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This Week in Gaming (Week 52)

Happy holidays and welcome to the last full week of the year. This week will be rather lacklustre of new releases due to the time of the year, but it doesn't mean no games will be released. That said, this week there won't be a major release, as there is none. For what it's worth, this year's Christmas week releases are a lot better than last year's. We kick off the week with a turn-based strategy game with mechs, which is followed to a sequel to Into the Dark. On Christmas day, there's golf and on boxing day, there are dinosaurs and we end this holiday week with a retro horror game with a Sci-Fi element.

Fusionist / Monday 23 December / Early Access
Fusionist is a turn-based strategy game that offers depth and tactical gameplay. Players assemble a team of five mechs, each with unique skills and roles. By choosing different "Cores" and mech abilities, players can create their own unique "builds" to suit their playstyle, play in-game missions, or compete in intense PvP battles against other players. Steam link

Xbox Cross-Platform UI Leak Confirms Microsoft Targeting Handheld Gaming Experience

The Xbox gaming handheld is reportedly in the early stages of development at Microsoft, but in the meantime, the PC giant is apparently working on unifying its gaming experience across the various platforms where its games are available. According to a Windows Central report, Microsoft is working on something called Project Rainway, which is "a set of in-game APIs and user interface features," that will take shape as a cross-platform Xbox user interface. This news comes after Microsoft's recent "This is an Xbox" ad campaign and some pretty notable changes to its Xbox Game Bar to make that more compatible with gaming handhelds. How this new API and UI will take shape is yet to be seen, but it will likely further blur the line between gaming consoles and PCs—something that the Valve Steam Deck has also done in the years since its launch.

This seems to align with Microsoft's current strategy around gaming, which has seen Microsoft Gaming head, Phil Spencer, confirm that the company is both working on its own gaming handheld and that, in the meantime, it is focussed on making the Xbox gaming experience as seamless and enjoyable as possible on current gaming hardware. Xbox is also seemingly moving away from console exclusives as a concept, as we reported earlier this month, and, according to Windows Central's sources at least, this is partly because Microsoft has noticed no measurable impact on Xbox performance as a result of moving Xbox exclusives over to other consoles.

Rumors Of End to Xbox-Only Exclusives Swirl As More Game Studios Embrace Simultaneous Launch Strategy

It looks like the end of the console-exclusive era is marching ever forward. On the one hand, more game studios are embracing simultaneous launch strategies, as was recently emphasized by both Square Enix and Ubisoft adopting multi-platform simultaneous launches for Fantasian Neo Dimension and Assassin's Creed Shadows, respectively. The latest game to join this trend is Outer Worlds 2, which will launch on all platforms—Xbox Series S|X, Windows, PlayStation 5, and even Game Pass—simultaneously in late 2025. The surprising bit about the multi-platform launch of The Outer Worlds 2 is that Microsoft purchased Obsidian Entertainment, the studio behind The Outer Worlds, leading many to believe that future games in the franchise would be Xbox/Windows-first. While the original Outer Worlds was released after Microsoft bought Obsidian, the launch contract predates the acquisition, so it also had a simultaneous launch, regardless of Microsoft's ownership.

In addition to the swathe of new games embracing multiple simultaneous platform launches, Jez Cordon, executive editor at Windows Central and well-regarded source for gaming rumors, recently also sparked rumors with a post on X suggesting that no future games developed by Microsoft or its subsidiary studios will be permanent console exclusives. In a reply to a comment criticizing Microsoft for seemingly keeping some games on Xbox and others not, Cordon said "They don't. They're all coming to PlayStation over time."

