dialogue Archives

AppWizard

January 31, 2026

After joking about buying Amazon MMO New World, Rust boss says to “keep hope” as he signs NDA with an “unnamed company”

Alistair McFarlane, head of Facepunch Studios, has expressed interest in reviving the canceled Amazon MMO, New World, and has made a light-hearted offer for its rights. He is entering a non-disclosure agreement with an unnamed company, urging fans to keep "low expectations." McFarlane engaged with the New World community by jokingly tagging Amazon Games and discussing the planned shutdown of the New World: Aeternum servers in January 2027. He believes in empowering the community through public server hosting if a deal occurs. McFarlane has acknowledged the game's rough start and lack of long-term support but sees potential for its revival. Facepunch Studios prioritizes community engagement, as demonstrated by the ongoing success of their game Rust. The identity of the unnamed company remains undisclosed, but speculation points to Amazon Games. McFarlane emphasizes that discussions are confidential and that there are no confirmed deals or announcements at this time.

AppWizard

January 31, 2026

Minecraft Snapshot 26.1 Introduces Golden Dandelion and Baby Mobs

Mojang Studios has released the fifth snapshot of Minecraft version 26.1, featuring refined baby aquatic mobs with redesigned shapes and adjusted bounding boxes for improved interaction. Players can now craft the Golden Dandelion by combining a standard dandelion with eight gold nuggets, which prevents certain baby mobs from maturing, though it cannot be used on hostile baby mobs or villagers. Baby chickens have received new sound effects, enhancing the immersive experience. The snapshot is experimental and encourages player feedback for future updates.

AppWizard

January 30, 2026

Weekend PC Download Deals for Jan. 30: Steam Board Game Fest

The Steam Board Game Fest 2026 features deals on tabletop-style video games, showcasing titles that reflect traditional board games. Steam is also offering sales on popular games from developers like Square Enix, Rockstar Games, and Xbox. A free weekend for the game Dead by Daylight is available. GOG.com is hosting a New Year Sale, while the Epic Games Store has ongoing sales. Fanatical is offering discounts on the game Cairn. Xbox Game Pass users receive exclusive discounts, and various other platforms like Gamebillet, GamesPlanet, Green Man Gaming, Humble Bundle, and Ubisoft are also providing deals and promotions. Green Man Gaming offers a coupon code for 15% off PC games, and Humble Bundle has a subscription service with monthly offerings. Feedback from the gaming community is encouraged.

AppWizard

January 30, 2026

Gearbox finally wakes up with the first big Borderlands 4 update of the year and a roadmap, yet I’m still worried for its future

Gearbox announced a significant update for Borderlands 4 set for 2026, which includes enhanced loot drops in Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode, a rework of Harlowe's Zero-Point action skill, and the addition of a photo mode. The update integrates the Inertia augment into Harlowe's skill, boosts slam damage and status effects, and generates mini projectiles with successful attacks. Boss-related loot drops will increase with UVHM tiers, and a new setting to disable mouse smoothing has been added. A free update will introduce ultra-rare Pearlescent gear, and the first major story DLC, "Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned," is anticipated. Future content will include a second raid boss, a takedown, and three additional Bounty Packs. Gearbox aims to improve performance and stability while addressing character viability. Concerns remain about the game's future and the effectiveness of limited-time events.

AppWizard

January 29, 2026

Monster Hunter Wilds gets a PC patch which Capcom says will fix the recently reported DLC performance bug

Capcom released a patch for the PC version of Monster Hunter Wilds to address performance concerns, particularly around the Support Desk area in the Base Camp or Grand Hub, where performance drops were noted when players had unclaimed content. The patch aims to resolve an unintended bug related to CPU load increases due to claimed content status checks. An upcoming update is scheduled for February 18 to further enhance stability and performance across all platforms. The latest patch includes improvements to CPU/GPU processing, adjustments to texture streaming and VRAM usage, a new CPU settings tab, expanded graphics options, and various bug fixes. The patch requires approximately 2.0 GB of space, with a total of about 31 GB needed for the High-Resolution Texture Pack. Players are advised to update their video drivers for optimal performance.

