Activision Archives

AppWizard

May 24, 2026

The design lead of Half-Life’s biggest competitor says that its publisher was so ‘pissed off’ by the time the game launched that it didn’t bother testing it properly: ‘We got trashed in the press because of bugs’

In 1998, Ritual Entertainment launched the first-person shooter Sin, which was highly anticipated due to its backing by John Romero. However, just a month after its release, Valve's Half-Life debuted, overshadowing Sin with its innovative storytelling and design. Ritual faced internal struggles with its publisher, Activision, including a lack of support and a critical oversight where the gold master of Sin was not tested, resulting in a disabled first boss. This led to negative reviews and diminished success for Sin. Despite these challenges, a remaster titled Sin: Reloaded has been developed by Nightdive, although a release date is not yet confirmed.

AppWizard

May 21, 2026

I’ve played 1000s of hours of Overwatch but it wasn’t until its new Anniversary game mode that I discovered I have no clue what the hell I’m doing

Overwatch is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with a new game mode called Mystery Showdown. In this mode, players select a role queue for balanced teams and swap heroes upon securing an elimination or achieving three assists as a support. A mercy feature is available for players struggling to find their footing. The mode introduces a structured approach while maintaining the chaotic fun of hero switching, leading to humorous and unexpected gameplay experiences.

AppWizard

May 2, 2026

Rocket League has a new Easy Anti-Cheat addition, and it still works on the Steam Deck — it’s about time for other game Devs to follow suit

Psyonix has integrated Easy Anti-Cheat into Rocket League while supporting Linux platforms. Although Rocket League is no longer available on Steam, it can still be played on SteamOS through the Epic Games platform using Proton for compatibility. Other titles like Battlefield 6, Call of Duty, and EA Sports FC 26 are not accessible on SteamOS due to compatibility issues with anti-cheat systems. Psyonix's efforts may encourage other developers to improve Linux support. Emerging titles like Splitgate: Arena Reloaded and Rocket League are contributing to broader Linux compatibility, but challenges remain due to some publishers' reluctance to invest in these solutions.

AppWizard

April 27, 2026

Gabe Newell once said Steam wasn’t ‘the answer to digital distribution,’ proving that even Gabe Newell is wrong about stuff sometimes

Gabe Newell, co-founder of Valve, integrated Steam with Half-Life 2, significantly influencing PC gaming despite initial skepticism about digital platforms. In a 2011 interview, he warned that the gaming industry is ever-changing and emphasized the need for continuous innovation to provide value to partners like EA, Ubisoft, and Take-Two. At that time, EA's withdrawal of titles from Steam raised concerns about the platform's future, prompting Newell to stress the importance of demonstrating value to developers. Currently, Steam remains a dominant force in digital distribution, maintaining a large user base and benefiting from seasonal sales. Publishers such as EA, Activision, Ubisoft, and Take-Two have returned to Steam after testing their own storefronts and the Epic Games Store, recognizing its extensive reach and user engagement. Steam has recently surpassed 42 million concurrent users and continues to expand its library, all while keeping its revenue-sharing model at a 70/30 split. Despite developer concerns, the return of partners indicates that Steam's value proposition is still strong.

AppWizard

April 27, 2026

Xbox’s 50 Free Games For PC Owners Offer Comes With A Massive Catch

Asha Sharma, the new Head of Gaming at Microsoft, is leading a transformation of the Xbox Game Pass, which includes a 23 percent reduction in subscription price. However, the popular game Call of Duty will no longer be available as a 'day one' title on the service. The restructuring aims to address perceptions that the Ultimate Tier is too expensive and will introduce additional subscription tiers, including a 'Starter Edition' for PC players. This new tier is expected to offer ten hours of cloud gaming monthly and access to over 50 games, but it will not include online multiplayer capabilities, disappointing many players. The changes may reflect a shift in the approach to online multiplayer as cloud gaming becomes more prevalent.

AppWizard

April 25, 2026

Xbox admits its PC gaming presence is not strong enough

Microsoft is retiring the term "Microsoft Gaming," which was introduced in 2022, and will revert to using the Xbox brand as the primary identifier for all gaming-related endeavors. A memo from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and chief content officer Matt Booty, released on April 23, acknowledges that the company's presence in the PC gaming market is lacking. The memo outlines a strategy focused on "flexible pricing," being "open to all creators," and increasing "daily active players," but lacks specific commitments or timelines. It highlights Windows as a crucial battleground for gaming, noting that it now represents more players and hours, amidst competition from platforms like Steam. The memo also reflects on Microsoft's historical challenges in executing a competitive PC gaming ecosystem and coincides with an announcement of an early-retirement buyout program for employees as the company reallocates resources toward AI initiatives.

AppWizard

April 22, 2026

Older Call of Duty games are coming to Game Pass in 2026

Asha Sharma, the new head of Xbox, announced that Game Pass subscribers will no longer receive new Call of Duty titles on launch day; instead, these games will be available a year later. This change is part of a strategy to reassess the availability of the franchise due to concerns about profitability. However, Activision plans to enhance the Game Pass library by adding more titles from the Call of Duty back catalog this year. Currently, only a few recent entries are available, with the oldest being Call of Duty: WW2 from 2017. Potential additions to Game Pass could include classic titles from the series, such as Call of Duty (2003), Call of Duty 2 (2005), Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007), and others, including the 2021 title Call of Duty: Vanguard, which has not been available on Game Pass.

AppWizard

April 22, 2026

Microsoft lowers Game Pass prices, drops Call of Duty from day-one offerings

Microsoft's subscription gaming service is reducing the price of Game Pass Ultimate from .99 to .99 per month and the PC Game Pass subscription from .49 to .99 per month. These changes are part of a global pricing strategy and will be reflected in the next billing cycle for current subscribers. New Call of Duty titles will no longer be available on Game Pass at launch but will be added during the subsequent holiday season. The price adjustment reduces the annual cost of Game Pass Ultimate from 4 to 0, saving subscribers . The total number of subscribers reached 34 million in early 2024.

AppWizard

April 12, 2026

Fan World of Warcraft servers face shut down as Blizzard wins Turtle WoW case

Activision Blizzard won a copyright infringement lawsuit against the private gaming server Turtle WoW, which was filed in August 2025. The court ordered Turtle WoW to cease all activities related to private servers and modded client software. The ruling prohibits the defendants from transferring any Turtle WoW client software, source code, or promotional materials to third parties. A settlement has been reached between Blizzard and the Turtle WoW defendants, with plans for Blizzard to file for a dismissal of the case by June 8, 2026. Donations on the Turtle WoW website have been suspended, and the community is reacting to the court's decision.

AppWizard

April 3, 2026

Revisiting the last truly great Call of Duty

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019 has seen a resurgence in interest due to a sale on Steam. The game is praised for its visual quality, sound design, and gameplay experience, setting high standards for first-person shooters. Its Create-a-Class system encourages strategic gameplay, and the attachment mechanics require meaningful choices, preventing any single weapon configuration from dominating. Despite some flaws, the game retains distinct weapon characteristics. Modern Warfare 2019 is viewed as both a high point for the franchise and a catalyst for challenges, particularly with the introduction of Warzone. The decision to separate Modern Warfare from Warzone has been positively received. Activision's recent discount indicates an effort to rekindle excitement for the game, which continues to be a benchmark for future titles.