Classic experience Archives

AppWizard

October 15, 2026

3 months after launch, Riot announces League of Legends Classic will be killed in January: ‘most have gone back to other parts of League’

Riot Games launched League of Legends Classic to evoke nostalgia by reverting to a version of the game prior to 2013, including an older Summoner's Rift map and faster introduction of "new" old champions. Despite this, player interest waned, leading to the mode being taken offline in January 2027, six months after its launch. Riot plans to revisit the concept as an event mode with modifications and has acknowledged mixed player responses. Former esports competitor Alex 'Xpecial' Chu noted that the idea of "classic" varies among players, suggesting that the nostalgia might not resonate as strongly as it does in other games like World of Warcraft or Runescape, which foster deeper community engagement.

Winsage

October 3, 2026

Tested: Microsoft cloned Outlook Classic’s look into a New Outlook theme, instead of building a native Windows 11 app

Microsoft introduced a new theme for its New Outlook that resembles Outlook Classic, responding to user preferences for a familiar interface. In August 2026, an optional setting was rolled out for New Outlook on Windows 11 and Windows 10, allowing users to enable a “classic Outlook style” through Settings > General > Appearance. This feature alters the interface to echo Outlook Classic while functioning as a web app. Key redesigns include a dark background title bar, updated navigation bar, and a new Calendar view. The mail folder list has been made more compact, and the ribbon has been updated with familiar design elements. Despite these changes, users still express a desire for a native Outlook app, as the current version operates as a resource-intensive Edge instance.

AppWizard

September 14, 2026

Warcraft 3: Reforged adds always-online requirement, removes LAN mode

The 3.0 patch for Warcraft 3: Reforged has introduced the Forsaken Kingdom expansion, which includes bug fixes and new features. A significant change is the requirement for an internet connection to play, even in single-player mode, which removes local area network (LAN) functionality. Blizzard has provided access to the legacy Warcraft 3 client with the purchase of Reforged, allowing offline play and LAN support. The patch also adds a new graphics mode for improved visual fidelity and doubles the unit selection cap from 12 to 24. Full patch notes are available on the Blizzard forums.

BetaBeacon

September 9, 2026

Temple of Osiris Comes to iOS, Android: Check What’s New

Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris is now available on mobile for iOS and Android, offering players the chance to try out the first level for free before purchasing the full game for USD 9.99, EUR 8.99, or GBP 7.49. The game features touch controls, controller support, single-player, and multiplayer modes, as players team up with Lara, Carter Bell, Isis, and Horus to search for the lost Fragments of Osiris and battle enemies.

AppWizard

August 25, 2026

Commodore Announces Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection for PC, Consoles

Commodore is set to launch the Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection, featuring the original six titles from the series, reimagined for modern platforms including PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Switch 2. The collection includes enhancements such as dual-stick control support, new game modes (Horde and co-op Rush), save states, screen filters, and rumble support. The titles included are Alien Breed, Alien Breed: Special Edition 92, Alien Breed 2: The Horror Continues, Alien Breed: Tower Assault, Alien Breed: 3D, and The Killing Grounds. A virtual museum will also be part of the collection, showcasing original media and insights into cancelled projects. The release is scheduled for September 24 on Steam, GoG, and the Epic Games Store, with availability on Xbox and PlayStation, while Nintendo Switch users will see it in Fall 2026. The collection will not be available for current or historical Commodore hardware.

AppWizard

July 22, 2026

GTA: Vice City gets free DLC-sized story content ahead of GTA 6 launch

Fans of Grand Theft Auto can download a free mission pack titled Vice City: New Legacy for GTA: Vice City, created by modder Rohansrinivasan123. This DLC includes 25 original story missions featuring gang wars, heists, and shootouts, along with new characters and storylines. The mod is designed using Sanny Builder and CLEO and is available on the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Nexus Mods page, specifically for the original version of the game. Rockstar Games is preparing to release Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, with pre-orders available for the Standard and Ultimate Editions. Pre-loads will begin on November 12, 2026.

Winsage

June 4, 2026

Windows 8’s codename was “Modern Experience” — Microsoft says it lacked creativity

Raymond Chen, a Microsoft software engineer, reflected on the development of Windows 8, which was announced on June 1, 2011, and had its support withdrawn on January 12, 2016. The development team initially referred to Windows 8 as "the modern experience" to distinguish it from Windows 7, known as "the classic experience." This led to the creation of abbreviations like "MoSh" for the modern shell and "ClaSh" for the classic shell. Other terms included "MoGo" for the new Start menu and "MoSet" for the settings control panel. Microsoft has since introduced Windows K2, an internal project aimed at addressing issues in Windows 11, and has made changes based on user feedback, such as allowing indefinite postponement of updates. Users can engage in discussions about Windows K2 on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral.

Winsage

June 3, 2026

Microsoft’s veteran engineer says Windows 8 was all built around “modern” codenames — including the polarizing Start menu

Microsoft unveiled Windows 8 on June 1, 2011, and ceased support for it on January 12, 2016. During its development, the team referred to it as "the modern experience" to distinguish it from Windows 7, known as "the classic experience." The new shell was called "modern shell" or "MoSh," while the old shell was referred to as "classic shell" or "ClaSh." The Start menu was initially called "Go page" and later renamed "MoGo." Other components were similarly named, such as "MoSet" for the settings control panel and "MoCo" for the ListView control. Microsoft is currently working on a project called Windows K2 to address issues in Windows 11, allowing users to postpone updates indefinitely and reducing the visibility of Copilot based on feedback. A status tracker for Windows K2 is available.

Winsage

April 27, 2026

Windows 11’s hidden modern Run dialog (Win+R) gets a slimmer design, but it’s still not rolling out

Windows Run, accessed via the Win + R shortcut, is being tested for a modern design update in newer preview builds of Windows 11. The updated version features a slimmer design similar to a floating search bar, with a new 'Run' icon and a centered text field. This modern variant will be optional, allowing users to switch back to the classic version if desired. Microsoft is also exploring additional advanced features for the modern Run dialog, which maintains comparable performance to the legacy version.

AppWizard

April 19, 2026

Turtle WoW classic server announces shutdown after Blizzard wins injunction

Blizzard Entertainment issued a cease and desist order to Turtle WoW, a private server for World of Warcraft, following a ruling in a copyright infringement lawsuit. The Turtle WoW team announced the complete shutdown of the project after reaching a settlement contingent upon certain actions. Developer Torta expressed the project's significant impact on their lives and the fond memories created over eight years. Turtle WoW offered a nostalgic experience reminiscent of the pre-expansion era of World of Warcraft without raising the maximum level or incorporating recent lore. The shutdown parallels the fate of another private server, Nostalrius, which closed before the announcement of World of Warcraft Classic. While some fan servers have received publisher approval, the Turtle WoW team's appeal for a licensing framework was unsuccessful, highlighting the challenges faced by independent developers in navigating intellectual property laws.