Microsoft has long wanted to get vendors out of the kernel. It's a huge privacy/security/stability risk, and causes major issues like the Crowdstrike outage.

Most of those issues also apply to kernel anti-cheat as well, and it's likely that Microsoft will also attempt to move anti-cheat vendors out of kernel space. The biggest gaming issues with steamOS/Linux are kernel anti-cheat not working, so this could be huge for having full compatibility of multiplayer games on Linux.

To be clear, this question is for general PC use, and not only gaming.

Desktop mode on my Deck has easily become my favorite PC experience in a very long long time, and I use it more docked as a PC than for gaming. I've used Windows and Apple my entire life before now, so I have zero experience with Linux, other than the Steam Deck, but the OS is incrediby friendly to newcomers, and I'd say it's essentially a modern and polished version of Windows 95.

So what would you recommend as a similar experience for desktop?

Edit: I should probably add that I'm an artist and designer, and play around with Blender and 3D modeling stuff, and maybe even some game dev at some point. So Adobe support, and GPU Blender support would be superfantastic.

Hey all, I'm interested in playing some emulated games on my steamdeck, but I'm not sure where to start.

I've been having fun with Super Mario World, but a good chunk of that is because I played it a lot as a kid, so much of my enjoyment is from nostalgia.

Problem is, I didn't play many too many games when I was a kid...

What older games out there would you say hold up in 2025? So that regardless of the nostalgia factor, they can be enjoyed by someone like me

Is the Steam Deck performance struggling with new AAA games? Should I be concerned buying a Steam Deck now?

I'm guessing/hoping not because most game developers would optimise the games for the Switch 2 and Xbox Series S which have similar performances as the Deck.

I think 30 fps (consistent) is perfectly fine, and I don't mind medium details.

This was already covered in a video by Dave2d (Lemmy discussion here), but it's great to see more widespread coverage of how great performance is for SteamOS vs windows.

Some highlights:

Any summer sale?

As ever and always, I’m back with a week’s worth of gaming news I’ve spotted and thought I should share with you all!

This week is slightly less than is typical (1,000-ish words less than my last week’s I can tell you!) for a few reasons:

• I’ve cashed in some of my crypto and bought a cabin. Which makes me sound like an actress in a Stephen King movie
• I’ve had some odd health hiccups lately – nerve damage in my hip which means I feel nothing when touching a small patch of skin, but it also feels like it is on fire

So I’ve been a little distracted, but I do pinkie-swear next week’s will be back to my normal output!

So what are these posts?

My aim for these News Posts in general is to make them a more clearly not a professional, but someone who cares about gaming manner than most gaming sites do now. I see so many sites, even the independent ones, bombarding with ads, banners and reminders to support them. I get it, I really do, but it’s an unpleasant experience to me.

My ever-lasting inspo is the old, old video game sites, blogs and magazines that I never had the privilege of being alive for:

• Image/gif/link heavy (though once again this week I have few of these, so this dot-point’s a bit needless)

• Personal voice (I can’t help rambling, send help – this won’t be even slightly professionally written)

• Mostly news or articles or points which you won’t find on normal gaming sites. These are the smaller, lesser things that I’m drawn to. I know you’ll have spotted the big news articles, so I’m hoping some of these smaller ones might have been missed by you.

A mixed bag of what I’ve considered news this week, so there really is a bit of everything ahead.

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General Gaming News:

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A New PS2 Emulator – Iris:

After 7-8 months of working on it, Lycoder (also goes by Allkern) has released their PS2 emulator called Iris. While games are running with very low/low/unplayable frames at the moment, they want to reassure people that this is constantly in development and improvements are being made regularly.

Windows, Linux and MacOS are supported.

The GitHub page is here, if you’d like to read a little more!

...and here is the link to the 0.10-alpha build of Iris

Funnily enough, it was only very recently that I fixed a DMAC bug that was keeping a lot of games from booting, and now this opens up a ton of potential to further debug and fix other issues, which may lead to even more games to boot. There's still a lot of work to be done, especially in the optimization department. I'm really looking forward to continue working on this project and advancing PlayStation 2 emulation!

It’s lovely to have another player in the scene, particularly with PS2 emulation.

And, naturally, here’s some pictures:

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System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster Delay:

...sorry, don’t want to make you panic if you’re a PC gamer – no delays on that front, but if you’re a console gamer then it has been delayed for now:

Knowing the publishers, I’d say you’re in good hands without having to wait too long to play it, and I’m so excited to play through myself.

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How to Fix Xbox’s Stupid Update:

I can’t even be bothered taking picture to illustrate this one, but if you’re on Xbox you’ll have seen it. Select a game and then you’re presented with a new screen giving you another step before you can select it again to play the game. And half that screen is taken up with their hopeful promotions of DLC and micro-transactions.

Shitty.

Anyway:

Settings / General / Personalization / Games & Apps / Choose whether game huds open automatically from the following places -

• Recently played list
• Groups
• Installed games

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Grounded 2 Hype:

With the announcement of Obsidian’s Grounded 2, the numbers of the first game (Honey, I Shrunk The Kids meets Arrietty have exploded, bring a 193.8 boost to current players. The game shot up the Xbox charts from #88 to #23 (overtaking Halo: MCC and Elden Ring)

The game was announced two weeks ago, and the trailer is here for those curious

The first game on Steam holds a ‘Very Positive’ rating with 66,596 all-time ratings.

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Lies of P:

I’m sure you’ve read this in at least four other places by now, but it still warms my heart. I couldn’t really make it through Lies of P – the souls-like and even souls-adjacent genre is not my cup of stressful tea. What I did love though was the atmosphere and setting, reminding me for no particular reason of Drood, the novel by Dan Simmons about the last five years of Charles Dickens and how spooky it could get.

Anyway, the devs behind Lies of P and Overture (the DLC) got a bonus for their efforts, with the two selling over 3m copies combined. They got a bonus, two weeks vacation and a free Nintendo Switch 2. IDK, a nice rarity in today’s gaming world!

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Still Wakes The Deep:

The Chinese Room - Developers behind the BAFTA-winning-game Still Wakes The Deep have laid off some of their team, just after the release of their DLC – Siren’s Rest.

At a glance, around 10 staff with the studio listed as their current employer have the 'looking for work' label on their LinkedIn profiles – though this is not a reliable metric by itself.

A full article telling you not much more than I just wrote is here on GamesIndustryBiz if you’re wanting to find more details on things.

However, The Chinese Room will share news on changes for the studio in the coming weeks so more will come out, I suppose. Sad news for those who worked on the rather amazing game.

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Subnautica 2 Dev Vlog:

The latest dev vlog for the game has come out, titles ‘Building Unknown Worlds’

Join senior narrative designer Seth Dickinson, level designer Artyom O’Rielly, environment artist James Stout, and senior environment artist (and rock connoisseur) Ben Hale as they walk you through the incredible work that goes into building out the world of Subnautica 2.