This Week in Gaming (Week 50)

Welcome to week 50 and Lucia, alternatively Freddy week if that's something that's celebrated in your part of the world. This week's AAA title will bring back childhood memories for many of you, at least if you're old enough to remember Dr Jones. As for the rest of this coming week's new releases, we have a spoiled cat, some people trying to survive the apocalypse, a bunch of people playing with swords, a hungry elevator and some ruins in need of repair.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle / This week's AAA title / Monday 9 December
Uncover one of history's greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a first-person, single-player adventure set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. The year is 1937, sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them - Indiana Jones. You'll become the legendary archaeologist in this cinematic action-adventure game from MachineGames, the award-winning studio behind the recent Wolfenstein series, and executive produced by Hall of Fame game designer Todd Howard. Steam link

Mozilla Rebrands, Reaffirms its Mission To Protect Open Web Despite Advocacy Team Layoffs

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Mozilla's entire advocacy team was caught in a round of layoffs, leading to speculation that Mozilla would be giving up its advocacy entirely, shifting to a more commercial focus. Now, with the announcement of Mozilla's new branding, aside from updating the brand's look, it seems as though the Firefox company wants to reassure users of its software that it is still dedicated to its mission to "keep the internet free, open, and accessible." The new branding strategy includes a new logo, typeface family, new icons, a T. rex mascot, and new colors.

The new branding push from Mozilla sees the brand move an appearance seemingly inspired by both its history and the text-based OS interfaces of the early years of computing. For the rebranding, Mozilla partnered with design firm JKR (Jones Knowles Ritchie), and the new branding features a cutesy DOS-style flag that doubles as a T. rex, hinting to past Mozilla logos. In the announcement of the rebranding, boldly titled "Reclaim the internet: Mozilla's rebrand for the next era of tech," Mozilla emphasizes that the new look is meant to convey the company's intention throughout its whole ecosystem of products. It seems as though Mozilla is trying to remind everyone that it's work towards a more open internet extends beyond just the advocacy team it recently laid off.

Intel's CEO Role Could be Filled by Former Board Member Lip-Bu Tan

The search for a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Intel has begun following Pat Gelsinger's departure on Monday. And it is not exactly an easy role to be filled. The tech giant's board is primarily considering external candidates to lead the company through one of its most challenging periods. Among the potential successors is Lip-Bu Tan, a former Intel board member and semiconductor industry veteran. Tan, who previously served as CEO of Cadence Design, left Intel's board in August 2023 after disagreements with Gelsinger over the company's strategic direction. Despite these past tensions, Intel's board has reportedly recently approached Tan to gauge his interest in the position. The search for new leadership is extremely difficult, considering the requirements and massive problems the new CEO would face.

Coming at a critical moment for Intel, which has experienced significant financial challenges under Gelsinger's tenure, the new CEO would need to get the Foundry business to pick up and maintain a solid product roadmap. The company's revenue dropped to $54 billion in 2023, marking a nearly one-third decline since Gelsinger took the helm in 2021. Analysts project Intel's first annual net loss since 1986 this year, with long-term signs of recovery. Gelsinger's exit, which came after the board presented him with the option to retire or be removed, reflects growing impatience with the pace of his ambitious turnaround strategy. The company has appointed CFO David Zinsner and senior executive Michelle Johnston Holthaus as interim co-CEOs while the search committee works to identify a permanent replacement.

U.S. Unveils Massive Export Restrictions on China's Chip Industry Targeting 140 Firms

The Biden administration is rolling out a third major export control package aimed at China's semiconductor industry, as per a report from Reuters. Estimated to affect 140 companies, including China's chip equipment maker Naura Technology Group, Piotek, and Huawei Technologies, the effort aims to limit China's access to advanced chip making technology. In particular, technology that could be used in military products and artificial intelligence. Important sanctions include export controls to specific chip equipment manufacturers, blocking the delivery of high-performance memory chips and the addition of several semiconductor investment companies to the list of export-restricted entities.

