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AppWizard

August 10, 2025

Doom: The Dark Ages latest update adds a ‘Ripatorium’ that lets you build your own wave shooter from its demonic menagerie

id Software has released Update 2 for Doom: The Dark Ages, introducing a new arena mode called the "Ripatorium," which allows players to customize combat encounters with various options for demons, waves, and time limits. The update also includes a significant overhaul of the combat system, improving the speed of weapon swaps, allowing the Slayer to interrupt weapon-swap animations to block attacks, and adding more enemies to late-game fights. The game is currently available at a 25% discount on Steam, reducing the price from $/£70 to $/£52.

AppWizard

August 10, 2025

Battlefield 6 reaches record half a million+ concurrent players on Steam, an all-time high for the franchise — 520K+ open beta surpasses every Call of Duty ever in player count

EA has launched an open beta for Battlefield 6, attracting over 500,000 concurrent players, with a peak of 521,079. The game currently ranks 18th in all-time player counts for Steam games and is the only first-person shooter in the top ranks. Call of Duty is in 20th place, with its peak player count from nearly three years ago. Twitch viewership for Battlefield 6 has exceeded 870,000, surpassing the franchise's previous record of around 350,000. The official launch of Battlefield 6 is scheduled for October 6, 2025, and the open beta will conclude tomorrow.

AppWizard

August 9, 2025

Blizzard’s ex-CEO says Battlefield 6 will “boot stomp” Call of Duty this year because the franchise has “gone downhill” — calls it a victory for players as COD “won’t be lazy” anymore

Mike Ybarra, former president of Blizzard Entertainment, expressed on social media that he believes "Battlefield will boot stomp CoD this year," suggesting that the competition will push Call of Duty to improve. Battlefield 6 is taking a back-to-basics approach and has shown strong interest with over 250,000 players in its open beta. Critics have noted Ybarra's bias against Call of Duty, which is now owned by Microsoft, and pointed out that despite criticisms, Call of Duty has outsold Battlefield 1. Ybarra described Call of Duty as "a mess," citing issues like cheating and large installation sizes. Battlefield 6 is set to release on October 6 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with modest hardware requirements and a default 60 FPS mode on Series S consoles.

AppWizard

August 9, 2025

Weekend PC Download Deals for Aug. 8: QuakeCon 2025

The gaming community is celebrating QuakeCon with sales across various platforms, including Steam, Humble Store, Fanatical, Epic Games Store, and GOG.com. Blizzard has launched a sale on popular titles like World of Warcraft and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, while Ubisoft is offering discounts through its Gamescom Sale. Xbox Game Pass users can access additional discounts on select titles. A coupon code AUG15 provides a 15% discount on PC games with some exclusions. Humble Choice subscribers can get a monthly selection for .99, featuring titles like Persona 5 Royal.

AppWizard

August 9, 2025

Sekiro-likes are in a golden age, Batman games are in a drought, which makes the ground fertile for the Dark Knight soulslike I’ve always dreamed about

A gamer proposes the idea of a Batman game that incorporates soulslike mechanics, inspired by successful titles like Lies of P and Nioh 3. This concept emphasizes Batman's vulnerability and mastery through repeated attempts, contrasting with his traditional portrayal as an invincible hero. The game could feature gameplay mechanics such as parry systems and strategic combat, enhancing player engagement with Batman's character depth and psychological complexity. Additionally, it could explore themes of sacrifice and resilience, offering an immersive narrative experience. The demand for a soulslike Batman game is growing within the gaming community.

AppWizard

August 8, 2025

Indaina’s Largest Corn Maze Has a Minecraft Theme

North Folk Farms, located in Waterloo, Indiana, is home to the largest corn maze in the state, a tradition since 2011. The farm features various activities such as pumpkin picking, hayrides, and a zip line. This year's corn maze theme is inspired by Super Mario Bros, while the 2025 design will be based on the upcoming Minecraft Movie. The corn maze opens on August 29th.

AppWizard

August 7, 2025

Warner Bros. Discovery built its Q2 on A Minecraft Movie

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) reported a revenue of .8 billion for Q2, stable compared to .7 billion last year. The Minecraft Movie contributed to a 38% increase in theatrical revenue, leading to a 54% rise in the studios segment revenue to .8 billion. WBD added 3.4 million global subscribers, totaling 125.7 million, with streaming revenue increasing by 8% to .8 billion. However, revenue from global networks declined by 9% to .8 billion, with a 13% drop in advertising revenue due to a 23% decrease in domestic audience numbers. WBD plans to separate its networks business from streaming and studios operations. The company aims for 12 to 14 theatrical releases annually and is focusing on expanding the DC franchise across various media. CEO David Zaslav noted progress in returning studios to leadership, scaling HBO Max globally, and optimizing global linear networks.

AppWizard

August 7, 2025

5 Best Minecraft Modpacks That Will Change Your Gameplay Forever

Minecraft modpacks are curated collections of modifications that can significantly change gameplay. The text highlights five notable modpacks: 1. RLCraft: Known for its high difficulty, it introduces realistic survival mechanics, deadly mobs, and hundreds of hours of challenging gameplay. 2. SkyFactory 4: A tech-heavy skyblock experience starting from a solitary tree, featuring over 200 unique achievements and a modular progression system. 3. Enigmatica 6: Balances magic, technology, and exploration with quests, over 300 mods, and exploration-based gameplay, suitable for both beginners and experienced players. 4. All the Mods 9: Contains a vast array of mods, offering cross-compatibility between tech and magic, and is best played on powerful servers to avoid performance issues. 5. Pixelmon: Merges Minecraft with Pokémon, featuring over 800 Pokémon, realistic mechanics, and community events. Hosting modded Minecraft servers is recommended for optimal performance, allowing for smooth gameplay and easy collaboration with friends. Most modpacks are free to download, but some require robust hardware or dedicated servers. Most major modpacks are designed for Minecraft Java Edition, as Bedrock has limited modding support.

AppWizard

August 7, 2025

Battlefield 6’s open beta is already the most popular Battlefield of all time on Steam, and the platform’s 44th most-played game ever

Battlefield 6 has become one of Steam's most-played games following the release of a captivating trailer, showcasing an impressive rate of 1.46 helicopters per minute. The open beta has attracted a record number of participants, making it the most popular launch in the Battlefield franchise on Steam. Battlefield 6 has nearly doubled the player count of Battlefield 2042's open beta, which peaked at 156,665 players, and surpassed its full launch count of 107,376. EA's strategy of releasing Battlefield titles on Steam simultaneously has contributed to this success. The game is expected to outperform other popular titles like Elden Ring Nightreign and Skyrim on Steam's charts. EA has made player-centric changes, such as providing access to classic class weapons and avoiding the EA App for Steam users, positioning Battlefield 6 as a strong alternative in a competitive market.

AppWizard

August 7, 2025

EA “pretty motivated” to bring Apex Legends to TV or film

Laura Miele, president of EA Entertainment, expressed the company's interest in expanding the Apex Legends franchise into film and television, citing untapped narrative potential within the game. EA is collaborating with Amazon's MGM Studios and Margot Robbie's LuckyChap to develop a film based on The Sims franchise. Miele emphasized the importance of cross-promotion between film and game, highlighting the current technological landscape that allows for innovative co-creation of content. She envisions a future where fans can engage with content in both linear and interactive formats simultaneously, with multiple ideas in development for marketing and exploring the franchise.