"The Day Before" is an open-world post-apocalyptic horror/survivor game that released to much fanfare on December 7. Like most games released in the past 3-odd decades, it's a little rough along the edges at launch, which its developer is expected to smoothen out with regular game patches over the following weeks or months even; if only there was a developer left. Fntastic, the game's developer, ceased operations as a business on December 11.

Everyone who pre-ordered the game and bought it after the December 7 release date, still has it; but they now stare at the prospect of a game that potentially has gameplay breaking bugs and other issues that will never be fixed. Steam's refund policy sets a 2-hour gameplay deadline in which to decide if you like what you're playing, and get a refund otherwise. Predictably, there is a large class of gamers who have played more than 2 hours, but yet are left with a potentially broken product that's no longer supported by its developer, just 3 days into its launch. Gamers took to Reddit come draft a template for support e-mails to send to Steam, requesting refunds. The store responded, and made an exception for owners of "The Day Before" to seek refunds, even if they've crossed the 2-hour gameplay limit.

Valve Software today announced that the Steam store will switch to the US Dollar as currency for Turkiye and Argentina. The stores for both countries have implemented this change as of November 20. The reason cited for the change is the high degree of volatility of the local currencies in the two markets, which is causing game developers to struggle to find the right pricing for their games. Gamers from other regions have been using VPNs to shop from these countries as the volatile exchange rates would mean low pricing. Those with Steam Wallet balances in the local currencies from these two markets will see their wallet balances convert to US Dollars at the day's exchange rate.

Half-Life launched 25 years ago this Sunday (November 19, 1998 to be exact) and we felt like a celebration and some attention to the game itself was long overdue. We're marking the occasion by making Half-Life free-to-keep for anyone adding it to their library this weekend, and putting the rest of the games in the franchise on discount during that time.

Plus, we've worked on sprucing up the overall player experience and added or restored content for the game. You can read about the updates in detail on our new webpage created just for this occasion. We also got folks from the original dev team together to talk about their experience making it, and luckily time has not been cruel to their memories.

Beware do-gooders of the Overworld, for war is on the horizon. Publisher Kalypso Media and in-house developer Realmforge Studios have unleashed The Absolute Evil upon the Overworld with the official launch of Dungeons series' highly anticipated sequel, Dungeons 4.

Sound the alarm and prepare your traps, because Dungeons 4 is now available day one on Xbox Game Pass for console and PC and is available in Standard or Deluxe Editions on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5. The Deluxe Edition provides hellish extras for the most daring minions, including the Digital Artbook, exclusive Dungeons 3 Evil Hand Legacy Skin, Thalya Legacy 'Evil and Good' skin, remastered Storming of Dollaran Map from Dungeons 3, and the Official Dungeons 4 Soundtrack. Ensuring victory over the heroes of the Overworld. With larger dungeons, an expansive Overworld, enhanced co-op play, more evil critters, and the addition of the infuriating Dwarves, Evil has never looked this good!

Bethesda has released its latest beta patch for Starfield, adding official support for NVIDIA DLSS 3 Frame Generation, fixing several issues, and implementing further CPU and GPU optimizations. The November 8th Beta Update, as it is called, is only available via Steam Beta Update, and it should go live to all Xbox and PC players later this month.

According to the release notes, the new update adds NVIDIA DLSS support with DLSS Super Resolution, Deep Learning Anti-aliasing (DLAA), Nvidia Reflex Low Latency, and DLSS Frame Generation. The update also fixes several performance and stability issues, including a fix for a number of memory related issues and leaks, additional GPU optimizations that will benefit higher-end graphics cards, and improvements to the renderer threading model that should improve CPU usage on higher-end systems. The update also includes various stability and performance improvements.