The package expands U.S. regulatory authority through foreign direct product rules. It regulates chip manufacturing equipment manufactured around the world with U.S. technology, Japan and the Netherlands are exempt. However, the rules could have an impact on manufacturers outside U.S. such as those based in Israel, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and non-U.S. firms (i.e. ASML) due to the complexity of the technological and supply chain. This continues the Biden administration's strategy to limit China's semiconductor capabilities and comes just weeks before the Trump administration made changes. When asked about US new restrictions Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular press conference on Monday that such behavior undermines the international economic and trade system, and disrupts global supply chains. China will take measures to protect companies' rights and interests.

This Week in Gaming (Week 47)

After a couple of slow week's we have a packed week of new releases for you this week, kicking off with some nuclear stalking action in this week's AAA title. This is followed by a tactical turn-based strategy game set in WW2, a fantasy open world survival crafter, a game for wanna be pilots, a MOBA battle royal hero shooter mixup, a murder on a train with a comedy twist and finally a tactical shooter set in an anime universe. Star Wars Outlaws is also out on Steam this week among many other new releases.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl / This week's AAA release / Wednesday 20 November
Discover the vast Chornobyl Exclusion Zone full of dangerous enemies, deadly anomalies and powerful artifacts. Unveil your own epic story as you make your way to the Heart of Chornobyl. Make your choices wisely, as they will determine your fate in the end. Take over a role of the lone stalker and explore photorealistic seamless open world in a 64-km² radioactive zone with a variety of environments that reveal post-apocalyptic atmosphere from different angles. Steam link

Lenovo Group Announces Second Quarter Financial Results 2024/25

Lenovo Group Limited (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY), together with its subsidiaries ('the Group'), today announced Q2 results for fiscal year 2024/25, reporting significant increases and growth in net income, year-on-year revenue growth for the 4th consecutive quarter, and strong double-digit year-on-year revenue increases from all its business groups. Group revenue increased 24% year-on-year to US$17.9 billion. Net income was up 48% year-on-year to US$404 million on a non-Hong Kong Financial Reporting Standards (non-HKFRS)[1] basis, and non-PC revenue mix was up five points year-to-year to 46%. The Group's results reflect its clear strategy, operational excellence, investment in R&D, innovations in hybrid AI, and global footprint.

The Group's hybrid AI strategy and years of continuous investment in R&D and innovations are paying off, with its first phase of AI PCs, launched in China in May 2024, already reaching double digit share of its total notebook shipments in the China market. Recent launches of AI PCs for the global market with Lenovo AI Now have also been received positively. For enterprise AI, the Group is leveraging its full-stack hybrid infrastructure as well as Lenovo Hybrid AI Advantage to capture growth opportunities. This relentless focus on AI innovation as well as investment in R&D (up 10% year-on-year to US$548 million) is firmly establishing the Group's market differentiation and industry leadership.

TSMC Can't Legally Make 2 nm Chips in the US Yet, Latest Nodes Must Remain in Taiwan

Even with billions of US dollars being invested overseas, TSMC cannot legally manufacture its most advanced nodes outside of Taiwan. According to Taiwan's Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo, "Since Taiwan has regulations to protect its own technologies, TSMC cannot produce 2-nanometer chips overseas currently." He added, "Although TSMC plans to make 2-nanometer chips [abroad] in the future, its core technology will stay in Taiwan." This provides crucial insight into TSMC's strategic positioning, both in its US expansion plans and in navigating global geopolitical waters, especially with Taiwan being the major hub of silicon innovation. Taiwan's semiconductor industry follows strict regulations regarding overseas production capabilities, requiring companies to maintain their most advanced manufacturing processes within Taiwan.

The company's international expansion strategy includes significant developments in the United States. TSMC's Arizona facilities are central to these plans, with multiple fabs in different stages of development. The initial Arizona facility will begin producing 4 nm chips imminently, while a second facility, scheduled to open in 2028, will manufacture then mature 3 nm and 2 nm chips. A third planned facility aims to produce 2 nm or more sophisticated chips. Meanwhile, Taiwan-based facilities will produce more advanced chips at the same time, with volume production of A-16 chips planned for late 2026, following the rollout of 2 nm chip production in 2025. Furthermore, Taiwan-US semiconductor cooperation will continue regardless of political changes. Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association (TSIA) Chairman and TSMC Senior Vice President Cliff Hou noted that historical evidence suggests US electoral outcomes have not significantly impacted this technological partnership, though some adjustments may occur.

