Best of Gaming — January 2026

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    Article
    Avatar of hnHacker News·20w

    I'm brave enough to say it: Linux is good now, and if you want to feel like you actually own your PC, make 2026 the year of Linux on (your) desktop

    Linux has become genuinely user-friendly for desktop use, especially for gaming. Distros like Bazzite make it easy to run games without command-line knowledge, often matching or exceeding Windows performance through Valve's Proton. Steam's Linux user base hit 3.2%, surpassing Mac. The main appeal is ownership and control—no forced AI features, bloatware, or upselling. While HDR support and some anticheat software remain issues, they're improving. Linux offers a viable alternative for users tired of Windows feeling like rented software rather than something they truly own.

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    Article
    Avatar of 80lv80 LEVEL·20w

    Engineer Plays DOOM on Labubu

    Engineer Hairo Satoh created a custom gaming device by embedding PlayStation hardware into a Labubu doll, complete with a screen for a face and hand-squeeze controllers. The creation successfully runs DOOM, controlled by squeezing the doll's hands to navigate and shoot. This joins a growing list of unconventional devices capable of running the classic game, from Blender icons to PDF files.

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    Video
    Avatar of christitustechChris Titus Tech·18w

    I Used Linux for 8 Years: Here's What They Don't Tell You

    After 8 years of using Linux as a primary OS, key lessons include: desktop environments and file managers are interchangeable components, not tied to distributions; professional Windows/Adobe software works better natively than through Wine; gaming has improved dramatically but mod support lags behind Windows; minimalist setups with window managers instead of full desktop environments provide better stability; hardware compatibility matters significantly (AMD generally easier than Nvidia); dual-booting or VMs handle Windows-only needs effectively; and bleeding-edge hardware has delayed Linux support compared to Windows/Mac.

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    Article
    Avatar of gamesindustryGamesIndustry.biz·18w

    GOG MD warns fewer games may come out if developers are forced to keep them online forever

    GOG's managing director warns that requiring developers to maintain games online indefinitely could reduce new game releases due to increased long-term funding requirements. The comments address ongoing debates around game preservation, sparked by campaigns like Stop Killing Games following shutdowns of service-based titles like Ubisoft's The Crew and EA's Anthem. While acknowledging preservation as important, Gołębiewski argues that excessive regulatory barriers around end-of-life cycles could discourage game creation, as studios would need to budget for potentially decades of server maintenance on top of development and marketing costs.

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    Article
    Avatar of gamesindustryGamesIndustry.biz·17w

    Ubisoft’s restructure plan spooks the markets, and it's not hard to see why | Opinion

    Ubisoft's new restructuring plan divides the company into five business units, with flagship titles like Assassin's Creed and Far Cry isolated in one unit backed by Tencent. Markets reacted negatively with a 40% share drop, as the reorganization appears to separate crown jewels from other properties while maintaining top-down management control. The structure raises concerns about future divestments rather than genuine recovery, especially given continued layoffs, mandatory office returns, and leadership unchanged despite years of underperformance.

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    Article
    Avatar of hackadayHackaday·18w

    RAM Prices Got You Down? Try DDR3. Seriously!

    With modern RAM prices skyrocketing, DDR3 memory presents a viable budget alternative for gaming PCs. Testing shows that systems built with 12-15 year old DDR3-supporting motherboards (x79 and z97 chipsets) paired with modern graphics cards can run current games at playable framerates. The z97 chipset with Haswell processors is recommended for better compatibility with modern games requiring AVX2 instructions. DDR3 costs less than $1/GB, making maxed-out configurations affordable despite slower transfer speeds compared to DDR5.

