Steam: Last News

The Pokémon Company has released a statement promising to “investigate” any and all titles that infringe on their intellectual property rights following the release of Palworld earlier this month.Developed by Pocketpair, Palworld tasks players with using a variety of creatures known as Pals to build, fight or collect.Since it was announced, the survival game has been compared to Pokémon with creators telling NME: “We were surprised by the comparisons to be honest, especially those labeling it as ‘Pokémon with guns’. Pokémon definitely inspired us, but Palworld is far more action-orientated in comparison.”They went on to say they were more inspired by the likes of Rust, Minecraft and ARK: Survival Evolved.Earlier this week, an unofficial Pokémon mod was revealed for Palworld but footage was quickly taken down due to a Nintendo copyright strike.

Palworld could be coming to PlayStation soon, per a post on X (formerly Twitter) from PlayStation head of indies Shuhei Yoshida.Yoshida replied to a post which asked for the team to “support SIE [Sony Interactive Entertainment] so that the PS5 version can be released as soon as possible”.Yoshida tagged the development partner at PlayStation in the reply, writing “Yes”.Previously, the community manager of Palworld posted that the title “won’t be on PlayStation” and will only be available on “Xbox and Steam“. However, on January 21 the community manager posted on X to state that Palworld may still come to PlayStation.“The above post said Palworld may release on PS4, PS5, Xbox or PC.

Palworld has sold five million copies in three days, despite increasing concern over potential AI use in the game.The title launched in early access on January 19, and since then, it has shot up in Steam charts to the point it had more concurrent players than games such as Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Call Of Duty.Those users don’t include the number of players who are playing the game through the Xbox Game Pass release, and neither do the five million copies sold, meaning that the actual total number of people who have downloaded the game and played it could be much higher.The conversation around Palworld, however, isn’t focused on sales. It’s instead focused on similarities that beasts in the game have to popular Pokemon characters, and the fact that the company openly released a title in early access last year named AI: Art Imposter which uses artificial intelligence in gameplay to generate images.Several posts have circulated on X (formerly Twitter) showing similarities between Pokemon creatures and Palworld creatures, with previous comments from the CEO of Pocketpair discussing AI art, and specifically how to use AI art in order to create new Pokemon, leading people to wonder if the game used the technique at all.There’s currently no confirmation as to whether or not there’s any credibility behind these claims, however.

Elden Ring‘s DLC is closer than previously thought.The DLC section of Elden Ring on SteamDB hasn’t been updated for over a year, with the last update being the “Elden Ring Adventure Guide”. At the time of writing this article (January 16), however, a new entry simply named “SteamDB Unknown App 2778580” was updated seven hours ago, suggesting a release date for the already-announced expansion Elden Ring: Shadows of the Erdtree could be coming soon, perhaps in tandem with the fast approaching second anniversary of the original game on February 25.This would line up with a leak in December 2023 that suggested the expansion could be released in February 2024, with retailer DataBlitz briefly uploading a page for Elden Ring-themed controllers planned to release in February to “sync with new ‘Shadow of the Erdtree’ expansion release”, along with stating a second wave of controllers would be released in 2025 to celebrate a “major keybeat or new game expansion”.Elden Ring: Shadows of the Erdtree was first revealed in February 2023, mere days after the first anniversary of the initial game’s release.

Alex Jones: NWO Wars, a side-scrolling shooter from the controversial conspiracy theorist.Released earlier this month, Alex Jones: NWO Wars sees players take control of the outspoken Infowars host and set out to defeat “big tech cucks and other anti-American communist bosses” while saving children from “NWO reptiles”. Donald Trump and other figures also appear.“They are turning the friggin frogs gay! Only Alex Jones can stop this madness and restore balance in the Brain Force,” continues the game’s official website.It may sound like a parody, but the Steam description claims the game is official, while Alex Jones’ Twitter account has also promoted the release.

The Day Before, one of the most controversial games of 2023, now has modders working to put together an offline mode for the game.Before launch, The Day Before was Steam’s most wish-listed game up until launch. The game itself was launched in December 2023, to extremely negative reviews.

