If you had told me this time last year that Valve of all companies would be peeling away secrecy layers galore, I would have laughed in your face. As it turns out, Valve is doing just that in an attempt to dissuade fears after Steam's API changed earlier this year making services such as SteamSpy less informative and useful to the public. Their latest blog post on Steam shares user details on controllers, given PC gamers have enjoyed the flexibility to use the beloved keyboard + mouse combo or go with controllers from console makers, or 3rd-party alike. As it stands, there are a lot of things to see here too.

To begin with, there have been over 30 million user accounts to register the use of a controller since 2015, of whom over 15 million have used two or more controllers. With shared and multiple accounts to consider in addition, Valve estimates as many as 60 million accounts to have a controller paired up in the last three years. Seen below is a pie chart showing the distribution of use of various different controllers, and the Xbox 360 controller reigns supreme here with over 27 million account pairings of the device (45% share). The Xbox One controller comes in next, and Valve's own Steam Controller fares decent with over 1 million pairings. More to follow past the break.

The minimum and recommended PC specs for Capcom's upcoming Devil May Cry 5 have been announced, and it seems the game will have some thunderous requirements to start. First of all is the fact that Capcom lists as minimum an Intel Core i7-4770, paired with 8GB of RAM and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760. There's not much to say on the graphics card and - it's a relatively mundane requirement these days - but the number of CPU threads is slightly higher than usual. Shadow of the Tomb Raider, for example, listed as minimum a Core i3-class CPU.

Interestingly, the recommended specs maintain the RAM and CPU requirements where they stand, and only increase graphics card performance to a GTX 960. An interesting development, to say the least - the minimum is also the recommended. Windows 7 and 35 GB of available storage space round out the requirements for both configurations. Here's hoping this Devil May Cry 5 is as good as Ninja Theory's DmC.

In a bid to head off investor worries of a potential downturn, Samsung is looking to tighten their belts in regards to the manufacturing of DRAM. In particular, this move is preempted by the expectation of DRAM bit growth to be less than 20% year-over-year, with bit growth being the key measurement for gauging market demand based on the amount of memory produced. Considering the semiconductor industry is known for its up and down cycles, Samsung's preemptive move could stabilize or even drive up the cost of memory coming out of not just them but Micron and SK Hynix as well. This would help keep their profits rolling in, just in case a downturn in demand does take place, but it also means PC enthusiasts will have to deal with memory prices remaining roughly the same or possibly climb higher going forward.

Anthea Lai, an analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence, in Hong Kong made note that "If Samsung does cut its DRAM bit growth, it shows the company is happy with the current oligopoly market structure." Elaborating further, he said that "It prefers keeping supply tight and prices high, rather than taking market share and risking lower prices, therefore chances for DRAM prices to stay strong is higher."

With the Battlefield V beta only recently ending, it didn't take long for players to start asking how large the maps will be in this installment of the franchise. With the community asking questions, DICE was quick to respond, with Lead Multiplayer Designer Valerian Noghin, Multiplayer Producer David Sirland, and Level Designer Jeff Gagné all responding on Twitter.

An image posted on Twitter by DICE shows the Breakthrough for Hamada map. Giving a rough idea of not only it's overall layout, but scale, thanks to the inserted image showing the player's perspective. Measuring in at 1500 m from the attacker's to the defender's main headquarters, it is certainly larger than the maps in the beta. Furthermore, David Sirland has stated that the majority of the map shown will be available in the game's Conquest mode. While the map is not final, it has been stated that any changes at this point will likely be minor.

A new report from EEDAR paints quite a rosy picture for PC gaming: much rosier than what most users would think it to be. That mobile gaming is the platform king is no secret: anyone and everyone seems to be rocking a smartphone these days, and every smartphone has a myriad of games available that are so easy to consume that practically everyone with a smartphone (particularly an Android one) qualifies as a gamer. The interesting bit comes in the result that PC gaming is ahead of console gaming in gamers' minds and usage.

