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There's a fantasy swordsmithing sim launching on Steam next week, which is a sentence I've been waiting to hear since browsing my dad's replica sword catalogs in 4th grade
AppWizard
January 16, 2026

There’s a fantasy swordsmithing sim launching on Steam next week, which is a sentence I’ve been waiting to hear since browsing my dad’s replica sword catalogs in 4th grade

The author grew up in an environment focused on historical reenactment and fantasy lore, influenced by a father who collected period costumes and bladed weaponry. They eagerly anticipate the early access launch of "Bladesong," a fantasy swordsmithing simulator set to debut on Steam on January 22. The game allows players to craft swords with various features, including length, width, thickness, and cross-section, and includes a story mode set in a medieval post-apocalyptic world. The early access version will offer additional engraving options, materials, and blade shaping techniques.
It's my duty as a child of the early 2000s to let you know a Beyblade-inspired roguelike was released on Steam last month
AppWizard
January 16, 2026

It’s my duty as a child of the early 2000s to let you know a Beyblade-inspired roguelike was released on Steam last month

From the Top is a top-battling roguelike game that was released on Steam last month. Players select battle tops and navigate a path similar to Slay the Spire, engaging in battles against enemy tops. Each top consists of three components that affect movement, collision force, and spin stamina, and features an active ability for dynamic combat. Players can discover unique combinations, such as a top that generates clones or one that can become intangible. The game includes various enemy types and challenging bosses with unique abilities. It is priced modestly and aims to evoke nostalgia for the Beyblade craze of the early 2000s, offering a safe alternative to physical Beyblade battles.
Over 1 million players expected: New Minecraft-style sandbox MMO enters Early Access
AppWizard
January 14, 2026

Over 1 million players expected: New Minecraft-style sandbox MMO enters Early Access

Hytale is a highly anticipated game that combines sandbox creativity with immersive storytelling. Key features include a procedurally generated world with diverse environments, robust customization options for crafting adventures and structures, an engaging narrative with quests and lore, and community-centric tools for modding and sharing creations.
After Expedition 33's success, Split Fiction's Josef Fares warns publishers not to "only do" double-A
AppWizard
January 13, 2026

After Expedition 33’s success, Split Fiction’s Josef Fares warns publishers not to “only do” double-A

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has received critical acclaim and commercial success, winning Game of the Year at the previous year’s Game Awards. Josef Fares, founder of Hazelight Studios, warns the triple-A gaming sector against merely replicating trends from Expedition 33's success, emphasizing the need for innovation rather than imitation. He highlights the importance of diversity in gaming, asserting that both triple-A and double-A titles have their place in the industry. Fares points out that while high-budget games face pressure to avoid risks, innovation is still possible, citing examples from studios like Naughty Dog, Rockstar, and Nintendo. He also mentions that other major studios, such as Capcom, are exploring unconventional ideas.
A dev on Minecraft-like Hytale has already used its creative tools to make a homebrew side-scroller
AppWizard
January 12, 2026

A dev on Minecraft-like Hytale has already used its creative tools to make a homebrew side-scroller

Hytale, a standalone game inspired by Minecraft, is set to enter early access on January 13. It is developed by Hypixel Studios, founded by Simon Collins-Laflamme, and aims to provide players with extensive custom game creation tools. A level designer at the studio created a 2D side-scroller as a demonstration of the game's potential. The game will feature mechanics for object placement similar to an MMO housing system and include machinima-making tools. Hytale's development has been tumultuous, but it is expected to unleash a wave of creativity in the gaming community upon its launch.
Is today's puzzle game scene interesting? 'No, I don't think it is,' says Jonathan Blow, even though there are 'really good games in the past' devs could look to for inspiration
AppWizard
January 8, 2026

Is today’s puzzle game scene interesting? ‘No, I don’t think it is,’ says Jonathan Blow, even though there are ‘really good games in the past’ devs could look to for inspiration

Jonathan Blow has unveiled his new project, Order of the Sinking Star, at last year's Game Awards. The game has been in development for nearly a decade and is described as a "game design supercollider," combining four distinct puzzle games into a vast puzzle chimaera with 500 hours of content. Blow considers Stephen's Sausage Roll one of the best puzzle games, despite its difficulty, and found Trifolium: The Adventures of Gary Pretzelneck interesting due to its deceptive simplicity. He has not encountered many recent puzzle titles that have impressed him.
PC players hand Silksong their Game of the Year gong over Expedition 33 as the 2025 Steam Awards winners are announced
AppWizard
January 4, 2026

PC players hand Silksong their Game of the Year gong over Expedition 33 as the 2025 Steam Awards winners are announced

Hollow Knight Silksong won the Game of the Year title at the 2025 Steam Awards, determined by user votes. It also received the 'Best Game You Suck At' award, making it the only title to secure two wins that year. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won Best Soundtrack. Baldur's Gate 3 received the 'Labor of Love' award, while Hades 2 was named 'Best Game on Steam Deck.' Dispatch won 'Outstanding Story-Rich Game,' Silent Hill f received 'Outstanding Visual Style,' The Midnight Walk was named 'VR Game of the Year,' and RV There Yet won the 'Sit Back and Relax' award. Arc Raiders was recognized for 'Most Innovative Gameplay.' Hollow Knight Silksong reached the 'platinum' tier of bestsellers during the Steam Winter Sale.
'I'm over making other people really wealthy with my own creations': Fallout co-creator Tim Cain isn't interested in making a new IP or a sequel to one of his classic RPGs and, at this point, he's 'exasperated with the question'
AppWizard
January 4, 2026

‘I’m over making other people really wealthy with my own creations’: Fallout co-creator Tim Cain isn’t interested in making a new IP or a sequel to one of his classic RPGs and, at this point, he’s ‘exasperated with the question’

Tim Cain, the creator of the original Fallout, has been asked about the possibility of developing a new RPG or revisiting the Fallout franchise, as well as sequels to his other games like Arcanum and Temple of Elemental Evil. He has been active in the gaming industry since the 1990s, co-founding Troika Games and contributing to various projects, including Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds. Recently, he rejoined Obsidian full-time after previously serving as a consultant for The Outer Worlds 2. Currently, he is involved in non-lead design roles for several Obsidian titles and has contributed to games like South Park: The Stick of Truth, Tyranny, and Pillars of Eternity.
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