The Final Shape Archives

AppWizard

February 17, 2025

Epic Games Store hits 295m PC users in 2024

The Epic Games Store has over 295 million users on PC, with an increase of 25 million accounts from the previous year. Epic Games reported a total of 898 million cross-platform accounts, a rise of 94 million year-on-year. PC players spent .09 billion on the store, a 15 percent increase from the prior year, although spending on third-party titles declined by 18 percent, totaling 5 million. The store averages 67 million monthly active users and 32 million daily active users. The highest-performing games of 2024 include Genshin Impact, Rocket League, Honkai Star Rail, Grand Theft Auto 5, and Fortnite Battle Royale. The next tier of successful titles includes EA Sports FC 24, Destiny 2: The Final Shape, Alan Wake 2, Fall Guys, and Wuthering Waves.

AppWizard

February 7, 2025

Get $519 worth of great Steam games for just $15

Fanatical has launched the "Safe In Our World Charity Bundle," featuring 27 games, including the 2024 title "Thank Goodness You’re Here." Notable games in the bundle include "Wingspan," "Content Warning," "A Space for the Unbound," "Summer House," "Little Kitty Big City," and "Psychonauts." The bundle is priced at an attractive rate, with proceeds going to the charity Safe In Our World, which focuses on mental health awareness in the gaming community. Additionally, Humble is offering a bundle with all Destiny 2 content from the past eight years, including "The Final Shape."

AppWizard

December 24, 2024

PC Gamer’s highest review scores of 2024

Concerns about "score inflation" in gaming reviews have been raised, with a score of 90% expected to represent an exceptional game. PC Gamer has not awarded a score higher than 98%, with Baldur's Gate 3 receiving the highest score of 97% in its UK edition. The 2024 Game of the Year Award winners are not included, but the year featured quality titles. Scores and their corresponding games include: - 89%: - Persona 3 Reload - Tekken 8 - Dragon's Dogma 2 - V Rising - Little Kitty, Big City - Lorelai and the Laser Eyes - 90%: - Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 - Shogun Showdown - Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred - Satisfactory - Riven - Animal Well - Granblue Fantasy: Relink - 91%: - Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake - Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance - Wild Bastards - Balatro - 92%: - Destiny 2: The Final Shape - Factorio: Space Age - 94%: - Caves of Qud - 95%: - Not specified in the provided text.

AppWizard

December 22, 2024

Metacritic’s list of top 10 PC games of 2024

2024 saw a significant rise in PC gaming, with major support from Sony and Microsoft. The top 10 PC games recognized by Gamespot’s Metacritic include: 1. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree - An expansion featuring a new area, adversaries, and deeper lore. 2. Tekken 8 - A continuation of the fighting game series with stunning graphics and dynamic gameplay. 3. God of War Ragnarok - A sequel with an engaging story and new mechanics, continuing the legacy of the franchise. 4. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - A sequel with an emotional narrative and polished gameplay, featuring Danny Trejo. 5. Destiny 2: The Final Shape - A milestone in the Destiny saga, enhancing RPG elements and concluding the Light and Darkness Saga. 6. Horizon Forbidden West: Complete Edition - The PC release of the sequel with stunning visuals and an engaging narrative. 7. Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut - An enhanced PC version of the samurai game with improved graphics and additional content. 8. Silent Hill 2 - A remake that honors the original while enriching its lore. 9. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle - A game that celebrates Indiana Jones with cinematic flair and engaging puzzles. 10. Crusader Kings III: Roads to Power - An expansion adding new mechanics and features to the strategy game.

AppWizard

December 14, 2024

Weekend PC Download Deals for Dec. 13: The Game Awards on Steam

The Game Awards have ended, but the Steam sale is ongoing, offering discounts on nominees and past winners, including 30% off the upcoming PC port of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. The Epic Holiday Sale features discounts on titles like Alan Wake 2 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, while the GOG.com Winter Sale offers deals on thousands of DRM-free games. The Epic Games Store is giving away The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria for free until 12/19, and Prime Gaming has Destiny 2: The Final Shape for .99 (50% off). Gamers can use the coupon code DEC15 for a 15% discount on PC games at Green Man Gaming. Humble Choice subscribers can access a selection of games for .99 per month, including Bomb Rush Cyberfunk and Old World, and there are various pay-what-you-want offers for additional titles.

