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AppWizard

October 18, 2026

No soundtrack does it like Hades 2

Darren Korb composed the soundtrack for Hades 2, which enhances gameplay and lingers after playing. Key tracks include "Edge of Erebus," "Spider Silk," and "The Song of Sirens," showcasing a blend of mythological themes and modern rock. The soundtrack features songs like "Coral Crown" and "I Am Gonna Claw (Out Your Eyes then Drown You to Death)," which weave a narrative and include humor. "The Titan of Time" is notable for its use of a ticking clock as percussion, while "The Sightless Shepherd" includes a saxophone solo and has sparked community discussions. "Olympus Aflame" captures the chaos of a boss fight with orchestral elements. Korb's work in Hades 2 is considered a high point in his discography, with the soundtrack remaining impactful even after completing the game.

AppWizard

October 18, 2026

The Outlast Trials’ initial playtests went poorly: Designer says 6-year development took ‘a fking long time’ and ‘a st-ton of prototypes’

Philippe Morin, co-founder of Red Barrels, discussed the six-year development journey of The Outlast Trials, highlighting the extensive effort and numerous prototypes involved in creating the game. The success of The Outlast Trials has shifted focus away from Outlast 3, which is now less prioritized. The game's reception has also prompted discussions about the use of AI-generated imagery in game design.

BetaBeacon

October 18, 2026

AYN Thor Setup Guide: 13 Steps, 90 Minutes [2026]

- AYN's Thor is a clamshell Android handheld with two AMOLED panels: a 6-inch top display and a 3.92-inch touchscreen on the bottom. - It comes in four configurations: Lite, Base, Pro, and Max, with varying specs including RAM, storage, and GPU. - Setup of the AYN Thor takes longer than expected as it does not come with bundled games, preinstalled emulators, or a third-party launcher. - The setup process includes steps such as unboxing and inspecting the model, charging fully before the first boot, updating firmware, configuring the dual-screen display, setting up the microSD card, installing RetroArch, Winlator, and Moonlight, mapping controls, calibrating sticks, setting up cloud and PC game streaming, optimizing battery and thermal behavior, organizing storage, launchers, and backups, and running a final full-system pass.

AppWizard

October 18, 2026

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Released with PC Problems

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse has returned after nearly two decades, developed by Konami and Evil Empire. The console version has received positive feedback, while the PC version has faced technical issues, resulting in a 71% positive rating on Steam compared to an 84% average score on Metacritic. The game peaked at over 21,000 concurrent players on Steam, indicating strong interest despite the challenges.

AppWizard

October 17, 2026

Discussion time: Do you think zone chats in MMOs are forces for good, or evil?

Zone chats in MMOs serve as social platforms for players, often leading to chaotic and humorous exchanges. The "Barrens Chat" in World of Warcraft is noted for its vibrant and unrestrained chatter, while a bot named Margrave Tyrael repeatedly posted automated messages about beta character deletions. In Final Fantasy 14, the marketplace of Ul'dah also hosts outrageous conversations despite stricter moderation. These chats reflect a unique and authentic form of communication within the gaming community, showcasing creativity and spontaneity.

AppWizard

October 17, 2026

Is native PS5 game launch on PC a month away? Enthusiasts are close to completing decryption

The AnyPS5 project aims to enable the native launch of PlayStation 5 games on PC, with developers expecting to complete their decryption work in 24 days. They have successfully decrypted 100% of the PlayStation 5 graphics shader instructions, and the exploration of the console's system libraries is 89.44% complete. Advancements in artificial intelligence are aiding the decompilation of console games, facilitating the transition of exclusives to PC. The first native port, God of War: Sons of Sparta, is already operational on PC without an emulator. The completion of the decryption process is expected to lead to more fan-made ports for PC users.

AppWizard

October 17, 2026

42.4% of Steam Users Play PC Games Exclusively

In a survey by GameDiscoverCo involving over 16,000 Steam users, 42.4% reported exclusively engaging in PC gaming, while 15.6% played on PC, console, and mobile platforms. Additionally, 91.5% of respondents play PC games for at least one hour monthly. Among cross-platform users, 22% enjoy mobile games alongside PC, and 11.5% play both PC and console games without engaging in mobile gaming. The survey methodology included participant recruitment through online giveaways and cross-referencing responses with Steam library data.

Winsage

October 17, 2026

Windows/Exchange Server October 2026 issue: Analysis and Workarounds

On October 13, 2026, Microsoft released security updates for Windows Server that unintentionally affected Microsoft Exchange Server, causing significant disruptions approximately 24 hours after installation. Users reported issues such as database services failing, resulting in unresponsive email and Outlook Web Access access. Microsoft acknowledged the problem and is investigating it. The updates targeted supported Windows Server and Microsoft Exchange versions 2016, 2019, and SE. By October 15, reports of severe issues, including the inability to connect to the server and halted email delivery, emerged. The error message associated with the disruption is "MapiExceptionMdbOffline: Unable to make connection to the server. (hr=0x80004005, ec=1142)." Despite these issues, the Exchange Admin Center still showed databases as connected and mounted. Unofficial workarounds, including a registry edit and a PowerShell script, have been suggested to mitigate the problems.

AppWizard

October 17, 2026

BlueStacks vs LDPlayer vs GameLoop: Android Emulator 2026

In October 2026, the leading Android emulators for PC gaming are BlueStacks, LDPlayer, and GameLoop, known for their active updates and tailored gaming experiences. LDPlayer 14 is the only emulator operating on Android 14, while BlueStacks 5.22 supports Android 9 and offers an optional Android 13 beta. GameLoop has not updated its Android base in over a year but remains relevant due to its connection with Tencent. The latest confirmed builds as of mid-October 2026 are: - BlueStacks: 5.22 (released on Oct 13, 2026) - LDPlayer: 14 (released in Sept 2026) - GameLoop: Last verifiable release on Oct 24, 2025 Frame-rate ceilings for each emulator are: - BlueStacks: Up to 240 FPS - LDPlayer: Up to 240 FPS - GameLoop: 120 to 144 FPS BlueStacks is noted for its broad game support and extensive feature set, while LDPlayer offers significant performance improvements with its modern Android base. GameLoop is optimized for specific titles like PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty: Mobile but has raised concerns about its long-term viability due to a lack of updates. All emulators are free to download and ad-supported, with MEmu being the only one with a clearly defined premium subscription model. Most require CPU-level virtualization for optimal performance. Different emulators cater to various player profiles, such as competitive players, high-refresh-rate enthusiasts, and multi-account managers.

Winsage

October 17, 2026

You’re not alone: even the former CEO of Microsoft’s advertising can’t put the Windows 11 taskbar on the left yet

Users of Windows 11 are awaiting taskbar customization options, including autohide and size controls, which are not yet available despite the rollout of the 26H2 update. Mikhail Parakhin expressed disappointment on social media, stating that the taskbar is "not usable yet." The rollout of these features is staggered, with some users having access while others do not.