With a simple mod, Storage Review got a Valve Steam Deck handheld gaming console to work with the world's highest capacity SSD, the mammoth 61.44 TB variant of the Solidigm D5-P5336. At its core, the Steam Deck is a highly compacted x86-64 PC powered by an AMD Ryzen mobile processor that features an industry standard PCIe interface, which it uses for an onboard M.2-2230 NVMe SSD. Storage Review used a simple adapter that converts M.2 to U.2—the interface of the D5-P5336—and the Steam Deck just worked.

Out of the box, the Steam Deck uses Valve's SteamOS, although it's fairly straightforward to install Windows, and get the Steam application to present its user interface (with which you can play just about any Windows PC game that's not yet available on SteamOS). A quick benchmark with KDiskMark (the Linux analog of CDM) sees the D5-P5336 post sequential read speeds of 3.6 GB/s, with 2.8 GB/s sequential writes. There's a catch here, though. It's not practical to lug the D5-P5336 along with your Steam Deck, the Solidigm drive is designed for servers, and besides the U.2 connection, requires a power input that a U.2 enclosure can provide.

A free Episode One of Season One of Stargate: Timekeepers deployed today on Steam. Pre-orders for the stealth, real-time tactics, commandos-style game created by Slitherine in official collaboration with Amazon MGM Studios are also now available.

Stargate: Timekeepers propels players into the heart of the Stargate SG-1 universe, where they will lead a team of specialists through a riveting campaign filled with story and adventure. Episode One plunges players into the heart-pounding chaos of the Battle of Antarctica, with valiant Eva McCain being teamed up to navigate treacherous challenges in an attempt to stop the deadly Kull warriors.

Today we are excited to ship SteamVR 2.0 to all users! In this release we're bringing all of what's new and exciting on the Steam platform into VR. This is our first big step in a larger ongoing effort to better unify the Steam ecosystem for all users, providing a more consistent experience across devices. This update also allows us to add new Steam features in the future much faster and more frequently.

Some things you'll discover today:

• Most of the current features of Steam and Steam Deck are now part of SteamVR
• Updated keyboard with support for dual-cursor typing, new languages, emojis, and themes
• Integration of Steam Chat and Voice Chat
• Improved Store that puts new and popular VR releases front and center
• Easy access to Steam notifications

Starting October 26, 2023, Embark Studios is hosting the first cross-platform Open Beta for THE FINALS, the team-based, free-to-play shooter that pushes environmental dynamism, destruction, and player freedom to the limits. The test will run on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Steam and ends on November 5.

THE FINALS is the ultimate combat entertainment game show where you and your team fight for fame, riches, and the favor of generous seasonal sponsors, in hyper-realistic, fully destructible Virtual Arenas inspired by iconic real-worldlocations. The Open Beta introduces the brand new Skyway Stadium arena to the map
rotation, along with an all-new game mode—Bank-It. Additionally, the beta includes a free BattlePass with 16 exclusive, permanent rewards that players can
unlock and keep for launch. The beta features cross-play and cross-progression between PC and consoles.

Lords of the Fallen got plenty of patches in the last few days, with two of them, Patch 1.1.199 and 1.1.203, launched yesterday, and the latest, Patch v1.1.207, launched earlier today. The previous two fixed GPU crashes on AMD graphics cards, as well as a big fix for the issue in communication between the drivers and DirectX 12. The Patch 1.1.203 also brought a reduction in VRAM usage that should provide additional headroom for GPUs operating at the limit, which in turn should provide a substantial performance improvement, at least according to Paradox Interactive.

The latest Patch 1.1.207 brought further stability improvements, fixing several crash issues as well as implementing various optimization, multiplayer, gameplay, AI, Quest and other improvements. The release notes also note that the fix for the issue that causes the game to crash on Steam Deck has been fixed, and should be published as soon as it passes QA.

Seagate Technology Holdings plc, today introduced the new FireCuda 520N NVMe solid state drive (SSD) with 2230-S2 M.2 form factor. The new drive is a perfect storage upgrade for Valve's Steam Deck, Microsoft Surface, ASUS ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and other compact devices with 2230 M.2 slots.

