cult Archives

AppWizard

September 28, 2026

William Pugh, co-designer of The Stanley Parable, has over 1,600 hours in Dota 2: ‘It’s not a game made of love. It’s a game fuelled by hate and a desire to conquer’

William Pugh began his journey in PC gaming with shareware titles on Mac and has fond memories of playing Worms 4: Mayhem, which introduced him to online multiplayer. He later engaged with the Source engine mapping community through Team Fortress 2, where he collaborated with Davey Wreden to create The Stanley Parable. Currently, he is working on a project with Crows Crows Crows and producing the PS5 exclusive Hunter's Moon. Pugh is playing Deadlock, describing it as an improved version of Dota 2, which he has played for 1,603 hours but finds frustrating. He will never uninstall Team Fortress 2 and relies on Blender for non-gaming software, praising its open-source nature. His desktop is chaotic, reflecting his creative style, and he humorously keeps all his files since 2005 on physical hard drives.

AppWizard

September 28, 2026

Fans React To Minecraft’s Upcoming New Dimension ‘The Sift’

Mojang hosted Minecraft Live, revealing developments including Minecraft Dungeons II and new icy biomes. The most notable announcement was the introduction of a new dimension called "the Sift," which will be added after 14 years. The Sift features a vibrant, cotton candy-colored aesthetic with elements like pink weeds and a blue bunny, contrasting with the darker themes of previous updates. It will be included in the core game in 2027 but will first appear in Dungeons II. Discussions among players are mixed, with some expressing excitement and others skepticism about its design.

BetaBeacon

September 17, 2026

The iconic psychological horror Doki Doki Literature Club is back on Android five months after being removed from Google Play

The mobile version of Doki Doki Literature Club was removed from the Google store due to "sensitive content," but has now been successfully released on the Epic Games Store without any changes to the game's content.

BetaBeacon

September 17, 2026

Doki Doki Literature Club is returning to Android through the Epic Games Store

Epic Games is bringing Doki Doki Literature Club back to Android devices as an Epic Games Store Android-exclusive due to sensitive themes.

AppWizard

September 10, 2026

SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection 2 announced for PS5, Switch, and PC

SUNSOFT will release "SUNSOFT is Back! Retro Game Selection 2" on December 17 for PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC (Steam). Physical editions will be available in Japan for PlayStation 5 and Switch, including a special Collector’s Box. The collection features newly integrated save and rewind features and a Gallery Mode showcasing rare materials from the original games. Included titles are: - Super Arabian: An action-adventure game from 1985 where players rescue a kidnapped princess. - Ikki: A quirky action game where players collect gold coins and rice balls while rebelling against taxes. - The Mystery of Atlantis: A high-difficulty action game with 100 stages set on the island of Atlantis. - Maharaja: An adventure RPG from 1989 involving a mysterious wooden box in India.

AppWizard

August 31, 2026

Game review: Star Wars Zero Company (PC)

Star Wars Zero Company is a turn-based strategy game set during the waning days of the Clone Wars, where players lead a mercenary unit called Zero Company, led by former Republic officer Tesh Hawks. The game features tactical gameplay reminiscent of the X-COM series, with players managing a squad and engaging in combat missions while also exploring an upgradeable hub called The Den. Players can choose between Operations and Tactical Missions, with character customization options available for generic recruits. The game includes a variety of missions and enemies from the Star Wars universe, including a notable antagonist, The Coil. It features a permadeath system, strategic gameplay that emphasizes positioning and cover, and a soundtrack inspired by the franchise. The game is developed in collaboration with Lucasfilm, EA Games, and Bit Reactor.

AppWizard

August 27, 2026

Double Fine Productions Makes Brutal Legend Free for 666 Minutes to Honor Tim Curry

Double Fine Productions has reclaimed the rights to its entire catalog after parting ways with Microsoft. The studio is offering fans the chance to download the game Brutal Legend for free for 666 minutes in tribute to Tim Curry, who voiced a character in the game and passed away at the age of 80. This offer is available until 3:06 AM PT / 6:06 AM ET on August 27. IGN's Daemon Hatfield rated Brutal Legend 9 out of 10, praising its unique blend of humor, music, and gameplay. Double Fine plans to revive its Amnesia Fortnight game jam as it prepares for future projects.

AppWizard

August 25, 2026

How have the genres of hit PC games changed since 2021?

- The unreleased Steam game Wardogs, a 100-player FPS, is trending at #1 with a peak of 105,000 concurrent users during its playtest. - Sally Face 2 is at #2, Dear Passengers at #3, Phantom Blade Zero at #4, Rerouted at #5, Tulpa The Unseen Lover at #7, and Heatwarped at #10. - Steam is testing personalized recommendations for its Midweek Deals for logged-in users. - Silent Hill: Townfall will be a PS5 exclusive for at least six months post-release. - Valve was founded 30 years ago. - There is a decline in physical retail for games, particularly with fewer Xbox consoles in big box stores. - Indie developer Kernel Hearts announced 50,000 pre-orders on the Epic Games Store, influenced by a promotional Fortnite skin. - Steam updated its documentation for pre-orders, advising developers to enable encrypted preloads for anticipated games. - Roblox has blocked certain bots, leading to decreased concurrent users, while the game Steal an Egg set a record for reaching 500,000 concurrent users quickly. - Entity raised .8 million to develop console-quality games for web browsers. - The issue of 'keyword squatting' on consoles continues, with the release of Lethal Corporation drawing attention for its misleading title. - The PC game market has shifted from survival games, city builders, and action RPGs in 2021 to a rise in Roguelite and Roguelike genres by 2025. - Roguelite gained 39 spots, Roguelike gained 37 spots, and Life Sim games climbed 31 spots to #6. - The Idler genre rose 46 spots to #15, while Survival Horror dropped to #26. - The 2025 list of top games includes three titles priced below , compared to only one in 2021.

AppWizard

August 25, 2026

Iconic Retro Horror Game ‘Sanitarium Enhanced’ Coming to PC and Consoles

Ziggurat Interactive has announced two upcoming titles: Sanitarium Enhanced and Cosmi: Forbidden Forest & Beyond. Sanitarium Enhanced, a psychological horror game, will be available on PC (Steam, GOG), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Nintendo Switch. It is a modernized version of the 1998 cult classic, featuring full controller support, widescreen presentation, and additional bonus content. Cosmi: Forbidden Forest & Beyond will be released for PC (Steam, GOG), Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5. Both announcements were made during the Pixel Arcadia showcase. A specific release date for Sanitarium Enhanced has not yet been provided.

AppWizard

August 24, 2026

Legendary Mac Game Celebrates 40th Anniversary With PC Port

Dark Castle, a classic game from 1986, is being re-released as an official port to PC to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Originally developed for Macintosh, the game was notable for its innovative use of animations and gameplay mechanics, despite the platform's limitations in graphics. The game was created by Silicon Beach Software in collaboration with artist Mark Stephen Pierce and programmer Jonathan Gay, utilizing a technique called "page flipping" to enhance performance. Dark Castle is known for its challenging gameplay and has a sequel, Beyond Dark Castle. Both games are now available on Steam, providing a modern way to experience these titles.