The link to the YouTube video is here, go watch it, its a great glimpse behind what is going on behind the scenes!

My fav comment on the video is this one:

I have never been so excited over rocks

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LEGO Island in Browser:

As the title says, the game is now available to play in your browser. I’m way too young for this game to have any impact in my life, but I think the older members here might remember it. Released in 1997, it’s certainly got a rabid following.

The link to the site is here, try it out!

And one more thing, I found the fact the devs created a physical island in actual LEGO when making the game, and this is ancient and adorable:

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Auto-Shutdown after game download:

A gamer by the username of Avaneesh13 has created a Python-based application when they saw room for it – shutting their PC down for them after a big game download completed (rather than having their PC on all night)

This application is called SteamDown, and the link to the GitHub page is here for you to read through if you’d like.

SteamDown:

• Monitors your Steam download activity in real-time
• When downloads go inactive for a set period (you choose how long), it automatically performs an action of your choice
• Actions include: shutdown PC, sleep mode, stop Steam, or other custom actions
• Completely free and open-source

I kept starting massive game downloads (looking at you, Call of Duty) before going to bed, only to wake up and find my PC had been running idle for 6 hours after the download finished at 3 AM. Felt wasteful and probably wasn't great for my electricity bill either. Now I just set it to wait 5-10 minutes after downloads stop, then shut down my system automatically. Much better for power savings and peace of mind.

How it is different from other solutions:

*Generic system monitors that don't understand Steam's download behaviour specifically

• Command-line tools that require technical setup and aren't user-friendly
• Part of a larger system suite with bloatware I didn't want
• Paid solutions for what should be a simple utility

Technical details:

• Written in Python and built it as a standalone .exe (no installation needed)
• Works on Windows primarily, though I might explore macOS/Linux support
• Planning to add support for other launchers like Epic, GOG, etc. in future updates.
• Codebase clean and modular in case anyone wants to contribute or fork it

The functionality should be working as expected - it reliably monitors Steam and performs the shutdown actions. The UI could use a bit of work though (I'm more of a backend person), so if anyone has suggestions or wants to contribute on the interface side, I'd welcome the help!

Again, the GitHub link is at the start of this section, so take a look if you’re curious!

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Epic reaches 500:

When Epic officially started their free games each week, all the way back in 2018, no one anticipated it would go for as long or be filled with the quality titles it has today. Starting with Subnautica (though unofficially giving away Shadow Complex Remastered before this in an effort to get users to install the launcher), we’re now up to 502 PC games given away.

Now they’re even expanding on this, with mobile phone games given away free each week. This coming week’s giveaway will be Sable (more on that later!).

But if you’d like to scroll down the list of every game given away by Epic, you can do so with this article which gets updated each week on PCGamer

...though be warned, it might make you sad to see what you’ve missed out on.

And what is this free games each week on Epic thing I mention? Well, there’s a tiny chance you don’t know:

The Epic Games Store gives away free games every week (to keep forever) as part of its strategy to attract new users and keep existing ones engaged. Anyone with a free Epic account can "claim" these games during the giveaway period (usually one week), and once claimed, the games are permanently added to the user’s library—no strings attached. This initiative started in 2018 and is funded by Epic to build its user base. The games are often high-quality indie titles big-budget releases, and you don’t need a subscription—just an account.

If you’re a Linux gamer you can use methods such as Heroic Games Launcher or Junk Store to play these games without requiring Epic’s own launcher (Epic’s CEO Tim Sweeney is famously anti-Linux).

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Warhammer 40,000 DLC:

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, the incredibly well regarded cRPG made by Owlcat Games has released their next DLC – Lex Imperialis.

(...the YouTube link for the trailer is here)

Lex Imperialis, the second major expansion for Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, offers a new 15-hour storyline and introduces the Adeptus Arbites — a faction of incorruptible enforcers — alongside a new companion: the grim and relentless Solomorne Anthar. Featuring battle familiars like cybernetic eagles and cyber-mastiffs, this DLC is AVAILABLE NOW to all players.

Rogue Trader holds ‘Very Positive’ ratings on Steam, with 22,120 reviews on Steam. I own the game on GOG, and I enjoyed it far more than I expected to. There’s a lovely gothic/space setting, kinda unsettling, and a deep game behind the Warhammer branding.

While releasing this DLC, Owlcat games is also working on two more games (both ‘coming soon’):

• Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy

Become an acolyte of the Inquisition in this grim dark, party-based, story-driven cRPG. Lead investigations, uncover grand conspiracies, master tactical combat, and wage a secret war against heresy. Make tough choices as a conduit of the God-Emperor’s will.

• The Expanse: Osiris Reborn

The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is a third-person Action RPG set in The Expanse universe. You’re no hero — just a merc caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, trying to hold your crew together and keep the ship up and running. Your choices will shape your story.

One thing is for sure with Owlcat (aside from the initial release of their games tending to need a patch or two!), they care about their games and support them for the long haul.

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Crosswind – MORE PIRATES!!!

Since you’re reading this, you’ll probably know by now that I cry about the lack of games set in the golden age of piracy. It’s a setting I like to think is popular but just...kinda ignored. AC: IV Black Flag is still in my opinion the best-of-the-best, but we’ve got another to add to the collection. Crosswind!

Crosswind is a survival adventure in the Age of Piracy. Explore procedural open world, gather, build and craft. Overcome challenging bosses in soulslite combat. Sail your ship, fight on land and sea, play solo or with friends. Live your swashbuckling life in PvE or rise to power in optional PvP.

They’re calling it a ‘pirate survival adventure’, and they devs known as Crosswind Crew have released a statement along with the trailer, which is as follows, in their words:

Crosswind is our dream pirate game. Heavily inspired by great titles like Valheim or Enshrouded, it also feautres naval combat similar to AC: Black Flag and soulslite bossfights. The upcoming Alpha is a big milestone -- with playtesters live feedback we will be able to thoroughly verify a lot of work and designs. It's not gonna be perfect, but we hope it will move in the right direction, and we are absolutely willing to complete this journey whatever it takes.

The Alpha will feature:

• Basic survival gameplay (building, crafting, upgrading);
• 3 unique biomes scattered across a big archipelago - each with unique resources, enemies and bosses;
• 3 playable ships and one NPC merchant (of course to plunder it!);
• Land combat, basic naval combat and early version of boarding actions;
• Very basic Tortuga social hub.

All in all we hope it will provide 30-40 hours of a survival adventure, but of course some parts of the game will be much less polished then others.

For those interested in playtesting: we start small, and have very limited server slots for the test, but for those willing to try the game -- the signups are open on Steam page. We will be gradually letting people in starting tomorrow; Steam picks people randomly. There will be other tests in the future, so even if you want to try Crosswind and don't make it in the first wave, you may get luckly later.

