Rising desktop costs push gamers toward laptops, while RAM shortages are set to continue through 2028.
The PC gaming landscape is being reshaped by rising hardware prices, forcing many gamers to reconsider their setups and opt for gaming laptops as a cost-effective alternative. This shift is largely driven by inflated prices for desktop components such as RAM, SSDs, and graphics cards, which have made building or upgrading a gaming PC a costly endeavor. As RockPaperShotgun points out, even handheld PCs are seeing significant price hikes, leaving gaming laptops as a more viable option for those looking for a powerful, portable gaming solution.
Further exacerbating the situation, the ongoing RAM shortage shows no signs of abating, with Micron’s CEO predicting shortages until at least 2028. This crisis, partly blamed on alleged price fixing by major memory manufacturers like Samsung and SK Hynix, has driven RAM costs to unprecedented heights, impacting all facets of PC building. RockPaperShotgun discusses how these shortages are likely to continue pushing gamers towards more affordable alternatives, despite a growing demand for high-performance hardware.
Community and Modding News
The modding community is facing its own challenges as illustrated by the recent actions of the creator behind the “SFO: Grimhammer 3” mod for Total War: Warhammer 3. In protest of unauthorized AI-enhanced reuploads, the modder deliberately corrupted their own work, aiming to forcefully retain control over its distribution. This bold move serves as a reminder of ongoing tensions within the modding community regarding AI usage and intellectual property. RockPaperShotgun provides further details on this protest and the modder’s intentions moving forward.
Updates and Releases
On the update front, Beamdog continues to demonstrate support for classic games with enhancements to “Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition.” The latest patch focuses on improving UI scaling and introducing cloud saving, among other features, offering a refined experience for both new and returning players. For more on these updates, visit GamingOnLinux.
In another significant update, “Rust” now includes livestock farming, a major addition to its survival mechanics. This development allows players to manage animals like cows and sheep, broadening the game’s already expansive sandbox experience. Details on this and other features can be found at PCGamesN.
