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Steam to Replace Greenlight with Steam Direct

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Steam Greenlight started off as a noble idea to help smaller developers get their games onto Steam by riling up community interest. Unfortunately, the service was quickly taken advantage of and led to more than a few awful games landing on Steam’s front page. As a result, Steam Greenlight will be going away later this year and will be replaced by a new system- Steam Direct.

Steam Direct will be a “direct sign-up system for developers”, allowing them to apply to get their games on Steam. The catch here though is that while Greenlight was free, an application fee will be in place for those going through the Steam Direct system. This fee is intended as a way to “decrease the noise in the submission pipeline” and weed out some of the worst Greenlight offenders.

Right now, a price has not been set for the Steam Direct application fee but Valve is in talks with developers to figure out a fair cost barrier. However, suggestions so far have been broad, with some opting for as low as $100 with others saying the fee should be as high as $5000. Valve hasn’t settled on a number yet but the company hopes that this will help improve “the entire pipeline” for bringing new content to Steam.

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EWC China Tour and China-Saudi Esports Festival Begin in Beijing

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The activation ceremony for the EWC China Tour and China-Saudi Esports Festival has taken place in Beijing. The event was jointly initiated by the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) and Tencent Esports, the EWCF’s China Strategy Partner. The ceremony was held within the framework of the “China-Saudi Arabia Year of Culture” and marked the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Saudi Arabia. Attendees included government officials from the China Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Beijing Municipal Government, and the Saudi Tourism Authority, as well as leaders from EWCF, the Saudi Esports Federation, and the China esports ecosystem.

Teri Zhang, Director of Tencent Esports, presented highlights of EWC 2025 to the Chinese audience and announced three key initiatives. First, Tencent Esports, in collaboration with the Saudi Tourism Authority, will create all-in-one EWC tourism packages that include EWC tickets, flight and accommodation offers, and city experiences for Chinese esports fans. Second, Tencent Esports is launching the EWC China Tour Plan, which involves over 100 viewing parties in more than 40 Chinese cities over the next seven weeks. Third, Tencent Esports will host a “China Themed Week” as part of the EWC Festival from July 24 to August 3.

Teri Zhang commented, “Today’s activation marks our continuous collaboration with EWCF. We want esports to be a bond to break down cultural barriers, allowing the young generation to connect through shared passions. This vibrant cultural language will strengthen tourism interactions and build a high-quality China-Saudi exchange platform.”

Turki AlShehri, Director of Special Projects at the Esports World Cup Foundation, stated, “Partnership with Tencent is a cultural bridge. The Strategic partnership between EWCF and Tencent reflects our shared belief in the power of gaming to connect people, cultures, and communities. China is a key part of our vision, since the Chinese market is driving the success of the Esports World Cup. We look forward to deeper collaboration in esports, culture, and tourism.”

A dedicated booth from the Saudi Tourism Authority at the event offered attendees information on Saudi cultural heritage and tourism, alongside EWC-themed immersive experiences. As EWCF’s China Strategy Partner, Tencent Esports plans to continue promoting EWC’s presence in China and foster industrial exchange between the two nations.

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Hello Kitty Island Adventure Announces Physical Editions for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5

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Sunblink and Sanrio have revealed that Hello Kitty Island Adventure, the critically acclaimed cozy life sim, will soon be available in physical Standard and Gift Box Editions at major retailers across North America, Europe, and Asia. The physical Standard Edition for PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch is set to launch on August 29, 2025, with a price of $39.99. Pre-orders for the Hello Kitty Island Adventure Standard Edition are now open.

