Half Life 3 Announcement & Dark Souls 3 Co-op | This Weeks Gaming Update

Hello !👋,
Welcome to this weeks round up of the latest gaming news and deals - here’s what we have in store today:

• 🔥 Latest deals including 49% off Dragon Age: The Veilguard

• 🚨 Half Life 3 update

• 🌍 How PUBG developer isn’t building a game

• 💿 Physical copies of the new Assassin’s Creed has been leaked

• 📢 A Dark Souls 3 Mod that promises seamless multiplayer

Plus a news for achievement hunters, and the return of The Sims burglar!!

THE THRIFTS 🔥

This weeks best deals

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*we may make small amounts of commission which helps keep this newsletter going

THIS WEEK’S UPDATES 📈

1/ Half Life 3 being announced this year? 🧐

Fresh leaks suggest that Half-Life 3 could finally be on the horizon, with Valve's "HLX" project seemingly inching closer to completion. According to Tyler McVicker's latest video on YouTube, datamined updates from Valve's Source engine—spotlighted in the recent Dota 2 patch—reveal signs of "polish and optimisation" work. McVicker explains that these updates, including NPC AI refinements and AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution integration, strongly suggest that development is in its final stages.

Among the exciting discoveries, McVicker highlights hints of a fresh physics engine and an advanced "NPC mood system," allowing AI characters to interact dynamically based on sights, sounds, and even smells. Additionally, new gameplay elements like randomised object placements, similar to Left 4 Dead's system, could elevate the replayability factor. Notably, these updates follow credible reports of Half-Life 3 entering a friends-and-family playtesting phase in late 2024, making the prospect of an official announcement in 2025 tantalisingly real.

Sceptical after all these years? You're not alone. But with so many intriguing signs piling up, we’re choosing cautious optimism. Could this be the year Half-Life 3 finally becomes more than a meme? Only time will tell!

Check out Tyler McVicker's full breakdown on YouTube ->

2/ ''It's not a game'' - How PUBG's Creator Differs from Light No Fire

PUBG creator Brendan Greene has ambitious plans with his next project, Project Artemis, an "Earth-scale" open-world sandbox that could redefine gaming. Unlike Hello Games’ upcoming Light No Fire, which uses procedural generation, Project Artemis leverages machine learning to create a realistic, immersive world.

Greene describes it as "not a game" but a platform for user-generated experiences, where players create their own adventures in a hyper-realistic setting. While Light No Fire leans into the fantastical, Project Artemis aims for realism, offering a foundational shift in the way games are experienced.

Light No Fire has no set release date yet, but it’s expected to arrive much earlier than Greene’s project, which he said could still be a decade away...

3/ Assassin's Creed Shadows Physical Copies have been leaked

Nearly a month before its official release, physical copies of Assassin's Creed Shadows have reportedly surfaced online. Leaks include images and gameplay clips being shared across social media platforms despite Ubisoft's efforts to remove them.

Reports indicate that these early copies are being sold on platforms like Facebook Marketplace and Mercari. However, players should note that the leaked build appears to be an older version, missing promised updates that will likely arrive with the day one patch.

This leak adds to the already rocky launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows, following delays and controversy since its 2024 announcement. Ubisoft has yet to comment on the situation.

4/ Dark Souls 3 Seamless Co-Op Mod Brings Unrestricted Multiplayer

Fires may fade, but Dark Souls 3 remains beloved nearly a decade after release. While the original game included co-op, it had limitations. Enter modder Yui’s Dark Souls 3 seamless co-op mod, now available in alpha on Nexus Mods.

This mod allows up to six players to complete the game without the usual restrictions. Players won’t be banished back to their worlds after defeating bosses or completing areas, and deaths no longer end sessions. Instead, players respawn at the last bonfire they rested at. Progression and NPC dialogue scenes also sync across all players' worlds.

To balance gameplay, the mod offers difficulty scaling. However, in boss battles or invasions, players who die can’t re-join until all allies fall or a teammate rests at a bonfire.

Yui warns that the alpha version still contains bugs but promises a fresh, cooperative Dark Souls 3 experience for fans.

Check out the alpha on Nexus Mods ->

BYTE SIZED

Just the Headlines, No Side Quests 🤏

Good news for achievement hunters - Assassin’s Creed has you covered
Good news! Ubisoft confirms you can unlock all Assassin's Creed Shadows achievements without replaying or choosing specific characters! 🙌

EA have added the iconic burglar to Sims 4
After 11 years, the iconic burglar 'Robin Banks' is making a return in a free update!