skies Archives

AppWizard

January 16, 2026

Hopes for an eventual Anthem private server resurrection ignited as former executive producer says code for running the game locally ‘is there to be salvaged and recovered’

Anthem has officially ended as of approximately 2:05 PM EST on Monday. Former BioWare executive producer Mark Darrah suggested that the technology to run Anthem locally could potentially be revived, depending on third-party developers or EA's involvement. Anthem's architecture relied on a client-server model, requiring players to connect to centralized servers. Reviving the game through private servers would necessitate a deep understanding of its network traffic and mechanics.

AppWizard

January 9, 2026

Everwind devs are testing their ambitious Minecraft-like RPG on Steam Deck as it “makes sense for everyone to be this available”

Everwind is set to launch in late 2026 as an alternative to Minecraft and alongside Hytale. Players will explore floating islands and navigate the skies in airships. The development team is testing the game on Valve’s Steam Deck and other handheld devices, with early builds showing promising performance. They aim to support both handhelds and desktops, emphasizing the importance of PC handhelds in gaming. The team is also testing on the MSI Claw. The Steam Deck is becoming a benchmark for performance standards in the industry, with developers recognizing the benefits of optimizing for it.

AppWizard

January 1, 2026

Designing a more magical survival game: a first look at Witchspire

Witchspire is a co-op open-world survival game developed by the Swedish team Envar, targeting Early Access in 2026. Players assume the roles of witches or wizards who reactivate an ancient monument, the Witchspire, and embark on a quest to return home. The game features an expansive environment with floating islands and diverse biomes, utilizing witchcraft as a gameplay mechanic. Players can build structures through astral projection, gather resources with magical tools, and use collectible familiars for combat and crafting. The game emphasizes a non-punitive progression system, allowing players to explore various biomes and engage in combat with spells and upgradeable gear. The world includes "corruption events" with darker elements, and the narrative unfolds through exploration of ruins and dungeons. Witchspire marks Envar's shift from outsourcing to developing original IPs, with plans to self-publish the game.

AppWizard

January 1, 2026

Minecraft’s 2025 end‑of‑year stats prove the game is still a global phenomenon with numbers most franchises can only dream of

Minecraft has continued to thrive for 15 years, with Mojang Studios sharing a retrospective of 2025 that includes impressive community statistics. Players logging into the Minecraft: Bedrock Edition dressing room can receive a free Inflatable Chicken Suit Character Creator item. The introduction of the copper golem mob resulted in nearly a billion of these creatures spawning, while over 270 million mounts were tamed, with players collectively traversing 335 billion blocks. However, saddles were crafted only 16 million times. Mojang hosted two Minecraft Live events in 2025, the first in March, which revealed the year's first three updates and announced a forthcoming Minecraft movie set for a sequel in 2027. The Spring to Life update enhanced Overworld diversity and quality-of-life improvements, followed by the Vibrant Visuals update for graphics upgrades and the Chase the Skies update for new ghostly mounts. The September event introduced The Copper Age update, and the year ended with the Mounts of Mayhem update, which added new mobs and a new weapon. Mojang also announced a collaboration with King to develop Minecraft Blast, a new mobile game. Changes for 2026 include the removal of code obfuscation for modders and a shift in version numbering.

AppWizard

December 28, 2025

Minecraft’s Best Moments of 2025 video features the origin of Chicken Jockey

Minecraft released a new video celebrating a successful year with its community, showcasing statistics like the number of spears crafted and copper golems created. The video features a CG short story with the chicken jockey character and highlights joyful moments from the year, including the introduction of new mob variants and the Mounts of Mayhem. Minecraft is also offering a complimentary Inflatable Chicken Jockey CC item to players as a token of appreciation for their creativity. To access this item, players need the latest version of Minecraft: Bedrock Edition and access to the Minecraft Marketplace.

