player interest Archives

AppWizard

December 3, 2025

Destiny 2 Renegades results in a generous surge on Steam, but even Star Wars mania can’t bring back the highs of my favorite FPS

The latest chapter of Destiny 2, the Edge of Fate expansion released in June, has led to player discontent and a significant exodus from the game. In contrast, the Star Wars-themed expansion, Destiny 2 Renegades, launched on December 2, has seen a resurgence in player interest, with a peak of 71,278 concurrent players recorded on its debut day. This figure, however, is below the over 100,000 players achieved by Edge of Fate and trails behind previous expansions like the Witch Queen, Lightfall, and The Final Shape, which surpassed 290,000 players. Player feedback on Renegades has been mixed, with a Steam user score of 59%, categorized as 'mixed,' and some complaints about microtransactions. Despite this, early impressions have praised the new buildcrafting features, narrative quality, and cinematic cutscenes.

AppWizard

November 30, 2025

MindsEye developer offers a starter pack that lets you try the beleaguered action game’s best mission for free, though you should imagine air-quotes the size of skyscrapers around the word ‘best’

MindsEye, developed by Build A Rocket Boy, launched on Steam five months ago with numerous issues, including a convoluted narrative, poor combat mechanics, and technical glitches, leading to overwhelmingly negative reception. Leslie Benzies, the studio's head, blamed 'saboteurs' for the game's shortcomings amid over a hundred layoffs and concerns about mismanagement. A recent patch was released to improve performance, AI, animation, and combat. Build A Rocket Boy introduced a "free starter pack" that includes the seventh campaign mission, "Robin Hood," which features stealth, a car chase, and a street gunfight. The starter pack also contains 14 Arcadia missions, though past experiences with these missions have been unfavorable. Regular updates are promised for the free starter pack, allowing players to experience the game without financial commitment.

AppWizard

November 27, 2025

Dispatch dev was “heartbroken” that you thought Blonde Blazer was a villain, and they found your Shroud theories “very funny”

Enthusiasts have engaged in discussions about the game Dispatch, particularly focusing on its romance options, Blonde Blazer and Invisigal. After episode two, a significant backlash against Blazer emerged when it was revealed she was in a relationship with another character, Phenomaman. Players who had chosen to kiss her faced a dilemma, leading to criticism of Blazer's intentions, which surprised the developers at AdHoc Studios. Creative director Dennis Lenart expressed disappointment over the backlash, stating that Blazer was intended to be a pure-hearted character. The episodic format of Dispatch has successfully increased player engagement, with peak concurrent users on Steam nearly doubling with each episode, ultimately surpassing 220,000 players. AdHoc Studios faced skepticism about the episodic format but believed in its potential, aiming to minimize wait times between episodes to maintain player interest. The game has fostered community engagement and speculation, with players developing theories about the narrative.

AppWizard

November 26, 2025

Opinion: No, The Novelty of PlayStation Games on PC Has Not Worn Off

Alinea Analytics analyzed the performance of PlayStation games on PC, suggesting that the novelty of these titles has faded and that all major franchises have already been released on the platform. However, several significant titles, including Gran Turismo 7, Demon’s Souls, Bloodborne, The Last of Us Part II, and The Order: 1886, are still not available on PC. Many PC gamers also own PlayStation consoles and prefer to buy games for immediate access rather than waiting for PC ports. The quality of PC ports has been inconsistent, with some titles facing backlash due to technical issues, while others have been successful. The requirement for a PSN account to access certain games created barriers for players in regions without PSN, affecting sales. Long wait times for PC releases and the temptation of piracy also impact game performance on Steam. Despite misconceptions, single-player games can succeed on PC, as evidenced by titles like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Hades. The discussion around PlayStation games on PC is more about strategic release decisions and quality rather than a decline in novelty.

AppWizard

November 24, 2025

Escape from Tarkov director says the launch week’s wobbles were ‘actual stress testing not only of our servers but also our mind and nerves’

On November 15, Escape From Tarkov launched on Steam after an eight-year beta phase. The launch faced login issues due to high demand, leading to server difficulties acknowledged by developer Battlestate Games. This resulted in review bombing from frustrated players. Nikita Buyanov, the director and COO of Battlestate, commented on the situation, expressing gratitude for player enjoyment despite the challenges. The game's intense gameplay and immersive environments continue to attract players, highlighting its enduring appeal.