A box listing update for 343 Industries' Halo 5: Guardians over the weekend may have spilled the beans on a planned release of the title for PC gamers. Via an updated box art posted on Amazon, the new Halo 5: Guardians changes the previous "Only on XBOX One" adage of games that could only be found on Microsoft's console - and nowhere else - to a much more interesting "XBOX One Console Exclusive". This particular wording has become prevalent ever since Microsoft introduced its "XBOX Play Anywhere" initiative, which sees copies of games being mirrored in both the PC and console platforms - much like it happened on Halo Wars 2.

If this were to happen, of course, we'd expect nothing less that a very well optimized port for the PC version of the game. Microsoft hasn't been saving expenses in gearing up their Play Anywhere titles up to the best features and performance metrics PC gaming has to offer, and with a Halo game, those efforts are sure to be doubled. The franchise still remains Microsoft's juggernaut and best representative of their overall brand identity, and Microsoft - and 343 Industries - wouldn't want to be missing an opportunity to prepare a whole new world of potential gamers and buyers of Halo: Infinite via a less than exquisite launch of Halo 5: guardians on PC. Until then, you can always just hop into the free Forge mode on Windows 10.

The ease of digital distribution means companies can always try to maximize their profits by cutting the man in the middle - saving in on any distribution fees that third party would demand for its services. Of course, this is easier said than done, and most small companies wouldn't be able to set up their own digital distribution service - Steam as a platform is a great alternative for these, since it couples simplicity with a grand user base, and Steam's own in-house publicity and user data allows these companies to achieve a much wider audience than they likely would should they try to use their own distribution platform.

Of course, Bethesda isn't a small company, to say the least; that's why it has the resources to pour into its own digital platform, and part of the reason why Fallout 76 won't make it to the PC's leading distribution platform, Steam. In the game F.A.Q., Bethesda has made it clear that Fallout 76 will only be available via Bethesda.net, meaning that users will be left in the cold with some of Steam's exclusive features. Of course, one might argue that those are all peanuts compared to the actual game.

Today, we've got exciting news: Logitech has agreed to acquire Blue Microphones, a leader in studio-quality microphones these past 20 years. Their products are used by music artists - legends and talents such as Bob Dylan and Imagine Dragons - so they can create their own distinctive sound in the highest quality.

And that's not all. If you haven't heard of Blue's Yeti and Snowball lines of microphones, you really need to check them out. In truth, you really have heard them … on most of your favorite podcasts, streams and YouTube channels. Because if you're not using a Blue mic, your go-to internet personalities probably are. We loved Blue and their products the moment we discovered them. And we're convinced we can do great things together.

Analyst Kevin Cassidy, responsible for AMD shares rating with Stifel, has revised expected AMD growth in the wake of expected (and already verified) PC market growth. Following the news at the end of last week, AMD shares jumped by 5% on Friday, and increased by another 2% on Monday. This marks an increase of 61.3% YTD (year-to-date.) Looking at this trend, the analyst increased his 12-month price target on the stock to $21 from $17, a nearly 27% upside from Monday close.

Plantronics, an audio pioneer and communications technology leader, today announced the RIG 500 PRO Series of gaming headsets, created to deliver high-fidelity audio in an ultra-lightweight design for the truly competitive gamer. RIG 500 PRO Series are the first gaming headsets to feature an exoskeleton earcup design with isolated inner acoustic chambers to reduce distortion, creating the ideal audio solution for today's high-resolution gaming platforms.

Premium 50 mm drivers deliver wide-range frequency response while dual-material ear cushions provide the combination of noise reduction and comfort competitive gamers need for long, focused sessions. In addition, the Xbox and PlayStation officially licensed editions come with the patent-pending RIG Game Audio Dial, a 3.5 mm connector with integrated volume control for wireless game controllers. Console gamers can now adjust volume directly from the controller without lifting their hands. PC models feature an inline volume slider.

As the gaming industry and community are descending upon Los Angeles, Alienware and Dell Gaming will be showing up at E3 in a big way with exciting gaming hardware and partnership news and immersive experiences. Among its new products to complete the PC, gaming ecosystem is the blissful sounding new Alienware Wireless Gaming Headset, a 2nd generation, fast responsive Alienware Elite Gaming Mouse and the blazing-hot, high performance Windows 10 Inspiron Gaming Desktop with AMD processors and graphics cards.

