PC games Archives

BetaBeacon

April 17, 2026

Valve’s Proton gets a big upgrade, and it could improve PC gaming on Android

Valve has released Proton 11 beta, allowing for the emulation of Windows apps and games on Linux, including popular titles like Resident Evil, now playable on Android devices. The update is based on Wine and includes support for NTSync to enhance performance. Valve has also introduced a Proton 11 profile for ARM64 devices, enabling games designed for x86 hardware to be emulated on devices with Arm chips, such as Android phones and tablets. Additionally, the update has enabled Steam to run on unofficially supported devices like the Nintendo Switch, expanding gaming possibilities for Windows gaming on various devices.

Winsage

April 16, 2026

Windows 11 vs CachyOS in gaming: Has Linux finally caught up to Windows?

Serious gaming on Linux has become a reality, with modern games showing impressive performance. A performance comparison was conducted between Windows 11 (25H2 build) and CachyOS (March 2026 build), a Linux distribution optimized for gaming. The test system specifications included a Cooler Master GA27127-inch monitor, Intel Core i5 12400F CPU, 24GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD, 1TB HDD, AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT GPU, and the respective operating systems with their drivers. In gaming performance benchmarks, CachyOS outperformed Windows 11 by an average of 8.6% across five tested games. Specific game performances included: - Dead Space Remake: 70 FPS (Windows 11) vs 76 FPS (CachyOS) - Resident Evil 4 Remake: 84 FPS (Windows 11) vs 95 FPS (CachyOS) - Scorn: 118 FPS (Windows 11) vs 120 FPS (CachyOS) - Silent Hill 2 Remake: 53 FPS (Windows 11) vs 54 FPS (CachyOS) - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Next-Gen: 95 FPS (Windows 11) vs 111 FPS (CachyOS) In ray tracing (RT) enabled games, performance varied: - Resident Evil 4 Remake: 77 FPS (Windows 11) vs 83 FPS (CachyOS) - Silent Hill 2 Remake: 30 FPS (Windows 11) vs 24 FPS (CachyOS) - The Witcher 3: 51 FPS (both systems) Most PC games are designed for Windows, while Linux games require the Proton compatibility layer, which can complicate performance. Multiplayer titles often face compatibility issues on Linux, particularly due to anti-cheat systems. Linux has matched or surpassed Windows 11 in single-player scenarios for users with AMD GPUs, while NVIDIA users face challenges due to proprietary drivers.

AppWizard

April 16, 2026

Introducing the ultimate college bundle: built for student life

Eligible U.S. students can access significant discounts on select Windows 11 PCs and the Microsoft College Offer, which includes over 0 in complimentary value. This offer provides a full year of Microsoft 365 Premium, a year of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and a complimentary design-your-own Xbox Wireless Controller. Notable discounted PCs include the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x for 9, HP OmniBook X Flip for 9, and HP Victus for 9. Students can find qualifying devices from brands like Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Microsoft Surface at various retailers. Additionally, 86% of students report using AI to support their studies, and Microsoft 365 Premium includes features like Copilot for organizing notes, aiding in budget tracking, generating presentation drafts, and summarizing emails. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offers access to hundreds of games, including new titles like Forza Horizon 6, with unlimited cloud gaming.

AppWizard

April 15, 2026

This free app can get your Android phone to run PC games better than ever

Winlator v11.0 is a free Windows-on-Android emulator that allows Android devices to run Windows PC games locally without cloud streaming or subscription fees. The update features significant enhancements in GPU performance, particularly for Adreno 8-series GPUs, improving graphics and reducing crashes for demanding titles on devices with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite. It introduces an experimental OpenGL wrapper called Gladio to extend compatibility to MediaTek and Exynos chips with Mali GPUs. The update also includes Wine 10.10 and Box64 v0.4.0, which enhance the operation of Windows software on mobile processors, promising faster load times and improved stability for 64-bit applications. Initial user feedback indicates remarkable performance improvements over previous versions and other emulators.

BetaBeacon

April 15, 2026

This powerful PC game emulator for Android just got a big update

Winlator v11.0 update enhances Windows-on-Android emulation experience with improved hardware and software compatibility. The update includes Mesa Turnip drivers v26.1.0 for better Vulkan performance on Adreno 8-series GPUs, an experimental OpenGL wrapper called Gladio for MediaTek and Exynos chips, Wine 10.10 and Box64 v0.4.0 for improved stability, a new HUD mode for performance monitoring, Light/Dark theme engine, and enhanced input controls. The update is available for download on GitHub, aiming to make Windows-on-Android emulation more accessible and enjoyable for users.

AppWizard

April 15, 2026

Newzoo: More than half of PC revenue comes from games outside the Top 20

Recent insights from Newzoo indicate a shift in the gaming landscape, with games ranked outside the Top 20 gaining revenue and playtime in Western markets. Between 2022 and 2025, PC games in this category saw their revenue share increase from 48% to 56%, and playtime rise from 33% to 45%. This trend is notable in key markets such as the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. While traditional shooter games are declining, genres like action RPGs and survival games are thriving, with titles such as Path of Exile 2 and Monster Hunter Wilds leading the way. By 2025, lower-ranked titles are projected to account for 38% of total revenue on PlayStation, up from 33% in 2022, with playtime for these titles increasing by 32%. On Xbox, games outside the Top 20 saw a 12% increase in playtime, representing 35% of revenue in 2025. Game Pass subscriptions are suggested to enhance playtime for these titles.

