release window Archives

AppWizard

September 14, 2025

Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly, which is apparently the good one, is getting remade and coming to PC

Nintendo announced a remake of Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly, set to launch on PC in early 2026. The remake will feature enhanced visuals, audio, and gameplay systems, while retaining the Camera Obscura mechanic. A new feature, 'Holding Hands with Mayu,' will deepen the emotional connection between the main characters. This remake is the first original trilogy title to be released on PC, and Fatal Frame II is considered the scariest installment in the franchise. The series involves confronting ghosts through photography, adding suspense to the gameplay.

AppWizard

September 9, 2025

‘Fixation on the holiday window’ is hurting game publishers, says industry analyst Newzoo

The recent launch of Hollow Knight: Silksong and Borderlands 4 marks the end of the summer lull in gaming, a period typically characterized by fewer high-profile releases. The 2025 Global Games Market Report from Newzoo indicates that the summer months see a decline in major titles, with significant releases clustering around February and October. The report discusses "avoidable cannibalization," where publishers compete for consumer attention during the same timeframe, and notes that excluding blockbuster titles like Elden Ring and Baldur's Gate 3, summer months resemble other times of the year. The report highlights that holiday months are often busier than they seem, with many games launching late in August and a surge in November. It also mentions that big releases in April and May are performing comparably to those in busier months. September has underperformed, likely due to players still engaged with Baldur's Gate 3, affecting Starfield's market performance. Titles released between August and November perform, on average, 34% worse than those launched from February to May, even when excluding hits like Elden Ring and Hogwarts Legacy. Newzoo's analysis divides the year into two phases: a prime release window from September to February and a period of previews and announcements from March to August. The report forecasts a 3.1% year-on-year increase in the global PC player base, reaching 936 million players in 2025, driven by Steam's growth in regions like China and Japan, and notes the rising significance of Gen Alpha in the PC gaming community.

AppWizard

September 2, 2025

Silksong’s onslaught claims another head—Dorfromantik team’s next game gets punted to escape the ‘hype-supernova’: ‘Both games deserve their moment to shine’

Toukana Interactive has postponed the early access launch of their game Star Birds from September 4 to September 10. Brian Kwek, a representative from Toukana Interactive, explained that even a brief delay can significantly impact a game's visibility in a crowded marketplace. The decision aims to refine their product and provide a clearer path for other titles competing for attention during this busy release window.

AppWizard

August 22, 2025

One of Elden Ring’s upcoming new starter classes is a freakishly strong jock with an intelligence score so low, they probably can’t read, but the hardcore PvP kiddies are going ga-ga for them

Bandai Namco has revealed details about a new starter class in Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, designed for strength builds with strong spellcasting stats, making it suitable for competitive PvP. This class, a heavy tank knight, features impressive starting stats and equipment, including a new curved greatsword and the DLC Milady light greatsword, but does not carry a shield. The knight wears heavy black iron armor reminiscent of Tarkus from Dark Souls. Footage showcasing the class has been shared on Bandai Namco's EU TikTok channel. A release window for the Tarnished Edition and its free update for other platforms has not yet been announced.

Winsage

August 14, 2025

I used Microsoft’s elusive ‘Surface Neo’ dual-screen Windows PC — its biggest-ever hardware failure

The Surface Neo was unveiled in October 2019 with a planned release for the holiday season of 2020 but was postponed indefinitely in 2021. It features a design that combines metal, glass, and polycarbonate, with two 9-inch LCD displays at a resolution of 1920x1440. The device is 5.6mm thick and supports multiple usage modes, including dual-screen and laptop configurations. It was designed to work with accessories like the Surface Slim Pen and a magnetic keyboard, although the keyboard has smaller keys and shallow key travel. The Surface Neo is powered by an Intel Lakefield chip, which struggles with performance and thermal throttling. The unfinished Windows 10X operating system showcased potential for multitasking but lacked a robust selection of applications. Ultimately, the Surface Neo represents a missed opportunity in the tech landscape.

AppWizard

July 31, 2025

This freaky Lovecraftian horror FPS is coming to Xbox and PS5, with a demo on Steam now — the devs said “you never know” about Game Pass, too

Beneath is an upcoming survival horror first-person shooter set to launch in 2025 on Xbox, PS5, and PC, developed by Camel 101 and published by Wired Productions. The game combines stealth mechanics and ammunition scarcity similar to Metro with intense combat and supernatural elements akin to F.E.A.R. It features Lovecraftian themes and is set primarily near, on, or beneath the ocean. Players will assume the role of Noah Quinn, an experienced diver facing nightmarish creatures and an ancient evil while trying to protect his daughter and humanity. The game includes adaptive AI enemies and limited ammunition, requiring players to strategize and use stealth. A free-to-play demo is available on Steam until August 4, 2025.

AppWizard

July 19, 2025

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake will launch ‘very soon,’ Ubisoft exec says, but he also namedropped Splinter Cell for no apparent reason so maybe he’s still just messing with us

Five years have passed since the initial leak of the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake. Ubisoft has not provided concrete updates on the remake or Splinter Cell during its recent Annual General Meeting. Chief Financial Officer Frederick Duguet indicated that the Sands of Time Remake is slated for release in Ubisoft's 2026 fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2026, with speculation suggesting a potential holiday 2025 release.

AppWizard

July 11, 2025

Zero Caliber 2 Highlights PC VR Upgrades And Launch Window

XREAL Games unveiled new gameplay footage for Zero Caliber 2 during the UploadVR Summer Showcase and announced a projected release window for its PC VR version on Steam, set for Q3 2025. The game, initially launched on Quest, is being adapted for PC VR with enhancements including advanced enemy AI, improved ragdoll physics, dynamic shadows, enhanced explosion and weapon effects, refined environments and lighting, and smoother vehicle animations. Several missions are being rebuilt, and character models are receiving further refinement. Additionally, Zero Caliber 1 is targeting a Q3 2025 launch on PlayStation VR2, with plans for Zero Caliber 2 on the same platform contingent on the performance of Zero Caliber VR. Currently, Zero Caliber 2 is available on Quest.

AppWizard

June 11, 2025

After a weekend packed with game reveals, I can’t stop thinking about Clockwork Revolution’s time-traveling shenanigans

Clockwork Revolution is a steampunk RPG shooter developed by inXile Entertainment, known for titles like Wasteland 3 and Torment: Tides of Numenera. The game features a blend of humor and innovative gameplay mechanics, set in a visually striking steampunk world. The release window is unspecified, but excitement is high among gamers and industry watchers.

AppWizard

June 9, 2025

Star Trek Beyond writer Jung to helm Mass Effect show

Doug Jung has been appointed as the head writer and showrunner for the upcoming Mass Effect TV series. He will also serve as an executive producer alongside Dan Casey and Michael Gamble. Amazon Studios announced the greenlighting of the series in November 2024, but no official release window has been provided.