PC Archives

AppWizard

December 4, 2025

Horses, the Upsetting Horror Game Previously Banned on Steam, Gets Last Minute Ban From Epic Games Store Too

Humble has reinstated the game "Horses" on its platform after a temporary delisting for reevaluation. Developer Santa Ragione stated that the game's content, while heavy, did not warrant removal. However, Humble later decided to delist "Horses" again. The game was previously banned from Steam and Epic Games Store due to violations of content guidelines, with Epic citing "Inappropriate Content" and "Hateful or Abusive Content." Santa Ragione's appeal to Epic was denied without further explanation. The game has received attention for its unsettling premise, which critiques societal acceptance of morally horrifying actions. Despite facing bans, "Horses" is currently available on Humble, itch.io, and GOG.

AppWizard

December 4, 2025

How to watch the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted Powered by Xbox Game Pass on December 4

The PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted Powered by Xbox Game Pass will showcase the latest titles in PC gaming, featuring a selection process by over 120 industry experts who vote on 100 games to determine the 25 Most Wanted titles. This year's longlist includes games like Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, Resident Evil Requiem, and 007 First Light. The event will be streamed on platforms such as YouTube, Twitch, X, Facebook, GamesRadar+, Ginx TV, Steam, and Bilibili, with localized subtitles in multiple languages. Popular streamers will provide live commentary, and a pre-show will air 30 minutes before the main event.

AppWizard

December 4, 2025

Valve has been funding Windows on ARM emulation “since the beginning” as it aims to “expand PC gaming”

Valve has been funding the open-source emulator FEX since its inception, which enables Windows games to run on ARM Linux devices. FEX recently celebrated its seventh anniversary and acknowledged Valve's crucial support. Pierre-Loup Griffais, a software engineer at Valve, stated that all core FEX developers have been funded by Valve, highlighting the project's significance for the gaming ecosystem and SteamOS. Griffais expressed optimism about the future of FEX, anticipating nearly a decade of development before it becomes reliable for widespread use. He emphasized the goal of providing a consistent gaming experience across different architectures without users needing to worry about compatibility. Valve's tools, including Proton, Lepton, and FEX, are expected to enhance the gaming experience, with a focus on living room, handheld, and desktop devices.

AppWizard

December 4, 2025

Hypixel Studios releases the PC system requirements for its Minecraft-lookalike Hytale, and it’s the most comprehensive breakdown I’ve seen in a long time

Hytale is a voxel-based sandbox game with detailed hardware requirements that include minimum, recommended, and 'streamer' specifications. The minimum requirements allow for casual gameplay, while the recommended requirements enhance performance for a smoother experience. The streamer requirements are high-end specifications aimed at content creators for optimal performance. An Intel HD Graphics 630 can achieve approximately 30–34 FPS at 1080p on low settings, while an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and NVIDIA RTX 5080 can sustain around 400 FPS at 3840×1440 resolution while recording gameplay. The game is expected to require 100 GB of storage, and its early access launch is anticipated in January 2026.

Winsage

December 4, 2025

Windows 11’s “fast” File Explorer is slower than ever and hogs more RAM

Microsoft has introduced a background-preloading update for File Explorer in Windows 11 Insider builds to enhance application speed and smoothness. Initial tests indicate that the preloaded version opens more slowly than the standard Explorer in Windows 10, particularly on devices with limited RAM (4-8 GB), leading to sluggish performance during multitasking. Users have reported slower context menus and folder navigation, despite the intended improvements. Preloading is enabled by default in the Insider build, but Microsoft has not confirmed plans for a broader rollout. The update raises concerns about the efficiency of Windows 11's design, as the combination of older Win32 components with newer WinUI elements may compromise core performance. Users relying on File Explorer may experience delays and unresponsiveness, particularly if their systems have limited resources. Microsoft may reconsider its approach to the preloading feature in future Insider builds, and users experiencing slowdowns might consider disabling it or reducing visual effects to improve performance.