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    Article
    Avatar of gamesindustryGamesIndustry.biz·17w

    Stop Killing Games EU petition hits 1.3m verified signatures

    The Stop Killing Games EU petition has reached 1.3 million verified signatures out of 1.5 million total, surpassing the 1 million threshold needed for European Commission discussion. The campaign, which started after Ubisoft shut down The Crew in 2024, aims to prevent game publishers from permanently disabling games when online services end. Germany and France led contributions with 233,180 and 145,239 signatures respectively. The petition achieved a low 10% rejection rate, placing it among the most successful European Citizens Initiative campaigns. Industry trade body Video Games Europe and the UK government have responded, arguing that maintaining older game servers may not be commercially viable and that no law currently requires indefinite support.

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    Article
    Avatar of 80lv80 LEVEL·19w

    Fan-Made Bully Online Mod Shuts Down Month After Release

    Bully Online, a fan-made multiplayer mod for Rockstar's Bully game, was shut down one month after its December release. The developers removed all servers, code, and scripts within 24 hours, citing external pressure without explicit details. Despite requiring an original game copy, the mod's extensive features including new mechanics, minigames, roleplay, and racing likely triggered action from Rockstar Games. The team promised further explanation on January 21.

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    Video
    Avatar of codebulletCode Bullet·19w

    I Paid Devs on Fiverr $1000 to Make an RPG Game

    A content creator hired five Fiverr developers with a $1000 budget each to create RPG games based on the same prompt requesting a Skyrim-like experience. The video showcases gameplay from all five submissions, featuring diverse approaches including souls-like combat, pixel art adventures, and atmospheric 3D environments. Each game demonstrated unique mechanics, art styles, and creative interpretations of the brief, with varying levels of polish and gameplay depth.

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    Article
    Avatar of thevergeThe Verge·20w

    RGB is the next big thing in OLED gaming monitors

    LG Display and Samsung Display are introducing RGB stripe subpixel arrangements in their OLED gaming monitor panels, replacing previous layouts like Pentile and triangular patterns. This vertical RGB stripe structure significantly improves text clarity, particularly on ultrawide monitors, making them better suited for text-intensive tasks like coding and document editing. Samsung Display has begun mass production of 34-inch 360Hz QD-OLED panels with V-Stripe technology, while LG Display is launching 27-inch 4K RGB stripe panels with 240Hz refresh rates. LG is also advancing Primary RGB Tandem 2.0 technology to boost OLED brightness up to 1,500 nits for monitors and 4,500 nits for TVs, addressing one of OLED's traditional weaknesses compared to competing display technologies.

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    Article
    Avatar of gamedeveloperGame Developer·19w

    Detroit: Become Human tops 15 million sales worldwide

    Detroit: Become Human has surpassed 15 million sales worldwide, making it Quantic Dream's best-selling title. The sci-fi adventure originally launched for PlayStation 4 in May 2018 and later released on Windows PC in 2019.

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    Video
    Avatar of randyprimeRandy·20w

    I spent 3 years learning how to make a fun game

    A game developer shares their 3-year journey learning game design, from early itch.io demos to Steam releases. After struggling to create something they were proud of, they've finally developed Terra Factor, a game they consider genuinely fun. The developer reflects on the challenges of game design and invites others to wishlist their project on Steam.

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    Article
    Avatar of 80lv80 LEVEL·19w

    Call of Duty Sales Down 60%, Former Activision CEO Says

    Former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick claims Call of Duty sales have dropped over 60% year-over-year, citing intense competition from titles like Battlefield. He defends the $69 billion Microsoft acquisition, arguing that investors should be grateful given the franchise's declining performance and all-time low console sales. While Kotick's claims lack official confirmation from Activision, they align with previous reports of $300 million in lost potential sales due to Xbox Game Pass availability and Black Ops 7's poor Steam performance.

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    Video
    Avatar of codemonkeyunityCode Monkey·17w

    The NEW HOTTEST Genre on Steam!

    Incremental games have become a profitable genre on Steam, with recent titles generating significant revenue in short timeframes. Games like Keep on Mining ($600k in 2 weeks), Dixium ($700k in 6 months), and Cast and Chill ($1.5M total) demonstrate the commercial viability of this genre. These games focus on gradual progression through upgrades, starting simple and becoming more efficient over time, evolving from the original Cookie Clicker concept.

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