Apps & Games news for Desktop Page 128

19 Aug 2024

Ubisoft Restructures U.S. Operations, Reduces 45 Positions

Ubisoft has announced a reduction of 45 positions within its U.S. operations, impacting Red Storm Entertainment in Cary, North Carolina, and the San Francisco office. The restructuring aims to align with future business goals. Severance packages and career assistance will be provided.

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19 Aug 2024

Nvidia's NvTrueHDR Enhances Older Games' Visuals, Minor Frame Rate Impact

Nvidia's new AI-powered HDR converter, NvTrueHDR (RTX HDR), launched earlier this year, enhances visual quality in older PG games lacking native HDR support. It outperforms Windows Auto HDR, though higher presets may reduce frame rates on less powerful systems. The application is free.

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19 Aug 2024

AMD Zen 5 Ryzen 9000 CPUs Show 3.8% Gaming Boost with Admin Accounts

AMD's Zen 5-based Ryzen 9000 series processors show a 3.8% gaming performance boost with a Windows administrator account, compared to a standard user account. Previous Zen 4 CPUs had a 2.8% increase. AMD advises against using admin accounts long-term due to security risks.

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19 Aug 2024

Steam's Latest Releases Highlight Nostalgic and Tactical Game Experiences

Steam releases approximately a dozen new games daily. Recent highlights include Oddada, The Crimson Diamond, Arco, Intravenous II, and Feed the Deep. These titles span genres from nostalgic exploration to tactical RPGs and underwater roguelikes, showcasing diverse gameplay experiences.

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19 Aug 2024

Total War: Warhammer Highlights Unique Strategies in PC Gaming Expansion

In PC gaming, "painting the map" refers to conquering territories and expanding empires. Games like Civilization and Total War exemplify this concept, offering players the satisfaction of transforming the world map over time. Total War: Warhammer features unique strategies for each faction, enhancing gameplay.

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19 Aug 2024

AuntyGames Launches Gourdlets, a Whimsical Town-Building Game

AuntyGames has launched Gourdlets, a new building game where players create towns for whimsical vegetable inhabitants. Evolving from its 2022 demo, the game offers diverse building options and quality-of-life enhancements. Available on Steam, Gourdlets features vibrant townscapes and multitasking modes.

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18 Aug 2024

New Game "Black Myth: Wukong" Launches Amid AI Concerns in Gaming Industry

"Black Myth: Wukong," a new video game inspired by "Journey to the West," releases this week on PlayStation 5 and PC. Featuring a monkey protagonist with a magical staff, the game highlights concerns about unregulated AI in the industry, prompting discussions within the Screen Actors Guild.

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18 Aug 2024

Windows 11 Build 27686 Enhances Storage, Sandbox, and Power Mode Options

Windows 11 Build 27686 introduces support for 2TB storage on FAT32, enhances Windows Sandbox functionality, and improves HDR settings control. Users can now customize power modes for devices, enabling distinct settings like "Best Performance" or "Balanced" based on whether the device is plugged in or on battery.

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18 Aug 2024

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27686 Adds New Power Mode Settings

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27686 introduces a feature allowing users to select different power modes based on the laptop's charging state directly from the Settings menu, simplifying power management. This build also increases the FAT32 partition size to 2TB, available exclusively in the Canary Channel.

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18 Aug 2024

Epic Games' Free Weekly Games Strategy Proves Cost-Effective for User Growth

Epic Games' strategy of offering free games weekly since 2018 has proven cost-effective for user acquisition compared to traditional advertising. CEO Tim Sweeney noted lower costs than platforms like Facebook or Google Ads. This initiative boosts new player attraction and sales for developers' other titles.

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18 Aug 2024

New Malware Styx Stealer Targets Cryptocurrency on Windows Systems

Check Point Research identified new malware, Styx Stealer, in April 2024. Targeting Windows-based systems, it hijacks cryptocurrency transactions and extracts sensitive data. Styx is distributed via Telegram and a website, using a subscription model. The extent of infections and total amount stolen remain unknown.

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18 Aug 2024

Factorio's Space Age Expansion Introduces New Alien Enemies and Features

Factorio's Space Age expansion introduces new enemies called Pentapods, including Wrigglers, Strafers, and Stompers. Attracted by organic crops, these starfish-like aliens differ from the base game's Biters. A free 2.0 update will also enhance gameplay with smarter robots and updated systems.

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17 Aug 2024

Ubisoft Reveals Advanced PC Features for Star Wars Outlaws Release

Ubisoft has revealed the system requirements and features for the PC version of Star Wars Outlaws, including ray tracing, dynamic lighting, and support for DLSS 3.5, Intel XESS 1.3, and AMD FSR 3.0. The game launches on August 30 for Xbox Series, PS5, and PC platforms.

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17 Aug 2024

Bukhman Brothers Top UK Games Industry Wealth List with £12.5 Billion

Igor and Dmitry Bukhman, founders of Playrix, lead the UK games industry with a fortune of £12.5 billion. Dan and Sam Houser of Rockstar Games follow with £350 million. Garry Newman of Facepunch Studios ranks sixth. Only three women are top earners, raising gender equality concerns.

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17 Aug 2024

Microsoft Expands FAT32 Partition Limit to 2TB in Windows 11 Preview

Microsoft has increased the maximum FAT32 partition size limit from 32GB to 2TB in the latest Windows 11 Insider Canary Preview Build via the command line. The GUI still enforces the 32GB cap. This change addresses a nearly three-decade-old limitation dating back to Windows NT 4.0.

