player behavior Archives

AppWizard

September 17, 2026

Wardogs is the only FPS where I actually expect to get revived

Players achieved 123 million kills and 61 million revives during the inaugural weekend of Wardogs, resulting in a resurrection rate of nearly 50%. Medics can be incentivized with bribes of up to for a revive. Wardogs does not provide respawn beacons; players can only rejoin the game by using a team's sole APC with a cooldown or walking 3km back from headquarters. This setup encourages players to wait for revives rather than giving up. The game promotes cooperation and teamwork, particularly within the medic role.

AppWizard

September 8, 2026

GTA 6’s Criminal Profile system sounds pretty interesting, isn’t a direct copy of Red Dead’s Honor system

Grand Theft Auto 6 features a detailed environment where player choices significantly impact the narrative. Unlike previous games, it offers immersive gameplay with various actions reflecting players' moral decisions. Recent leaks reveal chaotic behaviors, such as violent outbursts and confrontations with NPCs, emphasizing player freedom in Vice City. Rockstar Games is not implementing punitive measures for player behavior but instead introduces a 'Criminal Profiles' system categorizing behavior into four states: Professional, Aggressive, Violent, and Psycho, with a fifth state called 'shattered' for disengaged players. Players can disable Criminal Profile notifications for a tailored experience. Protagonists Jason and Lucia can display different Criminal Profile states, influencing their interactions. Maintaining a 'Professional' state requires restraint, encouraging reflection on actions and consequences. Player actions are expected to impact narrative outcomes, with comments from Rob Nelson highlighting the interconnected systems of the game. Players will navigate choices that affect their experience, balancing chaos with a more measured approach.

AppWizard

August 24, 2026

Latest GTA 6 leak confirms full dong

Cyberleek's recent leak reveals that players in Grand Theft Auto 6 will frequently encounter unconventional scenarios, including nudity, particularly in a location called Leonida. The leak, titled "nudist_town.mp4," shows an in-game nudist retreat where players can observe the activities of its inhabitants. This aspect of gameplay raises questions about in-game interactions and player behavior.

AppWizard

August 15, 2026

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls review

Marvel Tōkon, a 4v4 tag fighter developed by Arc System Works and published by PlayStation Publishing LLC, is set to launch on August 6, 2026, priced at £60. Early reviews indicate significant performance issues for PC users, including frame drops and microstutters, even on high-end hardware. A patch has been released, but many players still face these problems. The game is incompatible with the Steam Deck and does not support Linux, which has drawn criticism. Some players have chosen to disable crossplay, affecting matchmaking. Despite these challenges, the game is praised for its accessibility to newcomers in the fighting game genre.

AppWizard

August 1, 2026

How do PC player demographics change at 50 hours vs. 30 minutes?

GameDiscoverCo newsletter has reached 45,000 subscribers. The Video Game History Foundation launched a ‘history of E3’ collection, including an introductory video, vintage footage, and a podcast. Microsoft reported a decline in Xbox revenue for four consecutive quarters, with Content & Services revenue at approximately .75 billion (down 10% year-over-year) and hardware revenue around million (down 13% year-over-year). Asha Sharma noted over 200 million new players joined Xbox in FY2026, but the business did not grow. PlayStation's PS5 sales reached 95.3 million, with a 1.6 million increase for the quarter but a 36% year-over-year decline. Active PSN users rose to 125 million, and profit surged by 37%. Meta's Reality Labs reported a loss of .6 billion in Q2, despite million in revenue. Slotbound, a roguelike auto-battler game, achieved 50,000 wishlists and 2,900 peak demo concurrent users. Over 1,000 PC games now operate direct channels, saving developers an estimated billion in platform fees in 2025. GameDiscoverCo’s Steam Fan Snapshot data revealed that the average age of players is 31 for Clair Obscur and 25 for R.E.P.O. 37.5% of respondents find games through short-form video, while 27.9% use traditional media websites. Players of ARC Raiders show a strong preference for the Steam Deck, and as playtime increases, console playtime declines.

AppWizard

May 8, 2026

Arc Raiders studio confirms AI anti-cheat is tracking player behavior

Embark Studios has implemented new anti-cheat measures for Arc Raiders, utilizing machine learning and a kernel-level detection system to identify and eliminate cheating behaviors. The studio emphasizes human review of ban appeals, despite automated processes, to ensure fairness. They are also addressing the misuse of accessibility devices by analyzing gameplay patterns to distinguish between legitimate use and cheating. The studio acknowledges the ongoing refinement of these systems and the importance of human oversight in the appeal process. Additionally, while they have reduced reliance on AI for content creation, they see its application in combating cheating as beneficial for maintaining a fair gaming environment.

AppWizard

May 2, 2026

I’ve used Android Auto for years, and these 5 changes solved my biggest issues

The author has had a positive experience with Android Auto, despite occasional issues like signal loss and erratic responses from Google Assistant. They have customized their Android Auto settings to enhance their driving experience by using Custom Assistants for executing multiple actions with a single tap, streamlining routines for navigation and communication, and managing notifications effectively. They recommend using taskbar widgets for a dynamic screen layout, especially in vehicles with smaller infotainment systems. A significant upgrade noted is the shift from Google Assistant to Gemini. The author also addresses communication challenges with the assistant, suggesting that pressing the steering wheel's call/hang-up button can silence it when needed.

AppWizard

April 23, 2026

Fallout co-creator says non-linear design is all about never assuming how players will act, illustrates his point by fantasising about an NPC guard he seems to really hate

Tim Cain, co-creator of the Fallout series, shared insights on game design in a YouTube video titled Eight Level Design Guidelines, emphasizing the importance of understanding player behavior and intentions. He advocates for non-linear gameplay, warning against making assumptions about player choices and criticizing design documents that enforce linearity. Cain believes that understanding the purpose of game elements is crucial for designers. He also credits his experiences with Dungeons & Dragons, which began in 1979, as a significant influence on his design principles, particularly in storytelling and mechanics.

AppWizard

March 29, 2026

Overwatch reveals that only 32% of players stayed loyal to Winston until the end: ‘You are not to be trusted’

Overwatch's inaugural Conquest event revealed that 32% of participants remained loyal to Winston, 30% pledged loyalty to Talon, and 38% identified as 'sneaky mercenaries' who changed allegiances weekly. Over 250 million challenges were completed during the event, with players able to complete just under 200 challenges without switching sides. The community is characterized by a mix of players: one third are loyal, one third lean towards an emo aesthetic, and one third are considered untrustworthy.

AppWizard

March 25, 2026

Portal writer Erik Wolpaw is “not worried about AI taking over creative writing,” but it could be the straight-faced foil to GTA’s chaos

Erik Wolpaw, known for his work in game writing at Valve, shared insights on generative AI tools during a podcast. He has been experimenting with AI alongside colleagues, emphasizing that this is a personal exploration rather than a Valve initiative. Wolpaw is skeptical about AI's ability to create compelling narratives, stating it is currently ineffective in creative writing. He sees potential for AI to enhance character interactions in games, particularly in real-time responses to player actions, citing Left 4 Dead as an example. He believes AI should improve player experiences rather than serve as a cost-cutting measure. Wolpaw has also experimented with AI-generated voices but finds them inferior to real actors. He acknowledges the dual nature of AI, which can be both creatively destructive and pose existential risks. Wolpaw recognizes the challenges of game development and is realistic about his future in the industry.