player base Archives

AppWizard

August 29, 2026

The Long Dark will get new DLC again as studio shifts devs away from the sequel to survive an ‘uncertain’ industry: ‘We have to adapt to this’

Hinterland Studios has shifted its strategy regarding The Long Dark, a survival game, by reallocating a team to create new downloadable content (DLC) for its survival mode, despite the ongoing development of a sequel titled Blackfrost. This decision aims to enhance the longevity of the nine-year-old game amid challenges in the gaming industry, such as rising costs and increased competition on platforms like Steam. The studio's focus on The Long Dark reflects a desire to sustain its player base while navigating the complexities of the current market.

AppWizard

August 21, 2026

A cracked version of Marvel Tōkon is reigniting questions around DRM and its impact on PC games

Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls has faced significant criticism since its PC release due to performance issues, including stuttering frame rates and network problems. A patch was issued, but many players still experienced difficulties. The console version has not encountered these issues, leading to speculation that the DRM in the Steam version may be causing high CPU usage. A cracked, DRM-free version has emerged, reportedly offering better performance, with players noting it is less taxing on CPUs and runs smoothly even on lower-end hardware. Social media has highlighted a nearly 40 FPS difference between the two versions. Concurrent player counts on Steam have dropped from a peak of 24,498 to 5,249 shortly after launch, as some players turn to the cracked version, which does not support online matchmaking. This situation raises concerns about the impact of DRM on gaming performance and could affect PC sales and the overall player base. The Marvel Tōkon social media account has indicated that further fixes for the PC version are forthcoming, but inquiries to Sony remain unanswered.

AppWizard

August 21, 2026

Riot is ending development of its 2XKO fighting game

Riot Games has decided to cease active development of its fighting game, 2XKO, six months after significantly reducing its development team. This decision follows a layoff of approximately 80 developers due to the game's failure to generate the necessary momentum for long-term support. Despite attracting a considerable number of players and fostering a vibrant community, 2XKO did not achieve a sustainable player base. The game, which was officially confirmed in 2019 and released in January 2026, struggled to engage the broader fighting game community, despite being well-received by diehard tag fighter enthusiasts. Riot had previously expressed commitment to the game's future but has now acknowledged the need to conclude active development due to a lack of meaningful, sustained change in player engagement. The studio plans to provide a roadmap for remaining updates and support for the community.

AppWizard

August 16, 2026

Best-Selling PC Game of 2026 Just Passed 20 Million Units Sold on Steam

Meccha Chameleon, a casual friendslop game developed by Lemorion 1224 and Haganeiro, has sold over 20 million units on Steam within two months of its launch, making it the best-selling PC game of 2026. The game features unique gameplay where players camouflage themselves in various environments, receiving a "Very Positive" rating on Steam with a 90% approval rating from over 41,000 user reviews. It sold 15 million units in the first three weeks and an additional 5 million in the following five weeks. The peak concurrent player count was 23,573, down from 340,534 at launch. Meccha Chameleon is expected to remain the best-selling PC game of 2026 despite competition from upcoming titles like GTA 6, which will not be available on PC.

AppWizard

August 13, 2026

Marvel Tōkon’s first big PC patch has mostly fixed performance woes, though it hasn’t done much for its Steam reviews

Marvel Tōkon, a 4v4 tag fighter from ArcSystem Works, has received "Mixed" reviews and has declined to "Mostly Negative" ratings due to issues such as mandatory PlayStation Network logins and significant frame drops, reportedly up to eight frames of rollback in online modes. A recent patch has improved gameplay performance by addressing unnecessary audio input checks that caused frame drops and high CPU usage, resulting in a smoother experience for players. Despite these improvements, the mandatory sign-in remains a contentious issue among gamers.

AppWizard

August 10, 2026

Marvel Tokon Stumbles to Mixed Steam Reviews as ‘Miserable’ PC Port Complaints Prompt Response From Arc System Works

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls launched on August 6, 2026, on Steam, receiving a "Mixed" user review rating with only 44% of 2,561 reviews being positive. Players have expressed frustration over technical issues, including mandatory PlayStation Network (PSN) account requirements, lack of Linux support, and anti-cheat complications. The PSN requirement has made the game inaccessible in over 100 countries, and many players have criticized the game's performance, noting low frame rates. Despite these issues, some players have praised the game for its character designs and gameplay. Arc System Works has acknowledged the performance problems and is actively investigating them while encouraging player feedback.

AppWizard

August 10, 2026

Marvel Tokon PC Launch Is So Bad That Famed FGC Content Creator Maximilian Dood Uninstalled the Game on Stream

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls launched on August 6 for PC and PlayStation 5, with the PC version experiencing significant technical issues, leading to a decline in user ratings from 44% to 41% overall and 39% in English reviews. Maximilian Christiansen, known as Maximilian Dood, publicly expressed his frustrations during a livestream, stating he would uninstall the game due to stuttering gameplay and planned to switch to the PlayStation 5 version, which has received positive feedback for its smooth performance.

AppWizard

August 7, 2026

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is Mixed on Steam as players report poor PC performance, no Linux support, and countries without PSN unable to play

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls has received mixed reviews on Steam, currently holding a "Mixed" rating from 1,565 reviews. Players have reported issues related to the PC port, including the requirement of a PlayStation Network login that limits access in some regions, as well as technical difficulties like micro-stutters and dropped frames during online play. Arc System Works has acknowledged these performance issues and is investigating them. Additionally, the game has faced criticism for being incompatible with Linux systems. Meanwhile, the Marvel franchise remains successful, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day becoming the highest-grossing movie of the year and potentially surpassing the all-time box office record held by Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

BetaBeacon

August 5, 2026

Palworld Online Announced For iOS And Android In 2026 By Garena

Garena has announced Palworld Online, a multiplayer survival adventure game set to launch on iOS and Android in 2026. The game is designed specifically for mobile devices, with features such as shared progression, group play, and an expansive open world. The collaboration between Garena and Pocketpair aims to deliver a new Palworld experience to players worldwide, focusing on multiplayer gameplay and mobile-friendly controls.

AppWizard

August 3, 2026

Microsoft brings Xbox 360 games to PC via Project Helix

Microsoft plans to expand its backward compatibility initiative by bringing Xbox 360 games to PC, allowing players to access iconic titles like Halo 3 and Gears of War across multiple devices, including the upcoming Project Helix console and handheld gaming devices. This move aims to create a unified gaming ecosystem and aligns with Microsoft's strategy of reducing traditional console exclusivity. The initiative enhances subscription services like Xbox Game Pass by incorporating a rich catalog of classic games. The technical implementation remains unclear, but Microsoft's previous backward compatibility efforts have been commendable. This strategy also presents opportunities for game developers to reach new audiences without extensive remasters. Additionally, the inclusion of handheld devices indicates Microsoft's intentions to compete in the portable gaming market.