AppWizard

April 15, 2026

Disney Removes A Bunch More Games From Steam With No Warning

Over a dozen Disney games have been removed from Steam, including two Star Wars titles, without prior notice. On April 14, 15 PC games were delisted, including "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End," "Star Wars: Rebellion," and "Disney’s High School Musical 3: Senior Year Dance." This follows a previous removal of 14 games in January. Speculation suggests these actions may relate to Disney's investment in Epic Games, indicating a potential shift towards exclusivity on the Epic Games Store.

AppWizard

April 14, 2026

Top-rated Steam PC Games Released Last Week (6th–12th of April)

KuloNiku: Bowl Up! — 97% positive reviews of 474 ratings, Developer: Gambir Studio, Publisher: Raw Fury, Genre: Casual, Indie, Simulation, Release Date: 7 Apr, 2026. Sol Cesto — 93% positive reviews of 2461 ratings, Developer: Tambouille, Géraud Zucchini, Chariospirale, Publisher: Goblinz Publishing, Genre: Indie, Strategy, Release Date: 10 Apr, 2026. Nautical Survival — 99% positive reviews of 162 ratings, Developer: Idan Rooze, Publisher: Idan Rooze, Genre: Action, Adventure, Casual, Release Date: 9 Apr, 2026. Wannabe Galgame God!!! — 98% positive reviews of 235 ratings, Developer: Noctella Observatory, Publisher: Noctella Observatory, Genre: Free To Play, Release Date: 10 Apr, 2026. Idols of Ash — 98% positive reviews of 259 ratings, Developer: Leafy Games, Publisher: Leafy Games, Genre: Adventure, Indie, Simulation, Release Date: 9 Apr, 2026. Draw Steel — 6 reviews, Developer: Verisim, MCDM, Publisher: MCDM, Genre: Action, Adventure, RPG, Release Date: 8 Apr, 2026. Elton Manor: Requiem of the Cursed Roses — 98% positive reviews of 65 ratings, Developer: 阿魯, Publisher: Playmeow, Genre: Casual, RPG, Release Date: 7 Apr, 2026. Origament: A Paper Adventure — 97% positive reviews of 44 ratings, Developer: Space Sauce Studio, Publisher: Beverlor, Genre: Action, Adventure, Casual, Release Date: 7 Apr, 2026. WRATH: Aeon of Ruin VR - Brutal Edition — 91% positive reviews of 34 ratings, Developer: Team Beef, Flat2VR Studios, Publisher: Flat2VR Studios, Genre: Action, Release Date: 9 Apr, 2026. Arcadia Fallen II — 100% positive reviews of 32 ratings, Developer: Galdra Studios, Publisher: Galdra Studios, Genre: Adventure, Casual, Indie, Release Date: 9 Apr, 2026. GGST Additional Character 18 - Jam Kuradoberi — 94% positive reviews of 76 ratings, Developer: Arc System Works, Publisher: Arc System Works, Genre: Action, Release Date: 9 Apr, 2026. Barking from the Dark — 100% positive reviews of 27 ratings, Developer: shoftArt, Publisher: shoftArt, Genre: Adventure, Indie, Simulation, Release Date: 8 Apr, 2026. Fortune Seller — 97% positive reviews of 40 ratings, Developer: Kiwick, Publisher: Kiwick, Genre: Casual, Indie, Strategy, Release Date: 6 Apr, 2026. Find Your Words — 96% positive reviews of 56 ratings, Developer: Capybara Games, Publisher: Capybara Games, Genre: Adventure, Casual, Indie, Release Date: 8 Apr, 2026. Spinny Dungeon — 97% positive reviews of 44 ratings, Developer: Typing Monkey, Publisher: Typing Monkey, Genre: Indie, RPG, Strategy, Release Date: 6 Apr, 2026. Pluralys — 96% positive reviews of 28 ratings, Developer: Ivalys Studios, Publisher: Ivalys Studios, Genre: Adventure, Casual, Indie, Release Date: 8 Apr, 2026. MINOS — 90% positive reviews of 152 ratings, Developer: Artificer, Publisher: Devolver Digital, Genre: Action, Adventure, Simulation, Release Date: 9 Apr, 2026. Subversive Memories — 96% positive reviews of 33 ratings, Developer: Southward Studio, Publisher: Southward Studio, Genre: Action, Adventure, Indie, Release Date: 8 Apr, 2026. Nippets: A Hidden Object Game — 91% positive reviews of 59 ratings, Developer: Blink Industries, Publisher: Blink Industries, Genre: Casual, Indie, Release Date: 7 Apr, 2026. [Redacted] The Safehouse — 100% positive reviews of 21 ratings, Developer: Heartbeast, Publisher: Heartbeast, Genre: Indie, Release Date: 9 Apr, 2026.

BetaBeacon

April 10, 2026

The Android Tablet That Runs Steam Games : Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5

The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset and offers up to 24GB of RAM, delivering high performance for gaming, multitasking, and streaming.

Winsage

April 9, 2026

Google’s New $3 USB Kit Converts Old Windows 10 PCs to ChromeOS Flex Machines

Google, in collaboration with Back Market, has launched a USB kit for installing ChromeOS Flex on aging Windows 10 PCs for a fee. This kit simplifies the installation process, allowing users to replace their existing Windows system easily. ChromeOS Flex is compatible with various PCs and some Macs, focusing on cloud-based tasks and supporting browser-based and Android applications only. A study indicated that ChromeOS consumes 19% less energy than similar systems. For every USB drive produced, an equivalent weight of electronic waste is recycled. Google plans to provide software updates for Chromebooks for 10 years and for Pixel phones for 7 years. Windows 10 support will end in October 2025, with Microsoft offering a free extended security update until October 2026. Approximately 32% of the market still uses Windows 10, with 121 million enterprise devices estimated to be operating on it. The ChromeOS Flex USB Kit is considered a pilot program, with potential for increased production based on demand.