Beyond the Darkness is Set for November 14 Launch

The indie developer My Little Studio has announced that the platformer Beyond The Darkness, featuring horror elements, will launch on Steam on November 14. On this day, players will enter an eerie world of memories, accompanying a young girl named Millie on her search for her parents and brother.

Beyond The Darkness is a game filled with mystery, danger, and the supernatural, where a once-cozy home has turned into a terrifying lair of monsters. The goal is to help Millie escape this nightmare world, find her parents, and flee from the lurking creatures—all with only an old lamp to keep her safe. Players will have to keep the light alive, solve puzzles, and master new mechanics. Do you have what it takes to survive in a world swallowed by darkness, fear, and monsters?

The Console Exclusive Era Draws to a Close as Square Enix Joins Ubisoft in Simultaneous Release Strategy

It looks like the single-platform exclusive era that has plagued the gaming industry since the 2010s is coming to an end. The writing has been on the wall for a while, with Square Enix already previously confirming that its games would be launching earlier on both PC and Xbox, but now, the game studio has confirmed that more of its titles will be launching to more platforms simultaneously. This comes after Ubisoft made a similar announcement regarding the launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows after a delay and a bit of controversy.

The news from Square Enix broke in an interview with Japanese outlet 4gamer.net, with Square Enix's Naoki Yoshida confirming that the strategy has proven beneficial in terms of attracting more players to the company's games, further explaining that PC is the largest audience for gaming. The game Yoshida was specifically addressing in the interview was the upcoming Fantasian Neo Dimension—an upcoming CRPG developed by Mistwalker Corporation and published by Square Enix, with a planned multi-platform launch on December 5, 2024—but Yoshida seems to imply that this new policy will apply to more games going forward. It appears that both the announcement by Square Enix and Ubisoft are driven by commercial motivations.

This Week in Gaming (Week 45)

Welcome to the first full week of the month of November, which means colder and darker weather for the northern hemisphere, also known as a perfect time to play some games. This week things are a tad slower and this week's major release is a VR version of a famous franchise that takes place inside a metro system. This is followed by some touch typing, slugs made out of metal, roller coasters, loads of ants and finally some post-apocalyptic strategy. As always, this is just a small selection of what launches this coming week.

Metro Awakening / This week's major release / VR game / Thursday 7 November
Metro Awakening is a story-driven first person adventure built for VR that blends atmospheric exploration, stealth and combat in the most immersive Metro experience yet. Don your gas mask, brave the crippling radiation and venture into the depths of the Metro where threats haunt your every step. Steam link

OpenAI Designs its First AI Chip in Collaboration with Broadcom and TSMC

According to a recent Reuters report, OpenAI is continuing with its moves in the custom silicon space, expanding beyond its reported talks with Broadcom to include a broader strategy involving multiple industry leaders. Broadcom is a fabless chip designer known for a wide range of silicon solutions spanning from networking, PCIe, SSD controllers, and PHYs all the way up to custom ASICs. The company behind ChatGPT is actively working with both Broadcom and TSMC to develop its first proprietary AI chip, specifically focused on inference operations. Getting a custom chip to do training runs is a bit more complex task, and OpenAI leaves that to its current partners until the company figures out all details. Even with an inference chip, the scale at which OpenAI works and serves its models makes financial sense for the company to develop custom solutions tailored to its infrastructure needs.