The Crosswind Steam page is here, for you to check it out

The Crosswind trailer on YouTube is here, via this link

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Jurassic World Evolution 3:

After some people got (rightly) angry at Jurassic World Evolution 3 using A.I. generated assets for scientist portraits, the devs realized they’re being stupid and released a statement:

Thanks for your feedback on this topic. We have opted to remove the use of generative AI for scientist portraits within Jurassic World Evolution 3.

...you can read their statement here on the Steam community page

Meh, I’m hardly going to celebrate devs for doing the bare minimum here.

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Major Mod - Black Orchestra:

...admittedly a game and gigantic mod I’ve never heard of before, but Black Orchestra Worldfront: 37-54 is coming. Made for Rising Storm 2 Vietnam, it adds the Pacific, Western, Mediterranean and Eastern Fronts of World War II to the game.

The mod is deemed feature complete now,

• Here is the trailer, showing off the upcoming mod contents

• This is the link to the modDB page where the full info is

• This is their site

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GOG Library Price Checker:

Someone has made a site which checks your GOG games library and gives you an estimate on the value of the total games. Or, it makes you feel awful about seeing a cold number stating you’ve spent way too much.

It’s wonky, and makes mistakes, and doesn’t seem to register all games. I can also see GPT everywhere in this, which as someone who enjoys writing kinda makes me feel icky. But whatever, if it helps people get an idea across then that’s the better of the A.I. uses these days.

I guess all-in-all, it’s still a fun idea in theory. One I should note I have not done or checked myself.

Here’s the link to their site

In their own words:

So I wanted to check how much my GOG games library is actually worth — like how SteamDB does it for Steam users — but turns out… there’s nothing like that for GOG. And if there was anything, it either asked you to log in or paste your cookies... which to me instantly screamed obvious scam 🙃 So I thought: why not just make something myself? Here's what I did:

• You just grab a list of your games from GOG (don’t worry, I explain how to do this — since GOG gives no easy export option, had to get creative).
• Upload that CSV to my site.
• It fetches current prices from GOG, calculates your total value, base prices, and savings.
• You get to download the results as a CSV or as a cool little trading card-style badge image.

I'm a CS student (cooked ), and this is kinda my first real utility site — so I’d love feedback, suggestions, criticism, anything really. Will try to make a video walkthrough soon for those who need visual instructions. Let me know if anything breaks, or if there's something you'd want to see added.

yes It’s hosted on Vercel for now because, well… it’s free and I’m broke The ads are just me playing around with how a “real” implementation might look — not trying to cash out or anything, just testing stuff in the wild.

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Where is your Q&A?

You might remember in my last news post I shared I mentioned that I have been chatting to the lead dev of a program which makes piracy on a jailbroken (Custom Firmware or CFW) Nintendo Switch. The program works as a replica to the official Nintndo eShop except...it’s not filled with shit, ironically. And it doesn’t slow to a crawl to search through.

Anyway, it’s a piracy portal. I wanted to interview them with the idea of getting a glimpse behind why they do it, how they do it, how they justify doing it. All without sharing the name of this program, or the name of the dev.

Anyway, they’ve been a little busy, I’ve shared my side with them and am still waiting on their responses before I format it up and add some pictures, generally make it fit to view on Lemmy here.

Anyway, it’s coming soon, just to let you know!

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Switch 2 Compatibility Tracker:

Speaking of Switch, someone has made a webpage which tracks Switch 2 compatibility with Switch 1 games:

*I saw that the lists here don't update regularly (last updated June 5), and that Nintendo says to check individual eShop pages for updated information. So, I made a webpage that scrapes the eShop for up-to-date information. Check it out! Feedback is welcome!

The GitHub page for the tracker is here and updates twice daily!

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Junk Store’s Pricing Revealed:

The next iteration of Junk Store is close to launching. Promising emulation, more store-fronts and even (planned, not there yet!) cloud saves. Currently Junk Store works as a plugin via Decky Loader on your Steam Deck – install the plugin and from the gaming mode on your Steam Deck you can enjoy Epic Games titles. With a paid extension to that (a one-off purchase of $6) you can also enjoy GOG games.

The next iteration will be a subscription model, and I’ll share Junk Store’s own words on their announcement below:

Tldr:

Junk Store is almost ready. It’s a full rebuild — faster, more stable, no Decky required, and packed with new features. Pricing is USD$40/year with a 7-day free trial, and you keep everything released during your subscription.

The open-source version remains available. Early supporters get a discount, and we’re rolling out in waves to keep things sustainable.

The Longer Version

We’re close to launching the new version of Junk Store — rebuilt from the ground up after over a year of work. It’s faster, more stable, and adds major features like Amazon support, a download queue, and simplified extension generation (no coding needed). This version is fully standalone — no more Decky required — and is based on everything we learned from the original. We know pricing will be a sticking point for some, so here’s the plan:

• $40 (USD) for 12 months of updates
• Includes all extension presets (currently GOG, Epic, Amazon — more to come)
• You keep everything released during your subscription
• Renewal is $40/year
• 7-day free trial — cancel anytime (Stripe handles billing)

To keep things sustainable, we’ll be rolling out in waves. Hosting and bandwidth aren’t free — and based on the original version’s download volume, opening the gates all at once would sink us. Existing supporters will be onboarded first and get a discount that reflects their earlier contributions. We also want to clear up a few things:

• This version does not share code with the open-source one.
• The free, open-source version will remain available.
• Junk Store does not handle any credentials except its own.

We expect a few bumps early on — this is new code, and no software survives first contact with the public. But it’s already been battle-tested internally and testers. What’s Next?

If all goes well, we’re planning:

• Itch.io support (and possibly EA, Ubisoft, Battle.net)
• Cloud saves (done right)
• Game-specific presets
• Better extension creation tools
• Full localisation
• Community extension sharing
• Automated updates

For a more detailed breakdown head [to this link] here Thanks again to everyone who’s supported this journey. We’re almost there. Game on.

So, what do you think? Will you be trying Junk Store out? I think Gardiner is planning a video showcasing what it does and how it does it, closer to the date if that helps you visualize what it’s capable of!

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Retro Gaming Finds:

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I’ve just come across a few fun retro gaming-centric things, so while they’re not at all news-worthy in the hard news sense, they’re amazing in every way and I’d be remiss to not add them to their own section here. If you’ve interest in older games (by my sense because I am so young what is ‘old’ might make you cringe), so settle back and enjoy these ones:

Underwater:

Just someone’s custom bathroom efforts, which seems totally appropriate here:

PS1 Concept Logos:

PC-88:

The PC88 was an 8-bit computer that was dominant in Japan in the 1980s, and has a bit of a reputation for very pixel-y blocky boxy graphics. What comes out beautifully though are the city-scapes in the games. The images will follow, but in order they appear from the following games:

• Tien Gow Pia Special (1989)
• Can Can Bunny (1989)
• Snatcher (1988)
• Misty Blue (1990)
• Burning Point (1989)
• Imitation wa Aisenai (1989)
• Can Can Bunny Superior (1990)
• Paragon Sexa Doll (1989)

Costanza:

Yep, George owned a Virtual Boy. I also think it’s pretty funny that the series has him as the fat one and by today’s standards he’s honestly pretty trim. Weird. Sad about our society now, I think. Anyway, Virtual Boy here:

Wall Art:

It’s amazing, but if you wanna be totally accurate to the time:

• DK has a tie on, whereas the original does not
• ‘jumpman’ should have red overalls and a blue shirt
• Peach is used instead of Pauline

Michael Jackson:

Keen eyes may spot that it is GoldenEye in the N64 there, next to his throne.

