gaming landscape Archives

AppWizard

June 16, 2025

Five Nights At Freddy’s still going strong: The latest game briefly grappled with Dune over Steam’s top seller spot

Five Nights at Freddy's: Secret of the Mimic was released last week and quickly became the top-selling game on Steam, briefly surpassing Dune: Awakening. Although it has since declined in ranking, it remains among the top 100 games by current players. The game's success highlights the strong market presence and loyal fan base of the franchise, which began in 2014.

AppWizard

June 15, 2025

Hardcore World War 2 shooter Hell Let Loose is free to play all weekend, and on a 50% discount for the next two weeks

Hell Let Loose is a large-scale multiplayer shooter released by Team17 in 2021, featuring two teams of 50 players on expansive World War II-inspired maps. The game emphasizes hardcore, tactical gameplay, requiring teamwork and communication. It received positive reviews for balancing challenging combat with accessible logistics, allowing players to efficiently construct Garrison buildings for team respawns. The game is available to play for free until Monday, with a 50% discount offered until June 26 following the free weekend.

AppWizard

June 15, 2025

Sony unlocks regional restrictions for some PC games in more than 100 countries

Sony has removed regional restrictions on several popular PC titles available on Steam, allowing players in 177 countries to access games like God of War Ragnarok, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, Spider-Man 2, and Helldivers 2. This change follows a backlash against a previous requirement for players to link their Steam accounts to the PlayStation Network (PSN), which barred access in regions without PSN. The PSN requirement has since been lifted for other titles, and the optional PSN login for Stellar Blade led to a successful launch with nearly 200,000 players in its first week. However, some titles, such as Ghost of Tsushima and Until Dawn, still have regional restrictions.

AppWizard

June 14, 2025

Steam Deck and SteamOS hit 20,000 playable games

Valve's rating system for the Steam Deck and SteamOS has reached 20,000 games rated as at least playable, an increase from 19,000 in May, 18,000 in March, and 17,000 in November 2024. The criteria for rating on SteamOS focus on whether a game can load and be played, while Steam Deck ratings include performance metrics, full controller support, and resolution capabilities. Recently rated verified games include titles such as Stellar Blade, FBC: Firebreak, and Myst: Masterpiece Edition. Games recently rated as playable include The Alters, Dune: Awakening, and Slayaway Camp. The ratings system aims to provide users with a clear indication of playable games, although perceptions of "playable" can vary among users. The current count reflects only games that have undergone testing, with many more titles likely to be playable.

AppWizard

June 13, 2025

I’m glad Sony PlayStation finally got rid of PC game region locks

Sony has begun to reverse its policy of region-locking PC games, allowing titles such as Helldivers 2, God of War Ragnarök, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 to be purchased in previously restricted regions. This change follows backlash against the region locks implemented over a year ago, which had led to negative reactions from players. While many restrictions have been lifted, seven countries—Belarus, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria, and Vietnam—remain blacklisted.

AppWizard

June 13, 2025

This strategy roguelike is like trying to fight off an alien invasion with a bunch of PCs from the late 1970s

Xenopurge is a roguelike strategy game set in the late 1970s aesthetic, where players guide galactic marines through derelict starships battling an alien infestation. The game features vintage-looking PCs and minimalistic visuals, creating a suspenseful atmosphere reminiscent of classic sci-fi narratives. A demo of Xenopurge is available for free on Steam.

AppWizard

June 13, 2025

‘Stellar Blade’ Crushes PlayStation PC Record With 183,000 Concurrents

Stellar Blade has achieved a peak of 183,830 concurrent players on Steam, setting a new record for former PlayStation exclusives and more than doubling the previous record of 77,154 players held by Ghost of Tsushima. The game sold 1 million copies within its first month of release and is currently the #1 seller on Steam. A sequel is confirmed with a tentative release date set for 2027.

AppWizard

June 12, 2025

‘The game should speak for itself’: MindsEye’s publisher denies developer claims of a conspiratorial ‘effort to trash’ it

MindsEye, created by a co-founder of the Grand Theft Auto series, has received mostly negative reviews on Steam, with criticisms highlighting a lack of charm. Build a Rocket Boy co-CEO Mark Gerhard suggested that the negative feedback may be due to a conspiracy involving paid bots, while Hakan Abrak, another key figure at the studio, dismissed these claims and emphasized that the game should speak for itself. The game's showcase at the Summer Games Fest failed to captivate audiences, evoking nostalgia for past titles rather than presenting innovation. The studio's other project, Everywhere, is seen as having potential, but the negative reception of MindsEye could impact future endeavors.

AppWizard

June 12, 2025

Dune: Awakening

Dune: Awakening is a survival genre game that has received mixed reviews. DualShockers rated it 90, praising its polished execution and expansive content, while GameRant rated it 80, noting impressive ambition but areas for improvement. Game8 provided a balanced view with a score of 74, describing it as a worthwhile experience for all players. Hands-on impressions highlight stable survival mechanics and a rewarding PvE experience, with IGN noting a wealth of content even after 35 hours of gameplay. The game merges sandbox survival features with social dynamics in a persistent world, positioning it as a pioneering Open World Survival MMO.

AppWizard

June 11, 2025

CHARTS: Dune Awakening takes second place on Steam debut

Dune: Awakening became the second highest-grossing title on Steam after its launch on June 10th, with early access starting on June 5th. Counter-Strike 2 remained the highest-grossing title, while Deltarune entered the rankings at third place after its release on June 4th. The Elden Ring: Nightreign expansion dropped to fourth place, and the Steam Deck fell to fifth due to stock shortages. Stellar Blade, with pre-orders, landed in sixth place but slipped two positions. Lies of P returned to the Top 100 at seventh place after a 50% price reduction for its Overture DLC, which debuted at eighth. Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma debuted at ninth place on June 5th, and Dead by Daylight climbed 12 places to complete the Top Ten. The Steam Top Ten for the week ending June 10th is as follows: 1. Counter-Strike 2, Valve 2. Dune: Awakening, Funcom 3. Deltarune, Tobyfox 4. Elden Ring: Nightreign, Bandai Namco 5. Steam Deck, Valve 6. Stellar Blade, Shift Up (P) 7. Lies of P, Neowiz 8. Lies of P: Overture, Neowiz 9. Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, Marvelous 10. Dead by Daylight, Behaviour