Diablo 4 is sitting at a “mixed” rating from player reviews on Steam following its launch on October 17.Blizzard Entertainment previously announced the game would arrive on Steam at the same time as the Season Of Blood, the second season for the game since its release in June.Season Of Blood added a new narrative chapter through the onslaught of a vampiric invasion of Sanctuary, and it is also the vehicle with which the developer will optimise Diablo 4 in a “five-point strategy”.Yet, it appeared that Steam players were not that impressed with the improved Diablo 4. Of the almost 500 player reviews that have been submitted, over half of them are negative, leading to an overall “mixed” rating for the game.Issues in the end game experience were a common theme in these reviews, as well as criticism of microtransactions and the offerings in the game’s battle pass.Others used their reviews as an opportunity to petition for a Diablo 2 Resurrected release on Steam as it is exclusive to Battle.net for PC players.In documents from the lawsuit between Microsoft and the Federal Trade Commission, it was concluded exclusivity to Battle.net actually acts as a detriment to the number of monthly active users in the game.Positive Steam reviews of Diablo 4 conceded that the game is entertaining but there are a number of missteps like the complexity of the game.“If you want a new ‘turn your brain off and blow up demons’ game, it’s already in a really good state for that.

Valve has been in contact with several game developers who were hit by hackers who used a vulnerability to hide malware in their games on Steam.The hackers’ intention was to play the malware off as an update to the installed game on players’ PCs, then infecting them when the “new build” was downloaded.Fortunately, less than 100 players had these compromised games installed on their systems and they were also contacted by Valve to notify them of the security breach.Wondering why Steam devs will have to confirm via SMS before publishing new game versions or adding users? (https://t.co/EIyLHyA02N….) Looks like it's related to hackers taking over Steam dev accounts & adding malware to game builds. (Screenshot via @SteamDB from Sept.

Scottish Games Sale on Steam will fundraise for Glasgow Children’s Hospital and support children who have long stays with game consoles, board games and adapted gaming equipment.From September 8 to September 14, an assortment of games from Scottish studios will be spotlighted by the sale. “Scotland is known for its rugged landscapes, warm people and vivid storytelling, and there’s no better place to see these things flourish than in the Scottish Games Industry,” said Steam.Proceeds will go to the Games For The Weans campaign and the Glasgow Children’s Hospital charity encouraged supporters to donate what they can to the funds for games for young patients.As the biggest children’s hospital in the country, health professionals treat and care for 500 children every day.

Ironmace, the developer of the dungeon crawler Dark and Darker, has said that it intends to rectify the game’s omission from Steam as soon as it can.In a statement to PC Gamer, CEO Terence Park responded to the question of Dark And Darker‘s potential return to Valve‘s digital distribution platform. “We cannot ignore the largest PC storefront in the world,” he replied.Nexon levied a lawsuit against the developer in April, alleging that the game is “using materials and assets they worked on during their time” at the publisher.

Skybound Entertainment, centring on the Invincible heroine as she navigates the potential of her powers.A visual novel with turn based combat encounters, developer Terrible Posture Games and publisher Skybound Games worked with artist Rossi Gifford to create an experience that “feels like a comic book come to life.”Players will look forward to “dramatic choices” that determine the storyline, and “choosing how to develop Eve’s skills can increase her power, unlock special combat skills for use in vivid comic-book-style combat, or unlock unique dialogue options to further play your story, your way.”“I love this game for its fresh spin on the original comic’s artwork and style,” said Robert Kirkman, Skybound Entertainment’s chairman and chief creative officer. “Terrible Posture Games, Jill Murray, and Rossi Gifford do an incredible job of bringing 20 years of Invincible to new life.”Murray, who is credited on Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation, Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, Boyfriend Dungeon and more, lent her talents to weave a new story for Eve beyond the events of the comic book and animated TV show.“Atom Eve’s complexity, creativity, and wry sense of humour make her such a joy to build a game around.

