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Gears of War's creator is considering returning to game development, but whatever he makes won't be PvP like his last efforts: "Good look to anyone in that space."
AppWizard
July 20, 2026

Gears of War’s creator is considering returning to game development, but whatever he makes won’t be PvP like his last efforts: “Good look to anyone in that space.”

Cliff Bleszinski, known for creating the Gears of War franchise, is considering a return to game development after an eight-year break following the closure of his studio, Boss Key Productions, in 2018. During his time away, he wrote an autobiography, produced a Tony Award-winning musical, and addressed his alcoholism, which included a hospitalization earlier this year. He expressed a desire to create characters and worlds again, focusing on player-versus-environment (PvE) experiences rather than PvP multiplayer games. Although he has not disclosed specific projects, he indicated that he is inspired and open to new creative endeavors in the gaming industry.
Steam Week in Review: Take cover, because it looks like more than half of Steam games will have an AI-disclosure by 2027-2028
AppWizard
July 20, 2026

Steam Week in Review: Take cover, because it looks like more than half of Steam games will have an AI-disclosure by 2027-2028

In June 2017, Valve introduced Steam Direct, changing the platform's game release process from manual curation to a more open system. Before this, game releases were limited, with only one month—December 2016—exceeding 500 releases. By February 2025, monthly game launches on Steam surpassed 1,500. A study by Sulka Haro analyzed around 53,600 Steam titles released between mid-2023 and mid-2026, noting that in 2024, 10.9% of new games included an AI disclosure, rising to 19.9% in 2025, and reaching 30.8% by July 2026. Non-AI flagged launches increased from about 1,030 to around 1,320 per month, while AI-flagged launches grew from approximately 13 to about 530 monthly. Projections suggest that by 2027 or 2028, nearly half of all games on Steam will have an AI flag. Despite the increase in AI-flagged titles, many struggle financially and receive mediocre reviews. The gaming industry is seeing a rise in generative AI technologies, particularly in management simulation genres. Recent notable releases on Steam include Granblue Fantasy: Relink and Palworld, with anticipation for Star Wars Zero Company on August 27.
Minecraft 26.3 Snapshot 4 brings SDL3, and prefers Wayland on Linux
AppWizard
July 20, 2026

Minecraft 26.3 Snapshot 4 brings SDL3, and prefers Wayland on Linux

Minecraft 26.3 Snapshot 4 is currently available for testing, featuring a transition from the GLFW library to the SDL3 library, which is expected to improve window management, input handling, and platform integration. The update introduces Borderless Fullscreen as the default setting, allowing players to switch between Borderless and Exclusive Fullscreen modes without restarting the game. For Linux users, the game now prefers Wayland natively when available, moving away from the older X11/XWayland framework. The release date of Minecraft is 8th November 2011, and it supports native Linux.
Windows 11 gets quieter, smarter, and more stable — here’s everything Microsoft changed this week (and a few deals worth grabbing)
Winsage
July 19, 2026

Windows 11 gets quieter, smarter, and more stable — here’s everything Microsoft changed this week (and a few deals worth grabbing)

Microsoft has announced a substantial upgrade to the Search functionality in Windows 11, moving away from an ad-heavy approach to prioritize local results. Users can customize their search settings to include or exclude web and Microsoft Store suggestions. The new Search feature will also be more forgiving of typographical errors. This change comes in response to user feedback advocating for a cleaner search experience, particularly for Windows 11 Pro users who expected an ad-free environment.
Windows 11 Secure Boot is a messy ride on older PCs, and even Microsoft can't fix it
Winsage
July 19, 2026

Windows 11 Secure Boot is a messy ride on older PCs, and even Microsoft can’t fix it

