December Archives

AppWizard

January 15, 2026

Promising Bully mod, which mirrored GTA Online multiplayer, gets axed just one month after launching

Bully, a cult classic from Rockstar Games, remains popular two decades after its release. A group of modders, led by YouTuber Swegta, attempted to create a multiplayer version called Bully Online, featuring various minigames. However, the project was shut down, with an announcement stating that the Bully Online project is shutting down forever, leading to the closure of its server and removal of all associated data. The reasons for the shutdown are unclear, but monetization efforts may have raised legal concerns. Despite this, Bully's legacy endures, and there is hope for a sequel, Bully 2, in the future.

Winsage

January 14, 2026

Microsoft Fixes 114 Windows Flaws in January 2026 Patch, One Actively Exploited

On Tuesday, Microsoft released its first security update for 2026, addressing 114 vulnerabilities, including eight classified as Critical and 106 as Important. The vulnerabilities include 58 related to privilege escalation, 22 concerning information disclosure, 21 linked to remote code execution, and five categorized as spoofing flaws. A notable vulnerability, CVE-2026-20805, involves information disclosure within the Desktop Window Manager (DWM) and has a CVSS score of 5.5. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has added this flaw to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, requiring federal agencies to implement fixes by February 3, 2026. Additionally, Microsoft announced the expiration of three Windows Secure Boot certificates issued in 2011, effective June 2026, urging customers to transition to newer certificates to avoid disruptions. The update also removed vulnerable Agere Soft Modem drivers due to a local privilege escalation flaw (CVE-2023-31096) and addressed another critical privilege escalation flaw in Windows Virtualization-Based Security (CVE-2026-20876) with a CVSS score of 6.7. Other vendors, including Adobe, Amazon Web Services, and Cisco, have also released security patches for various vulnerabilities.

AppWizard

January 14, 2026

81-year-old grandma’s Minecraft YouTube channel pays for grandson’s cancer treatment

Sue Jacquot, an 81-year-old woman, started a YouTube channel called Gramma Crackers in 2024 to support her grandson Jack Self during his cancer treatment. The channel focuses on her gaming adventures in Minecraft and has attracted over 150,000 followers and 564,000 views on her first video. Each video includes a link to Jack's GoFundMe page, which raised significant funds for his treatment. The gaming community has shown overwhelming support, contributing to the campaign and providing encouragement. Sue's experience highlights the growing trend of elderly individuals engaging in gaming, as seen in other stories like a 92-year-old woman winning a Tekken 8 tournament in December 2025.

Winsage

January 13, 2026

CES 2026: Showcasing new Windows 11 PC innovations across the ecosystem

CES showcased significant advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) integrated into the Windows ecosystem, with various companies unveiling new products. Acer introduced the Copilot+ PCs, including the Swift 16 AI laptop with a haptic touchpad and Predator Helios Neo 16S AI gaming laptop. ASUS launched the Zenbook DUO, featuring dual OLED touchscreens, and the ROG Zephyrus Duo, a dual-screen gaming laptop. Dell refreshed its XPS brand with new laptops and monitors, while HP presented the EliteBook X G2 Series and the EliteBoard G1a Next Gen AI PC. Lenovo revealed several new Copilot+ PCs, and Samsung introduced the Galaxy Book6 series. AMD and Intel announced new processor lines, with AMD's Ryzen AI 400 Mobile Series and Intel's Core Ultra Series 3 processors. Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon X2 Plus for enhanced AI experiences in PCs.

AppWizard

January 13, 2026

How to set up Android Parental Controls on your kid’s phone

Google has enhanced parental control features for Android users through the Family Link app, which allows parents to manage their children's device usage. A significant update in December 2025 introduced a dedicated parental controls settings page within the Settings app for Google Pixel devices running Android 16 or newer. This update streamlines the process, allowing parents to implement controls easily without using a separate app. Parents can access both Family Link and device limits from one location, with options to password-protect settings. The setup process includes selecting a supervising Google account and reviewing various control options. The integration with the Family Link app remains, allowing further management from a parent's device. The Google Pixel 10 is highlighted as a device that supports these enhanced parental controls, featuring a triple-camera setup and a powerful Tensor G5 chip.