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That’s that for this week!

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Sorry again that it’s been a little smaller than as is typical, I have a lot on my plate right now but I do plan the next to resume my typical way-too-many-words standard I seem to have set for myself!

Previous Posts:

If you’d like to read my previous Gaming News posts (they’re mounting up in number now!), then you can find them here:

• Steam Deck / Gaming News #2
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #3
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #4
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #5
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #6
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #7
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #8
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #9
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #10
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #11
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #12
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #13
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #14
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #15
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #16
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #17
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #18
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #19
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #20

Mastodon:

I do tend to post there each and every day, 99.99% gaming nonsense. If you want more of this, then come drop by!

OLED Decks were temporarily out of stock due to supply chain issues. Thankfully they're now back in stock. Valve has also said they don't expect supply chain issues/tariffs to affect Deck pricing, as part of their original statement about the shortage:

Steam Deck OLED 512GB and 1TB models are temporarily out-of-stock in the US and Canada as we adapt to recent supply chain constraints. We anticipate being back in stock by end of summer, and currently expect prices will remain the same. We'll update here as soon as we have more clarity on what the timeline ultimately looks like.

The game is Steam Deck Verified ahead of release, but as we know that isn't always a good indication that a game will run well on Deck.

However a multiplayer beta has given us our first look at it actually running on the deck, and it's able to hit 90fps on the OLED deck at medium settings.

I have 2 questions both for games installed via heroic. First one is trinity fusion - yesterday i installed it and input wasnt working so i removed it. But today i decided to give a chance with xinput but after installing it again game is detecting 800x600 resolution only. Second question is to Deus Ex Human Revolution - if launched from desktop mode i can control it using steam deck dpad but if launched from game mode it does not recognize it only touch screen is working as input. Until those games i had no issues with titles like FIST or Death Stranding

BF II 2017 is on a major sale, but I don't want to spend my money if I can do the same thing on the EA app by running it through Proton Experimental.

Does using the steam version make it easier to launch on steam deck?

Thanks for your help!

Humble Bundle has introduced a new game collection from the publisher Serenity Forge. It contains 10 indie games with good player ratings and a combined value of $171. However, the entire bundle can be purchased for only $12.

Storytellers bundle (Steam Deck-playable)

This is a screenless computer, meant to be used with XR/AR glasses or an external display. The Steam Deck motherboard goes in a 3d printed housing underneath the keyboard, giving you a keyboard that only needs to be connected to a display for a portable computer set up.

Here's the hacker news discussion on it, includes comments from the creator of the project

Note: This update is for the Steam Deck Beta and Preview channels, and includes new features that are still being tested. You can opt into this in Settings > System > System Update Channel.

General

* Fixed a WiFi regression with Steam Deck OLED

* Disabled experimental support for Wake-on-Bluetooth for Steam Deck LCD while issues with spurious wake-ups are being investigated

* Fixed a bug where visual corruption could occur with Sharp upscaling with HDR/10-bit applications when interacting with the overlay

* Fixed an issue where the cursor would not be visible in the bottom-right quadrant of the screen when using the magnifier

* Fixed cursor having a line of visual corruption when using Sharp upscaling in certain instances

* Fixed certain overlay key bindings involving Shift, the Super key, Right Alt, or Return/Enter not being able to be triggered

* Fixed input being passed to applications when overlay key bindings are invoked

* Fixed OBS Studio not working with the streaming output provided by gamescope

* Fixed an issue where clicking mailto: links sometimes didn't display the right error

Audio

* Fixed an issue where volume keys would sometimes not properly adjust the volume of the 3.5mm audio connector

* Fixed a SteamOS 3.6 regression causing audio glitches in God of War: Ragnarok

Accessibility

* Added support for optional color filters

* Added Orca screen reader and espeak-ng text-to-speech tools

* Fixed the magnifier producing the correct scale and offset when Sharp upscaling was used

Non-Deck

* Fixed an issue where the Legion Go S with SteamOS could lose trackpad functionality after sleep

* Added power button support for some AYANEO, AYN, GPD, MSI, ONEXPLAYER, and OrangePi platforms

As ever and always, I’m back with a week’s worth of gaming news I’ve spotted and thought I should share with you all!

And this one is a long one!

This one’s got a bit of everything, and it’s my twentieth of these posts! Hard to imagine so many of these have been posted so far, but one thing does remain – writing these makes me super happy to write. So, while we're on the topic, thanks to all of you for even wanting to read along with these when I post them :)

What are these posts?

My aim for these News Posts in general though is to format them in a more clearly not a professional, but someone who cares about gaming manner than most gaming sites do now. Less demanding? My ever-lasting inspo is the old, old video game sites, blogs and magazines that I never had the privilege of being alive for:

• image/gif/link heavy (every time I make these, at least 4 GIFs end up being too big for Lemmy to upload, and it always makes me sad)

• personal voice (I can’t help rambling, send help – this won’t be even slightly professionally written)

• mostly news or articles or points which you won’t find on normal gaming sites. These are the smaller, lesser things that I’m drawn to. I know you’ll have spotted the big news articles, so I’m hoping some of these smaller ones might have been missed by you.

A mixed bag of what I’ve considered news this week, so there really is a bit of everything ahead.

So grab a coffee? Or a tea? Or a fresh juice? And enjoy <3

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General Gaming News:

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GEX:

The Gex trilogy has finally arrived on GOG and Steam. Will it cause a stir? I’d say...not, the games are just poor emulation in a new wrapper. Check the trailer and you’ll see something like polygon stabilization (‘jumping’ textures) we see DuckStation do so well (for ‘free’) is completely missing.

Anyway:

Everyone's favorite tail-whipping, channel-surfing, gecko is back in a collection that features all of his best-selling adventures!

Interestingly, they opted to only use the U.S. voices for this one. The originals had different voices for different markets (Leslie Phillips in the U.K. and Dana Gould in the ‘States).

If you’d prefer something a little lighter, check AVGN’s video on YouTube where he plays the original three games and gives his (angry – it is the Angry Video Game Nerd, afterall!) reviews from three months ago. The link to that video is here!

Just check this image of this newly released Gex Trilogy, it’s directly from the Steam page!

Amazing:

And of course, here’s the link to the GOG page for the game, too!

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Starfleet Academy:

Back in 1997 a game was released, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy: the game simulates the life of a typical Starfleet cadet, with the player learning the basics of flying a starship and engaging in role-playing with a crew of cadets, with the eventual goal of becoming captain of their own ship. The game included full motion video featuring William Shatner, Walter Koenig and George Takei reprising their roles from the original television series and movies, and a multiplayer simulation mode allowing for up to 32 players.

