gaming history Archives

AppWizard

March 9, 2025

7 PC gaming scandals you forgot about

Batman: Arkham Knight was pulled from sale within 24 hours of its PC launch due to severe performance issues, leading to a 'Very Positive' rating on Steam after months of fixes. Kerbal Space Program 2, developed by Intercept Games, has received overwhelmingly negative reviews since its early access launch in 2023, raising ethical questions about its availability. Newegg sold a faulty motherboard to Gamers Nexus and refused a refund, leading to a series of videos and a meeting between the two parties. 38 Studios, founded by Curt Schilling, secured a million loan from Rhode Island but filed for bankruptcy after failing to deliver on its MMO project, Project Copernicus, following the underwhelming performance of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. iBUYPOWER was involved in a match-fixing scandal during a 2014 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive match, resulting in Valve taking action against the players. Cyberpunk 2077's launch was plagued by bugs and performance issues, particularly on last-gen consoles, despite high expectations. Blood II: The Chosen was launched prematurely by GT Interactive, leading to a damaged reputation and the abandonment of the franchise.

AppWizard

March 9, 2025

When is the Minecraft movie coming out? Release date, trailer, cast, and everything you need to know

The film "A Minecraft Movie" is set to be released on April 4, 2025. A teaser was released in early September, followed by the first official trailer on November 19. The cast includes Jason Momoa as Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison, Jack Black as Steve, Emma Myers as Natalie, Danielle Brooks as Dawn, and Sebastian Eugene Hansen as Henry. Other cast members include Jennifer Coolidge, Kate McKinnon, Jemaine Clement, and Matt Berry in undisclosed roles. The story follows four misfits who are transported to the Overworld and must navigate challenges to return home, aided by Steve.

AppWizard

March 6, 2025

A demo for a lost videogame based on George Orwell’s 1984 has emerged from the memory hole

In the mid-1990s, MediaX, a US-based studio, conceptualized a video game titled Big Brother, inspired by George Orwell's 1984. Players would assume the role of Eric Blair, navigating a dystopian landscape with government installations to sabotage, across twelve levels filled with puzzles and challenges. The game was initially unveiled at E3 in 1998, with a planned release in September of that year, but faced delays and was ultimately canceled by 1999 or 2000 due to licensing issues. Despite its cancellation, a video showcasing its gameplay has been preserved by the Internet Archive. The game resembled a first-person adventure similar to Myst, with a graphical style like Quake, and included tasks such as locating tools and manipulating environmental elements. Another adaptation of 1984 is currently in development by the Narrative Designer behind games like Subnautica and Talos Principle.

AppWizard

March 5, 2025

Blades of Fire is a God of War-style action game coming to PC from the creators of Metroid Dread, and it’s almost definitely a spiritual successor to Severance

MercurySteam has announced its new action-adventure game, Blades of Fire, set to launch on PC on May 22. Players will control Aran de Lira, a warrior tasked with defeating an evil queen who can turn metal into stone, complicating his reliance on steel weaponry. The game features a limb-targeting combat system and draws inspiration from Severance: Blade of Darkness, with similarities in character design and gameplay mechanics. The trailer has garnered attention for its impressive graphics and dynamic gameplay.

AppWizard

March 5, 2025

When PC RPGs were at their crunchiest and most hardcore in the 1990s, Farland Story set itself apart by… being cute?

Farland Story is a strategy RPG developed by TGL and released in 1993 for the PC-98 platform. The game features a simple interface that allows players to navigate with a mouse and includes quick-paced battles with lighthearted combat animations. Players engage in straightforward plots, such as rescuing a kidnapped friend, while strategically positioning units on varied terrain that affects gameplay. Characters can be revived after falling in battle but will experience permanent stat reductions. The game offers opportunities for experience gain and stat-boosting items, balancing challenges with accessibility.

AppWizard

March 4, 2025

A Demo Of A Lost PC Game Based On George Orwell’s 1984 Has Been Archived Online

A demo of the long-lost PC game based on George Orwell's 1984, titled Big Brother, has resurfaced online, uploaded by a user known as Shed_Troll to archive.org. The game was developed by MediaX as a first-person adventure and was intended as a sequel to the original novel, featuring a new protagonist named Eric Blair. The narrative involves Blair searching for his missing fiancée in a world dominated by Big Brother and the Thought Police. The game was initially showcased at E3 in 1998 and generated significant excitement but ultimately fell silent and was thought to be lost. Footage of the demo has also been captured by Mr^Burns. The demo is available for download.

AppWizard

March 4, 2025

GTA 5 Enhanced Edition release time – when you can play the supercharged game

GTA 5 is set to receive an Enhanced Edition, launching on March 4, with features including improved performance, ray tracing, and new vehicles. Players can preload the game via Steam or the Rockstar Games Launcher, where the original version will be renamed GTA 5 Legacy. To transfer Story Mode progress, players must upload their save game through the pause menu. The estimated release time is between 1 AM PST and 2:30 AM PST.

AppWizard

March 1, 2025

7 PlayStation Exclusives That Still Aren’t on PC

PlayStation has a strong reputation in the gaming industry due to its exclusive titles, including franchises like Uncharted, The Last of Us, Spider-Man, and God of War, which have historically driven console sales. Recently, PlayStation has begun releasing some exclusives on PC, such as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and The Last of Us Part 2, while several key titles remain unavailable on this platform. The original Uncharted trilogy is not on PC, despite Uncharted 4 being available. Bloodborne, a PS4 exclusive, has a dedicated fanbase seeking a remaster for PC. The original God of War trilogy is also absent from PC, although newer titles are available. The Infamous series, Shadow of the Colossus, and Demon’s Souls are other notable titles that have not made the transition to PC, with fans hoping for future releases. Astro Bot is considered the least likely to be released on PC, as it serves more as a promotional tool for PlayStation.

AppWizard

February 28, 2025

You probably don’t remember Remember Me, but its one brilliantly unforgettable idea lives on

Developer Don't Nod is primarily known for its Life is Strange series, while its debut game, Remember Me, received a lukewarm reception and disappointing sales, leading to financial difficulties for the studio. The game features protagonist Nilin, who possesses judo skills and engages in limited martial arts combat, but much of the gameplay involves traversing the city rather than combat. Neo-Paris is visually striking, showcasing artistic design, but lacks coherent world-building and a logical foundation for its narrative. The story revolves around memory manipulation, with Nilin able to alter the memories of key characters, a mechanic that illustrates how pivotal moments shape identities. Despite its shortcomings, some concepts from Remember Me were later refined and successfully integrated into Life is Strange.

AppWizard

February 16, 2025

Saber Interactive’s head honcho pulled a wild stunt to nab the Halo: Combat Evolved remaster, telling Microsoft he’d do the job for free before ultimately squeezing the publisher for millions

Saber Interactive, led by CEO Matthew Karch, was invited to pitch for the remaster of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary while developing titles like Will Rock and Timeshift. Karch proposed to Microsoft that Saber would remaster the game at no cost, with the understanding of earning royalties post-launch in 2011. However, Microsoft included clauses in the contract that stripped Saber of these rights. Despite this, Saber went on to remaster Halo 2 and port Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary to Xbox One. Before the release of The Master Chief Collection, Karch refused to sign the contract for the port work unless Microsoft reconsidered the royalty situation, which they ultimately did, leading to Saber receiving royalties estimated in the tens of millions of dollars. Saber was acquired by Embracer Group in 2020 and sold again in 2024 after layoffs and canceled projects, but has since launched Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, achieving acclaim.