Blizzard Entertainment revealed that Overwatch 2 is on its way to Steam as the first of a selection of its games that will leap over to the platform.Originally, Overwatch 2 was only available for PC through Blizzard’s own digital distribution service, Battle.net. “As we’ve evolved, the industry has evolved too – gaming is no longer just for specific communities as it was when Battle.net launched over two decades ago,” read a press release on the announcement.In order to “break down barriers” for new and veteran Overwatch 2 players, the hero shooter will launch on Steam on August 10.

Iron Gate has clarified its stance on Valheim mods, saying that it doesn’t condone locking modded content behind a paywall.In a recent Steam news post, the developer explained that it had been getting many questions about mods recently and wanted to clarify its stance for players (via PCGamer).“First of all, while we don’t have any official mod support, we are definitely happy to see that people are engaging with our game and creating their own mods for it,” Iron Gate said.The developer went on to say that those who create and use mods are “done at your own risk” and that it can’t guarantee that mods will be compatible with future versions of the game.The post then moved into the topic of paid mods, with Iron Gate explaining that although it understands that modders spend a lot of time creating them and might want financial compensation, it doesn’t condone paid mods. It asks users to instead show support by donating instead.“Iron Gate does not condone locking modded content behind a paywall,” the post reads.

Steam demos, discounts and announcements from the likes of Sega, Auroch Digital and Abbey Games.TactiCon 2023 will kick off with a showcase at 6:30PM next Thursday (May 11), with the event set to run until May 16.Ahead of the showcase, publisher Hooded Horse has shared that “plenty of exciting new announcements and demos” will be featured, including Endless Dungeon — a tactical roguelike from Humankind developer Amplitude, which is set to be published by Sega on October 19.Meanwhile, Reus developer Abbey Games will also be making an appearance to reveal its next project.Auroch Digital’s Mars Horizon 2: The Search For Life will also feature in the showcase, following the sci-fi management game’s announcement in March.Fans can also expect an announcement for Shogun Showdown, which is set to launch this year, along with new gameplay footage for Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew, Jumplight Odyssey, and “many more” games.In a trailer for Tacticon 2023, organisers have promised “over 100” strategy games will be involved in the convention — check it out below.Following the showcase, a number of panels, discussions and talks will be held to discuss the strategy genre.

Dark And Darker developer Ironmace has reportedly sent a letter to Valve, asking the company to return the game to Steam amid a lawsuit alleging theft.Over the last few months, MapleStory publisher Nexon has alleged that Ironmace’s multiplayer fantasy game Dark And Darker was created by former Nexon employees with stolen code and materials.While the allegations led to developer Ironmace’s offices being raided by Korean authorities, a DMCA takedown filed by Nexon also resulted in Dark And Darker being removed from Steam last month.As reported by Gamesradar, Greenberg Glusker lawyer Aaron Moss has since issued a letter to Valve asking it to let Dark And Darker return to Steam.Moss alleged that Nexon’s DMCA was “based on claims that are entirely without merit and contains knowing and material misrepresentations that Dark and Darker infringed Nexon’s copyright interests”.Moss went on to label Nexon’s actions as “nothing more than anti-competitive bully tactics designed to put a small indie game studio out of business”.“At best, Nexon has taken a handful of unprotectable elements and cobbled them together to form the illusion of a copyright infringement claim,” wrote Moss. “This case comes down to the fact that Nexon does not want any of its former employees to work at an indie studio developing a fantasy-themed extraction game.

Among Us VR will be released for Meta Quest, Rift and Steam on November 10, it has been announced.Among Us in virtual reality will feature the same tasks, emergency meetings and venting as in the original game, in an immersive 360 degrees. The trailer for Among Us VR, which has been developed by Schell Games in collaboration with Innersloth and Robot Teddy, has been released on the Meta Quest YouTube channel, and showcases the chaotic nature of a typical Among Us game.The 3D bean-shaped characters have a helpful nameplate hovering above their heads for easily identifiable purposes, and new for the VR version are several minigames.As crewmates run from task to task attempting to fix the ship, one or more imposters will be deliberately sabotaging their events as well as even murdering crewmates along the way. Among Us VR will launch with voice and quick text chat and online play, and is suitable for between four and ten players.

