weekend Archives

AppWizard

April 18, 2026

Last Flag, the debut game from the studio founded by Imagine Dragons’ lead singer, becomes the latest multiplayer shooter struggling to find an audience

In 2026, attracting players to new multiplayer shooters has proven to be a significant challenge. Highguard experienced a decline in player engagement, fading from the scene within three months. Marathon, despite its high budget of 0 million, is struggling to justify its costs. Last Flag, a 5v5 multiplayer shooter developed by Night Street Games and co-founded by members of Imagine Dragons, launched on April 14 to a peak of fewer than 600 concurrent players, which has since dropped to just under 400. Despite a competitive price and a marketing push, the game has faced criticism for having bot-filled matches and a visual style reminiscent of Fortnite. Night Street Games is focused on building a sustainable community and is currently offering a free weekend on Steam to attract players. Mac Reynolds highlighted the difficulties of fundraising in 2026, indicating challenges for studios in maintaining operational viability.

AppWizard

April 18, 2026

15 years on, Portal 2 Community Edition just breathed new life into Valve’s classic

Portal 2: Community Edition is a fan-driven initiative developed by a team of 29 developers to enhance the experience of creating and playing custom content within Portal 2. It introduces technical upgrades including physically based rendering, more detailed textures, improved lighting, clustered shading, dynamic shadows, specular highlights, and volumetric fog. The edition focuses on providing robust tools for custom content creation, currently offering single-player gameplay with plans for multiplayer support. It utilizes the Strata Source engine, a modified version of the CS:GO engine, which enhances performance and expands creative possibilities for modders. New modding tools include adhesive gel, a paint gun, Schrödinger cubes, and colored lasers, along with the 'AngelScript' scripting framework for unique game modes. Full Steam Workshop support is integrated, allowing players to share their creations. Portal 2: Community Edition is now available on Steam as a free download, requiring ownership of the original Portal 2.

AppWizard

April 17, 2026

PC Free Game Is A Gorgeous 2025 Release That’ll Save You $30

The Stone of Madness is a free PC game inspired by 18th-century artist Francisco De Goya, featuring hand-painted settings and characters dealing with mental health issues. Players assist these characters in escaping their traumas within a top-down adventure set in a Monastery. The game is currently available for free on the Epic Games Store until April 23, 2026.

AppWizard

April 17, 2026

The Future Games Show Summer Showcase, FGS Live, and the PC Gaming Show have been confirmed for June, with the Showcase to feature ‘world premieres, exclusive trailers, and stealth demo drops’

Future has announced the return of its summer gaming events, including the Future Games Show Summer Showcase and FGS Live from Los Angeles on June 6 at 12 PM PDT / 3 PM EDT / 8 PM BST. The PC Gaming Show will follow on June 7. Both events will be available on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, X/Twitter, and Steam. Last year's showcases had a combined viewership of 41.9 million. Anticipated titles include Fable, Phantom Blade 0, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, and Grave Seasons, with Fable set to launch in Fall 2026.

AppWizard

April 14, 2026

Graveyard Keeper’s mammoth success proves that giving games away for free on Steam works

tinyBuild offered Graveyard Keeper for free for a weekend, coinciding with the announcement of Graveyard Keeper 2. This led to an all-time peak of 46,305 concurrent players on April 12, up from 17,000 at launch. The game ranked 47th on Steam's most played chart and reached number 39 on one Sunday. The giveaway increased wishlists for the sequel to 450,000 and generated nearly 0,000 in revenue from DLC sales, with around 125,000 DLCs sold at a promotional price of .99 each. The base game is typically priced at .99.

AppWizard

April 13, 2026

Capcom’s new game has reminded me how good ray-tracing can look on PC

Pragmata is a new game by Capcom that features a protagonist named Hugh and a robotic companion named Diana, enhancing gameplay through traditional third-person shooting mechanics and on-the-fly hacking. The combat system involves navigating a grid maze to exploit enemy weaknesses, creating a strategic challenge. The game also emphasizes exploration with intricately designed levels filled with collectibles and resources. Visually, Pragmata is impressive, utilizing ray-traced lighting and running on an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, achieving around 90fps at maximum settings and potentially up to 150fps with frame generation. Capcom has successfully created a visually stunning game that may become a cult favorite.

AppWizard

April 12, 2026

Apex Legends reaches 20-month Steam high, proving Respawn’s communication is paying off

Apex Legends was launched by Respawn Entertainment in February 2019 with minimal fanfare. As of April 11, 2024, the player count on Steam surpassed 300,000 for the first time in 20 months, coinciding with the launch of Season 22. After experiencing a decline in player numbers following Season 25, the game has seen a 50% increase in players since the launch of Season 28 in February 2024. Respawn has actively addressed issues like cheating and server performance, implementing strict measures and maintaining open communication with the community. The recent crossover with Gundam has positively impacted player sentiment, which is reflected in favorable discussions on Reddit. Community feedback highlights Respawn's consistent quality updates and responsiveness to player concerns.

AppWizard

April 12, 2026

What are we all playing this weekend?

The atmosphere has shifted to a warmer state, causing indecision about wardrobe choices as winter clothing remains in use. James is exploring new games, including Skull Horde and the RPG Neverway, after being encouraged by Julian to diversify his gaming. Callum is engaged in Pokémon Nuzlockes on Pokémon Black and White, with a character named Bazooka, and is preparing for revenge against a trainer named Timmy. Mark is concluding his Atomfall playthrough and plans to play Dirt Rally 2.0, Automobilista 2, and revisit Starfield after its updates. Edwin has been sent outdoors to reconnect with nature after his last adventure and is expected to return to normal by teatime on Tuesday. Jeremy has returned from family outings in London and Paris and is busy completing a secret upcoming game for a walkthrough, while also enjoying Franco-Belgium comics. Ollie has escaped the Maw but needs time to recuperate after an encounter with Edwin. Julian anticipates a busy weekend due to a stag do but looks forward to playing strategy games afterward.

AppWizard

April 11, 2026

Endix Announces Release on Official PC Platforms

ENDIX is an online-only exposition in the videogame industry that allows gamers to explore new and upcoming titles while connecting with developers. It prioritizes accessibility, enabling participation without the financial burdens of traditional expos. ENDIX is evolving into a premier multiplayer digital expo, allowing attendees to join from their preferred PC platforms. It will introduce dedicated store pages on Steam and the Epic Games Store for easier access and enhanced multiplayer elements. The next edition of ENDIX is scheduled for May 23, 2026, and will remain free to enter, featuring a lineup of exhibitions and titles.

Winsage

April 7, 2026

Windows 11 beta introduces haptic feedback support for mice and touchpads

Members of the Windows Insider Program are testing a new Windows 11 update that introduces haptic feedback support for compatible mice and touchpads. This update provides subtle vibrations during desktop activities, enhancing user interactions. The haptic feedback activates during actions like window snapping and resizing, offering tactile confirmation for tasks. Users can customize or disable these responses through Windows Settings. The update also includes improvements to the initial setup process and enhanced startup performance for applications. A broader release is expected later this spring, pending feedback from testers.