Dell and Alienware are committed to giving esports players a competitive advantage with the best hardware. The Detroit Renegades, the esports team owned and operated by Utah Jazz player Jonas Jerebko, is the latest team to select Alienware as their exclusive technology partner. Alienware, in partnership with Tobii and Team Liquid, is also helping gamers take their skills to the next level with Alienware Academy, an esport skill-building online platform. Fans of Alienware Arena can now access the community from their phone with a new Alienware Arena app with access to play-to-win opportunities and rewards.

A little over a year since unveiling Lenovo Legion, our dedicated sub-brand for PC gaming, we're maintaining our commitment to providing premium and powerful gaming experiences with the latest hardware across laptops, towers and cubes. Today at E3, we're announcing a new family of six gaming PCs - the Lenovo Legion Y730 and Y530 Laptops, T730 and T530 towers and C730 and C530 cubes. No matter the form factor, these powerhouse machines pack the needed punch to seamlessly play today's most popular games, from action packed battle royales to epic role-playing game adventures. Each device comes with improved thermals to keep things cool when the competition heats up, providing that added peace of mind when pushing the boundaries of your game.

Catering to avid PC gamers who value substance as much as style, the latest from Lenovo Legion are redesigned from the ground up to offer a modern and polished aesthetic that does less to flaunt a flashy, juvenile look, and more to deliver high performance without the garish frills. We listened to feedback from thousands of gamers - professionals, parents, students - who all share a deep passion for gaming cultivated through years of playing their favorite titles. Like us, we know you do more than just game on your PC and having a rock-solid rig that looks as good with your crew as it does in front of your colleagues is important. Most of all, we obsessed over making sure that every component in the new Lenovo Legion devices is engineered to give you a powerfully immersive performance. The new Lenovo Legion line-up can handle nearly every flash and flare thrown at it, while staying sleek enough to match a professional lifestyle.

Today, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Ubisoft announced a new chapter in one of the most critically acclaimed and best-selling franchises, Tom Clancy's The Division 2. Developed on an updated version of the Snowdrop Engine, the game will be released worldwide on March 15, 2019, on the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X, PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system and Windows PC. Players can register for beta access now for a chance to play at thedivisiongame.com/beta.

Set seven months after a deadly virus was released in New York City, The Division 2 raises the stakes for players by launching them into a fractured and collapsing Washington D.C. - built as a one-to-one recreation of the city. In the wake of the virus, storms, flooding and subsequent chaos have radically transformed the city. From flooded urban areas to ravaged historic sites and landmarks, players will plunge into a dynamic open world with a wide variety of environments and biomes. As veteran Division agents, players are the last hope against the complete fall of society as enemy factions vie for control of the city. If Washington D.C. is lost, the entire nation falls.

Today, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Ubisoft announced a new installment of the Assassin's Creed franchise, Assassin's Creed Odyssey. The game will be released worldwide on October 5, 2018, on the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X, PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system and Windows PC. In addition, Assassin's Creed Odyssey has been enhanced with additional features for Xbox One X and PS4 Pro systems.

For the last three years, the team at Ubisoft Quebec has been creating an exciting new chapter for the Assassin's Creed franchise. In Assassin's Creed Odyssey, the action takes place in Ancient Greece, a world rich with myths and legend, in fifth century BC during the Peloponnesian War between Sparta and Athens. Playing as Alexios or Kassandra, a mercenary of Spartan blood sentenced to death by their family, players will embark on an epic journey from a young outcast to a legendary hero and uncover the truth about their mysterious First Civilization lineage.

Agony may well be one of the more interesting games in recent times when it comes to its art and character direction - it's sort of a malfunction between H. R. Giger's designs and a particularly unpleasant, Escher-esque metamorphosis gone wrong. Many of its design touches touted before launch (which will occur tomorrow, by the way) promised an uncompromising, mentally-demanding experience (whether or not that will translate to a good videogame is, of course, something else entirely). Of course, that also put into question the matter of ratings - and these affect such things as ability for a game to enter some markets at all.

