From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action
Just some gaming-related stories that I found interesting but didn't
feel warranted separate posts:
* A new "Carmageddon" game is in development.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mFmSbChgC8
I don't know if it will be any good (I mean, the trailer
is pretty, but never trust marketing hype) and, anyway, I was
never really that big a fan of the franchise anyway. Still, I
can't deny I feel a little bit of excitement at the revival
of an old IP. It's better than it just moldering away in
some publisher's vault, anyway.
* Intel ARC GPUs now control a whole 1% of the market.
https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/graphics-cards/great-news-for-intel-it-now-owns-fully-1-percent-of-the-gaming-gpu-market/
Which is incredibly disappointing. I've used ARC GPUs and
while they don't hold a candle to the ATI/Nvidia offerings,
they're actually not that bad, especially for an integrated
solution. Their top-of-the-line model, the B580, is only
a little bit slower than an Nvidia RTx4060, which is
currently the most-used GPU on Steam. So it's not as if
their offerings are total trash. And while I've no love of
Intel, it would be nice if we could see more options in
the GPU market. So it's a shame that the line hasn't taken
off more amongst gamers.
* Netflix gets WB Gaming division
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/netflix-to-buy-warner-bros-including-games-division-for-827bn
Well, they're buying ALL of Warner Brothers, but this is a
gaming newsgroup, so we're focusing on the gaming division.
Netflix has been pushing to become a big name in gaming, but
so far it hasn't really gone anywhere (looking at their TV
and movie line-up, I feel that's for the best). So they do
what everyone with too much money and not enough talent does:
they buy out someone who has less of the former and more
of the latter. Except WB really doesn't have the second
bit... at least, not with their games. Sure, they had a few
hits but they haven't ever made a major splash in the
industry. I can't imagine this acquisition will really
change things up for Netflix gaming...
Still, they do get Batman (as well as the rest of DC Comics),
so I guess that's some consolation. ;-)
* Nvidia brings back (some) support for 32-bit PhysX.
https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/battlefield-6-winter-offensive-geforce-game-ready-driver/
PhysX was middleware software used by a number of games
for rendering realistic physics effects (ragdolls,
collapsing buildings, water, cloth sims) on GPUs. Nvidia
bought the tech and incorporated into their hardware. About
a year ago, they discontinued support for the 32-bit
version of PhysX in their drivers, meaning a number of
older games suddenly didn't have accelerated physics
effects anymore. Needless to say, this didn't sit well with
many gamers. Nvidia finally relented and re-enabled the
feature. About time!
* Oh no, Russia's banned Roblox
https://www.gfinityesports.com/article/roblox-is-now-blocked-in-russia-for-allegedly-distributing-extremist-materials
And nothing of value was lost... for either side. Why
anyone still does business with Russia when they don't have
to, I don't know. And for all its popularity with the kids,
Roblox the company is so skeevy that I can't even fault Russia
for its actions (even if its usual excuses, 'distributing
extremist materials', are as bogus as ever). A pox on both
of their houses.
* Also, they're making a new "World of Warcraft" expansion.
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/world-of-warcrafts-midnight-expansion-launches-in-march-2026/1100-6536536/
I honestly forgot that "World of Warcraft" was still a
game people played; it seems like forever since its been
in the news and had you instead told me that the servers
shut down in 2022 or something, I'd not have been surprised
(they weren't). But I guess ActiMicrBlizzardSoftVision
needs to keep that money train rolling.
* Also also, a new Warhammer 40K Dawn of War game is announced
https://www.ign.com/articles/we-didnt-really-care-about-balance-how-the-developers-of-warhammer-40000-dawn-of-war-4-made-primarch-lion-eljonson-playable-in-game
Meanwhile, the "Dawn of War" series has been equally moribund
for years... but gog knows Games Workshop isn't going to
miss another chance to nickel-and-dime its customers with
another chance to sell a game nearly identical to what they
already own. (Mind you, I liked the "Dawn of War" games, but
Games Workshop's model is sleazy). I'll probably buy the game.
I just won't be happy about it. ;-)
Feel free to comment or add other interesting-but-small stories you
think may be of note.
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