indie titles Archives

AppWizard

October 11, 2026

Two Steam games generated $560,000 across 135,000 sales in five years, but the co-creator only took home $15,000 annually, leaving him driving a 2012 Mazda — high Chinese refund rates, Steam’s 30% fee, and publisher cuts eat most of the profit

Omer Develioğlu, co-founder of Northend Games, reported that his indie titles, Northend Tower Defense and Deepstone Rift (Early Access), generated a gross income of 0,000 from approximately 135,000 units sold on Steam over five years. After expenses and revenue sharing, he and his co-founder received only ,000 to split, resulting in an annual income of about ,000 each. A significant portion of their sales, around 53.3%, came from China. Steam charges a standard fee of 30% on sales, which deducted ,000 from their earnings. Additionally, U.S. withholding taxes reduced their total earnings further, leaving them with ,300.

AppWizard

September 28, 2026

Fans React To Minecraft’s Upcoming New Dimension ‘The Sift’

Mojang hosted Minecraft Live, revealing developments including Minecraft Dungeons II and new icy biomes. The most notable announcement was the introduction of a new dimension called "the Sift," which will be added after 14 years. The Sift features a vibrant, cotton candy-colored aesthetic with elements like pink weeds and a blue bunny, contrasting with the darker themes of previous updates. It will be included in the core game in 2027 but will first appear in Dungeons II. Discussions among players are mixed, with some expressing excitement and others skepticism about its design.

Tech Optimizer

September 26, 2026

Norton 360 for Gamers vs Bitdefender vs Malwarebytes [2026]

Norton 360 and Bitdefender Total Security achieved perfect scores from AV-TEST in June 2026, while Malwarebytes had a 100% real-world protection rate in AV-Comparatives’ testing but with a higher false-positive rate. Bitdefender Total Security is recommended for PC gamers as it minimizes frame-rate impact to 0-2% during gameplay. Norton 360 for Gamers includes features for streamers and competitive players but has a higher renewal price. Malwarebytes Premium is noted for its minimal resource usage but lacks a dedicated game mode. The pricing for Norton 360 starts at .99 for the first year and increases to .99 upon renewal, Bitdefender starts at .99 for a single device, and Malwarebytes Premium aligns closely with Norton’s entry price but does not include a VPN. In FPS testing with Cyberpunk 2077, Norton showed a 2-3% drop, Bitdefender a 0-2% decrease, and Malwarebytes under 1%. Norton uses a hybrid detection model, Bitdefender employs cloud-based scanning, and Malwarebytes focuses on behavior-based detection. Norton offers gamer-tag dark web monitoring and a bundled VPN, while Bitdefender has limited VPN features on standard tiers and Malwarebytes lacks these protections.

AppWizard

September 26, 2026

My favorite $6 RPG on Steam just got a beastmode free ‘Enhanced Edition’ update

FlyKnight is a first-person RPG inspired by classics like King's Field and Lunacid, priced affordably. It recently received a free update called the GOTY/Enhanced/Definitive Edition, which includes multiple difficulty levels, item and enemy randomization, four new weapon types, performance improvements for Steam Deck users, and various refinements. The game features a unique combat system with locational limb damage, allowing players to target specific weak spots. The gameplay is slow-paced and skill-demanding, focusing on distance control and perfect blocks. The game is currently available at a limited-time sale price until September 30.

Tech Optimizer

September 25, 2026

Norton 360 for Gamers vs Bitdefender vs Malwarebytes [2026]

Norton, Bitdefender, and Malwarebytes have adjusted their antivirus products to mitigate the negative effects on gaming performance. In June 2026, Norton 360 and Bitdefender Total Security both received a perfect AV-TEST score of 18 out of 18, while Malwarebytes achieved a 100% real-world protection rate in AV-Comparatives testing, though it had more false positives. Bitdefender Total Security is recommended for gamers due to its low frame-rate impact of 0-2%, while Norton 360 offers features for streamers and competitive players, and Malwarebytes serves as a lightweight secondary scanner. The value of gaming accounts has increased, making them targets for cybercriminals, with malware campaigns like Vidar 2.0 accounting for 41% of gaming-related malware detections. New malware families such as Katz and Bee specifically target Discord and gaming platforms. In terms of performance, Norton showed a 2-3% FPS decrease in Cyberpunk 2077, while Bitdefender's impact was only 0-2%, and Malwarebytes had less than 1% impact. Norton and Bitdefender are tied in detection capabilities, both scoring 18/18 in AV-TEST, while Malwarebytes had a 92.4% offline detection rate and 98.3% online. Norton includes a no-log VPN and gamer-tag monitoring, while Bitdefender offers identity protection without specific gamer-tag monitoring. Malwarebytes lacks a VPN and password manager. Pricing varies, with Norton starting at .99 for three devices, Bitdefender at .99 for one device, and Malwarebytes at .99 for one device. To switch antivirus solutions, users should back up their license keys, use removal tools, and ensure game-aware modes are active. Each product has unique strengths: Norton excels in gamer-tag monitoring, Bitdefender minimizes CPU usage, and Malwarebytes is lightweight but lacks additional features.

