popularity Archives

AppWizard

August 23, 2026

This newly announced soulslike has a main character inspired by Dark Souls’ most heartbreaking boss fight

Parry Frames Studio has announced their new project, Stray Dog: Nobody Cares, inspired by the Dark Souls series. The game features a four-legged protagonist, a devoted hound on a quest to rescue its captured master in a dark fantasy realm. It will include a combat system with multiple styles for parrying, backstabbing, and executing deathblows, along with stealth elements. The game gained unexpected popularity on social media after early test footage was released. Parry Frames' previous title, Crimson Oath, was released earlier this year and received a 'very positive' rating on Steam. The development of Stray Dog's combat framework is complete, but the release timeline is uncertain.

AppWizard

August 23, 2026

Nintendo Switch eShop charts – August 22, 2026 – Tomodachi Life, Smash Bros., and Minecraft

The Nintendo Switch eShop charts for the week of August 22, 2026, show the following top-selling games: 1. Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream 2. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 3. Minecraft The complete list of top-selling games includes: - Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Super Mario Party Jamboree - Pokemon FireRed - Nintendo Switch Sports - Rhythm Heaven Groove - Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Pokemon Legends: Z-A - Persona 5 Royal - Pokemon Legends: Arceus - GTA: The Trilogy - Pokemon LeafGreen - Super Mario Bros. Wonder - Super Mario Odyssey - Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury - Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe - Pokemon Violet - Stardew Valley - Splatoon 3 - Mario Party Superstars - Stray - Deltarune - Pokemon Scarlet - Pokemon Brilliant Diamond - Moonlight Peaks Download-only titles include: - Pokemon FireRed - Pokemon LeafGreen - Stardew Valley - Deltarune - Moonlight Peaks - Wobbly Life - The Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition - Disney Dreamlight Valley - Super Mario Galaxy 2 - The Oregon Trail - Super Mario Galaxy - Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game - Moss: The Forgotten Relic - Is This Seat Taken - Sonic Origins - Sally Face - The Jackbox Party Pack 3 - Date Everything - Grounded - Hollow Knight - Tiny Bookshop - Terraria - Hollow Knight: Silksong - Outer Wilds - Minecraft Dungeons - Kynseed - Hades - SpongeBob SquarePants: Krusty Cook-Off - Dispatch - Backyard Baseball Updates on the Nintendo eShop charts for both Switch 1 and Switch 2 are available.

AppWizard

August 22, 2026

What Is The ‘La Peace’ Meme? The Viral Kai Cenat And IShowSpeed ‘Minecraft’ Memes Explained

A recent Minecraft livestream featuring Twitch streamer Kai Cenat and YouTuber IShowSpeed led to the creation of the "la peace" meme, stemming from Cenat's mispronunciation of "lapis" during a moment of confusion over finding diamonds. This exchange occurred on August 16, 2026, and has inspired a variety of memes depicting Cenat as a wise monk, often incorporating philosophical themes. The meme has gained popularity on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, showcasing the playful nature of the miscommunication.

AppWizard

August 21, 2026

2 Steam top sellers, 2 simultaneous betas, 2 very different shooters: It’s Wardogs & Modern Warfare weekend

Two highly-anticipated military first-person shooter titles, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 and Wardogs, are offering beta access to pre-order customers. Call of Duty is currently leading sales on Steam, while Wardogs has over one million wishlists and is gaining popularity. Wardogs features a short time-to-kill mechanic, expansive maps, and aims to balance realism with accessibility. The game is designed to attract fans of mainstream shooters and battle royales. The pre-order price is set, and players are encouraged to request refunds if the beta does not meet expectations. Over 87,000 participants are currently facing server issues due to high interest.

