Valve Archives

AppWizard

May 8, 2025

Props for the honesty: Tim Sweeney says the reason ‘people characterize the Epic Games launcher as clunky’ is—wait for it—’because the Epic Games launcher is clunky’

Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, described the Epic Games Store launcher as "clunky" and acknowledged that many users find it slow and cumbersome compared to Steam. The Epic launcher received a score of 41% in a recent evaluation, ranking behind competitors like the Microsoft Store and EA, and significantly trailing Steam and GOG Galaxy. Performance issues vary based on a user's proximity to a content delivery network and the size of their game library, with slower internet connections exacerbating loading frustrations. Sweeney believes the Epic launcher should incorporate convenient features from Steam while maintaining its unique advantages. He emphasized the importance of connecting players across platforms and criticized Valve for not allowing cross-platform functionality with Steamworks. Sweeney also addressed negative backlash against developers using Epic Online Services, citing harassment related to crossplay features. Users seeking alternatives to the Epic launcher can consider GOG Galaxy or Heroic, which are noted for better functionality.

AppWizard

May 6, 2025

CHARTS: Clair Obscur Expedition 33 rose to No.2 in second week

Last week, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 rose to the second highest grossing title on Steam, moving up from third place. Counter-Strike 2 is the top grossing title, while The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered dropped to third. The Steam Deck is fourth, and Schedule 1 is fifth. REPO is now sixth, Rust jumped 32 spots to seventh, and V Rising rose 32 positions to eighth. PUBG: Battlegrounds is ninth, and War Thunder is tenth. The Steam Top Ten for the week ending May 6th is as follows: 1. Counter-Strike 2, Valve 2. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Kepler Interactive 3. The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, Bethesda 4. Steam Deck, Valve 5. Schedule 1, TVGS 6. REPO, Semiwork 7. Rust, Facepunch 8. V Rising, Stunlock Studios 9. PUBG: Battlegrounds, Krafton 10. War Thunder, Gaijin

AppWizard

April 30, 2025

CHARTS: Oblivion remaster shoots to No.1 on Steam debut

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered was the top performer on Steam for the week ending April 29th, following its unexpected launch on April 22nd. Counter-Strike 2 dropped to second place, while Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 debuted in third. The Steam Deck held the fourth position, and Schedule 1 fell to fifth. MahjongSoul returned to the Top 100, securing sixth place due to a crossover event. REPO declined to seventh, PUBG: Battlegrounds rose to eighth, Once Human climbed to ninth, and Marvel Rivals rounded out the top ten in tenth place. Steam Top Ten for the Week Ending April 29th: 1. The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, Bethesda 2. Counter-Strike 2, Valve 3. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Kepler 4. Steam Deck, Valve 5. Schedule 1, TVGS 6. 雀魂麻將 (MahjongSoul), Catfood Studio 7. REPO, Semiwork 8. PUBG: Battlegrounds, Krafton 9. Once Human, Starry Studio 10. Marvel Rivals, NetEase

Winsage

April 30, 2025

Arch is the latest official WSL distro

Arch Linux now has an official WSL image, announced by developer Robin Candau, making it available for installation on the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) 2. This new support allows users to install Arch Linux with a single command, eliminating the need for custom containers or images. The official listing includes Arch Linux among other distributions, and it has a market share of 9.68% on Steam, with a combined share of 14.74% when considering its downstream distributions. Arch Linux is popular among users who prefer a customizable experience and has gained attention in the tech community, including endorsements from notable figures like PewDiePie.

AppWizard

April 30, 2025

PC gaming is the real next-gen and now’s the best time to switch

Cyberpunk 2077 offers an immersive gaming experience on high-end PCs, showcasing advanced technology such as real-time reflections and path tracing for enhanced visuals. The game runs seamlessly at maximum settings on an RTX 5070Ti, achieving over 120fps in 4K resolution. The current gaming landscape indicates that next-generation gaming is primarily driven by PC technology, which remains more viable due to stable hardware prices compared to rising console costs. Modern platforms like Steam and the Epic Games Store have simplified PC gaming, making it more accessible and often more economical. Recent advancements, including ray tracing, enhance even older titles like Half-Life 2. Major console games are increasingly launching on PC simultaneously, and PlayStation titles are appearing on Steam within a year of their console release. Speculation about future consoles suggests they may adopt PC-like features, but they are unlikely to match the performance of top-tier graphics cards.

BetaBeacon

April 27, 2025

What is Steam: The popular gaming platform explained

Steam is a platform and app for distributing video games online that also has social media features and community message boards.

AppWizard

April 27, 2025

I miss old PopCap like you miss old BioWare

From 2000 to 2010, PopCap Games dominated the casual gaming market, influencing the design of many subsequent mobile games. The studio's notable titles included Peggle Extreme, featured in Valve's The Orange Box, and Gyromancer, a collaboration with Square Enix. PopCap's games often drew inspiration from earlier concepts, such as Zuma from Puzz Loop and Bejeweled from the Russian game Shariki. After being acquired by Electronic Arts, PopCap shifted towards mobile and free-to-play models, leading to the decline of its original PC titles. Despite this change, the spirit of PopCap's creativity persists in the indie gaming scene, with games like Donut County and Peglin reflecting its innovative approach. Bookworm Adventures remains accessible through the Internet Archive, contributing to PopCap's lasting legacy.

AppWizard

April 26, 2025

Weekend PC Download Deals for Apr. 25: Steam Golden Week sales begin

The gaming community is experiencing excitement during Golden Week with sales and discounts across various platforms. Steam has launched its Golden Week sales, featuring discounts on titles from Capcom and Sega, including a debut discount on Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Valve's storefront is highlighting box-pushing games such as Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure and Lab Rat. Although Xbox is not officially part of Golden Week, Xbox Game Studios is offering a sale with a first-time price reduction on Avowed. Blizzard is hosting its annual Spring Sale with discounts on Avowed, the Diablo 4 Expansion Bundle, and World of Warcraft: The War Within, which includes a 30-day subscription. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is also gaining attention with launch week discounts from various retailers. Humble Bundle is offering a subscription service for .99 per month, providing access to several games including Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered and Dredge, along with additional savings for members. Various tiers of deals are available for games like Doom 64, Doom 3, and Wolfenstein titles.

AppWizard

April 23, 2025

Steam’s gonna start listing ‘adjustable difficulty,’ ‘save anytime,’ and other accessibility features right on a game’s store page soon

Video games are increasingly incorporating accessibility options to cater to a diverse audience. A new accessibility-support questionnaire has been introduced by Valve for developers on Steam, allowing them to specify various accessibility features in their games. The questionnaire includes options such as adjustable text size, narrated menus, and colorblind options. Valve plans to display these selected accessibility features on game store pages and will allow players to filter search results based on these features. While participation in the system is not mandatory, it is encouraged to enhance accessibility. The listed accessibility options cover gameplay, audio, visual, and input categories, including adjustable difficulty, custom volume controls, adjustable text size, and various input methods.

AppWizard

April 22, 2025

Hot damn: The Oblivion Remaster is 125 GB, 2600% heavier than the original game from 2006

Bethesda has remastered The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion using Unreal Engine 5, available for £50, including horse armor but not the deluxe edition. The remaster requires 125 GB of storage, with a download size of 115 GB due to Steam's compression, marking a 2600% increase from the original game's 4.6 GB. The remaster combines Unreal Engine 5's graphics with Gamebryo's logic, maintaining Bethesda's signature quirks.