gaming landscape Archives

AppWizard

September 14, 2026

Valve has ported Half-Life: Alyx to ARM, and it’s free with Steam Frame

Valve has released the Steam Frame, its first VR headset since 2019, priced at ,059, bundled with Half-Life: Alyx. The game has been ported to run natively on the Qualcomm Snapdragon Gen 3 chip, allowing it to operate without a traditional desktop PC. The Steam Frame features eye-tracking technology and foveated rendering, enhancing performance by focusing on areas where the user is looking. Valve invested a year in software development for the headset, benefiting not only Half-Life: Alyx but also other games on the platform. The Steam Frame supports various games without extensive porting and can run Windows games through translation and emulation layers. Valve has not been developing new VR content since 2025, though speculation about Half-Life 3 persists.

AppWizard

September 13, 2026

The WoW ‘Classic+’ rumors were true: World of Warcraft: Forever promises to be another timeline’s bizzarro version of the MMO

World of Warcraft: Forever is a new expansion that resets the timeline to 2004, the year the original game was launched. Unlike WoW: Classic, which focused on nostalgia, WoW: Forever will introduce new narratives and explore aspects not covered in the original game. It will feature new quests, characters, and lore. Despite concerns about player base dilution with three versions of the game, the franchise's popularity suggests it can sustain this diversity. Blizzard Entertainment is positioned to support these multiple iterations.

AppWizard

September 13, 2026

Playing RTS with a controller? Total War: Warhammer 40,000 dev says it ‘really does work’ in their game: ‘I think we’ve landed in a really solid spot’

Creative Assembly is set to release Total War: Warhammer 40,000 on consoles, challenging the belief that controller support is incompatible with real-time strategy (RTS) gameplay. Dave Petry, the battle product owner, stated that controllers are an accessibility tool that can enhance player engagement. The studio has prior experience with console RTS games, having co-developed Halo Wars 2, which successfully integrated controller support. Total War: Warhammer 40,000 will focus on real-time battles rather than traditional building and technology management, and Petry is optimistic about creating a satisfying experience for players using controllers.

AppWizard

September 10, 2026

The next game by the creators of Steins;Gate is an entirely vibe-coded FPS slopfest

Juggernaut is an upcoming free-to-play boomer shooter inspired by classic Wolfenstein engine first-person shooters, featuring waves of zombies in pixelated arenas. It will be accompanied by the Juggernaut Assets Maker, a paid tool for players to create levels and customize assets. The game is developed by Mages Inc, a Japanese studio known for the Steins;Gate series. The Juggernaut Asset Maker's source code was generated using generative AI, highlighting Mages Inc's transparency in an industry where many games use similar technologies.

AppWizard

September 9, 2026

Steam may have leaked achievements for countless forthcoming PC games via a third party site

Localthunk, the creator of the game Balatro, clarified that a project speculated to be connected to Balatro is not affiliated with it and that he is currently working on a content update for Balatro. Exophase has reported a surge of achievement lists, including unverified titles like Persona 6, Deus Ex Remastered, and Kingdom Hearts 4. Persona 6's achievements list has raised concerns about potential spoilers, as Atlus has not released any gameplay footage. There are rumors of a follow-up to Balatro being non-existent and credible rumors of a new campaign titled The Tarnished Mirror for Thief: The Dark Project Remastered. Squadron 42, the single-player campaign of Star Citizen, may be coming to Steam, following a delay to Q2 2027. Other notable achievements for established titles have also surfaced.

AppWizard

September 8, 2026

This PS3 emulator for PC can now play games straight from physical discs

RPCS3 has introduced a feature that allows users to play PlayStation 3 games directly from physical discs, compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. This feature supports specific Blu-ray disc drives from manufacturers like LG, Samsung, Asus, Sony, and Lite-On, with encouragement for users to experiment with other drives. The development comes as Sony plans to phase out physical discs by 2028, highlighting the importance of game preservation. Additionally, RPCS3 has optimized package installation times for PS3 game discs, achieving a 70 percent playable rate for games. A firmware mod named OmniDrive has also been released, enabling certain Blu-ray drives to rip games from Wii, GameCube, and Xbox.

AppWizard

September 8, 2026

You Can Now Play Your Physical PS3 Games on PC Straight from the Disc

The RPCS3 emulator has added physical Blu-ray support for PlayStation 3 games, enabling users to play many PS3 titles directly from the disc on their PCs. Players need a compatible Blu-ray disc drive, and the emulator supports over 75% of the PS3 library, including titles like Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time and inFAMOUS 2. This development occurs as Sony plans to phase out physical media by January 2028 and will disable the PS3’s online storefront next summer. The introduction of Blu-ray support by RPCS3 reflects growing frustration among fans regarding access to PS3 games on newer platforms, particularly the PS5, which lacks native support for PS3 titles outside of PS Plus Premium cloud streaming.

AppWizard

September 7, 2026

Steam Week in Review: 54 idle games released on Steam last week, and many look eerily similar

In 2013, Cookie Clicker and Candy Box emerged as popular games, with Cookie Clicker gaining significant attention and leading to widespread addiction among players on social media. Cookie Clicker, inspired by Cow Clicker, features simple gameplay where players click to generate cookies and enhance production. New games like Next Reign: Kingdom and We Need More Humans! have been released, competing with established titles such as Bongo Cat and Task Bar Hero. The number of games tagged as idlers has increased from 100 in 2020 to 1,811 in 2024, with 1,119 more in development. The Blood of Dawnwalker sold a million units in three days, while the Elden Ring Tarnished Pack received mixed reviews.

AppWizard

September 6, 2026

I’ve Been Gaming On Linux For Five Years – Is It Ready To Replace Windows?

Steam Deck debuted in early 2022 with SteamOS, a Linux-based operating system that uses the Wine-based Proton compatibility layer to run Windows games. This development has significantly advanced Linux gaming, with approximately 95% of games functioning well on Linux. Steam's Verified program lists nearly 9,000 Verified games, and around 30,000 playable titles, with only about 1% of popular games failing to run entirely. Anti-cheat systems remain a major limitation, preventing popular titles like "Fortnite" and "League of Legends" from being playable on Linux. Game streaming services like NVIDIA GeForce NOW offer alternatives for playing anti-cheat games on Linux. Linux distributions provide better controller support compared to Windows, particularly for handhelds and living room PCs. Accessing non-Steam games can be cumbersome, though tools like Heroic Launcher help. Compatibility issues with proprietary standards, such as HDMI 2.1 support, persist in Linux gaming.

AppWizard

September 5, 2026

Peak studio Aggro Crab is publishing a sick-looking platformer about a blue collar guy doing dirty work on an alien world

Nick Kaman from Aggro Crab expressed enthusiasm for co-op "friendslop" games and indicated a desire to explore this genre further. Aggro Crab is developing a new platformer titled Rebounder, which features a color-limited, comic book aesthetic and draws inspiration from kaizo games. The gameplay will include tricky jumps and precise timing, incorporating unique sci-fi elements. Rebounder is set for general release in 2027 and is available for wishlist on Steam.