It’s still available on GOG (because, of course it is!) but I’m sharing something interesting I found.

Nick Acosta, a big fan of the game, has remastered the opening to the game.

I’ve reimagined the opening sequence of the 1997 PC game Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, replacing its dated CG effects with recomposited footage from the original ILM model work used in the first six Star Trek films. I also created new matte paintings and redesigned interior backgrounds to better align with the look and feel of Starfleet in 2288.

I’ve always loved this game and felt it was an underrated addition to the Trek timeline—bridging the events between Star Trek V and VI.

Their work is incredible on this one, and seems as official as you could get.

Updates include:

• Original physical models restored and recomposited
• All 3D effects replaced with modern lighting and detail
• New matte paintings for interiors and FX sequences
• Production design aligned with the 2288 Starfleet aesthetic
• Revised title sequence and updated credit order
• I used an animated version of an unused Ralph McQuarrie Matte Painting of Starfleet Command from Star Trek IV

Of course, the link to it being shown off on YouTube is here, and really - you should click this and have a look. This is the kinda thing I love to find, fans caring so much about a fear-forgotten game that they take the time and effort to bring it to life again!

This is a fan preservation and restoration project—a tribute to the timeless quality of ILM’s practical model work and a chance to reimagine this scene using today’s compositing tools.

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Nexus Mods Sold:

You’ve no doubt read all about that by now, it’s going to be old news but...it’s still big news to me. Nexus Mods has been sold:

In ‘An Update From DarkOne’, they stated:

After almost 24 years of running Nexus Mods, the time has come for me to step back from the day-to-day management of the site. This isn't a decision I've made lightly - far from it - but one I think is in both my and the community's best interests.

I started this project back in 2001, in my bedroom, with a 56k modem, an excitement for the upcoming release of Morrowind and with no grand ambitions or intentions. I didn’t set out to build a business, I just wanted to make a place where modders could share their work without worrying it would vanish into the internet either the next time a fansite went offline or a publisher decided they were done with it. That idea grew legs, sprouted arms, and turned into Nexus Mods.

Their entire post is here, you should check it out if you’re interested!

Resetera users discovered that both new owners named by Dark0ne work for a company called Chosen.

It's vague to what extent this is a sale. Dark0ne mentioned the owners have "changed hands", but also mentions "I’ll also be working with the team to help guide the overall direction of the site, just without needing to be the person who signs off on every little thing and without taking responsibility for any and all things Nexus Mods".

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The Deck Trap:

This one’s...pretty typical of the Steam Deck community, you’ll see it generally fall into two categories: those who leave the Deck stock and just, idk, use it, and those who like to tinker. Then there’s this effort, which is tinkering x1000.

Snicker-Snack83 has created an all-in-one effort which, in their own words because they went into great detail, is:

This is the DeckTrap, as I'm calling it, and it's a portable dock with a number of cool features.

It doubles as a kickstand using the dbrand killswitch, with two HDMI ports, Ethernet, and an adapter for use with AR glasses. The battery is 20,000 mAh and all the cables are rated for 65 watts, with an on/off switch to ensure the dock doesn't drain the battery when not in use.

It's something that anyone can build, but all the parts amount to $257, so making them would be kind of expensive. As someone who travels I find it very useful. It lets me use the XREAL glasses on the go without killing the battery and it doubles as a dock when on the go and you're looking for a way to connect it to the TV.

I’ve seen a ton of pointlessly weird and mean comments over this. What is it with gamers who like to just put someone down for sharing their work? It’s weird. This is specific, and they love it. They saw a problem with their own gaming, and solved it! Is it for me? No. But as someone who goes through airport security often with a suitcase full of suspicious looking tech (I’m a pen-tester who works red ream), I know how this kinda thing can grow!

I love it!

---

Next-Gen Minecraft (for consoles):

Maybe some remember this. In 2017, Mojang announced the "Super Duper Graphics Pack" for Minecraft, promising enhanced visuals (including shaders) for Xbox consoles. However, this project was postponed to 2018 and ultimately canceled in 2019 due to ‘technical challenges in achieving consistent performance across devices’.

The community felt a little confused why a company like Microsoft, with its infinite wealth, didn’t focus on this idea a little more. Mojang is hardly an indie crew. But, it seems like some good things come to those who wait eight years.

Now, with this next-gen update, all 3,000 textures will be replaced with PBR materials (color, roughness, emission) optimized for Physically-Based Rendering, aiming to accurately simulate the physical behavior of the light source and materials to achieve realism. PBR materials are a very important step if you want to add ray tracing or even path tracing. Until now, Minecraft used only simple color textures, so renderers like the famous Nvidia Minecraft RTX didn’t work with the standard game.

The next-gen Minecraft renderer will be released on June 17, 2025, and will be enabled by default on Xbox Series X.

This is the 5-ish minute video they shared on YouTube, detailing a lot and showing what the update has done. Well and truly an interesting watch, even for me who is not a fan of Minecraft!

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The Thing:

...or maybe, the thing about John Carpenter is that he is a gamer. He frequently shares his thoughts on games, what he enjoys, what provides a good atmosphere. I found that long ago in 2024 he enjoyed Prince of Persia’s The Lost Crown (I did too! I was sad to see the team didn’t get a chance to expand and refine with a sequel), and tweeted this one:

That’s all, IDK, I just though it was neat!

---

Switch 2 + Staples:

Did everyone see the drama that happened when the Switch 2 was released? GameStop stapled receipts on the Switch 2 box which damaged screens on launch day upsetting customers. Everyone blames GameStop (yeah, that’s valid), but I’d say some blame lies with Nintendo for having no buffer zone between the cardboard box’s lid and the console itself. It’s literally thin cardboard / soft cover / console screen.

Here’s an artcile (short one) on The Verge detailing that issue.

Anyway, GameStop have leaned into their own issues and have made a pretty funny ad about it. Here you go:

---

Coincidence:

VERY briefly, also spotted a user sharing this and it made me laugh:

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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s Improvements:

The developer of the insanely popular Expedition 33 have stated that they’re working on various bits and pieces:

Bonjour! We're currently exploring a wide range of future improvements — from accessibility features to new content and all sorts of bits and bobs we're actively assessing. Naturally, this also includes expanded localisation options!

While we don't have specific timelines or confirmed languages to share just yet, we wanted to let you know that it's very much on our radar. Wheee!

Their statement which I’ve copied is here, on Bsky

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EmuReady is Ready:

This one is for those who love the SBC gaming handhelds, but there is plans for this to end up on Decky Loader, for the Steam Deck. The release post is so detailed and nice that I’m not even going to bother annoying you with my own words, I’ll just (painstakingly) format it so it looks pretty here on Lemmy. I’ll make a couple of changes (remove some words and embed the links), but nothing changes anything here:

https://emuready.com/ is a platform designed to help users share and find emulator compatibility reports more effectively.