As a result, Agony developer Madmind Studio worked to tone down the graphical liberties with Agony, trying to achieve slightly more open ratings as a result - but at the same time, promised users an official, uncensored patch that would bring the game to its creators' original vision. However, things aren't as bad as they might seem - Madmind Studios said that the censorship-circumventing patch is unneeded because the censoring itself only takes place in two out of seven possible endings for the game, changing the image but for a few seconds on each of those two affected endings. As such, and also as to avoid certain legal troubles, the company has decided against releasing the patch. Tomorrow, on Agony's release, developer Madmind will release comparison videos that show users the differences between the censored, shipping-version of the game, and the original uncensored vision, for users that want to see exactly what they might be missing in the nightmarish scenarios the developers have surely concocted.

Mankind is in peril. In the decades following an asteroid's devastation, most of the earth has become an unforgiving wildland where bloodthirsty factions vie for control of precious resources. Pockets of civilization have emerged to claim their space in the world, but the tentative peace they've established is being threatened. RAGE 2 follows Walker, the last Ranger of Vineland, as he fights to survive the chaos of the dystopian world into which he was born. With a wide array of weapons, vehicles and strange powers, Walker sets off to take down the tyrannical Authority. Get your first look at the insane action in the worldwide gameplay reveal trailer below and check out the live action teaser released on May 14 here. RAGE 2 will be launching on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC in 2019.

The Open-World Shooterverse
It's the perfect mix: id Software's first-person shooter pedigree, Avalanche Studios' mastery of the open world sandbox, with a healthy dose of pedal-to-the-metal vehicle combat. From the swamplands and jungles where enemies lurk among the dense foliage, to the open deserts where a passing car is more likely to mow you down than offer you a ride, the world of RAGE 2 is not a gentle, nurturing place. The people who have survived in this landscape have had to learn to protect themselves and keep their heads on a swivel, especially with the reemergence of a familiar menace.

HP Inc. today unveiled a bold new lineup of premium notebooks, desktops and displays designed to empower wherever work and life takes you. The latest HP Elite 1000 and HP ENVY portfolios feature visually stunning design, powerful performance and maximum versatility to securely connect, create and collaborate from anywhere, anytime.

With 81 percent of people working during their personal time and more than half multi-tasking personal activities at work, C Space Primary Proprietary Research with online communities, 2015 , using a device that can straddle the realities of each environment is more important than ever. HP's new premium lineup includes various form factors that meet an individual's personal style and specific computing needs.

Vampyr, the upcoming action-RPG from DONTNOD Entertainment, explores tortured protagonist Dr. Jonathan Reid's growth in power through savage combat gameplay in today's Becoming a Monster gameplay trailer. By sacrificing the very citizens Reid swore to protect, players will learn and evolve powerful vampire abilities in their struggle to defeat London's deadly foes. Vampyr releases June 5 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, with preorders now available.

In Vampyr, the greatest source of XP to learn and enhance abilities comes from the blood of London's citizens, who Dr. Jonathan Reid has set out to save from the epidemic sweeping through the city. The question is less "Do I kill?" than "Who do I kill?" Investigating citizens' lives will allow Reid to decide who is more 'deserving' of sacrifice - or he can simply give in to his hunger and treat the mortals as blood bags. Either way, killing certain citizens will have a greater impact on the local ecosystem than others, while simply killing too many may cause an entire district to collapse.

The world-renowned company, Alphacool, now offers special mining solutions for industry and end customer use. In addition to mining the well-known crypto currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, systems very similar are also increasingly being used in research, development and other areas. These systems generate a lot of heat due to the mass of components used in enclosed spaces. Now, Alphacool has met the demands from the industry and has created cost-effective water cooling solutions and systems. Starting with cases for e.g. server racks and full cover graphic card coolers up to complete mining systems including hardware and preinstalled software.

The products are all cost effective, particularly the graphics card coolers! Extremely low prices are possible which can compete, or even beat the prices of air cooling, without compromising on quality. For even more reliability, there are graphics card coolers with include an integrated pump. Since there are usually several GPUs in a circuit, if one pump does fail, the other pumps can easily keep the liquid flowing ensuring that the system stays cool.

