region Archives

AppWizard

June 17, 2025

WhatsApp users will soon need to grapple with in-app ads

Meta is introducing three new advertising features on WhatsApp, ensuring that these ads will not interfere with users' private conversations. Users can avoid advertisements if they prefer to use WhatsApp solely for messaging, as ads will not appear in their inbox. The 'Updates' section, currently operational in the UK, is gaining popularity in other regions despite being described as "not particularly popular." Users will not be able to remove the 'Channels' or 'Updates' buttons, but the WhatsApp team believes this does not negatively affect user experience. Advertising will be personalized based on users' location, language, and interactions with ads and channels, particularly for those linked to Facebook or Instagram.

AppWizard

June 17, 2025

Stellar Blade sold a million units in 3 days on PC and you can mostly thank Chinese players

Stellar Blade has sold over 1 million copies on PC within its first three days and reached the 81st position in Steam's top 100 all-time most-played games with a peak of 192,078 concurrent players. The game's success is largely attributed to its reception in China, where a Chinese dub and regional pricing have boosted sales. The PC version is priced lower than the console version. Reviewer Mollie Taylor rated the game 68%, noting it as a well-optimized PC port but criticized its story and tutorial level. Despite the critiques, she described it as a "decently solid soulslite."

AppWizard

June 16, 2025

Sony Lifts Region Locks on Its PC Games, Including Helldivers 2, The Last of Us, More

Sony has lifted restrictions on its PC game catalogue on Steam, allowing a wider audience to access titles like God of War Ragnarok, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, and The Last of Us Part II Remastered without needing a PlayStation Network (PSN) account. However, some games, including Helldivers 2, Ghost of Tsushima, and Until Dawn, still require a PSN link for gameplay.

Winsage

June 16, 2025

“We’re done” – major government organization slams Microsoft Teams as it drops Windows for good

Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany, is eliminating all Microsoft products from its public offices, with the transition starting in 2023 and concluding by the end of 2025. The state is moving away from Microsoft tools, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams, in favor of open-source alternatives like LibreOffice and Linux-based operating systems. This decision is influenced by the geopolitical climate and aims to achieve greater digital independence while avoiding high licensing fees associated with Microsoft products. The potential savings could reach tens of millions of euros. Neighboring Danish cities, such as Copenhagen and Aarhus, are also considering similar transitions. However, challenges include interoperability issues and the need for employee retraining during the transition.

AppWizard

June 14, 2025

Weekend PC Game Deals: Total War grabs, management freebies, demos to try, and more

The Humble Store has released two bundles: the Narrative Arc collection, which includes Mutazione, Venba, and Frank and Drake, with additional tiers featuring Season: A Letter to the Future, Dustborn, Harold Halibut, and Six Ages 2: Lights Going Out; and the Case and Consequences Collection, which offers Heavy Rain, Song of Farca, Lacuna, and Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments, with a second tier including Murders on the Yangtze River, BROK the InvestiGator, and Between Horizons. Both bundles are available for two weeks. The Epic Games Store is offering Two Point Hospital for free until June 19, coinciding with the launch of The Operator as the next free game. Valve's Steam Next Fest is running until June 16, featuring demos of upcoming games, along with several active free events, including Stardeus, Barony, Hell Let Loose, Construction Simulator, and Towerborne. The Steam Summer Sale is approaching, with significant promotions already launched by various publishers, including a Total War historical sale and early summer promotions from 505 Games. The GOG store is also offering DRM-free discounts across various genres.

AppWizard

June 14, 2025

Sony quietly removes PC sale restrictions in dozens of countries for four huge PlayStation games

Sony has eased regional restrictions on several popular PC games, including God of War Ragnarök, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, and Helldivers 2, as of June 13. The changes were noted on SteamDB, showing a reduction in the number of countries where these games are unavailable, with only the Russian Federation added to the list of restricted sales. This decision follows a backlash from a previous incident involving Helldivers 2, which was removed from sale in 177 countries due to a PSN requirement. Additionally, Sony's president, Hideaki Nishino, mentioned that the company is considering adjustments to the pricing of its PlayStation Plus service to maximize profitability through a dynamic pricing strategy.

AppWizard

June 14, 2025

PlayStation Appears To Be Removing Region Restrictions For Its Games On PC

PlayStation is porting its first-party, console-exclusive games to PC, aiming to expand access to these titles. However, the strategy has faced challenges due to the requirement of linking Steam accounts with PlayStation Network accounts, which has restricted access to certain games in over 100 countries without PSN availability. The release of Helldivers 2 highlighted these accessibility issues, but recent reports indicate that PlayStation is lifting regional restrictions for several titles, including God of War Ragnarok, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, and Helldivers 2. The launch of Days Gone Remastered without regional locks suggests a shift towards a more inclusive approach, potentially ending the era of regional limitations for PlayStation games on PC.

AppWizard

June 13, 2025

I’m glad Sony PlayStation finally got rid of PC game region locks

Sony has begun to reverse its policy of region-locking PC games, allowing titles such as Helldivers 2, God of War Ragnarök, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 to be purchased in previously restricted regions. This change follows backlash against the region locks implemented over a year ago, which had led to negative reactions from players. While many restrictions have been lifted, seven countries—Belarus, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria, and Vietnam—remain blacklisted.

AppWizard

June 13, 2025

Atelier Resleriana Switch, PS5, and PC Game Release Date Set

Koei Tecmo and Gust will release Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist and the White Guardian on September 26, 2025, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC. Pre-orders are available, with a digital early purchase bonus for those who order by October 9, 2025. The game follows Rias Eidreise and Slade Clauslyter in the region of Hallfein, where they investigate the disappearance of its inhabitants. Rias is an alchemist, and Slade uses a Geist Core to navigate alternate dimensions. The early purchase bonus includes two costumes and an Adventuring Charm Set. This game is connected to Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator, which was discontinued in March 2025. The game will also be available on PlayStation 4 in Japan.

AppWizard

June 13, 2025

Sony Removes PC Region Locks for Major PlayStation Games on Steam

Sony has lifted regional restrictions on its popular PlayStation titles for PC, allowing access to games like God of War Ragnarök, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, and Helldivers 2 in many new countries. This change follows the successful launch of Stellar Blade on Steam, which achieved over 183,000 concurrent players. Previously, Sony had region locks that restricted access to significant portions of Africa, Asia, and South America. Some regions, including Russia and Syria, remain restricted.