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Playnix launch their own Steam Machine-like Linux gaming console
Playnix has launched a Linux-based gaming console, similar in concept to Valve's Steam Machine. The console features a custom Arch Linux distribution that boots into Steam Big Picture mode, offering a SteamOS-like experience. It boasts a compact form factor and upgradable PC components, with pricing starting at €1,139 for the second batch.
Portal 2: Community Edition Beta is out now as a playground for modding
Portal 2: Community Edition Beta has been released, offering enhanced modding tools and capabilities for players. This community-maintained version utilizes a modified version of the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive engine, Strata Source, to introduce features like DirectX 11 support, improved lighting, and increased engine limits. The beta is available for users who own the original Portal 2 and supports native Linux.
Steam’s Hidden Chrome Extension Support Changes Everything
Valve's Steam client, built on the Chromium engine, now supports Chrome Web Store extensions, allowing users to enhance their experience with tools like SteamDB and 'Is It On Game Pass'. This hidden functionality, while unofficial, significantly expands Steam's capabilities beyond a simple game launcher, turning it into a more integrated web browser. Users are advised to exercise caution and stick to trusted extensions due to potential security and performance implications.
Content Creators Are Changing the Game for Indie Discovery
Content creators are significantly impacting indie game discovery by leveraging their communities for recommendations, bypassing traditional marketing. This trend allows developers direct access to creators and their audiences, fostering authentic coverage and helping smaller titles find their players. The creator economy's maturation and platform evolution are further enabling this symbiotic relationship, benefiting players with access to diverse games.
The death of video game VR is a crying shame - Reader’s Feature
A reader laments the apparent decline of virtual reality gaming, citing the limited support for PlayStation VR2 and the closure of Meta's VR developers as evidence. Despite initial excitement and impressive experiences like Resident Evil Village VR, the high cost of headsets and the isolating nature of VR are seen as major barriers to its widespread adoption.
Portal 2: Community Edition promises to take the game's modding potential to new heights, and it's out in open…
Portal 2: Community Edition, a community-maintained build of the game, has been released into open beta. It introduces new lighting technology, volumetrics, support for higher-resolution textures, custom campaign functionality, and expanded scripting capabilities, built on a fork of the CS:GO engine. This edition aims to enhance the game's extensive modding potential beyond its original limitations.
Portal 2: Community Edition Beta
Valve has released the open beta for Portal 2: Community Edition, a free modification for the original game. This enhanced version is available for PC on Windows and Linux.
15 years on, Portal 2 Community Edition just breathed new life into Valve's classic
Portal 2: Community Edition, a fan-made project by 29 developers, has been released, breathing new life into Valve's 2011 puzzle game. This enhanced version utilizes the Strata Source engine, a modified branch of the CS:GO engine, to introduce significant technical and visual upgrades, including physically based rendering, improved lighting, and dynamic shadows. While not a remake of the original campaign, it offers vastly improved tools for custom content creation and is available for free on Steam for owners of Portal 2.
I found out the hard way that Linux is not a dad-friendly gaming OS, and maybe neither is the PC
The author details his struggles with PC and Linux gaming while trying to play with his son, highlighting issues with controller connectivity and Microsoft account logins. These frustrations led him to rely on cloud gaming services like GeForce Now for a smoother co-op experience. The article concludes that PC gaming, especially on Linux, still faces accessibility challenges that can hinder family gaming time.
Wine 11.7 released with DirectSound 7.1 support, VBScript improvements, MSXML updates
Wine 11.7 has been released, introducing DirectSound 7.1 speaker configuration support, VBScript compatibility fixes, and initial MSXML reimplementation without libxml2. This update also includes SRGB filter support in D3DX and resolves 35 bugs across various applications and games. The compatibility layer now defaults to Windows 10.
