store Archives

AppWizard

August 8, 2026

Epic Games Store saves gamers over $30 with two stellar freebies this weekend

Epic Games Store is offering two free titles this week: Beacon Pines and We Were Here Together. Beacon Pines is a 2022 adventure game originally priced at £16, with an 86 percent positive review rate. It features an interactive story tree that evolves based on player choices, allowing exploration of various paths and unlocking new charms. We Were Here Together is a cooperative escape-adventure game priced at £10, where two players must work together to navigate a post-blizzard landscape and uncover the truth behind Castle Rock. Both games will revert to their original prices after August 13.

BetaBeacon

August 8, 2026

Mastering Sideloading: Safe APK Installation on Android

People reach outside the Play Store to download APKs for emulators, early builds of apps, region-locked releases, modded versions of apps, and apps like betting and casino apps that are restricted by Google's store policies. Google has found that there is over 50 times more malware coming from internet-sideloaded sources than from apps on Google Play. Starting in September 2026, Google will require every developer to verify their identity for apps installed on certified Android devices, including sideloaded apps. To sideload without getting burned, users should pull APKs from reputable sources, match permissions to the job, keep Play Protect switched on, and revoke the "install unknown apps" permission after installation.

Winsage

August 7, 2026

Moving the Microsoft Edge extensions ecosystem forward with Manifest Version 3

In 2020, Microsoft committed to Manifest Version 3 (MV3) for the Chromium extensions platform. As of now, 95% of the top MV2 extensions have transitioned to MV3 in the Edge Add-ons store. Starting in August 2026, Microsoft Edge will begin transitioning consumers away from MV2 extensions, aiming to complete this by the end of 2026, with enterprise deprecation expected in early 2027. Currently, only 58 MV2-based extensions show meaningful usage, and three of these lack an MV3 version. Notifications will be sent to users and developers regarding the transition, and MV2 extensions will gradually be disabled by default. Developers are encouraged to finalize their transition to MV3 and submit updates via Microsoft Partner Center.

AppWizard

August 7, 2026

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is Mixed on Steam as players report poor PC performance, no Linux support, and countries without PSN unable to play

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls has received mixed reviews on Steam, currently holding a "Mixed" rating from 1,565 reviews. Players have reported issues related to the PC port, including the requirement of a PlayStation Network login that limits access in some regions, as well as technical difficulties like micro-stutters and dropped frames during online play. Arc System Works has acknowledged these performance issues and is investigating them. Additionally, the game has faced criticism for being incompatible with Linux systems. Meanwhile, the Marvel franchise remains successful, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day becoming the highest-grossing movie of the year and potentially surpassing the all-time box office record held by Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

AppWizard

August 7, 2026

Roguelike Game with Thousands of Positive Steam Reviews Goes 100% Free on PC Just as Sequel Launch Approaches

Steam is currently offering the action-RPG roguelike game Moonlighter for free from August 5 through August 9, 2026, to celebrate the announcement of its sequel, Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault, which will be released on September 2. Moonlighter, originally launched in 2018, has a 100% discount on Steam, allowing users to claim it permanently. The sequel will be available on multiple platforms, including Steam, and will feature new content and challenges.

AppWizard

August 7, 2026

Fanatical’s Summer Sale Is Live and Features Some Great Deals for PC Gamers, Including Big Discounts on Resident Evil and DOOM

Fanatical has launched its Summer Sale featuring discounts on various PC games, including Resident Evil Requiem, DOOM: The Dark Ages, and Pragmata. The sale includes countdown timers for each deal, with discounts on Resident Evil Requiem expiring in over nine days and DOOM: The Dark Ages available for 13 days. Resident Evil Requiem is priced at .99, while the Premium Edition of DOOM: The Dark Ages has a 71% discount. Alien: Isolation is available at a 73% discount, priced at .99. The sale encourages quick action due to limited time offers.

AppWizard

August 7, 2026

One of the most underrated Ghost Recon games is getting a free next-gen update

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands is receiving a free update for next-generation consoles, now available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. This update enhances the game with 4K resolution at 60 frames per second and reduced loading times. PlayStation 5 users will benefit from DualSense controller features, while Xbox users will have Dolby Atmos support. A new mission titled ‘Last Rites’ will be introduced, set in a darker version of Bolivia. The game will be available for free play from August 6 to August 10, 2026. Initially, it received mixed reviews, with a Metacritic score of 70 from critics and 6.6 from users, but improvements have been made since its troubled launch. Ghost Recon Wildlands is available on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.

AppWizard

August 7, 2026

Ubisoft just made a classic Tom Clancy game free to keep — here’s how to add it to your library before time runs out

Ubisoft is offering Ghost Recon Future Soldier for free on PC from August 6 to August 13 as part of the 25th anniversary celebration of the Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon series. Players can add the game to their Ubisoft Connect library by logging in and navigating to the 'Free games' tab to find the giveaway banner. After clicking the banner, they can select 'Get it now' to add the game to their account for download and play.

AppWizard

August 7, 2026

The best Android weather app you should be using isn’t on the Play Store

Megan Ellis transitioned from basic weather notifications to dedicated weather apps, discovering the benefits of tailored insights. Breezy Weather stands out for its customization features, allowing users to select various data blocks such as precipitation, forecasts, wind data, pollen levels, UV index, and more. The app offers customizable notifications and widgets, enhancing user experience without intrusive ads. Breezy maintains a clean interface, focusing on relevant weather data. However, its alert system has limitations compared to competitors, lacking customizable options for specific weather conditions.

AppWizard

August 7, 2026

The offline messaging apps challenging internet shutdowns

Governments are finding it harder to suppress protests through internet shutdowns due to the use of offline messaging applications. Bitchat, an app launched in 2025 by Jack Dorsey, allows devices to communicate via Bluetooth without internet access and gained popularity during recent student protests in New Delhi amid an internet blackout. The Indian government attempted to block access to Bitchat's source code on GitHub, marking a notable first instance of trying to geoblock an open-source repository. On July 26, Bitchat had 430,000 daily active users in India, with 74% of global downloads occurring in the country from July 20 to July 26. The app has been used in various protests globally, including those in Hong Kong, Myanmar, Nepal, Uganda, Madagascar, and Iran. On July 23, the Indian government ordered GitHub to disable access to three Bitchat repositories in India quickly. Jack Dorsey expressed concerns about the Indian government's stance on Bitchat, while digital rights advocates criticized the government's actions as unnecessary. The repositories remained accessible in India and were mirrored on decentralized platforms, complicating removal efforts. India's government has increasingly scrutinized communication platforms based on their design, imposing restrictions on apps like Telegram and WhatsApp.