PC Gaming Archives

AppWizard

July 28, 2026

Epic taps Blizzard’s Battle.net lead to fix the Epic Games Store as Steam dominates

Epic Games has appointed Martin Keely as the new Vice President and General Manager of the Epic Games Store, succeeding Steve Allison, who left the company in July. Keely previously worked as Senior Vice President overseeing the Battle.net launcher at Blizzard for seven years. His appointment aims to strengthen Epic's competitive position against Valve's Steam in the PC gaming market. Keely expressed enthusiasm for his new role and the opportunity to enhance player, creator, and developer experiences. Epic's CEO, Tim Sweeney, has acknowledged the challenges the company faces in gaining market share against Steam.

AppWizard

July 27, 2026

13 Ubisoft games go free on PC if you own them on Xbox

Ubisoft has launched an "Xbox console-to-PC" program that allows players to access PC versions of select games they own on Xbox. The eligible titles include: - Assassin’s Creed Mirage - Assassin’s Creed Valhalla - Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora - Far Cry 6 - Immortals Fenyx Rising - Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown - Riders Republic - Skull and Bones - The Crew 2 - The Crew Motorfest - Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction - Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege - Watch Dogs Legion

AppWizard

July 27, 2026

Own These Ubisoft Games on Xbox? You Can Now Play Them on PC for Free

Ubisoft and Xbox have launched an initiative allowing players who own select Ubisoft titles on Xbox consoles to access the PC versions of those games at no extra cost. Starting today, new digital purchases will provide immediate access to both Xbox and PC versions. Existing owners will also benefit, although the availability of PC versions will be rolled out gradually, with full implementation expected by August 4. Players may need to wait for updates to access their games in Ubisoft Connect.

AppWizard

July 27, 2026

Modder restores missing PS2-era visual effects to Metal Gear Solid 2, including ‘a ton of things that were literally left marked as BLUEPOINT TO-DO still in the source code’

The MGSHDFix mod was created to improve the ports of Metal Gear Solid 1 and 2, as well as the original MG1 and MG2, following their mixed reviews. The latest version, MGSHDFix 4.0.0, was released recently, with a hotfix version 4.0.1 following shortly after. However, Luxtorpeda is still distributing the earlier version 3.1.0 on Linux systems, although this issue is expected to be resolved soon.

AppWizard

July 27, 2026

Classic Xbox 360 exclusives may be coming to PC in the future

Recent datamines indicate that Xbox 360 games may soon be available on PC as part of Xbox's backwards compatibility update. Jason Ronald from Xbox announced the introduction of Xbox Backward Compatibility on PC, allowing players to enjoy classic Xbox games, including four currently available titles: BLiNX: The Time Sweeper, Conker: Live and Reloaded, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, and Fuzion Frenzy. The datamine findings suggest that Xbox 360 titles could be included in this initiative, with an emulator running within another emulator to facilitate compatibility. The Xbox One translation layer software, XWine1, has already successfully run several Xbox 360 games on PC. Although Microsoft has not officially confirmed the inclusion of Xbox 360 games for PC, the release of original Xbox titles may signal a broader initiative to bring more classic games to the platform.

AppWizard

July 26, 2026

‘The last time I liked everything about a game was probably Baldur’s Gate 3’: Raphael Colantonio, co-founder of Arkane Studios, talks us through the games installed on his PC

Raphaël Colantonio, co-founder of Arkane Studios, was inspired to enter the gaming industry after playing Ultima 7, which led him to co-found Arkane in 1999. The studio's first game was Arx Fatalis, and it has since produced titles like Dishonored and Prey, with their latest project being Weird West. Colantonio is currently playing Mewgenics, having previously completed Cyberpunk 2077 and enjoyed Baldur's Gate 3. He has revisited Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth for enjoyment and research. Colantonio has logged 649 hours in Wasteland 2 and expresses nostalgia for Thief, Fallout, and Deus Ex, noting their influence on his work. He uses DaVinci Resolve for video editing and DiskState for managing hard drive space. Colantonio maintains a tidy desktop with minimal icons and folders.

AppWizard

July 26, 2026

‘We Sincerely Apologise’: Marvel Tokon the Latest Sony Game to Be Busted on PC

The beta testing of Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls on PS5 has been mostly smooth, with minor connectivity issues, while the PC version has faced significant performance complaints from players. Arc System Works has acknowledged these challenges and is investigating them, providing troubleshooting steps such as warming up shaders, disabling frame generation, and turning off anti-cheat features. There are speculations about Sony's involvement in background operations related to the game, but these claims lack concrete evidence. The official launch is approaching, and optimization work for the PC version is necessary, although feedback for the PS5 version remains positive.

AppWizard

July 25, 2026

Conceived in a secure military facility, this Jedi Knight fansite has been running consistently for almost 30 years: ‘It looks really close to what it did back in 1998’

In the late 1990s, the internet saw a surge in websites, including those dedicated to PC gaming. The Massassi Temple, a website for Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2, was founded by Brian E. Lozier in early 1998. Lozier created the site to share tutorials and support fellow modders after discovering a community of modders while exploring other gaming websites. He learned programming to build the site, which has remained active due to the dedication of its community, despite challenges like the dotcom bubble burst and the failure of some games. The site hosts a vast collection of Jedi Knight content, including mods and multiplayer maps, and serves as a hub for ongoing support and development. Lozier has stepped away from the site multiple times but continues to return to ensure its survival. He aims to create a permanent archive of community contributions and reflects on the evolution of the internet and the shift toward corporate dominance.

AppWizard

July 25, 2026

Sega like physical games too, says their president, but with the shift to digital they’re keeping the humble PC in mind

Sega's president, Shuji Utsumi, stated that the company recognizes the importance of digital titles in the gaming industry, particularly as more players are turning to PC gaming due to accessibility issues with consoles. He emphasized the need to strengthen digital products to develop this market, especially in regions like Japan where physical media remains popular. Utsumi also expressed that Sega still values its history with physical games while adapting to the digital landscape. The company's major releases are increasingly being made available on PC, indicating a strategic shift towards aligning with evolving gamer preferences.

AppWizard

July 25, 2026

7 Retro-Themed PC Gaming Gadgets Inspired By Iconic Consoles

Retro gaming enthusiasts can enhance their gaming experiences with modern gadgets that merge nostalgia with contemporary technology. The 8BitDo Retro R8 mouse, priced at .99, is designed to resemble the Nintendo Entertainment System and offers Bluetooth, RF Wireless, or wired USB connectivity with a polling rate of 8,000 hertz and a maximum sensor resolution of 26,000 DPI. It comes in three designs: NES, Commodore 64, and original Xbox, and includes a charging dock. The PromoType KeyBoy Advance keyboard, priced at , replicates the Game Boy Advance and requires DIY assembly. It features L and R buttons that are configurable extras and includes a power indicator and speaker grille. The 8BitDo M30 controller, priced at .99, is designed for the Sega Genesis with a six-button layout and compatibility with various devices including PC and Nintendo Switch. The Retro-Bit V2 Wireless Tribute 64 controller, retailing at .99, is optimized for Nintendo 64 games and features improved latency and a classic button layout, compatible with multiple platforms including the Nintendo Switch. The 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard, available for .99, features a design reminiscent of the NES, customizable A and B buttons, and supports both wired and wireless connectivity with key remapping options. The Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM02, priced at 9, is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7840HS processor, 32GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD, suitable for retro and contemporary gaming, ideally paired with a CRT display. The 8BitDo Arcade Stick, priced at .99, features a design inspired by the NES, customizable macro options, and supports USB-C wired and wireless connections, allowing easy switching between PC and Nintendo Switch.