Counter-Strike 2 Beta Build Fixes The Stuff That Actually Matters
Valve has released a new beta build for Counter-Strike 2 focused on addressing critical bugs and technical issues, rather than cosmetic additions. This update specifically targets problems with HE grenade throws and weapon switching animations, aiming to improve the game's responsiveness and tactical play.
15 Years Later, Games Still Can't Nail What Portal 2 Perfected
Fifteen years after its release, Portal 2 is still considered a benchmark for successful comedy in video games. The article analyzes how Valve's approach to humor, characterized by brevity, character-driven jokes, and thoughtful design, contrasts with many modern games that struggle to integrate comedy effectively. Portal 2's shorter playtime and its characters' genuine motivations contribute to its lasting comedic impact.
Long Before Friendslop, Portal 2 Made Co-Op Cool
Portal 2's 15th anniversary is being celebrated by reminiscing about its innovative cooperative mode, which predated many modern social gaming trends. The game's dual-protagonist co-op campaign, featuring unique puzzle mechanics and charming characters, is highlighted as a precursor to current "friendslop" and co-op-focused titles. The article also notes its early cross-platform play between PC and PlayStation 3 as a remarkable feat for its time.
Garage Find Sparks Steam Link Nostalgia Among Retro Gaming Fans
A Reddit user's discovery of a Steam Link during a garage cleanup has sparked nostalgia and discussions about Valve's 2015 game streaming hardware. While the dedicated Steam Link device was discontinued, its technology lives on in the Steam Link app and influenced the development of the Steam Deck. The find highlights the evolution of game streaming technology and the enduring appeal of retro gaming hardware.
Indie Developers Unite for #WishlistWednesday Community Support Movement
Indie game developers are collaborating through the #WishlistWednesday movement on social media to increase visibility for their upcoming titles. This community-driven initiative encourages developers to share their games and actively wishlist and promote each other's projects on platforms like Steam. The movement highlights the importance of community support and grassroots marketing for independent developers facing a competitive market.
Portal 2: Community Edition Beta Drops on Steam — Fan Project Finally Goes Public
Portal 2: Community Edition, a fan-driven overhaul of Valve's puzzle game, has launched its open beta on Steam. This project rebuilds core systems of the game, offering a full Steam integration with Workshop support. The beta aims to stress-test the complex puzzle mechanics and gather community feedback for further iteration.
Enjoying Valve's famous paid "vacation in Hawaii," engineer jokes he's "in a dark room like a vampire" on Github anyway – a fitting use of Steam bucks
Valve engineer Fletcher Dunn confirmed he is enjoying the company's paid Hawaii vacation while working on his laptop, sparking discussions about Valve's unique company culture. The article contrasts Valve's employee perks with recent layoffs at Epic Games and examines the intense fan investment in Valve due to Steam's dominance in PC gaming.
This is not a drill: All-timer weirdo game Deadly Premonition now playable on Linux as of Valve's most recent Proton beta, plus 17 others and your EA library (until EA breaks it again)
Valve has released the first beta for Proton 11, its compatibility layer for running Windows games on Linux and Steam Deck. This update includes improvements from Wine 11 and adds support for numerous games, notably making Deadly Premonition playable on Linux. The beta also addresses issues with EA games and introduces an Arm64 version of Proton.
Russian Censorship Sim ‘Носковраздор’ Lets You Block Digital Services
The new PC game 'Носковраздор' simulates the role of a network operator tasked with blocking digital services and restricting internet access, drawing controversy for its premise. Developed by a Russian team, the game explores themes of censorship and digital policy, prompting discussions about government overreach and digital freedom. Its simulation mechanics focus on administrative control and strategic restriction, leaving ethical interpretations to the player.
Valve's latest Proton 11 beta has been quietly released in an even more beta Arm64 flavour and you can thank the…
Valve has released a beta version of its Proton 11.0 compatibility layer, including a specific build for Arm64 processors. This update aims to improve the ability of Windows games to run on Linux-based systems like SteamOS, with potential implications for Valve's upcoming Steam Deck hardware and VR initiatives.
