Countdown Archives

AppWizard

February 24, 2026

Sony reveals the Death Stranding 2 required PC specs

The minimum system requirements for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach on PC include an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 or an AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT with 8GB of memory, allowing for 1080p at 30 frames per second. The recommended processors are the Intel Core i3-10100 or AMD Ryzen 3 3100. The game will feature Pico upscaling technology and support ultrawide displays, offering a 21:9 aspect ratio for cutscenes and a 32:9 format for gameplay.

Tech Optimizer

February 24, 2026

Fake Zoom meeting “update” silently installs surveillance software

A deceptive website, uswebzoomus[.]com/zoom/, poses as a Zoom meeting platform and installs surveillance software on Windows devices without user consent. The software is a covert version of Teramind, a commercial monitoring tool. The site creates a fake Zoom waiting room experience, complete with scripted participants and background audio, to trick users into downloading a malicious file named zoomagentx64s-i(_941afee582cc71135202939296679e229dd7cced) (1).msi. This file is preconfigured to connect to an attacker-controlled Teramind server and operates in stealth mode, leaving minimal traces on the device. The installation process collects information about the device and is designed to evade detection by security tools. If users suspect they have been affected, they are advised not to open the downloaded file, check for its installation, and change passwords from a clean device.

AppWizard

January 31, 2026

Here’s when Code Vein 2 launches in your timezone

Code Vein 2 is set to launch at 3 pm PST on January 29. The deluxe edition will unlock three days earlier for early access. Global launch times include: Los Angeles at 3 pm PST, New York at 6 pm EST, London at 11 pm GMT, Berlin at 12 am CET on January 30, Tokyo at 8 am JST on January 30, and Sydney at 8 am AEDT on January 30. Preloading is not available for the standard edition, but the deluxe edition allows for advanced access.

AppWizard

January 30, 2026

Black Ops 7 Season 2 is bringing some wild loadout additions, and I haven’t been this scared of a scorestreak in years

Treyarch is set to introduce new content for Black Ops 7 Season 2, including a scorestreak called the Lockshot, inspired by Titanfall's Smart Pistols, which can lock onto multiple targets and eliminate them with a single trigger pull. Players will also have access to new weapons through the battle pass, including the REV-46 submachine gun, EGRT-17 assault rifle, and H311-SAW melee weapon. Additional weapons, such as the SG-12 shotgun, Voyak KT-3 assault rifle, and the returning Swordfish burst rifle from Black Ops 4, will be available later in the season. Season 2 will also feature the launch of Ranked Play, providing a competitive gameplay environment. The season officially begins on February 5.

AppWizard

January 29, 2026

Little Woody is an adorable 2D puzzle game with a great short demo that you can check out now, but be warned: It’ll leave you wanting more

Little Woody is a 2D point-and-click puzzle game with a free demo that leaves a lasting impression. The demo is brief, ending abruptly just as the player begins to engage with the puzzles. Despite its short length, the experience was enjoyable enough for the player to add it to their wishlist, with the developers targeting a full release in Q2 of this year.

AppWizard

January 29, 2026

Bloober Team updated its strange countdown page, and fans of a controversial cult-classic horror game from 20 years ago are getting their hopes up for a big surprise

The countdown initiated by Bloober Team at the end of 2025 is linked to a website featuring a stylized image of a rose and the phrase, "Some things never leave the walls. They only learn to wait." This has led to speculation about a potential remake of the 2006 PlayStation 2 game, Rule of Rose. The website, discovered by Shinobi602, includes a visual of the rose dripping a liquid interpreted as blood and a "play" button that reveals an audio message from William Blake's poem, The Sick Rose. Rule of Rose was controversial at its release, leading to its scarcity and high collector's value. Despite Bloober Team's recent success with the Silent Hill 2 remake, there is skepticism about the demand for a Rule of Rose remake among fans. The countdown is set to conclude in just over 17 days, around February 14 or 15.

Winsage

January 27, 2026

Windows 11 is now reportedly faster than Windows 10 in gaming after latest 25H2 update

Hardware Unboxed, a YouTube channel known for hardware reviews, has teased an upcoming video focused on advancements in computer components. The teaser image was created by Antonis Georgiou and sourced from Unsplash, with contributions from Nicole Pineda on Pixabay. The video is expected to cover topics such as graphics cards, processors, and gaming peripherals, providing viewers with data and practical insights for tech investments.

AppWizard

January 19, 2026

It’s looking likely Escape From Tarkov lead’s mysterious sci-fi project is a space FPS, and a reveal could be very soon

Escape From Tarkov has launched its full 1.0 version, while director Nikita Buyanov is developing a new project called Cor3, which has been teased through a dedicated website. The project is speculated to be a new space sci-fi FPS game, with recent insights revealing screenshots of space debris and a planet with fires, alongside missile schematics and gameplay elements reminiscent of Escape From Tarkov. An "intel report" mentions a stable location labeled B4, and a countdown timer on a separate website is set to end on February 1, coinciding with an expected official announcement about Cor3. The project may involve various gameplay dynamics, including extraction shooter elements, narrative exploration, and potential cryptocurrency aspects, although the exact nature remains unclear.

Winsage

January 19, 2026

Copilot Uninstall Lands On Managed Windows But With Catches

IT administrators can now uninstall the Microsoft Copilot app from managed Windows devices under specific conditions. This option is available only for devices running an Insider Preview of Windows 11 and is designed for Enterprise, Pro, and Education editions. The Group Policy named RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp allows this uninstallation, but it requires that the Microsoft 365 Copilot and the Microsoft Copilot app are installed, the app must not have been user-installed, and it must remain unopened for 28 days. The policy aims to prevent accidental removals and ensure organizations consider the app's deprecation thoughtfully. For unmanaged PCs, users can hide the Copilot button and disable it in Startup Apps to minimize its presence, but a straightforward uninstallation method is not yet available.

AppWizard

January 19, 2026

Terraria’s long-awaited 1.4.5 patch finally has a release date, and it’s this month: ‘start the countdown’

Terraria's 1.4.5 update is set to launch on January 27. The update will include crossover packs featuring content from Dead Cells and Palworld, a summonable creature called Digtoise that can mine blocks, innovative non-licensed additions such as music blocks and special boulders, and new entities including a pufferfish and six types of slime.