AppWizard

November 15, 2024

Best PC Games to Play (2025)

PC gaming is thriving with a wide variety of titles catering to different tastes. Notable PC games include: 1. Baldur’s Gate 3 - Features deep role-playing mechanics and engaging storytelling with turn-based combat and character customization. 2. Elden Ring - An action RPG with challenging combat and an expansive open world, including a new DLC titled "Shadow of the Erdtree." 3. Cyberpunk 2077 - Set in a futuristic world, it combines action with narrative depth and character customization. 4. Red Dead Redemption 2 - Offers a richly detailed open world and compelling narrative in a Wild West setting. 5. Disco Elysium - A detective RPG focused on dialogue and decision-making within a unique world. 6. Hades II - A fast-paced roguelike where players battle through the underworld. 7. Half-Life: Alyx - A benchmark for VR gaming with a gripping narrative. 8. Doom Eternal - An intense first-person shooter against demonic forces. 9. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - An epic RPG with an expansive world and intricate quests. 10. Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Features strategic turn-based combat and cooperative multiplayer gameplay. Top games currently on Steam include: 1. Counter-Strike 2 - 563,733 current players, 1,442,806 peak players. 2. Dota 2 - 312,401 current players, 797,599 peak players. 3. Banana - 212,617 current players, 483,731 peak players. 4. Call of Duty® - 208,292 current players, 313,313 peak players. 5. Rust - 90,821 current players, 182,603 peak players. 6. THRONE AND LIBERTY - 84,819 current players, 229,014 peak players. 7. PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS - 83,168 current players, 755,939 peak players. 8. Grand Theft Auto V - 61,381 current players, 172,551 peak players. 9. Baldur’s Gate 3 - 55,111 current players, 107,242 peak players. 10. Factorio - 48,876 current players, 118,166 peak players. PC Gamer’s Top 10 Games of 2024 include: 1. Baldur’s Gate 3 - 97% rating. 2. Disco Elysium. 3. Elden Ring. 4. Minecraft. 5. Persona 5 Royal. 6. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. 7. Half-Life 2. 8. Balatro. 9. Stardew Valley. 10. Doom (1993). Popular multiplayer games include Counter-Strike 2, Valorant, Apex Legends, and Among Us. Free-to-play games with critical acclaim are Dota 2, Fortnite, Path of Exile, and Warframe. Classic PC games include Half-Life 2, Portal, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Minecraft. Recommended games for low-spec hardware include Stardew Valley, Terraria, FTL: Faster Than Light, Celeste, and Undertale.

BetaBeacon

October 15, 2024

Destiny: Rising is Bungie’s new mobile game published by NetEase Games

Bungie is expanding into the mobile games market with a new sci-fi RPG shooter title called Destiny: Rising, developed by NetEase Games. The game will be free to download and play, set in a different timeline from Destiny and Destiny 2, and will feature both PvE and PvP modes. NetEase Games is currently opening sign-ups for a closed alpha test next month, with no official release date announced yet.

AppWizard

August 23, 2024

Bungie’s pre-Halo FPS Classic Marathon Infinity just launched on Steam for free, meaning you can now play the entire Marathon trilogy for the low price of nothing

Marathon Infinity has been released on Steam, allowing players to access all three games in the Marathon series for free. Originally launched in 1996, it includes the "Blood Tides of Lh'owon" campaign with 20 levels and new enemies. The Aleph One team has rebuilt the Marathon trilogy for modern systems, with enhancements like widescreen HUDs and 60+fps interpolation, supported by Bungie. This marks the first official release of the trilogy on Windows, although the games were previously available on the Aleph One website. Bungie is also developing a new entry in the series, planned for release in 2025 after facing development challenges and restructuring.

AppWizard

August 1, 2024

Bungie lays off 220 staff

Bungie has announced the layoff of 220 employees, which is about 17% of its workforce, as part of a restructuring effort to reduce costs and focus on its main titles, Destiny and Marathon. Additionally, 155 positions will transition to its parent company, Sony Interactive Entertainment, to enhance collaboration. Bungie is also working with PlayStation Studios to create a new development team for a project in the incubation phase. The layoffs will impact various levels of the organization, including executive roles, and the company is providing exit packages that include severance, bonuses, and health coverage. This is the second round of layoffs within a year, following a previous reduction of 100 staff members in October 2023.

AppWizard

July 10, 2024

Now’s the time to play that one game you’ve been putting off

The Steam Summer Sale is ending soon, with popular games like Cyberpunk 2077, Baldur's Gate 3, and Elden Ring on sale. PC Gamer news lead Andy Chalk recently started playing Cyberpunk 2077 and recommends taking advantage of the discounts before the sale ends on July 11.