storefront Archives

AppWizard

June 9, 2025

Cool Pixel Watch features keep trickling in from the Wear OS 6 dev code

Recent insights from the Wear OS 6 developer preview and an APK teardown have revealed new features for the upcoming Pixel Watch 4, including an Adaptive Charging tool that stops charging at a predetermined percentage (likely around 80%) and a rebranded Water Lock mode. The Pixel Watch 4 may also automatically lock your phone if it is left behind. The official rollout of Wear OS 6 is expected to begin in late summer. Additionally, the update will introduce a new Material 3 Expressive UI, dynamic color theming, and a third-party watch face storefront. The Pixel Watch 4 may be thicker than its predecessor to accommodate a larger battery, enhancing the battery life with the new adaptive charging feature.

AppWizard

May 23, 2025

Rokky acquires ChinaPlay store

PC distribution platform Rokky has acquired the Chinese storefront ChinaPlay. The financial details of the deal are undisclosed. ChinaPlay connects global developers with the Chinese gaming audience, which consists of approximately one million annual users. Rokky's co-founder and CEO, Vadim Andreev, highlighted the challenges global publishers face in accessing China's gaming market, noting that the acquisition aims to provide a direct route to China's 322 million PC gamers. Denis Glukhov, product lead at ChinaPlay, stated that the acquisition will enhance their presence in the Chinese market and improve connections between global publishers and Chinese gamers. Plans include expanding local forum presence, enhancing the loyalty program, and diversifying the catalog of publishers.

Winsage

May 20, 2025

Microsoft Makes Individual Developer Accounts Free Next Month

Microsoft is removing all onboarding fees for individual developers to publish applications on the Microsoft Store, effective next month. This change allows developers to publish without a credit card, making the platform more accessible. Company accounts will still incur a fee, but individual developers can utilize the built-in developer mode on Windows 10, 11, and Xbox consoles to create unsigned applications. The Microsoft Store will also see improvements in discovery, delivery, and user acquisition processes. While developer mode is popular for running emulation software, it remains limited by the deprecated UWP application platform, affecting Xbox console applications.

AppWizard

May 18, 2025

Steam Game Is Free Before It’s Removed Forever

Anything Nose has announced that its game Mouthole will soon be removed from the Steam storefront. Launched on April 1, 2024, Mouthole is an adventure RPG with a 97 percent approval rating based on 87 reviews. The game will transition to a free model before the developer shuts down operations. The studio's upcoming project, Diacritic, has also been canceled, resulting in the removal of its listing and free demo from the platform. The timeline for Mouthole's removal has not been specified.

BetaBeacon

May 6, 2025

8 Android Games Exclusive to Epic Games Store, Not Google Play

Epic Games Store is challenging Google Play Store on Android by offering exclusive games not available on the official Android platform, revolutionizing how Android gamers access and play games.

BetaBeacon

May 2, 2025

Epic Games takes a jab at Apple during victory lap with latest announcement

Epic Games announced two developer-friendly changes to its store: developers will not be charged for their first ,000,000 in revenue per app per year, and they will be able to launch webshops on the Games Store app to avoid in-app purchase fees.

AppWizard

April 30, 2025

Your Android Can Download Fewer Apps Than in 2023, Here’s Why That’s Good

The Google Play Store has seen a decline in available apps, dropping from 3.4 million at the beginning of 2024 to approximately 1.8 million by April, a 47% reduction compared to the end of 2023. In contrast, Apple’s App Store increased its app count from 1.6 million to 1.64 million during the same period. Google has implemented stricter quality control measures, which contributed to the reduction in app numbers, alongside enhanced human review processes and new verification requirements for developers. Despite the overall decrease, there was a 7.1% increase in the release of new apps in April 2025 compared to April 2024.

BetaBeacon

April 30, 2025

One of the most satisfying roguelikes is now free on the Epic Games Store mobile app

Two new free games, Loop Hero and Chuchel, are available on the Epic Games Store mobile app until May 1.

AppWizard

April 26, 2025

Weekend PC Download Deals for Apr. 25: Steam Golden Week sales begin

The gaming community is experiencing excitement during Golden Week with sales and discounts across various platforms. Steam has launched its Golden Week sales, featuring discounts on titles from Capcom and Sega, including a debut discount on Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Valve's storefront is highlighting box-pushing games such as Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure and Lab Rat. Although Xbox is not officially part of Golden Week, Xbox Game Studios is offering a sale with a first-time price reduction on Avowed. Blizzard is hosting its annual Spring Sale with discounts on Avowed, the Diablo 4 Expansion Bundle, and World of Warcraft: The War Within, which includes a 30-day subscription. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is also gaining attention with launch week discounts from various retailers. Humble Bundle is offering a subscription service for .99 per month, providing access to several games including Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered and Dredge, along with additional savings for members. Various tiers of deals are available for games like Doom 64, Doom 3, and Wolfenstein titles.

AppWizard

April 10, 2025

Women in Games and UK tech secretary call out Valve over sexual violence game on Steam

Dr. Marie-Claire Isaaman, CEO of Women in Games, has urged Valve to take action against a game on Steam that has been criticized for its disturbing themes, including incest and sexual violence. The game reportedly encourages players to "claim" their mother after an affair and contains graphic depictions of sexual activities, along with mentions of incest, blackmail, and non-consensual sex. Isaaman expressed that the game promotes themes of rape and misogynistic violence, contributing to the dehumanization of women and girls. She called for the game's removal and stronger content moderation policies from Valve. UK tech secretary Peter Kyle also stated that he expects Valve to remove the controversial title in accordance with legal requirements.