RAW Archives

AppWizard

April 29, 2025

Devs lament Oblivion Remastered’s surprise release as Todd Howard eats their lunch: ‘I noticed a complete stop in game sales from about 2 pm onward on Oblivion day’

Launching a video game is complex and challenging, especially for indie developers competing against major titles like GTA 6. Bethesda's announcement of Oblivion Remastered negatively impacted smaller developers, as its release on April 22 coincided with the launch of indie games like Post Trauma and Starless Abyss, leading to visibility issues. Developers reported significant revenue drops; Brian Bucklew estimated a 10-20% decrease in daily revenue, while Francisco González experienced a complete halt in sales after Oblivion's launch. This pattern of major releases overshadowing smaller games has been observed previously, such as with Monster Hunter Wilds in March.

BetaBeacon

April 26, 2025

Download PUBG Mobile (free) for Windows, Android and iOS

PUBG provides a complete gaming experience with uncertain challenges in each match, focusing on tactical gameplay and survival mechanics.

AppWizard

April 24, 2025

White Knuckle is a grimy, Buckshot Roulette-looking game about fast-climbing your way out of industrial hell, and I can’t put its demo down

The game "White Knuckle" features players embodying a character with only their hands, navigating upward by moving from one handhold to another. The gameplay is designed to be both intricate and simple, providing a sense of accomplishment while avoiding frustration. Players receive messages of encouragement and caution every 50 meters climbed, reminding them of the risks involved. The game offers a raw and unfiltered experience of climbing, challenging players to confront their fears and embrace the chaos of ascent.

AppWizard

April 23, 2025

PC Action Games Market Size and Outlook by Application, Type, and Geographic Scope

The global PC Action Games market is expected to grow significantly from 2025 to 2032, driven by increased demand for interactive entertainment, particularly among younger audiences, and advancements in technology. Key factors contributing to this growth include the popularity of competitive action games, improved gaming equipment, faster internet, and the rise of digital distribution platforms. Challenges include high initial investment costs, regulatory complexities, supply chain disruptions, market saturation in developed regions, and intense competition. Emerging trends involve the integration of advanced digital technologies, a focus on sustainability, and a demand for personalized offerings. The competitive landscape features intense rivalry, with companies prioritizing innovation, strategic partnerships, and regional expansion to enhance their market positions.

BetaBeacon

April 18, 2025

The AYANEO Pocket Micro Classic is everything I wanted the Game Boy Micro to be

The AYANEO Pocket Micro Classic is a modern handheld device inspired by the Game Boy Micro, featuring a premium metal body, large shoulder buttons, and a 3.5-inch IPS display perfect for GBA emulation. It runs on Android 13 and is powered by a Helio G99 SoC, allowing it to emulate some PS2 titles. The device is designed for discerning gamers and is priced starting at 9.

AppWizard

April 12, 2025

Weekend PC Game Deals: Showcase offers, Neon bundles, fighting freebies, and more

The Epic Games Store is offering a free copy of River City Girls until April 17, after which Botanicula will be the next free game. Humble has released the Neon Lights game bundle, which includes eight games across three pricing tiers, available for two weeks. Steam is hosting a significant publisher sale from Raw Fury and other discounts. The GOG store has sales on classic titles, indie games, and crafting games, all DRM-free. Availability and pricing may vary by region.

AppWizard

April 8, 2025

Blue Prince is currently the best-reviewed game of 2025

Blue Prince is a highly acclaimed puzzle game, described by Chris Livingston as a creation of "incredible craftsmanship and elegance." It is a run-based room drafter that has captivated players and critics, currently holding the title of the highest-rated game of 2025, surpassing major releases like Monster Hunter Wilds, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and Assassin's Creed Shadows. The game emphasizes knowledge accumulation for progress, with players mastering room placement strategies and uncovering narrative notes. Critics, including Oscar Taylor-Kent and Christian Donlan, praise its ability to weave compelling mysteries and explore relationships with spaces. Tom Marks compares it to celebrated titles like Return of the Obra Dinn and Outer Wilds, highlighting its rich narrative and patient delivery of lore.

AppWizard

April 7, 2025

Blue Prince review

Blue Prince is a first-person puzzle strategy adventure game set in a mysterious mansion, developed by Dogubomb and published by Raw Fury. It is played on Intel i7 9700K, RTX 4070 Ti, and 16GB RAM, and does not feature multiplayer. The game involves exploring 45 rooms to uncover a hidden 46th room, with players drafting room cards that affect their experience. Each room has unique attributes, and players must collect resources like keys, gems, and coins to progress. The gameplay includes strategic planning with a limit of 50 steps per day, and puzzles that require note-taking and connecting clues across sessions. Players can make permanent changes to the mansion, enhancing their experience and creating a personalized environment. The game balances luck and strategy, rewarding players for their dedication and ingenuity.

Winsage

April 7, 2025

I set out to see if the Razer Blade 16’s redesign, AMD, and RTX 50-series put the laptop back on top

The Razer Blade 16 (2025) starts at a price of ,999.99 and features an AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti graphics, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage. The fully upgraded version costs ,899.99 and includes a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, RTX 5090 graphics, 64GB of RAM, and 4TB of SSD storage. The laptop is approximately 21-32% thinner and 13% lighter than its predecessor, with a CNC-milled unibody aluminum chassis. It has a 16-inch OLED display with QHD+ resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate. The Blade 16 features five USB ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a full-sized SD card slot. Battery life is limited, draining significantly in one hour of standard usage, and performance throttling occurs when unplugged. The keyboard has been redesigned for deeper key travel, while the touchpad has issues with palm rejection. It includes a FHD webcam, dual-array microphones, and a six-speaker system with THX Spatial Audio, along with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity.

Tech Optimizer

April 1, 2025

Crunchy Data Warehouse, a Modern Postgres Analytics Platform for the Hybrid Cloud

Crunchy Data has released an optimized version of its Crunchy Data Warehouse for Kubernetes, integrating Postgres-native Apache Iceberg for enhanced analytics. This version supports both analytical and operational workloads by combining traditional Postgres tables with transactional Iceberg tables. Key features include managed Iceberg tables in PostgreSQL, high-performance analytics through DuckDB integration, the ability to query raw data files in S3, flexible data import/export options, and seamless integration with various analytics tools. The system is designed to be developer-friendly and supports automated, scalable deployments across different infrastructures.