strategy Archives

AppWizard

August 2, 2026

Owlcat co-founder says the studio won’t turn its back on hardcore RPGs as it hits 600 employees and preps its own Mass Effect killer

Owlcat Games, co-founded by Alexander Mishulin, has expanded its workforce to around 600 employees, allowing the studio to work on two projects simultaneously. The studio remains committed to the hardcore CRPG genre, with upcoming titles like The Expanse: Osiris Reborn and Warhammer 40K: Dark Heresy. Owlcat's growth positions it competitively alongside other RPG developers, such as Larian Studios and Obsidian Entertainment. The studio was originally founded in Moscow and is now headquartered in Paphos, Cyprus.

AppWizard

August 2, 2026

One of Kerbal Space Program’s biggest inspirations was a promotional Flash game for Top Gear: ‘That was the most similar game to KSP that I could find back then’

Felipe Falanghe began his journey in PC gaming by playing Flight Simulator 4 on his father's laptop, which sparked his interest in modding and game development. In 2010, while at a marketing firm called Squad, he was given the opportunity to create Kerbal Space Program, which became one of PC Gamer's highest-rated games. Currently, he is playing the remastered version of Oblivion and enjoys the first-person shooter BattleBit, as well as Old School RuneScape, which he played back in 2005. He keeps Fragile Allegiance and Full Throttle installed on his system. Falanghe has logged nearly 2,000 hours in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024 combined and considers Flight Sim and Fragile Allegiance as games he will never uninstall. He uses OBS for remote work and OneCommander for file management. His desktop is somewhat cluttered, with a preference for the classic Windows 10-style Start menu.

AppWizard

August 2, 2026

Prolific Team Fortress 2 collector is selling his in-game case arsenal for an estimated $100,000 — 1.7 million items collected over 10 years are enough to fund a house purchase

Vincent Stech has collected over 1.7 million Team Fortress 2 cases across multiple Steam accounts, with an estimated value of 0,000. He began this collection around late 2017 and used automated methods to accumulate the cases while avoiding detection by Valve. Stech holds approximately 17% of all publicly known TF2 cases, making it challenging to sell them without disrupting the market. He has found a buyer for his entire collection, with the transaction in progress and expected to be completed by October. Stech plans to use the proceeds from the sale as a down payment on a house.

AppWizard

August 1, 2026

Halo and Palworld Dethroned by New #1 Best-Selling Steam Game That Is Free for Some

Mistfall Hunter, a dark fantasy extraction action RPG developed by Bellring Games and Skystone Games, has reached the #1 position on the Steam Top Sellers chart, surpassing Palworld and Halo: Campaign Evolved. The game is priced at .99, but is available for .49 until August 10, and is free for PC Game Pass subscribers. It has outperformed other popular titles like Corsair Cove, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Mistfall Hunter has a “Mostly Positive” rating with a 72% approval from 1,526 user reviews, despite some criticism regarding solo content and performance issues. In its first 24 hours, it attracted over 100,000 players.

AppWizard

August 1, 2026

Xbox May Walk Away From Steam, As It Reportedly Prepares PC Strategy Shift Amid 2026 Reset

Xbox is experiencing a challenging period marked by layoffs and studio closures, prompting a reevaluation of its operational strategies. Speculation exists about a potential shift away from Steam for PC gaming, as discussed by Jez Corden on the Xbox Two Podcast. He noted that Microsoft has plans regarding its presence on PC, suggesting a possible reconsideration of its relationship with Steam, although he expressed doubt about the likelihood of abandoning the platform due to financial implications. Additionally, discussions about Xbox's operational changes are linked to the upcoming Xbox Project Helix, which aims to connect console and PC gaming but is expected to be costly. The integration of third-party storefronts could impact Xbox's revenue model, complicating hardware pricing amid rising component costs.

AppWizard

August 1, 2026

XBOX could eventually stop releasing games on Steam

Journalist Jez Corden from Windows Central suggested that Microsoft may be considering a shift in its gaming strategy on PC, potentially moving away from Valve's Steam platform. He indicated that Microsoft has plans that could lead to a withdrawal from Steam, although specifics are not yet clear. Corden mentioned that he would not be surprised if Microsoft ceased support for Steam, but the situation remains fluid. It is uncertain whether any potential withdrawal would affect only upcoming releases or existing titles as well. Microsoft has not announced any formal plans to remove its games from Steam, and a shift away from the platform would represent a significant change in XBOX's publishing strategy, which has typically involved launching first-party games on both Steam and its own ecosystem.

AppWizard

August 1, 2026

Steam gamers have spoken: innovative indies like Palworld continue to thrive while traditional triple-A flounders for a foothold

In 2026, the gaming landscape shows a significant shift, with smaller development teams gaining popularity among PC gamers, while established franchises face challenges. Palworld 1.0 has become a major success, attracting over half a million concurrent players daily, trailing only behind CS2, PUBG, and Dota 2. Other notable releases include Meccha Chameleon, Windrose, Slay the Spire 2, Deltarune Chapter Five, and Mewgenics. In contrast, Halo: Campaign Evolved peaked at just over 25,000 concurrent players, significantly lower than The Master Chief Collection's peak of 161,000 in 2019. Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced reached 104,000 active players, marking its best performance on Steam. The Summer Game Fest highlighted successful titles like Resident Evil Requiem and Forza Horizon 6, while smaller innovative projects like Vampire Crawlers and Super Battle Golf are also gaining attention.

AppWizard

August 1, 2026

Gemini’s new blurred UI is finally reaching Android phones

Google is updating its Gemini AI with a new interface that enhances user interaction on select Pixel and Galaxy smartphones, including the Pixel 10 Pro XL and Galaxy S26 Ultra. The update features a blurred backdrop that separates the Gemini interface from the underlying screen, creating a more immersive experience. This redesign builds on previous updates, which included sleeker icons and Dynamic Color support, and allows for direct interactions within the overlay without needing to switch screens. The rollout is server-side controlled, meaning not all users will receive the update simultaneously, and there is currently no toggle to activate the new design.

AppWizard

August 1, 2026

The games industry’s ‘fear of risk is currently the largest risk it faces’ according to Nuclear Throne’s producer

The video game industry is experiencing increased pressure due to rising budgets and competition, leading publishers like Xbox to favor safer investments and focus on established franchises. This trend has resulted in significant layoffs and studio closures, marking a challenging period for Xbox. At the DevGAMM Madeira Games Summit, Rami Ismail emphasized the need to reintegrate creativity into game development, as the industry's fear of failure stifles innovation and leads to uninspired games. He noted that successful titles like Peak, Balatro, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 thrived due to the authenticity of their creators rather than market trends. The workgroup also highlighted the importance of making early development decisions to avoid wasting resources on unviable projects, citing Sony's struggles with its live-service strategy. Ismail concluded that the industry's fear of risk is its largest risk, as demonstrated by unexpected hits like Meccha Chameleon, which achieved significant revenue.

AppWizard

August 1, 2026

The voice of Lady D and Orin the Red will be back for the next D&D videogame

Baldur's Gate 3 showcases the successful adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons principles into a video game RPG. Wizards of the Coast is developing a new title called Warlock, a third-person action-adventure game inspired by God of War, through its internal studio, Invoke. Maggie Robertson will voice the protagonist's patron, Tasha, who is an archfey and will grant players eldritch abilities. Tricia Helfer is also involved in the game. Gameplay is expected to be revealed at Gamescom, scheduled for August 26–30 in Cologne.