Tag: Valve

The drama of The Day Before continues: now you can no longer buy the game

The Day Before drama continues: now you can no longer buy the game and the company seems to have changed its name for some reason?

There isn’t a week without drama in the world of video games. It’s something we’re already used to. We don’t even bother trying to predict what the next drama will be – it’s basically impossible. Usually, multiple things happen at once. When a company isn’t laying off dozens of employees, E3 gets canceled. And when that’s not the case, a game that seems like a scam stops being sold on Steam.

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It’s no longer possible to buy The Day Before. After the game received an alarming amount of negative reviews because what was promised and what was delivered didn’t resemble each other at all, and following their developers, Fntastic, deciding to shut down in response, now comes their next move. Not only have they purged their YouTube channel and had their CEO, Eduard Gotovtsev, erase all of his digital footprint, but they’ve also removed the game from Steam.

The Day Before, which was still being sold for €39.99 even after the abandonment of its development was announced, is now officially a dead game. Nonetheless, it’s unclear which of the involved parties pulled the trigger. Whether it was Fntastic, the game’s developer; Mytona, its distributor; or Valve itself, the owner of Steam.

In any case, this isn’t the end of The Day Before’s drama. Even after delisting their game, the people behind Fntastic have continued making moves behind the scenes. In another one of their games, The Wild Eight, they’ve changed the developer’s name from Fntastic to Eight Points. This has only raised suspicions that all of this was a pre-planned scam, given the speed at which these changes were made.

While it’s entirely possible that we may never hear anything more about The Day Before or Fntastic, it’s quite probable that this is just another chapter in the story. Having sold at least 201,076 units on Steam, this won’t be over, at least not until every person who paid for the game gets their money back. That’s why we fear this story will continue to linger for a long, long time.

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Steam will soon include a feature that many users have been requesting for years

Steam could include in the coming weeks a functionality that its users have been asking for for years, although it has not yet been confirmed by Valce

While Valve has the most intricate service when it comes to digital game stores, that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. Its interface hasn’t aged particularly gracefully, and it lacks some features that one would desire. The lack of solid alternatives makes it the reigning queen, but also the fact that, from time to time, they dare to introduce some features that users have been demanding for years. Like the ability to hide games from our friends’ lists, for example.

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This new functionality was first discovered and shared by Pavel Djundik, the creator of SteamDB. According to Djundik, this new privacy option goes beyond the current privacy settings, which allow you to hide achievements and screenshots, by letting you mark certain games as private so that no one can see them.

Although it might seem like a niche feature, there has been widespread approval of this functionality on social media. There are many reasons to hide games, from wanting to maintain privacy for personal reasons to not wanting to expose our preferences for certain motives. This has played in favor of a very positive reception from the community. The reception, as expected, has not been without some humor along the way.

On the comedic side, there have been essentially two camps. On one hand, there are people who consider those who hide their games as cowards unwilling to expose their tastes, no matter how bad they might be. On the other hand, there are people who think that this will be a boom for the kind of games that most people don’t want others to know they’ve been playing.

Whether, joking aside, this will lead to a surge in bad, erotic, or perceived-as-childish games is something we’ll find out if the news is confirmed. But even if it doesn’t turn out to be true, judging by the public’s reaction, Steam would do well to introduce this functionality.

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The industry wants more powerful graphics cards; according to a survey, gamers don’t

The video game industry is convinced that we must leave the previous generation graphics cards behind, gamers do not

During the past few weeks, in the gaming industry, there has been talk about the need for change. That the medium is evolving, and we need better graphics cards. Better computers. This has come especially due to the exaggerated minimum and recommended requirements of Alan Wake II, but it has been debated in general regarding video games. However, according to a periodic survey by Valve, people have very different opinions on this matter.

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Valve conducts a monthly survey where they ask a segment of their users about the components of their computers. This way, it’s possible to determine the composition of the most common computer among people who play on PC. This has revealed several things, such as the most common graphics configuration still being playing at 1080p, also known as Full-HD.

