Classic experience Archives

AppWizard

March 7, 2026

The Legacy of Kain: Defiance remaster does the best thing possible—it gets out of the way

Legacy of Kain: Defiance, a 2003 video game, has been successfully remastered by Crystal Dynamics. The remaster maintains the original's gothic charm and narrative while enhancing graphics for modern displays. It introduces a new third-person camera option, allowing players to switch between this and the original fixed-camera angles. The remaster balances new features with the classic experience, refining gameplay and addressing bugs without overshadowing the original game.

Winsage

February 20, 2026

Notepad is reportedly getting image support, and I’m wondering what Notepad’s niche is now

Microsoft is enhancing Notepad by introducing image support, as indicated in recent Insider builds. A new image button is expected to appear in Notepad's toolbar, although the feature is still in development and not fully implemented. Currently, clicking the button leads to a "What's new" dialog box. Notepad has evolved over the years, adding features like formatting options, table support, and Copilot integration. Users can disable the new image feature for a more minimalist experience.

AppWizard

January 2, 2026

Development of a Counter-Strike 1.6 remake has been “frozen” as Valve silence leaves its future in doubt

CS: Legacy, an unofficial remake of Counter-Strike 1.6 developed by a team of veteran modders, has faced significant challenges since its announcement. The project aimed to use Valve's 2013 Source Engine but received a warning from a Valve employee regarding the use of the Counter-Strike intellectual property, leading to uncertainty about its future. Communication with Valve has been minimal, prompting the developers to freeze the project and seek one last attempt to engage with Valve while shifting their focus to a new multiplayer game in the Godot engine. The team has refunded Patreon backers and halted development, expressing frustration over the lack of response from Valve. They have made progress on their new game, which features elements reminiscent of classic Valve shooters.

AppWizard

December 29, 2025

This Desktop Doohickey Will Bring Your Physical SNES Games to Your PC

Epilogue is launching the SN Operator, a device that connects Super Nintendo cartridges to modern PCs, scheduled to ship in April next year. Preorders will open on December 30 at noon ET. The SN Operator is compatible with PC, Mac, and Steam Deck, allowing users to back up games and save progress through the Playback app, which also supports co-op gameplay and RetroAchievements. It reads data directly from cartridges instead of using hardware emulation and supports mouse controls for classic accessories. Epilogue plans to expand its product line, potentially creating an Operator device for NES games in the future.

AppWizard

November 12, 2025

World of Warcraft game director responds to concerned email about Classic’s future within 15 minutes, and it’s good news

Blizzard's game director, Ion Hazzikostas, responded to a fan's inquiry about the future of World of Warcraft Classic within 15 minutes, acknowledging the community's passion and the importance of the Classic experience. The last dedicated update from Blizzard regarding Classic was on September 24, focusing on Mists of Pandaria Classic. Hazzikostas emphasized that while he couldn't provide specifics or announcements via email, he recognized the desire for a "forever home" in the Classic space.