This time, the initiative represents a more concrete and nuanced approach than previously understood. Rather than just exploratory discussions, OpenAI has assembled a dedicated chip team of approximately 20 people, led by former Google TPU engineers Thomas Norrie and Richard Ho. The company has secured manufacturing capacity with TSMC, targeting a 2026 timeline for its first custom-designed chip. While Broadcom's involvement leverages its expertise in helping companies optimize chip designs for manufacturing and manage data movement between chips—crucial for AI systems running thousands of processors in parallel—OpenAI is simultaneously diversifying its compute strategy. This includes adding AMD's Instinct MI300X chips to its infrastructure alongside its existing NVIDIA deployments. Similarly, Meta has the same approach, where it now trains its models on NVIDIA GPUs and serves them to the public (inferencing) using AMD Instinct MI300X.

This Week in Gaming (Week 43)

Welcome to the last full week of October and boy is it going to be a busy week of new game releases. This week's AAA release is said to force you to go rogue on your tour of duty. Next you'll be starting your own tentacle cult, which if followed by being kicked out of hell for the second time, an inaccurate history lesson, being blown away by the wind and finally being turned into a blue hedgehog.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 / This week's AAA title / Friday 25 October
Developed by Treyarch and Raven, Black Ops 6 is a spy action thriller set in the early 90s, a period of transition and upheaval in global politics, characterized by the end of the Cold War and the rise of the United States as a single superpower. With a mind-bending narrative, and unbound by the rules of engagement, this is signature Black Ops. The Black Ops 6 Campaign provides dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay that includes a variety of play spaces with blockbuster set pieces and action-packed moments, high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger spy activity. Steam link

This Week in Gaming (Week 42)

Welcome to the middle of October and a slight shift in pace, as this coming week has multiple big releases, albeit no AAA launches. Our top pick for this week involves strapping yourself into a massive, walking machine of destruction in a franchise that kicked off all the way back in 1989. This is followed by some galaxy conquering, a friendly wolf and its human friend, you starting up human civilization on a new planet, a Roman style city builder, silence please and something unknown that's waking up.

MechWarrior 5: Clans / This week's major release / Thursday 17 October
In MechWarrior 5: Clans, players take on the role of a newly graduated pilot from the Smoke Jaguar cadet program, thrust into the heart of the Clan Invasion of the Inner Sphere during Operation Revival. This pivotal moment in the MechWarrior universe sees players leading a five-mech "Star" squad across numerous planets with diverse biomes, engaging in an expansive campaign filled with immersive gameplay and intricate combat encounters. Armed with customizable BattleMechs featuring cutting-edge technologies, players explore a wealth of tactical options and strategic possibilities. Steam link

Legendary Server Brand "TYAN" Is No More, Gets Unified Under MiTAC

MiTAC Computing Technology Corporation, a subsidiary of MiTAC Holdings Corporation (hereinafter referred to as MiTAC; stock symbol: 3706), has announced that the server brand TYAN will be integrated with the MiTAC brand. Starting from October 1, 2024, all products will be branded under MiTAC, with the release of a new logo and updated official website. MiTAC Computing Technology Corporation website: http://www.mitaccomputing.com/

MiTAC entered the server ODM industry in 1999 as one of Taiwan's pioneers in the server market. In 2007, it expanded its presence by acquiring Tyan Computer, building a reputation for designing high-performance motherboards and barebone systems targeting the high-end server market. Following the spinoff of MiTAC's cloud computing business in 2014, MiTAC Computing Technology was established as a subsidiary of Mitac Holdings under the MiTAC-Synnex Group.

This Week in Gaming (Week 39)

As we enter the last full week of September, we have another packed week of new game releases to look forward to, although we're not likely to beat last week's lineup of games. This week's major release is a grand strategy game that might just rival the classic Civilization games. This is followed by a chill sandbox construction game set in an era of castles and cottage, a dystopian sci-fi horror looter shooter with a local co-op mode, a sequel to 2019 RPG title, a crafting survival game, but you're a duck, a sci-fi space game combined with a deck builder and finally, some football, of the global kind.