Available in 1 TB and 2 TB capacities, the FireCuda 520N is a PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD specifically designed for high performing hand-held gaming devices with high octane read/write speed of up to 5,000 MB/s for the 2 TB capacity and up to 4,800 MB/s for the 1 TB model. The drive offers PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD performance of desktop gaming, and it is backward compatible with Gen 3 and Gen 2 PCIe slots. The FireCuda 520N includes Seagate's three-year Rescue Data Recovery Service plan and a five-year limited warranty. It is available now for $109.99 (1 TB) and $189.99 (2 TB).

Wizard With a Gun, Galvanic Games and Devolver Digital's upcoming magic-infused co-op sandbox survival game, was originally scheduled for release on PC tomorrow, Oct. 17. But then another game about mowing down hordes of monsters with magic in a dark fantasy world—something called Diablo IV, which we've never heard of, but apparently a lot of people love—decided it was going to release on Steam on the same day.

So we're releasing the PC version of Wizard With a Gun TODAY, a day early. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions will still be launching on Oct. 17 (sorry), but if you're a PC player, you'll be able to lock and load sooner than planned for the magically low price of $24.99. Set in a fractured post-apocalyptic world known as the Shatter, Wizard With a Gun sees you (and a friend if you don't want to face the horrors alone) crafting an arsenal of magical guns 'n' ammo to drive back the forces of Chaos and restore this realm to its former glory.

It's time to kick off the October 2023 edition of Steam Next Fest! Today through October 16 at 10am PDT (UTC-7), play what's next from first-time and veteran developers alike from all over the world. From hundreds of free demos to livestreams and developer chats, there are upcoming games of all kinds to play before they're even released. Just don't forget to wishlist your faves to be notified when the game officially launches!

Official Livestream Kickoff
We're kicking off the full week of developer livestreams with our own live show starting at 11am PDT on October 9th. Join us on the Steam Next Fest front page for the kickoff, and stick around for developer livestreams and chats all week long.

Get on board the Last Train Home, a Survival RTS set in grim World War 1, inspired by real events of the Czechoslovak Legion trapped in the chaos of civil war in the heart of Russia. Aboard an armored train, you must venture into the unforgiving landscape of Siberia and safely bring your soldiers back home. Play the freshly released demo at Steam Next Fest now, before Last Train Home arrives on PC on November 28!

About Last Train Home
The Great War is over - but the fight continues. Command a legion of soldiers desperately trying to make their way home amidst the chaos of civil war. Lead them through the unforgiving wilderness onboard an armored train. Manage your crew and resources and try to survive.

Chaotic multiplayer "DIY racer" Make Way, from indie developer Ice Beam Games and publisher Secret Mode, is turbo-charging into Steam Next Fest today. Supporting 1-4 players, the Make Way demo gives players an early peek at the unbridled chaos expected in the full, cross-platform game for PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One later this year.

The demo will allow up to four players to battle together online or locally in either Race mode, where players focus on building their tracks and racing to the finish line, or Classic mode, where weapons and obstacles are thrown into the mix for the true chaotic experience. A sampling of the track pieces, obstacles, and vehicles will be available for use, with more to unlock by playing the demo, and even more to come in the final full release.

The gates of the Burning Hells have opened once more, welcoming more of Lilith's children home. Diablo IV is a game about slaying nightmarish creatures and acquiring powerful gear, but also about forging memories with new and old friends. We want to break down barriers to make it easier for wanderers everywhere to defend Sanctuary. Which is why we're honored to announce…Diablo IV will be available to play on Steam starting October 17! The Diablo IV Steam page is live now, and the game is available to wishlist.

Diablo IV's presence on Steam is in addition to Battle.net, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4, so wanderers playing the game on any existing platform need not make any changes. Those wanting to play on Steam will need to first purchase the game on that platform, then connect Diablo IV to a Battle.net account (as we require for all platforms). This enables cross-platform play and more. Players using Steam will have access to features specific to that platform, such as Steam achievements, their Steam friends list, and the option to invite those friends to play in-game. We're looking forward to seeing more defenders of Sanctuary band together and welcome any feedback you may have.