With 16GB of RAM, the GeForce RTX 3060 as the graphics card, and the most common CPU running at around 2.6GHz, what we know is that the audience isn’t interested in having cutting-edge computers. With the GTX 1080 being the second most popular graphics card, it’s clear that gamers no longer prioritize sheer power. And there are reasons for this.

The reason graphics cards and processors are not being upgraded as rapidly as before is mainly due to the exorbitant prices of the latest generation hardware and the marginal improvements they offer. This is especially true thanks to technologies like DLSS 3, which allow games to be played with quality equivalent to those prohibitively expensive graphics cards.

That’s why, even though the gaming industry believes we should upgrade our computers, players have a different opinion. This is demonstrated by Steam’s metrics, which make something clear: GTX 1080 as minimum requirements and GeForce RTX 3060 as recommended requirements will continue to be the standard at least until 2024.

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How to fix the crashing issue of CS2 that is affecting everyone

Counter-Strike 2 has been launched completely by surprise and with a bug that crashes the game, but we explain how to fix it

Counter-Strike 2 has been released completely by surprise, replacing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in your Steam library. With improved graphics and sounds, new physics for smoke grenades, and completely revamped maps, among many other changes, it feels almost like a new game. Unfortunately, not everything is good news. Many players are complaining that the game is plagued with bugs. And one of them is so severe that it actually crashes the game to the desktop as soon as it’s launched.

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This issue occurs on both Linux and Windows, and for now, the reason behind it is unknown. While Valve is likely working on a patch to fix it, you don’t have to wait for that to enjoy the game. That’s why we’re offering you a series of possible solutions that may help you, hopefully, resolve this issue.

Update your drivers

It’s common sense, but we all forget it from time to time. The main reason a game doesn’t work as it should is often outdated drivers on our computer, especially our graphics card drivers. Make sure to update them before trying anything else.

Try this series of small changes

The community has found a series of small changes that have generally helped with crashes in Counter-Strike 2. If you already have updated drivers, it’s worth trying these five things before resorting to more drastic measures:

  • Remove any launch options from Steam’s Launch Options.
  • Disable AMD FSR.
  • Launch the game in compatibility mode and disable fullscreen optimization.
  • Disable Faceit Anticheat.
  • Disable computer overclocking.

Close the background applications you have running

If none of the above works, you may have a resource issue. Counter-Strike 2 can be a demanding game in terms of RAM and CPU usage, even if your system meets the requirements. You should try closing all background applications. Open Task Manager, close all these applications, and try launching the game again.

Scan and repair game files

This is the last resort for Windows users. To do this, you have to open Steam, go to the Library tab, and search for Counter-Strike 2. Right-click on it, go to Properties, and look for the Local Files tab. There you will find the Verify Integrity of Game Files button. If something is wrong with the game installation, Steam should be able to fix it.

You need to access the command console (only if you’re playing from Linux)

If your operating system is Linux, there’s still another possible solution. You have to open PowerShell as an administrator and enter the following two commands:

dir “$env:systemroot\system32\driverstore\filerepository\*NvCameraEnable.exe” -rec |% {& “$_” off}

dir “$env:programfiles\nvidia corporation\*NvCameraEnable.exe” -rec |% {& “$_” off}

According to reports from some players, this has helped them fix their issues with the game. But at the end of the day, everything we propose here are temporary solutions. Things you can do to try to enjoy the game while Valve finds a permanent fix. Because, until that happens, we’re afraid there is no surefire way to safely eliminate crashes in Counter-Strike 2.

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Counter-Strike 2 is now official: go download it

Counter-Strike 2 was launched yesterday, September 27, completely by surprise, to the delight of its fans, who can now enjoy it

Counter-Strike is one of the most influential games of all time. This is not an exaggeration. It largely defined what online shooters would be and created a modding scene that, while it never became as extensive and vibrant as Doom’s, managed to open a door that had previously been strictly English-speaking. Counter-Strike may not have created any of these things, but it did help democratize them long before Call of Duty made them mainstream. And that’s why it’s important.

