Multiplayer horror games have gained popularity due to platforms like YouTube and Twitch. Recent successful titles include R.E.P.O, Phasmophobia, and Lethal Company, inspiring indie developers to create multiplayer experiences. Digital Cybercherries is developing a game called Don't Scream Together, which combines cooperative gameplay with a found footage horror aesthetic. The game faced challenges at launch, receiving negative reviews primarily due to microphone calibration issues and player confusion about mechanics. Despite this, it sold 100,000 copies within days, with 60,000 on the first day. The developers engaged with the community and addressed feedback, leading to updated reviews from some players. They released a patch to fix audio problems linked to Windows 11 Audio Enhancements and committed to improving microphone calibration. Don't Scream Together is currently available at a 38% discount on Steam until December 10.
Nikita Buyanov, the game director of Escape From Tarkov, has made his voice pack available again through a promotional code after it was initially offered as a free Twitch drop. The voice pack includes custom-recorded lines for the USEC faction in English and the BEAR faction in Russian. Players can unlock the voice pack using the promo code WILWILBE, which is valid for three days and expires on December 3. The Twitch drops campaign has been extended from November 29 to December 20, allowing players to earn exclusive rewards by subscribing to streamers. Rewards include a Hideout customization set, a Twitch logo PMC dogtag, and various items such as a tactical sword and a secure container. Battlestate Games confirmed that no changes have been made to the original rewards.
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 has a 56% lifetime rating on Steam and has sold approximately 121,500 copies, generating around million in net revenue. Paradox Interactive will not develop a sequel, Bloodlines 3, and has written down SEK 355 million on the game's development costs. The game has been criticized for lacking a coherent sequel experience, a compelling narrative, and suffering from technical glitches and chaotic combat mechanics. Paradox's CEO acknowledged miscalculations in sales expectations, stating the game is outside their core areas. Despite setbacks, two DLCs, Loose Cannon and The Flower and The Flame, are planned for release in 2026. The World of Darkness franchise has struggled with recent video game adaptations, with few achieving notable success.
Microsoft introduced a new feature called "Digital Signage Mode" in Windows 11, which allows blue screens of death (BSOD) to be displayed for only 15 seconds before disappearing automatically. This feature is designed for public displays that may not have on-site IT support, ensuring that no Windows screens or error dialogs are shown. Digital Signage Mode is different from Kiosk Mode, which restricts Windows to a single application and is typically used in enterprise environments.
Escape From Tarkov has achieved significant success without major digital storefronts like Steam and has established the extraction shooter genre. Its Steam debut coincides with the game's 1.0 release, leading to hundreds of connection issue reports per hour on Downdetector. This has resulted in a "Mixed" rating on Steam, with players expressing frustration over technical difficulties. The developers have acknowledged these issues and are working to stabilize the servers. Players have reported being unable to create accounts due to website maintenance and have encountered various error codes. Despite these challenges, Escape From Tarkov is currently the second best-selling game on Steam, with around 19,000 concurrent players.
Bethesda has launched a Creations Bundle for Fallout 4 to commemorate its tenth anniversary, featuring 150 player-created items priced at £17.99. The bundle has received a "Mostly Negative" rating on Steam, with 124 reviews indicating player dissatisfaction with pricing and content, which appears to be a repackaging of previously available items. Players have reported new bugs, severe crashes when exiting the game, and connectivity issues with the Bethesda store. Some users noted that not all advertised creations are included in the bundle, and the newly added Creations menu has been problematic. This situation is reminiscent of the troubled launch of Skyrim: Anniversary Edition, which still holds a Mixed rating on Steam. Additionally, issues from last year's Next Gen upgrade of Fallout 4 have resurfaced, causing further disruption.
On Wednesday, a significant outage affected Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Minecraft, coinciding with disruptions in Microsoft Azure. Users globally reported difficulties accessing various websites, applications, and games reliant on these cloud platforms. Over 250 users in India reported issues with AWS, while Minecraft players faced login problems, with over 3,500 complaints recorded. The Azure outage was linked to issues within its global content delivery network and a configuration change. Popular platforms such as Microsoft 365, Outlook, Starbucks, and Costco also experienced slow performance or unavailability. This incident followed a similar outage on October 20, which disrupted services for games, apps, and banking due to issues with Amazon's servers.
Users are reporting significant crashes and freezing issues with the Spotify app on Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy devices, particularly when streaming over Wi-Fi. Switching to mobile data alleviates the problem. Spotify is investigating a permanent solution, as reinstalling the app has not resolved the issues. Complaints were highlighted in a community forum thread, with users specifically mentioning problems on devices like the Pixel 9. Similar issues occurred last year with Pixel 6, 7, and 8 devices after a feature rollout. Users have attempted workarounds such as disabling notifications or clearing the app's cache. Earlier this year, Premium users experienced ads despite their subscription, which Spotify confirmed and fixed the same day.
Battlefield 6 faced technical difficulties on launch day, particularly for users of the EA App, who experienced a glitch indicating that the multiplayer and single-player campaigns were not installed. EA took three hours to acknowledge the issue and an additional three hours to implement a fix. Vince Zampella, head of Battlefield, expressed frustration over the situation. Steam users also encountered problems, receiving a “Game not released” notification, which was addressed with a workaround. Most launch-day issues have been resolved, and affected EA App users will receive compensation, including 12 Hardware and 12 Career 60-Minute Boosters and full access to a seasonal Battle Pass. Phantom Edition purchasers will receive Season 2’s complete Battle Pass.