Humankind’s first expansion getting a November release date, the game can be played for free this weekend.Humankind, the historical strategy game from developer Amplitude Studios, is available to play for free on Steam now, and will remain so until Monday, October 10. And if you want to keep playing after that, the game is currently available for 50 per cent off as part of the Sega Megamix Sale.This free weekend comes in celebration of the game’s first expansion, Together We Rule, getting a release date of November 9.

Logitech is gearing up to release its new handheld gaming device, G Cloud, which has native GeForce Now support.GeForce Now is the cloud-based game streaming service from Nvidia which delivers real-time gameplay from the cloud to gaming devices such as PCs, iPads and Android devices, and now the G Cloud will be supported from launch.The G Cloud is Logitech’s Android-powered handheld gaming console, and alongside the compatibility with GeForce Now, other cloud-based gaming services are supported such as Steam Link and Xbox Cloud Gaming.The console features a 7-inch touchscreen, more than 12 hours of battery life, haptic feedback and remappable controls. It also has an integral gyroscope, meaning players can twist and turn the console to control compatible games.The G Cloud can also download remote play apps and stream video, as well as link up with local games on an Xbox console via the Xbox app.Ujesh Desai, the vice president and general manager of Logitech Gaming, said that the company wanted to challenge itself to “build a device that was perfectly optimised for cloud gaming,” which meant including precision controls “similar to a high-end Xbox controller” as well as a large screen, good battery life and “a lightweight design so players can enjoy long gaming sessions, without any compromise.”Alongside the release of the G Cloud, GeForce Now is adding Portal with RTX to its supported catalogue in November, which will be free for Portal owners.

Disney Dreamlight Valley has shown a trailer for a new Toy Story realm coming to the game later this year at the first ever Disney and Marvel Games Showcase.Disney Dreamlight Valley was released earlier this week (September 6) by developer and publisher Dreamloft and immediately smashed the Steam charts, soaring to number one after less than 24 hours. Reviews on Steam suggest that players are particular fans of the game’s comprehensive avatar editor and other customisation options.The game is currently in early access with a full release planned in 2023, and leans heavily into Animal Crossing vibes with a hefty dose of inspiration from the likes of Stardew Valley and The Sims very evident.

11 Bit Studios has announced it will no longer be giving game keys to Steam curators after a majority were resold.Taking to Twitter to make the announcement, 11 Bit Studios wrote: “Starting today (September 2) we won’t be granting game keys to Steam curators.”“Based on our and other devs’ experiences, most of the requests come from fake accounts used to gather and resell the keys and the published reviews don’t seem to bring any value for the community anyway,” they added.Responding to one fan who was seemingly confused by the statement, 11 Bit Studios added: “You’d be surprised at the number of emails we receive with a message more-or-less like this: ‘Hello, this is Curator Dude from the Totally Legit Curator on Steam. I very much love your game and Totally Legit Curator fans are waiting for a review.

Valve has banned several Steam curator groups, after it was alleged that they were owned by a small number of people who were using the system as a means to resell keys.On Sunday (August 28), developer Cowcat alleged that its latest game, Brok The InvestiGator, was being targeted with negative reviews. This was due to Cowcat issuing Steam curators who had requested a key with a prologue version of the game, which could not be finished.Cowcat’s logic was that while legitimate Steam curators would get in touch and be issued with a regular key, scammers would resell the key without playing it – causing them to leave angry reviews when their buyers complained about the unfinished game.Shortly after Cowcat brought attention to the influx of negative reviews, a Reddit user found that every curator who left a negative review had their accounts created within the same two days, and all shared the same main admin.Since the key re-selling scam was uncovered, all groups that targeted Brok The InvestiGator have been banned from Steam.