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17 Aug 2024

Microsoft Patches Windows 11 Loophole in Latest Insider Preview Update

Microsoft has updated Windows 11 Insider Preview build 27686 in the Canary channel to close a loophole allowing installation on unsupported PCs. This change addresses a workaround bypassing hardware requirements like the TPM chip. Similar measures may be integrated into future stable versions.

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17 Aug 2024

Humble Store Launches RPG and Tower Defense Bundles with Classic Titles

The Humble Store has launched an RPG Masters Bundle featuring classic CRPGs from Beamdog and Owlcat. A Tower Defense Bundle is also available. The Epic Games Store offers Death’s Gambit: Afterlife for free until August 22. Discounts on various titles are available across multiple platforms.

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17 Aug 2024

Revolution Software to Launch Broken Sword Remake on PC September 19

Revolution Software will launch the remake of Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged on PC on September 19th. The game features reimagined visuals, upgraded audio, and a new story mode. A trailer showcasing these updates has been released, aiming to attract both new and long-time fans.

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17 Aug 2024

DLSS Technology Boosts Gaming Laptop Performance, Benchmarks Show

Matthew Murray evaluates GPU performance in gaming laptops using frame rate benchmarks at native resolution and 1080p. Nvidia's DLSS technology, especially in the 30-series and 40-series cards, significantly enhances gaming experiences, with Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty showcasing near-native 4K quality.

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17 Aug 2024

Check Point Research Uncovers New Malware Variant Styx Stealer

Check Point Research has uncovered Styx Stealer, a new malware variant that extracts sensitive data from users, including browser and cryptocurrency information. Linked to the developer Sty1x, the malware employs advanced evasion techniques and is marketed via subscription, generating notable revenue.

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17 Aug 2024

New Malware Styx Stealer Targets Windows Users, Steals Credentials

Check Point Research identifies a new malware, Styx Stealer, targeting Windows users by exploiting a Microsoft Windows Defender vulnerability. Linked to Agent Tesla, it steals browser cookies, credentials, and cryptocurrency. Users should update their systems to mitigate this threat.

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17 Aug 2024

Humble Bundle Offers $300 Worth of Games for $12 in August Deal

Humble Bundle is offering a selection of games valued at $324.92 for $29.99, providing a savings of $294.93. The bundle includes eight titles compatible with the Steam Deck. Buyers must sign up for a one-month subscription for $29.99, which can be canceled after one month while retaining the games.

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17 Aug 2024

Valve's Deadlock Playtest Sees Surge in Player Participation

Valve is conducting a closed playtest for its unannounced MOBA shooter, Deadlock, inviting thousands of Steam users while asking them to keep their experiences confidential. Interest has surged, with concurrent players rising from 18,000 to over 34,000 in a week.

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17 Aug 2024

Microsoft Tests Compact Mode for Game Bar to Enhance Small Screen Navigation

Microsoft is testing Compact Mode for the Game Bar in Windows 11 and 10, enhancing navigation for smaller screens and controllers. The update includes a new Home widget and a Resource widget for system monitoring. This reflects Microsoft's focus on optimizing Windows 11 for handheld gaming devices.

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17 Aug 2024

Valve Releases Official Windows Drivers for Steam Deck, Expanding Options

Valve has released official drivers enabling Windows installation on the Steam Deck, expanding gaming options beyond SteamOS. Previously reliant on community workarounds, the new drivers ensure full compatibility with Windows. This development offers users a multifunctional device experience.

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17 Aug 2024

ValleyRAT Malware Targets Windows Users in China with Sophisticated Attacks

Windows users in China face sophisticated multi-stage intrusions involving ValleyRAT malware. Triggered by deceptive business documents, it loads malware into memory, tracks activity, and exfiltrates data. Linked to the Silver Fox group, it targets finance, sales, e-commerce, and management sectors.

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17 Aug 2024

Valve to Extend SteamOS Support to Competing Handheld Devices

Valve plans to extend SteamOS support to competing handheld devices like the Asus ROG Ally. This could shift the market towards Valve's OS over Windows. With nearly 20 million handhelds sold globally last year, projections suggest sales could exceed 29 million annually by 2028.

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16 Aug 2024

Minecraft Snapshot 24W33A Brings Back Bundles, Enhances Redstone and Minecarts

The Minecraft snapshot 24W33A introduces updates such as the return of bundles, improved Redstone mechanics, and enhanced minecart functionality. Additional changes include adjustments to item rarities, mob parity, item names, textures, and bee behavior.

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16 Aug 2024

BlockBlender Enhances Minecraft Integration with Third-Party Add-On

BlockBlender lacks direct import into Minecraft, but a third-party add-on enables integration. A free version offers 32 basic blocks, while the full version is purchasable. Users can join the 80 Level Talent platform for insights and follow updates on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Reddit.

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16 Aug 2024

Google Shifts to Manifest V3, Impacting Chrome Extensions and Users

Google is transitioning to the Manifest V3 framework for Chrome, impacting over 30 million users and disrupting ad blocker uBlock Origin. A workaround extends support for classic extensions by one year via the Windows Registry. Firefox will continue supporting the Manifest V2 framework.

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