AppWizard

November 23, 2025

5 months after launch, cooperative shooter FBC Firebreak finally has integrated voice chat, but its Vampire Survivors-style wave mode is delayed until next year

Remedy Entertainment has introduced cross-platform voice chat in its cooperative shooter, FBC: Firebreak, after receiving criticism for the lack of this feature since its launch in June. This update allows players to communicate within the game, improving teamwork without relying on third-party applications. Additionally, a new game mode called Endless Shift, inspired by Left 4 Dead and Vampire Survivors, is set to be added. Despite these enhancements, the recent Breakpoint update did not restore player confidence, resulting in a non-cash impairment of €14.9 million for Remedy.

AppWizard

November 14, 2025

Even the developers of Steam fave Deep Rock Galactic feel the heat from this year’s popular multiplayer games: ‘Competition is fierce’

Deep Rock Galactic developer Ghost Ship Games is working on a new game called Rogue Core, set for release next year. The multiplayer gaming market has become highly competitive, with notable competitors like Helldivers 2 and Arc Raiders gaining player interest. Casual games such as Peak and RV There Yet? are also impacting the landscape, while some titles like FBC: Firebreak are struggling. Despite these challenges, Ghost Ship Games aims to maintain the unique identity of Deep Rock Galactic and cater to both dedicated fans and new players.

AppWizard

October 22, 2025

CHARTS: Battlefield 6 holds onto No.1 spot on Steam

Battlefield 6 is the highest-grossing game on Steam for the week ending October 21st, having sold over seven million copies since its launch on October 10th. Counter-Strike 2 holds the second spot, while Arc Raiders has moved up to third place in pre-orders ahead of its release on October 30th. The Steam Deck ranks fourth, followed by Fellowship at fifth and Escape from Duckov at sixth. PUBG: Battlegrounds has climbed to seventh place, EA Sports FC 26 has dropped to eighth, Digimon Story Time Stranger is at ninth, and Ball x Pit rounds out the list at tenth.

AppWizard

October 12, 2025

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Game Review

Sonic Racing CrossWorlds is regarded as the pinnacle of the Sonic racing game franchise, offering a smooth gameplay experience with features such as vehicle customization, a diverse array of vehicles, and a large roster of characters. The game runs seamlessly on PC with minimal load times and maintains sixty frames per second. It includes straightforward mechanics like a drift system, ring collection, and various item categories for strategy. The difficulty curve adjusts based on player performance, enhancing competitiveness. Character interactions are enriched by dialogue from writer Ian Flynn, though some characters lack distinct interactions. The soundtrack features remixes of iconic Sonic tracks, contributing to an engaging audio experience.

AppWizard

October 12, 2025

96%-rated survival sensation eating Half-Life 3’s lunch is far from done, as massive roadmap reveals DLC and free updates

Abiotic Factor has launched a successful 1.0 version and will release a free community update this fall featuring revamped enemy behaviors, a hardcore mode, an 'iron mode', sandbox settings, improved trader mechanics, and armor durability indicators. New additions include exercise equipment for player stats and electricity generation, a battery-charging crate, a wall-mountable item stand, mushroom cultivation, improved weapon reloads, an industrial crossbow, and a hardlight spear. The first paid DLC, 'Temple of Stone', will introduce a new home world inspired by Ancient Greek and Roman architecture. A complimentary Winter Cabin home world and the Holiday Cryosphere update will also be released, featuring new entities and plantable resources. In 2026, a mystery crossover is planned for spring, and a significant story-driven DLC will be released in summer, adding new facility sectors, portal worlds, enemy types, traders, and recipes, along with a free patch introducing multi-quest functionality, boats, a brewing system, improved pets, enhanced fishing mechanics, upgraded enemy behavior, trait presets, and customizable emotes. Developer 'Zag' hinted at boating and fishing features related to the mystery DLC.