Business leaders worldwide are balancing two objectives: keeping the business running smoothly by preventing security and productivity disruptions while simultaneously tapping into the incredible potential of new innovations, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and VR/AR. Dell is introducing new solutions across its commercial PC portfolio designed to help businesses of all sizes achieve that critical balance. In addition to being the world's most secure and manageable commercial PCs, Dell's updated commercial lineup features advances in smart design, productivity and sustainability to meet the ever-expanding needs of a global, diverse workforce.

"For many of our customers, work is no longer a place they go -- it's an activity," said Jay Parker, president, Client Product Group, Dell. "And smart companies that want to attract and keep the best talent have embraced the evolving needs and expectations of their employees. IT departments are working with Dell to build a technology strategy that gives employees the power and flexibility to get their jobs done, whenever and wherever it best fits their lifestyle, while keeping data secure and TCO low."

The highly anticipated horror-survival game Agony will launch on May 29th as developer Madmind Studios and publisher Maximum Games announced the release date for PlayStation 4, Xbox One the all in one entertainment system from Microsoft and PC today. A new teaser trailer revealed with today's launch date showcases the terrifying scenery and cursed creatures awaiting players brave enough to explore Agony's twisted realms.

Agony throws players in the midst of hell where they strive to stay alive and solve the riddle behind the mysterious Red Goddess; architect of this place of sorrow and pain, and the sole entity with knowledge of how escape… but there is more to the story than it seems. Haunted by nightmare creatures, players gain the ability to possess demons and other souls to find their way out of hell.

Released worldwide on March 26, the PC version of Far Cry 5 has been cracked 19 days after its launch. Nevertheless, the Denuvo 5.0 protection served its purpose as the game sold nearly five million copies in its first week. What's more impressive, though, is that it took prolific warez group CPY less than three weeks to circumvent the game's multiple layers of DRM. Nevertheless, CPY's feat wasn't a complete walk in the park. According to the information provided by the Italian entity, Far Cry 5's cocktail of copy protections included Denuvo 5.0, EasyAntiCheat, uPlay, and VMProtect. Given the speedy release for this one, maybe CPY has finally discovered the secret to Denuvo's formula. Or perhaps Denuvo is starting to lose its touch.

Digital distribution platform GOG has announced their 'Most Wanted Sale' with over 150 of the most wishlisted titles and discounts up to 85%. So odds are that you probably find a game that is of your liking. For example, you can grab the entire Witcher trilogy for less than $17 or the Baldur's Gate series for under $6. Other sought-after games include Divinity: Original Sin 2, SOMA, Shadow Warrior 2, the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, and many more. The massive sale is live and will be up from now until April 23.

Unlike the Xbox or PS4 versions, the PC version of Star Wars Battlefront II lacks support for split-screen multiplayer gameplay. Why? It's beyond us. Luckily modders 'benji' and 'Cade' were able to create a mod to trick the PC version of the game into thinking that it's running the console version. This mod even adds a nifty 'ENTER SPLIT SCREEN' button in the pause menu so players can reload their current map in split-screen mode. However, this feature only works with offline maps. Using it in online matches will immediately crash your game. It's also important to note that using this mod might violate EA's terms of service, so use it at your own risk. To get the split-screen mod to work, you must have Frosty Mod Manager installed on your system. The split-screen mod is available here.

HP, Inc. today introduced its next generation Pavilion portfolio, infusing premium features and expressive designs into its convertible, notebook and desktop PCs. The latest Pavilion lineup includes refined materials and finishes, thin bezels, and stepped-up performance options that enhance the customer experience. It will debut this weekend at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, where festival-goers will use the power of Pavilion to create unique experiences at the intersection of art and music.

"Pavilion excels at delivering amazing customer experiences at exceptional value. Our new lineup, featuring the sleekest, thinnest and most powerful Pavilion devices ever designed, raises the bar and inspires new ways to create, connect and share," said Kevin Frost vice president and general manager of consumer personal systems, HP Inc. "Coachella is synonymous with creative expression and amazing experiences, making it the perfect venue to launch our new Pavilion line and enhance the event though technology."