AppWizard

August 21, 2026

PS5, Xbox, and PC AAA launch to shutdown after less than 1 year as mass community outrage ensues

Riot Games announced that support for its game 2XKO will conclude in December 2026, although servers will remain operational. A final update will introduce two new champions and address existing bugs, with refunds for any purchases made. The decision has sparked backlash from the community, with criticisms aimed at the company's focus on immediate profitability and a history of discontinuing projects. 2XKO joins other canceled titles like Hytale and 'Project F'. The upcoming MMORPG set in the League of Legends universe is scheduled for release in 2028 after being rebooted in 2024, but concerns about its potential fate persist.

AppWizard

August 20, 2026

Pretty Cool Games Launches As New Studio From “Human: Fall Flat” Devs

Sitara Shefta and Will Dudley have launched Pretty Cool Games, a remote indie studio in the UK, with funding from Coreblazer, the investment arm of HyperGryph. The studio is developing its first project, a double-A, physics-based game focused on gameplay. The game draws inspiration from Nintendo, Hazelight, Disney theme parks, and classic physical comedy films. Despite challenges in the gaming industry, Pretty Cool Games is optimistic about the demand for innovative gaming experiences. The studio aims to create highly entertaining PC and console games, emphasizing creativity and quality, with a team experienced in developing successful titles.

Tech Optimizer

August 19, 2026

Postgres pioneer credits Oracle with helping his database take over the world

Michael Stonebraker, the creator of PostgreSQL, noted that Oracle's acquisition of MySQL inadvertently boosted PostgreSQL's prominence among major tech companies like Microsoft, AWS, and Google. PostgreSQL, which originated from Stonebraker's earlier Postgres system proposed in 1986, celebrated its 30th anniversary this summer. Its popularity surged over the past five years, becoming the preferred database among developers in 2023, as per a Stack Overflow survey. Microsoft has launched a distributed PostgreSQL database service to compete with other offerings. Stonebraker highlighted the extensive adoption of PostgreSQL's wire format by major companies, contrasting it with MySQL's declining competitiveness since Oracle's acquisition in 2010. He expressed gratitude towards Oracle for prompting users to consider PostgreSQL as an alternative, emphasizing its open-source nature and community-driven control. Stonebraker has founded several database companies and co-founded DBOS three years ago, which has pivoted towards AI agents and partnerships with Databricks and CockroachDB.

AppWizard

August 19, 2026

Sony reportedly reverses course on live service co-op Horizon game after ‘negative player feedback’

Guerilla Games is rethinking their live service co-op game, Horizon Hunters Gathering, due to negative feedback from playtests. The game will shift from a live service model to a more traditional co-op format focused on storytelling. Sony has set a deadline for the team to present a milestone by December, or the project may be canceled. Many developers have been reassigned to other projects, with a smaller group working on the next single-player Horizon installment. Sony is moving away from live service games, with only Helldivers 2 and MLB The Show performing well. The future of another live service game, Fairgames, is uncertain due to development challenges.

Winsage

August 17, 2026

One of the biggest Linux distros is growing faster thanks to WSL for Windows 11 than it is its own desktop

The growth of Ubuntu on the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is outpacing traditional desktop usage, with expectations that the number of Ubuntu users on WSL will soon surpass those using it natively. Jon Seagar, VP of Engineering at Canonical, noted that the growth in WSL numbers is significantly higher than that of desktop usage. WSL allows users to run Linux applications seamlessly within the Windows 11 environment, and Microsoft continues to enhance WSL with new features like WSL Containers.

AppWizard

August 17, 2026

Steam Week in Review: Here are the 32 Steam games brave enough to release on GTA 6 day

Lord of Undead is a third-person RPG where players build an army of zombies to destroy villages, scheduled for release on November 19. It is the second most anticipated game of the day, with 2,649 follows on Steam, surpassing Parry Survivor's 2,062 follows. Unlike GTA 6, Lord of Undead will be available on PC. Parry Survivor features an anime character defending against foes and has received positive reviews. Other games generating interest include Cute Country with 736 follows, Phantom Vice Auto with 123 follows, and Man Simulator with 9 follows. Over 30 new titles are set to debut in the gaming industry.