Microsoft held an OEM Secure Boot Office Hours event with manufacturers like Acer, Asus, Dell, and HP to discuss issues related to the Windows 11 Secure Boot 2023 certificate rollout. Many IT administrators left with unresolved concerns, particularly regarding Secure Boot certificate errors. Participants reported persistent problems, including failures of suggested solutions from official documentation to apply to their hardware configurations. Ed Tittel shared his experience with compliance issues related to CA-2023 certificates, noting that ASUS motherboards sometimes required Secure Boot to be disabled temporarily, while MSI models exhibited erratic behavior. ASRock systems needed manual key resets, and documentation was lacking. Devices from Dell, HP, and Lenovo performed better but still faced staggered rollouts and required multiple reboots for BIOS updates. Specific issues raised included HP's BitLocker recovery loop persisting even with the latest BIOS, challenges with legacy device support from HP, devices showing Secure Boot Status as Unknown, and failures in updating the KEK on HP EliteBooks. Some questions from IT administrators regarding Dell and HP went unanswered during the session. The experiences highlighted a trend of Secure Boot issues across multiple OEMs, not limited to a single vendor. IT administrators are advised to pilot updates on representative hardware, back up BitLocker recovery keys, and consult OEM-specific advisories. The unresolved issues reflect common challenges faced by users, indicating that problems with Secure Boot certificate deployments are widespread across various manufacturers.
Cliff Bleszinski says ego played a role in LawBreakers' failure: 'People are loyal to the game, but they're not necessarily loyal to the person'
AppWizard
July 19, 2026

Cliff Bleszinski says ego played a role in LawBreakers’ failure: ‘People are loyal to the game, but they’re not necessarily loyal to the person’

LawBreakers, released in 2017 by Boss Key Productions, was a commercial failure and was shut down a year later. Cliff Bleszinski, co-founder of Boss Key, attributed some of the game's lack of success to his desire to establish the company as a distinct entity, which led to missed collaborative opportunities, including not working with Rod Fergusson from Gears of War. Bleszinski remains passionate about game development and expresses a desire to create characters and worlds that resonate with players.
Question time: How long have you been playing MMOs?
AppWizard
July 18, 2026

Question time: How long have you been playing MMOs?

A new bi-weekly column called Terminally Online from PC Gamer explores the world of massively multiplayer online games (MMOs), featuring insights, interviews, and guest writers. The design of contemporary MMORPGs has shifted towards seasonal structures to cater to "midcore" players who have limited time for gameplay. Popular MMOs like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV have been around for over 20 years and a decade, respectively, while newer games like Amazon's New World have struggled with player retention. The column encourages readers to share their experiences and reminisce about the MMO community.
I'm not worried about Fallout: New Vegas 2, because Obsidian knows how to make the best out of a bad situation
AppWizard
July 18, 2026

I’m not worried about Fallout: New Vegas 2, because Obsidian knows how to make the best out of a bad situation

Obsidian Entertainment, founded in 2004, is known for titles like Knights of the Old Republic 2, Fallout: New Vegas, and Pillars of Eternity. The studio was acquired by Microsoft in late 2018, leading to a cautious approach in its development, as seen in The Outer Worlds and the reimagined Avowed. Despite recent challenges, including layoffs, Obsidian has produced successful titles outside its traditional RPG genre, such as Grounded and Pentiment. The studio is currently working on New Vegas 2, generating optimism among fans and industry observers.
After 15 years, I've got Microsoft's shunned Fable 3 port to work on PC – and it feels like a new RPG
AppWizard
July 18, 2026

After 15 years, I’ve got Microsoft’s shunned Fable 3 port to work on PC – and it feels like a new RPG

The author reflects on their experience with Fable 3, suggesting it feels fresh despite being a 16-year-old RPG. They express concerns about the future of the Fable series, particularly Fable 4, in light of rising console prices and recent layoffs at Microsoft. The author highlights the visual appeal of Fable 3 when played on a modern PC setup, noting the game's charm and the enhanced graphics at 4K resolution. They emphasize the importance of preserving gaming experiences and worry that new players may not access the superior PC version of Fable 3. The author questions whether Microsoft might release an updated version of the game in the future.
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