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On September 27th, Valve surprised gamers by releasing Counter-Strike 2. Since it’s a free update for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the game is free to play, and there’s no need to pay to play it. However, the game has an upgrade to Prime status, which costs 14.29 euros. This upgrade allows players to receive commemorative items, weapon cases, and exclusive random Prime items. Additionally, it will match you only with other Prime status players to avoid potential gameplay imbalances.

Counter-Strike 2 was announced on March 22nd, with no specific release date other than a vague 2023 and numerous videos explaining the changes it would bring to the game. Using the Source 2 engine, the changes in both graphics and gameplay in Counter-Strike 2 are very noticeable compared to its predecessor, which, due to its age, was already showing signs of fatigue.

Among the changes you can find in Counter-Strike 2 are regional and global leaderboards, significant map changes, completely different dynamics in the physics of smoke grenades, redesigned visual and sound effects, and a smoother gameplay experience in terms of server stability. These aspects will be enjoyed equally by Counter-Strike veterans and newcomers to this veteran game, originally released in 1999 but appearing to be more alive than ever in 2023.

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Half-Life Making a Comeback? Rumors Suggest Announcement Before Summer’s Close

Valve will be in Cologne, Germany for Gamescon teaching something related to a franchise we already thought was forgotten.

Few games continue to generate as much buzz as Half-Life. Its fans still clamor for a third installment, even though at this point, the possibility of that happening seems somewhat remote, if not outright impossible. Even after Valve continued the franchise in 2020 with the excellent Half-Life: Alyx, which is still considered one of the pinnacles of virtual reality gaming, there doesn’t appear to be any immediate intention of returning to the universe that brought them absolute success. Or so we thought.

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From August 23rd to 27th, in Cologne, Germany, Gamescom, the largest video game fair in Europe, will be held. With the apparent decline of E3, Gamescom currently stands as the world’s biggest gaming fair, raising expectations for an unusually high number of announcements during these days. In preparation for the event, Gamescom has already released an app where it’s possible to, among other things, see the list of companies that will be present at the fair. This reveals an interesting result: Valve, the creators of Half-Life, is among them.

Of course, on its own, this doesn’t mean anything significant. Valve’s presence at a gaming fair doesn’t imply much by itself. However, the fact that “Half-Life” appears among the tags on their page does seem indicative that they may have something hidden up their sleeves related to their beloved universe.

The speculation and most rumored possibility for Valve’s announcement at Gamescom is a port of the mentioned Half-Life: Alyx for Sony’s new virtual reality experience, the PS VR2. This doesn’t rule out the possibility of them announcing other projects like Half-Life 2: Episode Three, Half-Life 3, Half-Life Alyx 2, or any other game related to Half-Life that we are currently unaware of. As of now, all we have is a tag in an app, but hope remains until the end of August. Until then, we’ll have to wait and see what Valve has in store for fans of the Half-Life universe.

Some of the links added in the article are part of affiliate campaigns and may represent benefits for Softonic.

Great news for all of you who want to play Counter-Strike 2

The Counter-Strike 2 beta continues to grow, showing that Valve is committed to offering us the best successor to its flagship game.

If there’s an unexpected news in 2023, it’s the announcement of Counter-Strike 2. While Counter-Strike is one of Valve’s flagship games, a game that has remained relevant for years, breaking record after record, and maintaining its relevance in the background for twenty-four years, no one expected a sequel anymore. Not when it seemed like it didn’t need one. Even when Riot Games shamelessly copied its formula to steal part of its audience and professionals with Valorant, it didn’t feel like Valve was ready to take a step forward. Except they were waiting for the right moment.

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On March 22nd, the announcement of Counter-Strike 2 was made, and since then, a beta version of the game has been made available. Although it requires owning Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and being selected to participate in the beta, with priority given to those who have recently played the game, many people have already had the opportunity to try the game, and we have already explained how you can do it too.

However, in these almost three months, we have hardly had any updates for the best tactical shooter of all time. That is, until the recent major update that has just landed in the Counter-Strike 2 beta. What does this update add? Essentially, a complete overhaul of how weapon purchasing works in the game.