After a lot of feedback, 1000 commits later, EmuReady is now live for everyone to use! By the way, it's open source, so if you want to contribute, check out the GitHub repo. (leaving a star on the repo means a lot to me and helps others find it!)

Features:

• Share emulator settings to get your game running
• Upvote and downvote reports to help others find the best settings
• Search for games and emulators to see compatibility reports/listings
• Configurable your profile with devices and socs you use to only see relevant reports * Performance ratings - See if a game runs "Perfect" or "Potato Quality" before you waste 3 hours tinkering
• Custom fields for every emulator - Because some emulators have 47 different graphics settings and we're not animals
• Device/SoC/Emulator/Console filtering
• Dark/Light mode

Coming soon:

• Trust system (probably shipping tomorrow) - Build reputation by contributing quality reports and get access to approve others' reports, add devices, and more (so this platform isn't held back by how much time I have to spend on it)
• The EmuReady Mobile app (very early stages)
• A Decky plugin for the Steam Deck

Maybe Coming:

• Automated settings export/import (I am experimenting with this for the emulators that support a config file, but it is not a priority right now)

Never Coming:

• Ads.

If your device isn't included yet, please send a message in the discord server or create a GitHub ticket and I'll add it :)

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• Most Played at Next Fest:*

June’s Next Fest is, as we all know is a week‑long digital showcase on Steam—held three times a year (usually February, June, and October), where players can download and play hundreds or thousands of free demos of upcoming PC games, watch developer livestreams, and add their favorites to wishlists .

Next Fest exists to give developers early feedback and build hype, while giving gamers a no-cost chance to explore and discover new titles before they launch, like the age of gaming long before my time, when demos were typical!

Anyway, Steam shared a post giving the top 50 most played demos!

• [Vindictus: Defying Fate (action RPG / souls-like)[https://store.steampowered.com/app/3576170]

Experience intense action brought to life with diverse, unique characters. Read your enemy’s attacks and strike back for maximum impact in Vindictus: Defying Fate. Immerse yourself in signature combat and a gripping narrative.

• Wildgate (multiplayer space/adventure)

Wildgate is a PVP multiplayer shooter that blends tactical ship-to-ship combat with fast-paced first-person action. Evade deadly environmental hazards, search for powerful weapons and ship upgrades, and be the first crew to escape with the Artifact... or the last crew left flying.

• Jump Ship (co-op space PVE)

Jump Ship is a mission based co-op PvE for up to 4 players, where you are the crew of a spaceship. Transition seamlessly from crewing the ship to on-foot exploration and space walks. Engage in intense battles both on the ground and in space, and always keep your ship upgraded and intact.

• Mimesis (online co-op / horror / action)

4 Player co-op survival horror game. When the cursed rain falls, 'Mimesis' appear, perfectly imitating your teammates, bringing a new level of tension you've never experienced before.

• Dead as Disco (single-player / action / rhythm / beat ‘em up)

Martial arts meets music video in Dead as Disco, a neon-drenched Beat ‘Em Up where every punch, kick, and combo syncs to the music. Join Charlie Disco on a quest to confront the villainous Idols and reunite the band.

...figured I’d add the top 5 here for the heck of it (yes, it is an excuse to share some GIFs), but check this link out as it has the whole top 50 covered.

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The Loss of Pak-Sen Lim:

Malaysian-born British actor Pik-Sen Lim died on Monday, June 9 at the age of 80. Lim had an extensive career in British theater, film, and television. PC Gamer readers will recognize her as the narrator of Dark Souls and Dark Souls 3's opening cutscenes.

The opening cinematic to Dark Souls III is here, if you’d like to view it

Her imdb page link is here, if you'd like to see her career

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Farthest Frontier Delay:

Farthest Frontier has pushed back their long-anticipated 1.0 launch until October 2025. They stated that they need time for polish, bug fixes, optimization and posted an updated Road to V1.0 (which you can read here with this link)

Farthest Frontier, from their own game page:

Protect and guide your people as you forge a town from untamed wilderness at the edge of the known world. Harvest raw materials, hunt, fish and farm to survive. Produce crafted items to trade, consume, equip and fight with as you battle for your survival against the elements and outside threats.

It currently holds a Very Positive rating on Steam, with 18,769 reviews (all time)

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3DS at Bob Dylan:

Just another funny quick one, saw this shared about – someone spotted taking a photo at a Bob Dylan concert with their 3DS. Not only that, but taking it a step further and using the circle pad pro attachment!

---

Epic Games Delisting:

Epic has removed Dark and Darker from sale on the Epic Games Store, thankfully if you have purchased the game you will be issued a full refund.

Dark and Darker:

An unforgiving hardcore fantasy FPS dungeon PvPvE adventure. Band together with your friends and use your courage, wits, and cunning to uncover mythical treasures, defeat gruesome monsters, while staying one step ahead of the other devious treasure-hunters.

It currently holds Mixed (all time reviews) and Mostly Negative (recent reviews) on Steam, so...maybe you’re not missing out on much. Here’s the statement Epic made:

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Epic’s Languages:

Epic has also added additional language support to their launcher, but not their website (yet). The languages added are:

• Bulgarian "bg" *Czech "cs"
• Danish "da"
• Dutch "nl"
• Filipino "fil"
• Finish "fi"
• Hindi "hi"
• Hungarian "hu"
• Indonesian "id"
• Malay "ms"
• Norwegian "no"
• Portuguese (Portugal) "pt"
• Romanian "ro"
• Swedish "sv"
• Ukrainian "uk"

This information is from the developer documentation which you can read with this link on Epic’s site.

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Animal Crossing / Gamecube / Decompiled!

Another monumental fan effort has been achieved. The team behind the Animal Crossing decompilation have reached 100% progress on recreating the game's code. This isn't a full 100%, as noted by project creator Cuyler, who states that there's still work left to do, but it means Animal Crossing for the GameCube can be modded fully, and soon ported to other platforms, once released. Additionally, the same team has been working on backporting and translating content from the Japanese-exclusive Dobutsu no Mori e+ into a project called Animal Crossing Deluxe.

It's my pleasure to announce that as of <t:1750082820:R>, Animal Crossing's decompilation hit 100% matching and linked game code. While not fully 100%, the way the game is set up means that we can fully mod the game. There's still some work to do on supporting libraries like the GameCube SDK, among others. However, this does not impact modding. HUGE shoutout to everyone who contributed and supported the project along the way! This has been 2.5 years in the making! I'll have a more fitting announcement when we hit complete 100% in the future!

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GameSieve Updated:

GameSieve is, in the developer’s own words:

Full-text search for the entire GOG game catalog, with advanced filters and price-tracking for 12 currencies. I've tried to optimize for information-density without reducing usability. I also put a lot of effort into correcting and enriching the data from GOG's API. Lots more of all of that to come.