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

August 13, 2026

The Best Places to Buy and Rent PC Games Online in 2026

The digital landscape for purchasing PC games has evolved, offering various online stores for Linux, macOS, and Windows games, with some also featuring e-books, movies, and software. Notable platforms include Steam, Epic Games Store, Humble Bundle, and Xbox, each with diverse game libraries. Some publishers, like Blizzard and EA, initially required exclusive downloads but are now allowing games across multiple storefronts. Steam offers extensive titles and a Verified program for Steam Deck users, while GOG.com focuses on classic games and itch.io on indie titles. Consumers can purchase games from different platforms and use tools like CheapShark to compare prices and find deals.

AppWizard

August 13, 2026

Cozy wizard life simulation game Aether Wizard Life launches in fall 2028 for PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, and PC

Kinetic Publishing has partnered with Vonder Games to release the life simulation game, Aether Wizard Life, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, and PC via Steam, scheduled for fall 2028. Players will take on the role of a young apprentice mage in the haunted town of Starfall, starting each day in a customizable walking castle. Gameplay includes growing magical crops, caring for exotic creatures, exploring dungeons, and engaging with townsfolk for side quests. The game features over 30 wizard skills, customization options for the player's wizard, and the ability to pursue romantic relationships with 20 dateable NPCs. Key elements include mastery of magic, exploration of the haunted town, castle personalization, and assisting townsfolk while uncovering the mystery of missing mages. A new video and screenshots have been released to showcase the game.

AppWizard

August 11, 2026

Brand new PC bundle gives you 14 games with a short playtime for just $12

PC gamers can purchase the Short Games Showcase Bundle curated by Humble Bundle until August 28, 2026. The bundle includes a standard 14-item collection priced at .00 and a 7-item selection available for .00. Notable games in the bundle include: - Fill Up The Hole: Released on July 17, 2025, with a Steam rating of 90% positive. - Old Man's Journey: Released on May 18, 2017, with a Steam rating of 87% positive. - Teacup: Released on September 23, 2021, with a Steam rating of 96% positive. - A Juggler's Tale: Released on September 29, 2021, with a Steam rating of 93% positive. - Scanner Sombre: Released on April 26, 2017, with a Steam rating of 91% positive. - Astro Prospector: Released on July 14, 2025, with a Steam rating of 92% positive. - A Tiny Sticker Tale: Released on October 4, 2023, with a Steam rating of 97% positive. - Botany Manor: Released on April 9, 2024, with a Steam rating of 94% positive. - Biped: Released on March 26, 2020, with a Steam rating of 85% positive. - Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp: Released on October 23, 2020, with a Steam rating of 97% positive. - Anomaly Agent: Released on January 24, 2024, with a Steam rating of 94% positive. - NanoApostle: Released on September 12, 2024, with a Steam rating of 95% positive. - Knightica: Released on August 21, 2025, with a Steam rating of 74% positive. - The Dark Queen of Mortholme: Released on August 15, 2025, with a Steam rating of 83% positive.

AppWizard

August 10, 2026

Lenovo Quietly Drops the Legion Go S Handheld Gaming PC to an All-Time Low, Powered by AMD Ryzen Z2 Go and Radeon Graphics – Kotaku

The Lenovo Legion Go S handheld console is currently available at a discounted price of 9, down from its original price of 9, reflecting a 22% savings. It features an 8-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. The console includes three complimentary months of PC Game Pass and EA Play, and it integrates seamlessly with Steam, making it advantageous for both new and existing PC gamers.