AppWizard

January 13, 2026

Rhythm Doctor review

Rhythm Doctor, developed and published by 7th Beat Games, is set to launch on December 6, 2025, priced at £17. The game features a unique rhythm gaming approach using only the spacebar for gameplay, challenging players' musical timing while presenting emotional narratives across six acts. Players assume the role of a mute intern at Middlesea Hospital, where they use a long noodle arm to care for patients by synchronizing taps with their heartbeats. The game includes relatable characters facing real-life challenges, humorous interactions, and engaging tutorials led by a character named Hugh. It features a variety of rhythms and beats, including seventh beats and swing rhythms, and integrates audio cues into the music. The soundtrack ranges from lo-fi beats to energetic guitar tracks, enhancing the storytelling. The visual style is playful and experimental, with dynamic animations and attention to detail in various scenes.

AppWizard

January 13, 2026

My Winter Car is a ‘dangerous, depressing and tiring’ life sim, and the developer doesn’t want you to play it unless you’ve mastered the infamously tricky My Summer Car

Amistech has launched My Winter Car in early access, a sequel to My Summer Car, just a year after the original game's 1.0 release in January 2025. The game requires prior experience with its predecessor, as it features intricate mechanics and a demanding gameplay style. My Winter Car focuses on restoring an old project car while navigating a survival scenario set in the harsh Finnish winter, where players face permadeath, inclement weather, and law enforcement. The game has received nearly 5,000 reviews and holds an Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam since its early access debut on December 29.

BetaBeacon

January 13, 2026

Samsung just abandoned this mini-game you never heard of, but there’s good news

Samsung has removed the Creature Collection feature from its Gaming Hub app, which allowed players to unlock collectible "monsters" by progressing through games and hatching virtual eggs. Despite this change, all the unlockable monsters are now available for users to set as their display pictures inside the app without having to complete specific missions or reach certain progress levels.

Winsage

January 12, 2026

Windows 11 File Explorer Lag: Legacy XP Feature Fix via Registry Tweak

File Explorer in Windows 11 has been reported to have performance issues, particularly delays when navigating folders with many media files or documents. This problem is linked to the auto-discovery feature, which optimizes folder display settings based on content but incurs a significant computational burden. Disabling this feature through registry modifications can lead to improved performance, with users experiencing faster navigation and reduced folder load times. Microsoft has acknowledged these issues and plans to preload File Explorer for quicker launches, but the underlying problems remain largely unaddressed. Users have shared their experiences and solutions, including registry tweaks that set folder types to "NotSpecified" to eliminate scanning overhead. Despite some incremental updates from Microsoft, many users still face core lags, prompting ongoing community-driven fixes and discussions about the need for deeper audits of legacy code.

AppWizard

January 11, 2026

Manor Lords’ dev is experimenting with a new trading system that allows for ‘deliberate economic strategies’, including establishing monopolies on resources

Manor Lords, developed by Slavic Magic, had a quiet 2025 as the team recalibrated after its successful early access launch in 2024. Activity increased in December with a significant patch that reworked core systems and castle construction mechanics. Tim Bender, CEO of publisher Hooded Horse, announced a new trade route system that connects locations to the import and export of items, allowing up to three merchants per route. Players must hire at least one merchant to engage in trade, and can attempt to buy out merchants on a route, creating contested economic territory. This system enables players to develop economic strategies, such as monopolizing Iron Slabs. Hooded Horse and Slavic Magic are seeking feedback from the Manor Lords community on these features. Additionally, Hooded Horse launched the 1.0 version of Terra Invicta, a sci-fi grand strategy game, and Bender opposed the use of AI-generated assets in their games.