online gaming Archives

AppWizard

July 29, 2025

7 in 10 German game purchases are now digital downloads

Digital downloads represent 70% of all video game purchases in the German market, according to a report from the German Games Industry Association (game) released on July 29. The share of digital downloads increased by 8% in 2024, rising from 60% to 68%, while physical media accounts for 32% of purchases. Nearly all PC games (99%) were acquired digitally in 2024, and digital purchases of console games increased from 40% in 2023 to 44% in 2024. Physical media still holds 56% of the console market. Individuals aged 20 to 29 purchase 77% of their games as downloads, while those aged 50 and above account for 47% of all physical purchases. The German games industry is facing a downturn, with a 4% decline in the number of game companies in 2025 and a 6% decrease in total sales revenue from 2023 to 2024. There was a 17% decrease in purchases across mobile, PC, and console games, and a 10% drop in hardware sales, although revenue from online gaming services increased by 12% since 2023.

BetaBeacon

July 22, 2025

T-Mobile’s latest 5G network upgrades mean smoother video calls and online games

T-Mobile is upgrading its 5G networks with L4S technology, which prioritizes specific applications that require faster internet speeds, reduces latency, and improves network congestion in real-time.

AppWizard

July 16, 2025

ULTIMATE GAME and SOUL M GAME Join Forces to Bring Legendary PC Game IRIS to Mobile — Launching IRIS ORIGIN SEA Exclusively in Southeast Asia in 2025

Ultimate Game Co., Ltd. has formed a strategic partnership with South Korea's Soul M Game Inc. to launch IRIS ORIGIN SEA, a mobile-optimized version of the PC game IRIS, exclusively in Southeast Asia in 2025. The collaboration aims to preserve the authenticity of the original game while enhancing it with new features and cross-platform play. The development has taken over three years using the Unity Engine. Ultimate Game plans to pursue a public listing within five years to support growth. The marketing strategy will focus on digital marketing for precise audience targeting and personalized in-game campaigns.

AppWizard

July 9, 2025

Steam Users Buy Games They’re Never Going to Play, Says Analyst

Steam remains the largest online gaming store for PC users, despite Epic Games' efforts to compete. Valve takes a 30% revenue cut from developers, while Epic takes only 12% after the first million in revenue. Steam's popularity is attributed to its large community of gamers who often buy games they do not play. Analysts note that Valve has successfully marketed to individuals overwhelmed by entertainment options, creating a scenario where gamers feel they might eventually play the games they purchase. A survey indicated that many players add games to their wishlist without trying them. An example is Chris Wray, who owns 6,062 games on Steam but has only played about 20% of them. Steam frequently offers significant discounts, especially during sales events.

AppWizard

July 7, 2025

I won’t use anything but Steam for PC gaming because of this one feature

Steam is a leading online gaming storefront that offers a user-friendly interface, seasonal deals, and the ability to connect with friends while streaming games. The author began using Steam in 2011, purchasing titles like the Stronghold Collection, Terraria, and Skyrim, and has accumulated over 5,000 hours of gameplay across more than 300 games. Initially, the author primarily used Windows for gaming due to compatibility issues with Linux, but the introduction of Proton has allowed access to most of their Steam library on Linux. Valve, the company behind Steam, has developed iconic games like Portal and DOTA 2, supported indie developers, and contributed to gaming technology advancements. The launch of the Steam Deck has further enhanced Linux gaming support.

AppWizard

July 5, 2025

Call of Duty: WW2 Players Say the Game Is “Not Safe” After Coming to Xbox Game Pass

Call of Duty: WW2 has been added to Xbox Game Pass, but PC players are cautioned against playing it due to significant risks, including a decline in player engagement and the presence of hackers. Older titles, like WW2, are particularly vulnerable as Activision offers limited support, making them targets for malicious actors. Reports indicate that hackers are exploiting vulnerabilities, such as remote code execution (RCE) exploits, which can lead to unauthorized control over players' machines. Incidents have been reported where players experienced unexpected shutdowns and intrusive pop-ups, including inappropriate content. While no confirmed cases of data theft have emerged, the potential for malware remains a concern. Players are advised to avoid online matches in Call of Duty: WW2 on PC until an official resolution is provided.