AppWizard

January 29, 2026

Larian boss is sick of players “shi***ng” on new games, and it feels like he’s talking about Highguard

Highguard is a high fantasy extraction FPS that has garnered attention but has a subdued post-reveal marketing strategy. It received mixed reviews, with only 37% of players on Steam leaving positive feedback, which increases to 78% among those who played for over five hours. The game sparked polarized discussions on social media, with both defenders and detractors voicing their opinions. Larian Studios’ co-founder, Swen Vincke, criticized the negativity towards new titles, advocating for respect towards creators and suggesting that critics should be evaluated on the impact of their reviews. He acknowledged the financial pressures on players regarding game purchases and emphasized the importance of constructive criticism without personal attacks. Vincke also expressed concern about the sensitivity of creative individuals and the potential loss to the industry if they withdraw due to harsh criticism.

AppWizard

January 28, 2026

Man sues Minecraft and Fortnite saying they fueled his video game addiction

A video game player, Cayden Breeden, has filed a lawsuit against the creators of Fortnite and Minecraft, as well as Microsoft, in the New York Southern District Court, claiming he developed an addiction to these games. The 56-page complaint alleges that the companies failed to implement necessary safeguards against gaming addiction, which Breeden argues poses significant risks to players. He accuses the companies of negligence and fraud, stating that their business practices are deceptive and exacerbate gaming addiction for profit. Breeden describes his gaming habits as compulsive and disordered, leading to withdrawal-like symptoms such as anger and antisocial behavior. He is seeking compensation for pain and suffering, emotional distress, medical expenses, and attorney's fees. This lawsuit reflects a growing trend of legal actions against game developers for practices that encourage addictive behaviors, with similar cases being filed in recent years.

Winsage

January 28, 2026

Windows 11 26H2: Expected features, platform changes, and potential release schedule

Windows 11 follows an annual feature update schedule, with the 26H2 update expected to launch in late 2026. This update will be the next major version after 25H2 and will continue to use the Germanium platform. It may function as an enablement package, activating existing features rather than introducing new ones. Anticipated features include increased AI capabilities in applications like Paint and Notepad, refined dark mode options, a revamped Run dialogue box, an AI-powered search feature, and the Xbox Full Screen experience. The build number will increase to 26300. The 26H2 update is projected for a September or October release in 2026.

AppWizard

January 28, 2026

What’s the next step in these adventure game puzzles?

A variety of gaming trivia quizzes are available, covering topics such as health bars, currencies, and patch notes. In the 1980s and early 1990s, adventure games were the primary genre for players seeking well-crafted narratives, as RPGs focused on dungeon crawling and had limited dialogue. Point-and-click adventures evolved from text-based games and adapted literary works, with companies like Infocom, LucasArts, and Sierra emphasizing character development and thematic depth. Players often faced challenging puzzles that could lead to frustration, requiring collaboration or help. Today, classic puzzles can be revisited through accessible multiple-choice quizzes, allowing fans to engage with gaming history in an interactive manner.

BetaBeacon

January 27, 2026

Oh woe is Mio! Games critic Peter Hoskin reviews Memories In Orbit

- Mio: Memories In Orbit is a game where players control an artificial intelligence named Mio on a mysteriously abandoned space station filled with both friendly and hostile robots. - The game involves a lot of fighting and challenges that require precise movements and strategy. - Players can customize Mio with new powers gained along the way to help in combat and exploration. - Despite similarities to other games in terms of structure and tone, Mio is praised for its graphics and gameplay. - TR-49 is a puzzle-like game where players act as a librarian in a post-apocalyptic Britain, using a book-cataloguing machine to uncover clues and solve codes. - The game features dialogue, wordplay, and a narrative centered around discovering the truth behind the catastrophe.