Launching on November 7, 2025, for Nintendo Switch, the Hello Kitty Island Adventure Gift Box Edition will include the physical Deluxe Edition (featuring the base game plus over 300 unique items and rewards, including Deluxe Starter and Crafting Bundles), a printed Critter and Fish guide, a set of exclusive collectible cards, Tophat’s Memories, and a premium double-sided poster, all housed within a specially designed Collector’s Box. The Gift Box is now available for pre-order at $59.99.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is recognized for pioneering the “cozy adventure” genre, blending relaxed activities like crafting and decorating with a vast explorable world filled with quests, platforming, and puzzle-solving. This innovative approach has earned it critical acclaim, including the Apple Arcade Game of the Year and a Webby People’s Voice award, along with nominations for Best Mobile Game at The Game Awards 2023 and Mobile Game of the Year at the 27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. Following its 2025 launch on Nintendo Switch and PC, the game surpassed half a million digital sales within 30 days.

In Hello Kitty Island Adventure, players are invited by Hello Kitty and friends to Big Adventures Park, where My Melody™ is opening a new gift shop. Players can express themselves as an original, Sanrio-style avatar through extensive customization options. The game allows players to cook delicious food, decorate their space with hundreds of furniture items, and deepen friendships with beloved characters by sharing gifts and completing quests. Multiplayer functionality enables players to invite friends to their island for challenges or to build vacation homes together.

Key game features include:

  • Explore a Massive World – Players can meet Hello Kitty and Friends across distinct biomes, experiencing over 100 hours of adventure and engaging stories. This includes braving Kuromi’s haunted mansion in the Spooky Swamp, unearthing ancient secrets with Retsuko in fiery Mount Hothead, growing rare flowers with Wish me mell in the Merry Meadows, and discovering new treasures underwater in Rainbow Reef.
  • Be Who You Want – Players can express themselves as an original, Sanrio-style avatar with a wide range of adorable character customization options, mixing and matching from dozens of faces, features, and body shapes, and collecting hundreds of clothing items.
  • Craft, Create, Collect – Activities include baking recipes with Hello Kitty, brewing magic potions with Kuromi, collecting critters with Keroppi, learning to fish from Badtz-maru, and more. Players can share gifts and complete quests to deepen friendships with characters, decorate their dream space, or attract new friends with the right furniture pieces. The island also holds collectibles, such as hidden gudetama, sometimes locked behind crafty puzzles.
  • Team Up in Multiplayer – Players can invite others to their island to complete multiplayer challenges to boost stamina, solve puzzles, chase high scores, or build vacation homes together. Multiplayer guests can even decorate their own Friendship Cabins on the host’s island.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is currently available on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch – OLED Model, Nintendo Switch Lite, PC via Steam, and Apple Arcade.

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Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition Now Available on Mac

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Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, is now digitally available for Apple silicon Mac models with 16GB+ unified memory. Players can purchase the game through the Mac App Store, GOG.com, Steam, and Epic Games Store. For those who already own Cyberpunk 2077 on these platforms, the Ultimate Edition is available as a free download on their Apple silicon Mac.

This marks the first time Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, which includes the base game and the Phantom Liberty expansion, is available for Apple silicon Mac models. Players can enjoy advanced features such as ray tracing, frame generation, HDR tuned for Apple XDR displays, and more. The open-world action-adventure role-playing game allows players to embody V, a cyber-enhanced mercenary, as they navigate Night City, a megalopolis driven by power, glamour, and body modification. The

Ultimate Edition features the base game, with Keanu Reeves as Johnny Silverhand, and the critically acclaimed spy-thriller expansion Phantom Liberty, starring Idris Elba as Solomon Reed. It also includes all game updates released to date, including the new Update 2.3, which introduces new quests, vehicles, AutoDrive, and additional Photo Mode options.

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition is optimized for Apple silicon Mac models with 16GB or more of unified memory, running macOS 15.5 or later. Leveraging Apple silicon and Apple Metal technology, the Mac version of Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition promises smooth gameplay and stunning visuals in Night City.

Players can fully immerse themselves with advanced features like ray tracing, frame generation, HDR tuned for Apple XDR displays, and built-in Spatial Audio with head-tracking, exclusive to Apple AirPods. The game has been optimized for all Apple silicon devices, from the latest Mac models with M4 and M3 family chips—including the new iMac, MacBook Air, Mac mini, MacBook Pro, and Mac Studio with M3 Ultra—to M1 models with 16GB or more of unified memory.

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