landscape Archives

AppWizard

March 13, 2026

The FBI is looking for victimized Steam users who downloaded games with hidden malware — Investigation underway into multiple infected titles from 2024 to 2026

The FBI is investigating malware-infested games on Steam that may have affected players between 2024 and 2026. Affected individuals are encouraged to come forward confidentially. Notable games under scrutiny include Chemia, Dashverse / DashFPS, Lampy, Lunara, PirateFi, Tokenova, and BlockBasters, the latter of which reportedly siphoned off ,000 in cancer donations from a streamer. Cybercriminals exploit players logged into multiple platforms, compromising their online presence and Steam libraries. Valve is working to combat these threats, but the volume of new releases can overwhelm their vetting system. The FBI urges reporting relevant information to assist in prosecuting offenders. Affected individuals can fill out a form on the FBI's website or email Steam_Malware@fbi.gov to report incidents.

AppWizard

March 13, 2026

Dev at axed PlayStation game studio says Steam Machine could be why Sony is going back to console exclusives

Sony is shifting away from releasing PC ports and is reaffirming its commitment to console exclusives for single-player titles, including upcoming games like Ghost of Yōtei and Marvel’s Wolverine. This decision comes despite the success of Ghost of Tsushima on PC. Discussions suggest that the Steam Machine may influence this strategy, with Mike Ybarra and Peter Dalton highlighting Valve as a significant competitor rather than Xbox. Bluepoint Games, acquired by Sony in 2021, faced closure on March 2nd, following Sony's cancellation of a live-service God of War game. Sony's focus on exclusives is seen as a strategic advantage in competition with both Valve and Xbox, similar to Nintendo's success with its exclusive titles.

AppWizard

March 13, 2026

FBI Investigating After Malware Found Lurking in Steam PC Games

The FBI is investigating malware hidden in several video games on the Steam platform, targeting users from May 2024 to January 2026. The investigation includes games like BlockBlasters, Chemia, Dashverse, DashFPS, Lampy, Lunara, PirateFi, and Tokenova, with some previously removed from Steam for malicious content. Steam had over 132 million monthly active users and more than 117,000 games in 2025. The FBI is reaching out to affected gamers, ensuring victim confidentiality and potential eligibility for services under federal and state law. This incident is part of a broader trend of malware targeting gamers, with previous cases involving fan games and cheat software affecting millions of accounts.

AppWizard

March 13, 2026

Roblox and Minecraft players are less likely to play traditional AAA video games

Newzoo's insights indicate a shift in gaming preferences, with Roblox and Minecraft players showing distinct engagement patterns compared to traditional AAA titles. Roblox's playtime has increased by about 50% year over year, driven by viral experiences. There is significant overlap between Roblox and Minecraft players with popular live service games like Fortnite (55% overlap with Roblox, 46% with Minecraft) and Grand Theft Auto V (28% with Roblox, 25% with Minecraft). However, Roblox players are less likely to engage with traditionally popular games, such as Monster Hunter Wilds, where they are only 0.4 times as likely to play compared to average gamers. Similarly, Minecraft players show disinterest in titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Assassin's Creed: Shadows. The demographic of these players is often younger, leading to a reluctance to invest in pricier AAA games. Newzoo's research suggests that these players may continue favoring free-to-play live-service titles and sandbox games as they mature, which could impact the market dynamics significantly. Additionally, it is projected that by 2028, PC gaming revenue will exceed that of consoles, marking a notable growth in the industry.

AppWizard

March 13, 2026

In two years, PC games will surpass console games in revenue

The PC gaming segment is projected to grow at an average annual revenue rate of 6.6% from 2025 to 2028, while the console segment is expected to grow at 4.4% annually. By 2028, combined revenue from console and PC gaming is anticipated to exceed .7 billion, with PC games accounting for over half of this total for the first time in 13 years, up from an estimated .3 billion at the end of 2025. Microtransactions will contribute 48% of PC revenue in 2025, while game sales will make up half of console revenue. In 2025, 20 games generated two-thirds of console revenue across major markets. The PC gaming audience is expected to reach 966 million by the end of 2026 and surpass one billion by 2028, with significant growth from China and other Asian countries. The console gaming audience is projected to grow from 662 million in 2026 to 688 million by 2028. In 2025, gamers spent 1% less time on console and PC games compared to 2024, dedicating 48% of their gaming time to PCs, 34% to PlayStation, and 18% to Xbox. Over half (54%) of playtime in 2025 was on games older than six years, with 33% on titles aged one to five years, and only 13% on new releases. There is a trend among PC users towards less mainstream titles, with 42% of playtime in 2025 spent on games outside the top 20. Popular gaming IPs in 2025 included Roblox, Fortnite, and Call of Duty.