They’ve made a lengthy post for what’s next, and what’s been happening with their site, and I’m just going to copy it (almost) verbatim – I love this site, and use it all the time, and I definitely recommend you visit and bookmark if you’re a regular GOG user!

Anyway, in their own words:

Nearly two months ago, I launched GameSieve, my independent price tracker, game discovery service and improved search engine for GOG. In the weeks since then, I've been building some frequently requested quality of life features and new abilities. Highlights include:

• The ability to remember preferred defaults. This could be just the country for which you want to see prices listed, but it becomes particularly useful if there are genres or developers which you never want to see (cough whale rock cough). Just exclude them all, and then click the "remember" button underneath the applied filters.

• Sorting by price, discount, release date (original or on GOG) or title (added to the existing default of sorting by price improvement).

• Showing included products and goodies.

• Filtering for GOG's new bundles with dynamic pricing.

• Filtering GOG’s new modded games.

• Filtering by age rating.

• I've recently created a GameSieve sub-reddit for those interested in following the details of ongoing development. See the changelog for the full details of everything that's new.

The big thing I'm aiming for (which based on initial exploration looks feasible, but will still take a long time to implement correctly, and might still prove to be too complex) is the ability to create various types of lists and then filter by them. I'm quite ambitious there, hoping to eventually allow for wishlists (imported from gog, optionally managed (with priorities) on gamesieve), owned games (on gog or elsewhere), lists of games you never want to see and maybe public "gog mixes".

I'm actively asking for feature requests, both in general, and for such lists. (It really helps me to have a thorough understanding of a wide range of desires and usecases - what are you trying to do, what information do you need to see for that to work? The more details the better!) Feel free to drop them here, or on the roadmap

I make no promises about what I'll implement, but almost all of what I've added since launch was caused by someone asking for it, or at least voicing a desire which made me realize (how) I could implement a related feature.

And that’s that one!

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Kernelbay:

I spotted this game and had to share it, because of how unique it looks and feels to me. There’s (apparently, thought it has to be small and niche) a small but growing trend of games running as overlays on the desktop instead of full-screen apps.

These games float above the desktop, partially transparent, blending into the background while you work. They act more like ambient experiences...always there, but never demanding attention.

This developer is creating Kernelbay, a cozy idle fishing game built around this idea.

It runs as a transparent window, with your fisher upgrading gear and exploring tiny handcrafted dioramas while you go about your day.

Their Steam page is here, wishlist it I guess if you’re interested!

(I did try attach two GIFs here, to show it in action - but both being around 19mb was too much for Lemmy to be able to upload, sad)

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Borderlands 4 DRM:

Borderlands is shipping with Denuvo DRM (yuck), but they’re also applying Symbiote (2K’s custom DRM) – so I suppose we can see why their recommended specs for playing Borderlands 4 are on the higher side.

So, UE5’s often-poor performance + two DRM’s running in the background + higher rec’s for specs?

Hmmmmmmmm.

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RetroAssembly:

There’s a new web-based ‘retro game cabinet’ concept which as launched. Arianrhodsandlot shared a quick post on RetroAssembly, which is just getting started. Again, in the dev’s own words:

Hi! I’m excited to share RetroAssembly, a web-based retro game collection cabinet. It lets you play and organize games from classic consoles—right in your browser. No installs, just upload your ROMs and play!

Price: $0 – RetroAssembly is completely free and open-source. I originally built this for my own use, and now I’m excited to share it with the community.

Getting Started:

• Visit retroassembly.com
• (Optional) Try the demo games
• Login to upload your own ROMs and play instantly in your browser—no extra software needed!

Key Features:

• Supports NES, SNES, Genesis, GameBoy, Arcade, and more
• Auto-detects and displays beautiful box art for your games
• Save and sync your progress, resume anytime
• Some emulators support gameplay rewind
• Navigate your library with keyboard or gamepad (spatial navigation)
• Retro-style visual shaders for that authentic vibe
• On-screen virtual controller for mobile play

Here’s a link to their GitHub

Here’s a link to their Discord

...and if you do try it out, let me know what you think! I’d be curious (haven’t the time myself at the moment!) how it runs and looks!

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FBC: Firebreak Launches:

Remedy’s new multiplayer game, FBC: Firebreak has launched everywhere (for free, if you have Game Pass!) and reviews are rolling in. FBC is a three-player cooperative first-person shooter set within ‘a mysterious federal agency under assault by otherworldly forces’. If you’ve played Remedy’s brilliant game Control then you’ll have an idea of the setting, it’s that game’s universe this one’s set in.

Currently the game is sitting on ‘Mixed’ reviews on Steam, with under 1,000 being submitted. PC Gamer has given it 60/100 (which some take to mean a terrible, terrible, scathing review but to me, idk, 60/100 seems like a fun time?)

I suspect Remedy might have seen this title as a passive income – skins and micro-transactions are the bread and butter of the gaming industry these days, but...we’ll see if FBC stays the course and sticks around I suppose.

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Marathon Delayed:

Looks like Bungie and Sony have delayed the rather universally hated Marathon 'reboot' (hard term to use, since it has nothing to do with their classic, old, single-player titles of that name) It is now delayed indefinitely. Terrible reviews of their closed Alpha tests, a shitty account by an artist where Marathon displayed stolen art assets, it's not hard to see why this has been delayed.

“Through every comment and real-time conversation on social media and Discord, your voice has been strong and clear. We've taken this to heart, and we know we need more time to craft Marathon into the game that truly reflects your passion. After much discussion within our Dev team, we’ve made the decision to delay the September 23rd release.”

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My Interview:

My friend Gardiner Bryant asked me if I’d like to post the occasional thing to his website. For now, some of the interviews I do with developers (typically Steam Deck / Linux / gaming) are going to start popping up on there and...that’s kinda exciting!

To start with I’ve shared an interview you’ll only read there, with another friend of mine, Eben Bruyns who created Junk Store. He and I did that early last year (-ish, my memory of exactly when is hazy!), and roughly covers things like:

• What Junk Store is
• Development motivation
• How the project evolved
• What its like to develop a program for Linux
• Challenges he faces, UI/UX

...and so on. I’d love it if you’d read through, it’s 15 or 20 mins worth of back-and-forth between he and I!

Of course, the link to it is here!

---

My next interview:

I’ve approached a developer of a program for the Nintendo Switch. I understand this one might be a sensitive topic for some, but stick with me for the moment.

They run a very successful app, a program which replicates the look and feel of an official Nintendo program, but allows users to download and install games and DLC to their jailbroken Nintendo Switch for free. And they are 100% a pirate. The level which they’re operating is, at the peak, around 1 petabyte of data per month, so this one’s no small fry.

I wanted to ask them about their motivations, their reasons for creating and maintaining such an idea, their experiences with being devs and gamers, how (or *if) they justify what is stealing, whether it is an ideal which motivates them or the money, and the threat of Nintendo’s lawyers.

