players Archives

AppWizard

July 19, 2026

Claim two more free PC games on the Epic Games Store before they’re gone

The Epic Games Store is offering two free titles for the week: Echo Generation: Midnight Edition and Luto, available until July 23. Echo Generation is a turn-based adventure set in the 1990s, featuring a group of young adventurers exploring mysteries in their hometown, enhanced with quality-of-life upgrades in its Midnight Edition. Luto is a first-person psychological horror game that focuses on atmospheric storytelling and environmental puzzles, exploring themes like anxiety and grief. Once claimed, these titles will remain in the user's Epic Games library permanently. After this promotion, the next free game will be Foretales.

AppWizard

July 19, 2026

EA believes that planning for in-game advertising placement should be done during the development stage

Alexander Dao, Vice President of Advertising and Sponsorship at Electronic Arts (EA), discussed the strategic integration of advertising in console and PC games, emphasizing that planning for advertising from the outset can enhance monetization potential. He noted that when advertising is integrated into game design from the beginning, it feels more organic and allows for greater flexibility with brands. Dao mentioned that the ease of embedding advertising varies by genre, with sports games being more conducive to it. He cited the partnership between The Sims 4 and Coach as a successful example of brand collaboration. Additionally, he highlighted EA's launch of EA Advertising, a platform aimed at facilitating brand advertising within its games.

AppWizard

July 19, 2026

Weekend PC Game Deals: Satisfactory, Space Marine 2, Assassin’s Creed, and more

The Epic Games Store is offering two free PC games: Echo Generation and Luto, available until July 23, when Foretales will be the next free game. Humble has released three new game bundles: the Liminal Spaces bundle featuring titles related to the Backrooms genre, the Humble Handhelds Bundle including Children of Morta and Amid Evil, and the 2K Megahits Bundle with popular games like BioShock Infinite and Borderlands 3. The GOG store is also providing DRM-free discounts. Availability and pricing may vary by region.

AppWizard

July 19, 2026

Get 15 games for $15 in Humble’s 2K Megahits bundle, including Bioshock Infinite, Risk of Rain 2, and one of my favourite shooters of all time

2K and Humble have launched a 2026 'Megahits' bundle featuring 15 games for a minimum price, with notable titles including Risk of Rain 2, Borderlands 3, Mafia 2, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Homeworld: Remastered Collection, Bioshock Infinite, Tales from The Borderlands, The Quarry, Hidden and Dangerous 1 and 2, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour, Tribes of Midgard, The Darkness 2, and Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition. The bundle has a combined value of , and a portion of the proceeds will support Covenant House, a charity for homeless and trafficked youth in North and South America.

AppWizard

July 19, 2026

RTS IS BACK! The Best Upcoming Real-Time Strategy (RTS) Games of 2026-2027

The real-time strategy (RTS) genre, which thrived in the late 90s and early 2000s, experienced a decline from the late 2000s until around 2015 but is expected to make a comeback in 2026 and 2027. Anticipated titles include Stronghold 4, ZeroSpace, D.O.R.F., Dawn of War IV, and Total War: Warhammer 40,000. Bergfried, developed by Quid Pro Games, is a medieval strategy game that combines castle-building mechanics, town management, and real-time combat, with a unique grid reflecting European castle shapes. Panzer Strike, by ISAK Team, aims to recapture the essence of late 90s RTS games and is set for release in Q3 2026. Falling Frontier, a procedurally generated space RTS, is highly wishlisted on Steam and promises detailed ship combat. Chronicles: Medieval, releasing in 2026, offers a sandbox strategy experience during the Hundred Years’ War, blending free-roaming gameplay with large-scale battles. Dinolords, developed by Northplay, features a medieval world with armored dinosaurs and allows players to control dinosaur-riding Lords, presenting a unique twist on traditional RTS gameplay.

AppWizard

July 19, 2026

Grab a free Steam game full of misery and decision-making for a limited time

The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante, released on Steam in 2021, is a text-heavy narrative RPG focused on complex decision-making within the Blessed Arknian Empire. Players assume the role of Sir Brante, facing choices that have significant consequences throughout a narrative filled with struggle and sacrifice. A promotional event for the upcoming game, The Life and Suffering of Prince Jerian, is currently running on Steam until July 23, 2023, featuring themes of political intrigue and royal complexity.

AppWizard

July 19, 2026

Is Minecraft down? Thousands report issues with ‘authentication server’ amid widespread outages

On Saturday afternoon, a disruption affected thousands of Minecraft users, with reports indicating that nearly 3,000 users in the United States experienced issues logging in due to authentication servers being down. The outage began around 10:37 AM EDT, with over 2,100 users reporting problems by 11:07 AM EDT, and the number of reports increasing to 3,318 by 11:37 AM EDT. Players have expressed frustration as they are unable to access the game, and they are awaiting updates from Mojang Studios regarding the resolution of the issues.

AppWizard

July 18, 2026

Valve reassures Team Fortress 2 players that it’s still working on the Mann vs Machine update it announced last year: ‘We promise we’re making progress’

Valve has provided an update on the long-awaited Mann vs. Machine mode for Team Fortress 2, acknowledging the delay since the initial call for community submissions in June of last year. The fictional deadline of August 27 has passed without further communication until now. Valve humorously stated, "We're still working on the MvM update." Despite infrequent major updates, Team Fortress 2 has seen increased player engagement following a significant update in 2023, and a recent update introduced new community maps, cosmetics, and taunts, along with smaller patches for bug fixes.

AppWizard

July 18, 2026

GTA 3 and Vice City are now playable inside San Andreas — a mod lets you revisit Liberty City and Vice City without leaving San Andreas

A modder named DryxioGTA has created a modification that enables players to play Grand Theft Auto III (GTA 3) and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (GTA VC) as mini-games within Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (GTA SA). This mod was demonstrated in a YouTube video, showing it running on a Windows virtual machine while on macOS. Players can interact with a television screen in GTA SA to launch either GTA VC or GTA 3. Additionally, DryxioGTA showcased the ability to run GTA Vice City within GTA 3 while still navigating through GTA SA. The release of GTA 6 is anticipated on November 19, following several delays.

AppWizard

July 18, 2026

The toughest choices in PC games

PC gaming has explored moral dilemmas since 1985 with Ultima 4, which introduced a moral compass for players. The genre expanded in 2003 with Knights of the Old Republic, emphasizing light versus dark choices. Fable presented morality as whimsical, while BioShock's choices lacked depth due to enticing rewards for "good" actions. The ending of Far Cry 3 confused players rather than provoking deep thought. In The Walking Dead, players must protect refugees and make critical decisions during a siege, affecting character fates. Dishonored presents chaos where high chaos leads to grim realities, while alternative choices can also have disturbing consequences. Mass Effect 2 challenges players with the fate of the heretic geth, balancing noble actions against future threats. The Witcher 3 features a decision in the Whispering Hillock quest where Geralt must choose between killing a tree spirit or freeing it, impacting many lives. Batman: The Telltale Series allows players to shape Bruce Wayne's early interactions with villains, affecting future relationships. Dragon Age: Origins places players in political turmoil, deciding between supporting different leaders, each with significant consequences. Frostpunk presents a moral dilemma regarding child labor laws, weighing the innocence of youth against community survival. Fallout 3 features Harold, where players must decide between granting him peace or keeping him alive for potential future benefits, highlighting moral ambiguity in a post-apocalyptic setting.