AppWizard

March 13, 2026

Why are PC developers removing Denuvo from their games?

Denuvo is a widely recognized digital rights management (DRM) solution used by major publishers like Square Enix, Sega, and EA to prevent unauthorized copying and modification of games. A study indicated that a game could lose up to 20% of revenue if cracked within its first week. Concerns about Denuvo's impact on game performance have been raised, with reports suggesting that games without it may perform better. Issues with titles like Resident Evil Village and Tekken 7 were attributed to improper implementation of additional protection measures. Tekken 7 eventually removed Denuvo, while Resident Evil Village retained it until April 2023. Amplitude Studios launched its game Humankind without Denuvo due to performance issues found during beta testing. Michał Kiciński, CEO of GOG, argued that DRM complicates the experience for legitimate customers and fails to effectively prevent piracy. Saber Interactive decided not to use Denuvo for Space Marine 2, highlighting the nuanced nature of the anti-DRM movement. Denuvo costs around ,000 per month plus fees for each game activation, making its financial justification less compelling as sales decline post-launch. Square Enix has removed Denuvo from titles like Dragon Quest 1 & 2 Remake and Final Fantasy 16 within six months of release, while Capcom has retained it for longer periods. The decision to remove or avoid Denuvo is influenced by performance issues, financial implications, and operational efficiency considerations.

Tech Optimizer

March 13, 2026

Norton 360 Hits One of Its Lowest Prices Ever

Norton 360 is currently offering a significant promotional discount, attracting consumers who may not typically engage with security software. The software has evolved from basic antivirus tools to comprehensive security bundles, addressing the needs of households with multiple connected devices. It includes features such as real-time malware detection, scam protection, a secure VPN, a password manager, dark web monitoring, cloud backup, and parental controls, all housed within a single dashboard. The scam detection system evaluates suspicious links and websites to prevent users from entering credentials on fraudulent sites. Norton 360 is particularly beneficial for individuals managing multiple devices, remote workers, families, and frequent travelers. The current discount is noteworthy due to increased competition in the cybersecurity industry, making the bundled offering more cost-effective than purchasing individual tools separately.

Tech Optimizer

March 13, 2026

Zombie ZIP vulnerability lets compressed malware leisurely stroll past 95% of antivirus apps — security suites are blissfully unaware of security issue

The Zombie ZIP exploit is a vulnerability that allows malware to bypass most antivirus solutions by misleading them about the nature of ZIP file contents. It takes advantage of the ZIP file structure, presenting itself as uncompressed data while hiding compressed information. This vulnerability can be easily implemented in Python with minimal code. The Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) has issued advisory VU#976247, and the vulnerability is listed as CVE-2026-0866. Systems administrators are advised to be vigilant regarding ZIP files on their networks.

Winsage

March 13, 2026

Microsoft DirectX Gears Up For ML Era On Windows, Advanced Shader Delivery Solves Game Stutter & Load Times, DXR 2.0 Teased

At GDC 2026, Microsoft announced the introduction of ML-Powered DirectX and Advanced Shader Delivery. The ML-enhanced DirectX includes Cooperative Vectors within Shader Model 6.9, facilitating neural rendering techniques such as Neural Texture Compression and Neural Radiance Caching. DirectX Linear Algebra is introduced to support matrix-based ML workflows, and the DirectX Compute Graph Compiler enables full model graphs to run with native GPU performance. Advanced Shader Delivery allows game developers to provide precompiled shaders to reduce load times and stuttering. New APIs, App Identity API and Stats API, have been introduced to support this feature. NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm have expressed their support for these advancements. Additionally, Microsoft is developing DXR 2.0, which will support Shader Model 6.10 and is expected to roll out in late summer 2026.

Tech Optimizer

March 13, 2026

New infosec products of the week: March 13, 2026

Singulr AI has launched Agent Pulse, providing runtime governance and visibility for AI agents. Terra Security introduced Terra Portal, a desktop application that accelerates vulnerability discovery in live production environments. Mend.io released System Prompt Hardening to address weaknesses in AI system prompts. OPSWAT rolled out MetaDefender Aether, an AI-driven decision engine for rapid zero-day detection at the perimeter level. Vicarius announced vIntelligence, integrating agentic intelligence and continuous validation into its security offerings. Binary Defense launched NightBeacon, an AI-enhanced security operations platform for SOCs. SOC Prime introduced DetectFlow Enterprise, shifting threat detection to the data ingestion layer for real-time identification.