Hello, Doods! We're very excited that Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless is out now! For console as well as PC players, the development team has worked hard to provide a version that can be enjoyed by everyone. Unique considerations have been made for playing the game on PC so that it works on decked-out rigs, the portable Steam Deck, and everything else in between.

Celebrate the launch of Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless with exclusive launch savings for a limited time! Take advantage of discounts up to 30% as well as exclusive giveaway items now through October 16, 2023. Save an additional 5% on the Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless Deluxe Edition, and an additional 10% on the Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless Ultimate Edition which comes with loads of added bonuses including cosmetic and weapon DLC, Bonus Stories, a digital soundtrack and Art Book, and more!

Announcing Steam Next Fest, a multi-day celebration of upcoming games. Save the date for our Next Fest, headed to Steam in October. Explore and play hundreds of game demos, watch developer livestreams, and chat with the teams about their games in progress, coming soon to Steam.

OCTOBER 9 - OCTOBER 16 @ 10:00AM PACIFIC—SEVEN DAYS, HUNDREDS OF DEMOS & HOURS OF DEVELOPER LIVESTREAMS
Explore and play hundreds of demos, choose from dozens of livestreams to watch, and chat with developers about their games. Steam Next Fest will take place from October 9th to 16th, 2023 @10:00AM Pacific. Sign up here to receive a reminder for when Steam Next Fest begins. See you then!

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive's popularity has continued to increase since its release way back in 2012, and today, it remains the most played game on Steam each week, boasting over one million concurrent players. Now, Valve has launched Counter-Strike 2, a graphical and technological update that upgrades Counter-Strike: Global Offensive to the Source 2 engine, leveraging newer graphics APIs for improved fidelity and responsiveness. NVIDIA has worked with Valve to make sure system latency, which is critical to winning, is at an absolute minimum with the addition of NVIDIA Reflex.

In competitive shooters such as Counter-Strike 2, higher FPS and lower system latency allows you to acquire targets faster, react more quickly, and increase aim precision. On a GeForce RTX 40 Series PC or laptop, your skill won't be constrained by system latency, or frame rates. Get the ultimate Counter-Strike 2 competitive experience, powered by GeForce RTX 40 Series for unbeatable performance, and NVIDIA Reflex for the lowest latency. Gamers with a compatible graphics card can enable NVIDIA Reflex in Counter-Strike 2 to reduce system latency by up to 35%.

Valve's Counter-Strike 2 is now officially available, replacing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Describing it as "the largest technical leap forward in Counter-Strike's history, ensuring new features and updates for years to come." Announced back in March, Counter-Strike 2 brings plenty of new features, updated maps, and more.

In a blog post announcing the availability, Valve says that returning players will find their favorite maps and matchmaking modes, as well as a revamped Premier mode for the new CS Rating. The biggest update is the sub-tick architecture, promising that the server will now know "the exact instant that motion starts, a shot is fired, or a 'nade is thrown." Valve also released the new patch, launching the game and bringing some fixes and new features and modes that were previously unavailable.

Total War: Pharaoh's release date via Epic Games Store has been delayed into early 2024, but its Steam launch time remains unchanged—it is still scheduled for October 11 (at the time of writing). It seems that Epic Games has added to the development team's pile of homework—Creative Assembly shared this information through its social media account(s): "We have moved the Epic Games Store release of Total War Pharaoh into early 2024. We were recently asked to help support the integration of additional social functions before we can launch on the Epic Games Store," it explains, "and we'll need additional time to help make that happen." Epic's listing simply states that Sega Europe's upcoming turn-based/strategy real-time tactics game will be "Coming Soon."

