Best of Gaming — September 2025
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The Verge·34w
Keychron mechanical keyboards are up to 62 percent off
Woot is offering significant discounts on Keychron mechanical keyboards, with savings up to 62% off. Featured deals include the wired V1 for $45, hot-swappable Q7 for $75, and various full-size and compact models. The sale covers both wired and wireless options with different switch types and RGB lighting features.
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Hacker News·35w
Why, as a responsible adult, SimCity 2000 hits differently
A retrospective look at how playing SimCity 2000 as an adult differs from childhood experiences. The author reflects on how real-world responsibilities as a homeowner and parent have changed their approach to the city simulation game, making them more empathetic toward virtual citizens and more thoughtful about urban planning decisions that once seemed trivial.
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Mental Outlaw·37w
CachyOS - The Blazingly Fast Linux Distro
CachyOS is a Linux distribution based on Arch Linux that focuses on performance optimization through compiler flags and kernel configurations, similar to Intel's discontinued Clear Linux. Benchmarks show modest performance improvements over standard distributions, with better results in some applications but marginal gains in others. The distro includes gaming-focused features and handheld device support, making it appealing for gaming and performance-oriented users who want Arch benefits without manual optimization work.
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Game Maker's Toolkit·36w
What's The Point Of Hard Games, Anyway?
Game difficulty serves three main purposes: creating satisfaction through overcoming challenges, supporting narrative themes, and encouraging proper gameplay mechanics usage. However, difficulty must be carefully balanced to avoid frustration. Effective difficulty design includes fair challenge mechanics, opportunities for players to adjust difficulty through exploration or settings, and ways to circumvent roadblocks. Games like Hollow Knight: Silksong demonstrate both successful difficulty implementation and problematic elements that can push players toward rage-quitting.
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80 LEVEL·37w
Silksong's Launch Crashes Steam & Attracts 500K As Pirates Hold Back
Hollow Knight: Silksong launched after 8 years of anticipation, immediately attracting 500,000 players and crashing Steam due to overwhelming demand. The indie Metroidvania sequel received 96% positive reviews on Steam and surprisingly influenced pirates to purchase the game instead due to its affordable $20 price point and developer-friendly approach. Team Cherry's success story demonstrates how passion-driven development can overcome initial skepticism and achieve massive commercial success.
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Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Remake Removes Choreographed Combat
Ubisoft's upcoming Assassin's Creed Black Flag remake will shift from the original's choreographed combat system to an RPG-style approach similar to recent AC titles. The remake removes modern sequences, adds more pirate-era content including cut storylines, and features enhanced islands with additional activities. Built on the Anvil engine and reusing some Skull & Bones assets, the game targets early 2026 release and represents a faithful reimagining rather than a big-budget remake.
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Even Gabe Newell Himself Gets Regulartly Trash-Talked in Dota 2
Gabe Newell revealed at The International 2025 that he plays Dota 2 daily and regularly receives trash talk from other players, including weekly comments telling him to uninstall the game. Despite the toxic behavior, Valve's CEO says he loves the community's energy and enthusiasm, contrasting with modern games that heavily moderate player communication.