faces regulatory scrutiny over data policy update

Vietnam’s National Competition Commission (NCC) has ordered VNG Corporation to revise its updated service terms for the Zalo messaging app due to user privacy concerns. The NCC emphasized that users should not be forced to consent to personal data collection as a condition for using the app and that consent mechanisms need to be voluntary and clear. The updated terms require users to accept all data management provisions or face account deletion within 45 days, which has led to significant user complaints and a decline in app ratings. Zalo's average rating on Apple’s App Store has fallen to around two out of five stars, and it has slipped to 59th place in download rankings, while international apps like WhatsApp and Viber have become more popular. Zalo has around 78 million active users and operates over 17,000 official accounts used by government and businesses. The NCC intends to meet with VNG to discuss the updated policy, as part of a wider regulatory trend against coercive data practices in digital firms globally.

BetaBeacon

December 31, 2025

Best Android Games To Play When You’re Stuck Waiting in Coffee Shops, During Commutes & More

- Candy Crush Saga is a popular casual Android game that combines strategy with chance. - Roblox and Minecraft are digital playgrounds where players can create and explore unique worlds. - Five Nights at Freddy's is a horror game that has gained popularity for its simple mechanics and tense gameplay. - Garena's Free Fire is a popular battle royale game on Android with over a billion downloads. - There are many other great Android games for short gaming sessions that cater to different preferences and needs.

Winsage

December 23, 2025

Microsoft bets on AI to rewrite Windows after code it wrote broke the OS

Microsoft plans to eliminate all C and C++ code from its products by 2030, as announced by Galen Hunt on November 25, 2025. This decision follows significant malfunctions in Windows 11 that began in July 2025, affecting core components like the Start Menu and Taskbar. The company aims to achieve "1 engineer, 1 month, 1 million lines of code" through AI-assisted rewrites. A patch to address these issues is promised for December 2025. The initiative is part of Microsoft's Future of Scalable Software Engineering group, with a focus on leveraging AI to manage and modify code at scale. A Principal Software Engineer position has been opened, emphasizing expertise in Rust. Microsoft is investing heavily in AI infrastructure, with plans to allocate billions for datacenter construction in 2025.

AppWizard

December 20, 2025

Top 10 PC And Console Games Of 2025, Ranked By Global Revenue So Far

Research firm Newzoo released its annual sales report for 2025, analyzing digital revenue from January to November across six key markets: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. In PC gaming, Battlefield 6 generated the highest revenue, while EA Sports FC 26 topped the console revenue list. The analysis shows a dominance of shooter games and sports titles in revenue generation. Newzoo noted a distinction in revenue creation strategies between PC and console gaming. Additionally, Counter-Strike 2 was the top game by average monthly active users (MAU) on PC, and Fortnite led on consoles.

AppWizard

December 18, 2025

Analyst firm says the games market is expected to reach a record-breaking $197 billion by the end of 2025, ‘driven primarily by stronger-than-expected performance on PC and mobile’

In 2025, the global games market is projected to reach 7 billion, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 7.5%, driven by strong performances in PC and mobile gaming. The mobile gaming sector is expected to generate around 8 billion, accounting for approximately half of the total revenue, while the PC gaming market is projected to grow by 10.4%. Activision and Microsoft have announced a strategic shift away from releasing consecutive titles in the Call of Duty franchise. Despite a lukewarm reception, Black Ops 7 ranks seventh in total sales across consoles and PC. Titles like Monster Hunter Wilds and Civilization 7 continue to perform well in sales rankings despite challenges. Established live service games such as Counter-Strike 2, Minecraft, Roblox, Fortnite, and Valorant dominate player engagement, with a newcomer, Peak, also gaining attention for its social interaction aspect.

AppWizard

December 15, 2025

Meta Shuts Down Standalone Messenger Desktop App on December 15, 2025

Meta Platforms Inc. will discontinue its standalone Messenger desktop application for Windows and macOS on December 15, 2025. Users will be directed to use browser-based access or the main Facebook platform instead. The Messenger app was introduced to compete with video communication tools but has seen a decline in usage as users prefer mobile devices and web browsers. The shutdown will affect businesses that use Messenger for customer service, impacting features like notifications and offline message queuing. Users have expressed frustration over potential loss of chat histories and concerns about increased dependency on Meta's web portal. Alternatives like Signal and Telegram may attract former users. Meta's decision reflects a broader industry trend toward prioritizing mobile experiences and could allow the company to focus resources on metaverse development and AI features.

AppWizard

November 19, 2025

Remarkably, you’ll soon be able to play Unity games in Fortnite as Epic joins forces with its long-time rival

Epic Games and Unity have partnered to allow games developed in Unity to be published and played within the Fortnite universe. This announcement was made at Unity's Unite 2025 conference by Epic's CEO, Tim Sweeney. The integration will utilize advanced network technology for seamless coexistence of Unity engine games within Fortnite, streamlining the process for developers without the need for additional software installations. Epic aims to establish Fortnite as a leading metaverse platform, competing with Roblox, and reported 100 million monthly active users, with 40% of playtime on third-party content. Unreal Engine developers will benefit from access to Unity's cross-platform commerce system, which is expected to roll out early next year.

AppWizard

November 18, 2025

Minecraft’s popularity returns in a new light

Minecraft has over 204 million monthly active users as of 2025, maintaining its popularity since its launch in 2011. The latest update, version 1.21.120, was released on October 28, focusing on visual enhancements and new features. The game regularly receives updates that introduce new mobs, blocks, and packs, fostering creativity within the community. Minecraft content has over 1 trillion views on YouTube and averages 86.7k viewers daily on Twitch, with over 14.5 million hours watched. Popular video formats include Minecraft ASMR, player versus player commentary, and survival let's plays, which have seen a resurgence. Traditional survival playthroughs are also reviving, with creators launching new seasons and challenges.

AppWizard

November 16, 2025

Almost 20 years since it hit Steam, Garry’s Mod finally addresses ‘lackluster support for weapons used by NPCs’ and gives Dr Kleiner his gun license

Garry's Mod, a sandbox game from Facepunch Studios, continues to be popular with over 22,000 players in the last 24 hours, ranking as the 62nd most popular game on Steam. Recent updates include a November patch that improves water visuals using advanced fluid rendering techniques, a March update adding new NPCs and a new game mode called Treason, and a July update integrating assets from Counter-Strike: Source and Half-Life 2 into community maps. The game is approaching its 20th anniversary on Steam next year.