subscriptions Archives

AppWizard

April 5, 2025

Weekend PC Game Deals: New choices, fresh indie bundles, cat freebie, and more

Humble has released its April Choice bundle featuring eight games: Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered, Dredge, Aliens Dark Descent, 1000XResist, Nova Lands, Diplomacy is Not an Option, Distant Worlds 2, and Nomad Survival, available until May 6. The Epic Games Store is offering Cat Quest II for free until April 10, after which River City Girls will be available. Humble also has standard bundles from indie publishers, including the Fellow Traveler collection and the Armor Games bundle. This weekend features sales on the Devil May Cry franchise and Red Dead Redemption titles, along with various offers on UK-developed games. The GOG store has resumed regular discounts following spring sales.

AppWizard

March 29, 2025

Weekend PC Game Deals: City builder fests, RPG bundles, cat freebies, and more

Humble has launched five new bundles, including the Dice and Destiny bundle featuring Disco Elysium, Pillars of Eternity - Definitive Edition, and Roadwarden at the starting tier price. For a higher tier price, players can access Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Obsidian Edition and Citizen Sleeper, while the final tier includes Broken Roads. The fourth edition of the Boomer Shooters bundle offers seven titles for a single tier price, including Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem and Turbo Overkill. The Epic Games Store is running a Spring Sale mystery giveaway with free games Cat Quest and Neko Ghost, Jump available until April 3. The Steam City Building and Colony Sim Festival features significant discounts, along with various deals from major publishers and indie developers. The GOG store is also holding a spring sale with various highlights. Availability and pricing may vary by region.

Winsage

March 29, 2025

New Windows 11 build makes mandatory Microsoft Account sign-in even more mandatory

Microsoft has released a new Windows Insider build of Windows 11 in its Dev Channel, which includes the removal of the bypassnro command prompt script. This script previously allowed users to bypass the mandatory Microsoft Account sign-in during the setup of new installations. The change is intended to enhance security and user experience, ensuring that all users complete setup with internet connectivity and a Microsoft Account. This decision complicates the setup process for users who prefer local accounts or who lack internet access.

AppWizard

March 25, 2025

Minecraft’s never going free-to-play because as it stands it’s ‘the best deal in the world’

Mojang introduced new sophisticated shaders for Minecraft, set to enhance the visual experience in 2025. The standard "Java and Bedrock" edition of Minecraft is priced at £20, with various deluxe editions, skins, and texture packs available. Two optional subscriptions, Marketplace Pass and Realms Plus, offer additional customization and multiplayer experiences, but the base purchase provides a complete gaming experience. Mojang emphasizes accessibility and a commitment to maintaining the game's core experience without aggressive monetization. A parent noted that Minecraft became the sole game played on their child's Switch after purchasing it for £20. Mojang's representatives confirmed that there is no pressure from Microsoft to explore new monetization strategies. Game director Agnes Larsson highlighted the cultural significance and community ethos of Minecraft. The latest update, "Spring to Life," is available for free and introduces new ambient features, mob variants, and minigames inspired by an upcoming movie adaptation.

AppWizard

March 22, 2025

Weekend PC Game Deals: City building to try, dinosaurs to manage, and heroines to bundle

Humble has launched two gaming bundles: the Humble Heroines Bundle, featuring titles like Pseudoregalia, Thief of Thieves, and Kill the Crows, and a second tier including Control Ultimate Edition, Beyond: Two Souls, Darksiders III, and Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous - Enhanced Edition. Additionally, the Earth Defense Force Collection bundle offers three games and various DLC across three pricing tiers. The Epic Games Store is giving away Jurassic World Evolution 2 for free until March 27, alongside two mystery giveaways. This weekend features a free event for Cities: Skylines, which is available to play for free on Steam. The GOG store has launched a DRM-free spring sale with various highlights. Availability and pricing for these deals may vary by region.

AppWizard

March 19, 2025

Analysts reveal a vast majority of PC gamers are shying away from games released in the last few years

The PC gaming sector has surpassed consoles in popularity, with the number of PC gamers increasing from approximately 873.5 million in 2023 to 907.5 million in 2024, while console players number around 653 million. A report by Newzoo indicates that 92 percent of PC gamers prefer older titles, with 67 percent of player hours in 2024 spent on games released six years ago or more. Popular older PC titles include Counter-Strike: Global Offensive/Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, Roblox, Dota 2, and Fortnite. The report highlights the growing popularity of live service and free-to-play games, which are favored for their revenue generation potential through microtransactions or subscriptions. Newzoo's findings will be presented at the Game Developers Conference, focusing on player engagement and revenue models projected for 2025.

AppWizard

March 19, 2025

Exclusive Liquid Web Webinar: Learn to Resell Minecraft Servers & Claim 4 Free Months of Hosting

26% of players are willing to invest more for superior server hosting in the gaming sector. Liquid Web is hosting a free webinar on March 27th at 2 PM EST titled "How to Start Selling Minecraft Servers," aimed at helping gaming enthusiasts turn their passion into a business. The Minecraft community has over 173 million active players, with one in four willing to invest in enhanced hosting tools to improve performance. Pre-registered attendees will receive four complimentary months of bare metal hosting with an annual plan. The webinar will cover the business opportunity, market potential, technical requirements, reseller process, pricing strategies, and include a Q&A session with experts.

Tech Optimizer

March 17, 2025

F-Secure Internet Security

F-Secure Internet Security provides coverage for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS platforms, but its features are more limited compared to competitors like Bitdefender Total Security and Norton 360 Deluxe. The pricing starts at .99 per year for a single license, with options for up to 25 licenses, making it competitive in the market. F-Secure has received a perfect score of 18 points from AV-Test Institute for malware protection, performance impact, and usability. In testing, F-Secure achieved a malware detection rate of 97% and a phishing detection rate of 94%. The software includes features like banking protection, scam protection, and parental controls, though the latter lacks the depth found in some competitors. The installation process is user-friendly across all platforms, but the macOS, Android, and iOS versions have fewer advanced features compared to other security suites.

AppWizard

March 15, 2025

Weekend PC Game Deals: Retro-inspired bundle, action freebie, and a big spring sale

The Humble Store has launched the Fulqrum Publishing Bundle, featuring seven games across three tiers. The first tier includes "Through the Woods" and "Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones." The second tier adds "Fell Seal: Arbiter's Mark," "Dread Templar," and "WRATH: Aeon of Ruin." The third tier includes "Forgive Me Father" and "Viscerafest." This bundle will be available for three weeks. Additionally, the Epic Games Store is offering a free copy of "Mortal Shell" until March 20, coinciding with the launch of free copies of "Jurassic World Evolution 2." Valve is also running a store-wide promotion on Steam for spring sales. The GOG store is having regular sales with various discounts. Availability and pricing may vary by region.

Winsage

March 13, 2025

Windows Notepad to get AI text summarization in Windows 11

Microsoft is piloting an AI-driven text summarization feature called "Summarize" in Notepad for Windows 11 Insiders using version 11.2501.29.0. Users can summarize selected text by right-clicking or using the shortcut Ctrl + M, with the option to adjust summary length. Access to this feature requires signing in with a Microsoft personal account linked to Microsoft 365 subscriptions. Additionally, Notepad has introduced a "Recent Files" option for reopening recently closed documents. The Snipping Tool has been updated with a "Draw & Hold" feature in version 11.2502.18.0, allowing for precise drawing. Microsoft is also integrating AI functionalities into Notepad, having previously introduced a text rewriting tool called "Rewrite" and other enhancements like a character counter and spell check.