This isn’t condoning the project (the opposite, I won’t share the name of it, nor that of the developer), it’s something as far as I can tell hasn’t been done before. I can see why it hasn’t, but to me this is the interesting thing – a peek behind a curtain of a shadowy service. I wanted to know the how and the why, so I asked!

This won’t be posted for a few days, and will only be shared on the c/games Lemmy community (since it is outside the scope of others I post to!)

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Prime Gaming’s Bonus:

With Amazon’s Prime Day, they’ve released a bonus pack of games out of the blue as a giveaway.

If you’re unaware (and are one of the three here on Lemmy who don’t pick up a pitchfork whenever I share anything about Prime Gaming), Prime Gaming is a bonus for your Amazon Prime subscription. Each week they give a handful of game codes away for you to keep forever. GOG, Epic Games and Amazon titles are yours to keep. I’ll be crucified for saying it here, but to me its the best deal in gaming at the moment, purely because of the GOG games you get.

This bonus day of games includes:

• Tomb Raider I-II-III Remastered (GOG)

Play the original three Tomb Raider Adventures: For the first time ever, play the complete experience with all expansions and secret levels on modern platforms in this definitive collection. Prime members and Luna+ subscribers who claim Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara Croft can link their Luna and GOG accounts to play via Luna in supported countries.

• Saints Row 2 (GOG)

Saints Row 2 brings true freedom to open-world gaming. Players can play as who they want, how they want, and with whomever they want in this sequel to the much acclaimed and tremendously successful Saints Row. Prime members and Luna+ subscribers who claim Saints Row 2 can link their Luna and GOG accounts to play via Luna in supported countries.

• TOEM (GOG)

Set off on a delightful expedition and use your photographic eye to uncover the mysteries of the magical TOEM in this hand-drawn adventure game. Chat with quirky characters, solve their problems by snapping neat photos, and make your way through a relaxing landscape! Prime members and Luna+ subscribers who claim TOEM can link their Luna and GOG accounts to play via Luna in supported countries.

• Star Wars Rebellion (GOG)

It is a time of great upheaval. The first Death Star has been destroyed, marking a major victory for the Rebellion. But the Empire remains strong. As commander, you must choose to take control of either the Rebel Alliance or the Galactic Empire. Your goal: complete domination of the galaxy.

• Saints Row IV: Re-Elected (GOG)

After a catastrophic alien invasion of Earth, the Saints have been transported to a bizarro-Steelport simulation. With homies new and old, and an arsenal of superpowers and strange weapons, they must fight to free humanity from alien overlord Zinyak and his alien empire, saving the world in the wildest open world game ever.

• Dungeon of the ENDLESS – Definitive Edition (Amazon Games)

Dungeon of the Endless is Amplitude Studios’ take on the demanding Roguelike genre, mixing in Dungeon-Defense mechanics for a unique gameplay experience.

Of them all, I’m actually going to say TOEM is my fav (and I am a HUGE Lara Croft fan!)

It’s a perfect game for the Steam Deck, cozy and interesting and hand-drawn, too. I love this game so much, you’ll have such a nice time playing through, I can’t recommend it enough

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Xbox’s Next Console:

Xbox has released a...idk what to even call this, a ‘hype’ trailer? A promise of what is next? Xbox is patnering with AMD for their next generation system (Xbox console, handhelds, phone gaming, streaming, PC and so on).

We’ve established a strategic, multi-year agreement with AMD to co-engineer silicon across a portfolio of devices, including our next-generation Xbox consoles. Together, we’re delivering deeper visual quality, immersive gameplay, and AI-powered experiences - grounded in a platform designed for players, not tied to a single store or device, and fully compatible with your existing Xbox game library.

But what has most talking is the (seemingly throwaway) line in their statement:

Not locked to a single store

Is this the much talked about Steam integration? I’d doubt it (what manufacturer will let you use their service to give money to another platform?!), but...I do hope I am wrong!

Anyway, here’s the link to the video they uploaded onto YouTube: Xbox + AMD: Powering the Next Generation of Xbox

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GoldenEye 64 DD44 3D Print:

Just something fun, I noticed a user by the name of Arniel86 made a great 3D print of one of the weapons from the old Nintendo 64 game:

Was an interesting design to work with, looks nothing like the TT-33 its supposedly based off. But I chose to keep it looking as in game as possible.

The link to their MakerWorld page where the files are free is here, if you’d like to see more or start your own print!

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Hades II Update:

Hades II which is still in Early Access (but which plays like a damned fully finished game, albeit one without a proper ending so far) has released another big update. Titles Spread Fear in The Unseen:

Our third Major Update for Hades II is finally here, focused on expanding core combat, Guardian encounters, and character relationships, with lots of new visual flair!

Their change-log and notes are extensive, so you’d be better checking them out on Steam with their announcement:

Which is through this link here!

And here is the update trailer on YouTube!

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That’s Enough!

---

I think I’ve ranted enough here by now. I still have more interesting bits and pieces I’ve come across, but I’m told quite often how my posts take a looooong time to get through, and if I keep it up then it’ll never end!

What have you been playing?

One thing I can’t leave out, is asking what you’re all playing right now! I’d love to know what (if anything!) you’re enjoying!

I’ve actually started God of War. Somehow I never really gave it much time, giving up before that opening tree sequence each time, but out of the blue I stuck with it and I’m having a great time. I’m playing that on my desktop PC (for the highest possible fancy settings) and have been enjoying a few of the WipEout games emulated via RetroDECK

But what about you? AAA? AAAA? AA? (this is getting odd), indie? Emulated? Tellll meeee!!!

Previous Posts:

If you’d like to read my previous Gaming News posts (they’re mounting up in number now!), then you can find them here:

• Steam Deck / Gaming News #2
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #3
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #4
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #5
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #6
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #7
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #8
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #9
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #10
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #11
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #12
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #13
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #14
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #15
• Steam Deck / Gaming News #16
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Mastodon:

I do tend to post there each day, 99.99% gaming nonsense. If you want more of this, then come drop by!

Thought this might be worth a share here.

The developer of Junk Store (letting you play Epic Games and GOG titles on your Steam Deck) did a podcast with G. Bryant which he's shared on YouTube.

They cover things like:

• What is JunkStore?
• What inspired JunkStore
• What sets JunkStore apart from Heroic/Lutris?
• Original vision for JunkStore
• Goals for v2 of JunkStore
• What are your next goals for JunkStore?
• Recounting the JunkStore/Steam Store thing
• The NSL drama from Eben's perspective
• Eben's interesting living situation
• What everyone needs to know about JunkStore
• Conclusion

Here is the link to the interview on YouTube, which runs at 20:38

But there is also a longer, uncut interview which runs longer on Gardiner's blog for his suppporters:

In this nearly 50-minute interview, Eben Bruyns and I discuss the history and future of JunkStore, plus we chat about his interesting living situation, our favorite video games, his perspective on the Non-Steam Launchers drama from a few months ago, and how Steam accepted (then rejected) JunkStore on Steam.

The link to that longer version, again for his paying members, is here