gaming experiences Archives

Winsage

August 10, 2025

Only two things are stopping me from moving to SteamOS on my desktop PC permanently – the moment they’re addressed, I’ll be saying ‘adiós’, Windows 11

The author experimented with Bazzite, a SteamOS clone, on their Asus ROG Ally and is considering installing it on their primary desktop gaming PC due to dissatisfaction with Windows 11. Bazzite offers a console-like user interface and features tailored for gaming, particularly benefiting AMD hardware, while Nvidia users face limitations with beta support. Testing Discord on Bazzite yielded mixed results, with issues in streaming that are crucial for the author's gaming experience. The author appreciates the potential of Bazzite's Quick Resume feature and the appeal of a user interface similar to popular consoles. They express hope for improved Nvidia support and functionality to facilitate a transition away from Windows 11.

AppWizard

August 8, 2025

I’m so tired of being advertised at, man

The digital landscape is saturated with advertisements, infiltrating various platforms such as e-readers, televisions, and music streaming services. This saturation has led to a focus on advertising over product quality, diverting resources from enhancing user experience to creating compelling promotions. While some alternatives like indie games and physical books still prioritize user satisfaction, they are becoming rarer. The aggressive advertising strategy aims to maximize revenue through volume, raising concerns about sustainability and the impact on consumer attention. The current trajectory suggests a need to reconsider the relationship between advertising and media consumption.

AppWizard

August 6, 2025

Think you can guess the PC game just from its crates? Try to smash our latest quiz!

PC Gamer offers a variety of quizzes on gaming topics, including health bars, in-game currencies, and patch notes. The "Start to Crate" system, created by Chet Faliszek and Erik Wolpaw in 2000, measures the time players encounter a crate after starting a game. Crates are common in video games and serve multiple purposes, such as providing weapons, cover, or puzzle solutions. A new quiz challenges players to identify games based on images of different crates, allowing hints and encouraging sharing results and suggestions in the comments.

AppWizard

August 4, 2025

Another game store threatened with de-listing, says “no plans to remove any titles” but warns games like GTA at risk

Zoom Platform is facing scrutiny over adult content in gaming, similar to issues experienced by Steam and itch.io. The platform has engaged in discussions with payment processors PayPal and Stripe due to concerns raised by advocacy groups. Iconic games such as Grand Theft Auto, Duke Nukem, and Saints Row are considered potentially at risk of de-listing. In response, Zoom Platform is implementing measures like Two-Factor Authentication and a new wallet system to enhance security and manage funds. The platform aims to support artistic freedom and prevent de-listings, while currently partnering with major payment processors. Grand Theft Auto 2 was recently removed from Steam, but it remains available as abandonware. Zoom Platform offers classic Duke Nukem games, which fans hope will stay accessible.

AppWizard

August 4, 2025

Why Android E-Readers Are Superior to the Kindle Colorsoft (Especially If You Read Comics)

The Boox Go Color 7 is an Android e-reader with full access to the Google Play Store. The Kindle Colorsoft features an impressive color e-ink screen but is limited by Amazon's proprietary operating system, restricting access to content only from the Amazon store and lacking native support for EPUB files. It does not have dedicated comics apps, which is a significant drawback for users interested in comics. In contrast, Android e-readers offer access to various comics apps, improved web browsing capabilities, and the potential for gaming and other creative uses. Alternatives to the Kindle Colorsoft include the Boox Note Air 4C, which has a 10.3-inch display and comes with a stylus, and the Bigme B751C, a budget-friendly option with a seven-inch display.

AppWizard

August 3, 2025

Weekend PC Download Deals for Aug. 1: Steam Racing Fest

Steam Racing Fest has launched, featuring a range of racing titles and the Steam Early Access build of Wreckfest 2. Steam is also hosting sales alongside EVO and QuakeCon, with new deals on DOOM: The Dark Ages and Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. A complimentary Steam weekend for WWE 2K25 is available in celebration of WWE Summerslam. Xbox Game Pass users can access additional discounts on select titles. Various gaming platforms, including Epic Games Store, Fanatical, Gamebillet, Gamersgate, GamesPlanet, GOG.com, Green Man Gaming, and Humble Bundle, are offering promotions and deals. Humble Bundle's July lineup includes Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader, Cat Quest 3, Death's Door, DAEMON X MACHINA, Wizard With a Gun, Neo Cab, Everafter Falls, and Blanc, with additional savings for members. Ubisoft is also participating in weekend sales.

AppWizard

August 3, 2025

Cyberpunk 2077 Mac benchmarks show most Apple Silicon can run the game at over 30 FPS on medium settings — results vary from a smooth 130+ FPS to a cinematic 24 FPS

Cyberpunk 2077 has launched on macOS after over four years since its initial release on PCs and consoles, coinciding with patch 2.3. ComputerBase has initiated a community benchmarking effort to evaluate the game's performance on various Mac and MacBook models, following previous benchmarks in 2022. Participants are to test three presets (Medium, Ultra, Ray Tracing Medium) at resolutions of 1920 x 1200 and 2560 x 1600, with specific settings outlined for the benchmarks. The game is compatible with Apple M chips but is unsupported on iPadOS devices, even those with 16GB of memory. There is hope that CD Projekt Red and Apple may reconsider this limitation in the future.

AppWizard

August 2, 2025

GOG is giving away a selection of adult games to protest censorship

GOG has launched a new platform, FreedomtoBuy.games, allowing users to download select "adult" games for free, in response to the removal of certain titles from Steam and Itch. For 48 hours, GOG is offering 13 games, including POSTAL 2 and HuniePop, which have faced controversy and bans. The initiative aims to preserve diverse gaming experiences and ensure compatibility with modern hardware. The removals from other platforms were influenced by new policies from payment processors and pressure from organizations like Collective Shout. Itch is working to reinstate removed games and restore free NSFW titles.

Winsage

August 1, 2025

Nvidia confirms end of Game Ready driver support for Maxwell and Pascal GPUs — affected products will get optimized drivers through October 2025

Nvidia will cease new Game Ready driver development for Maxwell, Pascal, and Volta-based GPUs after a final driver release in October 2025. These GPUs will receive quarterly security updates until October 2028. The GTX 10-series, particularly the GTX 1080 Ti, remains popular in the gaming market, while GTX 9-series cards are becoming rare. Ray-tracing technology is increasingly required in new games, but Pascal and earlier GPUs cannot utilize DLSS effectively. However, Pascal users can use Intel's XeSS DP4a model for AI-powered upscaling in compatible titles. Nvidia will provide Game Ready drivers for supported cards on Windows 10 until October 2026, despite Microsoft's end-of-support for the OS on October 14.

Winsage

August 1, 2025

Nvidia says it’s game over come October for GTX 10, 9 and 7-series graphics cards driver support but RTX owners running Windows 10 are getting an extra year of grace

Nvidia has confirmed the end of support for its Maxwell, Pascal, and Volta graphics architectures, with one final major driver update scheduled for October 2025. After this, users will receive quarterly security updates for these architectures until October 2028. Nvidia will continue to provide Windows 10 Game Ready Drivers for all RTX GPUs until October 2026. Maxwell includes the GeForce GTX 7 and 9 series, while Pascal is for the GTX 10 Series. The GTX 1650 and GTX 1660 are based on the Turing architecture, which is not affected. Volta is primarily for enterprise use and does not have gaming GPUs. Users will no longer receive "Game Ready" optimizations after the final driver release.