Ara: History Untold / This week's major release / Tuesday 24 September
Ara: History Untold is an evolution in historical grand strategy, featuring beloved classic PC strategy mechanics alongside innovative gameplay like a national crafting economy, true simultaneous turn resolution, a non-linear technology tree, and cloud-backed synchronous/asynchronous multiplayer - all with an expansive and vibrant presentation where you can zoom out from surveying the very edges of your empire all the way down to your citizens living their daily lives. In Ara, there are no pre-set paths to victory, leading to endless possibilities. Your choices will define the world you create, your experience, and your legacy. Steam link

Lenovo Delivers Strong FY Q1 Performance, Improves Profitability Across All Businesses

Lenovo Group Limited, together with its subsidiaries, today announced Q1 results for fiscal year 2024/25, reporting profitability improvements across all areas of the business and making significant progress in capturing hybrid AI opportunities. Group revenue increased 20% year-on-year to US$15.4 billion, net income was up 65% year-on-year to US$315 million on a non-Hong Kong Financial Reporting Standards (non-HKFRS) basis, and non-PC revenue mix was up five points year-to-year reaching a historic high of 47%. The Group's results reflect its clear strategy and strong execution, persistent focus on innovation and operational excellence, as well as the advantages it reaps from being a globalized business.

The Group is both uniquely positioned and well-prepared to lead in an era of hybrid AI with its full-stack portfolio featuring AI devices like AI PCs, AI servers that support all major architectures, as well as rich AI native and AI embedded solutions and services. User feedback from Lenovo's AI PCs, defined by five key characteristics, have been encouraging, with the first AI PCs having launched in May and many more to come during IFA and Tech World later this year. The Group is confident that it will lead the industry in market share for next-generation AI PCs, which overall are expected to be more than 50% of the PC landscape by 2027, as well as lead in seizing the enormous growth opportunities across the IT market. The Group continued its commitment to innovation, with R&D spending up 6% year-to-year to US$476 million.

This Week in Gaming (Week 31)

As July comes to an end and we enter the month of August, we have a week of mixed releases where the major release appears to be a StarCraft clone of sorts, built by ex Blizzard developers. This is followed by a Diablo-ish game, a No Man's Sky clone of sorts, a game about a data ghost, a Star Wars remake, a very British game and finally a very gooey sequel. August should finally start bringing some bigger releases yet again, after a pretty slow summer of new game releases.

Stormgate / This week's major release / Tuesday 30 July / Early Access
Human defenders and their faithful robot allies stand defiant against two warring alien factions: a race of warlike demonic invaders and their technologically advanced angelic rivals. Together, these three are locked in a relentless struggle for dominance. Crafted by developers renowned for their work on StarCraft II and Warcraft III, Stormgate puts you in command of epic real-time strategy battles. Steam Link

City Builder Meets Puzzle Game: TerraScape Full Version Available Now

After one year of Early Access, the full version of TerraScape is now available on Steam and GOG. Developer Bitfall Studios has teamed up with Stray Fawn Publishing and INSTINCT3 to get more players excited.

In TerraScape, the mission is simple: transform a small settlement into a flourishing empire. Unlike classic city-building games, TerraScape involves strategically placing game cards onto a procedurally generated world map to earn points. Each building is represented by a card, which is part of a themed deck. The placement and order of building cards significantly impact the amount of points earned. Accumulated points can be used to acquire new decks, helping players advance their settlement's development. Players can combine their cards to create impressive structures that influence their surroundings and instantly change the game's dynamics.

This Week in Gaming (Week 27)

And just like that, we're in the second half of 2024. The first week of July brings with it a major release, at least if you're into futuristic online RPGs. Unfortunately, the rest of this week's new releases are mediocre at best and this seems to be a theme for the summer of 2024, unless you like pointless clicking games that is. At least the week starts with a new strategy game that involves knights, but from there it fizzles out in a DLC, a computer version of a classic family game, a retro version of an Xbox franchise and a creepy game in a pool. Oh and happy 4th of July to our US readers.

