Rock Paper Shotgun
Rock Paper Shotgun business and news from across the web.
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Why the publisher of Nintendo Life is launching a new PC gaming site
Hookshot Media, the publisher behind Nintendo Life and Push Square, has launched Steam Hype, a new website dedicated to PC gaming on Valve's platform. The site aims to provide human-led curation and recommendations for both AAA and indie titles, differentiating itself from established PC gaming outlets. Despite a downturn in the games media industry, Hookshot CEO Anthony Dickens expressed confidence in the company's independent ownership model to adapt and succeed.
Valve’s Steam Frame VR headset opens for orders, with the cheapest model priced at a lenswatering £889 / $1,059
Valve has opened orders for its new Steam VR headset, with prices starting at £889 / $1,059 for the 256GB model. The headset is described as a versatile piece of VR kit, capable of playing PC VR titles like Half-Life: Alyx and even some flat Steam games. However, the high price point and ongoing component shortages have impacted its affordability and availability.
Rally Point: Strong simulation and team building can't carry Menace forever
Menace offers a compelling core of turn-based shooting, simulation, and character leveling, but its execution is often hampered by frustrating elements. While some annoyances are expected in early access, the game's premise and faction interactions feel underdeveloped, lacking personality and meaningful choices. Despite these flaws, the tactical combat and squad customization remain satisfying.
All the RPS Supporter rewards for August 2026: fatty felines, GTA 6 pondering, and a heap of barely washed radishes
Rock Paper Shotgun has detailed its supporter rewards for August 2026, featuring exclusive articles and content. Highlights include a puzzle game about toast and cats, a discussion on covering Grand Theft Auto VI, and a piece on modding Skyrim for fishing.
This week in PC games: Bank Holiday Mawnday Edition
This article humorously frames the lack of new game releases during a Bank Holiday Monday as a "feeding the maw" event for readers. It playfully describes the empty "Treehouse" of Rock Paper Shotgun staff, who are presumably enjoying the holiday, and encourages readers to share their own recent game acquisitions.
Have your say on the RPS Supporter program with this short, yet deeply opinion-absorbent survey
Rock Paper Shotgun is soliciting feedback on its Supporter program through a short survey. Readers, whether current subscribers or not, are encouraged to share their opinions on the program's offerings and suggest improvements. The survey aims to gather constructive criticism to inform future program development.
Game History and Preservation
Developers from Anthem, SpaceCraft, and Warframe discuss the significant challenges of reverse engineering always-online games for preservation purposes. The 'Stop Killing Games' campaign highlights these efforts.
All the RPS Supporter rewards for July 2026: space battles, messy desks, and puzzling dreams
Rock Paper Shotgun is highlighting its exclusive content and rewards for July 2026, including articles on Assassin's Creed Rogue, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Thief: The Dark Project, and Spacefleet: Heat Death. The site also introduced a dedicated RSS feed for supporter-exclusive articles and discussed future plans, including a reader survey and Gamescom 2026 preparations.
We're making some changes to the RPS Supporter Program, all of them good
Rock Paper Shotgun is implementing several improvements to its Supporter Program to offer more value to subscribers. These changes include more exclusive posts, increased ad-free browsing including sponsored content, regular 'Letters from the Editor', behind-the-scenes content, and monthly roundups of exclusive articles. Pricing for the Standard and Premium tiers will remain unchanged.
This week in PC games: Stardew Valley plus vampires, a lavish gamebook RPG, and Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, finally
This week's PC game releases include the remake Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Resynced, the gamebook RPG Veritas Tales: Witch of the Dark Castle, and various indie titles like Cosmodrill and Mothkeep. News includes potential job cuts at Microsoft and studio closures, while previews of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Resynced and interviews are also mentioned.
Behold my range of handmade Steam Machine faceplates: tasteful fan-covering, on the cheap
This article provides a humorous guide on how to create custom, low-cost faceplates for the Steam Machine using common household items like paper plates, seaweed, tote bags, and popcorn bags. It contrasts these DIY solutions with more expensive third-party options and offers creative suggestions for alternative labels for a learner plate.
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The article indicates a '404 Page Not Found' error, humorously comparing the situation to the non-existence of Half-Life 3. It encourages users who followed a link from the site to report the broken link to Rock Paper Shotgun.
The Sunday Papers
This article rounds up various gaming-related articles and discussions. It includes pieces on the humor in Titanfall, the unique presentation of Angelique Special 2, and the complexities of trans segregation laws in the UK. Additionally, it touches upon political funding related to cryptocurrency and a lighthearted debate comparing dogs and cats in gaming contexts, specifically Half-Life 2's Dog versus Stray's Cat.
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This page indicates that the requested content could not be found, humorously comparing the situation to the unreleased Half-Life 3. Readers are encouraged to report broken links to Rock Paper Shotgun.
Morning Previews
EVE Vanguard, an extraction shooter spinoff of EVE Online, will allow players to salvage destroyed ships and sell the parts back to their original owners. The article also briefly mentions Lego Batman.
Choose between Buddhist Star Trek, rad vinyl music, and forest fire deathgames in the latest PC releases
This week's PC game releases include a variety of genres, from a Buddhist-themed engineering puzzler called U.V.S. Nirmana to a forest fire-themed deathgame called Arsonate. Other notable titles include the music nostalgia game Wax Heads, the dancefloor brawler Dead as Disco, and the city-builder Amberspire.
If you need more Shakespeare with your Slay the Spire, check out demon lawyer deckbuilder The Killing Stone
The Killing Stone is a new deckbuilder roguelite that blends card battles with contract law haggling, featuring a distinct Elizabethan dialogue option. The game draws comparisons to Slay the Spire and Monster Train, with voice acting from Liam O'Brien and Emma Gregory.
Engagement Ring
The survival shooter Road to Vostok has achieved a strong launch on Steam, securing enough funding to cover its production budget for several years. This financial success indicates significant player interest in the game.
From the C: to the /Mnt/s, Linux is better than ever for PC gaming – and easier to switch to from Windows
Linux has become a viable and accessible alternative to Windows for PC gaming, largely due to improvements in compatibility layers like Proton and the popularity of devices like the Steam Deck. While challenges remain, particularly with anti-cheat software, various distributions and tools now make it easier for users to switch and enjoy a wide range of games.
Diablo 4's Lord of Hatred expansion teased in new book!... | TAG
A new book titled 'Lord of Hatred' offers an early look at Diablo 4's upcoming expansion, teasing new lore and story elements set in the Skovos Isles. Meanwhile, Limited Run Games is addressing past delays by setting more realistic shipping expectations, potentially pushing some preorders to late 2026. Bungie has also announced a nerf to the powerful Biotoxic Disinjector weapon in Marathon to improve game balance.