Tech Optimizer

July 3, 2025

Running high-performance PostgreSQL on Azure Kubernetes Service

PostgreSQL supports 36% of all database workloads on Kubernetes, an increase of 6 percentage points since 2022. Managing PostgreSQL workloads on Kubernetes involves complexities related to StatefulSets, deployments, and performance optimization. Two deployment options for PostgreSQL workloads are available: Azure Container Storage for low-latency, high-IOPS requirements using local NVMe, and Premium SSD v2 for price-performance optimization. Azure Container Storage is a managed solution that dynamically provisions storage backed by local NVMe drives. Benchmark results show PostgreSQL can achieve nearly 15,000 transactions per second (TPS) with low latency using Standard_L16s_v3 VM, and up to 26,000 TPS with larger VMs. Premium SSD v2 supports up to 80,000 IOPS and 1,200 MB/s per volume. Benchmark tests indicated local NVMe achieved 14,812 TPS at 4.321 milliseconds latency, while Premium SSD v2 recorded 8,600 TPS at 7.417 milliseconds latency. The CloudNativePG operator simplifies high availability PostgreSQL deployment on Azure Kubernetes Service, offering built-in replication, automated failover, and application-consistent backups.

AppWizard

June 24, 2025

PC gaming figures fall again in Germany, down to just 13.1 million — marking a 20% decline since 2019

PC gaming in Germany has declined by 20% since 2019, with 13.1 million active PC gamers by the end of 2024, a decrease of 400,000 from the previous year. In 2019, there were 16.3 million PC gamers compared to 15.9 million console gamers, but the gap has now widened to over 7 million in favor of consoles, which currently have 20.5 million users. Game sales have decreased by 17% and hardware sales by 10%, while online gaming services have grown by 12%. Factors contributing to the decline in PC gaming may include shortages of new components, particularly GPUs.

AppWizard

June 19, 2025

Are Roblox and Minecraft Safe? A Parent’s Guide to Online Gaming

Kids worldwide are increasingly engaged in online games like Roblox and Minecraft, which can enhance creativity and social interaction but may also negatively impact health, emotional well-being, and academic performance if not managed properly. Roblox is a platform for user-generated games, while Minecraft allows players to build and explore in a pixelated world. Factors contributing to children's addiction to these games include vivid graphics, a sense of achievement, social connections, and emotional comfort. Excessive gaming can lead to a lack of interest in other activities, poor sleep, concentration difficulties, and emotional dependency. Both games pose risks such as interaction with strangers, exposure to inappropriate content, and potential financial implications from in-game purchases. Parents can mitigate these risks by enabling privacy controls, setting spending limits, monitoring game content, and discussing online safety with their children. Warning signs of excessive gaming include mood swings when screen time is limited, loss of interest in other hobbies, and excessive focus on gaming. Parents are encouraged to engage in conversations about gaming, seek offline activities, establish screen time limits, and create screen-free family traditions.

AppWizard

June 19, 2025

Malicious Minecraft mods distributed by the Stargazers DaaS target Minecraft gamers

Check Point researchers have discovered a malware campaign targeting Minecraft users, utilizing a distribution-as-a-service model called Stargazers. This malware, disguised as cheat tools, employs Java and .NET stealers to compromise player systems. The attackers have been active since March 2025, using GitHub repositories that appear to offer legitimate mods but contain malicious JAR files. The infection process begins with the installation of a compromised JAR file, which triggers a multi-stage attack that extracts sensitive data from Minecraft and Discord, as well as broader information like browser credentials and cryptocurrency wallet details. The malware is linked to Russian-speaking threat actors, and the Stargazers Ghost Network is identified as the distributor. The report highlights the need for caution when downloading third-party content in gaming communities.