The First Descendant / This week's major release / Tuesday 2 July
The First Descendant is a free third-person cooperative action RPG shooter featuring high-quality graphics. Experience the fun of strategic boss fights through 4-player co-op and various unique characters, exciting gunplay, and looting. A variety of equipment is necessary for growth, and you can obtain them through clearing scenario missions within the game or in the World Missions where cooperation is crucial and battles with huge bosses. Steam link

This Week in Gaming (Week 26)

As we enter the last week of June and head towards darkness again in the Northern Hemisphere (remember, it's only six months until Christmas), we can look forward to another slow week of new releases. This week's major release is a remake of a puzzle adventure game from 1997. There's also a strategy game DLC, a shootout, a time travel adventure, some racing and some chasing to look forward to, if that's your kind of thing.

Riven / This week's major release and remake / Tuesday 25 June
Riven takes you on a journey through dense jungles, awe-inspiring caverns, and monolithic structures. Explore a world bent to the whims of a man who sees himself as a god and where every corner will immerse you in an otherworldly adventure. Uncover a story of intrigue, betrayal, and a civilization teetering on the brink of collapse as you solve intricate puzzles to unlock the secrets of Riven. Built from the ground-up and expanded from the award-winning original game released in 1997. Steam Link

Counter-Strike Celebrates 25 Years of Tactical First-Person Shooter Excellence

Today marks a significant milestone for one of the most iconic and influential first-person shooter franchises of all time—Counter-Strike is celebrating its 25th anniversary. What began as a humble Half-Life mod in 1999 has evolved into a global phenomenon, captivating millions with its intense, team-based tactical gameplay. The original Counter-Strike was instantly hit upon its public beta release on June 19, 1999, quickly building a fervent cult following among PC gamers. Valve soon recognized its potential, acquiring the rights and releasing an official standalone version in November 2000. This launched Counter-Strike into the mainstream, kicking off over two decades of continuous development, innovation, and fierce competitive play. Over the years, the series has seen multiple major releases like Condition Zero, Source, and the juggernaut Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in 2012. Each introduced new maps, weapons, graphics enhancements, and gameplay twists like CS: GO's Danger Zone battle royale mode.

But the core hook remained—tightly coordinated attack/defense scenarios demanding skill, strategy, and pinpoint shooting accuracy. Many of us grew up playing Counter Strike. The latest evolution arrived last September with Counter-Strike 2, ushering in a new engine, revamped graphics, and additional gameplay refinements. While initially met with some skepticism from hardcore fans, CS2 has been widely embraced, smashing records with over 1.5 million peak concurrent players. The key to Counter-Strike's enduring success has been its best-in-class core gameplay loop combined with Valve's commitment to evolve with the times. But just as crucial is the passionate global community that has embraced the series' high-skill cap and opportunities for creative strategies. Many have remained devoted for decades, fueling a robust professional esports scene. As it enters its 26th year, Counter-Strike's tactical multiplayer mayhem shows no signs of slowing down. Its unique blend of shooting fundamentals and cerebral team play has firmly cemented its place as one of the most influential games ever made.

This Week in Gaming (Week 25)

After a couple of slow weeks of new game releases, we're finally back on track with a wealth of new game releases this week. We even have a AAA title, although some of you might disagree with it being such, mainly due to the blue aliens and there being four different editions of the game. When it comes to the rest of this week's releases, we have a city builder with sacrifices, a medieval inspired MMO, a very sandy game that has nothing to do with giant worms, a Viking inspired online co-op game, a DLC for a very popular RPG game and a dystopian city builder.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora coming to Steam / This week's AAA release / Monday 17 June
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a first-person, action-adventure game set in the Western Frontier. Abducted by the RDA, you, a Na'vi, were molded to serve their purpose. Fifteen years later, you are free, but find yourself a stranger in your birthplace. Reconnect with your lost heritage and discover what it truly means to be Na'vi as you join other clans to protect Pandora. Steam link
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