AppWizard

December 4, 2025

New Horror Game Is Banned on Almost Every Major PC Storefront

A new Italian horror game, Horses, has been banned from major PC storefronts, including Steam, Epic Games Store, and Humble, due to its AO (Adults Only) rating. The developer, Santa Ragione, reported that Valve did not clearly communicate the reasons for the ban, and despite making content adjustments, Valve did not reassess the game. Epic Games Store cited the AO rating as the reason for their withdrawal of support, referencing violations of their policies on inappropriate and abusive content. Humble has not provided clarity on its reasons for the ban. Currently, Horses is available for purchase on GOG and Itch.io, where it has a user review score of 4.4 out of 5 on GOG.

Winsage

December 3, 2025

Windows 11 growth slows as millions stick with Windows 10

By November 2025, Windows 11 held 53.7 percent of the Windows desktop market, while Windows 10 had 42.7 percent. Statcounter's data is based on a sample of around 1.5 million websites. Many consumers have devices incompatible with upgrades or prefer not to change functioning systems. In the EU, consumers benefit from free Microsoft Extended Security Updates (ESU). Businesses face slow change management processes due to poor planning and resource challenges. Organizations use ESUs to maintain security during transitions, but costs can be burdensome for unprepared businesses. Consumers often retain older Windows 10 machines for secondary tasks, affecting usage statistics. Organizations strategically leverage ESUs for mission-critical systems and budget constraints. The cost of ESUs is often less than the potential disruptions from migration. Windows 11 lacks compelling features to prompt enterprises to upgrade, and adoption is slower than previous operating systems, lagging by 10-12 points according to Dell's COO.

Winsage

December 3, 2025

Microsoft warns latest Windows 11 updates might break the Start menu, Taskbar, and other integral UI bits — here’s what you need to know

Microsoft has acknowledged a challenge affecting Windows 11 PCs, particularly in enterprise environments, where essential user interface components like the Start menu and File Explorer may fail to load or crash after installing the latest security updates. This issue is primarily confined to enterprise PCs and arises after provisioning a PC with Windows 11, version 24H2, or the Windows 11, version 25H2 monthly cumulative update released on or after July 2025. XAML-dependent modern apps such as Explorer, the Start menu, SystemSettings, Taskbar, and Windows Search might experience difficulties due to this problem.

Winsage

December 3, 2025

New Windows 11 ‘PC you can talk to’ ad pushing Copilot is proving divisive – and I can see it seriously backfiring

Microsoft has released a holiday advertisement featuring its 'Hey Copilot' voice input and AI capabilities in Windows 11, set to the song A-Punk by Vampire Weekend. The ad showcases family-oriented scenarios, such as syncing Christmas lights to music and navigating assembly instructions with Copilot's assistance, including a cameo from Santa. Viewer reactions have been mixed, with some expressing skepticism about Copilot's capabilities and suggesting humorous voice commands. Concerns have been raised regarding the disconnect between the ad's portrayal of Copilot's functionality and the actual limitations of the technology, particularly its inability to connect smart home devices to a Windows 11 PC. Users appreciate advancements in voice input technology but feel that the advertisement may oversell its current capabilities, leading to potential disappointment.

AppWizard

December 3, 2025

PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted returns this week – here’s how and when to watch it

The PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted 2025 will take place on December 4 at 12 PM PST / 3 PM EST / 8 PM GMT / 9 PM CET. The event will showcase the top 25 most-anticipated PC games, curated by over 120 journalists, industry experts, content creators, and celebrities from a longlist of 100 games. It will be streamed live on PC Gamer's YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as Twitter, Facebook, GamesRadar+, Steam, Bilibili, and GinxTV. Dedicated streams with localized subtitles will be available in multiple languages, including English, French, Spanish, German, Polish, Russian, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, along with ASL and BSL.