Up until now, as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players are already familiar with, we had a traditional roulette system through which we accessed all the weapons in the game. This has now been removed, and an inventory system has been introduced that needs to be managed before the start of the match. Players can choose up to 15 weapons from a total of 25, divided into four different categories. During the match, we can only purchase the weapons that we have selected. Therefore, we will have to carefully consider our role before entering the match, as we won’t be able to change equipment as freely as we could in the previous installment of the franchise.

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In any case, the inventory system works based on different categories. Here are the following categories:

  • Starting Pistol: The default weapon for each side. Cannot be changed. Counter-Terrorists start with the USP-S and P2000, while Terrorists start with the Glock-28.
  • Pistols: We can select up to four pistols. Any combination is possible.
  • Intermediate Category: We can select up to five weapons. This includes all the weapons that were previously classified as heavy weapons and submachine guns.
  • Rifles: We can select up to four rifles. Does carrying both the M4A1 and M4A1-S feel like cheating? Well, maybe a little.


In addition to the above, there are some minor changes in terms of sound, available maps, and other small details. Does this mean that the game’s release is near? Who knows. The only thing that’s certain is that Valve is meticulously nurturing the development of this Counter-Strike 2. They are making sure it turns out well, taking in as much feedback as possible from their most loyal players, to make it not just good, but perfect. They want it to be the successor that everyone desires and expects. And so far, that’s exactly what they are achieving: a worthy successor to the legend of Counter-Strike.

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Some of the links added in the article are part of affiliate campaigns and may represent benefits for Softonic.

Valve launches new tool to fight review bombs

See how one game company is fighting against fake negative reviews.

The announcement of the much-anticipated Borderlands 3 has been met with quite a bit of hype in the gaming scene. It’s also garnered more than its fair share of controversy, largely based on publisher 2K’s decision to make the PC versions of the game exclusive to the newly launched Epic Games Store. Fans of the game and users of Valve’s popular Steam store have responded with a practice known as “review bombing,” but Valve is fighting back with new tools that could make a huge difference in the PC game store environment.

Valve launches new tool to fight review bombs

borderlands 3 twins villains
Image courtesy Gearbox Software

Though the Borderlands 3 controversy is only the latest incidence, the practice of “review bombing” has been around for some time. Essentially, users will intentionally leave bad reviews for a publisher’s game as a form of protest. The goal is to systematically bring down a game’s aggregate score on a particular digital storefront. As many online storefronts rely heavily on reviews, large quantities of bad reviews can have a major adverse effect on a game’s success or failure.

In the case of Borderlands 3, the outrage stems from fans who are upset with the decision to make the forthcoming game exclusive to the Epic Games store, bypassing the more popular Steam service. In response to the perceived slight, Steam gamers have review bombed other titles in the Borderlands franchise. Valve is responding to the review bombs by taking steps to rectify the problem.

Valve has launched a new tool designed to counter the review bombs. The tool in question automatically scans game reviews for one-sentence or off-topic reviews, and prevents those reviews from affecting the game’s overall score. Reviews are still able to be seen by other users, but won’t be able to have an adverse effect on the game’s rating.

valve review bomb borderlands 3
Image courtesy Valve

As seen in the image above, players will be able to see the breakdown of reviews and whether or not they affect the game’s scores. The tool blocked all reviews made from April 3 to April 7, when the majority of the review bombing was occurring. This new tool could do quite a bit to help Valve fight back against the growing popularity of the Epic Games store. Though still the top PC game store, Steam has seen an increasing number of titles migrating to the Epic Store. As major titles become Epic exclusives, Steam loses out on post-release profits, and review bombs also contribute to profit loss. As pointed out by Gearbox Software’s Randy Pitchford, the review bombing practice can have the adverse effect of driving more developers to the Epic Store:

Only time will tell whether Steam will retain its seat as the king of PC gaming, and taking steps such as these will doubtless help the embattled storefront retain its position.

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