Customers with pre-orders already placed on the Epic Games Store should be issued notifications regarding automatic cancellations and refunds. Customer support team members will also get in contact regarding existing pre-release purchases. The Total War department apologized for any inconveniences caused, but affected folks are more than welcome to re-direct their cash to another shop: "We're disappointed too, and that we otherwise look forward to welcoming you into Ancient Egypt early next year. Otherwise our plans to launch Total War: Pharaoh on October 11th across all other storefronts remain unchanged, and we're excited to see you playing during our upcoming Early Access Weekend starting next Friday, September 29th."

Sure, 2023 ain't over yet...but 2024 isn't that far away, and we wanted to share the official Steam events planned for the first few months of next year so you can choose in which events you'd like to participate and plan your promotional activities accordingly. In addition to a quick refresher on Steam events, the events schedule for the first quarter of 2024 is below—including links to documentation with additional details and eligibility criteria—and you can register and start entering discounts now.

For seasonal sales and themed sale events, simply visit your Discount Management page in Steamworks, where you can see upcoming events and which of your games are eligible for each. For Steam Next Fest, visit the registration URL in the event-specific documentation linked below. Not ready to register? Not to worry: we'll send registration invitation emails to the developers of eligible titles about two months prior to each themed sale event and five months prior to each Steam Next Fest.

Since its launch, the Valve Steam Deck gaming console has seen multiple price adjustments. Over some periods, Valve has dropped the prices of its Steam Deck SKUs from the initial launch day numbers. Today, we have information that Valve will lower Steam Deck prices again to celebrate Steam's 20th anniversary. Starting at $359.10 for the base 64 GB model, Valve will also offer 256 GB SKU for $449.96 and 512 GB SKU for $519.20. This is a 10%, 15%, and 20% discount on the original $399, $529, and $649, respectively. The offer will last until September 21st, when the prices revert to normal.

Potential buyers can visit Valve's website here and check for the discounts.

The Steam store and desktop client will soon be able to help players find games that support DualSense or DualShock controllers. If your game supports either of these devices, you can now enter that information in the Steamworks "edit store" section for your app. Steamworks has a new controller-support questionnaire for developers to better describe the devices supported by the game.

If your game plays well with a DualShock or DualSense Controller (PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 respectively), you can now specify that information within Steamworks. This is the first step toward helping players find games that support the most commonly-used PC video game controllers. Starting in October, we'll show this information to players in the Steam store and Steam desktop client. Here are more details on this new level of support.

Ampere Computing, known for its Altra (Max) and upcoming AmpereOne families of AArch64 server processors tailored for data centers, has released a guide for enthusiasts on running Steam for Linux on these ARM64 processors. This includes using Steam Play (Proton) to play Windows games on these Linux-powered servers. Over the summer, Ampere Computing introduced a GitHub repository detailing the process of running Steam for Linux on their AArch64 platforms, including Steam Play/Proton. While the guide is primarily designed for Ampere Altra/Altra Max and AmpereOne hardware, it can be adapted for other 64-bit Arm platforms. However, a powerful processor is essential to appreciate the gaming experience truly. Additionally, for the 3D OpenGL/Vulkan graphics to function optimally, an Ampere workstation system is more suitable than a headless server.

The guide recommends the Ampere Altra Developer platform paired with an NVIDIA RTX A6000 series graphics card, which supports AArch64 proprietary drivers. The guide uses Box86 and Box64 to run Steam x86 binaries and other x86/x86-64 games for emulation. While there are other options like FEX-Emu and Hangover to enhance the Linux binary experience on AArch64, Box86/Box64 is the preferred choice for gaming on Ampere workstations, as indicated by its mention in Ampere Computing's Once the AArch64 Linux graphics drivers are accelerated and Box86/Box64 emulation is set up, users can install Steam for Linux. By activating Proton within Steam, it becomes feasible to play Windows-exclusive x86/x86-64 games on Ampere AArch64 workstations or server processors. However, the guide doesn't provide insights into the performance of such a configuration.