game store Archives

AppWizard

May 22, 2025

Access to adult PC games shut down on major Japanese online retailer amidst “discussions with payment processors”

Surugaya, a major retailer in Japan, has restricted access to its adult PC game and doujin pages on its online platform due to concerns about potential restrictions from credit card companies. Talos EC, Surugaya's listing management partner, announced on May 20 that mature content will be temporarily unavailable while discussions with payment processing providers are underway to establish guidelines for handling these products. Since early 2024, many Japanese platforms selling adult material have faced similar restrictions from credit card companies. Taro Yamada, a member of Japan’s House of Councilors, noted the complexities in the payment processing framework and highlighted challenges in identifying the responsible parties for these restrictions.

BetaBeacon

May 19, 2025

Retroid Pocket 5 Gaming Handheld Is Now Available At Amazon

The Retroid Pocket 5 is a powerful Android gaming handheld device with a 5.5-inch 1080p touch screen, two thumbsticks, D-pad, and standard gaming buttons. It is equipped with an Adreno 650 GPU, Snapdragon 865 processor, 8GB RAM, and 128GB internal storage. The device is compatible with high-end native Android games, retro games, and sixth- and seventh-generation console games. It is available on Amazon for with free shipping, but due to high demand, there may be delivery wait times of around two weeks.

AppWizard

May 17, 2025

Tabletop Game Shop Simulator Announced For PC

Knight Fever Games, in collaboration with Ludogram, has announced Tabletop Game Shop Simulator, a digital board game store management simulator. Players can manage and expand their own game shop, design layouts, set prices, hire staff, collect and paint miniatures, and engage with the community through events. The game was announced at the Games Made in France event, but does not have a confirmed release date. Players will navigate supply and demand, manage finances, and aim to become a prominent part of the board gaming community.

AppWizard

April 23, 2025

Steam’s gonna start listing ‘adjustable difficulty,’ ‘save anytime,’ and other accessibility features right on a game’s store page soon

Video games are increasingly incorporating accessibility options to cater to a diverse audience. A new accessibility-support questionnaire has been introduced by Valve for developers on Steam, allowing them to specify various accessibility features in their games. The questionnaire includes options such as adjustable text size, narrated menus, and colorblind options. Valve plans to display these selected accessibility features on game store pages and will allow players to filter search results based on these features. While participation in the system is not mandatory, it is encouraged to enhance accessibility. The listed accessibility options cover gameplay, audio, visual, and input categories, including adjustable difficulty, custom volume controls, adjustable text size, and various input methods.

AppWizard

April 18, 2025

Fanatical’s Level Up Sale Features Steep Discounts On AAA Games

Fanatical is hosting a Level Up Sale on PC games until April 27, featuring significant discounts on both AAA and indie titles. Customers who spend a certain amount can choose a free Steam key from a list of ten games, including Teslagrad Remastered and Mindustry. Notable deals include Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Kollection for .64, Monster Hunter Wilds for .99, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle for .29. Budget-friendly options include Batman: Arkham Collection for .49 and Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night for .99. The sale also includes discounts on preorders for titles like Capcom Fighting Collection 2 and Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Digital Deluxe Edition. All purchases are delivered as official keys, primarily for Steam. Additionally, Fanatical offers various bundle deals, including the Warhammer 40,000 Battles Build Your Own Bundle and comic bundles.

AppWizard

April 14, 2025

Is seeing ‘A Minecraft Movie’ worth it?

Jack Black attended the world premiere of "A Minecraft Movie" in London on March 30, 2025, with the film set to release on April 4, 2025. The live-action adaptation faced skepticism but found box office success, partly due to a viral TikTok trend. Black's performance as Steve and Jason Momoa's role as Garbage Man received praise, especially for their comedic chemistry. However, child actors Emma Myers and Sebastian Eugene Hansen were criticized for being underdeveloped characters. Danielle Brooks' role as the children's realtor was seen as an afterthought, with concerns about the portrayal of Black women in comedy. The film's plot centers around piglins attempting to plunge the overworld into eternal night, but it was described as predictable and lacking depth. The visual effects and overall aesthetic were deemed unappealing, and the film was criticized for not fully embracing the creativity of the "Minecraft" universe.

AppWizard

April 13, 2025

The Epic Store’s latest free games giveaway includes ‘over $100’ worth of stuff for the Forgotten Realms idle game

Epic Games is offering three free games this week: Arcadegeddon, a cooperative rogue-like shooter developed by IllFonic and launched in 2023, which includes in-game currency; River City Girls, a side-scrolling beat 'em up released in 2019; and Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms, a clicker game inspired by Dungeons and Dragons that includes additional content such as the Lobita the Guardian Familiar pack and 9,760 Platinum. Epic's strategy of giving away free games has reportedly led to increased sales of paid games on the Epic Game Store. Next week's free game will be Botanicula, a microorganism adventure game released in 2012.

AppWizard

April 13, 2025

A MINECRAFT MOVIE Hits $400 Million At The Global Box Office

A Minecraft Movie features Jack Black as Steve and Jason Momoa as Garrett Garrison. The film has grossed over 0 million at the box office against a million budget, achieving significant financial success despite initial skepticism from fans. A viral scene involves Momoa's character battling a chicken jockey, leading to audience reactions that included clapping and throwing popcorn, prompting police intervention in some theaters. The director expressed amusement at the audience's enthusiasm and the unexpected nature of the film's success. Warner Brothers has found a blockbuster in A Minecraft Movie, which continues to generate global conversations.

BetaBeacon

April 13, 2025

A chance conversation with a retro game store owner forever changed my views on emulation

The owner of a retro game store is not opposed to emulation and believes it has had a positive impact on retro gaming by helping people discover games they otherwise would not have played. Many customers of the store also emulate games, even those they purchase from the store, as it offers benefits like save states and improved framerates. Emulation has actually grown the owner's market as it creates a steady pipeline of people interested in retro games, leading them to collect physical games and memorabilia from the store. The owner emphasizes that the most important thing is to enjoy games, whether through original systems or emulation.

BetaBeacon

April 11, 2025

Razer made a Steam Link alternative, and it plays way more than Steam games

Razer has officially launched its Razer PC Remote Play app on Android and iOS, offering native-resolution streaming and excellent performance for gamers looking to stream PC games on their mobile devices. The app is based on Moonlight and supports streaming from various game stores, not just a specific platform. Users need to install the Razer PC Remote Play and Razer Nexus apps on the host PC and create an account to access all features. The app now supports all mobile controllers, the AV1 codec for improved streaming quality, and the Razer Kishi Ultra controller with Razer Sensa HD Haptics. iPad users can use mouse and keyboard inputs for compatible games. To get started, users need to download the Razer Cortex app on their host PC and the Razer Nexus and Razer PC Remote Play apps on their client device, all available for free on the Play Store and App Store.