dedication Archives

Winsage

August 7, 2026

Moving the Microsoft Edge extensions ecosystem forward with Manifest Version 3

In 2020, Microsoft committed to Manifest Version 3 (MV3) for the Chromium extensions platform. As of now, 95% of the top MV2 extensions have transitioned to MV3 in the Edge Add-ons store. Starting in August 2026, Microsoft Edge will begin transitioning consumers away from MV2 extensions, aiming to complete this by the end of 2026, with enterprise deprecation expected in early 2027. Currently, only 58 MV2-based extensions show meaningful usage, and three of these lack an MV3 version. Notifications will be sent to users and developers regarding the transition, and MV2 extensions will gradually be disabled by default. Developers are encouraged to finalize their transition to MV3 and submit updates via Microsoft Partner Center.

BetaBeacon

August 7, 2026

Valve publicly releases Lepton and FEX compatibility tools to power Steam Frame gaming

Valve is developing compatibility tools, Lepton and FEX, for the upcoming Steam Frame VR headset. Lepton will run Android apps on a Linux distribution, while FEX will translate x86 applications into native Arm code. Valve's commitment to the project suggests the launch of Steam Frame may be approaching.

AppWizard

August 6, 2026

We asked the voice of Eisenhorn, Gaunt, and Garro in Warhammer 40k who his favorite character to play is

Toby Longworth is a prominent voice actor in Warhammer 40k, known for his work on Black Library novels, particularly those by Dan Abnett, including the Eisenhorn and Gaunt's Ghosts series. He has also voiced Nathaniel Garro in Horus Heresy novels. Currently, he is involved in Dawn of War 4, voicing various Space Marines. Additional content about his career and collaboration with Alex Jordan will be available on the PC Gamer YouTube channel.

AppWizard

August 4, 2026

Private Internet Access now lets you ditch Google as it brings its VPN app to F-Droid

Private Internet Access (PIA) has launched its VPN application for Android on F-Droid, a platform known for privacy and open-source software. This allows users to download the VPN without sideloading, simplifying the installation process and reinforcing PIA's commitment to transparency. The F-Droid platform provides a catalog of free and open-source Android applications, ensuring that apps are compiled from public source code by volunteers, which helps eliminate concerns about tampering. The introduction of PIA's app on F-Droid allows users to install the VPN easily while prioritizing their privacy. F-Droid operates under a model emphasizing user trust and community engagement, with strict privacy policies in place. This collaboration enhances PIA's accessibility and solidifies its position in the open-source VPN market.

AppWizard

August 2, 2026

Owlcat co-founder says the studio won’t turn its back on hardcore RPGs as it hits 600 employees and preps its own Mass Effect killer

Owlcat Games, co-founded by Alexander Mishulin, has expanded its workforce to around 600 employees, allowing the studio to work on two projects simultaneously. The studio remains committed to the hardcore CRPG genre, with upcoming titles like The Expanse: Osiris Reborn and Warhammer 40K: Dark Heresy. Owlcat's growth positions it competitively alongside other RPG developers, such as Larian Studios and Obsidian Entertainment. The studio was originally founded in Moscow and is now headquartered in Paphos, Cyprus.

AppWizard

August 2, 2026

One of Kerbal Space Program’s biggest inspirations was a promotional Flash game for Top Gear: ‘That was the most similar game to KSP that I could find back then’

Felipe Falanghe began his journey in PC gaming by playing Flight Simulator 4 on his father's laptop, which sparked his interest in modding and game development. In 2010, while at a marketing firm called Squad, he was given the opportunity to create Kerbal Space Program, which became one of PC Gamer's highest-rated games. Currently, he is playing the remastered version of Oblivion and enjoys the first-person shooter BattleBit, as well as Old School RuneScape, which he played back in 2005. He keeps Fragile Allegiance and Full Throttle installed on his system. Falanghe has logged nearly 2,000 hours in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024 combined and considers Flight Sim and Fragile Allegiance as games he will never uninstall. He uses OBS for remote work and OneCommander for file management. His desktop is somewhat cluttered, with a preference for the classic Windows 10-style Start menu.

AppWizard

August 2, 2026

The maker of the Baldur’s Gate 3 over-the-shoulder camera mod has gone to great lengths to demonstrate it’s not like other third-person viewpoint solutions

Relysia's True Third-Person Camera mod for Baldur's Gate 3 transforms the game's traditional bird's-eye perspective into an immersive over-the-shoulder viewpoint. While Baldur's Gate 3 has a third-person mode accessible via controller, many players find Relysia's mod enhances the experience significantly. The mod has sparked discussions on platforms like Nexus Mods, highlighting the dedication of modders. Players have reported a distinctly different experience after using the mod, leading them to revisit the game. Other popular mods include the WASD Character Movement mod and the Party Limit Begone mod, which offer additional gameplay enhancements.

AppWizard

August 1, 2026

Crimson Desert adds 133 new trading posts and overhauls the in-game economy with supply and demand

Crimson Desert is undergoing a transformation towards trading simulation, with a recent patch introducing 133 new trading posts and rebalancing the types and quantities available. New mechanics have been added to simulate supply and demand dynamics. The developer, Pearl Abyss, is enhancing the game's complexity despite some critiques for a more minimalist approach. Minor fixes in the patch address bugged challenges and improve interaction animations for creatures like the platypus and feathered weasel. These updates have garnered attention, including praise from the Prime Minister of South Korea.

AppWizard

August 1, 2026

My new favourite Tolkien game is free, has over 40 years of history, and would run on a toaster

Sil-Q is a free and open-source game that reimagines the classic Rogue experience within Tolkien's First Age of Arda, as depicted in The Silmarillion. It draws inspiration from the game Angband, which is a descendant of the 1983 title Moria. Players are tasked with infiltrating Morgoth's fortress to retrieve a Silmaril gem, focusing on strategic evasion rather than combat. The game restricts character options to races aligned with Tolkien's lore, including the Noldor, Sindar, Naugrim, and Edain, prioritizing immersion over balance. Players encounter challenges reminiscent of classic rogue-like gameplay while navigating Morgoth's domain, battling orcs and discovering mythical weapons. Sil-Q emphasizes storytelling and community engagement within the gaming realm.

AppWizard

July 31, 2026

Gamers compress 80TB map of Minecraft’s oldest anarchy server down to a 15TB download — custom .zvcr compression format and 28 bots map 1 million blocks on infamous 2b2t server

A group of Minecraft enthusiasts has mapped the entire 2b2t server, resulting in a 15TB download that unpacks to an 80TB archive. The project, known as the 2b2tplace preservation project, began in 2024 and concluded in April 2026 after 22 months of work using 28 bot accounts to document over one million blocks across the Overworld, Nether, and End dimensions. The team developed a custom compression format called .zvcr to manage the large dataset, differing from the traditional .mca format.