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Halo and Palworld Dethroned by New #1 Best-Selling Steam Game That Is Free for Some
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.
How do PC player demographics change at 50 hours vs. 30 minutes?
AppWizard
August 1, 2026

How do PC player demographics change at 50 hours vs. 30 minutes?

GameDiscoverCo newsletter has reached 45,000 subscribers. The Video Game History Foundation launched a ‘history of E3’ collection, including an introductory video, vintage footage, and a podcast. Microsoft reported a decline in Xbox revenue for four consecutive quarters, with Content & Services revenue at approximately .75 billion (down 10% year-over-year) and hardware revenue around million (down 13% year-over-year). Asha Sharma noted over 200 million new players joined Xbox in FY2026, but the business did not grow. PlayStation's PS5 sales reached 95.3 million, with a 1.6 million increase for the quarter but a 36% year-over-year decline. Active PSN users rose to 125 million, and profit surged by 37%. Meta's Reality Labs reported a loss of .6 billion in Q2, despite million in revenue. Slotbound, a roguelike auto-battler game, achieved 50,000 wishlists and 2,900 peak demo concurrent users. Over 1,000 PC games now operate direct channels, saving developers an estimated billion in platform fees in 2025. GameDiscoverCo’s Steam Fan Snapshot data revealed that the average age of players is 31 for Clair Obscur and 25 for R.E.P.O. 37.5% of respondents find games through short-form video, while 27.9% use traditional media websites. Players of ARC Raiders show a strong preference for the Steam Deck, and as playtime increases, console playtime declines.
Russian Mobile Carriers Waive Data Fees for State-Backed Max Messenger
AppWizard
July 31, 2026

Russian Mobile Carriers Waive Data Fees for State-Backed Max Messenger

Major mobile carriers in Russia, including MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, and T2, have agreed to zero-rate data usage for the domestic Max messenger, effective August 1. This initiative aims to promote the state-approved platform and discourage the use of foreign messaging apps. Subscribers will have free access to voice calls, messaging, file transfers, and other services within the Max app. Since its launch in spring 2025, Max has been integrated into state digital services and mandated to be pre-installed on all smartphones sold in Russia, resulting in nearly 70 million daily active users. This announcement follows EU sanctions against VK, the app's developer, due to allegations of its connections with the Russian FSB and surveillance capabilities, leading to the removal of VK and Max from Apple and Google app stores.
Halo: Campaign Evolved & Gears of War: E-Day Beta Game Ready Driver Released
AppWizard
July 29, 2026

Halo: Campaign Evolved & Gears of War: E-Day Beta Game Ready Driver Released

Players will experience the origins of Gears of War set fourteen years before the original game, focusing on Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago as they confront the emerging Locust Horde. The game features multiplayer modes, including a reimagined Horde Siege and a refined Versus PvP experience. Developed using Unreal Engine 5 and DirectX 12, Gears of War: E-Day boasts advanced graphical fidelity with MegaLights for ray-traced shadows and Lumen technology for global illumination. It utilizes Nanite for enhanced object detail and includes real-time destruction and volumetric effects. The game is set to release on October 6th, with an Open Beta starting on August 6th for pre-order customers and PC Game Pass subscribers, showcasing features like DLSS Super Resolution and NVIDIA Reflex. GeForce RTX gamers will have access to DLSS 4.5 technologies in the full game.
Gemini gets better memory: smart home update refines automations and more
AppWizard
July 25, 2026

Gemini gets better memory: smart home update refines automations and more

Google is enhancing its smart home ecosystem with updates that include an expansion of Gemini's "conversational memory" to 15 minutes, the debut of Gemini Live on first-generation Home Mini and Nest Hub devices, improved automation guidance, and new smart lock alerts for removed users. Recent updates also introduce Pet Memory for personalized recognition of pets and Suggested Automations to streamline user commands. The early access version of Gemini for Home has received refinements, with Gemini Live being exclusive to Google Home Premium subscribers. The memory capabilities of Gemini now support a broader range of Walmart's Onn cameras, and bug fixes have been implemented for a smoother user experience. The Continued Conversations feature allows Gemini to remember ongoing interactions for a few extra seconds, enabling follow-up commands. Pet Memory allows users to personalize interactions with their pets by using their names.
Kommersant: foreign messaging app audience in Russia grew 26%. Telegram remains among leaders despite being blocked.
AppWizard
July 25, 2026

Kommersant: foreign messaging app audience in Russia grew 26%. Telegram remains among leaders despite being blocked.

The combined audience of foreign messaging applications in Russia increased by 26% in the second quarter of 2026. The Turkish app BiP experienced a 120% increase in unique users, totaling 4.3 million, while KakaoTalk grew by 80%, reaching nearly 1.3 million users. The American app imo remains the leader with 12.2 million users, but its growth was only 1% in the same quarter. Major telecom companies like MegaFon reported a 20% decline in imo usage among their subscribers. Telegram had a monthly audience of 75.7 million, Max messenger had 86.2 million, and WhatsApp had 63.5 million users. Telegram and WhatsApp have faced significant restrictions, leading to a gradual decline in their audience. After calls on Telegram and WhatsApp were banned in August 2025, users began exploring alternative messaging applications, contributing to the rise of lesser-known services.
I completely reimagined my videos with Video Remix in Google Photos — here's how you can, too
AppWizard
July 24, 2026

I completely reimagined my videos with Video Remix in Google Photos — here’s how you can, too

Google has introduced an AI model called Gemini Omni in the Create tab of the Google Photos app, featuring a tool named Video Remix. This allows users to transform 10-second video clips into new creations using various templates. The feature enhances existing content but has limitations, such as not generating remixes for videos with faces of minors. For creating new video content, the Omni model in the Gemini app is preferred, while Video Remix is more convenient for minor modifications. Users can access Video Remix through a subscription to Google AI, and purchasing a Google Pixel 10 Pro includes a complimentary year of Google AI Pro.
Halo: Campaign Evolved is Now Available in Early Access
AppWizard
July 24, 2026

Halo: Campaign Evolved is Now Available in Early Access

Halo: Campaign Evolved, a remake of Halo: Combat Evolved, is in early access on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC. The Premium Edition is priced at .99, with the base game available for Game Pass subscribers. Multiplayer supports up to four players with cross-platform play, and weapon spawns scale with player count. New missions, Operation: Meteorite, feature Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson, set a year before the original game. Visuals are enhanced in 60FPS Performance mode, and gameplay changes include the removal of health kits and the addition of a sprint button and third-person play. This is the first Halo title on PlayStation, with cross-play and cross-progression. The global launch is scheduled for July 28, 2026, with availability on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass at launch.
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