player base Archives

AppWizard

May 10, 2025

Celebrate Star Wars being good again with up to 85% off EA’s Jedi and Battlefront games until May 15

This year's Star Wars Day has generated excitement among fans and gamers, partly due to the success of the Andor TV series and the announcement of Star Wars Zero Company from Bit Reactor. EA is offering discounts of up to 85% on its Star Wars games on Steam, including Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order for .99 (£5.24) and Jedi Survivor for .99 (£11.99). The 2015 reboot of Star Wars: Battlefront is available for .99, while Battlefront 2 is priced at .99 (£6.99). Star Wars: Squadrons is also on sale for .99 (£5.24). These offers will be available until May 15. Future Star Wars gaming projects include Zero Company, a third Jedi game from Respawn, and ongoing developments for Star Wars Eclipse and the KOTOR Remake.

AppWizard

May 8, 2025

Mojang’s big Minecraft VR mistake

Mojang has officially discontinued VR support for the Bedrock version of Minecraft on PCs, ending a VR initiative that began in April 2016. The Gear VR version was initially available on devices like the Oculus Go and original Oculus Quest, but support for older games on the Oculus Quest 2 rendered these experiences obsolete. Modders, particularly through the Vivecraft mod, have filled the gap left by Mojang, with QuestCraft being a notable port for Meta Quest headsets. Despite Mojang's claims of lacking resources for VR, the company has over 55 million daily active players and a workforce of more than 600 employees, indicating financial stability. The demographics of the Meta Quest user base suggest a strong potential interest in Minecraft if officially supported. Recent collaborations between Meta and Microsoft hint at potential opportunities for an official Minecraft VR port, yet progress remains stagnant. The QuestCraft Discord server has 80,000 members, indicating significant interest in a VR version of Minecraft, which could attract hundreds of thousands of active users.

AppWizard

May 8, 2025

Starbreeze reclaims Payday 3 publishing rights from Plaion, says it will ‘significantly accelerate our content development roadmap’

Starbreeze Studios has secured the publishing rights to Payday 3 from Plaion, aiming to enhance content development for the game, which has faced challenges since its September 2023 launch. This acquisition establishes a long-term collaboration between Starbreeze and Plaion for future Payday franchise projects. Despite setbacks, including leadership changes, Payday 3 has struggled to maintain a player base, while Payday 2 remains popular. Starbreeze's involvement may lead to expedited updates and improvements for Payday 3, and the company is exploring broader strategic opportunities for the franchise.

AppWizard

May 3, 2025

Grand Theft Auto 6’s delay makes me think we won’t be playing this thing on PC until 2027, or god forbid even 2028

Rockstar has announced a delay for Grand Theft Auto 6, now set for release in May 2026, extending the timeline by approximately six months. The game is currently confirmed only for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, with no announcement regarding a PC version. Take-Two's CEO, Strauss Zelnick, noted the growing importance of PC gaming. Historical patterns suggest that previous Rockstar titles have had significant delays for PC releases, potentially pushing the PC version of GTA 6 into early 2028.

AppWizard

April 24, 2025

After Hyper Light Breaker players loved a secret one run, one life mode sneakily included in an update, Heart Machine is completely overhauling the game to match

Hyper Light Breaker, which debuted in early access in January, has received criticism for its hybrid roguelike and extraction shooter framework. Developer Heart Machine is addressing player feedback with the upcoming Buried Below update, which will overhaul the game's progression system and balance the roguelike mechanics with extraction shooter elements. This update is set to be released on April 29 and aims to enhance the gameplay experience.

AppWizard

April 24, 2025

Metaphor: ReFantazio smashed Atlus’ expectations on PC – another reminder that PC gamers really want more JRPGs and Japanese games

ReFantazio has achieved unexpected success on PC, indicating a growing interest among PC gamers for Japanese titles. Katsura Hashino, the creative director known for the Persona series, noted that the percentage of PC players engaging with Atlus games is increasing annually, with long-term data supporting this trend. Major industry players like Square Enix are also moving away from console exclusivity, as seen with the successful PC port of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Hashino emphasized the importance of allowing players to enjoy games in their preferred environments. Additionally, the lead UI designer of Metaphor: ReFantazio referenced a lesser-known PS2 title from 25 years ago, highlighting the ongoing influence of older games on modern design.

AppWizard

April 23, 2025

Crusader Kings 3 has hit 4 million sales, but all that tells me is that not enough of you have played the best game

Crusader Kings 3 has surpassed four million sales just over four years after its launch. The game is noted for its unique storytelling capabilities and has a vibrant modding community. The latest expansion, Roads to Power, is considered one of Paradox's finest DLCs, enhancing RPG elements. An upcoming expansion, Khans of the Steppe, will allow players to lead a nomadic horde. The game continues to evolve in depth and complexity since its release in 2020.

AppWizard

April 17, 2025

Etiquette expert discusses “A Minecraft Movie” theater trend

The phrase "chicken jockey," referring to a baby zombie riding a chicken in the "Minecraft" universe, has gained popularity following the release of "A Minecraft Movie," leading to increased audience participation in theaters. Viewers are engaging in behaviors such as throwing popcorn and standing on chairs, driven by social media trends. The hashtag #ChickenJockey has over 53,000 posts on TikTok, indicating the trend's rapid growth. Some theaters, including Regal Cinemas, are introducing designated "chicken jockey screenings" to allow for enthusiastic participation while maintaining a respectful environment for all attendees.

AppWizard

April 16, 2025

I can’t believe I’m saying this but Skull and Bones Year 2 is real, and it’s live now

Skull and Bones, developed by Ubisoft, was initially intended as a multiplayer extension of naval battles from Assassin's Creed: Black Flag and faced multiple delays before launching seven years after its announcement. The game received a mixed reception upon release but has maintained a dedicated player base. In Year 2, Season 1, new features include Item Ascension, which allows gear upgrades, and a new world tier with increased challenges and rewards. The current concurrent player count on Steam is just over 400, an increase from earlier in the year, but still lower than other Ubisoft titles like For Honor and The Division 2. Critics have generally offered a positive view, noting the game's enjoyable experience despite some limitations. The game became available on Steam in August 2024, with hopes of increasing player engagement. Full patch notes for Year 2, Season 1 are available on ubisoft.com.

AppWizard

April 14, 2025

‘Trust continues to be tampered with’: A thread about SBMM in the upcoming Battlefield game is the final straw as an EA community manager lets loose on leakers

Electronic Arts (EA) has launched a community testing program called Battlefield Labs for the upcoming Battlefield game, allowing players to test potential features and collaborate on development. However, participants have leaked gameplay footage, causing frustration for EA. A controversial topic among players is the rumored introduction of skill-based matchmaking (SBMM), which many believe could negatively impact gameplay enjoyment. David Sirland, the lead producer, reassured the community that the testing phase is temporary. Community manager T0TALfps emphasized that not all features tested will make it to the final game and warned against sharing out-of-context information, which could damage trust. The next Battlefield game is set in a modern-day environment and will return to traditional classes and focused maps. T0TALfps urged players to be patient and supportive during the development process, stating that official information will only be shared when EA is ready.