AppWizard

December 19, 2025

Steam’s winter sales are here, with incredible discounts on these amazing PC games

The Steam winter sales have started, offering discounts on various games until January 5. Notable offers include: - Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown for .79 (92% off) - Assassin’s Creed Shadows for .99 (50% off) - Avowed for .99 (50% off) - Crusader Kings 3 for .99 (70% off) - Dead Island 2 for .99 (90% off) - Devil May Cry 5 for .49 (75% off) - Doom: The Dark Ages for .99 (50% off) - EA Sports FC 26 for .99 (60% off) - Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves for .79 (67% off) - Forza Horizon 5 for .99 (50% off) - Halo The Master Chief Collection for .99 (75% off) - Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 for .99 (50% off) - Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth for .99 (70% off) - Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii for .99 (60% off) - Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy for .99 (85% off) - Metaphor: ReFantazio for .99 (50% off) - Monster Hunter Stories for .68 (67% off) - NBA 2K26 for .99 (60% off) - Nioh Complete Edition for .99 (90% off) - Resident Evil Village for .99 (75% off) - Silent Hill f for .99 (40% off) - Tekken 8 for .99 (60% off) - Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 +4 for .99 (40% off) - V Rising for .74 (55% off) The sale format has changed this year, with a static catalog of offers instead of daily rotations or flash deals.

AppWizard

December 18, 2025

3 PC Games Now 100% Free on Steam for Limited Time

Three PC titles are currently available for free on Steam for a limited time. Two of these games typically require a purchase, while the third is a new release that will remain free for an extended period. The first two games must be claimed within a specific window to be kept permanently. 1. 100% Orange Juice: Released in 2023, developed by Orange Juice and published by Fruitbat Factory, it has a “Very Positive” rating on Steam with a 94% approval rating from over 8,600 user reviews. It is a digital multiplayer board game featuring characters from Orange Juice’s titles. 2. MINOS: Home A-Labyrinth: Launched on December 17, developed by Articier and published by Devolver Digital, it has received positive initial feedback, with four out of five users expressing positive sentiments. It is a cozy spin-off where players use defenses and traps to protect their labyrinth. 3. Toy Tinker Simulator: Released in 2021 by Turquoise Revival Games, it has a “Mixed” approval rate of 58% from 265 user reviews. Players take on the role of a toy tinker, repairing toys and curating toy museums.

AppWizard

December 16, 2025

Ace Combat 8 will feature custom cloud tech, but not just for prettier skies: ‘I personally am not particularly interested in improved visuals without improved functionality’

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve was unveiled at the Game Awards, marking a significant milestone for the franchise. Series director Kazutoki Kono and producer Manabu Shimomoto highlighted that this installment aims to blend photorealistic combat aircraft with emotional depth. Ace Combat 7 is nearing 7 million units in sales, and Shimomoto hopes Ace Combat 8 will expand the series' reach globally. Kono mentioned that the developers are focusing on three core pillars to enhance gameplay and storytelling for both long-time fans and newcomers.

AppWizard

December 14, 2025

XCOM creator’s spiritual successor strategy game just got a colossal update inspired by its best mod, and it’s 60% off

The Firebird update for Phoenix Point has been released, featuring significant gameplay enhancements and a 60% discount on Steam until December 18, allowing players to purchase the game for .99 / £7.79. The update includes reduced research and construction times, adjustments to resource management, rebalanced Haven Defense missions, refined encounter types, a redesigned manufacturing screen, and rebalancing of all five DLC packs. The development team collaborated with creators of the popular Terror From The Void mod to ensure compatibility with ongoing campaigns.

AppWizard

December 10, 2025

Minecraft Game Drop Adds New Weapon, Mounts, and More

Mojang has released the Mounts of Mayhem update for Minecraft, available for both Bedrock and Java editions. This update follows a new release strategy called game drops, which allows for faster content delivery. In 2025, three game drops have been launched: Spring to Life in March, Chase the Skies in June, and The Copper Age in September.